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Home Depot Inc (NYSE:HD) has received an average rating of “Buy” from the thirty-two analysts that are presently covering the firm, MarketBeat reports. Two analysts have rated the stock with a sell recommendation, five have issued a hold recommendation, twenty-three have assigned a buy recommendation and one has issued a strong buy recommendation on the company. The average 12-month target price among brokerages that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $191.82.
A number of research firms recently commented on HD. Deutsche Bank upped their price target on shares of Home Depot from $176.00 to $200.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, December 7th. Argus upped their price target on shares of Home Depot from $180.00 to $190.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, November 15th. Telsey Advisory Group reiterated an “outperform” rating and set a $220.00 price target (up from $190.00) on shares of Home Depot in a report on Friday, January 19th. Jefferies Group reiterated a “buy” rating and set a $223.00 price target on shares of Home Depot in a report on Monday, February 5th. Finally, Atlantic Securities upgraded shares of Home Depot from a “neutral” rating to an “overweight” rating and upped their price target for the company from $174.16 to $174.95 in a report on Tuesday, November 28th.
In other news, EVP Matt Carey sold 41,396 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, December 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $183.03, for a total value of $7,576,709.88. Following the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 29,559 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $5,410,183.77. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. 0.26% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.
Home Depot (NYSE HD) traded up $1.70 during trading hours on Wednesday, reaching $186.97. 7,565,848 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 5,362,960. Home Depot has a 52 week low of $141.00 and a 52 week high of $207.60. The company has a quick ratio of 0.39, a current ratio of 1.23 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 9.54. The company has a market cap of $218,330.00, a price-to-earnings ratio of 25.93, a P/E/G ratio of 1.36 and a beta of 1.08.
Home Depot announced that its board has authorized a share buyback program on Wednesday, December 6th that allows the company to repurchase $15.00 billion in outstanding shares. This repurchase authorization allows the home improvement retailer to repurchase shares of its stock through open market purchases. Shares repurchase programs are generally a sign that the company’s board of directors believes its shares are undervalued.
About Home Depot
The Home Depot, Inc (The Home Depot) is a home improvement retailer. The Company sells an assortment of building materials, home improvement products, and lawn and garden products, and provides various services. The Home Depot stores serves three primary customer groups: do-it-yourself (DIY) customers, do-it-for-me (DIFM) customers and professional customers.
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Morgan Stanley's Bill Pecoriello issues a proprietary survey of 1,400 adults on their drinking habits. It doesn't look good, folks.
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Mumbai resident Jayashree Ratan set out to create crocheted prostheses for breast cancer survivors. Her organisation Saaisha India has distributed 5,700 such prostheses for free so far.
Breast cancer is the most common cancer in India among women today, and consequently, the number of mastectomy surgeries too has gone up. In India, every four minutes a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer. Many women who undergo this painful procedure, where the entire breast tissue is removed, often question their sense of self.
While some women have access to silicone breast prostheses, most don’t, and are forced to stuff handkerchiefs and cotton balls in their bras to create an illusion of full breasts. This practice often leads to rashes, infections or painful skin abrasions.
It was with an intention to help such women that Chennai-born Jayashree Ratan started making crocheted prostheses for breast cancer survivors.
Jayashree, who is the founder of Saaisha India, a voluntary organisation that makes such prostheses, says, “Women are under such pressure to look a certain way that they have to undergo this pain as well after a traumatic surgery. That’s why I decided to make crocheted or knitted prostheses.”
Since its launch in 2018, the Mumbai-based organisation has distributed over 5,700 prostheses for free. It has a network of over 270 volunteers from across India, the UAE and the US.
These prostheses are made from 100 percent mercerised cotton yarn, which is soft on the skin and does not cause allergies. Each product can be used for close to two years and is hand washable. The prostheses are available in different cup sizes and fit well into the mastectomy bra.
“We never knew we would touch so many lives by spending just a few hours on each product. That is our biggest reward,” says Jayashree.
Edited by Asha Prakash


text: Is small business important to the economic recovery? Few small business owners have any doubt. But what about the experts? We've heard plenty of question raised in recent months about whether small business is really the key to recovering from recession. No longer! Chairman of the Federal Reserve Ben Bernanke is absolutely certain. Here he talks about why the small business sector is indispensable.


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February 26, 2014
Samsung Galaxy S5 goes official, sports a finger-print reader and re-designed rear panel
The world’s leading Android smartphone maker has finally revealed its newest flagship device at the ongoing Mobile World Congress and our first reaction is that the new Samsung Galaxy S5 is nothing but a disappointment. Maybe it was all the false rumors that got our hopes high but we knew they were a little too good to be true, but just to give you an idea, rewind back to 2013 before the launch of Galaxy S4 and try remembering the frenzy and the build up before its launch and now compare it with the Galaxy S5’s launch. The lackluster anticipation and tepid reaction to the launch of one the biggest smartphone unveils of the year tells you the story. Did Samsung get it wrong this time and if yes, what did it possibly miss from a formula that has worked quite brilliantly for the Korean tech giant all this while? It’s not that the new Galaxy S5 devoid of new features or even for that matter bad in anyway. But Samsung had to replace the aging Galaxy S4 which was fast losing its appeal, so is the newest flagship any good and a suitable replacement to its predecessor? Read on to know what’s new and what’s not.
First up is the design and that’s probably the biggest let down. We were expecting Samsung to launch separate versions of the Galaxy S5 and a Galaxy device with a metal body instead of plastic with metal finish was probably one thing everybody wanted, but Samsung continues to look away. The front side of the Galaxy S5 is very, very similar to its predecessor and has only subtle touches that differentiate the two devices. The S5 has a slightly bigger 5.1 inch display which is still a 1080p Super AMOLED panel that doesn’t look very different from the S4’s screen. But under the display is a new home button with integrated fingerprint scanner much like the iPhone 5S and capacitive keys for multitasking and Android’s back button. The Galaxy S5 has also retained the familiar metal-finished plastic surround on the S5 which is one of the biggest irritants on any Samsung device. The rear side however is different and has a new dimpled soft-touch texture to it. Though the online community has ridiculed it by comparing the gold (beige) colored S5 with a Band-Aid but it’s one of those additions which are neither ground-breaking nor ugly. We think it looks good and is a good replacement to the cheap looking rear panel on its predecessor. Samsung is offering the S5 in four different colors: black, white, blue, and gold.
As far as the hardware under the hood goes, the Galaxy S5 has a faster 2.5GHz quad-core processor, 2GB of RAM, and a larger 2800mAh battery with the promised 20 percent better stamina. It also has a more powerful 16MP camera on the back which can record 4K videos and has offers some more attractive features. On the software front, we were expecting Samsung to tweak the heavy TouchWiz UI built upon the Android 4.4.2 KitKat but there are no major changes. It’s still the same offers the entire long list of features and functions. Two of the most eye catching additions to the Galaxy S5 however are the heart rate monitor which is a first for any smartphone, and the device is waterproof and dustproof in alliance with military spec IP67, which means that it can take a bath for up to 30 minutes at about 3 feet down; now that’s impressive! Samsung will sell the Galaxy S5 starting April 11 in over 150 countries but the pricing is yet to be announced. We will wait till the pricing is announced to give our final verdict but the Galaxy S5 isn’t all that impressive to say the least.


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News that Heinz anticipates putting green ketchup into supermarkets (and the hands of children) this fall sent a tsunami of titters and "Oh, boys" across some segments of America -- at least among those who remember Crystal Pepsi, yellow milk and blue polenta.
"Man, that's a gimmick if I've ever heard of one," said Jack Francis, professor emeritus of food science at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. "Whoever dreamed it up did a good job and my congratulations to them -- if it lasts."
For as long as Francis can remember, marketers and merchandisers and folks in research and development have been playing with food and challenging our culture's notions of what color certain foods should be. Some of those challenges fly. Some flop.
"It's amazing what comes out of research and development," said John Folse, CEO of the Louisiana-based restaurant, manufacturing and catering company bearing his name. He recalls one restaurant company that wanted a sauce "reminiscent of the Louisiana swamplands" to go along with a fish dish.
"They wanted it Cajun in nature and greenish in color," recalled Folse, whose R&D team went to work pureeing sorrel and spinach. "When it appeared on the plate, it reminded them more of the `Exorcist' than anything else. The customer could not relate to it."
What makes people devour ruby-red grapefruits on a breakfast buffet, but pass up wedges of blood oranges? Why does strawberry milk have a market and not yellow-tinted pineapple or lemon milk? Why aren't there navy blue Fruit Loops? Why do we prefer our colas with brown caramel coloring?
"People are strongly influenced by perception based on sight," said Nicki Engeseth, assistant professor of food chemistry in the department of food science and human nutrition at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. "If you put yellow food coloring in vanilla pudding, before they even taste it, they think it will be lemon or banana. They will tell you it is lemon or banana even after tasting it because they are so strongly perceiving it as lemon or banana."
With flavor, texture and color considered the major quality factors of food, "If you don't have the color right, I think you can forget about the other two," said Francis. "If it isn't the color you expect it to be, you don't like it."
"The public expects the norm when it's eating," said Folse.
Which is why you rarely see folks fiddling with the American diet staples of meat, eggs, dairy products and bread and pastas, while fruits and vegetables in colors like fuchsia and chartreuse are labeled "exotic."
But you can toss out all of your color expectations when it comes to the world of fun foods, where blue candy and blue sport drinks are standard fare.
"You can do candy in any color and people will eat it because it is fun," said Engeseth. "But put that color on somebody's plate and people don't typically associate blue with an edible product. You very rarely see anything blue on a plate."
"If you do consumer surveys, yellow-orange comes out best followed by reds, then by pure yellows, then greens," said Francis. "The blues weren't even on the charts. But that was before the latest trends. It was considered an unattractive color for food."
(Hence, the Heinz guy was quoted in news stories saying the company bounced around the possibility of blue ketchup, but chose green because "it has a little more kitchen logic.")
"If it's full of the rainbow, it belongs in bubble gum or dessert. If it's earth-tone colors, it's in the savory or entree section," said Folse.
How green ketchup flies -- and whether or not it becomes a sauce option at McDonald's -- remains to be seen. It won't be in stores until this fall, with Heinz dubbing the product EZ Squirt Blastin' Green.
And does green ketchup mean there's a place at the table for blue macaroni, hot-pink grapes and lime-green milk?


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Forex: Fed November Beige Book Shows Economy Grew at "Measured Pace"; USD/JPY Strengthened
THE TAKEAWAY: Fed’s Beige Book released > Overall economic activity expanded at “measured pace”; Consumer spending and employment increased, while manufacturing weakened > [USD/JPY Strengthened]
The latest Federal Reserve Beige Book, which was released today, revealed that the U.S. economy “expanded at a measured pace” across all twelve Fed, with seven of districts citing growth at a modest pace. However, because of Hurricane Sandy, New York and two other districts reported weaker conditions in October and November.
The Beige Book report, which is usually released two weeks before the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meets to set monetary policy, offers anecdotal evidence that helps policy makers assess the condition of the economy and actions going forward.
Most of the Fed’s twelve regional banks indicated an improvement in consumer spending, while manufacturing softened due to seven districts under contraction. Residential and commercial real estate was reported to gain slightly in general. In transportation, reports were mixed as hurricane Sandy slowed shipments in some districts.
On the labor market, employment conditions were modest improved in most districts while wage pressure remained ‘subdued’ over the board. In addition, almost every district described price growth as modest despite of occasionally examples with higher price growth in raw materials.
This latest edition follows the release of the Fed’s November monetary policy meeting minutes last week. The minutes revealed that many members saw economic outlook as little changed since their September decision and favored more quantitative easing since operation twist is due to expire next month.
USDJPY 1-minute Chart: November 28, 2012
The U.S. dollar strengthened against most its major currency counterparts in the minute after the release of the Fed Beige Book. As can be seen from one-minute chart above, the USD/JPY pair rose to 81.91 yen from 81.88 yen in the minutes preceding the report. At the time this report was written, the USD/JPY pair was trading at 81.86 yen.
--- Written by Renee Mu, DailyFX Research
DailyFX provides forex news and technical analysis on the trends that influence the global currency markets.


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The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has classified more than 50 per cent of the certificates of pharmaceutical products imported into Nigeria as fake.
The Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof Mojisola Adeyeye, disclosed this at a stakeholders’ engagement meeting with regulators, policymakers, and law enforcement agencies on Monday, in Abuja.
She said Nigeria and other countries in Africa had agreed with the World Health Organisation (WHO) to ensure that products coming to the region were of quality through the issuance of quality assurance certificates.
Certificate of pharmaceutical product is issued in the format recommended by the World Health Organisation, and it establishes the status of the pharmaceutical product and the applicant for the certificate in the exporting country.
It is for a single product only since manufacturing arrangements and approved information for different dosage forms and different strengths can vary.
Adeyeye, said the goal of the meeting with the stakeholders was to ensure that medical products in circulation are of the right quality, safe and efficacious.
She noted that substandard and falsified products were threatening access to safe efficacious and affordable medicines, and undermine the achievement of universal health coverage in Nigeria, and Africa.
“We have 55 countries in Africa and we belong to the member states globally and we agreed to ensure that products coming to the region are of quality and WHO created a scheme called certificate of pharmaceutical product, and what this means is that if we send a certificate of pharmaceutical product out to another country, we are assuring the receiving country that it will be of quality.
“Most of our medicines come from South East Asia and we belong to the member states too.
“We have a scheme where before medicines that were approved leave that part of the world, we do pre-shipment testing, and that comes with CPP to assure us of quality, but that is not the case, because through our scheme we have been able to stop over 140 products that were approved from coming in.
“We found out that more than 50 per cent of the CPPs that come into our country are fake.
“Part of the responsibility is our people that go to China or India and we are going to deal with it. It’s a Member States issue, and we are going to deal with it.
“We are very stringent than ever and there is no cutting of corners, we have blacklisted many companies, we have sanctioned them because we want people to respect our own people.
“Trade is a mutual agreement and if that agreement is harming one part of the agreement, we will stop it. If a company is suspected to be compromising, in two hours we will be there, and we will shut the company down,” she noted.
The NAFDAC boss lamented that the high prevalence of substandard and falsified medicines in Africa had become a major threat to public health.
According to her, the prevalence of substandard and falsified medicines in the region was due to limited regulation processes.
“Only about 10 per cent of national regulatory agencies have attained maturity level three.
What leads to maturity level three is market control, and that is one of the nine models of maturity level three, so we have a lot of work to do in Africa.
“The NAFDAC’s mandate puts a burden on us to see a reduction in substandard and falsified medicines, both the ones that are locally manufactured and the ones that are imported.
“NAFDAC is doing its best to fight substandard and falsified medicines and products based on three thematic areas, which are to prevent, detect, and respond. It is a community effort to fight this and we seek partnership to find out lapses so we can fight it,” she stated.
In 2022, WHO certified NAFDAC as a stable, well-functioning, and integrated regulatory system maturity level 3 rating scale of the Global Benchmarking Tool.
By this, NAFDAC is eligible for inclusion into the transitional WHO Listed Authority, a list that comprises world’s regulators of reference – that is, regulatory authority that should be globally recognised as meeting WHO and other international standards.j
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Iran: Billet export price at record high on China buying
Apr 12, 2021 10:00
See Full-size Table Here
In a recently concluded billet export deal for China, Chadormalu Mining and Industrial Company sold 30,000 t billets at $570/t, FoB through a tender for May ’21 shipments, sources reported to SteelMint. With this deal, the Iranian billet export prices hit an all-time high level, as per data maintained with SteelMint since 2018.
The Chinese buyers
preferred Iranian billets as their offers were reasonable compared to
Russian and Indian billets. For instance, Indian billet offers are
currently at $590-600/t, FoB. While, the latest offers from Russia heard
at $655-660/t, CFR China.
On the other hand, the buying bids from
China are just below $640/t,


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Dale Farm has raised it November milk price by 1p/litre to 27p/litre for milk of standard constituents.
The Northern Irish processor has now raised its prices in five consecutive months, culminating in a jump of almost 10p/litre since the lows of the dairy crisis in July.
This increase equates to close to £80m extra paid out to the company’s 1,300 producers, according to Dale Farm group chairman John Dunlop.
“We also paid a 4p/litre bonus on additional milk produced, as part of a milk production scheme. The initiative was hugely successful and resulted in an additional 0.274p/litre in November across the milk pool – an increase that will make a significant difference to our contributing members.”
Mr Dunlop added, “We continue to work with our customers to secure much-needed market returns. This involves remaining focused on driving dairy consumption and value for consumers through new innovations.
“The launch of Dale Farm’s ‘Farmers Milk’ in Asda last month was another welcome boost to our dairy farmers, especially during the winter months, when they have additional costs.”
Willing to pay more
“Consumers seem willing to pay more if they know it goes directly to the farmers that produce it.”
Northern Ireland farmgate milk prices shot up in the latest AHDB figures for October, overtaking UK farmgate prices for the first time since March 2014.
United Dairy Farmers was created in 1995 and has dairy operations in England, Scotland and Wales as well as Northern Ireland where the co-op originated.


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The Coronavirus induced lockdown has severely hurt the economy of Uttar Pradesh, but the determination of the Yogi Adityanath government to make the state a one-trillion-dollar economy by FY 25 remains the same. In order to ensure that the path of a one-trillion-dollar economy is laid out as soon as possible, the government plans to rope in management consultancies to suggest the required reforms.
Outlining the job of the consultant, a UP government advertisement said: “Based on status and recent trends, (the consultant will have to) determine multipliers between sectoral growth and impact on the GSDP; and assign targets and how to achieve them for each sector towards a $1 trillion economy”.
Topmost global consultancy firms such as Boston Consulting Group (BCG) as well as India’s top management institute, IIM-Ahmedabad, have submitted bids for the project. Boston Consulting, Grant Thorton, Nangia and Co, Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu India and IIM-Ahmedabad are the 8 bidders who have come forward for ‘herculean task’.
The state is already attracting huge amounts of investment from national as well as international companies as it bagged the second position in the Ease of Doing Business ranking of Indian states.
Companies from the United States, the United Kingdom, Japan, Canada, Germany and South Korea have proposed investment worth 45,000 crore rupees which will create 1.35 lakh jobs in the state. The government is arranging land for these companies and many of them have already been allotted plots required to set up factories and offices.
“In 6 months, 326 plots have been allotted for investment projects worth Rs 6,700 crore. This has attracted investors from all over the world to UP,” said The Infrastructure & Industrial Development Commissioner (IIDC) Alok Tandon.
The Yogi government is very serious about reaching the target of one-trillion-dollar by 2025 and is ready to take all necessary steps to improve productivity of the state. The tender document of the UP government has said the “Herculean task (of reaching $1 trillion goal) demands some giant steps” to be taken by the state government to move forward,” and added, “it needs some well thought out and long-term strategies on a sustained basis and would also require organisational restructuring, focussed policies and rules for more effective governance, faster decision-making process and improved accountability”.
After the Coronavirus outbreak in China and its mishandling of the crisis leading to a pandemic, many countries are looking to move manufacturing units away from China. In fact, many countries that are arch-enemies of China but have manufacturing units in China, like Japan, are incentivizing companies to move out, and this presents a golden opportunity to India, especially the industrially backward states like UP, Bihar where labour cost is extremely low.
UP has the existing capacity to replace China as the ‘factory of the world’ with a population of 22 crores and a young demography. With the outbreak of Coronavirus and the anger towards China, the companies of developed nations that have manufacturing units in China are looking for other avenues.
The UP government has shown the most proactive approach in the last few weeks to attract these companies and this has resulted in ongoing talks with many foreign companies over shifting manufacturing units to the state, some of which have already pledged investment.
South Korean electronics majors agreed to set up manufacturing units in Uttar Pradesh and state officials held a webinar with 100 US firms like Adobe, Boston Scientific, and UPS to shift their units from Shanghai to Noida, which is already a known popular IT hub.
German footwear brand, Von Wellx, has decided to move its factory operations from China to Agra, Uttar Pradesh. The company has more than 10 crore customers in more than 80 countries.
UP is one of the most efficiently administered parts of the country and the ‘rule of law’ prevails in the state. Therefore, the industrialists have no qualms about over-investing in the state, which is not just being governed efficiently but the government is also providing various incentives for investment.
The Yogi government has been proactive in dealing with Coronavirus and has already set up committees to assess the financial and social impact of lockdown on 11 sectors- industry, construction, revenue, labour, education, agriculture, social welfare, rural development, urban affairs, water and handicapped welfare. The Yogi must be applauded for transforming the state from a nightmare for industrialists to heaven for law-abiding companies.


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ADA Cosmetics removes microplastic particles from its products
Environmentalists and researchers have long called for it: To stop the use of microplastic particles in cosmetic items. The Federal Department of Environmental Affairs also has demanded a voluntary withdrawal.
Europe’s leading manufacturer of hotel cosmetics, ADA Cosmetics International (ADA), has conducted a sustainable ...
Posted by Isabelle Scheeck on February 6, 2014
…and are the world’s first manufacturer of hotel cosmetics to receive this honor! On July 23 Dr. Peter Zimmer of Green Globe Germany handed over the official certificate to Wilhelm B. Koenning, CEO of ADA. The certificate certifies that the company follows strict economical, social and ecological criteria in ...
Posted by Hilde Hutchings on November 28, 2013


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Manchester’s tech sector “thriving” says UK Digital Secretary following latest Tech Nation report
A report from Tech Nation has found that Manchester’s tech scene is growing rapidly with global companies having attracted considerable venture capital investment so far this year.
According to Tech Nation’s Bright Tech Future Jobs and Skills report, Manchester already employs more than 100,000 workers in the digital economy but also had around 164,000 vacancies for both workers with tech skills and non-tech skills in 2018.
New figures from Tech Nation and Dealroom.co for the Digital Economy Council also show that tech companies in the city have raised $528m from investors so far this year, a threefold increase on last year’s venture capital investment, confirming Manchester’s position as one of the UK’s leading tech hubs.
The UK Digital Secretary, Nicky Morgan, said: “Manchester’s tech sector is thriving. It has produced five billion-dollar tech ‘unicorns’, such as fashion retailer Boohoo and online household appliances store AO.com, which are helping to create jobs and drive growth in the city.
"I am delighted that some of the country’s best talent is coming together to discuss how we can help further strengthen the UK’s reputation as Europe’s leading tech player.”
The research was carried out ahead of a Bright Tech Future roundtable discussion being hosted today at Manchester’s Innovation Centre by Saul Klein, Co-founder of LocalGlobe, Seedcamp and Lovefilm.
The aim of the roundtable, one of a tour of eight cities across the UK, is to meet with regional tech leaders to discuss the opportunities of the area’s tech ecosystem.
Manchester is on par with Amsterdam for creating fast-growing tech businesses after the city’s tech businesses achieved a combined turnover of £3.2bn last year according to Tech Nation.
Five of the UK’s tech unicorns hail from Manchester, including The Hut Group, Boohoo, AO.com, Autotrader and Onthebeach.com.
George Windsor, Head of Insights at Tech Nation said: “Manchester has cemented its position as one of the UK’s leading tech hubs. The Tech Nation reports of 2019 and 2018 have shown how it continues to attract healthy investment and nurture successful unicorn businesses.
The CEO of AccessPay, Anish Kapoor, is involved with the Bright Tech Future tour. On Manchester, he added: “Year after year, this city continues to attract investment, enabling our thriving technology sector to fulfil its true potential, adding to the list of unicorns that call Manchester home.
"However, if we want Manchester to take its place on the world stage we need to talk about how best to solve the challenges tech businesses in the region face, particularly when it comes to recruiting and retaining talent.”


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Christmas is coming. And one of the first signs of the season will be the 3rd Annual Newport Beach Santa Crawl on Dec. 13 on the Balboa Peninsula.
Newport Beach based event production company, Expo 4 Life, is hosting the festive event.
Who doesn’t like to “dress up and eat and drink and be merry?” asked Expo-4-Life vice president of sales, marketing and business development, and NB resident, Brad Goldston.
“This is a way to bring everybody together in a communal affair in a more casual (fun) event,” he added. “It brings the fun back to fundraising… We’re looking to raise money, but also want people to have a good time.”
Funds will benefit the Eli Home, an Anaheim-based organization that helps abused women and children. The event also includes a toy drive.
Last year, the event raised a few thousand dollars and collected more than 500 toys.
The charity will receive 100 percent of the sales from wristbands and opportunity drawing tickets. The bars also donate 20 percent from food and beverage sales and many participants make donations to the nonprofit.
The crawl starts at 1 p.m. at Malarky’s Irish Pub, then makes stops at Newport Beach Brewing Co., Avila’s El Ranchito and American Junkie before finishing at 6 p.m. The jolly group will spend about an hour at each stop.
Along the route there will be opportunity drawings, drinking games, a costume contest and other festivities. Prizes from the drawings include sports tickets, vacations, massages and more.
After the event officially ends, many people still hang out and eat and have fun, Goldston noted.
Organizers are expecting more than 300 participants, who are encouraged to dress as Santa, Mrs. Claus, Santa’s helper, reindeer or in other festive costumes.
“Part of the fun is dressing up in costume,” Goldston said.
Anybody and everybody can participate, he added. A broad range of people attended last year, from college students to senior citizens, he noted.
Tickets cost $30 for a regular wristband, $40 for VIP, and $15 for each ticket for groups of 10 or more. The VIP ticket includes avoiding the line, a complimentary cocktail, and 10 opportunity drawings.
Sponsors include Malarky’s Irish Pub, Newport Beach Brewing Co., Avila’s El Rachito, American Junkie Newport Beach, OC Weekly, Fireball Whiskey, Black Magic Rum, Buffalo Trace Bourbon, Deep Eddy Vodka, and Never Hung Over.
Expo-4-Life will also host a pre-party beer tasting and toy drive on Dec. 11 from 6 to 9 p.m. at Beach Hut Deli at 488 E 17th St., in Costa Mesa.
Bring in a new, unwrapped toy and/or buy a Santa Crawl Ticket to receive beer tasting tickets.
Each ticket is good for three tastings of 4-6 ounce pours. Beer will be provided by Ninkasi Brewing Company. Toys are donated to the Eli Home – helping put a stop to child abuse. Happy Hour prices all night long.


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Like most businesses, shipping companies face many risks and liabilities, each of which can cause considerable losses and damage. Although commercial marine insurance can mitigate many of these risks, factors such as port congestion continue to pose significant difficulties for the shopping industry.
Port congestion has been increasing in severity over the past few years. Furthermore, the occurrence of the problem even during the off-season is a clear sign of a worsening situation.
Los Angeles and Long Beach: Case Studies Port Congestion
One only has to look at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach‒both major global shipping hubs‒to see just how bad things are. In an article published in American Shipper, Greg Miller provided an informative glimpse into the situations in both ports.
Acknowledging that figures varied daily, Miller reported seeing 70 container ships at the Long Beach port on a Monday. These had a total capacity equivalent to 432,909 twenty-foot vessels.
To illustrate the magnitude of that volume, that figure is more than what passed through the port during August 2021 alone. It takes four months for the port of Charleston to handle a similar volume, while the port of Savannah handles that much in two months.
Also, in August, the Los Angeles and Long Beach ports had a combined import throughput of approximately 893,118 TEUs. Now, let’s assume that all offshore ships are full and that capacity accurately represents volume. If these ports processed as many vessels as they did during the month of August, port congestion is only preventable if no other ships arrive for 14 consecutive days.
Of course, that isn’t likely to happen, considering that these are the two busiest ports in the country, with several ships docking there daily. As Miller observed, even while he was monitoring the port of Los Angeles, there was already a steady stream of new vessels crossing the Pacific heading his way. And with the average waiting times lasting as long as nine days‒a record period for vessels at the port‒port congestion isn’t likely to clear up any time soon.
Proposed Solutions to Ease Congestion
As dire as the situation is, there are some possible solutions in the works. For its part, the Port of Long Beach has extended its cargo pickup hours. In conjunction with Total Terminals International, port authorities have launched a new initiative to extend access hours for trucks picking up shipping containers.
The largest container terminal operator at the port, Total Terminals International, now offers more flexible hours in an effort to encourage late-night and pre-dawn pickups. With this new schedule, truckers will be allowed access to the facilities from 11:00 pm to 1:30 am, from Monday to Thursday. They can also drop off empty containers and leave with loaded containers from 3:00 am to 7:00 am.
Both schedules also allow access to the port at any time, even without prior notice. Previously, the port had a strict policy of allowing pickups and offloading only with pre-reservations.
Since launching the pilot program, the Ports of Los Angele and Long Beach have since come out with a joint press statement, announcing new measures to reduce delays and improve freight movement in their respective areas. These steps will be undertaken in response to continued record volumes and after consultation with the U.S. Department of Transportation and stakeholders in the shipping and supply industries.
As the Port of Long Beach puts its extended gate hours into effect, the Port of Los Angeles announced plans to open its gates on a trial basis during the weekends. Authorities at both ports also appealed to terminal operators to offer incentives to encourage truckers to utilize all available gate hours, especially at night.
Other proposed solutions include offering incentives for priority reservations and implementing corrective measures. As with the extension of gate hours, these steps are being undertaken to reduce port congestion and maximize the throughput capacity of cargo terminals.
At present, it’s still too early to determine whether or not these measures will effectively reduce congestion at these two ports. But they are undoubtedly steps in the right direction and could pave the way for similar strategies in the coming months. In any case, it is imperative for everyone involved to take definitive and decisive action so that the problem with port congestion can be minimized if not eliminated entirely.
About Merrimac Marine Insurance
At Merrimac Marine, we are dedicated to providing insurance for the marine industry to protect your clients’ business and assets. For more information about our products and programs, contact our specialists today at (800) 681-1998.


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The iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max are rumored to be in the pipeline for Apple with a light detection and ranging (LiDAR) sensor. This new sensor will sit with a triple rear camera setup that is likely to include wide-angle, ultra-wide-angle, and telephoto shooters. A rough sketch has surfaced online, showing the back of the discontinued iPhone 12 Pro. It is said to have been sourced from iOS 14, the software version that will come as an update to the current iOS 13.
This sketch posted on Instagram by an account concept phone is being described as iPhone 12 Pro. It shows a quad rear camera setup on the iPhone, along with an LED flash module sitting in the middle of four sensors. While the three sensors on the leaked image are for visible photography, the fourth one is the LiDAR sensor, as reported by a Twitter user who goes by the pseudo username @choco_bit.
Apple may offer new Augmented Reality (AR) experiences to use the LiDAR sensor on the iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max. This would be similar to how the company has the iPad Pro 2020 model that is also planning to explore new avenues with a LiDAR sensor with two different camera sensors.
A LiDAR sensor is used to measure distances to the surroundings using laser light. This can be useful for creating AR models and enabling 3D sensing on newer iPhone models.
Some reports in the past have suggested that the iPhone 12 Pro model will debut this year with a new depth sensor. However, instead of offering a conventional depth sensor, Apple may plan to bring its latest iPhone model with a LiDAR sensor.
Apple is rumored to have built new AR features that would be a part of the Find My and Apple Maps apps. These new offerings are likely to be a part of the iOS 14 release that would come preloaded on the iPhone 12 models. To expand its AR developments, the company is also rumored to have its AR glasses in the works that would debut sometime in 2022.
In addition to the LiDAR sensor, the iPhone 12 models could include large image sensors for capturing additional light and add a sensor-shift image stabilization.
Apple generally hosts its new iPhone launch event in September. However, there could be some delay this year due to the coronavirus outbreak.
In the meantime, it is safe to expect recent reports and rumors suggesting what we would get on the new iPhone models.
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Reuters: Striking Iranian merchants have rejected a deal aimed at getting them to reopen their shops in Tehran’s main market and end a standoff with the government, media reported on Wednesday.
TEHRAN, Sept 7 (Reuters) – Striking Iranian merchants have rejected a deal aimed at getting them to reopen their shops in Tehran’s main market and end a standoff with the government, media reported on Wednesday.
The traders — a conservative and politically powerful group in Iran – went on strike six weeks ago, protesting against the imposition of a new 4-percent value added tax that they said would hurt business.
The unrest in the bazaar comes at a sensitive time for President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad who is pushing through major economic reforms, chief among them the removal of subsidies which have held down the price of food and fuel for years.
Government authorities tried to appease the traders by offering to give them longer to pay the tax, extending a deadline from three to six months, but the merchants rejected the concession, media reported.
“The syndicate has many requests because it faces stagnation in the market and irregular imports which are a real problem,” Abas-Malek Mohammadi, a leader of the textile traders’ organisation told Kaleme website.
“They (the traders) have been put under pressure and it is their right to protest … Some of them had to get a loan to pay their taxes,” he said.
Ahmadinejad’s subsidy reform has contributed to steadily rising inflation which the International Monetary Fund has estimated will average 22.5 percent this year while the economy stagnates.
Iran is also under economic pressure from U.S.-led sanctions over its nuclear programme.
A similar strike one year ago by gold merchants was eventually resolved through negotiation. (Reporting by Ramin Mostafavi; Writing by Robin Pomeroy; Editing by Andrew Heavens)


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CAFES, shops and salons in the Sunnybank area of Brisbane can expect a visit from the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) in September as part of efforts to tackle the cash economy.
Assistant Commissioner Tom Wheeler said that while most small businesses now take electronic payments, accepting cash is still common.
“When businesses advertise as ‘cash-only’, it raises a red flag about whether those businesses are accurately reporting all their income, and meeting their obligations as an employer,” Mr Wheeler said.
“Over the next 12 months, ATO staff will be visiting businesses across the country. We are focusing on businesses that typically have high cash transactions or only take cash, such as restaurants, cafes, pubs, hairdressers, beauty salons and home-based businesses, along with other local retailers.”
Mr Wheeler said that after the visits the ATO will assess if some businesses need assistance in understanding and meeting their obligations.
“These visits are an extension of our ongoing focus on protecting honest businesses and supporting those that need extra help to get their tax right,” Mr Wheeler said.
“If a business is behind in their lodgments or their record keeping isn’t quite up to scratch, we will give them some support to get back on track. Other businesses may be investigated because we’re concerned they’re deliberately doing the wrong thing.”
Mr Wheeler said the ATO is reminding taxpayers that running a cash-only business doesn’t mean they’re invisible to the ATO.
“We receive data on businesses that take electronic payments, so we can identify those that don’t. This means we can investigate further to make sure they are meeting their tax and super obligations,” Mr Wheeler said.
“In 2015–2016 the ATO raised over $208 million in tax and penalties from its cash and hidden economy compliance activities.”
“We urge all businesses to report all their income and meet all their obligations as an employer. Our increased use of data and analytics mean that sooner or later, we will catch up with those businesses seeking to avoid their obligations. The cash economy just doesn’t pay.”
For more information, visit ato.gov.au/protectinghonestbusiness


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Warframe New Updates, Next Prime & Release Schedule
Warframe’s Upcoming Update
Next Warframe Prime
Warframe players are constantly (much to the developers chagrin) waiting for news about the next Prime release. As of now, the current Warframe slated for a prime upgrade is the Revenant Prime, expected to be out by the end of Fall, 2022. The Warframe is great for Survival missions where survivability is key, but recent updates have buffed the Warframe’s DPS significantly. After Revenant, Primes slated for release, in order are: Baruuk Prime, Hildryn Prime, Wisp Prime, Gauss Prime, and Grendel Prime.
The Duviri Paradox
This is a new open-world area in Warframe, which means new quests, collectibles, and activities. The exact release date has not been announced yet.
Warframe Timeline: Past Updates & Events
Zephyr Prime and Chroma Prime
Zephyr Prime and Chroma Prime are coming out of the Prime Vault and will be available for a limited time.
Angels of Zariman Expansion, New Warframe Gyre
Angels of Zariman expansion is live.New Warframe:
New player housing: the Dormizone
Angels of Zariman Scheduled, New Prime Garuda
The new update, Angels of the Zariman, is expected to be released in April. Some things to look forward to are new skins and a new warframe, Gyre.
Garuda Prime is coming on March 28!
Star Days (Valentine’s Event) and New Primes
Mirage Prime, Banshee Prime comes out of the Vault among other Prime weapons.
Star Days, the game’s Valentine’s event, will run until Feb 23. Don’t miss the exclusive rewards!


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E-commerce has never been more relevant or needed for people’s day-to-day lives. As we talked about a few years ago, e-commerce was already booming before the pandemic, and has since become more essential. We’re taking a look at how e-commerce has been impacted during the holidays with statistics from last year. In addition, we have some key suggestions for how to test and prepare your e-commerce app/website before the holiday season.
Read more below or download our E-Commerce Guide: Testing Your E-Commerce Ahead of Black Friday & Cyber Monday for more detailed information.
Black Friday and Cyber Monday in 2020
Black Friday and Cyber Monday in 2020 marked the beginning of a new era. Many changes to shopping occurred in 2020, and Black Friday/Cyber Monday deals were moved almost entirely online due to COVID-19.
As a result of functioning primarily online, these deals were able to start earlier and last even longer than in the past. Stores actually closed for the holiday instead of encouraging in person shopping. Buying online and picking up in the store or via curbside pickup became a new norm, and helped prevent shipping delays for consumers.
These mainly online deals allowed for other companies and businesses to join in on the deals as well. Consumers spent $9 billion on the web the day after Thanksgiving, up 21.6% year over year, according to data from Adobe Analytics. On Black Friday, Adobe found consumers spent $6.3 million per minute online, or $27.50 per person, on average. Spending on smartphones surged 25.3% year over year to reach $3.6 billion, representing 40% of total e-commerce spending.
Cyber Monday also proved lucrative, as holiday shoppers spent $10.8 billion on Cyber Monday, up 15.1% from a year ago, setting a record for the largest U.S. online shopping day ever, according to Adobe.
In-person Shopping Decline
Compared to the previous year, pre-pandemic 2019, the drop in in-person shopping was quite pronounced, foot traffic dropped 55% YoY . Retailers used this opportunity to launch their deals earlier than in years past, and 52% of shoppers took advantage of these early deals. In 2020, retailers also encouraged shoppers to shop online and pick-up in stores. 50% of shoppers said they planned to use curbside or pickup options more than the previous year.
While brick and mortar retailers found ways to work around the pandemic by capitalizing with online shoppers, the online retailer Shopify also saw a 76% increase of global holiday shoppers. Between Black Friday and Cyber Monday, Shopify collectively made $5.1 billion dollars in sales.
What about the internet’s most famous online retailer? Amazon also saw an increase in online spending during their Amazon Prime days on June 21 and 22nd of 2021. While they made $11.19 billion in 2021, this number is not nearly as impressive as the last few years with only a 7.6% increase. However, Amazon continues to see a year over year increase in online spending, and also saw a 50 million increase in global Prime Membership enrollment versus 2020.
2021 Black Friday and Cyber Monday
In 2021, it’s projected that more companies will be launching their sales earlier and running them longer. Retailers are making this move due to the success of previous years cyber sales deals; however, some retailers are making this decision to combat the supply chain issues that have cropped up in 2021. With worries about deliveries being made on time and cargo processing delays, many supply chain executives are encouraging consumers to prepare and order early to beat the holiday rush.
Nevertheless, American buying strength continues to increase. Business Insider reports that most of this spending comes from goods versus services, and there are no signs of that slowing down. As the economy begins to recover, online retailers will continue to see a rise in consumer spending.
Prepping Your E-Commerce Product for the Holiday Rush
Trends suggest that more consumers are using their mobile devices to make online purchases. With the latest iPhone 13 and Samsung S21 Ultra releases (among many others), making sure your product is compatible with the latest available devices is essential.
If you are launching your anticipated sale at midnight on Black Friday, you might want to load test to make sure your product can handle all the traffic.
With more devices providing improved accessibility features, it’s imperative that you reach all of your intended audiences. Optimizing these features can be key to driving the best results for all audiences.
As always it’s important to check the functionality of the product as a whole. If consumers encounter an issue, they’re less likely to utilize your product.
Our Comprehensive Guide to E-Commerce Testing
Are you planning to launch an e-commerce app? Our team has tested dozens of e-commerce websites for a large variety of brands since 2008. We’ve utilized our experience with e-commerce and gathered outside data to create a comprehensive guide to e-commerce testing. In this guide, we cover some of the most important types of testing needed to ensure your e-commerce is successful. Download our guide or reach out to us for more help!


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Dwyane Wade’s next signature shoe heats up.
Yeah, the Jordan Fly Wade jusssst came out. Calm down, we don’t need your judgmental eyes. CounterKicks has the first confirmed scoops on Dwyane Wade’s second signature now though, sequentially named the Jordan Fly Wade II.
The shoe looks exactly like the Air Jordan 2012 on paper and is slated for at least two launch colorways in White/Varsity Red and White/Del Sol. With a Spring 2012 listed launch, perhaps next year we’ll get an earlier season release of the Fly Wade which may likely rival the timing of the annual Air Jordan flagship launch in February. That remains to be seen. And with prices on footwear statement and signature level product going up across the industry, we can confirm the Fly Wade II at least will remain with a $140 price point like the original. More details coming to CounterKicks as it develops…
Follow CounterKicks on Twitter for breaking sneaker news and exclusive info


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Up to 98 percent of this country's electrical waste could be going to landfill, according to a case study in the Whangārei district.
It's estimated New Zealanders create 98,000 tonnes of electrical or e-waste every year, however only a small portion is being recycled, through voluntary schemes.
Author of the study, Vicktoria Blake, from Massey University said unlike New Zealand, the European Union has prioritised e-waste and created product stewardship schemes.
"They provide collections, stations, companies that are creating electrical and electronic products are actually changing the way they design their products, so they can be easily managed at the end of life.
"We need to start making products to last," she said
The 2017 Global E-waste Monitor found as of 2016 Northern Europe achieved an e-waste collection rate of 49 percent.
New Zealand had an official collection rate of zero percent.
Ms Blake said New Zealand's score was partly due to a lack of data.
"We don't have enough transparent data around all forms of waste, so we need to really be getting transparent data and stop using commercial sensitivity as an excuse to not be collecting or publishing the data that's available," she said.
She said the study recommended e-waste to be labelled as a priority product under the Waste Minimisation Act.
E-waste is the fasted growing waste stream internationally, she said.
"At the moment we're looking at almost four million refrigerators of weight being disposed of in New Zealand each year," she said.
She said these products were full of hazardous chemicals and research from 2009 have shown it could be entering our food if we did not manage it correctly.


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PS4 and Xbox One to get a double XP weekend for the launch of Call Of Duty: Ghosts
Activision has announced that Call Of Duty: Ghosts gamers on next-gen consoles will be getting a double XP weekend at launch.
Next-gen gamers will have to wait until the PS4 gets launched on November the 29th but they can celebrate then as the double XP event begins at 6pm GMT (10am PST) and runs until 6pm GMT (10am PST) on December the 2nd.
Activision has shipped 1 billion USD worth of the game to retailers worldwide but the actual sales figures are yet to be published. Unsurprisingly though it has debuted at number one in the UK sales charts hotly followed by Battlefield 4 at number 2.
- Resident Evil HD remake gets its first trailer
- Capcom working with Dimps on a what is probably Street Fighter V
- New Titanfall update adds Titan-free combat gameplay mode
- OnLive coming to Philips' new range fo Android-powered smart TVs
- Explore the rest of the solar system with Google's Destiny Planet View
- Dead Or Alive 5: Last Round coming to next-gen consoles
- Voting opens up for GamesAid's charity of 2014
- Nintendo promising a good 2015 with Zelda, Star Fox and Splatoon coming to Wii U
- Warframe comes to Xbox One today


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Before commuting to her executive chef job in Greenwich, Connecticut, Leslie Woodward drives up to Midtown Kingston from her home in Westchester County to the Cornell Creative Arts Center (CCAC) several mornings a week. There she makes nut juices in an 800-square-foot rented space fitted out with stainless-steel counters, a commercial refrigerator, blenders, a water purifier, and other accoutrements.
One of seven artisan food and CBD companies located at the CCAC, Edenesque, as Woodward calls her company, opened last June. It produces 32-ounce bottles of variously flavored almond and cashew milks, which are sold directly to customers online and at local farmers’ markets and area health-food and retail stores.
Seven years ago, Woodward was working as a chef at the president’s house at Columbia University when she first pursued her interest in holistic nutrition by making cold-pressed juices. “If someone had an ailment I would the tailor the cold-pressed juice cleanse for their healing, and I’d include a nut milk at the end to keep them grounded,” Woodward said.
Woodward sold her juices at farmers’ markets in New York City and Westchester and Orange counties. Partly because the farmers’ market in Queens already had enough juice purveyors, Woodward began specializing in nut milks.
Besides wanting to sell a healthy, natural product, she had another impetus driving her business. She wanted to hire people disenfranchised from the mainstream community. That personal imperative that led her to ARC MidHudson’s Cornell Creative Arts Center, a 12,000-square-foot building refurbished both as an arts center and a business accelerator for food-products companies. CCAC’s goal is to integrate ARC clients with the community, through classes, workshops, other activities, and employment.
“My mission came first,” said Woodward. “I wanted to build something where I was helping others and uplifting the community.” She pays her employees $15 an hour from day one. ”I think we should be a little altruistic in how we create things. Let’s create a product that nourishes and you and look at how we are going to extend ourselves to uplift the community and impact employees’ lives.” Two of her three employees are ARC clients (in return for reasonable rent and grant-funded equipment, the CCAC requires companies to hire ARC clients).
Woodward has also hired people who were incarcerated. One was a man who had been in prison for 25 years and had been released from prison just a month before. “He was the most wonderful employee,” Woodward said. “He helped with production and getting the space in Kingston outfitted. Because of this job, he was able to save some money.”He has since moved to Syracuse, where he is now working for an artisanal tomato-sauce company.”
A food-production cluster
According to her website, edenesque.com, the company provides four hours of paid community service a month, supplemental insurance, and opportunities for education and professional advancement.
Prior to coming to Kingston, Woodward decided she wanted to sell wholesale (although as mentioned she continues to sell directly to consumers through her website) and closed her company for a year to pursue business opportunities and possible manufacturing spaces in the Hudson Valley. She worked with the Small Business Development Center in Ulster County to come up with a plan and connected with Galileo Technology Group, a consultancy based in New Windsor that operates ARC MidHudson’s business accelerators. She planned to rent space in Newburgh but after discovering the business accelerator there specializes in fashion companies was directed by Galileo to the food-production cluster in Kingston.
Despite the pandemic, her sales and marketing person has been active in targeting new retail markets for her product, including local health-food stores; Home Goods of Margaretville just signed on. She’s also seen a surge in online orders — currently people can order through the website by sending her an email, and she will be launching an online shopping cart soon. Sales have recently increased by 50 percent. “We’ve been out there pounding the pavement,” she said. “People want to support local businesses.”
Woodward is expanding the product line, and many ingredients are sourced locally. In addition to four flavors of almond milk, she is introducing cashew milk and oat milks, made from oats grown by a local farmer. She sources the honey used in the milks from Bee Hollow Farm and the maple syrup from Tree Juice, both located in the mid-Hudson region.
“The challenge has been how do you scale up and keep the nuances of your product,” Woodward said. She tried using a floor-sized commercial blender but went back to making her nut juices in smaller blenders because with the larger machine “the taste flattens out.”
A clean, honest product
A bottle costs $10. “Everything is organic and high-end,” she said, noting that each bottle has a shelf life of seven to ten days. The milks can be used in coffee or cereal or added to sweet and savory dishes for enhanced flavor and nutrition.
According to Woodward, nut milks are high in antioxidants, have a lot of protein and no refined sugars. Unlike some other nut milks, which substitute paste for nuts and have fillers, Edenesque’s products are “40 percent nuts. I make it the old-fashioned way. It’s a clean, honest product.”
Community service has long been important to Woodward, who grew up in Michigan and always loved to cook. While working in New York City, she created classes for the Food and Finance High School, and ran an after-school program centered on nutrition and health. While studying sociology at Columbia, she spent a year and a half visiting the Shinnecock nation on Long Island for an ethnographic study. Here in Kingston, once the city reopens she plans to join the Live Well Kingston Commission, which is dedicated to promoting healthy eating as well as streets, parks, and city programming conducive to physical activity and connecting people with a healthy environment.


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They blocked off streets in downtown, asked store owners to stay open late, and treated shoppers to music. Organizers said they hope to start a tradition of hosting these events on the first Friday of each month.
"Downtown is county seat and there is lots of activity and merchants," said Debbie Young Sanders, chairman of the Downtown Merchants Association. "We want to invite people downtown and revisit us again."
Downtown business owners said they hope the event brings them additional customers, and encourages other new businesses to open in the area.
"We're so fortunate to have a lot of good, loyal customers, but the more the merrier," said Rusty Richardson, the owner of Bernard's Store for Men, "We want everyone to know about downtown Jasper."
Richardson and Young added that they hope this event continues to grow, and they are hoping to add more activities in the future like outdoor movies.
Copyright 2011 WBRC. All rights reserved.


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Sirius Satellite Radio signed up more customers and lost less money in its second quarter than Wall Street expected, sending shares up 1.4% on Tuesday to $3.01.
The firm, which is trying to merge with its primary competitor, XM Satellite Radio, lost $134.1 million, down from a $237.8 million loss in the same quarter a year ago. On a per-share basis, Sirius lost 9 cents, while analysts predicted 10 cents.
The company added 561,493 subscribers in the quarter, bringing its total to more than 7.1 million. Rival XM had 8.25 million subscribers at last count.
The only metric where Sirius fell short was revenue, which came in at $226.4 million, up from last year’s $150.1 million but nearly $2 million shy of Wall Street expectations.
Wedbush Morgan Securities analyst William Kidd said subscriber additions exceeded his forecast by 100,000. He expressed caution, though, that average subscriber-acquisition costs crept up from last quarter’s $104 to $108, even though it is a vast improvement compared with last year’s $131.
Kidd reiterated his “buy” recommendation and $4 price target.
CEO Mel Karmazin, as he has been doing most of the year, expressed confidence in gaining FCC and Department of Justice approval for the Sirius-XM merger.
His offensive on that front included a July proclamation that a combined XM-Sirius would be in a good position to offer a la carte pricing that could save consumers money.
“Momentum for the pending merger with XM continues to build,” Karmazin said Tuesday. “Support from our customers, suppliers and other groups representing a diverse cross-section of Americans clearly demonstrates the public interest benefits and enhanced competition that will come from the merger.”
Wall Street, however, remains skeptical as prominent lawmakers already have expressed concerns over allowing the only two satellite radio operators in the country to merge.
Analyst Kidd said Tuesday that he sees a less than 50% chance of the merger happening and speculated it “will likely be denied within 12 months.”
Likewise, Banc of America analyst Jonathan Jacoby said Sirius shares are priced to imply a 45%-50% chance of a merger approval.
While he said Tuesday that subscriber additions “easily topped our estimates” and he upped his year-end forecast to 8.4 million subs from 8 million previously, he also reiterated his “neutral” rating and $2.75 price target on the stock.
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Unprecedented growth has pushed NatureWorks LLC to maximize production in Blair, Neb., and accelerate projects there to expand output of polylactide resins.
Growth drivers include high oil prices, proactive brand owners and consumer interest in green products.
Addressing the supply-side squeeze, NatureWorks instituted 24-7 production several months ago and began a concerted effort to manage its growth, said Dennis McGrew, president and chief executive officer.
``When you move from intermittent production to 24-7, you define where the bottlenecks are in the process,'' he said in a telephone interview from the company's offices in Minnetonka, Minn.
Only recently has the NatureWorks PLA plant in Blair started to approach its annual nameplate pellet capacity of 300 million pounds. The privately held operation withheld production and sales details.
NatureWorks is waiting for authorization from its parent, Minnetonka-based Cargill Inc., to expand capacity, McGrew said.
``As we complete additional capacity projects in Blair, we will begin to study alternative sites.''
The Blair plant, which opened in 2002, is collocated with various Cargill operations on a 1-square-mile site. Cargill supplies dextrose to NatureWorks along with infrastructure utilities.
To avoid overcommitment, NatureWorks recently shifted to a policy of managed growth, from the firm's historical unconstrained growth in processing natural plant sugars from corn to make its proprietary PLA.
The policy change surprised some. ``People cannot call in and get all they want immediately,'' he said. ``Some folks are wishing they had come to the party earlier.''
McGrew characterized the growth in NatureWorks PLA demand and market applications since early 2005 as a ``trifecta'' combining:
* Sustained high oil prices that the company ``thought would fall off in the last half of 2006.''
* Speedy global adoption of corporate social responsibility goals in packaging, with brand owners pushing the issue to a ``much greater extent than in the past.''
* Consumer desire for ``environment-friendly alternatives and a willingness to pay more'' for those products.
The supply squeeze is frustrating some who recently ``decided to adopt PLA when asked by a brand owner or retailer'' to do so, McGrew said. NatureWorks makes families of resins with different properties. PLA can be used in thermoforming, sheet extrusion and injection stretch blow molding. NatureWorks said it has experienced a 100 percent increase in its customer base over 30 months and an annual average growth rate of 45 percent over four years. ``We are moving from the early adopters to the early majority,'' he said.
The company competes with petroleum-based resin makers, but it is the world's only volume PLA producer. Others have small-scale PLA output, but there is ``no one [else] with any significant capacity,'' McGrew said.
NatureWorks employs about 220, with 45 percent each in Blair and Minnetonka and the balance scattered around the world, he said.


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CalSTRS and JANA Partners are calling on Apple Inc. to study the impact of frequent cellphone and tablet use on children and teenagers, and provide more choices for parental control.
In a letter to Apple's board of directors on Jan. 6, executives from the $221.7 billion California State Teachers' Retirement System, West Sacramento, and JANA point to several studies that found the frequent use of digital technologies by children and teenagers can lead to negative consequences on their health and well-being, including depression, sleep deprivation and a limited ability to focus on educational tasks in the classroom.
The letter also cites a survey of more than 3,500 U.S. parents by the American Psychological Association, which found that 48% of parents said regulating their child's screen time was a "constant battle," 58% of parents said they feel like their children are attached to their phones or tablet, and 58% worry about social media's influence on their child's physical and mental well-being.
While Apple already has some parental controls in place, these are "limited largely to shutting down or allowing (parents) full access to various tools and functions," CalSTRS and the activist hedge fund manager argued in the letter. Furthermore, "while there are apps that offer more (parental control) options, there are a dizzying array of them; it is not clear what research has gone into developing them; few if any offer the full array of options that the research would suggest; and they are clearly no substitute for Apple putting these choices front and center for parents."
"There is a developing consensus around the world including Silicon Valley that the potential long-term consequences of new technologies need to be factored in at the outset, and no company can outsource that responsibility to an app designer, or more accurately to hundreds of app designers, none of whom have critical mass," the letter states.
To address these issues, CalSTRS and JANA suggested Apple, among other things, form a committee of experts to study these issues and monitor ongoing developments and trends; partner with additional experts to enhance research efforts; enhance parental choices on mobile devices; and assign a high-level executive to monitor these issues and prepare annual progress reports. CalSTRS and JANA's recommendations for enhanced parental controls include changes to the initial setup menu that would allow parents to enter the age of the user and receive age-appropriate setup options such as limiting screen time and reducing the number of available social media sites.
CalSTRS and JANA own about $2 billion of Apple shares combined.
A copy of the letter can be found on Thinkdifferentlyaboutkids.com, a new website set up by JANA.
An Apple spokesman could not immediately be reached for additional information.


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Sitting out the Super Bowl was a major strategy shift for Hyundai because the automaker was a staple during the game and used it for ambitious productions. But the automaker said the decision has paid off.
In 2022, Hyundai debuted its “History of Evolution” ad starring Jason Bateman during the NFL’s conference championships. The lighthearted spot conveyed that the Ioniq 5 represented the advancement of electric vehicles.
Hyundai pushed the Ioniq 5 campaign further by crafting an expansive digital strategy on TikTok, the video-sharing social platform. It enlisted influencers to make videos reacting to its Ioniq 5 commercial.
Going into 2023, Hyundai was focused on showcasing the Ioniq 6 and opted out of the Super Bowl again. It focused its attention on the NFL championship games with another celebrity-driven campaign, this time with actor Kevin Bacon and his daughter, Sosie. The two have starred in several TikTok videos highlighting the Ioniq 6.
“The history of [the Ioniq] has really set the tone for where Hyundai is as a leader in electrification,” Zepeda said, “and we’ve been very lucky with what that vehicle has done for us.”


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US The front-end of the yield curve inverted last week, with two- and three-year Treasury yields rising above the five-year yield.Given that many analysts view an inversion as an omen for an economic downturn, the inversion brought heightened sensitivity among markets to the increased probability of a recession on the horizon. It is to be [...]
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US The US Federal Reserve has seemingly been on autopilot for the past two years, raising rates on a quarterly basis except in September 2017, when it announced plans to shrink the balance sheet. But minutes of the November meeting of the Federal Open Market Committee released this week indicate the Fed might switch off [...]
US The biggest surprise last week in the US was the eight point drop in the National Association of Homebuilders (NAHB)/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index in November. This month’s plunge to 60 was the largest drop since February 2014, with declines in both builders’ assessment of current sales and future sales expectations indices. The expected [...]
US The third quarter print of the US GDP data dominated an otherwise slow week of economic data. Real GDP topped consensus expectations and grew a solid 3.5% in Q3. The outturn represents a modest downshift from the 4.2% registered in Q2; however, the US economy continues to grow at a strong rate that is [...]
US The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) voted unanimously this week to maintain the target range for the federal funds rate at 2.0% to 2.25%, a decision widely anticipated by market participants. As this was the final FOMC meeting without a press conference, attention was focused squarely on the policy statement, which delivered few surprises. [...]
US US personal spending rose a solid 0.4% in September, consistent with the robust pace of consumption reported in last week’s Q3 GDP release. Spending was driven by a surge in durables, which, at least in part, was due to replacement demand after Hurricane Florence. The FED’s preferred gauge of inflation, the PCE deflator, came [...]
US US real GDP topped consensus expectations and grew a solid 3.5% in Q3. The outturn represents a modest downshift from the 4.2% registered in Q2; however, the US economy continues to grow at a strong rate that is likely above the long-run potential rate. However, the recent solid pace of expansion will likely lead [...]
US US retail sales fell short of expectations and rose 0.1% in September, primarily due to slower sales at gas stations and bars and restaurants, which dipped 0.8% and 1.8%, respectively. However, control group sales, which feed into GDP and exclude volatile categories like auto, gas and building materials, came in better than expected, increasing [...]
US In the US, producer prices rose 0.2% in September, but moderated to 2.6% on a year-on-year basis. The gain was led in large part by services, up 0.3% month-on-month, as transportation and warehousing prices rose a whopping 1.8%. This caused core inflation (which excludes food, energy and trade services) to grow a larger-than-expected 0.4%. [...]
US Fed Chairman Jerome Powell has used a variety of superlatives to express his pleasure with the current state of the US economy. Powell believes the economy is in a good place, with exceptionally low unemployment and inflation close to target. With inflation expectations in check, the Fed continues to believe it can gradually nudge [...]


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Dress drive to fulfill promise of prom season
Booker T. Washington High School teacher Shanta Boyd couldn’t believe the number of female students who said they didn’t have a dress for prom.
There were so many that she decided to do something about it. With the support of the school administration, Boyd created and organized the first Glamorous Girls Closet prom dress drive.
The Glamorous Girls Closet needs new and gently used dress of all sizes no older than 2 years old, along with jewelry, shoes and other needed accessories such as evening bags, hair products, cosmetics and garment bags, Boyd said.
“What I have found is that people stop caring about people. We need to start caring about people again,” Boyd said.
So far, Boyd has received sponsorships from local vendors such as JCPenney, The Bridal Loft, and Vick’s Cleaners. She has about 100 dresses ready for the taking this prom season.
Local organization 100 Black Women of Pensacola also provided a helping hand in getting the word out about the cause.
“It is my hope that maybe it will start a chain reaction within the community, becoming bigger than Pensacola,” Boyd said. “The more people that get involved, the bigger this effort will be in the future.”
Next prom season, Boyd said she hopes to team up with other schools in the area and expand the outreach to include tuxedos and other clothing items for male students in need.
“I want to give back and help not just the students at Washington High. I want students from any school in the area to also benefit,” she said.
Want to help?
There are plenty of opportunities for people to get involved and help.
Donations made to the Glamorous Girls Closet prom dress drive can be dropped off at the main office of Booker T. Washington High School, and any monetary donations should be made payable to the school.
For more information, please email Shanta Boyd at email@example.com.


text: Skyhorse Publishing has purchased the assets of Sports Publishing, which went bankrupt in 2008. That gives them rights to over 700 books, including works by Michael Phelps and Dick Vitale. They will relaunch Sports Publishing as a new imprint with 40 revised and updated titles in fall 2011. In the same season, the company will launch a new children’s imprint, Sky Pony Press. They expect to start with 15 to 20 titles. Former publisher and founder of Millbrook Press Jean Reynolds is serving as consulting editor. The company says sales for 2010 were up more than 60 percent over 2009.


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Heinz ordered to pull ad on baby biscuits
Does your baby love gumming the crap out of Heinz baby biscuits? Do they cry like they want some more about 10 minutes after eating them? Not surprising really, as your lovely little bundle of germs has been having massive sugar comedowns.
As such, thanks to some complaints, Heinz have decided to stop marketing these treats as if they're healthy; because they're not at all healthy.
On the Heinz for Baby website, these chocolate and organic varieties of its golden multigrain biscotti were described as being "an ideal healthy snack for babies 7+ months old". However, campaigners and concerned parents argued that using healthy advertising for sugar laden snacks isn't on.
The Advertising Standards Authority agreed and 'informally resolved' the issue with Heinz, which means that they don't have to do a full investigation, and Heinz will no longer sell these items as 'healthy'. They won't stop making them mind you. And the packaging won't change. They'll stop pointing at them and muttering stuff about them being good for your child though.
"We approached HJ Heinz with the concerns that had been raised about its ads,” said a spokesperson for the ASA. "It agreed to remove references to the products being ‘healthy snacks’ or ‘snacks’ from its advertising and to remove or to amend health claims. On that basis we resolved the case informally".
Now, on the Heinz site, it says that these biscuits are "little nibbles to keep them going".
Malcolm Clark, who is part of the Children’s Food Campaign, said: "Heinz has disregarded NHS advice on nutrition and snacking for under-ones as well as the advertising rules themselves. So it was no surprise that when we asked the Advertising Standards Authority to investigate, Heinz backed down and agreed to change its wording."
A spokesman for Heinz said: "Heinz takes its responsibilities as an advertiser very seriously. As soon as we were made aware that certain elements of our website copy may not have met the high standards we demand, we took immediate action to make changes. The matter was resolved to the satisfaction of the ASA."


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GP PRO's Dixie Foodservice has unveiled new heat-activated disposable beverage cup, Dixie Ultra Insulair hot cup.
GP PRO’s Dixie Foodservice has unveiled new heat-activated disposable beverage cup, Dixie Ultra Insulair hot cup.
The Dixie Ultra Insulair hot cup, which was launched in time for National Coffee Day, is claimed to be the only heat-activated disposable beverage cup that uses an internal air pocket instead of an external sleeve to keep beverages hot and hands cool.
The Insulair hot cup is a single-wall paper cup, which features an interior lining made of a low-density polyethylene film.
A thin heat-activated air pocket expands within the cup’s lining when hot liquid is poured into the cup, enabling to avoid the use of an external sleeve. The air pocket is said to adjust to the temperature of the beverage.
The company is offering the cup in 12, 16 and 20-ounce sizes, and the actual ounces will be based on the heat of the liquid and the size of the air pocket.
By avoiding the need for an external sleeve, the Insulair hot cup uses less material compared to other hot beverage cups.
The single-wall paper hot cup and sleeve includes 35% more material and multi-wall hot cup includes 70% more material, when compared 12-ounce Insulair hot cup with top competitor cups, said the company.
Insulair hot cup also requires less storage space, and is provided with lower stackable height than polystyrene foam cup or multi-wall hot. In addition, the cup can be customized with visible graphics.
The hot cups will be available in limited and quick-serve restaurants, coffee houses, convenience stores, and other foodservice establishments across the US.
GP PRO Foodservice vice president Alec Frisch said: “We are incredibly proud of the innovation and industry insight that went into designing the Dixie Ultra Insulair Hot Cup, and we are confident that it will quickly become the go-to cup for coffee-on-the-go.
“For operators, the Insulair Hot Cup can help them improve efficiency, reduce costs, and deliver a better, more branded customer experience. And, for consumers, it will completely change how they enjoy their hot beverages on the go, undoubtedly making it the best part of their day!”


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Tag archives for Chrysler
Early sales of electric vehicles like the Nissan Leaf and Mitsubishi i-MiEV may have proved underwhelming, but don’t count out the zero-emissions vehicles yet. At the Washington Auto Show, the Department of Energy announced the Workplace Charging Challenge signed by 13 companies including GM, Ford, Chrysler, Tesla, and Google. These companies have pledged to introduce a plan for workplace charging in at least one major company location. The DOE says the ultimate goal over the next five years is to increase tenfold the number of U.S. employers offering charging.
Also ambitious is the related EV-Everywhere Challenge. By the year 2022, the DOE hopes to see companies in the U.S. be the first to manufacture a five-passenger American electric vehicle that’s affordable and has a payback time of less than five years, yet still have a decent range so that families can use it without compromise. Helping to complete that picture will be additional fast-charging options scattered in various urban spaces.
“Having a robust charging infrastructure helps build range confidence, which boosts interest in and use of electric vehicles,” said Brendan Jones, Nissan’s director of electric vehicle marketing and sales strategy.
We’ve already reported on Tesla’s so-called Superchargers, and Nissan this week has announced its plans to add at least 500 quick-charging stations in the U.S. over the next 18 months, starting with 40 eVgo Freedom Station sites in Washington D.C. The sites can provide a Nissan Leaf an 80-percent charge in less than 30 minutes. Service plans offered by eVgo allow users to pay a monthly fee for unlimited charging.
Considering the 2013 Motor Trend Car of the Year is the all-electric Tesla Model S, and the “extended-range electric” Chevrolet Volt earned the golden calipers in 2011, increasing charging infrastructure sounds like a good idea to us. Before a national hydrogen refueling infrastructure gets any traction, perhaps the Workplace Charging Challenge and EV-Everywhere Challenge will help boost sales of electric vehicles.
Source: DOT, GM, Ford, Nissan
By Zach Gale
CAPTIONS ON | OFF
Whether you plan on passing out in the passenger seat, or just want a comfortable ride after loading up on stuffing, these are the new cars you’ll want for the long ride home this Thanksgiving.
Some automakers offer cars with a quiet, smooth ride. And then some hollow out their wheels with “air holes” to decrease road noise. When we drove the 2013 Lexus LS460 this Fall, it became clear we were riding in something ahead of its pillow-soft time. It’s no surprise that a Lexus makes this list, but with more noise prevention than ever before, the LS460 is an easy choice here.
With the optional four-cylinder engine and eAssist hybrid, the 2013 Buick LaCrosse is one of the most quiet and smooth large sedans on the market today. Its triple door seals, acoustical laminated glass and giant 111.7-inch wheelbase combine to make the 2013 LaCrosse a floating sleep vessel – especially once the tryptophan takes hold.
Tesla Model S
What you know: The electric motors in the 2013 Tesla Model S create almost zero interior noise. What you don’t know: The top-quality fit and finish in the 2013 Model S is the best ever for an EV. Combine a silent powertrain with air-spring suspension and you’ve got the perfect car for a nap on the way home.
Ford engineers designed a veritable obstacle course for noise to reach the passengers inside the 2013 Edge. Re-shaped mirrors and a new rear spoiler help the Edge cut through the air, while new sound-deadening foam in the fenders and roof pillars keep you drifting off to La-La Land without being interrupted by engine noise. Go the extra mile by opting for the 2.0L four-cylinder EcoBoost engine.
Jeep Grand Cherokee
Thanksgiving is about family, and there’s nothing more familial than the Pentastar engine across the Chrysler lineup. In the 2013 Jeep Grand Cherokee, the 3.6L V6 Pentastar turns an off-road performance specialist into a docile luxury sedan shaped like an SUV. Smooth delivery across the powerband will have you thinking about next Thanksgiving, not your newfound girth.
Unlike you, the 2013 Kia Sorento is lighter today than it was yesterday. A new, lightweight unibody structure keeps the Sorento moving firmly and smoothly across the road from Nana’s house. Newly designed suspension is comfortable under cruising and the four-cylinder engine is quiet enough to let you fall under the spell of the iPod jack in peace.
Didn’t see this one coming, did you? In the Ultra-Hypercar Smooth Ride category, the Aventador stands alone as the one track star that can get you home without rattling your stuffed insides. The reason is cylinder deactivation, which shuts down six of the twelve cylinders when running under 84 mph. The new system saves fuel, which is all well and great, but it’ll also reduce the engine roar from Mufasa to Simba levels. Worst comes to worst, dial up all 700 horsepower and your long ride should pass in no time at all.
Visit theautoMedia.comBuick Research Centerfor quick access to reviews, pricing, photos, mpg and more. Make sure to followautoMedia.comonTwitterandFacebook.
The New Year promises to bring lots of automotive cheer and new sheet metal to Motor Trend’s garage. Below is a list of more than a dozen new vehicles slated to hit the market in 2012, which should be more than enough to keep us busy with drives, tests, and reviews. The Motor Trend staff was tasked with the difficult job of picking their top three cars from the list below that they can’t wait to drive in 2012, and from there we tallied up the Top 5 vote getters. Do you agree with the winners? Sound off below.
2012 BMW M5
2013 Cadillac ATS
2013 Chevy Sonic RS
2013 Dodge Dart
2013 Ford Focus ST
2013 Ford Shelby GT500
2013 Mini Countryman JCW
2013 Porsche 911 Turbo
2013 SRT Viper
2013 Subaru BRZ/ Scion FR-S
2013 Subaru WRX/STI
2013 Tesla Model S
2013 Volkswagen Golf R
1. 2013 Subaru BRZ and Scion FR-S
This shouldn’t come as a surprise. Toyota and Subaru have been hard at work jointly developing an affordable and fun-to-drive, rear-wheel drive sports car for the masses. And if you’ve been visiting www.motortrend.com, you’ve probably noticed both companies teasing us with sketches, specs, show cars, camouflaged cars, and on and on and on for years now. Well, 2012 is the year to find out if all the hard work and teasing has been worth the wait. And from our initial drives thus far, the BRZ and FR-S look very promising.
First Drive: 2013 Scion FR-S
First Drive: 2013 Subaru BRZ
2. 2013 SRT Viper
After a years-long hiatus, the Viper is coming back with its snake eyes set on the Corvette and Porsche 911. Expect many changes to the iconic American sports car, especially with Fiat now at the helm of Chrysler. We’ve heard the Italians, who know a little bit about sports cars, have been involved in the new Viper’s development. In addition, the 2013 Viper will be sold under the newly formed SRT brand, s0 it’s more critical than ever that the new Viper will be a world-class performer both on and off the track. As MT’s digital director Mike Floyd states, the 2013 SRT Viper is the “halo car SRT/Chrysler desperately needs if it’s going to be taken seriously as a true global performance brand.” And just to reiterate, “the pressure on this one is massive,” says editor-in-chief Ed Loh. “Looking forward to the return of the beast.”
3. Tied: 2012 BMW M5 and 2013 Cadillac ATS
2012 BMW M5
How will a turbocharged, eight-cylinder M5 perform on the road and on the track? That’s exactly what MT staffers are eager to find out. Road test editor Scott Mortara was among the first bunch of lucky journalists to drive the new M5 and he seemed to like it. “Without a doubt, the new 2012 BMW M5 is better than its predecessor in every way,” Mortara wrote in his first drive review of the 2012 M5. “Some say they’ll miss the high-rpm V-10 screaming under the hood. Not me. I’ll take this subtle torque monster any day. Much like a purveyor of fine spirits, when an automaker starts with quality components, and adds time, insight, and desire, it’s possible to create something amazing — a vintage that can truly be savored. With the new M5, BMW has done just that.”
2013 Cadillac ATS
“Every few years some car maker declares they’ve cracked the 3 Series code,” said senior features editor Jonny Lieberman. “None succeed. However, Caddy actually went to Germany, Bimmer’s home turf. So, maybe.”
Just maybe. So what is Lieberman talking about exactly? Well, as former editor-in-chief Angus MacKenzie adds, “the engineering team picked the delightful E46 3 Series as its dynamic benchmark for the new baby Caddy.” And as we’ve seen from the countless videos Cadillac has produced, the development team has spent countless hours and laps around the famed Nurburgring for testing. Given what we’ve seen so far, it’s hard to imagine what else General Motors could’ve done to develop its new 3 Series fighter. MacKenzie continues, “I can’t wait to find out if Detroit can really out-BMW BMW.” Neither can we.
4. Three-Way Tie: Ford Focus ST, Volkswagen Golf R, and Tesla Model S
2013 Ford Focus ST
With past generations of the Focus, we Americans have always lamented that the sportiest Focus models over the years were sadly out of our reach, available only in Europe and elsewhere. That all changes with the 2013 Focus ST. The 2012 Ford Focus has proven itself as having good bones; with the additional performance of the ST model, Ford may again have a real hot hatch competitor in the U.S. — if it’s not priced out of the market. So what are we looking forward to exactly? Basically, it’s the 2.0-liter, 250-hp, turbocharged, Ecoboost four banger wrapped around sleek sheetmetal. “After years of watered-down, rental-fleet Foci, Ford finally brings us a real contender in the ST,” said news director Ed Sanchez. “The VW GTI and Mazdaspeed 3 will have to make room in the sandbox for the new kid from Dearborn.”
2012 Volkswagen Golf R
We liked the first-gen Volkswagen R32, which was armed with the burbling 250-hp,VR6 engine and a manual transmission, and all-wheel-drive. The VR6 carried over in the second-gen R32, but it was only offered with the DSG transmission, which wasn’t a bad thing — unless you, like most of us in the office, are diehard fans of the third pedal. The 2013 Golf R is coming to America in manual transmission-form only and will be powered by a new 2.0-liter, turbocharged four-cylinder making 260-hp, and fitted with VW’s 4Motion all-wheel-drive system. Will we miss the VR6? Stay tuned to find out.
2012 Tesla Model S
Following the incredibly fast Tesla Roadster comes the Model S, the electric car for every (well off) man. Tesla recently confirmed a base price of $49,900, which includes a 40kWh battery and a range of 160 miles, which should be good enough for most Americans. “Sexy styling, cutting-edge tech. What’s not to like,” asks Sanchez. “Granted, Tesla has its share of skeptics and haters, but this could be the breakthrough car for the still-struggling electric upstart.”
5. Tied: 2013 Dodge Dart and 2013 Porsche 911 Turbo
2013 Dodge Dart
It’s been awhile since Dodge has produced a remotely memorable compact car (Dodge Neon anyone?). The 2013 Dodge Dart should change that. “As the Caliber retires, we might soon see an Elantra-like transformation here for Dodge in the compact car segment,” opined copy editor Zach Gale. “I can’t wait to discover whether that nine-speed automatic transmission performs smoothly or constantly hunts for gears.”
2013 Porsche 911 Turbo
Executive editor Ron Kiino recently had some wheel time behind the new 991 Porsche 911 and expects it to continue on as a sports car benchmark. “When we want to say just how quick a car is, or how well it handles, or how amazing its steering is, well, there’s one reference we turn to, Kiino wrote in his first drive of the 2012 Porsche 911. ‘”The new Evo corners as well as a 911!’ ‘This ‘Vette is even quicker than a 911!’ ‘The GT-R is so fast it can hang with a 911 Turbo!’ You get the point.” And like always, Porsche will keep things interesting with a number of variants such as the turbo. “The old 911 Turbo was Veyron-lite; delivering staggering acceleration and a swaggering sense of invincibility on the road,” said MacKenzie. “My wheeltime in the new Carrera S suggests this latest 911 is the best ever. If the new 911 Turbo delivers the same step-change, it’s going to be a helluva car.”
It appears hot Romanian model Catrinel Menghia and Charlie Sheen were effective at publicizing Fiat’s hot hatch. Chrysler can’t keep up with all the 2012 Fiat 500 Abarth orders, and the automaker has informed dealers that orders for the 500 Abarth for the 2012 model year are currently not being accepted.
Those who place an order now for the scorpion-badged Abarth will be forced to wait until next fall to slip behind the wheel of next year’s model, which won’t begin to ship until next fall. Customers who put their deposits down as early as March will also have to wait until the 2013 batch arrives in September.
By the time the Abarth started trickling into Fiat showrooms in April, The Detroit News reports the company already had more than 1000 cash deposits from customers. The automaker originally planned to build about 1000 vehicles at the company’s factory in Toluca, Mexico, but after receiving a flurry of orders, the automaker bumped up production to the factory’s maximum output of 3000 units a year.
Thanks in part to a small dealer network, Fiat sales didn’t hit the initial target of moving 50,000 cars by the end of 2011, selling only 19,769. The picture appears to be improving, however, as 16,702 Fiat 500s have already been sold through May 2012.
As for the Tesla Model S, the automaker tells us no more reservations are being taken on the Signature model — which has a claimed 300-mile range. The top trim of the Model S which has a claimed 300-mile range. The top trim of the Model S is expected to earn an EPA range rating of 265 miles, and is limited to 1000 units.
Source: The Detroit News, Tesla
CAPTIONS ON | OFF
After the announcement that Tesla had repaid its $456 million loan in full earlier this week, and proclaimed themselves “the only American car company to have fully repaid the government,” the old guard stepped up and took offense. Chrysler soon posted a blogthat called Tesla “unmistakably incorrect” and said that Chrysler has repaid their government loan in full two whole years earlier.
It would have been a great rebuttal. Except it isn’t true.
The bitterness and resentment is understandable. It has been a long and difficult road to recovery for Chrysler, who have had to watch the media and customers fawn over the new EV darling and their stellar Tesla Model S. While things have been looking up for Chrysler lately, with improved sales and significantly better products, Tesla has emerged as an unqualified success and even won over doubters with their loan repayment.
Chrysler saw an opportunity to put the up-start in their place, but Ranieri’s claim is way off base for a number of reasons.
First off, Chrysler isn’t exactly an American company anymore. As Tesla CEO Elon Musk noted in a Tweet yesterday, Chrysler is now a subsidiary of the Italian giant Fiat, after buying the company following their 2009 bankruptcy.
Second, while Chrysler paid off all $11.2 billion that the U.S. government expected from them (Fiat paid it, actually) six years earlier than necessary, that still left $1.3 billion that will never be recouped. For those keeping score at home, the Tesla loan brought taxpayers a $12 million profit, and the Chrysler loan brought them a $1.3 billion loss.
The auto industry bailout saved thousands of jobs, several iconic American brands and perhaps even the economy itself. Chrysler should be confident with the fact that they’ve used that money wisely and paid off what they could. But they tried to pick on Junior and instead opened up an ugly can of worms. Next time, tell us less about your shaky financial past and much more about what has come out of it. We’re going to go back and read our review of the 2013 SRT Viper now.
Visit theautoMedia.comTesla Research Centerfor quick access to reviews, pricing, photos, mpg and more. Make sure to followautoMedia.comonTwitterandFacebook.
Just because you’ve grown up, settled down, and had a kid or two doesn’t mean you can’t have fun anymore. While you may have to take a pass on that late-night partying you once did, you can stay in touch with your younger self with a car that’s fun to drive and can double as a family vehicle. However, finding a vehicle that appeals to you both as an enthusiast and a head of household isn’t always easy, because compromises will have to be made both in packaging and in handling.
To help the gearhead parents out there, Automobile Magazine has put together a list of the 10 Best Sports-Oriented Family Cars. These are cars that you might consider when you’re looking for something that will fit your spouse and children but you don’t want to join the herd and settle for a boring crossover or minivan. You want something that reminds you of that two-seater you traded in for the car seat. It’s doable, as evidenced by these exciting four-doors.