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Optical fibre maker Sterlite Tech today posted 77 per cent jump in consolidated net profit at Rs 112.42 crore for the January-March quarter on account of high demand for optical fibre products in telecom networks.
The company had posted a net profit of Rs 63.66 crore in the same period a year ago.
"Demand for high speed broadband is on rise which is keeping up demand for optical fibres. Demand for optical fibre cables almost doubled. Last year, we were operating at 40 per cent capacity utilisation and now it has increased to the range of 80-90 per cent," Sterlite Tech Chief Financial Officer Anupam Jindal told PTI.
The company reported 21.6 per cent increase in consolidated revenue at Rs 863.81 crore in the reported quarter compared to Rs 710.24 crore it posted in the same period a year ago.
"Fuelled by demand from China and Europe, exports contributed 54 per cent to the revenues for fiscal year 2018," Jindal said.
For year ended March 31, 2018, Sterlite Tech posted 66 per cent increase in its profit at Rs 334.33 crore from Rs 201.38 crore it posted at the end of previous fiscal. The annual revenue of the company increased by 24 per cent to Rs 3,244.76 crore from Rs 2,617 crore in the previous year.
Sterlite Tech reported all-time high order book of Rs 5,223 crore in a quarter, up by 73 per cent from Rs 3,018 crore in the corresponding period of 2016-17.
"We have 30 million route kilometer of optical fibre capacity which is working at 100 per cent capacity. We expect 10 million incremental capacity to be available by end of this year from new plant which is being set up," Jindal said.
The board of the company also approved raising of Rs 2,000 crore through non-convertible debentures.


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What was former Gov. Lowell P. Weicker Jr. thinking of when he ripped into New Haven because some people in that city expressed disappointment in the financial results from the otherwise grand production of the Special Olympics World Games last summer?
Mr. Weicker took a gratuitous slap at the Olympics' host city, which had rolled out the red carpet even as its merchants were taking a financial bath.
Told last week that projections of $20 million in enhanced sales did not materialize and that many restaurants and shops instead lost money, Mr. Weicker replied, "Well, isn't that too damn bad. I mean, you know this was put on not for downtown businesses in New Haven."
That's true, although they, as well as the rest of Connecticut, were led to believe the Special Olympics would be an economic windfall. And who led them to believe that? None other than Mr. Weicker.
It's unfortunate that he felt compelled to oversell the Olympic games.It wasn't necessary. Mr. Weicker, who has long been a champion of the handicapped and was a guiding force behind the Americans with Disabilities Act, was justified in bringing the games to Connecticut. He didn't have to exaggerate their economic impact or squelch an unflattering report.
Fourteen months before the opening ceremonies, two University of Connecticut professors, using a computer model, projected that the 10- day event would increase economic activity by $43.5 million over three years. The study was done for the World Games organizing committee headed by Mr. Weicker, who then refused to permit the report to be published.
Yet a month later, Mr. Weicker told reporters that the Special Olympics would inject as much as $100 million into the state and local economies. He said he was relying on estimates from Minneapolis, which had hosted the Special Olympics three years earlier.
But the president of the Minnesota chapter of the Special Olympics was baffled by the $100 million figure. She said city officials viewed the games as a charitable venture without any expectation of commercial benefit.
It would have been kinder to the businessmen and women of New Haven, who stocked up on merchandise, extended their hours and hired additional staff in anticipation of huge crowds, to have played it straight.

domain: news


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The John Lewis Partnership has reignited hopes that it will restore its staff bonus after “fantastic” Christmas sales led it to smash its £100m annual profit target.
The John Lewis Partnership is due to issue a financial update on its performance next month and the board will make a decision on whether to pay the staff bonus again will be made in March.
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The Touch ID sensor Apple has used in the last few versions of the iPhone has a nasty problem the company hasn’t told its customers about: Repair the device at a third party, and you could brick it the next time you install an iOS update.
Soft Machines has released new data on its VISC (Variable Instruction Set Computing) architecture, including performance data on how it should compare against current Intel and ARM CPUs. The company claims it can offer dramatic improvements in performance per watt by virtualizing the CPU itself.
Today, Dell is offering up the XPS 15 9550 laptop at a 10% discount. With a quad-core Skylake processor, a full HD display, and a discrete graphics card, this powerful laptop has a lot to love at a very reasonable asking price.
Bethesda Softworks has finally announced the launch date for the next iteration of Doom. Eight years and multiple reboots later, the reboot will hit store shelves on May 13. Hopefully it’ll be better than Doom 3.


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Port Decongestion: Customs Inaugurates Committee
BY FUNMI ALUKO
In an endeavor to expedite the decongestion of overcrowded ports burdened with an excess of overtime cargo, the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR, officially launched a committee on Disposal of Overtime Cargo on 8 November 2023, at the Nigeria Customs Service Headquarters in Abuja.
This development arises in response to the new Customs Act’s provisions, which empower the NCS to dispose of containers that have exceeded their allotted time within the ports.
CGC Adeniyi emphasized that alleviating port congestion stands as a paramount objective for the Nigeria Customs Service, as well as President Ahmed Bola Tinubu, offering the promise of heightened efficiency and enhanced trade facilitation.
“It’s worth noting that approximately six months ago, the new NCS Act received the former President Mohammed Buhari’s signature, ushering in substantial modifications to the previous protocols governing the disposal of overtime cargo,” the CGC stated.
According to him, the provision of the NCS Act 2023 mandated that the disposal of cargo exceeding its allotted time can now only occur through a court order.
“The Act also stipulates that goods must be disposed of through public auction or tender, to be widely publicized in advance through national newspapers, television, and the service’s official website,” CGC explained.
In acknowledging the initiative, the General Manager of MD’s office, Nigerian Ports Authority, Durowaiye Ayodele, expressed his relief, highlighting the issue of over 7,000 overtime containers that have remained for years across the ports.
“We have containers that have been there for over ten years, occupying economic space for which we are unable to dispose. So this is a significant relief for our operations. We are delighted that we have reached a point where we can begin to remove some of these lingering containers and overdue cargo from the port,” he stated.
In his remarks, Deputy Comptroller General of Customs, in charge of Human Resources Development, Greg Itotoh, affirmed that with the support of the Nigerian Ports Authority, the changes and new procedures will ensure more streamlined trade operations.
The committee is set to be chaired by a senior officer from the Nigeria Customs Service. Its members include representatives from the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, the Federal Ministry of Finance, the Nigerian Police Force, the Department of State Service (DSS), Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), the National Agency for Food, Drugs and Control, a representative of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, and the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission, among others.


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Royal Mail has signed an agreement with Peugeot today (July 27) to purchase 100 Partner Electric vans to be used by postmen and women on their delivery rounds.
The vans will be deployed from December 2017 in delivery offices around the UK, supported by a ‘comprehensive’ rollout of charging infrastructure, the organisation has said.
The electric vans will be direct replacements for vehicles that have reached the end of their operational life.
Royal Mail is also investigating the use of electric vehicle technology for larger commercial vehicles to move mail within its network.
Paul Gatti, Royal Mail fleet director, said: “Our research has shown that electric vans are a good operational fit with our business and we are delighted to be ordering such a large volume to use in our daily operations, This is good news for our customers and the town and cities, which we serve. It also means we are on the front foot for future changes in emissions legislation.
“Emissions are an important issue for us at Royal Mail and we are continuously looking at new and innovative ways to reduce our carbon footprint. Improving the efficiency of our fleet by introducing electric vans is just one example of this.â€?
Commenting on behalf of the vehicle manufacturer, PSA Group fleet director Martin Gurney, said: “With electric vehicles firmly on the agenda this week, there couldn’t be a better time to announce this landmark deal with the Royal Mail that will bring 100 zero-emission Peugeot Partner L2 Electric vans to the Royal Mail postal delivery fleet.
“The order was won after Royal Mail carried out extensive trials with the Partner Electric. It’s a tribute to their performance in the trials that Peugeot vans will soon be helping Royal Mail to reduce the environmental impact of its delivery fleet.â€?


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Business support during lockdown 3.0
While many of us breathed a sigh of relief as 2020 came to an end, the calm in the storm didn’t last long. Only days later, Boris Johnson introduced lockdown 3.0 nationwide which could remain in place until the end of March as it stands.
What are the new lockdown rules for the retail, hospitality and leisure industries?
This new lockdown is similar to what we experienced in the first lockdown, with all but essential stores having to close their doors. While food establishments can still offer a takeaway service, pubs are no longer allowed to offer takeaway drinks. You can find a full list of which businesses can remain open here.
Government support for businesses
On the 5th January, Chancellor Rishi Sunak set out plans to offer financial support to the retail, hospitality and leisure industry with £4.6bn in lockdown grants. This means that one-off grants worth up to £9,000 will be available per property to help businesses through spring. This comes alongside an extended furlough period and 100% business rates relief for these industries.
This move is expected to offer much needed support to over 600,000 businesses properties across the UK. Any business that is eligible for the grant will not be expected to pay this money back.
How it works
- Sites with a rateable value of £15,000 or less will be able to claim up to £4,000
- Medium-sized sites with a rateable value between £15,000 and £51,000 are eligible for up to £6,000.
- Larger businesses with a rateable value of more than £51,000 will be able to claim up to £9,000.
Businesses will be able to apply for this grant via their local authority.
Matching the scale of the crisis
Despite this grant providing a lifeline for many, FSB chair Mike Cherry said that the grants “do not go far enough to match the scale of the crisis that small firms are facing.” There are also calls for these grants to be available to other industries who are impacted to a similar extent.
At Lockyers, we understand that the uncertainty that we all continue to face has been devastating for many, and particularly those who operate in heavily public-facing industries. We’re here to help, and if you need any advice during this time – do not hesitate to get in touch or you can call us on 01924 278222.


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Downtown's A Narrow Escape owners Shane Light and Kirsten Kendall* have expanded their quirky operation with the addition of Robo World: A coffee and treat shop run by a troupe of robots trying to take over the world.
Guests will have an opportunity to interact with the robots that have their own personalities, and listen in on their ongoing conversations among one another about their plans to dominate humanity. The shop is located at 810 Central Ave.
"The goalpost is the weirdest coffee shop in the country," Light said.
"My goal is to have an experience where everyone can get something," Kendall said. "If you want to look around for free, you can do that. If you want a coffee, that's there. If you want to play a game or buy a gift, we have that too. There's something for everyone."
The story goes, the robots are trying to save up enough money to take over the world, and they thought that opening a coffee shop would be the best thing that they could do.
Suspended from the shop's ceiling is a "death ray" being worked on by a robot named Keith. This is intended to be a tool to assist in taking over the world.
"The real plan is we're going to get them addicted to caffeine and then we're going to take it away, and while they're powerless we'll dominate them with the death ray," Light said, laughing. "It's like a multi-step thing. But they also don't have any money right now to finish anything, so they're trying to make money."
Another tool used in the robot's mission is the menu full of items like locally roasted coffee, buttermilk waffle sticks and candy-infused soft served ice cream.
"The robots are trying to cater to human needs, and their research shows humans need caffeine and sugar," Kendall said.
On a more serious note, Kendall said the shop prides itself in the quality of its products.
“I think a big thing is we make the buttermilk waffle sticks from scratch, and we’re really focused on quality with everything — food and games,” she said. “And we hope to support Arkansas brands as much as possible.”
And just to put readers’ minds at ease, Light — the robots’ creator — said while these robots may have a plan, as clueless rejects they have no real chance to dominate the world.
Meet the Robots
First, there's the Don — an Italian mob boss robot lightly based off The Godfather that oversees the operation.
"He's ... the boss," Light said. "He's very oriented on making money. In fact, his special emote is (dollar signs for) his eyes. So he's very focused on making enough money to finish the death ray. I would say, to summarize, he's an Italian mob boss. He ... seems like a good business man, but he's kind of shady on the side."
And then there's Rob — the delivery bot that will deliver your food order.
"He's kind of based off Bob in Bob's Burgers," Light said. "He's just a middle-aged slightly depressed man who doesn't know what he did wrong to end up in this bot. So he doesn't really believe in the cause that the Don believes in, he's just kind of there. He's just trying to get by and wants people to leave him alone. He doesn't really care about dominating humanity."
Next up we have Keith and Trish — two bots that want to dominate humanity, but unintentionally cause numerous setbacks in the mission.
"So Keith is dumb — he's dumb as a box of rocks, and he's the one welding the death ray, and he has no idea what he's doing," Light said. "If you listen, there's multiple times where he's like, 'Alright Don, it's done.'
'Oh, it can belt through four inches of steel?' (Don asks.)
And (Keith's) like, "Well, four inches of butter.'
"Trish is in love with Keith and she's totally for world domination and she's impatient and she's just like the typical annoyed teenager. She's always pissed off. She's pretty feisty and she has no patience for humans, she's over it. She's everyone's favorite robot."
Then there's Greg — the “sweet old man” bot who greets you at the door.
"He likes humans, actually, but he's trying to keep it a secret that he really likes humans," Light said. "So he's always trying to like — he'll accidentally say, 'Man these humans are really (great) — I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I (mean I) hate these humans."
And finally, there's Ben — the 9-foot-tall robot there for your entertainment. Insert a $5 bill in him and you can play a friendly game of shooting him with laser guns.
Robo World had its soft opening Friday, May 13 (robots aren't superstitious.)
Light said they hope to be fully open, stocked with retail items, by June.
After June, they plan to develop more entertainment throughout the summer.
Currently, Robo World is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday-Sunday. Hours will expand starting in June.
*There is a familial relation between the writer and subject.


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Kitchen Threats: Avoiding Foodborne Illness
5. Recalled Items
You should discard any food that’s been recalled because it’s associated with the outbreak of a food borne illness. But according to a survey conducted by Rutgers University, only about 60 percent of Americans search their homes for foods that have been recalled because of contamination. Whenever there’s a food recall, check products stored at home to make sure they are safe. For more information on food recalls, visit www.recalls.gov.
Next Slideshow: 6 Common Myths About Freezing Foods »


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WACO - Forever 21, which sells apparel geared towards teens and young adults, is leaving Richland Mall for Central Texas Marketplace.
The chain will open one of its new F21 Red stores that will offer merchandise at lower prices than typical Forever 21 locations.
The new store will be located near the retail center's entrance off Bagby Ave. in the 34,900-sf space where the former Sports Authority was located,
The company rolled out its new F21 Red concept in 2014 and is placing those stores in select markets around the country.
F21 Red focuses on selling fashion pieces with a styling that will keep them relevant for at least the duration of a season.
The men's section is expanded in F21 Red, and boys no longer will take a back seat to girls in the kids' section previously dominated by feminine apparel.
Other tenants of Central Texas Marketplace include Petco, Old Navy, Marshalls, Belk and Kohl's.


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Key Euro figure backs minimum import price – Fishupdate.com
Key Euro figure backs minimum import price Published: 13 April, 2005
A MINIMUM IMPORT PRICE should be set to bring some stability to the European salmon market, a key UK fish farming conference has been told.
In questions at the end of the first session of Aquaculture Today 2005, at the Edinburgh Marriott Hotel, Donal Maguire, a senior official at the Irish Sea Fisheries Board said he felt the measure made more sense than selectively applying safeguards to Norwegian imports in general. Mr Maguire said that he hoped “a certain amount of sanity would break out” over the current trade war between the European Union and the Norwegians.
He said he felt a minimum import price would be better as it would apply to all imports not produced in the EU, such as Chilean salmon, and could provide a longer term guarantee for EU producers that their produce would fetch prices that were related to the costs of production.
Mr Maguire was speaking at Aquaculture Today 2005, a new pioneering conference organised by Fish Farmer magazine.
Tomorrow’s second day of the conference is set to be dominated by the issue of trade sanctions, with the European Commission’s Willem de Munck speaking in the afternoon.
De Munck is the deputy head of unit for Trade Defence Instruments, from DG Trade, a division of the European Commission.


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Hyundai Motor India Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Company, has launches a unique viral campaign – Santa Fe Aliens Capture; an initiative to expand the outreach through digital medium. The story unfolds to show how aliens are trying to invade the powerful and dynamic Santa Fe but what happens when the unmatched power of Santa Fe overpowers the supremacies of aliens and how the extraterrestrials end up being the slaves of humans!
The Hyundai Santa Fe is powered by a 2.2-litre R 2.2 CRDi H-matic diesel engine that puts out 197 PS (194HP) of power and 437Nm of torque. Power is transmitted to all the four wheels via a six-speed automatic transmission.
What do you think of this new campaign? Share your thoughts and opinions with us through comments below. Stay tuned to Motoroids for more updates from motoring industry.


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Gym chain acquires personal training operation
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Wilmslow-based Total Fitness has acquired Pro-Fit Personal Training for an undisclosed sum.
The health club’s acquisition of one of the North West’s leading personal training organisations comes following a five-year partnership between the two companies.
Around 150 self-employed personal trainers have been acquired in the move which will provide Total Fitness members with easier access to specialist personal training services that cater to a wider range of budgets and abilities.
The move also opens up new avenues for the business to grow and develop its personal training offering further and serves to champion the brand’s purpose and belief that ‘everyone is better fitter’.
The trainers will have access to a suite of benefits including advanced training courses to aid their professional and personal development as well as helping them deliver the best possible service to members.
The news follows a successful first year of the health club’s business turnaround strategy, spearheaded by chief executive Sophie Lawler, which has seen the organisation’s member base increase by 10,000 year-to-date, reversing a decade-long decline.
Having announced earlier in the year that the company had also doubled its EBITDA figures with a year-on-year increase from £1m to £2.2m, Total Fitness hopes the move will now help support its ambitious growth plans in 2020.
Jasvir Sanghera, chief financial officer of Total Fitness, said: “In order to keep up with demand from our growing member base and in line with current fitness trends, personal training is set to be a key area for our growth plans in 2020.
“Over the last year we’ve managed to reverse a decade-long decline in membership, greatly improve our satisfaction scores and double our EBITDA year-on-year.
“This acquisition now puts us in an ideal position to focus on the product and deliver our all-encompassing fitness offering to our ever-increasing member base.”
He added: “We’ve been wanting to enhance our personal training offering for some time now and having worked with this particular community of trainers for five years we trust them to deliver a top notch service on our gym floors.”
Sophie Lawler added: “This is a hugely exciting acquisition for us.
“We’ve spent the last year reclaiming our purpose as a health club and working to put the fitness offering back into the heart of the business. To now be working even closer with this team of highly-experienced personal trainers to strengthen our product offering is the perfect end to a fantastically productive year.
“The added benefits and training that we will provide to the personal trainers will elevate the offering they are able to provide to ensure the best quality of coaching and professionalism is received by everyone using the service.”
She said: “The acquisition brings new levels of possibility to our 100,000 members and we’re confident that this development will help to get larger numbers of people onto the gym floor and give them even more reason to keep coming back and getting fitter.”
Total Fitness operates 17 health clubs across the North of England and Wales and provides a full-service fitness offering.


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Xiaomi teams up with Uber to deliver your new Mi Note
Who doesn’t love speedy delivery with your latest gadget and it’s tough to find a faster method than a taxi? Xiaomi and controversial taxi firm Uber have entered into a partnership to deliver new Mi Note smartphones directly to customers in Singapore and Malaysia.
I’m not a huge impulse buyer, but eager customers can order a new Mi Note in exactly the same way as they would order an Uber taxi. Using the slider at the bottom of the Uber app, pick “Xiaomi”, request your phone and it will be shipped out to you directly by your nearest smartphone carrying Uber taxi.
Payment is also exchanged through your credit or debit card that is tied to your Uber account, which keeps this pretty convenient. Your delivery should be with you in just a matter of minutes.
[related_videos title=”Xiaomi reviews:” align=”right” type=”custom” videos=”594382,621025″]Although clearly more of a marketing stunt than long term business strategy, expansion into new territories is a key part of Xiaomi’s strategy this year and ideas like this are a good way to gather a little attention.
As well as rolling out its latest products to new markets in Asia, Xiaomi has also recently moved into Brazil and is gradually gearing up for a product launch in the West in the next few years. Hugo Barra announced that the company is building up a defensive patent portfolio ahead of a US launch, which won’t be for another few years.
So, who’s getting a new Mi Note?


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But that hasn't stopped Go Daddy, a provider of Web hosting and domain names, from using a bevy of scantily clad starlets to promote its services during eight consecutive years of Super Bowl ads.
Ten of those ads have featured race car driver Danica Patrick, who this year cavorts with pop singers the Pussycat Dolls in an ad called "Cloud."
In another spot called "Body Paint," Patrick co-stars with "The Biggest Loser" star and fitness fanatic Jillian Michaels. Michaels debuted as a Go Daddy girl last year as she ditched her weight loss show.
Skechers, the athletic shoe company, has unveiled the star of its upcoming Super Bowl commercial and it's not Kim Kardashian. Nope. It's a little dog named Mr. Quiggly.
|Clinton vs. Trump on spending, taxes and debt|
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|'Independence Day' sequel loses the battle against silliness June 25|
|Obama: Entrepreneurship has never been more important June 25|
|Social Security trustees project trust fund to run dry by 2034|


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Demand for used cars grew in September 2021.
Ukrautoprom has reported that Ukrainians registered 54,300 used cars imported from abroad, which is 1.5 times more than in September 2020. The share of used imported vehicles last month was 85% of all passenger cars registered in Ukraine for the first time. The most popular cars imported were VW, Renault, Skoda, and Ford. In total, 355,600 used imported cars were registered in Ukraine in January-September 2021, which is 47% more than in the same period of 2020.


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In February 2000, The Edge ran a cover story titled “Dot.com gamble — Fool’s gold or shrewd bet?” It highlighted the Wall Street mania that had also arrived in Malaysia, with a number of companies renaming themselves as dotcoms. They also announced all sorts of internet-related ventures and this was happily lapped up by punters to send stock prices soaring.
As early as December 1996, US Federal Reserve chairman Alan Greenspan had warned about irrational exuberance, but the party continued on Wall Street with the Nasdaq reaching its peak in March 2000, after the mega merger of bricks-and-mortar media company Time Warner with the tech darling, America Online.
The merger ended up a historic disaster.
By end-2000, the game was over as questions about cash flow and valuations knocked some sense into people, including the tech analysts and experts of the time. Many companies went bust and a lot of people lost their money.
To be fair, the true internet companies with compelling technology and business models, such as Amazon, recovered and today, it is one of the four FANG companies, along with post-2001 start-ups Facebook, Netflix and Google.
There are, of course, many more, and the internet and digitalisation have created a lot of new businesses, raised productivity and made thousands, if not millions, of people wealthy. The way we live, work and play has changed dramatically, and mainly for the better.
But from an investing perspective, things are appearing to be fully stretched now, almost 20 years after dotcom bubble 1.0 burst.
This is evident in co-working space start- up WeWork’s failure to get the lofty US$47 billion valuation it was eyeing for its impending initial public offering. It will be lucky if it can get US$25 billion (see story on Page 64).
According to its IPO filings, WeWork lost US$2.9 billion in the past three years and US$690 million for the first six months of 2019. This was despite its annual revenue doubling to US$1.8 billion in 2018 from US$886 million in 2017.
The more revenue it gets, the more money it loses. It is the same with Netflix and Uber. And it does not stop there. Many other tech start-ups continue to burn cash with no end in sight.
With interest rates still at near-historic lows, there is, of course, plenty of liquidity sloshing around to continue fuelling the bubble.
But, surely, even cheap money will wise up one day.


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Half of IT professionals are not confident their suppliers have effective security measures in place to protect sensitive data, but many are not requiring suppliers to pass security audits and some even continue to do business with suppliers that fail security standards.
These were some of the key findings in a recent report from Tripwire, which provides IT operations solutions. Of the more than 320 IT professionals surveyed, 47% said they are not confident in their business partners’ security measures. However, the same amount, 47%, do not require suppliers to pass security audits before signing a contract with them, and 25% do not evaluate their supply base to see if they are meeting security requirements. Additionally, 34% of these IT organizations use suppliers that fail to meet security standards, the survey showed.
Most IT organizations point to a lack of resources for not properly managing supplier security measures. Sixty-five percent of IT professionals said they did not have the resources to make sure suppliers meet the company’s security requirements. About a third said they “haven’t thought about it.”
The majority (81%) of IT professionals surveyed are confident in their own ability to keep sensitive customer data safe, but other findings show trust in their suppliers is lacking. This is despite the fact that 95% of respondents also said they believe a supplier security breach could expose valuable data. However, 61% of respondents also said they had bigger issues to focus on or were unconcerned such a breach would occur.
If a breach with a supplier did happen, survey respondents said customer confidence and brand image would be most impacted. Sixty-seven percent pointed to reduced customer confidence as the No. 1 impact should a breach occur with a supplier, and 83% said customer confidence would take a hit if a breach occurred internally within their organization. Fifty-nine percent percent pointed to brand damage in the event of a supplier data breach and 77% identified this as a main concern should an internal breach occur.
Another report by the RAND Corporation shows companies maybe don’t have to worry about brand damage after a data breach. About 25% of Americans surveyed said they had been told in the last year that their personal information was part of a data breach, yet just 11% of them stopped doing business with the hacked company. The survey also showed that 77% of consumers impacted by a business’ data breach were highly satisfied in the company’s response to the incident.
Still, a data breach could have devastating impacts on a company — take recent examples like the 2014 Target incident, which ended up impacting 40 million customers and costing the retailer millions in lawsuit settlements. Human errors are largely to blame for data breaches at companies, a new data breach report from Verizon shows. Human error within an organization is a main reason data security incidents occur. These errors created by someone at an organization include improperly disposing company information, sending sensitive data to the wrong person, losing company assets like laptops or smartphone and misconfiguration of IT systems, the Verizon report said.


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At long last, you can finally say that a massively wealthy multinational bank had a bad day. As reported by CNBC Saturday, Swiss banking giant Credit Suisse will face a $10 billion lawsuit over alleged mortgage fraud leading up to the 2007 economic collapse ...
Amazon has announced that 10 million subscribers have joined Amazon Prime membership service costing $99 per year. The prime service offers faster shipping and Prime Music, Prime Instant Video and Photos.
Giovanni Serra, right, a parking enforcement officer for the city of Sycamore, Ill., watches as police department intern Justin Keller writes a ticket for a vehicle parked at a downtown meter.
With Shinzo Abe returned to power, is Japan back to an era of foreign policy stability? By Peter Harris for The Diplomat. December 28, 2014.
As anyone who's received a drugstore cologne gift set well knows, even Santa Claus gets it wrong sometimes. Friends and relatives?


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During Apple’s fiscal second quarter conference call on Monday, Tim Cook conceded that the demand for Apple Watch has been much greater than supply, but the company is working hard to remedy that.
“I think we’re in a good position,” he said. “And sometime in late June we currently anticipate being in a position where we could begin to sell the Apple Watch in additional countries. That’s our current plan.”
The Apple Watch officially launched in 9 countries last Friday, including Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, the UK and the US. Cook gave no indication of second-round countries.
Supplies for the Watch have been extremely limited since pre-orders went up in early April. Some orders were delivered last week, but many are still showing mid-May to June, and you still can’t find them in stores.


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Former shareholders of Rock Band
developer Harmonix last week filed a U.S. lawsuit against parent company Viacom, accusing the media giant of trying to scheme its way out of paying performance-based bonuses.
The ex-shareholders group -- which includes Harmonix founders such as Alex Rigopulos and Eran Egozy, as well as other early funders of the Boston-based developer -- is accusing Viacom of manipulating costs after the massive initial success of Rock Band
to avoid a potentially giant earn-out payment.
The complaint, obtained by Gamasutra early this week, stems from a 2006 acquisition deal
that has soured over the past four years. Viacom acquired Harmonix in September 2006 for an initial sum of $175 million -- plus potentially hundreds of millions more in performance-based earn-outs -- as music-based video games were on a steep sales climb.
According to the complaint, the earn-out formula would be 3.5 times any gross profit in excess of $32 million earned in 2007, with no cap.
This formula potentially put Viacom on the hook for huge payments to former company shareholders, dependent entirely on the success of the Rock Band
franchise. As revealed in the lawsuit, the 2008 earn-out payment would be under similar terms, although gross profit would have to be over $45 million.
Overall, the ex-shareholder group is asking to "recover damages arising from Viacom's manipulation of these earn-out payments by diverting opportunities from Harmonix for its own benefit in breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing that inheres in Viacom’s contract with Harmonix."
The Earn-Out Problem
The history of the period after the Harmonix acquisition seems to be a positive one for both parties. Just over a year after the acquisition, the first Rock Band
title launched to big sales, selling 382,000 copies
in its first month on the market.
Overall, the Rock Band
franchise, distributed by Electronic Arts, surpassed $1 billion in sales
in North America through March 2009, according to statistics released by Viacom and its MTV division.
In fact, Viacom has already sent Harmonix's shareholders $150 million in anticipation of earn-out payments for 2007, for which it set aside over $200 million, according to its SEC filings
. But it has never paid any money for the alleged 2008 earn-out.
And in company financial statements starting in early 2010, Viacom started to claim in its financials
that "we believe that we are entitled to a refund of a substantial portion of amounts previously paid", although it has never revealed a public reason for that assertion.
As a result, the two companies have recently referred the issue of earn-outs to arbitration. The earn-out agreement covered the years 2007 and 2008, based on the sales and profits of the Rock Band
franchise during those periods. The suit does not mention any other stipulations to these payments, which would suggest they are thus not subject to adjustment due to the category's crash after 2008. The numbers are currently being crunched by a "resolution accountant".
In an indication of how relations of soured, Viacom is currently looking to sell Harmonix
, with company boss Philippe Dauman claiming that
"the console game business requires an expertise and scale that we don't have."
While the amount actually owed by Viacom to Harmonix's former shareholders under the terms of the acquisition can be determined by careful accounting, the suit takes issue with Viacom's behavior after the acquisition.
The complaint suggests that in view of the potentially enormous payments it would owe Harmonix based on the tremendous success of Rock Band
under the earn-out agreement, Viacom sought ways to reduce payments to Harmonix's shareholders, including a mid-earnout negotiation of the distribution agreement with Electronic Arts' EA Partners division.
For example, the plaintiff alleges that Viacom "decided to forego the opportunity to reduce EA’s distribution fees during 2008 (or in any other way enhance Harmonix’s net income or Gross Profit for 2008), and instead demanded benefits for itself (rather than Harmonix) in exchange for allowing EA to continue distributing Rock Band."
The ex-shareholders believed Electronic Arts would have been flexible with the fees after the success of Rock Band
showed huge potential for future iterations. A lower distribution fee from EA would mean higher profits, which would lead to higher earn-out bonuses for the ex-shareholders.
The complaint alleges: "Although a reduced 2008 EA distribution fee would have increased Harmonix's gross profit and operating profits in 2008, Viacom realized that every $1.00 of distribution fees that Harmonix saved during 2008 would require Viacom to pay an additional $3.50 of earn-outs to the [ex-shareholders]."
Instead, the suit alleges that Viacom "demanded benefits for itself (rather than Harmonix) in exchange for allowing EA to continue distributing Rock Band
." Those alleged Viacom benefits inked in a 2008 deal with EA included commitments by EA to buy millions of dollars in ads from Viacom subsidiary MTV Networks and other Viacom outlets, a reduction in Rock Band
franchise distribution fees beginning in 2009 -- after Harmonix's earn-out period -- and "acceleration of 2009 payments to 2008."
The suit claims that the former shareholders "have been damaged by Viacom’s breach", and that "...the amount of such damage is reasonably ascertainable as the additional 2008 Earn-Out Payment Amount that the Merger Consideration Recipients would have received if (A) Harmonix had received the value to Viacom of EA’s advertising commitments and accelerated cash payments, and (B) Harmonix had paid during 2008 the lower distribution fee that was applied in 2009."
In Addition, The Escrow
Although a significantly smaller amount of money, also at issue is $13 million that is held in an escrow account that was established at the time of the merger. The Harmonix shareholders claim that three days before the end of the agreement to release the escrow, Viacom sent over "an Indemnity Notice in which it stated that it was providing notice of claims for indemnification", specifically around music game-related patent infringement allegations.
This is interesting in particular because it illuminates the multiple lawsuits around the music video game space, and how a number of them have been settled or dismissed, including 1st Media LLC v. doPi Karaoke, Inc. et al., Gibson Guitar Corp. v. Harmonix Music Systems, Inc. and Gibson Guitar Corp. v. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. et al., and lawsuits involving Guitar Hero
creator Activision (subsequently settled) and Konami (according to the complaint, "dismissed... with prejudice", and also allegedly outside of the date range for holding the escrow.).
This part of the suit claims the indemnification was incorrectly served by Viacom, and in addition, the four patent-related suits referenced have now all been settled and/or are not relevant to the phrasing of the indemnification agreement, so Viacom should release the $13 million to the shareholders.
Gamasutra will update this story if any response from Viacom regarding the lawsuit is received.


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CHAMPIONS of the beer industry have joined forces to ask Chancellor Phillip Hammond for major reform.
In total, eight leading bodies representing the entire supply chain in Britain’s beer and pub industry are calling for decisive action to ease the burden of beer duty and business rates in the November budget.
The professionals have written a letter to the chancellor in a bid to protect jobs, pubs and the wider economy.
Growers, brewers, pub owners and patrons are asking the government for a major reform and to extend and increase the pub-specific rates relief introduced in March.
The group penning the letter includes the chief executive of the British Beer & Pub Association Brigid Simmonds OBE and the chairman of the Campaign for Real Ale, Colin Valentine.
The chief executive of the Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers, Kate Nichols and Geoff Thompson MBE, chairman of the British Hop Association are also putting their name to the document.
On beer duty, the team is asking for an indefinite freeze.
Since a revaluation in 2017, pubs face an increase in business rates. Pubs currently pay five times more in business rates than their share of rateable business turnover.
The letter includes the following statement: ‘These measures will create thousands of additional jobs, boost inward investment, tourism and export growth, and ensure a pint in the pub remains an affordable pleasure, bringing together people from all walks of life.’
‘We are urging the chancellor to extend and increase the pub-specific rates relief beyond this year and set out the timetable for major reform of the system.
‘Implement at least a freeze in beer duty for the duration of the parliament.’
Pubs and brewing support 900,000 jobs throughout the UK and contribute £23b to the economy. The letter states that the 3.9 per cent beer duty announced in March was a major blow to the industry. The group also expressed concerns that further increases could result in thousands of jobs lost throughout the UK.
It could also risk potential new investments.


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Hotel Asia Exhibition and International Culinary Challenge Maldives 2017, has been launched at Dharubaaruge Exhibition Hall. It was officially opened by Minister of Finance and Treasury Mr Ahmed Munawar. In his addressing speech, Mr Munawar highlighted the growth of the fair over the past years and its importance to the tourism industry in Maldives.
The biggest fair of its kind in Maldives is organized by Maldives Exhibitions and Conference Services Pvt. Ltd. (MECS) and the main sponsor is Best Buy Maldives (BBM). The main purpose of the fair is to provide a platform for networking and interaction between hotel industry suppliers, service providers and consumers.
In this year’s fair, more than 100 exhibitors will showcase their products while over 600 participants partake in the culinary challenge. More than 80 Maldivian chefs will also take part.
The exhibition will go on from 18th – 20th September while the culinary challenge will take place between 17th – 20th September. This is the 13th edition of Hotel Asia Exhibition Maldives and its popularity has immensely increased.


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Convoy Inc., a Seattle-based startup with designs on becoming an Uber for trucking, has struck its biggest deal yet — with consumer goods giant Unilever NV.
The four-year agreement will have Convoy connect Unilever to trucks for tens of thousands of shipments a year and is worth millions of dollars over the next year, Convoy CEO Dan Lewis said in an interview. Unilever, the company behind Dove soap, Hellmann’s mayonnaise and Lipton tea, chose Convoy over several other trucking technology providers, the company said.
The deal is a vote of confidence in Convoy, which uses software to match companies needing tractor-trailers with smaller providers, line up deliveries and track them to better ensure on-time pickup and receipt. It’s particularly important as car ride-hailing app Uber Technologies Inc. gets into the freight market through its acquisition of Otto.
Uber and Anheuser-Busch InBev NV (also a Convoy customer) recently sent an 18-wheeler full of beer more than 120 miles down Interstate 25 in Colorado without a driver, a move intended to prove the company could use autonomous trucks for commercial deliveries. The company is working on trucking marketplace software to connect drivers of regular trucks with cargo loads and signing up shippers to try it when the app goes live, Uber said. Over time, Uber plans to merge the self-driving technology, obtained in its acquisition of Otto, and the marketplace app.
“It doesn’t make me nervous — the market is gigantic,” Lewis said of Uber. “All we see today is their self-driving truck. I haven’t seen anything in the field that implies there’s an actual freight service.”
AUTONOMOUS AUTUMN: Recent video coverage of autonomous vehicle developments
When Convoy, backed by Amazon.com CEO Jeff Bezos, Salesforce.com Inc.’s Marc Benioff and Uber co-founder Garrett Camp, started in April 2015, it was mainly focused on ad hoc deliveries for companies needing a truck here and there. It has since added deliveries scheduled ahead of time and on a regular basis, Lewis said.
In fact, he’s starting to dislike the Uber-for-Trucking moniker because it leads people to think “we only mean an ad hoc truck waiting on the side of the road.” Besides Unilever, customers include Anheuser-Busch, Peterbilt Motors Co. and lawn-care business Scotts Miracle-Gro Co.
"We want to shift the mindset from Convoy is a little more niche, to Convoy is going to build the highest service level trucking company in the world,” Lewis said.
Becoming a regular trucking vendor for a consumer goods giant may help. Unilever has been trying Convoy since February and has graded the company against its existing trucking providers and other startups that use technology to try to improve the process.
"Our partnership with Convoy allows us to jointly shape the future of on-demand trucking while adding flexibility into our supply chain," Reginaldo Ecclissato, a Unilever supply chain executive, wrote in an e-mail statement.
Convoy’s deal is not exclusive, and Unilever still will be working with standard trucking companies, Convoy’s Lewis said. While it’s not as exciting as an 18-wheeler full of beer, organizing thousands of trucks full of soap, mayo and tea should be lucrative work for the startup.


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Microsoft: Windows 10 User Experience Will Vary by Device Size
- By Kurt Mackie
- January 29, 2015
Microsoft this week gave a few hints about how device size will affect what Windows 10 features users will be able to experience.
For instance, the Windows 10 "desktop mode" will be available only on devices that are 8 inches or larger. Smaller devices won't have this desktop user interface, according to a Tweet on Monday by Joe Belfiore, corporate vice president of the Operating Systems Group at Microsoft:
Belfiore also suggested in another Tweet that owners of 7-inch devices wanting to upgrade to Windows 10 will be able to retain the desktop user interface on those devices. They'll also have access to the "Continuum" Windows 10 feature, which lets a user switch between tablet and PC interfaces, depending on whether the user wants a touch-based tablet experience or a keyboard-plus-mouse kind of experience:
Having access to the desktop mode may be an important consideration for some users planning a Windows 10 upgrade. The main reason is that the desktop mode of the OS lets users run Win32 applications. Those Win32 applications are the apps that were capable of running on Windows 7, for example. Based on Belfiore's comments, such backward app compatibility will only be possible when using Windows 10 on devices larger than 8 inches.
Windows 10, planned for release in the second half of this year, actually has a dual user interface that includes a desktop mode alongside a Windows Store Apps mode (formerly called "Metro" or "Modern" by Microsoft).
Windows 10 'Flavors'
Microsoft reportedly is building Windows 10 products for specific device sizes. Veteran Microsoft watcher Mary Jo Foley described them as "flavors" of Windows 10 in a ZDNet article.
Microsoft's official stance is that it is building one OS for all devices with Windows 10. The company claims that Windows 10 will be capable of running on devices of various sizes, including PCs, tablets and smartphones. Windows 10 will even replace Microsoft's Windows Phone OS someday, company officials have said. However, it seems there may be some nuances to Windows 10, depending on the device size.
Foley described the currently released Windows 10 preview as the "Desktop" version, which is designed for tablets and PCs. Microsoft also plans to release a preview of another Windows 10 release that's designed for small devices next month. This mobile version of Windows 10 will be designed for ARM-based devices and Intel-based devices under eight inches.
Foley added that there also will be Windows 10 products for embedded devices and "Internet of things" devices. In addition, there will be a Windows 10 product for the new 84-inch Surface Hub conferencing device that Microsoft showed off last week, she stated. Such details, though, seem to be beyond what Microsoft has said publicly so far. Product editions and pricing details likely will get publicized by the company closer to the Windows 10 product release date.
Microsoft Ends Surface 2 Production
Microsoft is also a hardware product maker with its Surface tablet-PC devices. Possibly, its Windows 10 plans might be affecting its hardware plans.
For instance, the company has already stopped producing its Surface 2 devices, which are the ARM-based tablet-PC devices that run Microsoft's Windows RT 8.1 OS. The demise of the Surface 2 products was confirmed in a recent Business Insider article.
The Surface 2 device wasn't much of a big seller. Microsoft once wrote off $900 million due to unsold Surface RT inventory. However, if Microsoft intends to release a future "Windows 10 RT" OS only for small devices under 8 inches, then perhaps the company doesn't plan to support devices such as the Surface 2 with its 10.81-inch width.
So far, though, Microsoft has remained tight-lipped about its plans for Windows 10 RT running on ARM devices. More details are expected to be announced sometime next month.
Kurt Mackie is senior news producer for 1105 Media's Converge360 group.


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Baytree Shopping Centre to kickstart Christmas with festive family-friendly activities today!
PUBLISHED: 12:00 17 November 2018
Christmas is starting early with an explosion of free, fun activities at a shopping centre today.
The Baytree Shopping Centre and the Brentwood Business Partnership (BBP) are delighted to once again join forces to host a day out for families this afternoon, involving businesses and retailers.
From a lucky dip to win prizes from businesses such as Holland and Barrett, WHSmiths, Better Gym, to children’s activities like arts and crafts workshops, glitter face-painting and magical storytime with Mrs Clause, hosted by the Chicken and Frog Bookshop.
You can also win a chocolate prize by visiting the shopping centre’s website and print off and colour its picture of a Christmas tree in time for Saturday or colour it in on the day.
As well as these, there will be a performance from kids dance troupe Razzamatazz, Big Sing choir and a chance to take a few selfies by the Christmas flower wall.
Centre manager Dan Foley said: “This year, we’re bringing the community and the environment together.
“Christmas is the best time of year to show this.
“We’re absolutely delighted to be working with HubBub and are really excited about our family Christmas event which we know the local community will love.”
This year, the team will be working alongside charity HubBub to get everyone involved in the importance of recycling, helping shoppers to create the perfect Christmas accessory.
In the run up to the event, they are also encouraging people to bring their recyclables into the centre, so they can be turned into magical Christmas art to decorate the event.
Recyclables can be dropped off at the Baytree Shopping Centre Management Suite.
Chairman of the business partnership Mike Hawkins said: “The BBP are delighted to be part of this year’s Christmas event with many local retailers getting involved we have even more of a community spirit.”


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How the Sizmek-Rocket Fuel Deal May Change the Ad Tech Space
This week’s ad platform buyout news has industry insiders bringing up the consolidation debate yet again, while some also opine this is the beginning of the end for the Google-Facebook duopoly
Imagine you’re watching the Oscars every year, and when you come to the Best Picture Award, it ends up being the same film year after year. Well, that’s what has been happening in the ad tech space, with Google and Facebook being the ad marketer’s glory and nightmare all at the same time – a fishbone they could neither swallow nor spit out.
Click here to continue reading the full article.


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Classified Employees fifth annual Craft Fair is December 8
Kick-off the holiday season with the fifth annual Adams State University Classified Employee Craft Fair, from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 8, in the Plachy Hall Field House, located on the Adams State campus. You don’t have to be an Adams State employee to participate. All are welcome.
Visit Adams State Classified Employees for $20 vendor applications. A diversity of vendors will be accepted including unique handmade items, supplies for creating handmade items, homemade jams/jellies, baked goods, art works, jewelry, stained glass, and more.
For more information, please contact Jeff Cook at 719-588-5074.


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There's no other way to put it: Mill Creek is bullish on Atlanta. The result could be dubbed "Modera Mania."
The developer behind the high-end apartment concept Modera has announced the start of construction on their fifth project in the city. And this time they've set their sites on Buckhead.
According to a press release announcing the groundbreaking, Modera Buckhead will rise at Peachtree and Pharr roads, and the 21-story building will be the second high-rise development by Mill Creek, complimenting the already underway Modera Midtown.
Modera Buckhead will feature 400 units atop more than 21,000 square feet of retail space. Located across the street from the Shops Buckhead Atlanta, you can bet the retail will be nothing less than posh.
Residents will have access to a dizzying array of absurd amenities, which shall include:
- A "destination sky bar" which will feature "artisanal rooftop cocktails" crafted with fresh herbs from a rooftop garden
- "a large demo kitchen capable of hosting regular mixology and cooking classes"
- two separate pools "designed specifically to align with the rising and setting of the sun," which will feature sun shelves and video projection wall
- an indoor spa, steam room, and relaxation lounge, adjacent to the pool decks
- a rooftop dogpark featuring agility training and exercise equipment for four-legged residents
- not just a fitness center, but a "state-of-the-art yoga studio" and juice bar
With work expected to start any day, officials say the first residents could move in as soon as summer 2018.
- Photos: Modera Midtown is Rising on Formerly Dead Lot [Curbed]
- Midtown's Next Apartment Tower Could Look Like This [Curbed]
- Modera Concept by Mill Creek spreads OTP [Curbed]
- Mill Creek Announces yet Another Modera [Curbed]


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I don’t think a rumour has ever gotten me so excited then this one, as a leaked rating from Australia’s Classification Board had announced a new action game from Platinum Games based on the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
The rating listed the game under the title Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutants in Manhattan. This is actually the second time we’re hearing of this title as it was also rated by Brazil’s Ministry of Justice earlier this month.
Currently neither Platinum Games or Activision has confirmed the game’s actual existence, however the announcement wouldn’t really surprise us. After all, Platinum Games had recently worked with Activision for a video game based on The Legend of Korra, and this year’s Transformers: Devastation.
Platinum is also currently working on a number of titles, including Nier: Automata for PS4, Star Fox Zero for Wii U and Scalebound for Xbox One.


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According to a report by Kyoto news agency on March 25, leaders from Japan, the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, France, Germany, and the European Union are expected to propose a coordinated strategy for increased transparency and consumer protection in the cryptocurrency market at the G7 summit scheduled to take place in May in Hiroshima. The strategy will also address potential risks to the global financial system.
While Japan and the European Union already have cryptocurrency regulations in place, Canada treats digital assets as securities, and the US applies existing financial regulations to crypto. The UK is gradually developing its crypto framework, with plans for a digital pound in the works. The Financial Stability Board, the International Monetary Fund, and the Bank for International Settlements are also making parallel efforts to establish global standards for digital assets, with recommendations set to be delivered by July and September.
However, the overall tone of the recommendations is unclear, as the IMF has previously urged countries to abolish legal tender status for cryptocurrencies but has also been advocating for greater crypto regulation while working on an interoperable central bank digital currency platform to connect multiple global CBDCs and enable cross-border transactions.


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Here’s your daily update with everything you need to know on the novel coronavirus situation in B.C. for Aug. 5, 2020.
We’ll provide summaries of what’s going on in B.C. right here so you can get the latest news at a glance. This page will be updated regularly throughout the day, with developments added as they happen.
tap here to see other videos from our team.
• Total number of confirmed cases: 3,834
• New cases since August 4, 2020: 47
• Hospitalized cases: 9
• Intensive care: 6
• COVID-19 related deaths: 195
• Recovered: 3,288
• Long-term care and assisted-living homes, and acute care facilities currently affected: 3
GUIDES AND LINKS
Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said there were now 351 active cases of the disease, with nine of those cases being treated in hospital including six in intensive care.
Customers who visited a 7-11 in Vancouver’s West End are being warned to monitor for symptoms, after an employee tested positive for the virus.
The exposure to customers took place on July 28 at the store located at 904 Davie St., and the store was closed for cleaning and sanitization. The store is expected to reopen on Wednesday.
Recreational pot users can now pay for their online orders before pick up as a way to help retailers deal with COVID-19.
Previously, customers could reserve cannabis products online but would have to arrive in person to prove their age and make payment.
In a statement, Attorney General David Eby said the move was made after concerns were raised by retailers about the COVID-19 pandemic.
“This change responds to a request from private retailers as they continue to follow the mandates of the provincial health officer,” Eby said.”It supports public health and safety by reducing the amount of time customers need to spend in stores and allows them to remain physically distanced from employees and each other.”
Three screening officers at Vancouver International Airport have tested positive for the COVID-19 virus.
The Canadian Air Transport Security Authority confirmed the cases in an email Wednesday.
There have been 146 cases of COVID-19 reported in British Columbia over the past four days and no deaths.
Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said there were now 319 active cases of the disease in B.C., with eight of those cases in hospital including four in intensive care.
Henry said there were three active outbreaks in health-care settings, including a new one at the Maple Ridge Seniors Village.
There are no new community facility outbreaks, but the caseload at the Fraser Valley Packers outbreak is now 74.
Henry said the 146 new cases were not surprising, given that people were socializing more.
The new cases are related to parties, both indoors and outdoors, workplaces and from domestic travel.
Here are a number of information and landing pages for COVID-19 from various health and government agencies.


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September 11, 2019
Pennsylvania and New Jersey residents looking to cash in on antiques may have their opportunity this fall when the History Channel's "American Pickers" returns to the area.
The popular show hosted by Mike Wolfe and Frank Fritz recently announced they'll be back to scour through old treasures this November. The show is now entering its 21st season.
Only private collections of rare antiques and memorabilia will be considered for the show. Items purchased by Wolfe and Fritz are then sold at their own antique shops.
The show has a preference for finding unique and quirky stories that explain how owners came into possession of their valuable property.
Wolfe and Fritz have made several visits to the area over the past decade, with segments dedicated to stops in Ford City, York and Johnstown, among others.
In previous years, the duo has been on the hunt for vintage bicycles, toys, unusual radios, movie memorabilia, advertising, military items, folk art, vintage musical equipment, vintage automotive items, early firefighting equipment, vintage clothing and pre-50's western gear.
Those seeking to be considered are asked to provide a name, phone number, location, photos and description of the collection in an email to firstname.lastname@example.org. Calls can also be placed to (855) OLD-RUST.


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TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) expects a significant increase in trading activity after the government ends the implementation of community activity restrictions (PPKM).
Jokowi The statement was made at the Sentul market in Yogyakarta on Sunday while reviewing commercial activity and commodity prices.
“We hope[to see a significant increase in trade activity]. It[withdrawal of the PPKM policy]has just been implemented. And he’s going to experience it in the second half of February.”
He talked to some traders in the market about the prices of basic commodities.
Oka, one of the sellers, told the president that the price of rice was rising.
Jokowi later replied to Oka that he hoped prices would drop soon as the harvest season begins in February.
With the exception of rice, President Jokowi has found the prices of most basic commodities in the Sentul market very stable.
The president hoped to see stable commodity prices in other markets across Indonesia.
“I hope that such stability will happen not only in Yogyakarta, but also in markets in other provinces,” he added.
Jokowi had previously instructed the National Logistics Agency (Bulog), the Ministry of Trade and the Ministry of Agriculture to use up available rice stocks to conduct market manipulation to curb rising rice prices.
However, Bulog said only 500,000 tonnes remain in stock, with an ideal reserve of 1.2 million tonnes.
Therefore, the government decided to import 200,000 tons cooked rice It will produce 300,000 tons of rice in December 2022 and January 2023.
Trade Minister Zulkifri Hasan has assured that the government will not import any goods from February 2023 as the harvest season is imminent.
click here Get the latest Tempo news with Google News


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Posted on the 3G.co.uk website, the piece said the five-megapixel cameraphone performed well in testing and the inclusion of an LED flash was something that was highlighted.
"Special praise" was given to the video functions of the model including its ability to zoom while recording footage.
"The Sony Ericsson C903 is a competent alternative if you’re not prepared to shell out the pennies for a higher-end handset," the site concluded.
Consumers recycling mobile phones in order to upgrade to a cameraphone that boasts an eight-megapixel sensor may be more interested in the C905 Cyber-shot device – which received a software upgrade earlier this year.
Recycle your old mobile phone to cash http://www.mazumamobile.com/


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How to Rebuild Consumer Trust Through TV and Transparency
Just when it seemed 2020 couldn’t hold any more surprises, major brands hit pause on their Facebook advertising.
Facebook's market value dropped significantly as a result of brands pulling their ad spend. However, those brands also forgo countless consumer connections while deciding how to repurpose temporarily stalled ad dollars.
Regardless, many believe the cost is worthwhile. With consumer scrutiny of brand messaging on the rise, the Facebook boycott is confirmation brands must react decisively—or suffer the consequences.
Brand trust is on the decline
Trust for brands and advertising has waned for years. Add a pandemic, a growing emphasis on social accountability and continued data privacy concerns to the mix, and the issue has only compounded. Suddenly brands are center stage, and the world is waiting for their response. Choose that response wisely, and your brand might experience dramatic growth. Err, and the tide of public opinion may turn against you.
In such circumstances, thoughtful advertising can empower your brand to authentically reconnect with customers. But how? Rebuilding lost trust and restoring bruised reputations are not simple tasks.
The solution has two parts. The first involves what you tell your customers. Marketers agree transparency is essential. Consumers expect brands to demonstrate awareness and honesty. Know your limitations and be honest with your customers about what those limitations are. If you don’t, your customers may decide your limits themselves.
The second part of rebuilding consumer trust is equally vital. How is your message of transparency and accountability actually shared? Does the communication medium even matter?
Absolutely, yes. And our bet is on TV.
Consumers trust traditional channels
Traditional broadcast channels held up impressively over recent months, expanding their reach while consumers stayed home and switched on their TVs. Both TV and radio consistently rank high for consumer trustworthiness in past years, with global trust levels recently reaching nearly 70%. Social media, on the other hand, has seen a frightening fall in perceived reliability. In fact, double the number of people say TV advertising creates a more positive impression than digital.
These results pose an interesting question: why is TV considered trustworthy, especially opposed to digital channels?
What makes TV trustworthy?
TV requires a high level of accountability, and for good reason. TV advertising is high profile. A national ad aired on prime-time television garners notice, either positive or negative. Reasonably, brands tend to avoid large-scale missteps as much as possible.
Admittedly, the costs of TV are higher than digital alternatives—but that also plays into why consumers are more willing to trust TV advertising. They recognize brands shouldn’t rationally invest in TV without being confident in their message. Therefore, customers can also enjoy confidence.
Plus, TV’s process may include approvals from the advertising agency, the brand itself, and the networks on which the ad airs, so there are multiple checkpoints at which the messaging is refined and substantiated.
On the other side of the spectrum, digital’s traditionally low cost and flexibility also come with downsides. Digital marketing is valuable, and omnichannel marketing is undeniably effective.
But for brands attempting to strengthen their reputation with a strategic advertising approach when consumer trust is lower than ever, now might be the perfect time to highlight TV within your advertising mix.
Uncertain if you're sharing the right message?
Learn how pretesting can ensure your commercial hits the right note.
This article was originally published on MediaPost.


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Mitsubishi Prices Outlander PHEV At Same Price as Diesel Model
Mitsubishi has revealed that the plug-in hybrid version of its Outlander SUV will cost no more than an equivalent diesel version.
The radical move marks the first time an alternative fuel version of an existing car has been launched without a significant price premium over the outgoing model.
The Outlander PHEV will cost £28,249 after the Government's £5000 electric vehicle subsidy.
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MIAMI — Carnival Cruise Line announced Monday they plan to resume cruises from Miami and Port Canaveral in late summer.
Beginning Aug. 1, Carnival said eight ships from Miami, Port Canaveral and also Galveston, Texas, will resume service.
Carnival said all North American cruises from June 27 to July 31 will be canceled.
Beginning Aug. 1, Carnival said they plan to resume cruises on the following ships:
- Miami: Carnival Horizon, Carnival Magic and Carnival Sensation
- Port Canaveral: Carnival Breeze and Carnival Elation
- Galveston: Carnival Dream, Carnival Freedom and Carnival Vista
Other than the above service from those three ports, Carnival said all other North American and Australian cruises will be canceled through Aug. 31.
The cruise line said all Carnival Spirit Alaskan cruises from Seattle will be canceled, as well as the Carnival Spirit Vancouver-Honolulu cruise on Sept. 25 and the Honolulu-Brisbane transpacific cruise on Oct. 6.
All Carnival Splendor cruises in Australia from June 19 to Aug. 31 will also be canceled.
Carnival said all impacted guests and their travel advisers are being notified by email. Guest will be given options for a combined future cruise credit, onboard credits or a full refund.


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It’s huge, pricey, but it’s saving daily fuel costs by up to $1,000. After years of testing the SkySail, a 160-square-meter kite, will be installed on German vessels to cute the cost of fuel. The SkySail should come as no surprise. Kites were often utilized in maritime travel to harness wind power and propel ships forward. What makes the SkySail significant is its usage on huge, cargo vessels that carry oil, cars, and other goods. Estimates say the SkySail will cut fuel used by up to 20 percent and it’s a welcome piece of technology, because it cuts emissions and it’s environmentally friendly. The MV Beluga SkySail is currently in product and it will include a paraglider sail and a “smart” central steerage unit. First sail is set for 2007. The SkySail isn’t a laptop, plasma, or USB accessories but it’s a definite piece of technology that uses the Earth’s resources to create a better planet.
If you own a huge vessel and you’re concern about fuel I suggest you guy one. It cost $660,000 to $3.3 million, so it’s no biggie. With ships carrying 90 percent of all world goods this may cut the cost of electronics over time so the SkySail is a step in the right direction. By the year 2015, 1,500 vessels are expected to have the high-tech kite system fully integrated.
Price: $600,000 – $3.3 mil
German high-tech sky sail [Via: News.com]


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173.02 +0.52 (0.30%)
After hours: 7:59PM EST
|Bid||173.00 x 100|
|Ask||173.15 x 100|
|Day's range||171.71 - 173.95|
|52-week range||135.28 - 180.10|
|PE ratio (TTM)||17.78|
|Earnings date||30 Apr 2018 - 4 May 2018|
|Forward dividend & yield||2.52 (1.47%)|
|1y target est||192.43|
Since October, emergency responders in Elk Grove and Sacramento County, California have received over 1,600 false alarm 911 calls coming from an Apple repair and refurbishing site in the area.
Global smartphone sales have not been firing on all cylinders for several years now but Gartner's latest figures record the first ever decline since the analyst began tracking the market all the way back in 2004.
Take-Two Interactive investors -- and Red Dead Redemption fans -- will have to wait until fall.
Seeking to bolster its wearables business, Apple is working on upgrades to its AirPods earbuds, with a model coming as early as this year, @markgurman reports #tictocnews (Source: Bloomberg)
One reason the cobalt price has gone supernova over the last year is the realisation that not only does most of the available supply come from just one country, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC (Shenzhen: 000530.SZ - news) ), but a good part of it comes from artisanal mines. In the case of cobalt, however, artisanal mining may in fact be part of the solution to securing long-term supplies of the "hot" metal used for lithium-ion batteries key to the electric vehicle revolution. The real problem in the DRC is less this mining itself, but more the lawlessness that surrounds it and makes much of the cobalt from the region effectively a "conflict mineral".
In recent days Cisco announced a $25 billion buyback together with a 14% hike in its cash dividend payout. AbbVie, a biopharmaceutical company set a new $10 million repurchase plan. Boeing s going after $14 billion of stock, equal to 10% of its total shares outstanding.
A key Dow ETF led Thursday as Caterpillar and United Technologies rallied. But Apple and other big-cap techs pared some of their gains.
Apple Inc., seeking to bolster its wearables business, is working on upgrades to its wireless AirPods headphones, according to people familiar with the matter. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has more on "Bloomberg ...
Shares of Apple (AAPL) surged nearly 1.6% in morning trading Thursday, leading the daily gains of its "FANG" peers as investors continue to pile back into Wall Street's dominant tech stocks shortly after the recent sell-off threatened to slow the sector down.
Feb.22 -- Apple Inc., seeking to bolster its wearables business, is working on upgrades to its wireless AirPods headphones, according to people familiar with the matter. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has more on "Bloomberg Markets."


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Lippert Components Will No Longer Exclusively Distribute Hsm Rv Steps
March 15, 2016
Elkhart, IN — Lippert Components, Inc. (LCI®) will no longer exclusively distribute RV steps manufactured by HSM Transportation Solutions, formerly Hickory Springs Manufacturing. LCI is in the process of notifying and changing over its OEM customer base from the Hickory Step to its own brand of manual steel radius steps and its popular hybrid aluminum Alumi-Tread Step®, which is already standard on many RV brands.
LCI’s Chief Executive Officer Jason Lippert does not expect any adverse impact for its customer base going forward. “In the end, we believe this move better serves our OEM and aftermarket customers,” said Jason. “We want to make sure that LCI can continue to grow and innovate at the rapid pace that the industry is known for.”
LCI Vice President of RV Sales Andy Murray says this development makes the company more nimble to address industry needs. “By no longer being tied to an exclusive agreement, we believe we can respond more quickly to customer requirements,” said Murray. “Our Alumi-Tread Step is a great example of this – customers requested a more attractive entry step at a competitive price, and we were able to quickly develop and launch the product. Our rapid innovation has always been one of our strengths as a company, and this change frees us up to focus more on customer satisfaction.”
With over 120 manufacturing and distribution facilities located throughout North America and Europe, Lippert™ is a leading, global manufacturer and supplier of highly engineered components and customized solutions dedicated to shaping, growing, and bettering the RV, marine, automotive, commercial vehicle, and building products industries, and their adjacent markets. Lippert also serves a broad array of aftermarket industries, supplying best-in-class products designed to enhance recreational pursuits, both on the road and on the water. From powerful towing technology and automated RV leveling systems, to boating furniture and one-of-a-kind shade solutions — Lippert combines strategic manufacturing capabilities with the power of our winning team culture to deliver unrivaled Customer Service, award-winning Innovation, and premium Products to every industry and person we serve.
3501 County Road 6 East
Elkhart, IN 46514


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8 years, 400 people and 125,000 3D printers later, Ultimaker is moving into its new headquarters in Utrecht. Other statistics show not only how much the Dutch manufacturer of desktop 3D printers has evolved, but how the market is promising.
This milestone is not only a celebration for Ultimaker, it is a celebration for its partners worldwide, it is a reminder that in this niche market, the company has legitimately earned a leading position among companies of this range.
“The strategic alliances we have formed over the last few years are boosting the adoption of 3D printing within the professional environment. Compelling business cases from global enterprises such as Ford, L’Oréal, Airbus, Volkswagen Autoeuropa, and Decathlon inspire others to embed desktop 3D printing in their professional workflow,” said Jos Burger, CEO of Ultimaker. “We selected this brand new building as our headquarters because it is easily accessible for our employees and will support our ongoing growth as we attract new talent to help professionals innovate every day with 3D printing.”
The new corporate branding
The new branding might make you feel as the company is definitely closing the “makers” chapter to only focus to the “industry” chapter. A feeling that is certainly justified since we heard Burger said:
“Ultimaker evolved into a strong and reliable brand for professional use in such a short time and I am extremely proud of the entire team of internal and external stakeholders that helped us in this journey. This is a great moment to also announce the rebranding of our corporate identity. The new logo and the other visual assets are designed with the fullest respect for our legacy and aimed to further strengthen Ultimaker as a B2B brand. We see it as a signal to the market and customers that we serve that we are a professional company committed to accelerating the world’s transition to digital distribution and local manufacturing.”
While the new headquarters will be located in Creative Valley at Utrecht Central Station, Ultimaker also has its production facility in Zaltbommel and additional office spaces in Geldermalsen in the Netherlands.
Images via Ultimaker – You can now post free of charge job opportunities in the AM Industry on 3D ADEPT Media.
Would you like to be featured in the next issue of our digital magazine? Send us an email at email@example.com


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The prices reflect those paid or received for cows that have had at least one calf and are sold for replacement purposes, not as cull cows. The report does not summarize auction market prices.
Compared to the previous quarter, average replacement cow prices were up in 22 of 24 major dairy states tracked by the USDA (Table 1). The largest quarterly increases were in California, up $310, and South Dakota, up $300 per head. Only New Mexico saw a small decline from the previous quarter, down $50 per head, and the average price in Oregon was unchanged.
Compared to a year earlier, July 2022 replacement cow prices were up $400 or more in California, South Dakota, Vermont, Iowa, Pennsylvania and Indiana. In comparison, prices were down $100 in New Mexico, where cow numbers continue to drop.
Progressive Dairy’s Cattle Market Watch tracks dairy heifer prices from about 20 auction markets throughout the U.S., with price summaries updated about every two weeks. The listings cover top and medium springers, shortbred and open heifers, and heifer calves. In most of those markets, prices for all classes of Holstein replacement heifers have been mixed in recent weeks.
Market cow prices strongest in seven years
Meanwhile, U.S. prices received for cull cows (beef and dairy, combined) averaged $90.20 per hundredweight (cwt) in June, up $3.50 from May and the highest monthly average since September 2015. Through the first half of 2022, cull cow prices have averaged $83.20 per cwt, also a seven-year high.
Semiannual dairy cow and heifer survey
The USDA’s monthly Milk Production reports indicate cow numbers have been growing over the first half of 2022. Despite that growth, the USDA’s semiannual cattle survey reflected a smaller number of dairy cows and replacement heifers to start the second half of 2022 compared to a year ago.
As of July 1, 2022, the USDA estimated the number of dairy cows calving in the past year at 9.45 million head, down about 50,000 from July 1, 2021. Dairy replacement heifers weighing more than 500 pounds were estimated at 3.75 million on July 1, 2022, also down 50,000 head from a year earlier.
The semiannual USDA survey covers both beef and dairy cattle operations. Unlike the January report, the July data does not provide estimates for individual states.


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Download this app from Microsoft Store for Windows 10 Mobile.Biteasy.com provides a powerful innovative bitcoin block explorer, a bitcoin wallet service and bitcoin merchant services for merchants.The Bitpay Visa: a Bitcoin-Debit Card Review. and current mailing address. What do you think about the Bitpay card.BitPay, a Bitcoin payment processor,. email supposedly from Krohn asked the CEO to send 3,000 bitcoins to Second Market at a different blockchain wallet address.Richard The Disney Grand Floridian Greeter Was Evacuated During Hurricane Irma And Could Use Your Well Wishes.Start accepting bitcoin, store and spend bitcoin securely, or get the BitPay Card.
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Bitcoin is an innovative payment network and a new kind of money.Bitcoin Analysis, Bitcoin Business, Bitcoin Economics, News.Integrate Bitcoin as a payment option in Drupal Commerce using BitPay.Over the past few months, Bitpay co-founder and CEO Stephen Pair has been advocating for a safe and non-contentious method to scale the Bitcoin network.
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Learn how to accept Bitcoins in WordPress using BitPay. You can also add an email address where.Therefore, even in the event of a Bitcoin Unlimited hard fork, the Bitcoin Core development team as well as the community can still pursue the scalability roadmap presented by Pair.
BitPay Launches Windows Phone Bitcoin Wallet AppBasically, Pair believes that a soft fork-based scalability solution is the most beneficial for the network and community.Get up and running fast with bitcoin security, store and send funds.Lady Gaga Postpones Her European Leg Of World Tour Because Of Health Issues After Fibromyalgia Reveal.
Find all you need to know and get started with Bitcoin on bitcoin.org.When you send funds from your bitcoin wallet, the specified amount of funds are sent to the intended bitcoin address and the remainder of.
BitPay moving headquarters to Alpharetta - Atlanta
BitPay Review | Expert & User ReviewsCopay Bitcoin Wallet Secure bitcoin on your own terms with an open source, multisignature wallet from BitPay.Please contact us using the form below. Buyers will always get a better value by spending their bitcoins at a BitPay merchant than by selling them on an exchange.Influential developers are accusing the major payment processor of fraud, Bitcoin users on.In the world of mobile and desktop Bitcoin wallet applications, there are quite a few different options to choose from.
They provide the option of receiving payment in any mix of bitcoin or one of any of the local currencies liste.DACA Background Checks Abandoned By Obama Administration, Government Insider Claims.Just recently I procured the Bitpay bitcoin. minutes to pay i scanned the address accompanied by my...Want a way to buy bitcoin directly to a bitcoin wallet address you control.
Initially BitPay plained to bootstrap its growth, but when the Founder Fund expressed interest in investing in the startup, BitPay CEO Tony Gallippi changed the plan.The card taps into a bitcoin market that BitPay estimates is. am accessing on Pay Connect so they can contact me directly.Over the past few months, Bitpay co-founder and CEO Stephen Pair has been advocating for a safe and non-contentious method to scale the Bitcoin network. In an.Bitcoin payment processor BitPay recently rolled out the beta version of its open source Copay wallet.


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Report says Mobile Casino and Sports to dominate iGaming
A new study was published this week that indicates the global internet gambling market will continue to surge upward over the coming years. Mobile casino and sports betting are expected to dominate the industry, with Europe and Asia having the most expansive markets.
The data was gathered by Transparency Market Research (TMR), and published in a report entitled “Online Gambling and Betting Market Research Report”. It details estimated trends in online and mobile casino, poker, lottery, bingo, sports betting, and social gaming, with a forecast that analyzes growth through 2024.
Operators To Focus On Mobile
Casino gambling has been around since the dark ages of dial-up internet speeds, when only a small percentage of households even owned a computer. For decades, gambling operators and software suppliers focused their efforts towards the desktop demographic, but that’s changing.
Mobile gambling didn’t take off until the first smartphones were introduced in 2007, and it was a very slow progression at first. Now, those who enjoy mobile casino, poker and sports betting make up approximately 33% of the industry’s clientele.
TMR believes that trend will continue to develop at a rapid pace, “driven by an increasing adoption of high-speed internet services in mobile devices.”
Sports betting in particular should see immense growth in the mobile arena. TMR attributes this prediction to a high demand for mobile live streaming of sports and relative videos, which will inevitably drive bookmakers to integrate such live streaming into their mobile apps.
These advancements will be “further enhancing the growth rate of the market” over the coming years, said TMR.
Mobile Casino Dominates, Sports Betting Catching Up
According to current data, the online and mobile casino genre is heavily dominating the overall iGaming industry. In 2015, it made up a substantial 26.4% of online gambling market share.
The analysis states that internet casino games will continue to lead the pack over the coming years, but that sports betting won’t be far behind. Mobile sportsbooks are “expected to surge over the coming years due to a higher rate of adoption of live sports betting by multiple players,” said TMR.
The research predicted that online lottery and poker will also increase between now and 2024, but nowhere close to the mimicking the elevated rate of mobile casino and sports betting.
Europe Leads Global iGaming Market
Thanks predominantly to the UK, Europe has a strong lead compared to all other regions where internet gambling regulations exist. European territories generated a combined total of $19.6 billion in iGaming revenue in 2015, about 33% higher than its nearest rival, Asia Pacific.
Asia Pacific is expected to experience the highest CAGR of 12.9% through 2024. Other territories, like North America, Middle East and Africa, are expected to grow at the slowest rate. In the US, growth will be truncated by continued state-by-state hesitation to regulate the industry.
Global iGaming Revenue to Double by 2024
TMR’s report was based on data available as of December, 2016. At that time, the researchers were able to closely estimate that the online gambling industry, as a whole, would end the year with a total revenue generation of $42.63 billion.
Based on that, the study suggested that the market would grow by an estimated 10.8% CAGR over the next eight years. That would result in the industry doubling its revenue to $96.89 billion in 2024.
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The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) will release its interest rates and make a statement on August 2, 7:30 GMT+3.
The UK Inflation: Bad News for GBP Again?
What will happen?
The UK CPI, Consumer Price Index, will come out on Wednesday, July 20, at 09:00 MT time (GMT+3).
It's an important indicator for currency valuation because rising prices lead the central bank to raise interest rates. Since the UK inflation remains at a 40-year high, the report will cause significant volatility for the British pound.
Last time, the actual data met the expectations. However, inflation remained at a critical level. As a result, GBPUSD lost 630 points the next hour after the release. If you traded one lot, you could have earned $630.
How to trade on UK CPI?
- If the UK CPI exceeds the Forecast, the GBP will likely strengthen against other currencies.
- If the UK CPI is lower than the Forecast, the GBP will likely weaken against other currencies.
Check the Economic Calendar.
Instruments to trade: GBPUSD, GBPCAD, EURGBP.
The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) will update the Federal Funds Rate and make a statement about future monetary policy on July 27 at 21:00 MT.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics will announce the Consumer Price Index (CPI) on Wednesday, July 27, at 04:30 MT.
The United States will publish the Inflation Rate and Core Inflation Rate, also known as US CPI and Core CPI, on August 10 at 15:30 GMT+3.
The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics will release monthly average hourly earnings, non-farm employment change (NFP), and unemployment rate on August 5, 15:30 GMT+3.
The Bank of England (BoE) will share its Official Bank Rate and make a statement on monetary policy on August 4, 14:00 GMT+3.


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has today announced a contract to supply its pioneering SABS Agent booking system to Flight Centre, to help power the UK-growth of one of the world’s largest independent travel retailers.Through the agreement Ramesys will supply 90 of Flight Centre’s UK agencies with the web-based multi-operator search and booking solution, so providing over 500 of the retailer’s agents with instant access to millions of up-to-date, bookable holiday and charter flight options.
Flight Centre operates more than 1,200 retail stores across the UK, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, the USA, Canada and Hong Kong, and specialises in the sale of international airfares, holiday packages, domestic travel and ancillary product sales.
SABS Agent searches product from multiple operators simultaneously, through a range of easy-to-use criteria such as destination, price or even lifestyle requirements such as family-friendly beaches, shopping choices or other amenities.
The system also generates web links with every result, which Flight Centre agents will use to source information on everything from low-cost airlines to rail travel and weather, so enhancing their customer service capabilities at the point of sale.
Karen Janssen, information technology manager at Flight Centre commented: “We could see the benefits of using SABS Agent right from our first demonstration. Flight Centre is continually looking at ways of improving the technology systems and environment in which our consultants work. We have found a product that will not only enhance Flight Centre agents’ productivity and sales line but is also easy to implement.
“Flight Centre’s success is based on the knowledge and professionalism of our consultants and their ability to offer a total travel service to customers. SABS Agent will underpin our operation perfectly, and will further increase our profitability.”
Brian Sheerin, managing director at Ramesys said: “Flight Centre is another excellent addition to our client list. We are delighted that one of the world’s largest independent travel companies has chosen SABS Agent to maximise the success of their operations.”


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Volkswagen’s board of directors has decided to part ways with their controversial Board Chairman, Ferdinand Piech. Recently, Piech has commented that the CEO Martin Winterkorn no longer had his confidence, however the remainder of the VW board retained their confidence in Winterkorn. In the end, something had to give and it turned out to be Piech.
Ferdinand Piech is the son of Ferdinand Porsche’s daughter, and is part of the Porsche family – who still control about 50% of VW stock. Piech was previously the CEO of VW, and it was Piech that was the impetus for the VW Phaeton, a study in luxury that carried the wrong badge on its nose. But Piech also saw the emergence of VW as a legitimate contender for top auto producer in the world (in a constant battle with General Motors and Toyota).
The hard driving and mercurial Piech is no stranger to controversy – ask any long time Rolls-Royce manager how good they felt when Piech discovered VW did not have the rights to make and market Rolls-Royce cars.
While this marks the current end of Piech’s involvement with the VW group, given the Porsche family ownership it would not be hard to think that this isn’t the end, but merely another inning in the grand game coming to a close.


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Commerce – The City of Commerce is submitting grants applications to TxDoT for the Corridor development Project. In regular session this week, the council approved the application for grants for a project totaling about $3.2 million.
TxDoT would pay 80% of that price tag if Commerce is approved. The project would be part of the redevelopment of the corridor between A&M-Commerce and downtown Commerce. City Manager Bill Shipp said the whole project is an investment in the future of Commerce.
SHIPP: What we are doing is investing in the future of Commerce. This is not pretty streets and pretty sidewalks for the sake of pretty streets and pretty sidewalks. Its for the sake of making something attractive that will attract business owners to invest and bring private investment; and then make it attractive for those customers then to stroll up and down the street and make those businesses profitable.
Officials should know by the end of summer if Commerce has been approved for the grant. Funds will not be available until 2008.