text:
It’s the biggest and most definitive tech extravaganza on the planet. Since Computer Electronics Show (CES) first opened its doors in June 1967, with 17,500 attendees and 100 exhibitors, it has grown exponentially with this year’s event drawing 170,000 attendees and 3,600 exhibitors.
The technology on display this year would most likely be dismissed as science fiction by attendees of that first CES, when the hottest gadgets then were pocket radios and televisions with integrated circuits. This year saw plant pots that watered themselves, self-driving cars, pain relief through mobile technology, and even a gadget that kneaded, rolled, and cooked.
A strong theme that emerged this year at the event was the oft-used but still rather nebulous ‘Internet of Things’ (IoT), which has become the buzz phrase for every device we own, including washing machines, cars, and home security systems.
For your IoT smart home, the range of products on offer included Netatmo’s Welcome HD smart home camera with facial recognition technology and BitDefender Box that protected your smart home’s ‘connected’ devices from malicious attacks. With the big players like Apple’s HomeKit, Google’s Nest and Samsung’s SmartThing all set to make their mark, it’s only a matter of time before everything (and possibly everyone) has a chip or sensor to keep them linked.
Automobiles also got a little smarter with Audi sending a prototype with no driver all the way from San Francisco, California to Nevada and Mercedes-Benz showcasing its 15-foot-long ‘living room on wheels’. BMW and Volkswagen showcased their own take on automated navigational technology with self-parking vehicles capable of finding vacant spots in large garages.
There was a lot to see in the wearables segment as well, with smartwatches that tracked your fitness levels, sleep patterns, and even showed your Facebook and Twitter updates, with launches from players like Sony, Lenovo, Alcatel, Razer, and Withings. In a move that was clearly targeting a fashion-conscious female market, Misfit tied up with Swarovski for a fitness tracker, the Swarovski Shine, set with the company’s trademark crystals.
Wearables also made inroads into the healthcare market with NeuroMetrix launching its Quell pain relief device. Worn externally, the manufacturer claims that the device uses ‘non-invasive neurostimulation technology’ to control pain generated by nerves and does not require a prescription, according to FDA rules. However, most trend watchers remain cautious about predicting how well the wearables market will fare with the abandonment rate believed to be between three and six months.
Another trend that gained momentum this year was the sudden emergence of startups and small innovators, a number so significant that they had their own venue near the main convention center. One such crowd-funded innovation was PetNet, an intelligent pet feeding system (named a CES Innovation Awards Honoree for Home Appliances and Mobile Apps), that automatically fed your pet based on its age, weight, level of activity, and nutritional needs.
Looking ahead, however, the things one will have to watch for are if big data can really match our IoT demands, will wearables really live up to the hype that's around them, and what innovations are likely in the smartphone and tablet sphere. What do you think CES 2016 will bring? Please share your comments in the section below.


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Qantas has brought back Sydney to Nadi flights four times a week as Australians continue love affair with island escapes in the South Pacific.
Sydney to Nadi 4 times a week
Australians have reignited their love affair with Fiji and Qantas has answered the call for premium flights four times a week starting from March 31 this year.
The “Bula buzz” was well and truly building over the past couple of years as new luxury resort openings including Six Senses Fiji on a private bay on Malolo Island in the Mamanucas, a stunning new Fiji Marriott Resort Momi Bay, and Kokomo Private Island Fiji heralded a new dawn for cashed up travellers flocking to the South Pacific paradise and its 300+ islands.
Of course, that has only opened up a market for premium seats and the Qantas Boeing 737 will now take flight between Sydney and Nadi – the country’s main gateway – four times per week on Tuesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
The new Qantas Fiji flights
QF101 will depart Sydney at 10.30am every Tuesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday to reach Nadi at 4.30pm. The QF102 return leg will be wheels-up from Nadi at 5.35pm the same day for an 8pm touchdown at Sydney.
“Fiji continues to be an incredibly popular holiday destination for Australian families, couples and adventure and luxury travellers, with a number of new luxury properties having opened up on the islands in recent years,” says Qantas International CEO Alison Webster.
“We have built flexibility into our network to respond to growing demand where we see it. In this case, it’s a return to Fiji after almost 20 years, a short four-hour hop from Sydney, helping extend the summer for Australians year-round. The combination of Qantas and Jetstar also means we can provide more options to a destination which caters to different budgets and tastes, with good interstate connections for passengers travelling from other parts of Australia.”
Top luxury travel expert Sally Bird, Co-founder of Executive Edge Travel, agrees.
“Gone is the cane furniture and pastel bed spreads that Fiji has been so synonymous with,” Mrs Bird says. “Some serious new 5 star resorts in the past few years have really put Fiji back on the radar – Six Senses Fiji, Kokomo Island , the amazing Laucala Island just to name a few and, refreshingly, with the arrival of all the new luxury it has still maintained it’s beautiful familial feel, ideal multi-generational location and place. It’s also so close and offers great weather pretty much all year round. Fiji offers something for everyone.”
Code added to Jetstar flights
Qantas has added its code to Jetstar’s flights between Sydney and Nadi, for travel from 1 February 2019.
Qantas customers travelling on the Jetstar codeshare service will enjoy additional benefits, including the opportunity for Qantas Frequent Flyers to earn points and status credits and a complimentary meal. Qantas will also continue to codeshare on Fiji Airways’ services to Nadi. With Fiji Airways now integrated as a oneworld connect partner, Qantas customers will benefit from more flight options and the opportunity to earn and redeem Qantas Points and Status Credits on Fiji Airways’ services between the two countries.
Fiji brand is ready to blitz
The new Qantas flights have come only months after Tourism Fiji’s announcement of a revitalized global brand campaign, created by Saatchi & Saatchi New Zealand and Goodoil Films, demonstrating the Fiji brand goes beyond mere relaxation – it highlights the “Bula Spirit” with a vast range of adventure and other travel experiences throughout the 333 islands.
The suite of assets developed for cinema, TV and social media adds to the momentum of Fiji’s resurgence and is designed to appeal to families, lovebirds, adventure-seekers and luxury travellers around the globe.

domain: news


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Once again Fortnite is making waves in the gaming world. It has now claimed the top spot for most viewed game on popular streaming platform Twitch.
Fortnite is currently thousands of viewers ahead of both League of Legends and Player Unknown’s Battlegrounds on Twitch. With over 300,000 viewers watching the battle royale at its peek, it has completely shot past its competitors. Adding to this, nearly 7,000 twitch channels have been streaming the game with some of the larger channels pulling in tens of thousands of viewers each.
#1 Fortnite viewers on Twitch
When you compare this to League of Legends and PUBG, who sit and second and third respectively, there’s a big difference. Fornite nearly doubled the average viewers of PUBG this week while not quite catching it for peak viewers.
#2 League of Legends
#3 Player Unknown’s Battlegrounds
Interestingly enough, in 4th place for viewers on Twitch is Counter-Strike. The ESL Pro League recently swapped over from Twitch to Facebook live streaming and saw a dramatic loss in viewership. While the game’s average live channels has decreased the viewers have still increased from last week for both CSGO and PUBG.
#4 Counter-Strike Global-Offensive
A clear advantage for Fortnite’s battle royale over the likes of PUBG is that it is free-to-play. The sheer amount of concurrent players the game is getting mirrors the rapid and explosive success of the game that inspired it. EPIC Games, the creators of Fortnite, came under fire over the intentions of the battle royale mode when it was first released. People weren’t happy that it appeared to be a copy of PUBG, it is however its own game, despite sharing the same genre. EPIC is no stranger to controversy, which since then have again angered fans after announcing they will be shutting down one of their other popular games, Paragon. The reasoning for pulling the plug was down to lack of members on the development team, who had all of course moved over to work on Fortnite.
So did this sacrifice pay off?
Well, with the Twitch stats in mind, it seems it has. It appears all the effort put into making Fortnite successful has done just that. The rapid increase in average channels streaming Fortnite along with the reduction of channels streaming other games, shows many streamers are jumping on the bandwagon. This increase also indicates that new channels are popping up because of the game. With over 1,000 active partners, many streamers have taken advantage of it’s popularity, gaining viewers that then help them become a partner of Twitch. Already popular streamers like DrDisRespect and Shroud have also been streaming more fortnite as of late, bringing with them their massive audiences.
This all may be good for Fortnite now but does the game have the longevity to maintain these audiences when the next big thing comes along? Can it hold onto this huge success or will it die off like so many other explosively popular games have in the past?


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Pakistan’s textile exports could fall by $3 billion this year as compared to last year, the All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (ATPMA) has said, urging authorities to take an immediate and urgent intervention.
APTMA Patron in Chief Gohar Ejaz addressed a letter to Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif on March 31 outlining his worries.
Ejaz stated that while the sector could readily generate $1.7 billion per month in line with exports generated last year, textile exports for February 2023 came in at $1.2 billion.
Incremental power consumption: ZRI ‘categories’ may be allowed to benefit from plan: APTMA urges PD
According to him, an extra $5 billion in capacity has also been installed or is being installed. However, due to currency problems and the lack of electricity, it is still inoperable.
He stated that the fall in textile exports had been accelerating.
“Over 50% of the industry has been closed as a result of the moratorium on the import of raw materials and essential spare parts, a lack of an adequate supply of energy at reasonable prices, and a systemic failure of the sales tax refund programme.
“Given the trajectory of decline, Pakistan is likely to fall short by $3 billion in textile exports from the exports achieved last year of $19.4 billion without taking into account any increase from newly installed capacity,” warned Ejaz.
APTMA also requested that a standard gas price of $7 per MMBtu be applied nationwide for the export sector.
The report asked the authorities to reopen SRO 1125, Zero rating for the textile value chain while collecting sales tax on domestic sales at the point of sale, and to immediately refund all outstanding sales tax, tuff, and other dues.
Ejaz added that to restore the industry’s supply chain, the export-oriented sectors should be allowed to open Letters of Credit for raw materials, machinery, spare components, and other items without restriction.
Pakistani conglomerate Crescent Steel and Allied Products suspends cotton plant operation
The letter comes as Pakistan’s economy is in dire straits, stricken by a balance-of-payments crisis as it attempts to service high levels of external debt amid political chaos and deteriorating security.
The country continues to experience a US dollar shortage, the rupee has fallen, and inflation has skyrocketed. These factors leave little room for imports, which has contributed to a sharp decline in the industry.
The APTMA chief, meanwhile, urged with the authorities in a letter to approve all imports from the export-oriented industry.


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3DS skips past the 4 million sales milestone
Nintendo's new 3D handheld has enjoyed a very good Christmas period helping it to reach the very decent 4 million units sales milestone.
A strong Christmas software lineup did plenty to help the 3DS get there with the release of both Super Mario 3D Land and Mario Kart 7 spurring on sales. In the US both titles also became the first 3DS titles to sell 1 million copies.
Nintendo of America's VP of sales and marketing, Scott Moffit said: "One of the strongest software lineups in our history helped Nintendo have a great holiday season and to close 2011 with a full head of steam. Not only have the new Mario and Zelda titles already broken records, but with strong reviews and satisfied customers sharing their positive experiences, all three are also shaping up to be the latest long-tail titles from Nintendo. Couple that with a massive first- and third party lineup in the first part of the year and the prospects for 2012 are extremely promising."
Nintendo is promising just as much in 2012 with Mario Party, Pokemon and Kid Icarus titles due out from their own studios as well as third party releases like Resident Evil: Revelations and the long-awaited Metal Gear Solid 3D: Snake Eater.
- Dark Souls 2 could see a fourth pack of DLC released
- Far Cry 4 is all about player choice, has five endings
- Call Of Duty: Advanced Warfare PC system specifications announced
- Evolution adds more multiplayer events to Driveclub as they continue to work on the game's server issues
- Rockstar announces a San Andreas 10th Anniversary event this weekend for GTA Online
- Dead Or Alive 5: Last Round gets a release date
- Unfinished Swan to hit the PS4 and PS Vita next week
- Gamersgate.com CEO emphasizes that they have nothing to do with #Gamergate
- Microsoft announces the feature list for the November Xbox One update


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Another four titles have joined the ever expanding Xbox Backward Compatibility program, including Jewel Quest, Persona 4: Arena, Cars: Mater-National Championship and Tecmo Bowl Throwback.
Posted 2 months ago by Dave Horobin, 33 comments
This week's Deals with Gold give us discounts across multiple Forza bundles, including some for everyone. We also get offers on a range of other mostly smaller titles on both consoles.
Posted 1 year ago by Chewie, 69 comments
Starting with this week's Deals with Gold, we have a selection of titles across both consoles on offer, including some fairly recent releases and some titles that also saw some Halloween discounts la
Posted 4 years ago by Chewie, 136 comments
In this week's Deals with Gold we get a handful of titles on offer, with no apparent theme. However, the Resident Evil titles are probably related to the recent news of an upcoming Resident Evil Reve
Posted 4 years ago by Chewie, 101 comments
Edit: Two additional games have been added for Deal of the Week, but are NA exclusive, and are now listed below. Additionally, Ryse: Son of Rome is now listed on sale for the reduced price. Original
Posted 4 years ago by Marc Caccamise, 183 comments
If you remember, way back at the start of its development, Persona 4: Arena was actually known as Persona 4: The Ultimate in Mayonaka Arena. After realising that the title may be a bit too much of a
Posted 5 years ago by Rebecca Smith, 15 comments
North America sees no new releases this week while Australia and Europe play a little catch up. Looking ahead though to next week we can expect to see Metro: Last Light and Resident Evil Revelations
Posted 5 years ago by litepink, 18 comments
To celebrate the imminent European release of their delayed fighting spin-off, Persona 4: Arena, Atlus and Zen United have released a couple of new screens that focus on the members of the Investigat
Posted 5 years ago by Chewie, 11 comments
Last month, it was finally revealed that the long awaited European launch of Persona 4: Arena would be getting a May release window. Atlus and Zen United today announced that the title will now be re
Posted 5 years ago by Lexley Ford, 25 comments
It's been a long, rocky road getting Persona 4: Arena released in Europe. Originally released in July 2012 in Japan and August in North America, the fighter spin-off of the popular Persona role-playi
Posted 5 years ago by Chewie, 8 comments
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Ford will treat the kids visiting its Detroit Auto Show stand with free GT Snap Kits, made in collaboration with Revell.
The production version of the mighty new Ford GT is likely to be shown at the North American International Auto Show in January. It will surely attract a lot of attention from grown-ups, but from kids as well. As the matter of fact, the little ones can get their very first car when they stop by the Ford stand, to the parents’ envy. Ford plans to treat the kids with Revell-built Ford GT model snap kits, also intending to introduce a retail line in April. The auto show kit includes 14 pieces for easy assembly in just a few minutes, and will feature a unique auto show stamp on the bottom to mark the special edition. The retail model is more detailed, as it has 28 pieces and will take 10 to 15 minutes to build. The retail kit will be widely available to purchase for 14.99 dollars. Ford has worked with Illinois-based Revell to build snap kits for auto shows and for retail sale since 2013. The licensing agreement started with Mustang, followed by a Raptor version.
Ford promised the supercar would have the design of the concept carried around 95 percent to the production series model. It will be hitting the production line sometimes in 2016 and it will be offered as a 2017 model year, ready to take on some expensive rivals made by McLaren, Lamborghini and Ferrari. It has a mid-mounted V6 turbocharged engine under its hood, which is capable of putting down more than 700 HP, according to some rumors, sent to the rear-wheel drive through a 7-speed dual clutch transmission.


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Published by Sony Interactive Entertainment on the official PlayStation microblog announced on expanding the platforming geography of Australian studio Team Cherry’s action-platformer Hollow Knight: Silksong.
Keep in mind that since the announcement in February 2019, Hollow Knight: Silksong has only been confirmed for PC and Nintendo Switch, but in June 2022 the Xbox Series X and S were added to the list.
It has been announced that Hollow Knight: Silksong will be available for sale on the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 in addition to the platforms listed. Sony did not share any details about the game.
Silksong users take on the role of Princess Hornet who finds herself in an unknown world. On her way to the top of the kingdom, the heroine must fight enemies, find allies and unravel mysteries.
Hollow Knight: Silksong is expected to be released before June 2023 on PC (Steam, GOG), PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X and S, Nintendo Switch and Game Pass (PC and Xbox). They promise a variety of locations, new abilities, more than 150 new enemies, and shocking secrets.


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Mozambique now exports peanuts and green beans to the European market, particularly to the United Kingdom, as part of the pilot-project to promote exports of organic and handicraft products, the Institute for Export Promotion (Ipex) said.
This pilot project, which will initially also cover cashew nuts, pineapples, mangos, and chilli peppers and is essentially focused on European markets, is intended to diversify exports and increase the volume of goods sold outside Mozambique.
Citing figures provided by Ipex Mozambican news agency AIM said that the peanuts had been exported by a company called Ikuri and were grown on an area of 60 hectares and involved 30 producers from the Muecate Union.
This year, Ipex said, the peanuts are due to be certified as a Fair Trade product, producers will be given pre- and post-harvest assistance, and the peanut project will be reproduced on a national scale.
The provinces of Nampula, Cabo Delgado, Manica, Inhambane, Maputo and Sofala were chosen to be part of the pilot project for exporting organic products.
In terms of exporting Mozambican fruit, particularly mangoes, Ipex said that this could happen at any moment as Maputo company Citrum do Umbeluzi, and Manica-based company Pinto Matavel, which produce mangoes and grapefruit, respectively, are about to receive certification. (macauhub)


text: Super Cruise to Expand Beyond Cadillac in 2020 by Sebastien Bell June 6, 2018 Share Comments Soon it won’t just be Cadillacs with Super Cruise semi-autonomous technology, as GM plans to expand the feature to the rest of its brands starting in 2020. The company had long said that the service would be expanded beyond Cadillac, but this is the first time that GM has actually provided a timeline for the expansion. Super Cruise allows drivers to take their hands off the wheel on certain highways in the US and Canada, though it still requires the driver to pay attention at all times. The system premiered on certain 2018 CT6 trims and will expand to the whole Cadillac lineup by 2020, when it moves over to certain other GM brands—so far we don’t know what non-Cadillac car will premiere the technology. Cadillac will still be the leader in futuristic technology, though, as it also announced that it plans to offer vehicle-to-everything (V2X) technology as of 2023. V2X allows a cars to communicate with each other as well as infrastructure to gain vital information such as road hazards and route changes before the driver even sees them. The technology is seen by many automakers as a vital tool for making autonomous vehicles work properly. “GM is just as committed to ushering in a new era of personal transportation, and technologies like these will enable it,” said Mark Reuss, head of product development, in a statement.


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Biden Pushes Congress to Boost Electric Car Tax Credits
January 27, 2011 5:03 PM
comment(s) - last by
Joe Biden was plugging upcoming EV initiatives on the road at an Indiana battery maker.
(Source: Darron Cummings Associated Press)
Biden hopes to add 300,000 more $7,500 credits
U.S. Vice President Joe Biden
, speaking to workers at a battery assembly plant in Greenfield, Indiana, plugged U.S. Sen. Carl Levin's (D-Michigan) plan to expand
tax credits for EV buyers
and make them immediate.
Under the new proposal the cap on the number of credits per electric vehicle manufacturer would be bumped from 200,000 to 500,000. Additionally, people would receive the credit as a direct discount, rather than having to wait to get the money back when they filed their yearly tax return.
The Vice President describes, "Just like the Cash for Clunkers program. You won't have to wait."
The measure is backed by the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers -- an alliance between Detroit's Big Three, Toyota Motor Corp. and eight others. In
The Detroit News
, they state, "[The government] can play a critical role in developing the electric infrastructure, supporting R&D for advanced batteries and providing consumer incentives."
Along with those tax incentives to buyers, Vice President Biden was also promoting the Obama administration's budget, which will be submitted to Congress next week. That budget contains $8B USD for investing in advanced energy technology, including electric vehicles. Over the last couple years the Vice President has been a
big proponent of investment in battery systems
and electrified vehicles.
Of that, $590M USD will be applied directly to vehicle research. That includes $200M USD to help up to 30 communities expand their electric vehicle infrastructure, by adding support for chargers, etc.
Biden's visit follows
one by President Obama
to green small businesses in Wisconsin, plugging alternative energy research.
The Obama administration's budget will like meet with opposition at the Republican-controlled house, but the Vice President was optimistic, remarking, "We're going to reshape what Americans drive. In turn we're going to reshape America itself."
This article is over a month old, voting and posting comments is disabled
RE: just what we need
1/28/2011 11:15:39 AM
Brown was bought and paid for by the unions here in California, so he will do everything he can to protect them.
Every proposal Brown has made has been designed to either protect the unions or minimize any damage to them.
The left no longer has enough tax dollars to fund all their constituents, so the first ones that will be thrown under the bus are the group that can’t afford the large campaign contributions, i.e. the poor, school kids, etc. Unions have the most money, so they will be the last to be affected.
RE: just what we need
1/28/2011 2:35:57 PM
Californians are slowly realizing that there are 49 other states they could live in where the cost of living is way less.
RE: just what we need
1/28/2011 5:45:09 PM
True, but the weather sucks in most of them. : )
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text:
In July 2021, the customer prices grew by 0.1% in comparison with June.
The basic inflation in July 2021 made 0.1% in comparison with June 2021 and it made 4.2% in comparison with the beginning of the year.
It is noted that at the consumer's market, the prices for food products and non-alcoholic beverages reduced by 0.1%. Mostly, the vegetables became cheaper by 8.1%. Meanwhile, the prices for sunflower oil, fat and fruit have reduced by 0.7-0.5%. At the same time, sugar became more expensive by 6.7%; meat and meat products, butter, dairy products, sour cream and eggs – by 0.8-0.3%.
According to the Statistics Service, the price for alcohol and tobacco products increased by 0.8%.
Clothes and shoes became cheaper by 5.2%.
The growth of prices for accommodation, water, electricity, gas, and other types of fuels took place mostly due to the increase of prices for natural gas by 3.3%, renting of accommodation – by 0.7%. The prices for transport grew by 1.1% due to the increase of fuel and oils by 2.7% and prices for passengers transport increased by 2.4%.
Earlier, it was reported that Ukraine's inflation will exceed ten percent per annum but will slow down at the end of 2021 with a subsequent return to the five percent point in 2022.


text:
Volvo’s all-electric performance brand Polestar is driving their global expansion. A new subsidiary in the States has found a new leader. Gregor Hembrough is to lead Polestar Automotive USA Inc. building on 25 years of experience in the automotive industry.
Gregor Hembrough is moving to Polestar from Volvo Cars North America. His task is to “lead and position Polestar as a strong premium electric car brand in one of the world’s most demanding markets,” according to the press info.
His previous experience includes two positions as the Vice President of major regions for Volvo. On his new job he had the following to say: “The chance to launch a progressive new car company like Polestar is a dream opportunity. I look forward to building a network of Polestar Spaces, launching inventive marketing campaigns and structuring the brand for future success as the company launches in the most tech-savvy part of the world.”
For Polestar, the U.S. is but one market. The savvy Swedes backed by Geely recently set up another subsidiary in China with August Wu as the new president of Polestar China reportedly.
Both Wu and Hembrough report to Polestar CEO Thomas Ingenlath directly.
In their home market, Polestar is about to finish works on their new headquarters. Located in the Swedish Torslanda, near Göteborg, the facility will house around 200 employees when it takes up operation, and will be on the same campus as the main facilities and the Volvo Cars factory (we reported).
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text:
Despite the fact that many automakers have decided to skip the main auto show in Germany, the Munich motor show promises many high-profile premieres. One of them is the all-electric Renault Megane.
Less than a year has passed since the debut of the Renault Megane eVision Concept show car, and now the French are ready to present a production model. This will happen during the 2021 Munich Motor Show, which will replace the Frankfurt Motor Show.
The all-electric crossover hatchback will be the star of Renault’s booth from September 6-12. The novelty will bear the name Megane E-Tech Electric, and the automaker is in no hurry to share details. It is possible that the new electric car will be sold in parallel with the current Megane, which is now available with conventional gasoline, diesel and hybrid engines.
It will hold out on the assembly line for at least several years, while Renault fully electrifies its prayer line. The high-rise hatchback will be Renault’s first all-electric model for the European market and will join the Twingo E-Tech Electric A-segment and Zoe B-segment.
Megane E-Tech Electric is based on the CMF-EV platform, and its 217-horsepower electric motor is responsible for its performance.
The drive is apparently front-wheel drive. A 60 kWh battery will be responsible for the electric mileage, according to unconfirmed reports. The concept could travel about 450 kilometers without recharging. What mileage the serial electric car will have is not reported. The French have already released 30 copies of the new Megane, which is prepared for the role of test machines.
The first deliveries of new items should begin in the first half of 2022. Renault will also showcase the Renault 5 Concept and other E-Tech production models during the IAA in Munich.
Earlier, our portal said that the new M-Sport rally hybrid for the WRC will be built on the basis of the Ford Puma. The novelty meets all the rules of the World Rally Championship.


text:
Weis packages store brand water in recycled-plastic bottles
from Store Brands via Progressive Grocer
Weis Markets said it now is packaging its Weis Quality brand 24-pack 20-ounce bottled water in bottles made from 100 percent recycled PET. This initiative makes the Sunbury, Pa., grocer the first supermarket company in the country to offer its water in the environmentally friendly bottle. Manufactured with recycled resin from baled post-consumer plastic purchased from municipal recycling plants, the bottles also contain 25 percent less plastic than before.
7701 Las Colinas Blvd., Ste. 800, Irving, TX 75063


text:
Everything Everywhere, owner of the T-Mobile and Orange mobile phone networks, is to drop its widely criticised name as a consumer brand in a marketing makeover this year.
In a landmark ruling by regulators Everything Everywhere on Tuesday won the right to launch the UK's first 4G mobile internet service in September, and the company will use the occasion to introduce a third brand to the public.
Standing for fourth generation, 4G technology is supposed to deliver internet download speeds 10 times faster than the 3G service which helped bring the internet to mobile phones a decade ago.
More bandwidth is needed to help networks keep up with the growing demand for data from smartphones. Mobile networks struggle to broadcast video over 3G – most moving images are watched on the small screen using wi-fi connections. It is hoped 4G will make smartphone video streaming an every day experience.
The decision will give the UK a taste of 4G in time for Christmas, allowing it to catch up with other European nations and the United States, which already have dozens of superfast mobile networks up and running. Britain is not due to auction the extra spectrum Vodafone, O2 and Three say they need for 4G until next year. But EE has enough of its own to push the button now, giving it a six to 12-month head-start on rivals.
Telecoms watchdog Ofcom has granted EE permission to flick the switch as soon as 11 September, and while the service may not be ready until a little later, EE has been installing equipment since the beginning of this year in anticipation of early roll-out. It has already covered a number of major population centres.
By coincidence, the date is a day ahead of Apple's rumoured 12 September iPhone 5 unveiling. The latest Apple phone is expected to go on sale in October, although it is far from certain that the device will support 4G on the spectrum 1800MHz band being used by EE for 4G.
It is thought that some of the newest Nokia smartphones, which use Windows software, will be compatible. While there will be very few 4G handsets and tablet computers in time for Christmas, EE will be able to market the service using dongles which plug into laptops to give them a mobile signal.
"This ruling could well provide a springboard for Everything Everywhere in the lucrative customer acquisition stakes," said Stuart Orr at management consultancy Accenture. "This will be especially true if they are then able to offer [a 4G] enabled iPhone 5 ahead of anyone else."
There is speculation the brand name used to plug the service could be 4G Everywhere – it was registered by the company as a trademark in May, alongside 4G Everything and 4GEE.
In a statement the company said: "We are planning to launch a new brand in the UK later this year. This new brand will sit alongside our existing brands Orange and T-Mobile. We will reveal more information on our exciting plans in due course."
Orange, which rose to prominence through its high profile sponsorships of the BAFTA film awards and the Women's Prize for Fiction, may not be permanent fixture in the UK telecoms landscape, however. EE's owners, France Telecom and Deutsche Telekom, are thought to be keen to float their UK joint venture once conditions in the financial markets improve, which could eventually trigger a decision to drop their respective Orange and T-Mobile brands.
EE's head start on 4G provoked a furious reaction from Vodafone, which said it was "shocked" at the Ofcom's decision, while O2 said it was "hugely disppointed". Spectrum acquired in next year's auction, currently occupied by digital TV, will not be freed up for use nationwide before next Autumn.
It is thought unlikely that rival networks will seek an injunction to stop EE's launch, although legal experts say they could make complaints at a later date. "Even if there is no reason for challenge today, the other operators will presumably be keeping the situation under review and will be looking for any possible action on the part of Everything Everywhere with their newly acquired monopoly status that could justify a complaint under UK or EU competition law," said Patrick Clark, telecoms expert at law firm Taylor Wessing.
In a separate deal, EE confirmed on Tuesday that it had sold for an undisclosed sum a quarter of its 1800MHz holding to the UK's smallest network Three, owned by Hong Kong conglomerate Hutchison Whampoa. The company was obliged to sell some of its large holding as a condition of its creation through the merger of T-Mobile and Orange. Three will not be able to use the spectrum for 4G immediately, as EE is not obliged to hand it over until September 2013.


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With the rise of GPS-enabled touchscreen phones like the iPhone, you’d think that the future for stand-alone GPS makers looks bleak. Except that these companies are being surprisingly agile, and are embracing smartphones to make the best GPS navigators ever.
As early as July 2009, with the iPhone only two years old and Android only recently making a dent in the smartphone scene, the New York Times ran an article questioning if consumers needed a stand-alone GPS unit as well as an A-GPS equipped smartphone like the iPhone, and noted that industry-leader Tomtom’s first quarter sales had slipped 29% versus the previous year. Now it’s 2011, the smartphone is increasingly ubiquitous, thanks to both Apple and Google, and now even tablet PCs are equipped with GPS units. So GPS makers are doomed, right? Not so fast.
Navigon was an early leader in releasing the MobileNavigator iPhone app (in a variety of packages for global travel) that leveraged all of its navigation device expertise in a paid-up iOS app that basically turned the iPhone into a high-end clone of a Navigon stand-alone GPS unit. The app appeared repeatedly in the top lists for downloads, and has gone through seven revisions–each adding more and more powerful features, including 3-D map shapes that replicate the view of the driver’s horizon and live traffic data for jam-avoidance. It’s worth remembering that in the age of single-unit GPS devices, to get these features you’d actually have to buy a new box.
Now it’s just had its eighth update, and Navigon’s added the highest-tech trick to the code yet, leveraging ideas that only emerged with smartphones with cameras: augmented reality. The new Reality Scanner feature is, Navigon says, a “navigation industry first augmented reality feature” that provides an “instant and effortless way of identifying destinations close-by.” It works like most AR systems do, with the user pointing the phone in “any direction from where they are” and seeing “points of interest icons appear directly onto a live camera view, indicating the exact position of the location.” The company imagines it being useful for pedestrians more than motorists (though it’d also be handy for finding a nearby restaurant if you pulled off the freeway on a long road-trip), presumably because of the dangerous distraction such a live-data feed could cause when driving.
But that’s also a demonstration of the strength of Navigon’s navigation offering–it’s imagining enticing iPhone users as pedestrians away from Google Maps or dedicated AR apps like Layar, because they know the Navigon brand and already trust it to get them to their driving destination.
Meanwhile Tomtom, which also has an iPhone app, is busy upgrading its enterprise-level GPS stand-alone units with clever technology like the new Active Driver Feedback system–code that promotes safe driving by measuring a driver’s performance in terms of harsh braking, steering or acceleration. This “instant feedback” Tomtom thinks will boost safety and fuel efficiency, but it requires a “Pro”-level Tomtom device in the vehicle, and some features need a Tomtom Link device, and both systems ask for a subscription to the Webfleet service. It’s a decidedly old-fashioned way to try to boost sales of GPS units, centering on road users like truck drivers. And its worth noting that most of the same features could easily be replicated in a smartphone app that uses the phone’s gyros and accelerometers. But Tomtom’s pursuing it to improve its hardware products, and differentiate itself from competitors like Navigon.
Both companies have had their markets deformed beyond all recognition by the arrival of the iPhone and Android. But it’s tempting to see Navigon’s approach as the most future-facing because by constantly upgrading its smartphone app it’s creating a navigation system far cleverer than it could’ve achieved with stand-alone technology. Navigon’s also teasing it’s working on some “major additions” for the app, and notes “only those who have this latest version are eligible to take advantage of the benefits in the next version.” Obviously the company has big plans up its sleeve, and its income from its remaining stand-alone GPS business and the money it rakes in from iTunes (which is potentially at a higher profit margin than its GPS sales, because it only has to ship code rather than real physical items to retailers).
In short, claims of the death of the GPS maker have been much exaggerated, but it’s true to say the industry looks little like it did just two or three years ago. It’s possible that in the short term, thanks to the smartphone, it’s going to be better than anyone could hope.
Image via Flickr user kimmo-quva.


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The Huawei Mate 20 will feature the firm's new Kirin 980 chipset at its heart, after the Chinese company confirmed the fact in a press release.
The press release was sent to South African media, and Gearburn reports that it included the line "the Kirin 980 will power the Mate 20 Series."
That means that we could well see a Huawei Mate 20 Pro as well, with the wording suggesting multiple devices under the Mate 20 banner. We've also heard rumors of a Mate 20 Lite, which could see three handsets packing the brand new chipset.
However, the Huawei's 'Lite' handsets usually boast a lower power chipset to help reduce the cost, so if the Mate 20 Lite does exist it may not pack the Kirin 980.
New chips please
Huawei also claims that the Kirin 980 will be the world's first, commercially available 7nm chipset - making it incredibly small, but also apparently 20% more powerful and 40% more power efficient than its predecessor.
We're expecting Huawei to launch its Mate 20 series in October, as the Mate 10 series arrived in the same month last year, but the firm is yet to send out any form of invitation to a launch event.
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John joined TechRadar over a decade ago as Staff Writer for Phones, and over the years has built up a vast knowledge of the tech industry. He's interviewed CEOs from some of the world's biggest tech firms, visited their HQs and has appeared on live TV and radio, including Sky News, BBC News, BBC World News, Al Jazeera, LBC and BBC Radio 4. Originally specializing in phones, tablets and wearables, John is now TechRadar's resident automotive expert, reviewing the latest and greatest EVs and PHEVs on the market. John also looks after the day-to-day running of the site.


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Northland Capital has upgraded AMD’s stock from Market Perform to Outperform with a target price of $96. Calling Intel’s decision to re-commit to its foundry business a “strategic faux pas”, analyst Gus Richard believes that this decision will cost the company on both ends. Stating that Intel won’t be overtaking TSMC in terms of process leadership anytime soon which makes sense given that the newly announced 7nm foundries will only start operating from 2023, with an estimated push to full capacity by 2024. (lazye.com) TSMC on the other hand is already on its way to start the risk production of its 3nm node by the year’s end.
The Taiwanese foundry plans to start mass production of 3nm chips next year, with the first devices from Apple expected to ship by the end of 2022. TSMC’s 5nm EUV node is comparable to Intel’s 7nm process with the 3nm node set to compete against the latter’s 5nm. Looking at the present timeline, TSMC’s 5nm node will be available to all major chipmakers including AMD and NVIDIA by the end of the year, while Intel is only just going to start shipping processors based on its 10nm node by then.
Fast forward to 2023 and you’ll have NVIDIA, AMD, Qualcomm, and Apple all leveraging TSMC’s 3nm node with Intel just starting the mass production of its 7nm-grade chips. You can see where this is going. It’s highly unlikely that Intel will retake the process leadership from TSMC in the foreseeable future.
Since AMD outsources all of its chips to TSMC, this makes Intel a short-term partner, “persona non grata” as Richard calls it, making it a secondary customer in an already competitive foundry business.


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Financial news agency Bloomberg reported that the new generation of the Apple Watch is slightly larger than previous models. The small version comes in at 41mm, which is slightly smaller than the 42mm large version of the 2015 and 2016 versions.
The Apple Watch gets a slightly larger screen and watch faces to take advantage of that, Mildt Bloomberg. Screen diameters have not been reported by the financial news agency, but the cases come out at 41mm and 45mm. This is now 40 and 44 mm. The first three generations of the watch have 38mm and 42mm cases.
The watch will get a new design with flat sides, according to the news agency. This is the design like John Prosser saw me months ago. According to Bloomberg, the focus will be on the new design and there will be no new health features. A sensor to track body temperature around the clock may be installed next year.
Apple is expected to introduce the new watch this fall. This is likely to happen with newer iPhones. Apple has not yet planned an event, but the date of September 14 has been mentioned as the likely day when a presentation will be given.
Apple Watch Series 7 offerings. Source: Technical front page
|Apple Watch Series 7
|Apple Watch Series 4-6
|Apple Watch Series 1-3
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- Like-for-likes rise 2.2% in Pets at Home’s third quarter to December 31.
- Launched ‘Whiskers n’ Paws by Pets at Home’ trial high-street format in Dorking, focused on cat and dog owners.
- Acquired Anderson Moores, a specialist veterinary referral hospital in Winchester, which it plans to operate as a stand-alone brand.
Pets at Home like-for-likes edged up 2.2% in its third quarter to December 31 as it trials a new Whiskers ’n Paws high-street fascia.
The new format launched in Dorking, Surrey and is focused on cat and dog owners. The high street store also has a Groom Room salon.
Pets at Home has also acquired Anderson Moores, a specialist veterinary referral hospital in Winchester, which it plans to operate as a stand-alone brand.
The acquisition follows a surge in Pets at Home’s vet services revenue over the third quarter. Like-for-likes jumped 8.5% and total services revenue rose 27.4% to £17.8m.
Meanwhile, merchandise like-for-like sales advanced 1.7%, with the Advanced Nutrition brand performing well and recovering sales in health and hygiene products.
Pets at Home total sales grew 7.1% to £195.1m over the period as the retailer said its financial outlook remained in line with current expectations.
Pets at Home chief executive Nick Wood said: “We are pleased with the improved trading momentum in our merchandise business, alongside continued strength in our vet and grooming services.
“We are also delighted with our acquisition of one of the UK’s leading specialist hospitals, Anderson Moores, which further develops our presence in this important strategic segment of the veterinary market. I would like to thank all our colleagues for their hard work through the busy festive period. We look forward to further growth and expansion in 2016.”
Over the period, Pets at Home progressed with its store opening programme. It is on track to deliver 20 to 25 Pets at Homes stores, five of its dog-focused fascia Barkers, 50-55 vet practices and 55 to 60 grooming salons across the year.


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Tablet to feature in the next-gen Xbox?
Nintendo may not be the only console maker to incorporate tablet technology in their next-gen machine.
Word has reached the gaming press that the next Xbox may feature a tablet PC, Kinect in some form, a base unit and a controller.
This does make sense given Microsoft's push toward unifying their hardware under their upcoming operating system Windows 8.
If the many rumours surrounding the next generation of home consoles are true all will be revealed at this year's E3 in June.
- Call of Duty: Black Ops III is coming to the PS3 and Xbox 360 after all
- Tomonobu Itagaki's Devil's Third gets a release date
- Adr1ft is coming to PC and consoles at the end of the summer
- EA gives the new Mirror's Edge a name – Mirror's Edge Catalyst
- ZombiU PS4 and Xbox One port reportedly in the works
- Mike Bithell's Volume to be released this August
- Gearbox's new shooter Battleborn gets a pre-E3 trailer
- Steam Controller launches in October, Steam Machines arrive in November
- Gears Of War devs Black Tusk change their name to The Coalition ahead of E3


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Householders and businesses in the UK could sell their own energy within a local power network under new smart grid plans unveiled today.
Electricity network operators across England, Scotland and Wales have committed to deliver £17 billion of benefits by 2050 as a result of the overhaul of the networks.
They have announced a joint commitment to create new markets “to enable flexibility services that will compete alongside traditional investment”.
Under the plans, consumers could sell power generated by solar panels and turbines or from electric vehicles or directly to neighbours using blockchain technology and be paid to do so.
Businesses can also adjust their electricity use when they least need it and use smart energy efficient technology to adjust consumption remotely as well as buy power from battery storage.
David Smith, ENA CEO said: “Our energy networks have a great track record of delivering for households, businesses and communities when it comes to network reliability, reducing costs to the billpayer and driving forward new investment in our infrastructure.
“Today’s announcement builds on that, as our energy market rapidly changes. It is about creating a system that creates a platform for a whole range of new energy technologies and services that now only allows network companies to manage the system more effectively but give other organisations the chance to benefit from that, whether that be directly or indirectly.”


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4G service in South and Central Florida is spreading quickly, which means residents here will be able to take advantage of the fastest data service for smartphones and the devices that make it all happen.
What is 4G? It is the next generation of mobile network service, offering downloading speeds for video up to 1o times faster than current 3G networks. For mobile phone users, it can be nearly as fast as home Internet service. Expect to download movies in minutes and full-sized photos in seconds.
AT&T will announce on Friday network upgrades in Palm Beach County that will offer greater wireless bandwidth (for downloading and uploading data, including photos and videos) and that will enable 4G speeds for area residents. Similar network upgrades were made recently in the Fort Lauderdale-Miami area, says the company. The network enhancements should also mean that more people can access the network at the same time without diminished quality of service. That can be very handy when you’re at a spot – major sporting events, concerts and parades – with a crowd of people using smartphones at the same time.
For instance, MetroPCS launched its 4G service in a still growing number of markets in Florida in January, including parts of Broward, Palm Beach, Miami-Dade and Orange Counties. Think Fort Lauderdale, Boca Raton and Orlando and more.
For Sprint, 4G cities in Florida include Miami, Orlando and Tampa. Verizon Wireless 4G service is available in Pembroke Pines, Hollywood, Fort Lauderdale, Boca Raton, Delray Beach and more. Metro PCS offers 4G in Boca Raton, Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, Tampa Bay and more.
Bottom-line: Check with your carrier to make sure you have access.
If you want 4G service and it is available in your neighborhood, check with your carrier for available devices. For example, Verizon Wireless offers the ThunderBolt by HTC; MetroPCS just released the Samsung Galaxy Indulge. Technically these are smart phones, but they are akin to having mini-laptops in your pocket for jet-fast Web browsing, uploading and downloading data, etc.
Expect to pay $300 or more for a new 4G phone and to sign-up for a new two-year contract.
Always ask about discounts and rebates to cut the financial pain.
Keep in mind 4G coverage areas remain limited, which means you can have 4G service at at home or work, but once you travel to a non-4G area, your 4G phone will jump on your carrier’s 3G network. Sorry.


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Holy cow! An “elimination” diet based on meat consumption
Here at the vegan swamp we like to be fair and balanced (thanks Bill) and report the good with the bad with news and commentary about vegans and veganism. So, when I saw this image posted on FB in a vegan humor group, I decided to investigate. It had to be a joke, right?
One might expect such a statistic from a bunch of meatheads at a website calling themselves the Carnivore Cure. I was very curious and eager to sink their ship. I felt confident that with just a bit of research I could de-bunk it, offering up better news from a less biased viewpoint. Say it ain’t so, Joe!
Turns out it’s not just a meat industry marketing ploy, according to the Huffington Post, in a survey of around 11,000 Americans, the organization found that 84 percent of vegetarians and vegans return to eating meat. Most lapse within a year, while nearly a third don’t last more than three months. Is a survey of only 11,000 Americans enough? Were those surveyed former vegans, current vegans, or current meatheads? Are a mere 4% of us vegan? Did Oprah say it?
This is really depressing news if it is to be believed!
Why vegans quit plant-based eating to go back to meat consumption is mainly because of health issues, according to Psychology Today but some became vegan or vegetarian just so they could be different. Maybe that 84% figure is made up of 80% who wanted to be different, never committing fully to plant-based eating. A vegan who gets the whole picture, never goes back!
How do the meatheads get around the facts, the damage to our planet made by animal agriculture? What about the cruelty to the animals, all that cholesterol to the body, harmful, cancer causing chemicals, etc. Is Jordon Peterson, the nut that hates vegans, right after all with all his nonsense about the meat-only diet being the cure-all? Methinks that maybe the reach and power behind the meat industry is causing this somehow. For me, I’m sticking with plant-based eating, over and out!
4 thoughts on “The carnivore Cure?”


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US footwear group Deckers Brands has reported a record second-quarter performance, helped by an 83.2% surge in revenue at its Hoka One One brand.
For the three months ended 30 September, the maker of Ugg footwear reported a 30.6% rise in net income to US$101.6m, up from $77.8m a year earlier. Gross margin expanded to 51.2% from 50.4% in last year’s quarter.
Deckers also booked a 15% increase in revenue to a record US$623.5m, up from $542.2m last time. On a constant currency basis, net sales were up by 14.1%.
Ugg brand net sales rose 2.5% to $415.1m from $404.9m for the same period last year, while those at Hoka One One soared 83.2% to $143.1m. Teva also reported an increase, with sales up 20.5% to $27.7m. Sanuk brand revenues, however, fell 11.4% to $9.5m from $10.7m last time.
Domestic net sales increased by 19.4% to $427.4m, while international net sales were up 6.4% to $196.1m.
“Deckers’ record second-quarter performance was the result of our powerful brands, dedicated teams, innovative product launches, and ability to capture demand online,” said CEO Dave Powers.
“Our brands are operating from a position of strength, and while we continue to navigate the challenges of a global pandemic, the demand for our brands combined with our strong operating model and healthy balance sheet leave Deckers well-positioned for the long-term.”


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Minister for Communications Alex White T.D, today encouraged qualifying small businesses to take up the Government’s trading online voucher scheme, which offers grants of up to €2,500 to help Irish companies sell online. Speaking on ‘Cyber Monday,’ which sees a surge in online Christmas shopping, Minister White also urged consumers to buy Irish. “As people […]
Tag Archives | Christmas and holiday season
A lot of retailers take on extra staff for Christmas. However in the case of Amazon’s US operations the number of staff involved is huge. The online retail giant has announced that they’ll be hiring more than 70 thousand full-time seasonal staff this year! That’s a 40% increase compared to 2012. The company will retain […]
This video took 13 people over 900 hours to put together. Its purpose? To provide a holiday greeting.. While it looks fantastic you’d have to wonder about the investment in time, wouldn’t you? 🙂 [youtube]http://youtu.be/TXfTrZ7n00Q[/youtube] You can read about the video production here.
Sligo based Infacta Software, who produce GroupMail, have announced a set of Christmas themed email newsletter templates. The templates are customisable and have been tested on most common email clients.
The guys over at Skimlinks have produced an interesting infographic on e-commerce and the Christmas season. While the data is US biased it’s still very interesting and quite relevant if you’re selling online What do you think the results will be like this year? Will you be doing any of your shopping online?


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PETA does this shit a lot as the whole world knows; thing is they know sex and controversy get lots of attention. This particular ad, for instance, has already been banned by CNN Airport Network which refused to show it at three NYC airports.
PETA explains their latest banned PSA:
Pamela Anderson may have become famous by filling out a one-piece red swimsuit on Baywatch, but now she's starring in a new project, PETA's "Cruelty Doesn't Fly" video. In the new video, Pam stars as a no-nonsense fashion cop who strips travelers of their fashion faux pas—animal skins!
'Cruelty Doesn't Fly'—Learn More at PETA.org.


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As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Rev. Heber Brown, III over at the religious political action Faith in Action blog recently interviewed Dr Marvin McMickle on his online radio show. I would encourage everyone to go on over and see what Dr. McMickle has to say about the loss of Prophets in the black church. Dr. McMickle’s latest book is entitled Where Have All the Prophets Gone?
Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc, or its affiliates.


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German machine maker Arburg recently celebrated the anniversary of “25 years of Arburg in China” in Shanghai with around 200 invited guests. In recognition of the subsidiary’s commitment, Managing Partner Renate Keinath presented the anniversary sculpture to Zhao Tong, Managing Director of the Arburg organisations in China. Other highlights were video messages from Senior Partner Eugen Hehl, employees of the parent company and numerous customers.
In her address, Managing Partner Renate Keinath said: “I’m extremely impressed with what our team here has achieved over the last quarter century. In line with the Arburg “Wir sind da.” brand promise, our employees have always been there for their customers.” She said that Arburg can be relied upon, just like a trusted family member, as the team in China has been proving on a daily basis for 25 years now.
Speaking on behalf of the owner families and the entire Arburg parent company, she thanked Arburg’s employees in China for their untiring commitment.
More messages of congratulations were conveyed by video relay: Senior Partner Eugen Hehl expressed his personal thanks to the Chinese employees for 25 successful years. In addition, several colleagues from the various departments at the Arburg parent company and a number of customers from China took this opportunity to express their congratulations on the occasion of the silver jubilee and to wish the employees all the best for the future.
Managing Director Sales Gerhard Böhm took the time to review the success story of Arburg in China: “It all began in 1992 with the establishment of a subsidiary in Hong Kong. From the outset, we concentrated on machines for the manufacture of high-quality plastic products – just as we have done all over the world. This strategy has borne fruit and we have been able to add two more subsidiaries: first in Shanghai in 2004 and then in Shenzhen in 2006.”
Böhm believes that this successful development confirms that Arburg chose the right path decades ago and that the company’s continuous investments in the Chinese market have paid dividends. Gerhard Böhm expressed his thanks to customers for the trust they had placed in Arburg and for the successful cooperation over the past decades. Zhao Tong echoed these words of gratitude and emphasised: “You have joined us on our journey, helping us and contributing to the fact that the Arburg team in China now numbers 80 employees, who are ready to offer you comprehensive support.”
Böhm explained the development of the customer structure as follows: “In the early years, our customers tended primarily to be large, globally operating companies. This has changed significantly in the interim and we are now pleased to say that more and more domestic injection moulding companies are benefiting from the advantages of our high-performance machines. They not only appreciate the performance of our high-tech Allrounder machines, but also our extensive expertise in service and consulting.” As examples of the wide range of services, he mentioned the hotline, which is operated by experts, the experienced service and application technicians, the excellently equipped spare parts store, the showrooms for trials using Allrounders and the Freeformer for additive manufacturing, the multifaceted training programme and the machine warehouse in Shanghai.
“In addition to our strong presence with three locations and our service offering, our decision to communicate in the language of the country also reflects the great importance of China for Arburg,” said the Managing Director Sales. Examples of this include the use of Arburg’s Chinese name with a corresponding logo, the Chinese version of the Arburg website, the Chinese edition of Arburg’s “today” magazine, and the weChat channel run by the subsidiary with over 12,000 followers as a direct link to customers.


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With most of its taxi drivers positioned to go on strike at any time, Yellow Checker Star Transportation has launched a recruiting campaign promising an “exceptional opportunity for career-minded individuals.”
In both print and online ads, the city’s second-largest cab company began seeking people with a “good DMV printout” interested in “average estimated pay” of $38,000 per year, rising as high as $60,000 with tips.
“All you need its courtesy and enthusiasm,” the ad says. “No experience? No problem!”
Company executives could not be reached for comment. But in a recently launched blog, the company noted that it has the right to hire permanent replacements.
“When (a) strike concludes, striking employees will be reinstated only if vacant positions exist,” the company wrote. But arrangements could be made to bring back the current drivers, the company wrote.
The ad doesn’t mention a work stoppage, but Sam Moffitt, a steward with the Industrial Technical Professional Employees Union said that’s what’s driving the hiring binge.
“Of course, they are trying to line up as many replacements as they can if or when there is a strike,” said Moffitt, who disputed the pay figures without offering alternative numbers. “Most of our drivers qualify for food stamps.”
Last week, Yellow Checker Star declared an impasse after five months of contract negotiations with the union. A second tentative pact was rejected by 70 percent of the drivers after a previous version was voted down in November. So, Yellow Checker Star unilaterally imposed the terms of the most recent proposal, effective this past Sunday.
After the impasse was announced, senior union officials raised the options that included formally contesting the impasse, which would bring in the National Labor Relations Board to issue a formal verdict on the state of the talks. The officials couldn’t be reached for comment Tuesday.
To raise their profile, the drivers will stage an informational picket at the Las Vegas Convention Center starting at 4 p.m. today. The protest would come at the end of the day at the big World of Concrete trade show. That’s when cab lines are typically the longest, as many of the show’s 50,000 conventioneers return to their hotels.
Yellow Checker Star has about 1,740 drivers, including about 400 who do not belong to the union. The company also holds operating permits known as medallions that lets it put as many as 603 cabs on the streets, one-fourth of the entire Las Vegas fleet.
No one will estimate how many cabs Yellow Checker Star would be able to put on the streets if the union decided to walk out.
The Nevada Taxicab Authority’s administrator can issue as many as 30 temporary medallions to other companies if needed to cover any service shortfall.
Contact reporter Tim O’Reiley at
firstname.lastname@example.org or 702-387-5290.


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Aseptic carton packaging manufacturer SIG has announced it is investing €12 million in a new pilot plant, which will be part of the company’s new Tech Center Europe.
The new centre will be located close to SIG’s packaging plant in Linnich, Germany.
The pilot plant will offer modern extrusion and finishing technology, advanced quality measurement systems and testing equipment. The facility will significantly amplify production processability, system validation and future digital technology capacities.
The Tech Center Europe will speed up new product and packaging developments, enhance SIG’s sustainable packaging solutions and support customers with finalised product launches. It will also serve as a showcase plant and location for project meetings with customers and stakeholders.
Marcel Schopen, department manager test field, prototype & pilot plant at SIG, said: “Our new Tech Center Europe will make us even faster and more efficient in bringing new products and packaging solutions to market. It will help our customers to keep one step ahead of trends and changing consumer demands.”
He continued: “In the pilot plant and test field of our tech centre we support all processes from start to finish, including sleeve production, filling products and pallet packing”.
The pilot plant is scheduled to be operational by the end of 2022.
Back in April, SIG announced that it would invest around €40 million to construct a new production plant in Queretaro, Mexico.
By Lauren Ford
Trinseo (NYSE: TSE), a specialty material solutions provider, announced it has initiated an information and consultation process with the Works Council of Trinseo Deutschland GmbH regarding the potential closure of its styrene monomer production site in Boehlen, Germany.
H.B. Fuller Company announced that Celeste Mastin, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, will succeed Jim Owens as H.B. Fuller’s President and Chief Executive Officer, effective December 4, 2022. Upon assuming the role, Mastin will also join the Company’s Board of Directors, replacing Owens, who will be retiring.
New LyondellBasell CEO Peter Vanacker, who joined the company from Neste in May, today named his senior executive team and outlined organizational changes, including creation of a circular and low-carbon solutions business. All changes will be effective 1 October.


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Options expert Erik Lie, on Apple's backdating disclosuresby
University of Iowa professor Erik Lie is credited with the research that exposed the widespread use of backdating to boost the value of options granted to corporate executives--a scandal that is dominating the news with Macworld just a week or so away. And while Wall Street analysts raced to be first to declare Steve Jobs absolved of all blame after Apple disclosed details of its internal investigation yesterday, Lie isn't so sure.
Read on to find out why.
Surprisingly, the item that caught many experts' eye--that someone at Apple claimed one of Jobs' options grants was priced at a board meeting that never actually happened--was not of great concern to Lie.
Given the administrative history of the grant--which was first okayed in August 2001, but not finalized until December, when someone at Apple pegged the price to that mystery board meeting on October 19 of that year--backdating was certainly possible. But then, says Lie, why wouldn't Apple have priced the grant on Oct. 3, when AAPL shares then sold for a split-adjusted $7.39, rather than on Oct. 19 when the shares sold for $9.15. As such, “That’s not the thorn that’s sticking out," says Lie, who says he began analyzing Apple's options grants even before the company first admitted "irregularties" this summer. (Since then, Lie has earned consulting fees providing his analysis of Apple's options filings to investors trying to handicap how the scandal will impact AAPL shares.)
That's because Apple didn't hit the absolute optimal date, if it wanted to maximize the value of Jobs' options right out of the gate. When looking for grants that might have been backdated, he looks for instances in which options are granted just after a decline in a company's stock price and before a big run up. The tell-tale V-shape pattern suggests that a company might have managed its news flow to lower the stock so it could give the lowest possible priced options to execs or employees, so as to give them big gains (on paper, at least) by then managing the stock upward (say, by announcing a hot new product, or an improved financial outlook). Clearly, Oct. 19, 2001 was not at the bottom of that V-shaped pattern.
But there are other sharper thorns in Apple's option-granting past, from Lie's perspective. He points to a Feb 5, 1997 grant that was given at Apple's lowest share price in a forty day period. And the huge ten million share grant to Jobs on Jan. 12, 2000 was even more suspicious. Apple shares fell 22% in the nine days before that date, and were up 30% just eight days later. And Apple admitted in its filing that it first authorized the grant on Dec. 2, 1999, and then "memorialized" the granting of the options as of Jan. 12--but not until Jan. 18, when Apple shares had begun to rise. "That's the one that jumps out," Lie told me.
That's not only because of the pricing pattern, but because of the size of the grant--and who was getting it. When trying to handicap whether a company might be playing fast and loose with accounting rules, that matters, says Lie. For example, a company that managed to give some options to rank-and-file employees at suspiciously low prices on a few occasions might in fact have been lucky, or maybe the CEO was smart enough to quickly hand out options based on some unfounded negative rumors. But companies that managed to nail the very bottom of a big pricing "V" when they were giving out the biggest grants, to the highest-ranking executives, raises more eyebrows for him. The 2000 grant to Jobs "was one of the biggest options grants ever. I'm not saying it was backdated and I'm not saying they did anything illegal, but [the circumstances are] consistent with manipulation. But who knows, they might have just gotten lucky."
I then asked if he thought Jobs was getting an easier time than the dozens of other executives that have lost their jobs over the backdating scandal, simply becuase of Jobs' celebrity and iconic reputation with investors and consumers. He said no. Rather, he pointed out his belief that there are many executives that have flouted options accounting rules that have not yet even been identified. “I believe there are potentially thousands of executives who have gotten completely off the hook. Because he’s steven jobs, he’s more in the spotlight....The media has been struggling to put a face on this scandal. If anything, he’s been treated unfairly relative to other people who have been completely unscathed.”


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Business Standard writes about the launch of Tata IndiOne which is offering hotels at room rates of less than Rs 1,000 ($22) per night. The first such hotel opened recently in Bangalore. The plan is to build 150 more in the next few years.
This could be the budget travellers dream: a cool, air-conditioned room with a refrigerator and a 17 flat-screen television. Tea- and coffee-makers at the bedside and an in-house gym to ensure that guests dont get out of shape on those long business trips. The cost: a startlingly low Rs 900.
The chain roped in management guru C K Prahlad and then reversed gear they calculated how much customers were ready to pay. The mathematics and consensus was in favour of Rs 1,000 (one tenth of a five star deluxe hotel). The next step was to work backwards and control costs. Says Nair: Instead of going top-down we started the project business plan with a clean piece of paper where the key was tight financial control.
So how has indiOne kept costs under control? First it created a module: the hotels would be on 1 acre of land with 100 rooms. If each hotel costs about Rs 10 crore that comes to around Rs 10 lakh a room. That compares favourably with deluxe hotels and five stars where per room cost ranges from Rs 50 lakh to Rs 1.5 crore. And of course, by scaling up it could dramatically reduce investment in each hotel.
Then, room sizes were fixed at around 200 metres compared to five stars where they are between 250 to 400 metres. Also, it was crucial to keep staff numbers down.
For instance the entire Bangalore hotel will be run by 25 people. By comparison most five star hotels have about 250 people for every 100 rooms. Inevitably, that means slashing some services like, for instance, a room porter. Also, the company is working on automatic check-in kiosks.
IHC is also turning to technology to save on marketing and sales. For instance, its offering Rs 50 off on Internet bookings. Nair says that in Bangalore 70 per cent of the bookings are currently coming on the Internet. Says Nair: Sales and marketing constitute 10 per cent to 15 per cent of room cost which you save if booking through the Net becomes popular.
I think their strategy will work. The key is to think out-of-the-box to come with a 10x differential. So, how can we apply these ideas to “commPuting” – provide hardware, software, connectivity and support for Rs 500-700 per month ($11-15). There are 100 million Indians waiting.


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Gotham Knights at last has a release date. The game that was featured in my most anticipated games of next year list (twice!) will be available on October 25. It feels appropriate to come out just before Halloween, considering the theme of the game. Actually, it might be more appropriate if the game adapted The Long Halloween, but Batman fans can’t be beggars.
If you didn’t catch the hint, Gotham Knights was originally scheduled for a release date in 2021. The co-op action game featuring the famous Bat-kids was revealed nearly two years ago, exciting many of us who loved the hell out of Rocksteady’s Batman: Arkham series. However, the developer isn’t involved in this latest Bat-scepade. That honor goes to Warner Bros. Montreal, which is approaching the Gothic city at a different angle.
Gotham Knights appears more action-packed, allowing for two-player co-op. You play as one of the four Batman wards: Red Hood, Nightwing, Batgirl, or Robin. It features drop-in/drop-out co-op, and neither player specifically needs to be in the same area. In an interview hosted by GamesRadar, Fleur Marty, senior producer, said “you can be in two completely different parts of the city if you wanted and join at some point to take on a specific mission.” I like the sound of that.
Gotham will always need its heroes. Suit up for an all-new adventure on 10.25.22. #GothamKnights pic.twitter.com/d7oV2LbcT8
— Gotham Knights (@GothamKnights) March 9, 2022
From days to Knights
There’s still a lot to learn about Gotham Knights ahead of its release date. Frankly, I’d love to see some in-depth co-op gameplay this year. What we do know, however, is that it adapts the Batman: Court of Owls story. A powerful group of Gotham elites have been pulling the strings behind the curtain, and it’s up to the Bat family to to put a stop to things. Along the way, they’ll have to tackle the Talons, powerful enemies assigned to protect the Court.
There is also a TV show in the works, and it may focus on Red Hood.


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Yahoo says it “will vigorously pursue all appeals” of a non-final judgement by a Mexico City court ruling Yahoo must pay $2.7 billion for breaching its contract with Ideas Interactivas and its parent company Worldwide Directories. The web giant seems to have had a partnership to work with Interactive Ideas to release a printed Yellow Pages of business telephone numbers for Mexico.
According to the brief press release, “The plaintiffs alleged claims of breach of contract, breach of promise, and lost profits arising from contracts related to a yellow pages listings service” but Yahoo says the claims have no merit. Yahoo filed an 8-K with the SEC regarding the ruling.
Yahoo de Mexico struck a deal with Ideas Interactivas that was announced in 2003 to create “Yahoo! Páginas Útiles” which would help people find contact info for local businesses. As of now, though, the www.paginasutiles.com.mx domain is parked and doesn’t offer any Yahoo content.
The idea was to augment its online local business search with printed book. Yahoo hoped that the two-pronged strategy would let it compete with Google. The books would include maps, business and landmark listings, and a catalogue of offers and discounts. There would be flexible, low-cost advertising options in Yahoo! Páginas Útiles, which was slated for an initial circulation of 800,000 free copies followed by a second print run of 1.7 million units according to a April 2003 article from Mexican website Noticias Dot.
At some point, though, the partnership went sour.
The $2.7 billion ruling against the web portal is very steep, considering Yahoo’s total revenue was just $1.2 billion last quarter, and profit was just $226 million the quarter before. If appeals are unsuccessful, it could strike a major blow to the recovery new CEO Marissa Mayer is trying to mount. It could take months or years for the case to be finalized, and the $2.7 billion penalty could hang a dark cloud over the company’s head until then.
The scope of the contracts between the companies are not yet clear. If the deals were for Mexico alone the penalty would amount to $30 per resident. A 2005 study said there were 4.29 million businesses in Mexico, which would mean Yahoo would pay $630 each. That seems somewhat absurd, so the total Yahoo has to pay could definitely get reduced if it doesn’t beat the charges all together during appeals.
We’re waiting to hear back from Yahoo about details of the originally agreed upon partnership with Worldwide Directories and Ideas Interactivas and its statement on the initial court ruling.
Here’s the full press release issued by Yahoo on its company news page:
Yahoo! Inc. Reports Judgment in Lawsuit in MexicoNovember 30, 2012SUNNYVALE, Calif. — Yahoo! Inc. (NASDAQ: YHOO) today reported that the 49th Civil Court of the Federal District of Mexico City has entered a non-final judgment of U.S. $2.7 billion against Yahoo! Inc. and Yahoo de Mexico, S.A. de C.V. in a lawsuit brought by plaintiffs Worldwide Directories S.A. de C.V. and Ideas Interactivas, S.A. de C.V. Yahoo! believes the plaintiffs’ claims are without merit and will vigorously pursue all appeals. The plaintiffs alleged claims of breach of contract, breach of promise, and lost profits arising from contracts related to a yellow pages listings service.


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In the United States, arsenic is allowed in the chicken we eat, chemical colors are added to food so we’ll eat more, and the chemical used to bleach flour to a pristine white as quickly as possible, Azodicarbonamide, is allowed. In contrast, Azodicarbonamide is considered so dangerous in Singapore that using it can get you 15 years in prison and a hefty, hefty fine.
All of this information and more can be found in Shape magazine’s informative piece, 14 Banned Foods Still Allowed in the U.S. The list had me rooting through my refrigerator and kitchen cabinets to make sure that nothing in our kitchen included potassium bromate, which has been “associated with kidney and nervous system disorders as well as gastrointestinal discomfort.”
The list also gave me more ammunition to tell my boys no more sports drinks. I cut them out years ago because of the artificial dyes and the sugar, but now I find out that many of them also contain brominated vegetable oil, a chemical that’s banned in more than 100 countries. According to the nutritionist quoted in the magazine article, hypothyroidism, autoimmune disease, cancer, organ system damage, birth defects, growth problems, schizophrenia, and hearing loss are all associated with the intake of brominated vegetable oil. Wow!
Some of the ingredients on the list like synthetic hormones in milk and artificial dyes are probably things many of us try to avoid already. But there are other ingredients on the list that aren’t as well known, so you’ll want to take a look at the complete article.
One tool that I use to help me learn about unfamiliar ingredients when I’m at the grocery store is the Don’t Eat That app for my iPhone. It lists hundreds of ingredients, including the ones mentioned in the Shape article, and even has a special section dedicated to ingredients that have been banned in other countries.
Related on MNN:


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India has arisen as one of the key worldwide fintech centers and has made tremendous space for fintech new companies. Coronavirus sped up the development of fintech industry, which currently appreciates record speculations and soaring reception of its administrations. With ventures moving to computerized stages, it was basic for the fintech business additionally to move to application based activities. Continue reading Acceleration of Fintech Revolution by Blockchain..
After the separation of Ethereum Classic (ETC) from Ethereum (ETH), who would have thought that both these firms would likely be together once again. Continue reading Ethereum Classic (ETC) Business with Ethereum (ETH) Isn’t Finish Yet!
India’s top ten business school, SP Jain School of Global Management, has issued 1,189 blockchain-based certificates to graduands who recently obtained degrees and professional certifications. Continue reading Major Indian Business School Issues Blockchain Certs to Combat Fake Degrees
Crypto investor Mike Novogratz has expressed dissatisfaction with the level of difficulty involved in trying to build a cryptocurrency business amidst a persistent bear market, even as he remains bullish on the prospects of his company and the wider crypto space in the long term. Continue reading Trying to Start a Bitcoin Business in This Market Climate ‘Sucks’
Dubai’s government is turning to blockchain technology to pave the way for foreign investments and businesses to come into the city-state Emirate. Continue reading Dubai Government Launches Blockchain Business Registry


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This article is more than 1 year old
Yahoo! email! fans! get! more! domains!
'A happy user stays with us for life'
Yahoo!’s free online email service is to grow new tentacles with the company planning to add two domains alongside its existing “@yahoo.com” addresses.
The struggling internet firm said it is to introduce “@ymail.com” and “@rocketmail.com” to give people who use its service a better choice of Yahoo! email address options.
According to industry stats, the company has about 266 million peeps across the globe with a Yahoo! email address, making it the most popular web-based email in the world, ahead of Microsoft’s Hotmail and Google’s Gmail.
"We recognise that people want an email address that reflects who they are," Yahoo! Mail vice president John Kremer told Agence France-Presse.
"We have a lot of user IDs out there and it is pretty crowded. We want to remedy that and make sure users get the ID they want."
Free web-based mail addresses are typically dished out on a first-come, first-served basis, so the likelihood of the John Smiths of this world getting their first choice from the likes of Yahoo! or Hotmail is, well, unlikely.
"This adds millions and millions of new Yahoo accounts out there for users," Kremer said. "Effectively, we are tripling the size of the Yahoo name space."
Yahoo!’s decision to offer up alternative domain names in what is a clear grab for more users of its email service comes in a week when the firm’s CEO Jerry Yang has been attempting to steer his company through choppy waters.
Sliding revenues, a public spat with rebel investor Carl Icahn and the termination of takeover talks with rival Microsoft has proved too much for some Yahoo! execs in what has proved a testing week for Yang as well as the company’s shareholders.
Kremer, however, didn’t mention Yahoo!’s bottom line and instead preferred a little bit of navel gazing when describing the logic behind adding the new domains.
"A happy user is one that stays around and is a Yahoo user for life," he said. ®


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Hyundai's HND-9 high-performance sports coupe concept
Hyundai says the HND-9 represents an evolution of its "fluidic sculpture design philosophy"
Other Images from this Gallery
Hyundai has released design sketches of its latest concept car ahead of a world premiere at the 2013 Seoul Motor Show later this month.
Read the full article: Hyundai teases with Concept HND-9 renderings
November 11, 2015
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March 25, 2009
December 19, 2015


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Engine maker Cummins has agreed to pay a record-breaking $1.67 billion to resolve allegations that it installed illegal devices in its engines to bypass emissions tests, according to a recent article. This settlement marks the largest civil penalty ever levied under the Clean Air Act, surpassing the previous record of $1.2 billion set by Volkswagen in 2016 for its diesel emissions scandal.
The settlement covers claims that Cummins used “defeat devices” in its diesel engines, which are designed to detect when the engine is undergoing emissions testing and temporarily alter its performance to comply with regulations. Once the testing is complete, the devices switch the engine back to its normal operation, which allegedly produces higher levels of pollutants than allowed by law.
The health effects of exposure to these excess emissions are well-documented and can include respiratory problems, heart disease, and cancer. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that the devices installed in Cummins engines may have led to as many as 500 premature deaths in the United States.
Cummins has denied any wrongdoing but has agreed to cooperate with the EPA and other regulators as part of the settlement. The company has also recalled millions of trucks equipped with the allegedly illegal devices and expects to face additional charges in 2023.
This case highlights the growing focus on environmental regulations and the potential consequences for companies that violate them. The record-breaking settlement against Cummins sends a strong message to other manufacturers that the EPA is serious about protecting public health and the environment.


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It said the move is credit negative for producers like Oil and Natural Gas Corp (ONGC) and Oil India Ltd (OIL) as it will lower their revenues and cash flows.
From October 1, gas prices have been reduced to $3.82 per million British thermal unit (mmBtu) from $4.66 previously on a gross calorific value basis.
"The gas price reduction will have its greatest effect, in absolute terms, on ONGC, the country's largest producer of natural gas.
"At present sale volumes, we expect ONGC's revenue to decline by about $300 million (approximately Rs 2,000 or 1.2 per cent of total revenues for fiscal 2015, which ended 31 March 2015) for the six months between October 1 and March 31," the global credit rating firm said.
OIL revenues, it said, would decline by about $33 million (approximately Rs 220 crore or 2.3 per cent of total revenues for fiscal 2015) for the same six month period.
India relies on natural gas imports to meet its energy needs.
Imports accounted for 36 per cent of the total natural gas consumption in India for fiscal 2015 and 39 per cent for the five months between April 1 and August 30, 2015.
"Imports will continue to increase as low international gas prices stimulate demand for natural gas and low domestic prices discourage further investments by upstream players to explore and develop new gas reserves.
"When oil prices are low, upstream players cannot economically produce from difficult terrains such as deep water, where costs are substantially higher," the report said.
As per the new gas pricing formula approved in October 2014, the domestically produced natural gas price is revised every six months.
Gas prices in India are determined by taking a volume-weighted annual average of the prices prevailing in Henry Hub (US), National Balancing Point (UK excluding Russia), Alberta (Canada) and Russia.
Prices are calculated on the trailing 12-month data with a lag of one quarter.
"With benchmark prices still low, the government-mandated domestic natural gas price is likely to remain muted over the next 12-18 months. Our assumption for Henry Hub natural gas prices for 2016 is $3.00 per mmBtu and $3.25 per mmBtu for 2017," Moody's said.
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NEW YORK, July 14 (UPI) -- Sotheby's will team up with auction site eBay to conduct art auctions for collectors to bid on art, collectibles and antiques via livestream.
eBay said Monday that it was building an online platform where Sotheby's will be the main client and will include a new live auction feature that will live stream auctions and enable bidders to participate in real-time bidding.
"The growth of the art market, new generation technology and our shared strengths make this the right time for this exciting new online opportunity," said Bruno Vinciguerra, Sotheby's chief operating officer, in a statement. "We are joining with eBay to make our sales more accessible to the broadest possible audience around the world."
The online auctions will first be conducted at Sotheby's headquarters in New York before being hosted at other locations. Sotheby's said that the online expansion will enable bidders from around the world to participate in their auctions.
The move to shift online auctions comes as 17 percent of Sotheby's sales were conducted online last year, registering a 36 percent increase over the previous year, Currently the auction market is worth $65 billion with estimates suggesting that online sales will account for $13 billion by 2020.
Sotheby's hasn't given an official launch date for the the new feature but said that it will be introduced later this year or early next year.


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The U.S. Department of Agriculture is preparing to release the latest version of the government's influential dietary guidelines this year, and there could be a major change that accelerates the trend of Americans eating less meat.
Americans, though they are eating less meat than they have in the past, are still fond of steaks, hamburgers, and chicken wings. And the environmental impact of that diet is significant. Carnivores contribute far more to environmental decay than do vegetarians. The livestock industry is responsible for an estimated 15 percent of total global carbon emissions, roughly two-thirds of which is the result of beef production. On a per kilogram basis, the carbon footprint of lamb and beef production is unparalleled.
Meat industry advocates have been battling the prospect of lowered meat intake recommendations for decades. But those battles have largely been waged on the nutritional health front, and the evidence is mixed on whether meat is actually harmful to your health. As a result, the government now recommends that people opt for leaner meat, instead of less meat.
Defending meat on environmental grounds, however, could be much tougher for the industry. Several international and government agencies, including the United Nations, have spelled out the meat industry's massive footprint. And now the USDA could be next with new, government-backed dietary guidelines.
For that reason, several industry players have responded critically to the consideration, both attacking the notion that meat production is environmentally unfriendly and discrediting the idea that environmental concerns should influence the dietary guidelines issued by the government. The North American Meat Institute (NAMI) and National Cattlemen's Beef Association have each issued statements insisting that lean meat should be part of healthy diets and denouncing any suggestion that environmental impact should dictate the recommendations.
"The Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee’s focus on sustainability is objectionable because it is not within the committee’s expertise," NAMI said in a statement.
A draft of the government panel's advice, which was released last month, calls for the consumption of more plant-based foods and less animal-based ones, because it's "associated with lesser environmental impact than is the current average U.S. diet." Specifically, the draft advises less "red meats" and "processed meats."
Just because the USDA's advisory committee is discussing such recommendations doesn't mean it will ultimately include them in its official findings, which are expected to be delivered to the Agriculture and Health and Human Services departments later this month. Nor does a recommendation by the panel mean the departments will ultimately heed the advice in determining the final guidelines, which are expected to be released later this year. But the they might. And if they do, the impact would be significant.
"Americans don't necessarily heed dietary recommendations," said Janet Riley, the senior vice president of public affairs for the North American Meat Institute. "But where this could have a huge impact is on purchasing programs. The federal feeding programs are significantly impacted by the federal dietary guidelines."
Indeed, the immediate impacts would be substantial. Reducing the recommended amount of meat consumption would reduce, among other things, the amount of meat the industry provides as part of the school lunch program. And overnight, the diets of millions of Americans would have less meat.