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U.S. stocks to watch
NBC Internet will report its fourth-quarter results on Feb. 13, later than expected. The San Francisco-based online arm of GE's NBC said that it needs further time to sort out its projections for this year, including a $100 million revenue figure announced on Jan. 18. Shares of NBCi NBCI ended the day up 3 cents to $3.56.
Valmont Industries VALM which makes products for agricultural uses, said it has taken several actions that will result in a fourth-quarter charge of a nickel a share. The Omaha, Neb., company now expects to earn between 27 and 29 cents a share, lower than the 33-cent mark reported during the same quarter last year. One analyst polled by First Call/Thomson Financial was expecting a gain of 35 cents as the company closed facilities in Tulsa, Okla., and Gunnison, Colo., as well as increased research and development costs, resulting in the charge. Shares closed off 13 cents at $19.13 on Friday.
Weis Markets WMK, +0.43% reported fourth-quarter earnings of $15.1 million, or 36 cents a share, vs. $20.1 million, or 40 cents a share, during the same quarter last year. This year's earnings were adversely affected by a $4.9 million pre-tax litigation settlement and increased wages, benefits, and fuel costs. One analyst was expecting a gain of 49 cents a share. Same-store sales increased 7.4 percent over last year, due largely to an extra week in the 2000 quarter. Revenue jumped to $546 million, up from $526 million. Shares closed up 20 cents at $37.65.
Advancers for Friday
Activision ATVI, +2.68% gained 8.1 percent after the company reported better-than-expected third-quarter earnings, but smaller figures than last year. The Santa Monica, Calif-based video game firm reported earnings of $20.5 million, or 70 cents a share, vs. $22.3 million, or 75 cents a share, during the same quarter last year. Analysts polled by First Call/Thomson Financial were expecting a gain of 60 cents a share. Third-quarter revenue fell to $264.5 million from $268.9 million last year. Shares closed up $1.50 at $20.
Business Objects BOBJ added 9.3 percent after the San Jose, Calif., e-business firm reported fourth-quarter earnings of $16.1 million, or 37 cents a share, compared with $9.5 million, or 23 cents a share, during the same quarter last year. Quarterly revenue jumped 41 percent to $105.8 million. For the first-quarter 2001, the company expects to earn between 20 and 22 cents a share, in line with the consensus estimate of 21 cents. Shares gained $6.75 to close at $79.56.
DSL.net DSLN jumped 6.1 percent in afternoon action. Earlier in the session, the stock reached $4, which represented a 100 percent gain from its close on Wednesday. Shares of the New Haven, Conn., provider of high-speed Internet access rose more than 50 percent Thursday after Kaufman Bros. initiated coverage of them with a "buy" rating. Shares closed up 19 cents at $3.25.
EFTC EFTC rallied 38 percent on news that the Phoenix provider of electronics manufacturing services has received a proposal for a business combination from K-Tec Electronics Corp. EFTC said its board has appointed a special committee to consider the proposal. Financial terms of the offer weren't disclosed. Shares closed up $1.13 at $4.13.
MITY Enterprises MITY rose 25 percent after the Orem, Utah, maker of institutional furniture said it has retained McDonald Investments to assist it in exploring its strategic options. MITY also said it plans to continue to explore the possible sale of its CenterCore product line. Shares closed up $1.72 at $8.69.
PEMSTAR PMTR rose 7.8 percent after the Rochester, Minn., engineering and manufacturing services firm reported third-quarter cash earnings of $3 million. or 10 cents a share, up from a year-ago profit of $1.2 million, or 7 cents a share, and a penny ahead of the average estimate of analysts polled by First Call/Thomson Financial. Revenue jumped to $184.4 million from $111.7 million in the same period a year earlier. For the fourth quarter, PEMSTAR expects to meet Wall Street expectations for cash earnings of 10 cents a share on revenue of $184.4 million. Shares closed up $1.06 at $14.63.
Pier 1 Imports PIR, -4.50% advanced 7.2 percent after the company agreed to buy the 21-store Cargo Furniture chain from Tandycrafts TAC, +2.31% for an undisclosed amount. The deal is expected to close within 30 days. Pier 1 plans a five-year effort to build out the Cargo concept and open stores nationwide. Cargo and Pier 1 are both based in Fort Worth, Texas. Cargo's financial impact to Pier 1, which has about 850 stores, will be immaterial in the first year. Shares closed up 87 cents at $12.95.
Primus PKSI surged 19 percent after the Seattle software firm reported better-than-expected fourth-quarter results. The loss for the quarter totaled $1.3 million, or 7 cents a share, compared with the year-ago loss of $5.6 million, or 33 cents a share. Analysts anticipated a loss of 13 cents. Revenue for the quarter totaled $14 million, an increase of more than 50 percent compared with the year-ago period. Shares closed up $1.38 at $8.63.
SpectraLink SLNK shares leapt 14 percent after the Boulder, Colo., wireless systems firm reported fourth-quarter earnings of $2.3 million, or 12 cents a share, down from $4.1 million, or 22 cents a share, and 2 cents ahead of the average estimate of analysts polled by First Call/Thomson Financial. Revenue rose to $15.6 million in the latest three months from $11.2 million a year earlier. Shares closed up $1.69 at $14.19.
7-Eleven SE, +1.69% jumped 6.7 percent after the convenience store operator reported fourth-quarter earnings of $14.2 million, or 13 cents a share, up from a year-ago profit of $10.5 million, or 13 cents a share, and 2 cents ahead of Wall Street expectations. Revenue rose 6.5 percent to $2.32 billion in the period. U.S. same-store merchandise sales rose 1.6 percent. Shares gained 68 cents to close at $10.77.
Tommy Hilfiger TOM, -50.00% climbed 12 percent in afternoon action. Earlier in the session, the shares hit a 52-week high of $17.25. The apparel firm has received a number of upgrades from analyst firms, including Prudential Securities and Banc of America, following its better-than-expected third-quarter results, posting a profit of $42.7 million, or 47 cents a share, beating Wall Street expectations by 2 cents. For 2002, Tommy said it expects revenue to be flat to slightly higher than 2001 levels with earnings rising in the low double-digit percentage range. Shares rose $1.75 to close at $16.50.
UnitedHealth UNH, +2.21% rose 7.7 percent after the company reported fourth-quarter earnings of 58 cents per share, an increase of 32 percent over the same period a year earlier. The average analyst EPS estimate compiled by Multex was 55 cents. Revenue for the period rose 9 percent over last year to $5.4 billion. The diversified health services firm said 2001 EPS is expected to show year-over-year growth of 18 to 20 percent, as it focuses on diversification, operating improvements and a migration to higher levels of technology. Analysts currently expect growth of 18 percent. Shares closed up $4.36 at $61.10.
Decliners for Friday
Alliance Capital Management AC, +1.27% slid 13 percent after the New York financial services firm reported fourth-quarter operating earnings of $215 million, or 84 cents a share, up from a year-ago equivalent profit of $169 million, or 95 cents a share, but a penny below the average estimate of analysts polled by First Call/Thomson Financial. Revenue jumped to $793 million in the latest three months from $585 million a year ago. Shares closed down $7.30 at $51.20.
Alliance Fiber Optic AFOP fell 11 percent after the Sunnyvale, Calif., fiber optic components firm reported fourth-quarter pro forma earnings of $442,000, or 1 cent a share, up from a year-ago pro forma loss of $199,000, or 1 cent a share. Revenue rose to $8.8 million in the latest three months from $2.5 million a year ago. Shares lost $1.19 to close at $9.75.
Amazon.com AMZN, +0.18% fell 12 percent in afternoon action, dropping for a fourth consecutive session in the wake of its fourth-quarter earnings report Tuesday. The stock may be seeing some pressure from an article published in The New York Times Friday that points out that the company's losses according to generally accepted accounting principles are growing even as its pro forma losses narrow. The article, written by Floyd Norris, points out that Amazon.com's goal of "pro forma operating profitability" in the fourth quarter will only be achieved by ignoring many of its expenses. "Amazon's preferred profit number excludes interest expense." Norris writes. "But ignoring something does not make it vanish. Some investors may learn that lesson the hard way." Shares closed down $1.88 at $14.38.
Avid AVID, +2.55% lost 14 percent despite better-than-expected results from the Tewksbury, Mass., provide of editing equipment for film, television and audio. The company recorded a fourth-quarter profit of $4.8 million, or 18 cents a share, excluding acquisition-related amortization, in the period. That was 6 cents a share better than expected. Quarterly revenue jumped to $126.1 million, up from $111.6 million last year. Shares closed down $3 at $18.81.
APW Ltd. APW, +1.31% dropped 9.7 percent after the Waukesha, Wis., provider of electronics manufacturing services said it expects 2001 revenue of $1.63 billion to $1.65 billion, an increase of 30 percent from 2000's performance. The company said this forecast is lower than anticipated due to a recent slowdown in business. In particular, APW expects second-quarter revenue to come in 7 to 9 percent lower than previous projections. For 2001, the company expects cash earnings of $1.95 to $2 a share, or $42.4 million. The shares closed Thursday at $38.99, down 4 percent. Shares closed off $3.79 at $35.20.
Buy.com BUYX fell 38 percent after the Aliso Viejo, Calif., Internet retailer reported a fourth-quarter pro forma loss of $27.4 million, or 20 cents a share, narrower than a year-ago loss of $40.9 million, or 44 cents a share, but a penny wider than Wall Street expectations. Revenue fell 2 percent in the latest three months to $196.7 million from $200.7 million a year ago. The company cited the general softness in the technology sector and competition for the lower revenue but added that gross profit margin improved 7.6 percent. Shares closed down 34 cents at 56 cents.
Church & Dwight Co. CHD, +1.44% lost 16 percent after the Princeton, N.J., baking soda firm beat expectations for its fourth-quarter results but issued a cautious outlook for 2001. Before the opening bell, the company reported fourth-quarter earnings of $10.7 million, or 27 cents a share, down from a year-ago profit of $11.2 million, or 27 cents a share. The latest quarter's results include a charge of $2 million, or 3 cents a share. Excluding this item, the company earned 30 cents, 3 cents ahead of the average estimate of analysts polled by First Call/Thomson Financial. Sales rose 6.1 percent in the period to $196.9 million. For 2001, Church & Dwight expects earnings to come in at the lower end of analyst estimates of $1.29 to $1.35 a share. The shares closed down $3.91 at $21.02.
CIDCO CDCO gave back 25 percent after the Morgan Hill, Calif., provider of Internet communications products reported a fourth-quarter loss from continuing operations of $18.4 million, or $1.32 a share, wider than an equivalent loss of $2.5 million, or 18 cents a share. Sales from continuing operations rose to $3.7 million in the period from $628,000 a year ago. Shares closed down 56 cents at $1.69.
Circuit City CC, +2.43% slid 12 percent after Lehman Bros. issued a research note Friday morning that previewed its earnings expectations for the hard-line retailing sector. In that note, the firm made less than bullish comments about Circuit City, telling investors: "We feel it is prudent to invest in less cyclical names as opposed to turnaround stories." Lehman also said it believes same-store sales at Circuit City continue to be weak in minus 5 to 6 percent range for January. Shares closed down $2.19 at $16.66
Computer Network Technology CMNT, +0.00% plunged more than 40 percent after the company warned that it expects fourth-quarter earnings to miss previous targets. The company projects earnings from continuing operations of 17 cents a share, 15 percent below its target of 20 cents. Revenue is forecast at $47 million, 5 percent below targets of $49 million to $51 million. The Minneapolis storage networking products firm attributed the weakness to the slowdown in the economy. For the first quarter, Computer Network expects earnings from continuing operations of 12 to 16 cents a share on revenue of $42 million to $47 million. Analysts polled by First Call/Thomson Financial were looking for a profit of 20 cents, on average. Shares closed down $12.06 at $17.81.
Copper Mountain CMTN dropped 24 percent after the company reported a fourth-quarter pro forma loss of $91,000, or break-even, down from a year-ago pro forma profit of $6.7 million, or 12 cents a share, but in line with Wall Street expectations. Revenue rose 5.5 percent to $47 million in the period. The Palo Alto, Calif., digital-subscriber-line products firm attributed the weak results to a challenging financing environment for its competitive local exchange carrier customers. The company expects these issues to continue to depress its performance in the first quarter, resulting in a "substantial sequential decline" in revenue in the period. Shares closed down $1.88 at $5.94.
Critical Path CPTH plummeted 62 percent before being halted after the company said its board has formed a special committee to investigate its revenue recognition practices because a number of transactions have been discovered that "put into question" the company's financial results. Specifically, Critical Path believes its fourth-quarter results, which included revenue of $52 million and a loss before items of $11.5 million, may be "materially misstated." In addition, the company said President David Thatcher has been placed on administrative leave along with William Rinehart, vice president of worldwide sales. Shares of the San Francisco Internet messaging technology firm closed Thursday at $10.06, down 7.5 percent. Shares closed off $6.20 at $3.86.
Exabyte EXBT fell 19 percent after the Boulder, Colo., data storage products firm said it plans to mull its strategic options, including the possible sale of the company. The company said it must improve its financial situation in the next few months. The company also reported a fourth-quarter pre-tax loss of $8.5 million, or 37 cents per share, wider than a pre-tax loss of $11.8 million, or 53 cents per share, in the 1999 fourth quarter. Shares closed down 56 cents at $2.44.
Federal-Mogul FMO, +1.63% sank 15 percent in afternoon action. The drop comes on the heels of a plus-20 percent slide Thursday after the Southfield, Mich., auto parts firm reported its quarterly results. Including items, Federal-Mogul lost $337.7 million, or $4.80 a share. Excluding items, the company lost 99 cents a share, down from a year-ago profit of 87 cents a share, and 11 cents wider than Wall Street expectations. The company said it wasn't pleased with its results and that it's focused on six initiatives to improve operations, increase cash flow, and reduce its cost structure and asset base. Shares closed down 56 cents at $3.18.
FiberNet Telecom Group FTGX slumped 12 percent on news that the company has completed a $28 million directed public offering of its common stock and negotiated an increased credit facility. FiberNet issued 6.4 million shares at $4.375 a share and warrants to buy 1.288 million shares at $6.56 a share, redeemable at $11.48 or above. FiberNet's lenders agreed to increase its existing credit facility to $105 million from $75 million. The lenders were led by Deutsche Banc Alex. Brown, First Union Securities and Toronto Dominion. Shares closed down 63 cents at $4.69.
Nabi NABI retreated more than 14 percent after the Boca Raton, Fla., biopharmaceutical firm reported on the progress of clinical trials of its StaphVAX vaccine. The company said it's moving forward with stated plans to conduct a boosting study of StaphVAX in patients with end-stage renal disease and that it's making progress with the scale-up of manufacturing operations for commercial production of the vaccine. However, investors appear to have been spooked by news that Nabi is making plans for a second phase-II trial of StaphVAX based on input from the Food and Drug Administration. The company plans to appeal the agency's decision about the need for a second trial and request a meeting with the FDA's vaccines and related biological products advisory committee. Shares fell 78 cents to close at $4.69.
National Semiconductor NSM skidded 9.4 percent lower after the company said a slowdown in factory orders would hurt sales in its third quarter. The analog chipmaker said late Thursday that per-share earnings would come in at between 20 and 22 cents a share in the corresponding quarter. Shares closed off $2.56 at $24.75.
National Information Consortium EGOV, +0.15% tumbled 17 after the Overland Park, Kan., firm reported a fourth-quarter loss of $11.8 million, or 21 cents a share, wider than a year-ago loss of $3.5 million, or 7 cents a share, but 4 cents better than Wall Street expectations. Revenue rose to $18.8 million in the period from $16.5 million a year ago. NIC provides Internet-based electronic government services. Shares closed down 81 cents at $4.
Professional Detailing PDII plunged 17 percent after the company said it has received "verbal notice" that GlaxoSmithKline GSK, +0.21% plans to end its "fee-for-service" contract with the company. If terminated as expected, 2001 earnings would be reduced by 35 to 40 cents per share, Professional Detailing said. "The decision to end our fee for service contract with PDI is not a function of any performance related issue and we continue to maintain an excellent relationship with PDI through our relationship with its LifeCycle Ventures unit," said Jim Daly, a vice president at GlaxoSmithKline. Professional Dialing shares closed off $46.25 at $56.88.
Satyam Infoway Ltd. SIFY, +0.13% dropped 23 percent after the India e-commerce firm reported a loss of $10.7 million for the quarter ended Dec. 31, wider than a year-ago loss of $6.1 million. The results in both periods exclude amortization of goodwill in acquisitions. Revenue rose to $10.1 million in the period from $9.3 million a year earlier. The company said the growth of its corporate services business more than compensated for the external challenges that confronted its retail Internet access business. Shares closed down $1.59 at $5.38.
SAVVIS Communications Systems SVVS dropped 24 percent on news that a creditor of Bridge Information Systems has filed an involuntary bankruptcy petition against the company. Bridge owns 46 percent of SAVVIS and represented roughly 80 percent of SAVVIS' revenue in the nine months ended Sept. 30. Bridge plans to evaluate its strategic options, which include petitioning for dismissal of the filing or converting it to a voluntary bankruptcy case. SAVVIS said it expects Bridge to continue to "fulfill its obligations." Welsh Carson, Anderson & Stowe, which owns 16 percent of SAVVIS and is a major investor in Bridge, said it has been discussing a restructuring of Bridge's debt with the company and its creditors for several weeks. The restructuring would have included a cash infusion of up to $150 million, Welsh said. Shares closed down 50 cents at $1.63.
Silicon Storage Technology SSTI, +3.15% slipped more than 11 percent after the Sunnyvale, Calif., flash memory firm reported fourth-quarter earnings from operations of $40.9 million, or 42 cents a share, up from a year-ago profit of $5.7 million, or 7 cents a share, but 4 cents below Wall Street expectations. Revenue rose to $161 million in the latest three months from $48.3 million a year ago. The company attributed the shortfall to the slowdown in the PC industry, which led some customers to cancel orders and push out shipment dates. The company forecast first-quarter earnings of 25 to 29 cents a share on revenue coming in flat to 10 percent down on a sequential basis. For 2001, SSTI expects to earn $1.50 to $1.75 a share. The stock closed down $1.50 at $13.06.
Stratos Lightwave STLW dropped 7.2 percent after the company said third-quarter sales rose 17 percent on a sequential basis. However, the company scaled back growth assumptions going forward, saying fiscal 2001 sales growth will be in the range of 90 to 100 percent, down from a previous target of 105 to 115 percent. The Chicago optical systems firm, which is a unit of Methode Electronics METHA attributed the shortfall to the challenging conditions in the communications sector and the economy at large. Shares closed down $1 at $12.88.
XO Communications XOXO fell 6.1 percent after the Reston, Va., broadband communications services provider filed for a universal shelf registration statement with Securities and Exchange Commission to offer up to $2 billion in common and preferred stock, depositary shares, and a variety of debt securities and warrants. XO said it plans to use the funds to expand its networks, services and infrastructure, fund operating losses, working capital and acquisitions. Shares closed down $1.52 at $23.36.


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The state of Minnesota has added a couple of new conditions to its medical cannabis program.
The new qualifying conditions, which will take effect next year, are chronic pain and age-related macular degeneration.
The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) will add the new conditions starting in August 2020.
“The generally positive experience patients have had using medical cannabis to treat intractable pain prompted us to add chronic pain as a qualifying condition,” Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm stated. “Meanwhile, the decision to add age-related macular degeneration was due to a lack of good treatment options for managing symptoms.”
Two new delivery methods will additionally be allowed starting next year, including “water-soluble cannabinoid multi-particulates” and orally-dissolvable products.
“We hope the addition of new delivery methods will provide a potential alternative to vaping for some patients and that the additional centers will provide more convenient access,” Commissioner Malcolm added.

domain: news


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Online money transfer company WorldRemit has renewed its sponsorship of the Zimbabwe Achievers Awards (Z.A.A) UK and Canada editions for the fifth year running, following a successful partnership for the ZAA South Africa edition in April.
ZAA highlights the successes and achievements of Zimbabweans and brings together business leaders and innovators from all sectors to celebrate, empower and network.
Using the WorldRemit app or website, the Zimbabwean diaspora living in over 50 countries, including the UK and Canada, can send money home in just a few taps from their smartphones. The company offers a variety of convenient ways to receive money in Zimbabwe, including cash pickup in USD at over 250 locations across the country – the widest network of any other international remittance service.
To celebrate its renewed partnership with ZAA, WorldRemit is offering new customers sending money from the UK or Canada to Zimbabwe zero fees on their first transfer if they use the code ZAAPROMO[JB1] when making payment.
ZAA International Founder and Chairman, Conrad Mwanza said: “We are glad to announce a new partnership with WorldRemit for the UK and Canada editions and look forward to making these events even more successful than previous years.
“WorldRemit is a globally recognised brand that makes life easier for the Zimbabwean diaspora who send many home to support their families and communities. We are delighted to continue our work with the company to celebrate the outstanding achievements of the diaspora in the UK and Canada.”


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(submitted by Tom)
Friday, April 30, 2010
Finally, a level-headed and appropriate way to deal with copyrighted content on YouTube. The way it works is YouTube uses a content ID tool to flag copyrighted material and allows the owners to decide what to do. If owners allow the material to stay online they are rewarded by a share of the advertising profits. This allows companies to use YouTube as a promotional vehicle and turns Google (YouTube's owner) into a media distribution channel. While this is not a perfect system, it is far better than the existing format where media companies sue their fans for posting clips on YouTube.
As if we needed yet another example of how painful bad PowerPoint can be, this N.Y. Times article shows that the true enemy of the U.S. Army is PowerPoint. Funny as this may seem, apparently it is causing a real headache for the Army and other related defense agencies. Even if you don't read the article you have to click on the link to see the worlds most complicated PowerPoint slide.
(submitted by Joel)
According to a Wall Street Journal article, it turns out with all the hype and excitement around netbooks there is a trend away from Netbooks back to more powerful mainstream laptops. Although the article points out that others are opting for smartphones and the iPad. What this article really points out is that there are a variety of mobile computing options out there and popularity of a product still depends on function and need.
In case you missed it Jason Busch, from Spend Matters, looks at optimization providers Trade Extensions and CombineNet. While most of our community knows a significant amount about these providers, it is useful to see how outside analysts view these companies and their offerings.
(submitted by Walter)
BI applications for the iPad (and other related devices) are likely to be change the way we interact with data. What makes these new tablet PCs potential game changers, namely the iPad and the Android tablet (due out later this year), is that they are especially helpful for those that work with multi-modes of data (text, graphics, charting, even voice). Now the first set of BI visualization tools for the iPad have been released. Now users can enjoy a kinestheic experience with their data through an iPad. The article below discusses two current BI apps from MeLLmo and QlikTech, which offer varying degrees of data visualization. These apps make connections to data that is stored and processed in the cloud including Cognos, SharePoint, and Microsoft Reporting Services. Also, based on the article it appears that SAS is developing a mobile style app too.
Be sure to watch the video at the bottom of the article.
(submitted by Walter)
Friday, April 23, 2010
On the heels of the iPad launch and as a follow up to last week's posting about Android Apps, this article discusses how we are becoming overwhelmed with the number of Apps on the market. Research cited in the article points out that users tend to gravitate towards the popular Apps instead of browsing the thousands of Apps available. Thus, users only end up seeing the top 1% of available Apps. Sadly this trend is likely to keep up as the number of Apps being developed, and the variety of platforms, explodes. Who knows, we may need a Google App, just to search for Apps.
Facebook formally announced the launch Open Graph, a series of application programming interfaces (APIs) for developers to integrate Facebook into web sites all across the web. In essence this allows any web page to become integrated into the fabric of Facebook. The implication here is if all web sites are connected through Facebook the utility and usefulness of Google becomes diminished. While this sounds ominous, it is unlikely that it will play out this way. There are many roadblocks in the way of an all Facebook web, not the least of which are the litany of privacy issues that emerge (something Facebook is notoriously bad at addressing). But it is interesting to see the titans clash over the future of the web.
(Submitted by Helen)
In case you are one of those waiting for the price to come down on the new iPad, it might interest you to know that Regardless of how the product turns out, one thing is for sure, the new iPad is built for profits. Apple’s true costs for the Wi-Fi 16 gigabyte flash memory version selling for $499 has been estimated at just $260. So if you are keeping score at home, on the first day, Apple made approximately $80,895,000 (300,000 units * $269.65[499-229.35])…not a bad first week!
(submitted by Judi and Walter)
Restaurant chain Wendy's is using the Clarabridge Analytics solution to mine text based customer feedback. Drawing on sources such as, emails, call-center notes, web submissions, and social media, the solution will deliver reports on all aspects of customer service. Of real note is these reports will be almost real time sending feedback from a customer to a corporate dashboard in a matter of minutes. Feedback will go straight from a cell phone in a restaurant almost instantaneously to the highest echelons of the organization.
(Submitted by Walter)
Friday, April 16, 2010
In a move that was inevitable, Twitter is finally going to attempt to make money. The new "promoted tweets" ad campaign works like Google's Adsense, that displays related links when users conduct a search. Twitter's campaign will display sponsored tweets when a user does a search. This leaves us to wonder, can Twitter make money at this, will the users rise up in revolt, or is this just another ho-hum development in the over-hyped world of Twitter?
(submitted by Tom)
Tom Davenport, author of Competing on Analytics, has a new book out titled Analytics at Work: Smarter Decisions, Better Results. The article below is an interview with Davenport in which he discusses his view on analytics in the organization including, BI, ERP, tension with IT departments, and developing an information driven strategy.
(Submitted by Walter)
Next month, Microsoft Corp. will release Office 2010 into an IT world that Google Inc. has been reshaping as use of its Google Apps service has spread to organizations like the Los Angeles city government and Genentech Inc.
With its release of Office 2010 on May 12, Microsoft will complete an effort to move its extensive portfolio of applications to the cloud, offering its business and government customers a new way to deliver services to users.
(Submitted by Bharath)
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
The Zebra Imaging released a product for the architecture community which outputs a holograph visualization from CAD data. The device is a thin piece of plastic which comes in a variety of dimensions. The product has reportedly been used in other areas such as military planning, automotive manufacturing and industrial design.
Editors Note: This is really, really cool!
(Submitted by Mike Chovan)
UPS is using technology and advanced analytics to save millions of dollars and up to 1.4 million gallons of fuel each year while making their drivers safer. The trucks are outfitted with special telematics technology that gathers and sends data to a central database. Using advanced analytics, the data is analyzed resulting in a highly efficient fleet of trucks. The system can uncover defective parts that need replacement or repair, identify opportunities for cost savings, and support safe driver practices by monitoring seat belt usage and frequency of trucks being put in reverse. In terms of sustainability, the telematics system has helped UPS to reduce idling in the trucks thus cutting back on emissions and fuel consumption.
(Submitted by Judi Carithers)
A recently published report by Forrester, sponsored by security company RSA, assessed the data security practices of enterprises. Enterprise security programs protect two types of data: secrets (assets that confer a competitive advantage) and custodial data (assets that they are compelled to protect). What the report found is that when enterprises are over focused on compliance they neglect protecting the secrets. As an example, enterprises devote 40% of their security budgets to compliance management, but secrets consist of two-thirds of a company's information portfolio.
This article explores how multiplayer games and virtual worlds are being considered for use in the corporate environment. Gameification refers to using gaming technology for purposes outside of entertainment. Citing Stanford researcher Dr. Byron Reeves's new book Total Engagement: Using Games and Virtual Worlds to Change the Way People Work and Businesses Compete, which argues that with global competition employee collaboration is becoming a critical differentiator. Reeve's points out that games such as World of Warcraft and virtual worlds like Second Life can help with "morale, communiction, and alignment all while honing skills like data analysis, teamwork, recruitment, leadership, and more." Even Google CEO Eric Schmidt was recently touting this phenomenon.
For those that track the millennials, the concept of gameification is often cited as one of the key differentiators in their abilities.
Friday, April 2, 2010
While this development was inevitable, it is interesting to finally see this in action. Tufts University is allowing applicants to submit an optional one-minute YouTube video says something about the potential student. The administration notes that the video submission is optional and not part of the evaluation criteria. However, with the power of rich visual media, it is hard to imagine that video submissions do not provide a subtle advantage for those that submit them.
With the imminent release of the iPad (it debuts in selected stores this weekend) there is a lot of buzz being generated. However, the real question is what happens post-launch, not only with the iPad, but with the tablet market? As previously noted, the tablet market was uninspired and somewhat languishing, but with Apple's entry into the market there is a renewed focus and vigor. CrunchGear author John Biggs predicts the evolution of the tablet computer over the next two years.
(Submitted by Simon Rycraft).
Panorama Consulting just released their 2010 ERP Vendor Analysis Report. This includes their findings on implementation costs, satisfaction, and benefits realization. The report covers 20 ERP software vendors, broken down into 3 tiers.
A few weeks ago, the Tech Advocacy Newsletter provided some basic definitions offering to make sense of the various G’s of wireless technology. As a follow up here are two articles that take the discussion further, including a new book entitled The New World of Wireless: How to Compete in the 4G Revolution, by Scott Snyder. One of the referenced articles is a transcript for a interview by Knowledge@Wharton with the author. What can we expect when 4G is finally rolled out? When can we expect this to happen? What has to happen to make it possible? What is the “digital swarm”?
(Submitted by Judi Carithers)
The Spend Matters blog just ran an interesting story about software providers that tracks information about suppliers in the social networking universe. Setting news alerts to track a supplier is easy, but these tools are do not track the various social media outlets (blogs, wikipedia, YouTube, etc...). The article notes two tools that offer this functionality.
(submitted by Helen Clegg)
Labels: Social Networking


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BENTOVILLE, Ark., February 28, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Black Businessa nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for Black people through economic development, today announced its partnership with Remote yeara transformational community platform for remote working globally, to expand its 8-week acceleration program, In the dark, internationally. The first international cohort will bring together 15-20 US-based startup founders The cap and Johannesburg, South Africa in the third quarter of this year. Black Venture In the dark seeks to improve the quality of life through entrepreneurship, supporting the creation and development of the minority workforce. The cohort program will specifically focus on Black and minority founders of startups focused on the future of work, as well as the travel and hospitality industry, providing them with weekly training and mentorship on way to grow their business.
Through the partnership with Remote Year, cohort participants will complete their classroom training with full cultural immersion in South Africa including private local accommodation, coworking space, access to local experiences, community programming, social impact projects, staff, health and safety resources, city and program orientations and more. Beyond the curriculum and the exposure participants will receive, the program will provide new opportunities for increased creativity, global thinking, and access to global opportunities given the rise of remote working. Applications for the program are now open and will close on May 15.
“We believe the rise of remote working is here to stay and has already fundamentally changed the way businesses operate and adapt. With this partnership, we are putting the best and brightest minds from around the world into creating of solutions for the future of work,” mentioned Keenan Beasley, Founder of Black Venture. “As we expand internationally, we’re also able to bring even more diverse founders and entrepreneurs into our community to network, impact and empower.”
This program is best suited for entrepreneurs whose businesses are already set up for remote work and are ready to scale remotely. Entrepreneurs in the cohort will gain first-hand experience and insight into the intricacies of operating a global supply chain and scaling internationally. Up to 20 percent of cohort participants will be locally based in South Africa as part of Remote Year’s commitment to positively impact the local communities in which it operates. Participants will learn how to cultivate international appeal for their products and services based on real-world networking experiences with other global entrepreneurs.
“Remote Year is built on the belief that travel and remote work lead to innovation, exploration, and personal and professional growth,” said Tue Le, VP of Brand, Product and the community at Remote Year. “Partnering with Venture Noire is a natural fit for us as we not only share these same beliefs, but also a deep commitment to using our platforms to solve global inequalities and create tangible benefit for Black and minority business owners, the local community. and the global economy. We are excited to launch this program as the first in a series over the next few years and to be part of the transformational journeys of these entrepreneurs, especially on a continent that has given birth to so many black entrepreneurs and businesses.
Inauguration of Venture Noire In the dark the cohorts included two groups of minority founders in different industries and verticals. The program culminated in December 2021 with a virtual ceremony and pitch competition. Going forward, Venture Noire plans to announce additional vertical-specific programs and partners to ensure founders receive maximum value. Upcoming vertical programs include commerce-focused businesses such as beauty, pet care, food and beverage, health and home. For more information, please visit www.venturenoire.org.
ABOUT DARK VENTURE
Venture Noire is a 510c3 Accredited Nonprofit Partner for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Venture Noire was created to improve the quality of life for Black people through workforce creation and economic development. Through its programming, Venture Noire’s mission is to accelerate communities of color by catalyzing the success of minority-owned businesses in the digital economy.
Venture Noire’s ecosystem includes dozens of minority-owned startups that are at the forefront of technology, innovation, and creativity.
ABOUT THE DISTANCE YEAR
Remote Year is the leading global community-based travel platform that sparks unlimited, borderless opportunities for growth and change through remote work and immersive local experiences. Since 2015, Remote Year has hosted over 90 life-changing programs in over 40 destinations for over 4,000 people and proudly earned an Excellent (4.6) rating on Trustpilot.
Remote Year believes in the transformative power of travel and empowers people to unleash their human potential by living, working, learning and growing in the world’s most inspiring destinations on 1 week or 1 month, 4 month and 12 month retreats month. one-month trips.
As a pioneer in remote work and a fully remote and virtual company, Remote Year believes that travel and remote work lead to innovation, exploration, and personal and professional growth.
SOURCE Venture Black


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- 22 Apr: Ramuc Pool Coatings Offers Literature in Spanish
SOURCE: Ramuc Pool Coatings
Ramuc Pool Coatings is pleased to announce it is now providing several literature pieces in Spanish as well as English. Responding to customer feedback, RAMUC has learned that many service techs and retailers are bilingual and should have materials available in the language that meets their comfort level. More important...
- 19 Apr: Blue Label Labs Launches MLB Players Association Mobile App
SOURCE: Blue Label Labs
New York, NY (April 18, 2019) – Blue Label Labs, one of the largest and most distinguished application developers in the US, announces the completion and launch of its Major League Baseball Players Association mobile app, built for use by all MLB players.
- 18 Apr: D1 Training Announces Accelerated 2019 Franchise Development Efforts at Annual Summit
Leading Fitness Franchise Closes Out Q1 with Brand Summit, On Track to Double Open Unit Count by Year-End
NASHVILLE — D1 Training — a leading fitness concept utilizing the five core tenets of athletic-based training to help people of all ages achieve their sport and fitness goals — has announced at its annual summit the significant achievements t...
- 18 Apr: Ephesus Sports Lighting Named Title Partner of the Triple-A Baseball National Championship Game
DUBLIN, OH - April 15, 2019 - Triple-A Baseball announced today that Ephesus Sports Lighting, the leader in solid-state sports lighting, has been named an official partner of Triple-A Baseball for the 2019 season.
- 18 Apr: National Golf Foundation Releases 2019 Golf Industry Report
SOURCE: National Golf Foundation
NGF’s consolidated report on the state of the golf industry features participation and course supply data along with rounds-played and golf’s reach
Jupiter, FL – The National Golf Foundation (NGF), the only trade organization that works with every sector within the golf industry, has released its 2019 Golf Industr...


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See Pharrell Williams sing his track Happy at the Intimissimi on Ice Opera Pop
Italian lingerie label Intimissimi chose a unique way to present their latest collection last Saturday, with a pop opera on ice. Diverting eyes away from Milan Fashion Week and onto the Arena di Verona, where Intimissimi showcased their beautiful new designs at the frozen amphitheatre.
But the crowd were in for a little extra treat, as Pharrell Williams performed his track Happy, live on the ice. The superstar was joined on stage by Canadian singer Kiezsa and was watched by some of the world’s most famous underwear models, from Irina Shayk to Abbey Clancy.
See our exclusive shots from the show below.
Shop the latest collections at intimissimi.com


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This week Google began rolling out a new Compose interface for Gmail. If you have not yet received then you soon will — it is spreading to users gradually. The new look is based on a version that has been tested as a Labs feature for some time now, and Google spent that time looking for input from those brave souls who opted to test it out.
Now, according to product manager Phil Sharp, the company is “ready to introduce the new compose experience as the default for everyone. We’re looking forward to hearing what you think”.
Changes include, not only a completely new look, but also the ability to send files using Google Drive, pop-out replies and support for originally missing features like starring and labeling when composing and the Canned Responses lab.
You will not need to do anything to get all of this — it will come to you, even if you do not want it. The announcement was made by Google two days ago and it found its way into my Gmail this morning. When it finds you it will pop up a box explaining how the features work. There is no option to go back.


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EL SEGUNDO, USA: Concerned about their image as they face the specter of bankruptcy, many memory chip suppliers are attempting to paint a more optimistic picture of the business by talking up a potential market recovery.
However, while overall memory chip prices are expected to stabilize during the remaining quarters of 2009, iSuppli Corp. believes a true recovery in demand and profitability is not imminent.
After a 14.3 percent sequential decline in global revenue in the first quarter DRAM and NAND flash, the market for these products will grow throughout the rest of the year. Combined DRAM and NAND revenue will rise by 3.6 percent in the second quarter, and surge by 21.9 percent and 17.5 percent in the third and fourth quarters respectively.
“While this growth may spur some optimism among memory suppliers, the oversupply situation will continue to be acute,” said Nam Hyung Kim, director and chief analyst for memory ICs and storage at iSuppli.
“For example shipments of DRAM in the equivalent of the 1Gbit density will exceeded demand by an average of 14 percent during the first three quarters of 2009. This will prevent a strong price recovery, which will be required to achieve profitability for most memory suppliers.”
Due to a long-lasting glut of DRAM, the imbalance between supply and demand is too great for this market to recover to profitability any time soon.
“Even if all of the Taiwanese DRAM suppliers idled all their fabs, which equates to 25 percent of global DRAM megabit production, the market would remain in a state of oversupply,” Kim said. “This illustrates that the current oversupply is much more severe than many suppliers believe—or hope.”
Besides cutting capacity, which suppliers have already been doing, they presently have few options other than waiting for a fundamental demand recovery. iSuppli believes that another round of production cuts will take place in the second quarter, which will positively impact suppliers’ balance sheets late this year or early in 2010 at the earliest.
DRAM prices now amount to only one-third-level of Taiwanese suppliers’ cash costs. Unless prices increase by more than 200 percent, cash losses will persist for these Taiwanese suppliers.
While average megabit pricing for DRAM will rise during every quarter of 2009, it will not be even remotely enough to allow suppliers to generate profits in this industry. The industry needs a dramatic price recovery of a few hundred percentage points to make any kind of impact.
iSuppli is maintaining its “negative” rating of near-term market conditions for DRAM suppliers.
Confusing picture in NAND
The picture is a little more complicated in the NAND flash memory market.
Pricing for NAND since January has been better than iSuppli had expected. However, iSuppli believes this doesn’t signal a real market recovery.
Most NAND flash makers are continuing to lose money. The leading supplier, Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., seems to be enjoying the current NAND price rally as prices have almost reached the company’s break-even costs. However, all the other NAND suppliers still are losing money.
“While the NAND market in the past has been able to achieve strong growth and solid pricing solely based on orders from Apple Computer Inc. for its popular iPod and iPhone products, this situation is not likely to recur in the future,” Kim said. “Even if Apple’s order surge, and it books most of Samsung’s capacity, it would require a commensurate increase in demand to other suppliers to generate a fundamental recovery in demand.”
However, iSuppli has not detected any substantial increase in orders from Apple to other suppliers. Furthermore, Apple’s orders, according to press reports, are not sufficient to positively impact the market as a whole.
It doesn’t make sense for major NAND suppliers Toshiba Corp. and Hynix Semiconductor Inc. to further decrease their production if there is a real fundamental market recovery. This means supply will continue to exceed demand and pricing will not rise enough to allow the NAND market as a whole to achieve profitability.
The NAND flash market is in a better situation than DRAM at least. However, the market remains challenging because fundamental demand conditions in the consumer electronics market have not improved due to the global recession.
One of the reasons why the price rally occurred is that inventory levels have been reduced in the channel and re-stocking activity has been progressing. Overall, memory suppliers will begin to announce their earnings shortly and iSuppli will remain cautious about the NAND flash market until we detect solid evidence, not just speculation, of a recovery.
iSuppli is remaining cautious about the near term rating of NAND market, holding its negative view for now, before considering upgrading it to neutral.
“Production cuts undoubtedly will have a positive impact on the market in the future. However, it’s too early for to celebrate. iSuppli believes the surge in optimism is premature. Supplier must be rational and watch the current market conditions carefully to avoid jumping to conclusions too quickly,” Kim concluded.


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Increase in local new car sales
The Scottish Motor Trade Association has announced that there has been an increase in the number of new cars sold across the country, including Grampian.
New car registrations in Scotland in October this year totalled just over 13,500 units - an increase of 11 per cent compared to the same time last year.
Local car dealers have all seen an improvement in sales of new models.
Manager of Arnold Clark, Derek Stephen, has seen an increase in car sales, with customers finding the Ford Options offer a significant help when finding a new car.
Looking to the future he said: “The predictions for next year are strong for Ford and we have two new models coming out - a Fiesta in December and a Kuga in January.
“We are expecting a high number of sales for these.”
Gillanders manager, Paul Becci, said: “In Scotland, sales of Suzuki are up six and a half per cent on last year and Peugeot is up by five per cent.
“Grampian holds up better as there are three strong industries - oil, fishing and farming.
“Finance options are popular and more people take these up as it is a more affordable option in the long run. There are no unexpected bills.
“We have seen an increase of around 25 per cent in financing deals.”
Peterhead Hawco manager David Westland said: “We have had a good year all things considered. The local area seems to be bucking some of the National trends. No doubt we are benefitting from the boost to the economy that comes with being in a thriving area.
“As a company we are also very fortunate that the Volkswagen range is so popular with car buyers both new to the brand and from the high level of loyal customers who consistently come back to us.
“We expect to finish about 15 per cent ahead of last year’s new retail sales by the end of the year. I’m sure next year will prove to be another exciting year for us as our most popular model, the Golf, is being replaced with an all-new model in January 2013.”
Mr Westland added: “We know people are looking for great value for money and so the deals have to be right too.”
Scottish Motor Trade Association Chief Executive, Douglas Robertson said: “This further increase in new car registrations is very welcome. We view this as further evidence that consumer confidence is returning to the market perhaps even faster than we had anticipated and our dealers can look forward with much more confidence to the start of 2013.”


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VW Names De Nysschen COO for N. America
Johan de Nysschen has been appointed chief operating officer for Volkswagen brand operations in North America, effective Oct. 1.
De Nysschen, 59, was president of the Cadillac luxury brand at General Motors Co. for four years before being ousted last year. He previously headed Nissan’s Infiniti luxury brand and held numerous executive positions over a 20-year period at VW Group, including head of the group’s Audi brand.
In his new position, de Nysschen will report to Scott Keogh, CEO of Volkswagen Group of America.


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The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has announced a recall of certain types of cauliflower and lettuce due to possible E. coli contamination.
In a post on its website, the agency says the products were produced by California-based Adam Bros. Farming Inc., and distributed in at least six provinces: Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, P.E.I. and Newfoundland and Labrador.
The affected products include cauliflower with the Adam Brothers Family Farms logo, as well as green and red leaf lettuces that were sold in bulk without packaging.
The CFIA says there have been no reported illnesses associated with the recall, but anyone who thinks they may have purchased affected products should throw them out or return them.
It says the recall was triggered by one in the U.S., which resulted from an E. coli outbreak linked to romaine lettuce.
U.S. officials said last week that a water reservoir at Adam Bros. Farms in Santa Barbara County tested positive for the bacterial strain, and the owners are co-operating with authorities.


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Stadia, for what it’s worth, has some very impressive tech and showcases the visions of a bright gaming future, but game developers still have their reservations.
In a recent interview, some game developers voiced concerns about Stadia as a platform and their decisions to avoid bringing their games to it. The report notes that devs are anonymous, as it was their request because they still work in the industry and don’t want to potentially impact their jobs.
Whether or not the concerns are warranted will be subjective to the public, but the bottom line is that both some devs and publishers have an issue with Stadia. And, it all comes down to money and trust. Or rather a lack of trust in Google.
Game developers say they don’t trust Google will stick with Stadia
These are concerns that have been voiced by potential consumers since before Stadia was even launched. So this idea of trust is not a new thing.
That said, this seems to be the first time that publishers and developers have been openly vocal about it. About their fears that Google will eventually abandon the platform. It’s a sentiment that echos the fears consumers have had for a while and perhaps with good reason.
Google has abandoned products before. These were technically less successful products. And any that have been dismantled have essentially had their best features rolled into more successful offerings.
That doesn’t exactly make people feel any better though. Especially after the rocky launch that Stadia had which included a small number of games being available right at launch and a lack of communication.
One development studio said that “If you could see yourself getting into a long-term relationship with Google? But with Google history, I don’t even know if they’re working on Stadia in a year. That wouldn’t be something crazy that Google does. It’s within their track record.”
There’s not enough money on the table
Another big concern or hesitation that’s been voiced is that there just isn’t enough money on the table.
According to a different developer, the monetary offer was “so low that it wasn’t even part of the conversation.” Another said that they questioned if the offer was “enough to give them the resources to make what they want or if it’s an exclusivity deal that offers security.”
Although the report wasn’t able to name this developer due to a request for anonymity, it does mention that it was a very prominent indie developer. Someone that’s well-known.
If there’s one thing that could pose a problem to Google’s success with gaming, it’s not being able to bring in more games because developers don’t trust that the service will be around long enough.
Worth mentioning is that there are games coming to Stadia in the near future and throughout 2020. So it’s not like Google will have nothing to show for its Stadia efforts by the end of the year. Base is coming too, and that may remove some of the fears that people have as they may be able to try the service for free.
All things considered, Stadia works and it has some big launches lined up. Such as DOOM Eternal at the end of this month. Hopefully as time goes on devs and publishers will become more comfortable with Stadia. Because it needs games. The more the better.


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Just a few weeks ago we wrote an article that the fifth international „Nikola Tesla EV Rally Croatia 2018“ will traditionally take place in June with a quiet start in Rovinj.
Nikola Tesla EV Rally Croatia is the first rally exclusively held for electric vehicles in this part of Europe and the only in the world of this type! And now, some very interesting news is coming from the organizers of the Rally – Tina and Igor Kolovrat.
On their official Facebook page, they published a post that says: “We go to China in 2019!⚡🐼 More details soon”! That means that this unique rally goes international, and as the article says the start of the race will be in the town called Chengdu, while the end of the race will be in town Shenzhen.
We look forward to more news from Nikola Tesla EV Rally team to follow up this story about a successful project.
PHOTO: Nikola Tesla EV Rally


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Is There Life After Silicon Valley's Fast Lane?
By JOHN MARKOFF
Published: April 9, 2003
PALO ALTO, Calif., April 8 — Silicon Valley's true believers are having second thoughts.
If there is a religion here in the nation's high-technology heartland, its first commandment has long been Moore's Law, the 1965 observation by an Intel co-founder, Gordon E. Moore, that the number of transistors on a silicon chip would double annually. Dr. Moore later refined his projection, and the doubling rate has held to about every 18 months ever since, virtually dictating the pace of product obsolescence and innovation, and indeed the pace of life, in Silicon Valley.
Now some experts warn that Moore's Law may soon reach its theoretical limits, with dire consequences for the technology industry's economic engine. Yet an influential cadre of heretics is arguing that seeing an end to the slavish demands of Moore's Law could be the best thing to happen to the culture of Silicon Valley and maybe even to the future of technological innovation that is affected by that culture.
"Forget Moore's law, because it is unhealthy," Michael S. Malone, a longtime member of the valley's technology community and an eBay founder, wrote recently in a trade publication. Forget Moore's law, "because it has become our obsession," Mr. Malone wrote. "Because high tech has become fixated on it at the expense of everything else — especially business strategy."
"It is precisely this fixation," he added, "at the cost of other considerations like profit, product and market, that led to the dot-com bubble and bust." Fittingly, perhaps, Mr. Malone's article appeared in the February issue of Red Herring, a venture capital magazine, which has since ceased publication, another victim of the technology bust.
Sentiments like Mr. Malone's seem to find amplification in a new book by Po Bronson, an author who has chronicled life in Silicon Valley. His book "What Should I Do With My Life?," (Random House, 2002) explores "stories of people who found peace and fulfillment by giving up the frantic chase for their dream."
Several of Mr. Bronson's case studies are about people who found the valley's 24/7 relentlessness to be a "toxic environment." Tim Bratcher, for example, worked at Cooley Godward, one of the region's most prestigious law firms, but hated the pressures. He left Silicon Valley for Atlanta and ultimately turned to teaching law for satisfaction.
In an interview, Mr. Bronson said he found that during the boom, even though many people complained about the pace of work and the way their jobs dominated their lives, they were intoxicated by the action and left only after being laid off.
Others, like Mr. Bratcher were burned out by a corollary to the tyrannical Moore's Law: a pace of business that Intel's co-founder and chairman, Andrew S. Grove, referred to as "Internet time" in 1996, at the onset of the dot-com boom.
Dr. Moore's is not a law in the physical sense, but rather a prediction derived from the economics of the semiconductor industry. For more than three decades it has accurately predicted the accelerating power and plummeting cost of computing. Because of the exponential nature of Moore's prediction, each change has arrived faster and more furiously than the one before.
In 1968, for example, the cost of a transistor was $1. By 1995, a dollar bought about 3,000 transistors. It now fetches 50 million. Or take the clock speed of Intel's microprocessor chips, which rose gradually from about 100,000 instructions a second in 1971 to 25 million by 1989. By 2000, an Intel microprocessor was firing off 1.5 billion instructions, and now the rate is 3 billion — and climbing.
It is a business burn rate that continues to claim casualties. Recently, for example, National Semiconductor , a pioneering chip maker, said that rather than continue fighting a multifront war against obsolescence the company would sell its formerly promising information appliance business.
"Hanging in there with the products that keep chasing Moore's Law is increasingly expensive," said Brian L. Halla, National's chairman and chief executive.
Not everyone in the valley is ready yet to call time out. Those who are still thriving have little time or patience for the new wave of reflection — including Intel's Mr. Grove. Asked by e-mail message whether he had new thoughts about the meaning of Internet time, Mr. Grove issued a terse reply: "I am too busy to contemplate this."
Other executives argue that the bust simply provided a much-needed pruning of deadwood and that the valley's round-the-clock style of innovation was alive and well.
"Some people get burned out, but a lot more people come back and continue to participate in the ecosystem," said Kim Polese, co-founder and chairwoman of Marimba, a company in Mountain View, Calif., that makes software for corporate computing systems. "The valley is healthy and innovation is thriving, and we're marching forward."
Dr. Moore, for one, is standing by his principle. At the International Solid State Circuits Conference in February, Dr. Moore, who at 73 is Intel's chairman emeritus, predicted that the law would play out for another decade or so before designers reached fundamental physical limits that would prohibit the doubling of transistors in a given space.
"No physical quantity can continue to change exponentially forever," he said. But, he added, "Your job is delaying forever."
A growing number of Silicon Valley's technical experts, however, question whether Moore's Law can hold for another decade.


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At Unbanked, we’re passionate about building solutions that connect traditional enterprise and banking systems with blockchain–and we’re deeply committed to building the most robust infrastructure possible in order to transform financial services as we know them today.
But to build something life-changing, you need to partner with the best: that’s why we’re so thrilled to announce that Unbanked has been certified as a Visa Ready partner for Program Management within the Visa Fast Track Program. Our organization was already approved in 2020 as a Fast Track Enablement Partner for Card Issuance, but with this new VISA Ready certification, we will now be able to more effectively expand our capabilities to our partners.
Unbanked currently provides infrastructure for many popular cryptocurrency-powered cards available today, making it faster and easier for fintechs to leverage Visa’s global payments network and introduce new crypto-friendly payment experiences. Today, partners of Unbanked are given a seamless way for their customers to interact with cryptocurrencies, using linked debit cards and bank accounts which can act as an easy gateway from Dollars to cryptocurrency.
We could not be more excited that Visa has certified us as a Program Manager in its Fast Track Program, We pride ourselves on offering a full-suite issuance, compliance, and ongoing management service for Visa cards linked to digital assets. Since Visa is laser-focused on championing the fintech community to drive the next generation of digital payments, this partnership will open new doors for meeting the needs of today’s consumer and continue to contribute to the betterment of the global payments ecosystem.
We are excited to press forward and continue expanding our capabilities for our partners to include additional Visa products in the future, such as credit cards, and can’t wait for the Unbanked community to see what we come up with next.


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The Swapper for PC
We are currently working on a description for The Swapper.
See All ImagesThe Swapper Images
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After making the jump from PC to PlayStation earlier this year, indie starlet The Swapper will be coming to Wii U, Curve...
Video game "clones," like the knock-offs you see on the app stores, are bad. Well, except for these clones —...


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Brandweek will feature live discussions with marketing pros at ULTA Beauty, Converse, UPS and more. Meet us in Miami Sept. 11–14 to boost your business and elevate your brand.
Merriam-Webster is such an of-the-moment publication that it’s added terms like “gender-nonconforming,” “snowflake” and “bottle episode” to its arsenal lately, plus identified “they” as the word of 2019. As its editors say, “The English language never sleeps.”
So why has it continued to single out monosodium glutamate in Chinese food, under the heading “Chinese restaurant syndrome,” as the potential cause of a number of serious reactions like dizziness and palpitations, despite a lack of medical evidence?
A new campaign, backed by a Japanese seasonings marketer, seizes on the 50-year-old term and asks the dictionary to rewrite its definition, helping bust a decades-old stigma—and, of course, sell more MSG.


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What is in this article?:
- Supima seen as "iconic" brand among top clothing retailers.
- Growers benefit from marketing alliances with fashion industry.
- New Supima chairman comes out of New Mexico.
Keith Deputy, left, a cotton grower from Anthony, N.M., is the new chairman of Supima. He succeeds Don Cameron, center, a cotton grower from Helm, Calif. Also pictured is Supima President Jesse Curlee.
Brooks Brothers outfits presidents
Brooks Brothers dates back to 1818 with a history of providing high-end clothing fashions in the United States and elsewhere. Dixon said the company has not only outfitted major celebrities over the years, such as Clark Gable and the cast of the movie “The Great Gatsby,” but has outfitted U.S. presidents including Abraham Lincoln, Franklin D. Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy and Barack Obama.
Supima President Jesse Curlee told growers and members that the organization continues to work to make Supima a household brand. “It’s not there yet,” he said, but through cooperative efforts and partnerships with retailers such as Brooks Brothers and other high-end retailers, the organization is confident it will meet that goal.
“We know that the name and brand of Supima has increased tremendously over the past three or four years,” Curlee said. “Our philosophy is to keep the premium level for Supima by keeping our name and trademark at the high-end retail level.”
Curlee praised the relationship Supima has with Brooks Brothers, saying that the cotton marketing organization could not do alone what it has been able to leverage through such relationships.
“Our budget is very limited for a marketing and promotion group,” Curlee said. “We have roughly $3 million to spend here, and it is impossible to do an effective marketing program with that kind of money.”
Curlee said the organization continues to look for new ways to generate income, saying that there are better ways than a dues increase to improve revenue. Dues have remained stable throughout the history of the organization at $3 a bale.
According to Curlee, between one-third and one-half of Supima’s income comes through licensing its trademark. The number of licensees for the Supima brand has increased to 355 in 35 countries, according to Marc Lewkowitz, executive vice president for Supima.


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DENISON, Iowa --With some restaurants and even the city of New York swearing off trans fat, Monsanto Co. recently sent representatives here with a mission: persuade farmers to grow a special kind of soybean that produces a valuable alternative to trans-fat-laden frying oil.
The company and its local soybean processor offered the farmers doughnuts and a simple pitch: an extra 35 cents a bushel to grow the special soybeans instead of regular ones, and seemingly unlimited demand. The special soybeans contain less of a fatty linolenic acid than other soybeans.
Some liked the offer, but others were not so sure, given the extra work involved and the allure of planting high-priced corn instead to feed the ethanol boom.
"I think that the reason that farmers are not catching on to these 'low-lin' soybeans is the premium is not quite enough," said Fred Tilstra, a 69-year-old farmer in Steen, Minn.
As it now stands, there are not nearly enough of the special beans to fill the surging demand. That has created a tricky situation for major fast-food chains and manufacturers who want to stop using partially hydrogenated vegetable oil, a food industry workhorse that is the source of artificial trans fat.
The reluctance of farmers is just one part of the problem. Monsanto and its competitors have not been able to create new varieties of trans-fat-free soybeans fast enough to meet the demand for more varied uses. And the situation is only going to get worse: In the three weeks since New York City announced it would ban artery-clogging trans fat from its restaurants, several major cities and some states, including California, have begun considering similar measures.
"Everybody knows the situation; you just can't pull this stuff out of a sock," said Kelly Brintle, senior vice president of Ventura Foods, a California company that processes and sells edible oils and is also trying to persuade farmers to produce a lot more of the special soybeans. "Our phones are ringing off the wall."
Trans fat, which is in foods as diverse as cookies and french fries, is created when food manufacturers add hydrogen to vegetable oil, a process called hydrogenation, to increase the shelf life of food and stabilize its flavors. For several decades, it was considered a healthier alternative to butter and tropical oils, which contain saturated fats.
But in the 1990s, scientists became convinced that trans fat was more dangerous than the fats it replaced. Not only does it raise levels of low-density lipoprotein, or bad, cholesterol, it lowers the levels of good cholesterol.
A strange twist to the current supply squeeze for trans-fat-free soybean oil is that the seeds were created more than a decade ago, but for years, there were no buyers. One seed company, Pioneer Hi-Bred International, finally stopped research on new varieties in 1999 because of the dismal prospects.
"We waited and waited," said Russ Sanders, marketing director at Pioneer, which is now part of DuPont. "Now the market is expanding faster than we can keep up."
As a result, seed companies and oil manufacturers are offering farmers anywhere from 21 cents to 80 cents a bushel extra to grow the low-linolenic soybeans.
Monsanto has made arrangements with 14 processing plants across the Midwestern Corn Belt to process the beans next year, and it has held several meetings with neighboring farmers at each plant to make its sales pitch.
"Our guys are working really hard to sign up as many growers as possible, but obviously there are challenges," said Christopher R. Horner, a Monsanto spokesman.
This year, farmers planted about three-quarters of a million acres of low-linolenic soybeans, anywhere from a third to half of what is needed to meet current demand, said Steven W. Poole, a spokesman for Qualisoy, an association that researches and promotes soybeans with enhanced traits.
Ultimately, Poole anticipates that as many as five million acres of low-linolenic soybeans could be planted in the United States as more partially hydrogenated oils are replaced.
The soybeans are not the only alternative to partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. Some food companies have switched to palm oil, canola oil or sunflower oil, all products for which sales are growing rapidly to meet the surging demand. Given the difference between supply and demand, prices have risen for many of these oils as well.
But palm oil is high in saturated fats, so health advocates argue that using it substitutes one problem for another.
The other oils have their supporters - Frito-Lay uses corn oil and sunflower oil, for example, while Wendy's uses a soybean-corn blend and Taco Bell recently switched to trans-fat-free canola oil.
Many of the alternatives are more expensive than soybean oil, which accounts for two-thirds of the edible oils consumed in the United States.
KFC Corp. decided to move away from partially hydrogenated soybean oil about three years ago. After testing a variety of oils and getting its food purchasing cooperative to line up farmers to grow low-linolenic soybeans, the fried chicken chain announced the switch in October.
"The soybean oils were the best fit for us because the flavor profile was closest to our original recipe," said Laurie Schalow, a spokeswoman for the company, which is a division of Yum Brands Inc.
McDonald's Corp. is still trying to figure out how to reduce trans fat in its cooking oil, even as pressure mounts from critics and governments intent on banning the substance. The company announced in 2002 that it was reducing trans fat in its frying oil, but it has struggled to find an adequate substitute that does not change the taste of its french fries.
The trick for creating alternatives to partially hydrogenated vegetable oils is maintaining the ability to be heated - or in the case of frying, reheated - without ruining the taste or texture of foods.
Low-linolenic soybeans are popular because their oil can be repeatedly reheated without changing the flavor of foods much, if at all. But while it often works in fast-food restaurants, where the fried food is served quickly, the oil is not as successful in products that require a longer shelf life.
A much larger market depends on several soybean seeds that are not yet available in large quantities. They include soybeans higher in oleic acid, an oily, unsaturated fatty acid, for processed foods including cookies and chips, and increased-oleic, high-stearate soybeans for baked goods such as cakes and pies.
The holy grail is a trans-fat-free soybean shortening for baked goods with just enough saturated fat to remain solid.
'A nice biscuit'
"To make a nice biscuit or a nice cake, you have to have a solid fat," said Bill Hitz, director of food and feed research at Pioneer. "You need some saturates."
All of this, of course, is good news for Iowa's farmers, who ultimately should benefit from new varieties of soybeans that bring premiums. Those fortunate enough to live close to both an ethanol plant and a soybean plant that processes low-linolenic beans find themselves in the relatively rare circumstance of choosing between growing high-priced soybeans or higher-priced corn, at least as long as the ethanol boom continues.
"It's going to be a real hard decision for farmers," said Paul Bruett, a sales representative for BB&P; Feed and Grain in Winterset, Iowa. "Right now, the economic return is better for corn. So it's going to be a real tug of war as we get closer to planting season."
He estimated that corn would return $60 to $100 more per acre than low-linolenic soybeans.
But not every farmer in Iowa has that choice.
James Devin, 35, of Knoxville, Iowa, said farmers south of Interstate 80, where he lives, generally have to rotate growing corn and soybeans because the land is rolling and prone to erosion. Devin said a premium of 50 cents a bushel was easy money, since all he had to do was keep the low-linolenic beans separate from his conventional soybeans.
"Here's your chance to increase your revenue by 50 cents without really doing anything," he said. "The yields are about the same or better. I'd say they are my best bean."
But he acknowledged that most of his neighbors had not planted low-linolenic soybeans because of the inconvenience of keeping the beans separate and transporting them separately for processing.
While Tilstra, from Steen, Minn., used to grow half soybeans and half corn, he now plants two-thirds of his land with corn. For soybeans, he said, "the premium is 21 cents. We're not going to do a lot of work for that. You'll always go corn unless that premium is outlandish, $1 or $1.25."
Kenneth Fawcett, 57, of West Branch, Iowa, said he, too, is the exception in his part of eastern Iowa. He has planted low-linolenic soybeans for three years and collected premiums as high as 80 cents a bushel because his soybeans are not genetically modified to be herbicide-resistant and, thus, sell at a higher price.
But he said most of his neighbors are more likely to plant corn or regular soybeans because low-linolenic soybeans are too much work. In addition to the need to keep them separate, he said, the processing plant accepts them only a couple of days each month.
"I think a lot of people want to grow the beans because it's the right thing," Fawcett said, but, "the economics have to be there to reward them."


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Latest Payment Processing News
Nov 24, 2021
For any retail or small business owner in the UK, having secured and convenient payment processing systems is a must. Epos Now Card machines have been multitasking in the POS system and thereby helping manufacturers, restaurants, shopping malls, small businesses, and retailers to flourish. Their latest launch – Stellar EPOS Now Card machines has stepped … The post Why Retailers In The UK Must Use EPOS NOW Machine For Payment Processing? appeared first on California News Times.


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Startup looks to help exporters build websites
Despite being a startup, a Hangzhou-based digital marketing solutions provider is looking to help more traditional exporters build up their e-commerce empires.
Xorder (China) Technology, which is headquartered in the same city as e-commerce giant Alibaba Group, helps Chinese exporters set up their own websites in multiple languages, enabling them to directly communicate with their clients and streamline transactions.
“It is important for Chinese exporters to have their own sites to showcase their products, build up brand awareness and gather information and data on potential customers,” said Han Jie, chief executive officer of Xorder, which was launched in January 2015.
Many of China’s traditional exporters set up virtual stores on e-commerce platforms, such as Alibaba and DHgate, because they offer exposure to a huge number of sellers and buyers. However, with a crowded platform comes cutthroat price competition.
“After all, those clients who are attracted by your price will leave you because of a lower price,” said Han, a veteran entrepreneur who began setting up his own business in 2000.
While being on an established e-commerce platform is an easyway to attract newcustomers, a separate website helps exporters retain existing customers, especially when there is a focus on quality rather than price to win overseas market share, saidHan.
Xorder now has about 100 clients — all exporters with annual sales between $1 million and $50 million.
Han said the company, which has 25 employees, has
It is important for Chinese exporters to have their own sites to showcase their products.”
already broken even and is expected to turn a profit later this year.
“With the improving infrastructure in cross-border e-commerce, such as the increasingly high penetration rate of digital payments, the market for business-to-business cross-border e-commerce will soon take off, “he said.
According to a report released in early August by Hangzhou-basedChinaE-commerce Research Center, about 84 percent of online export volume was made via the businessmodel.
Zhang Zhouping, senior analyst with the center, said such exports will continue to comprise the majority of China’s cross-border commerce.
“With the challenging situation faced by traditional exports in China, the Chinese government has taken a lot of measures to smooth the process of e-commerce enabled exports and encourage exports moving from offline to online,” he said.
China’s traditional exports declined 1.8 percent year-onyear to 14.14 trillion yuan ($ 2.12 trillion) last year, but the exports made via e-commerce channels jumped 26 percent to 4.5 trillion yuan in the same period, according to government figures.


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Smartphone shipments in India reached 54.3 million units in the third quarter of this year, a growth of 17 per cent year-over-year, showed data from industry tracker International Data Corporation (IDC) on Friday (6 November).
India was the only smartphone market in the top 3 to witness growth, as both the China and the US markets declined year-over-year in the July-September quarter, said IDC's Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker.
The reopening of the economy in India with fewer restrictions was further fueled by pent-up demand in July and August and channel stocking in September to meet the upcoming Diwali quarter demand.
In Q3, online channel share reached an all-time high of 48 per cent, growing by a healthy 24 per cent year-over-year.
Offline channels registered a moderate 11 per cent YoY growth after a challenging first half of the year.
"This healthy growth in shipments in 3Q20 is expected to continue through October and early November during the festive months," Navkendar Singh, Research Director, Client Devices & IPDS, IDC India, said in a statement.
Xiaomi's Redmi 8A Dual, Redmi 8, and Redmi Note 9 were the top three models nationally, despite Xiaomi facing supply constraints in the early weeks of the quarter.
Samsung registered strong YoY growth of 38 per cent in Q3 with record shipments of 12.1 million units.
India became Samsung's largest smartphone market globally, ahead of the US in Q3, accounting for 15 per cent of its global shipments, IDC said.
The online channel accounted for 43 per cent of Samsung shipments, witnessing unprecedented growth in Q3 with the Galaxy M21 and M31 featuring in the top 5 online models nationally.
With shipments of nine million units, Vivo grew by 27 per cent YoY in Q3.
Realme grew 19 per cent YoY to eight million units in Q3, while OPPO registered 6.1 million shipments.
The premium segment ($500+) witnessed a strong growth of 91 per cent YoY where Apple, Samsung, and OnePlus continued to be the top three players.
"IDC expects the low-end and mid-range segment to continue being the volume driver. As consumer sentiment improves in the next few quarters, upgrades and affordable 5G offerings in the US$200-500 segment is expected to drive growth," said Upasana Joshi, Associate Research Manager, Client Devices, IDC India.
(This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.)
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Chipotle’s annual Nurses Appreciation Day BOGO is set for Tuesday, June 5, 2018.
Restaurant Specials : Chipotle
Chipotle’s annual Teacher Appreciation Day BOGO is set for Tuesday, May 8, 2018.
Here’s our roundup of Super Bowl takeout deals announced by the major chains. Get discounts on pizza, wings, Mexican and Italian foods, burgers and more.
Get discounts and bonuses when you buy a gift card at Applebee’s, Chilis, Outback, Steak ‘n Shake and dozens more restaurants.
Celebrate Halloween with free kids meals and other deals at Baskin-Robbins, Chuck E Cheese, Cici’s Pizza, Chipotle, IHOP, McAlister’s Deli, Morton’s, Sonic and many more places.
Chipotle Mexican Grill’s $3 Boorito is back for Halloween again this year.


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Self-driving cars offer a number of potential benefits, from reducing traffic congestion and pollution to making roads safer. However, there are also some challenges that need to be addressed before they can become widely adopted.
This post will explore the benefits and challenges of self-driving cars in more detail.
How Self-Driving Cars Work
The vast majority of self-driving cars currently in development are based on existing production vehicles. These include both electric and ordinary internal combustion engine (ICE) models. A few fully autonomous cars, however, do exist without steering wheels or pedals. For the sake of this discussion, we will focus on the more traditional models.
Tesla is ahead of the game in this area, having already released an over-the-air software update (version 7.0) with self-driving capabilities for its Model S electric car. The improved autopilot feature uses a combination of cameras, radar sensors, ultrasonic sensors, and data to automatically steer down the highway, change lanes, and adjust speed in response to traffic.
The system is not perfect, however. In May 2016, a Tesla owner was killed while using autopilot when his car failed to detect a large tractor-trailer against a brightly lit sky.
Now that the technology has advanced so far, major automotive manufacturers are joining Tesla in bringing autonomous vehicles to the roads. Nissan has already extended its collaboration with NASA to develop an autonomous car. Meanwhile, GM has announced that it will sell autonomous vehicles by the middle of the decade.
The Benefits of Self-Driving Cars
Autonomous vehicles could end traffic accidents as we know them, significantly reducing the more than one million deaths that occur on global roads each year. In a 2016 TEDTalk, Chris Urmson from Google said that self-driving cars have the potential to cut worldwide accident rates by up to 90 percent. This is because most road accidents are due to human error.
Self-driving cars could reduce traffic congestion significantly as they can “platoon” – or travel close together at constant speeds. This would allow twice as many vehicles to fit on the same number of roads, reducing wasted time and fuel.
An even more significant benefit is the reduction of emissions from cars stuck in gridlock or bumper-to-bumper traffic. Self-driving cars don’t lose patience and switch lanes endlessly while looking for the quickest route. Instead, they look for an optimal route that considers all stoplights and speed limits.
Uber is already planning to use self-driving vehicles, which it expects will eventually make its service both cheaper and more efficient – in other words, more profitable for the company.
Using these vehicles can also reduce the number of Ubers on the road, lower their wait times, and ultimately expand their customer base. This will be especially beneficial in large cities where finding a nearby driver can sometimes take several minutes.
Challenges to Overcome Before Adoption Can Begin in Full Force
Despite the benefits of self-driving cars, the adoption is slow for many reasons. Perhaps the greatest challenge is that these cars are still largely unproven.
Tesla’s autopilot software is the most advanced of the current crop, but it still lacks many features necessary to give full control to an autonomous car. Other automakers have similarly released partial self-driving features.
The cost of research and development is also staggering. Google, for example, has invested more than $1 billion in its self-driving research. Not everyone, therefore, has the capability to adopt the tech immediately, so the waiting time before it becomes mainstream is long.
Another important consideration is the refinement of regulations to allow these cars on the road. Some experts believe that laws are already outdated and inhibit the adoption of self-driving cars.
To run these vehicles, they need to rely on a stable network like 5G. However, the rollout of 5G is still in its infancy. What’s more, although this is significantly better than 4G, it is not immune to interference, making Baw filter technology critical.
Another challenge is consumer trust. Some surveys show that the public is not yet ready to get into a car without a steering wheel or pedals. Others may be concerned about the technology’s safety – understandably so.
Finally, self-driving cars won’t solve every problem. For example, they cannot change lanes when there is an accident or road blockage ahead.
They may also lack an adequate system for detecting and avoiding pedestrians and cyclists, who may not be as predictable as other vehicles, accurately. There have been some accidents involving self-driving cars hitting pedestrians.
Still, many experts feel positive about the future of autonomous cars and believe that many problems can be solved through better programming and technological updates.


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Although the world as we know it might have changed since the pandemic, people’s plans to build or improve their homes are still going strong.
A recent survey conducted by the Homebuilding & Renovating Show found that 94% of the respondents are continuing with their home improvement projects in the next year, while 92% are happy for work to take place in their properties, even with social distancing.
During lockdown and the gradual easing out of it, some 86% of the self-builders and renovators surveyed said they are continuing to research their projects, while well over half (60%) of people’s budgets are protected, with 35% only seeing a very minor fall.
The show organisers also received confirmation from 80% of the audience that there was interest in seeing a virtual event or webinar series online. As a result of this, for the first time ever, the Virtual Homebuilding & Renovating Summer Show will be taking place online from 24-25 July 2020, providing a full two-day experience to ‘undeterred people who want to improve their living conditions’.
Those attending online will be able to discover the products and services needed to begin a project from the comfort of their own home, with no travel time.
“From small plots to big builds, the virtual event is the place to pick up tools and tips and collect all the insights needed,” the organisers say.
Nick Noble, commercial and events director at Future plc, the company responsible for running the show, said 65,000 people registered for the spring events which were due to be held at the NEC, Birmingham, SEC, Glasgow and Sandown Park in Surrey, ‘showing a huge appetite to be inspired and plan a project no matter what’.
He added: “We’re adapting our event concept to meet this demand as it is vital for our audience to continue having access to expert advice and inspiration for their home project, so we’re making our shows easy for people to enjoy, with no travel, risks or cost.”
Virtual attendees will be met with a variety of content, with The Exhibition Hall being the space where people can browse easily by category, exploring exhibitors from renewable energy, windows and doors, kitchens, flooring, lighting and package homes. Those signed up to the event will be able to ask questions, download brochures and arrange meetings with the full range of companies attending the show, or simply leave contact details for a call back.
Consumers can also attend the Seminar Theatre for tips and advice from impartial specialists, no matter the type of project. Here, they’ll be able to find information ranging from a beginner’s guide to building your own home, to kitchen and bathroom design masterclasses.
What’s more, key self-builders and renovators in the industry will join forces to share knowledge and tricks on how to avoid common pitfalls, in addition to showcasing some inspiring projects.
As part of the Masterclass Theatre, meanwhile, topics such as building systems, heating, interiors and renewable energy will be covered by a number of expert suppliers. These 15-minute sessions will combine video content on products and services with live talks from specialist brands.
There is also the Land Hub, introduced by Plotfinder and Potton, where people can learn about finding and purchasing a building plot in bitesize sessions.
Lastly, visitors looking for an up-close and personal consultation with the planners, architects and Homebuilding & Renovating magazine writers, are encouraged to peruse the Expert Panel section, where property specialists including Michael Holmes and Jason Orme will be on hand to share their project experiences.
To witness the full experience, register for free here and make sure you log back in during the show dates.
The virtual show will be available to watch and browse on a phone, laptop, desktop or tablet. The online platform is accessible throughout the live days of July 24–25 2020 and for four weeks afterwards.
You can visit the FAQ section for more details.


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Zefr has hired Manoj Goyal as the company’s first chief technology officer. Starting as New York Advertising Week is in full swing, Goyal will focus on helping pave the way for a new product and tech strategy for Zefr, the company said.
The new strategy will focus on connecting brands with viewers as the former produces more digital video. Goyal, who has worked in advertising technology for many years, will lead the company as it forms a digital platform meant specifically for video-creating advertisers.
Goyal comes to Zefr from OpenX, a digital ad tech company, where he served as the senior vice president. Before that, Goyal worked at Hewlett Packard, heading initiatives in their Cloud Services division. Goyal also held high level positions at EMC Corporation and Sun Microsystems, Inc.
“Zefr’s strategic relationship with YouTube combined with its deep knowledge of video with RightsID and BrandID make it a disruptive competitor in the marketplace,” Goyal said of his new company.
Having recently acquired ad startup Engodo, Zefr is already on the path to working with brands that are active in the digital space. To acknowledge the company’s new focus, Zefr made some internal promotions, moving Jason Kirk up to an EVP role in business development and strategy as well as making Tae Lee EVP of operations and Gabi Loeb executive VP of finance.


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“This strategic announcement aligns with PVH’s goal to optimize and streamline its Heritage Brands business in the ever-evolving retail environment and focus on delivering sustainable profitable growth of its global brands, Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger,” says Emanuel Chirico, chairman and chief executive officer, PVH. “I am pleased to see Pentland Group reunite the Speedo business globally, as they are best positioned to capture the full potential of the iconic Speedo brand.”
The Pentland Group acquired Speedo in 1991, and with the new transaction, it will reunite with the Speedo business globally. The acquisition by Pentland Group comes ahead of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics and the participation of many Speedo athletes.
“We’ve had a great partnership with PVH
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ANNOUNCEMENT 08 Mar 2019
In March 2019, the European Commission amended the applicable import tariff set on husked rice other than basmati rice.
NUMBER OF INTERVENTIONS
Official Journal of the European Union, Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/371 of 7 March 2019, published on 8 March 2019: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=uriserv:OJ.L_.2019.068.01.0003.01.ENG&toc=OJ:L:2019:068:TOC
European Commission, Increase of European import duties on brown rice, issued on 8 March 2020: https://ec.europa.eu/info/news/increase-european-import-duties-brown-rice-2019-mar-08_en#:~:text=With%20'husked'%20or%20brown%20rice,per%20tonne%20as%20of%20today.&text=Import%20duties%20of%20%E2%82%AC65,be%20on%201%20September%202019.
On 8 March 2019, the European Commission issued Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/371 increasing the duty imposed on imports of certain husked rice falling under HS code subheading 1006.20. The duty was increased from EUR 30 (USD 33.72) to EUR 65 (USD 73.06) per tonne. The previous import tariff was set on the Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2012/191, see related state act.
Following international agreements, the European Commission reviews the import duty on certain husked rice twice a year and amends it depending on import levels of the subject good. In this context, the Commission explained in a press release: "The legislation in place highlights that if the level of imports for husked rice in the first six months of the marketing year is below 191,113 tonnes, the duty should be fixed at €30 per tonne which was the case until today’s decision. When it exceeds 191,113 tonnes, but is not higher than 224,839 tonnes, the duty should be fixed at €42.5 per tonne. Finally, which applies in this case, if it exceeds 258,565 tonnes, the duty needs to be set at €65 per tonne. Import duties of €65 per tonne are now fixed until the next review, which will be on 1 September 2019. In the meanwhile, the European Commission is monitoring the market closely."
The import duty was amended in March 2020, see related state act.


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Inkover Streetwear and Luooif Studio at LAFW
LA Fashion Week started Oct. 9 with a showcase of Thai designers. On following nights it put a spotlight on some European designers during the fashion week at the Petersen Automative Museum in Los Angeles.
On Oct. 10, Italian-brand Inkover Streetwear produced a runway show at LAFW. Its Spring Summer 2020 line drew inspiration from Japanese streetwear, tattoos and graffiti. The event was Inkover’s first American runway show.
U.K. brand Luooif Studio also exhibited at LAFW. It took the runway Oct. 11 with a number of ethereal looks. The show also marked the first American show for this brand. Take a look.