text:
“Highlight it Up Blue” is in its seventh year of partnering with three southeast Wisconsin salons. Get some “blue in your do” and support GFI and our message of autism awareness, acceptance, and empathy.
Those who wish to promote autism awareness and acceptance can have blue hair extensions, feathers, or temporary dye added to their hairstyle in recognition of National Autism Awareness Month (April). Products are $10 each or $25 for any combination of three per client. The campaign runs from March 19 through April 20.
- Janet D’Amato of Salon Brillaré in Pewaukee
- Erin Bubolz of Merle Norman in Brookfield
- Legacy Salon and Day Spa in Hales Corners


text:
July 28, 2003
Boosting Fuel Economy Would Increase Highway Safety; Lawmakers Should Act Now
Statement of Public Citizen President Joan Claybrook
Congress this week has the opportunity to do more to reduce our dependence on foreign oil and make our highways safer than it has done for many years. Lawmakers have a chance to do this by voting to boost fuel economy – a critically needed action, given that the fuel economy for vehicles on the nation’s roads has steadily declined since 1988 – in large part due to the proliferation of SUVs.
One measure to be considered, offered by Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), would require all passenger vehicles up to 10,000 pounds, which includes most SUVs, to meet a fuel economy standard of 27.5 miles per gallon (mpg) by 2011. The second measure, offered by Sen. Richard Durbin (D-Ill.), would increase fuel economy standards for passenger cars, SUVs and minivans to 40 mpg by 2015 and increase fuel economy standards for pickup trucks to 27.5 mpg. Currently, cars must get 27.5 mpg, while SUVs must get 20.7 mpg.
Lawmakers engaged in a similar debate over fuel economy standards last year and did virtually nothing. Now, though, we have new facts that put this debate in a different light.
We now know that in addition to bringing down the nation’s overall fuel economy, SUVs are threatening the major achievements we have made in highway safety over the past 30 years because they are driving up highway fatalities. Last year, SUV and pickup truck rollover deaths accounted for 46 percent of the increase in all vehicle occupant fatalities and 78 percent of the increase in passenger vehicle rollover fatalities, according to recently released government data. Further, the disparity in size and weight between SUVs and passenger cars compromises safety; larger, heavier vehicles exact an enormous toll on smaller, lighter vehicles.
Automakers have the technology to make safer, more fuel-efficient SUVs, and consumers want them to. Our campaign at www.bettersuv.org is a listening post for hundreds of consumers who say that they want a better, safer, cleaner SUV. Congress must act. Requiring manufacturers to make SUVs more fuel-efficient not only will save gas and ease pollution, but will boost safety by reducing the weight of the largest SUVs – thereby making them more compatible with passenger vehicles – and using technology to boost fuel economy in smaller vehicles. We urge Congress to take this critical step.
Joan Claybrook is former head of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

domain: news


text:
A tiny 3D printer, dubbed "The World's Smallest" by its Austrian
creators, could lead the way towards making the futuristic
model-making technology accessible and affordable for
The prototype device is about the size of a carton of milk
and comes in at a featherweight 1.5 kilograms. It's cheap too,
costing students Markus Hatzenbichler and Klaus Stadlmann from the
Vienna University of Technology just 1,200 euros (£1,000) to build.
A typical 3D printer, like HP's Designjet CQ656A, will set you back
roughly ten times that, with a mammoth £11,050 price
The printer uses "additive manufacturing technology", which
builds layer upon layer of crafted resin to build tiny models. The
synthetic resin solution hardens precisely where it is illuminated
with intense beams of light -- keep performing this process on
hundreds of ultra-thin layers of the gunk (just a twentieth of a
millimetre thick) and you'll end up with complex objects with
intricate inner structures.
Given the resin tub's tiny real estate you probably won't be
able to build 3D printed bikes, car
parts or robots. But the device does carry a very high resolution head
and intense LEDs, meaning you could use it for applications which
require intense precision.
Some objects that the team of mechanical engineers and
chemical researchers suggest include construction parts for hearing
aids, rare spare parts that are impossible to track down or
self-designed jewellery. Whatever the case, Hatzenbichler and
Stadlmann hope their device leads to 3D printers becoming a household object for everyone to
"With this kind of printer, everyone could produce small,
tailor-made 3D-objects at home, using building plans from the
internet," they say.


text:
Automating the way that location-based ads are delivered and analyzed, Publicis Groupe’s Starcom MediaVest Group this week announced SMG Maps, a location analytics platform launched in conjunction with PlaceIQ, a location-based audience targeting firm.
Starcom and PlaceIQ have been partners for two years, and the companies say the new SMG Maps platform uses data that the two have collected during their partnership. The analytics platform houses data about consumers’ location habits and automates the use of that location-based data in campaigns.
For instance, media buyers can automatically “activate media” based on a consumer’s location. The companies also say different creative sets can also be activated based on location and time.
Duncan McCall, co-founder and CEO of PlaceIQ, said in a statement that Starcom and PlaceIQ are looking to use “context of time and location” to “change the way brands understand and respond to consumers.”
The new platform is open to all Starcom clients, including Coca-Cola, P&G, Samsung and Walmart.
"Pin in map" image via Shutterstock.


text:
Combination of sales, property could be key
Published 9:27 am Wednesday, February 19, 2003
By By PAUL KEANE – Special to The Standard
(Editor's Note: This is the fifth in a six-part series looking at the funding crisis faced by public schools in Escambia County. This installment looks at a combination of a property tax and a sales tax increase.)
Sales tax or property tax, which way to go in funding education in Escambia County? When push comes to shove, it may take a combination of both, at least in the short term.
Escambia County Schools and Brewton City Schools are both facing funding shortfalls after three years of proration and a downturn in the economy, which in turn has caused sales tax revenue to dwindle. By sometime next year, the county school system will realize a total of $4 million less in state funding over the past four school years. Reserves have been depleted nearly as much as they can and administrators are making cuts through attrition and other means in order to stay within the budget.
Escambia County Superinten-dent Melvin "Buck" Powell has pushed for an increase in the ad valorem tax, shying away from a sales tax increase.
And while an ad valorem tax would provide more stable funding -- and not be tied to the spending habits of local consumers -- many city and county leaders, along with business owners, tend to lean away from a sales tax.
Business owners, especially in Atmore, also fear a backlash from consumers should the sales tax be increased. Merchants argue that an increase would push consumers toward Pensacola, Mobile and Bay Minette, both locations within easy access of Atmore. Many consumers argue they can save the tax money while shopping in those areas.
The board of education on Thursday developed a plan to ask the county commission to pass a measure calling for a referendum on a 10 mill increase in ad valorem taxes. That would equate to about $100 a year for a homeowner living in a home appraised at $100,000.
The challenge of a property tax increase may be in its timing, though. Should the measure pass, it would still be January of 2005 before the BOE would realize any revenue from the increase. That means an entire school year plus another semester would pass before additional funding would be seen.
Powell says one option is to borrow against the system's assets, but the State Board of Education does not look favorably upon that action. Once a system has borrowed its limit against its assets, the state can come in and take over the system, making necessary cuts to meet the obligations.
And borrowing would then require a new debt service for the system, and that would have to be covered by some type of revenue. The most logical would be to utilize some of the additional property tax revenue should that measure be approved.
Powell said he and his staff will continue to make cuts and look at other money-saving measures to keep from borrowing money over the next three semesters in the hopes that an ad valorem measure would be passed. For that measure to pass, though, will take a big grassroots efforts on the part of supporters of the increase.
Powell also said some type of temporary funding may have to instituted in order to carry the system through until a potential property tax increase could be realized.
Montgomery County School District passed a similar measure a little more than a year ago, allowing that system to make it through parts of proration without having to dwindle its reserves. Now, though, the system is facing another shortfall in state funding and the temporary sales tax has expired, meaning that system is facing the same problems as Escambia County.
The Mountain Brook City School System recently said the city council passed a measure calling for a vote to increase ad valorem taxes. The measure called for an increase of either 8, 10, 12 or 14 mills, without specifically saying which amount would be utilized. Officials with the system have sent out information explaining what the increase would mean -- both in property taxes per year and in additional revenue for the system -- and the general consensus is that the measure will pass.
Escambia County Commission Chairman Larry White has said throughout a series of town hall meetings that the commission would consider any proposal presented by the BOE, but that any such measure would have to be voted on by the people of the county.
(Next: What can the public do above and beyond tax increases to help public schools?)


text:
CFO Dhivya Suryadevara said GM would be hit harder in the second quarter but declined to provide any projections for that period or the full year.
"We are not providing formal guidance at this time," she said on a conference call. "It's too early to tell until the economy opens up."
In a statement, GM said it intends to resume "the majority of manufacturing operations on May 18 in the U.S. and Canada under extensive safety measures." That plan, which is being developed in coordination with the UAW and government officials, would mean the company missed out on about two months' worth of production.
UAW President Rory Gamble, in a statement Wednesday, did not object to GM's May 18 restart date after calling earlier plans to reopen plants as of May 4 "too risky."
"The companies contractually make that decision and we all knew this day would come at some point," the statement said, echoing what the union said Tuesday about FCA's restart plans. "Our UAW focus and role is and will continue to be, on health and safety protocols to protect our members."
GM's international regions lost $551 million in the first quarter, vs. a gain of $31 million a year earlier, and China equity income fell $543 million, primarily because of coronavirus shutdowns in that country.
Earnings from GM Financial decreased 36 percent to $230 million.
Suryadevara said the pandemic has resulted in minor product changes, such as deferred freshenings, but has not interrupted GM’s work on electric and autonomous vehicles.
In March, GM invested $20 billion in EV and AV development, and the automaker has said it plans to launch 20 EVs globally by 2023.
'Continue as planned'
“Our key product programs … whether it’s our full-size SUV franchise or EV and AV… they will continue as planned,” she said.
GM is in a unique position in its product cycle, she added. The automaker had already launched all-new architectures for a variety of platforms before the pandemic.
“If you look at the product cadence that we are on, we happen to be in the sweet spot where we have made a lot of the investment already from an ICE perspective,” Suryadevara said.
When plants reopen, GM will prioritize profitable products that dealers are running low on, such as pickups, she said. “Obviously truck is our strong suit and that's something we are we're going to capitalize on,” she said.
Visits to GM’s Shop-Click-Drive online car-shopping tool have increased 40 percent during the pandemic, she said. About 3,500 GM dealerships have access to the tool, an increase of about 800 since the crisis started and many dealers converted to virtual sales.
GM is on track with the restructuring plan it launched in 2018, Suryadevara said. It expects to contribute $6 billion in cash savings by the end of this year, and in the first quarter, GM put another $300 million toward that goal, she said.
GM ended the quarter with $33.4 billion in automotive liquidity, including $16 billion recently drawn from revolving credit lines. The automaker bolstered its cash reserves by reducing paychecks for all salaried employees globally by 20 percent, promising to make up for the lost income within a year.
It also extended $3.6 billion under its three-year revolving credit agreement, and GM and GM Financial renewed their 364-day $2 billion revolver.
The automaker has been stoking demand during the crisis with no-interest, 84-month loans and deferred payments of up to 120 days to customers in top credit tiers.
GM last week created a health and safety manual to instruct team leaders on the company's new safety protocol.
"In these uncertain times, we must focus on controlling what we can, and we will continue to take the appropriate actions. As the COVID-19 situation continues to evolve, we are ready to adapt and make any changes to policy in accordance with relevant health and safety protocols issued by authorities," CEO Mary Barra and Jim Glynn, vice president of global workplace safety, said in the 48-page guide.
GM's manual outlines requirements for physical distancing, wearing face masks and safety glasses, and participating in health questionnaires and temperature screenings.
GM's housekeeping team will clean high-traffic areas three to four times per shift, as well as between shifts. Doors will be propped open when possible to increase airflow and eliminate the need for workers to touch them.


text:
Cubot are spilling the beans on their new 5-inch Cubot S600 phone with a focus on camera hardware.
Cubot launch another low-cost but well made smartphone in time for the holidays. Take a look at the Cubot X17 in this unboxing and hands …
It is becoming more common to see Chinese phone makers target specific markets, and for Cubot and their low-cost P12 they are after customers in the UK and Germany.
Cubot are launching another slim phone, with slightly altered specs, more RAM and a new design.
I’ve read a little about the Cubot X16 for the past few weeks but honestly wasn’t expecting too much, but once in your hand you realise that the Cubot X16 is cut from a different cloth.
Cubot’s X16 is soon to arrive, and, as usual, inquiring minds want to know what to expect from the device. The company has added some …
At 6.2mm the Cubot X16 is going to be one of the slimmest, “affordable phones” not a lot of money will buy. Latest news tells us it will feature a scratch resistant display and feature gesture controls too.
Cubot are woking with reseller Coolicool to offer the Cubot X16 at a cut down price of only $76.99 being held on the 21st October.
Chinese phone maker Cubot has announced the new MT6735 Cubot X15, which comes with a 5.5-inch FHD display and a 16 mega-pixel f/2.0 rear camera.
Everyone following GizChina for a while knows, that we are no fans oft he old MTK chipsets anymore. The new 64-bit chipsets offer a huge …
Phone maker Cubot releases their Apple Watch clone named the R8 and dubbed the worlds slimmest smartwatch
If you are in the market for a budget Android smartphone for around $130 take a look at this quick comparision between the Elephone P6000, JiaYu F2 and Cubot X9.
The Cubot X10 is not only a rugged, waterproof phone, but also an extremely sleek looking slab of a device.
The Cubot X10 is another break from the norm when it comes to rugged phones, this time offering an elegant waterproof design.
There is a lot of talk about 64bit processors etc these days, but there are still some fine looking MT6592 chipsets phones out there and prices are lower than ever.
Cubot’s S200 is a low-cost phone for international smartphone buyers with a large battery inside.
Finally, we get our hands on a phone that’s truly worthy of being the budget king — the Cubot S168!
Tis the season to give and feel jolly, so why not brighten up someones winter with one of these great Android smartphone gift ideas for under $200.
Cubot’s latest entry-level phone has a great price tag, HD display and 2GB RAM!
It’s rare to see a smaller Chinese phone maker use a processor not made by Mediatek, so Cubot’s annoucment that they have teamed up with Qualcomm on the Cubot Zorro is quite a surprise.


text:
- Strong job market may drive another big Fed rate increase.
- New-vehicle sales have risen from a year ago though still limited by tight supply, high prices and low incentives.
- Used vehicle sales drop; wholesale vehicle values decline again.
The September employment report revealed a too-strong job market and raised the likelihood of the Fed doing another jumbo rate increase in early November. September saw slowing but strong job growth and a decline in the unemployment rate back to the pre-pandemic low of 3.5%. Wage growth was steady.
Jobless claims have moved higher in recent weeks but remain low by historical standards.
The light new vehicle sales seasonally adjusted annual rate (SAAR) increased in September to 13.5 million from 13.1 million in August. September sales volumes were down 1% from August but up 9.5% from last year. Tight supply, high prices and low incentives continue to limit sales.
Used sales declined in September from August and were down 10% from last year. Used retail and wholesale supply also fell in September. Wholesale vehicle values declined again in September and are now down from a year ago, according to the Manheim Used Vehicle Value Index.
Job Growth Slows in September, Remains Too High to Reduce Inflation
Job growth decelerated in September but was close to expectations and remains at a pace that is too strong for the Fed’s desire to reduce inflation.
September saw 263,000 jobs created, and the last two monthly numbers were revised for a net increase of 11,000 more jobs than originally estimated, even though job creation in August was revised down to 275,000.
Most major private sectors saw gains in jobs over August. Education and Health Services and Leisure and Hospitality saw the largest gains. Auto dealers shed 1,800 jobs, leaving employment down 80,600, or 6.1% below the February 2020 level. Total payrolls now exceed February 2020 payrolls by 514,000.
Unemployment Rate Dips to Pre-Pandemic Low
The headline unemployment rate declined back to 3.5% in September, so back to the pre-pandemic low in February 2020. The labor force participation rate fell to 62.3% from 62.4% in August. Participation is still down 1.1 percentage points from February 2020 and represents 2.9 million fewer people in the labor force compared to February 2020.
The underemployment rate, the broadest measure of unemployment, also declined to 6.7% from 7.0% in August. That rate is now back to what it was in June and July and lower than what it was before the pandemic began. Monthly average hourly earnings growth was unchanged at 0.3%, and earnings growth slowed to 5.0% compared with a year ago.
Initial jobless claims increased slightly in September, but continuing claims fell. However, both initial and continuing claims are starting to rise again in the latest weekly data. All measures remain very low by historical standards, and all measures of continuing claims remain well below what they were before the pandemic.
New-Vehicle Sales Drop Slightly Month Over Month, Improve Year Over Year
August total new-light-vehicle sales were up 9.5% from a year ago. By volume, September new-vehicle sales were down 1% from August. The September SAAR was 13.5 million, a 10% increase from last year’s 12.3 million and up 2.9% from August’s 13.1 million.
Combined sales into large rental, commercial, and government fleets were up almost 25% in September from a year ago. Sales into rental were up 18% year over year, while sales into commercial fleets were up 38%, and sales into government fleets were down 2%.
Including an estimate for fleet deliveries into dealer and manufacturer channels, the remaining retail sales were estimated to be up 8.2%, leading to an estimated retail SAAR of 11.8 million, up 0.3 million from last month, or 2.6%, and up 0.9 million or 8.5% from last September’s 11.2-million pace. The fleet share of 12.3% was down from August but up from last September’s 11.2%.
New-Vehicle Prices Stay High
The average transaction price of a new vehicle in September exceeded the average MSRP for the sixteenth month in a row, and the average price at $48,094 declined slightly but was up 6.1% from a year ago. Check back in the Newsroom for more details that will be published on Wednesday, October 12.
With the average incentive spend declining to $1,005 in September, incentives as a percentage of average transaction price fell to 2.1%, a new 20-year low.
Used-Vehicle Retail Sales Declined in September, but Supply is Healthy
We estimate that used retail sales declined 8% in September from August, and sales fell 10% from a year ago. Certified pre-owned (CPO) sales were down 12% in September compared with last year, as sales volumes declined 5% from August to September.
Using estimates of used retail days’ supply based on vAuto data, September ended at 48 days of supply, down from 51 days at the end of August but higher than how September 2021 ended at 41 days. Leveraging Manheim sales and inventory data, wholesale supply ended September at 27 days, higher than how September 2021 ended at 19 days but down one day from August.
Wholesale vehicle values, according to the Manheim Used Vehicle Value Index (MUVVI), declined 3.0% in September on a seasonally adjusted basis. The decline left the Index at 204.5, down 0.1% from a year ago. The unadjusted price change in August was a decline of 2.1%, leaving the prices down 2.3% from a year ago. Watch a replay of the Q3 MUVVI call for more details.
Jonathan Smoke is chief economist at Cox Automotive.


text:
Skip to main content
Park Rapids Enterprise
DNR expands Score the Shore lake habitat evaluation
Annual service held at memorial marine built as a tribute to friends killed in Vietnam
Incidents: Hubbard County Sheriff's Office report
Talking ticks: Essentia Lunch and Learn
Nevis Schools could see 600 students
Braves open with loss to B/EV
Replacing key players will be key to successful season for Tigers
Tigers counting on defending conference title, contending in section
Defense dominates in UNC’s 40-0 win over Pelican Rapids
Panthers split duals at Sauk Centre
Claron "Jeff" Swenson
BEULAH "BEA" CRABB
CLARON "JEFF" SWENSON
City to take over management of Fargodome
Google morphs into 'Alphabet' in major shake-up
Shooting Star plans new casino in Bagley
Find out what is happening here.
The Beatles at Met Stadium: 50 years ago today
Founder of Zorbaz chain dies
Bluegrass band performing Aug. 20
Lakeside, country music concert to benefit AIS fund
Zimmerman man admits to illegally taking multiple deer from wildlife refuge east of St. Cloud
Fishing for ciscoes takes a variety of methods
‘Silver’ butterfly counts end; numbers down
DNR northern pike proposal: Three separate fishing regions and regulations
Minnesota tribal members will harvest rice without state license in test of 1855 treaty
Letter: Other words to describe Enbridge pipeline plans
Editorial: Local marine's memorial good for area veterans
Letter: Grateful for kind Park Rapids PD officers
Hummel: Water, water everywhere?
Letter: Rental property concerns dismissed
May 14, 2015
Woodland Store under new ownership; had banner weekend
BY Sarah smith firstname.lastname@example.org The Woodland Convenience Store’s new owners had a gangbuster weekend with opening fishing...
May 14, 2015 - 2:23pm
May 6, 2015
Johnson’s readies for Opener
BY Sarah smith email@example.com As the fishing opener approaches, Mike Johnson worries that his staff is a week behind in...
May 6, 2015 - 9:57am
April 22, 2015
Gigabit Internet service comes to Lake George area
Gigabit Internet service has come to Lake George. Paul Bunyan Communications has upgraded the communications network it has in the Lake George area making GigaZone services now available to close to 500 locations in an area that stretches from east of Lake George west to Itasca State...
April 22, 2015 - 11:55am
Beeswax products are a sweet remedy
BY Sarah smith firstname.lastname@example.org Danie Pearson is a one-woman Army of promotional projects. If you wanted a bad pun, she’s...
April 22, 2015 - 11:53am
April 16, 2015
RD Offutt employees clean Straight River roadside ditches
--- A wrench, a ballpeen hammer, and an unopened, thawed frozen pizza are just a few of the items R.D. Offutt Company team members found on Friday,...
April 16, 2015 - 10:21am
April 15, 2015
Minnesota grocer Coborn's to add four Wisconsin stores
ST. CLOUD — Minnesota-based grocery store chain Coborn’s has acquired Marketplace Foods, a western-Wisconsin based grocery and liquor store chain. Coborn’s also owns Cash Wise Foods and Save-A-Lot grocery stores. The move will add 400 employees and four Wisconsin...
April 15, 2015 - 8:19am
April 9, 2015
New GM at Headwaters has big plans
BY Sarah smith email@example.com The weather is perfect for spring golfing, minus about 20 degrees of warmth. Tadd Usher is...
April 9, 2015 - 8:55am
March 25, 2015
Tuning in to an instrumental career
BY Sarah smith firstname.lastname@example.org Milton Hanson has been a music buff his whole life. “I play everything,” he said. “If...
March 25, 2015 - 2:37pm
Kraft Foods to merge with ketchup maker Heinz
Ketchup maker H.J. Heinz Co, owned by 3G Capital and Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway Inc, is acquiring a majority stake in Kraft Foods...
March 25, 2015 - 11:08am
March 12, 2015
Basic Business Cents: Leadership should follow PDSA cycle
By Lou Schultz / Enterprise business columnist Leadership likes to believe it can effect change in its organization at its will but it is easier said than done. Inertia and culture can be tremendous obstacles to change. Lip service may be paid to edicts to change but the work keeps...
March 12, 2015 - 8:38am
Tinkering his way into a career: New HVAC business opens in Park Rapids
BY Sarah smith email@example.com Garrett Kennedy loves his work. A tinkerer since childhood, he drove his parents nuts taking...
March 12, 2015 - 8:35am
March 4, 2015
Target plans to cut thousands of jobs in Minnesota
BY Tom Webb/ St. Paul Pioneer Press MINNEAPOLIS -- Target said it plans to cut “several thousand” jobs at its Minneapolis corporate offices...
March 4, 2015 - 9:40am
February 25, 2015
Basic Business Cents: Culture eats strategic plans for lunch every time!
By Lou Schultz What is this thing called organizational cultural and why is it important to you? Good question; one that we all know is critical to success of an organization but is difficult to describe and influence. Webster describes culture as, “(a) development, improvement...
February 25, 2015 - 12:30pm
Pending approval, new PR bank to be called Northview
BY Sarah smith firstname.lastname@example.org Park Rapids’ newest bank will be called Northview if a sale of State Bank is approved by...
February 25, 2015 - 12:07pm
February 15, 2015
Dog food made by Perham company is recalled
St. PAUL – The Minnesota Agriculture Department has alerted consumers to a voluntary recall of Nutrisca dog food, made by Tuffy’s Pet Foods in Perham. The company is recalling certain lots of four-pound bags of Nutrisca chicken and chickpea recipe dry dog food, which...
February 15, 2015 - 5:10pm


text:
London’s embattled West End has been dealt a “hammer blow” in its bid to recoup from a disastrous year as the U.K. government prepares to push through more stringent Covid measures in a so-called “Plan B” initiative.
The government’s new measures will require mask to be worn in most indoor locations and on public transport, while it has issued a work from home advisory that saw already depressed commuter numbers fall by a fifth this morning.
The moves come at a time when South African Covid variant omicron shows every sign of sweeping through the U.K. and the CEO of New West End Company – the organization that represents 600 brands, restaurants and businesses in the West End – reacted with dismay to the news.
Jace Tyrrell said: “While our top priority remains the safety and wellbeing of our customers and colleagues, and we fully support mandatory mask wearing in shops, the renewed work from home order during the most important trading period of the year is a hammer blow for our retail and leisure tenants. Many businesses have committed time and money in their Christmas plans in a bid to make up for last year’s losses – vital investment that they won’t be able to recoup.”
New West End Company had revealed its latest footfall figures for last week, with footfall up 3% week on week in encouraging new for London’s primary shopping district, even those these figures were still down nearly a third from pre-pandemic figures.
MORE FOR YOU
Footfall was up 3% week-on-week and up 43% year-on-year in the week commencing 6th December, with Sunday experiencing the biggest boost, with footfall across the West End up 26% week-on-week. However, West End footfall was still down 30% compared with 2019.
Tyrrell reflected: “Retail and hospitality is the largest private sector employer in Britain, and it is vital that the Government now focuses on how it can help match the pace of restrictions with vital business support. We urge the Government to look at temporary measures to ease pressure on cash flow, such as reducing or delaying VAT payments, business rates and other corporate costs. We must see a clear path out of Plan B and back to recovery.”
London Feels Monday Blues
The number of passengers on the London Underground on Monday morning was down 18% on last week as the reintroduction of working from home advice had an immediate impact on commuter numbers, Transport for London revealed.
TfL said there were one million entries and exits on the Underground by 10am, compared with about 1.22 million on Monday last week, equivalent to about 500,000 journeys.
This represents about 46% of normal morning rush hour passenger figures on the Tube, compared with pre-pandemic levels. Passenger numbers on the buses were down 6% week-on-week to 1.15 million journeys.
Fragile Recovery Rocked
While the pace of spread of omicron across the U.K. makes it tough for retailers to argue against new measures, the timing could hardly be worse for London’s West End. Oxford Street has already seen the loss of department stores, the likely acquisition of Selfridges and unprecedented retail vacancies along the famous retail avenue, which has become home to, among other things, multiple American Candy stores.
Although the West End was boosted with the recent announcement that IKEA would take the former Topshop flagship on the junction between Oxford Street and Regent Street, central London has borne the brunt of lockdown measures since March 2020.
The number of overseas tourists to Britain in the run-up to Christmas was already expected to plunge by three quarters compared with 2019, according to trade body UKinbound. And its study was carried out before Saturday’s announcement by Prime Minister Boris Johnson of fresh restrictions on travel to Britain, which suggests the true picture for businesses reliant on foreign tourists will now be even worse.
All overseas arrivals must self-isolate and take a PCR test from 4am Tuesday under measures to curb the spread of the omicron strain.
UKinbound chief executive Joss Croft said of the impact on London’s shops: “With annual revenues down 93% and international visitors expected to be down 75% during a critical part of the year – Christmas – businesses are skating on thin ice. The cancelling of London’s New Year’s Eve fireworks and New Year’s Day Parade, both huge draws for international visitors, have only exacerbated problems.”


text:
PARIS — High fashion’s international push continues to bear fruit.
Although couture week in Paris, which kicks off Monday, remains a crucial moment for creative expression and brand-building, houses are increasingly banking on client-focused events in emerging markets to fuel the rare enterprise.
Consider Giorgio Armani, who took his Armani Privé collection to Beijing last May, catapulting his profile in the burgeoning region — and bumping up his client base by 10 percent.
“It really helped increase the number of couture clients we have in Asia,” Armani told WWD. “Armani Privé sales in Asia, in fact, account for 20 percent of total sales.…We are also noticing an increased interest for our Armani Privé accessory and jewelry range, which we will continue developing in 2013.”
“We are trying hard to explore emerging markets,” added Ralph Toledano, president of the fashion division at Puig, noting couture at Jean Paul Gaultier registered a “slight increase” in high-fashion sales last year, and is still largely reliant on so-called Western markets. Gaultier staged a fashion show mixing couture and ready-to-wear lines in Beijing last May, and in Cali, Colombia, last October as part of its Fenalco Fashion Week. The latter was touted as the first couture show in the country.
Toledano said Gaultier plans to focus on Greater China in 2013, spreading the couture gospel via a series of client-focused “private parties” rather than press-oriented efforts.
“It’s a more productive tool. I think the return on investment is higher in terms of business,” Toledano said. “We have always been proud to break even in couture.”
Couture’s biggest players, Chanel and Dior, reported double-digit growth in 2012, suggesting that elite clients are insulated from widespread economic turbulence, their spending power hardly blunted.
“Frankly, for us, the problem will be to have enough petites mains,” said Sidney Toledano, chief executive officer at Christian Dior, using the French term for seamstresses. “We have more orders than our capacity.”
He trumpeted a “record year” for couture with a “strong double-digit increase” as clients embraced the streamlined and modernist fashions of the house’s new creative director for women’s, Raf Simons.
Indeed, Toledano noted that Dior’s ateliers remained open through the Christmas and New Year holidays, both to fill a glut of orders and to realize new looks destined to parade in a tent in the Tuileries on Monday. Dior is planning two shows, each with about 400 guests, about half of which are clients or potential clients.
Dior reprised its spring couture show in Shanghai last May, and intends to take the collection on the road again, although the destination has yet to be disclosed.
Dior’s Toledano highlighted a strong return of American clients, in addition to wealthy consumers from emerging countries in Asia, Eastern Europe and South America.
“People are looking for quality, real creativity and modernity, which means something different, new, real and feminine,” he explained. “We are right on the target.”
Bruno Pavlovsky, Chanel’s president of fashion, agreed couture’s allure is reaching more regions of the world, citing growth in Eastern European countries, including Russia, and many requests from South America. “Everywhere, we have people who are very interested in haute couture and understand haute couture,” he said.
Last March, Chanel reprised its spring couture show in Tokyo, complete with its jetliner set, which yielded a high level of orders, making Japan a regular pit stop for order-taking, along with New York, Los Angeles, Hong Kong and Mainland China.
Valentino is devoting more resources to its couture operation — both in staffing and in the “richness” of the collections — deeming it “crucial” to the Rome-based fashion firm, according to ceo Stefano Sassi.
“When we want to present the real Valentino, haute couture is always top of mind,” he said, citing 2012 couture sales that were “in line” with the prior year, noting that even “one or two customers” can impact figures.
Sounding a contrarian note, Sassi said, “I still do not see a huge interest from markets like China” for deluxe women’s garments. “It’s something that will develop,” he added.
Gian Giacomo Ferraris, ceo of Versace, trumpeted “strong double-digit growth” for the Atelier Versace couture line last year, “an increase that is in line with the Versace group’s performance.”
He forecast further growth this year as the firm expands its high-jewelry offerings and welcomes clients from markets such as Brazil, Korea and Turkey, in addition to China.
Ferraris added that Versace would continue to organize trunk shows “to present the spirit of the Versace Maison — and Atelier first of all — around the world,” targeting “the most strategic markets for Versace. “
Meanwhile, couture houses continue to experiment with ways to balance their thirst for publicity with the exclusivity demanded by their clients. Many noted that looks are often customized at the request of clients.
Givenchy, which took couture off the runway in 2010 in favor of a still-life presentation, plans to sit out the couture season, while continuing to invest in the rare activity, as reported. “We’re taking a pause,” said Givenchy ceo Sebastian Suhl. “What we’re doing is a continuation of the strategy.”
He noted that not having a runway show has not dented sales progress or press coverage, and hinted that Givenchy would expose its couture on celebrities at high-profile events.
The Costume Institute ball at New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art in May, with Givenchy couturier Riccardo Tisci a cochair, is bound to be one of them. At the 2012 event, Givenchy dressed the likes of Beyoncé, Rooney Mara and Liv Tyler.
Suhl asserted that the unusual strategy distinguishes the house. “We’re in the process of working on many high-profile projects that will involve couture. It’s about the craft, and that chemistry created between a designer and a client or celebrity,” he said.
Suhl cited single-digit growth last year for couture. “We have a positive outlook for the entire business and also the couture,” he said, noting that emerging markets offer particular potential.
Executives detected a continued surge of newcomers from emerging markets such as India, Brazil, Indonesia and Thailand.
For its next men’s wear collection, @roberto_cavalli will show as a special guest at #PittiUomo, running from June 12-15. The brand, which has Florence in its roots, will relaunch its men’s wear collection, which will be presented separately from women’s wear for the first time since Paul Surridge was appointed creative director in May. #wwdnews #wwdfashion (📷: @aitorrosasphoto)
“I was making the guacamole when my scout saw me,” says model @stuckinteenage on being discovered just six months ago while working at @chipotlemexicangrill. Since then Williams has signed with @dnamodels, walked in her first show at @calvinklein and landed on the cover of @vogueitalia – a high point of any model’s career. To read @lisajlockwood’s full interview with the model on her experiences thus far, head to WWD.com – link in bio. (📷: George Chinsee)
“I love the idea of dialogue, period. It’s where I’ve always gotten my inspiration from: hearing other women speak, their journeys and their paths,” said @hereisgina, who delivered the keynote speech during @sxsw for @createcultivate in partnership with @fossil. For her two panels, Rodriguez chose female empowering, female-led and female entrepreneurs to focus on. Head to WWD.com to read more about her thoughts on Time’s Up, growing up in a family of women and why we “need a girls’ club.” #wwdeye #sxsw (📷: @jgreenery)
Leading luxury brand are shaking things up to keep up with streetwear. Case in point: the arrival of @mrkimjones as artistic director of @diorhomme. Jones, who succeeds @Kris_Van_Assche, is seen as one of the handful of designers who can actually straddle the luxury and streetwear worlds — which could lead to even more changes at established brands. What could this mean for the rest of the menswear landscape? Head to WWD.com to find out what experts predict #wwdfashion (📷: @franckmura)
“It’s like buying groceries. You’re going to buy the best mango, the best mozzarella, the best things. You have to, or others are going to take it all,” said @gabrielahearst on why she uses only the finest fabrics. Last week, Hearst received her first @cfda nomination for Womenswear Designer of the Year, and earlier this month she opened a permanent showroom in Paris. To read @jessiredale’s interview with the designer and find out why this is shaping up to be a big year for her, head to WWD.com. #wwdfashion (📷: @francoisgoize)
“It’s an interesting thing, playing a younger version of your mother. It’s an interesting concept. I adore my mom and love her in every capacity, but it was just something that had never crossed my mind,” says @anniemstarke on playing a young Joan Castleman in “The Wife.” The same role will be played by her mother Glenn Close. Read more about her growing up in the film industry as the daughter of producer John H. Starke and Close and what she has planned for the future #wwdeye (📷: @nataliamantini)
@asics is launching a new streetwear sneaker inspired by its latest ambassador, @steveaoki. The Hyper-Kenzen x Aoki, which will launch at @footlocker stores exclusively tomorrow, is a slip-on style that incorporates the brand’s proprietary Gel technology through beads integrated into the midsole for comfort and endurance. Read the full story on WWD.com.


text:
Choppy waters? Shipping in Twin Ports slightly down this year
DULUTH, MN. (Northern News Now) - The Port of Duluth has seen a slight dip in the amount of goods and ships passing through its entry compared to last year.
The Duluth Seaway Port Authority tracks how many ships, and what’s on them, pass under the Aerial Lift Bridge each year. On a month-to-month basis, the Port Authority tracks everything from grain to iron ore to coal. This season is about 8.8% below the five-season average.
According to the latest statistics, around 468 vessels have passed through the port so far this year. At the same time last year, that number was 486.
“I would say we’re averaging about three, two to three ships a day,” Scott Bjorklund, a Park Ranger at the Lake Superior Maritime Visitor Center said.
Just steps away from the visitor center and museum is the Aerial Lift Bridge, which Bjorklund watches as ships come through.
“We do here at the museum, we do keep track of each ship that comes in and out, the times they come in, what cargo they’re bringing,” he said.
The visitor center keeps a schedule of the ships and boats that come through the port. Bjorklund said the schedule is a little bit lighter this year.
“But it definitely does feel a little bit less than last year,” he said.
The Duluth Seaway Port Authority has also tracked the number of ships passing through.
“Obviously hindered a bit by that slow start, but we’re catching up,” Jayson Hron, the Director of Communications and Marketing for the Port Authority, said.
Each year, between 700 and 800 ships enter the port of Duluth. This year, there are several factors Hron points to for the dip.
“Primarily attributed to some of that lingering ice that we had from the late season cold,” he said, “and also some of the hiccups with the supply chain that still lingered from COVID.”
The port had the biggest jump in vessels arriving in August this year. 94 vessels passed under the Lift Bridge, the most since August 2019. The slow start has picked back up thanks to three consecutive months of strong arrivals.
Although there has been a steady flow of ships coming in, the amount of goods on those ships has decreased.
According to September’s Port of Duluth-Superior Marine Tonnage Report, 12,487,294 tons of iron ore came into the port as of September, compared to 14,309,030 tons at the same time last year. Just under a two-ton decrease.
Hron points out a new mineral has jumped up this year.
“One of the biggest movers actually in that other category is limestone, which has actually been our number three cargo by tonnage this season thus far,” Hron said.
Hron said the shipping season ends in mid-January and hopes that it will pick up before then.
“The gap has been closing for the last three or four months now,” he continued, “so hopefully by the end of the season if things continue well, we’ll see that gap closed even further.”
Copyright 2022 Northern News Now. All rights reserved.


text:
By Mazucage - 10.02.2020
Bitcoin price 2009 to 2020 in inr
Year Bitcoin/Indian rupee (BTC/INR) rates history, splited by months, charts for the whole year and every month, exchange rates for any day of the year. Created with Highstock Zoom 1m 3m 6m YTD 1y All From Aug 1, To Nov 1, Bitcoin Price Linear in US Dollars Bitcoin Price Log in US Dollars.
Bitcoin Newsletter Bitcoin Price Predictions Update Sign up to receive Bitcoin Daily — We find the top 3 crypto stories and deliver them to your inbox each morning. Bitcoin was created in early One of the stories that illustrate this growth bitcoin price 2009 to 2020 in inr is that of two pizzas, which were bought for 10, Bitcoins, on May 22,by a Florida developer by the name of Laszlo Hanyecz.
Is there any limit to this growth, and if so, where is it?
Here bitcoin price 2009 to 2020 in inr those evangelists think Bitcoin will go on to be worth. His Bitcoin journey started with an investment back inand by he had multipool tablete Bitcoin price 2009 to 2020 in inr in his hedge fund, general fund, private account.
The tech giant bought his first Bitcoins in The math for his target works like this: firstly, he assumes that Bitcoin can replace all of the gold currently held by private investors — in other words, the gold bars that people keep in safe-deposit boxes or bury in their backyard simply as a way to park their money in something more dependable than paper.
It is gold equivalent…there are about 20 million Bitcoin available today.
When transactions are verified on a Blockchain, banks bitcoin price 2009 to 2020 in inr obsolete.
Bitcoin price 2009 to 2020 in inr earlyVer had begun investing in Bitcoin, now with a portfolio including startups like Bitinstant, Bitcoin price 2009 to 2020 in inr, Blockchain, Bitpay, and Kraken. These targets were instead achieved by the end of Lee and Fundstrat used an average of the percentage gained in price after each dip to arrive at the figure.
Moas has also compared the wealth how to save google authenticator key of cryptocurrencies to that of the dot-com boom.
Gold is scarce, Bitcoin is actually fixed. Bitcoin is way more portable and way more divisible. Here are past price predictions for Bitcoin.
He is also an early supporter of Bitcoin and its underlying technology blockchain.
The host of The Bitcoin Knowledge Podcast had based his prediction on a day moving average. Most notable was his prediction of the end of the Bitcoin bubble, which was then followed by a bearish market for multiple years.
In his May 26th, post, the legendary trader said he expects the price to be reached sometime before Let us know and we will add them to the page. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.
- cnbc bitcoin news
- how can i find out if i own bitcoin
- paypal card reader setup
- buy bitcoin with visa no verification
- what is chain link cryptocurrency
- pci express riser card x8 to x16
- sell osrs gold for bitcoin
- bitcoin com pool review
- greed fear index bitcoin
- investing market futures
- pax gold crypto mining
- ledger nano s latest firmware update
- rsa token datum
- how to work a bitcoin atm


text:
Apple stated Sunday that it was cleaning up its App Store after several cyber security firms reported a malicious program dubbed XcodeGhost had been embedded in possibly thousands of apps. Apple said it was working with developers to get the apps back on the App Store and was blocking new apps that contained the malware.
The Top 25 Apps Hit by XcodeGhost Malware
Apple has provided a simple Q&A section in English and Chinese to help calm fears generated in the media. Apple specifically noted in that Q&A section that "We have no information to suggest that the malware has been used to do anything malicious or that this exploit would have delivered any personally identifiable information had it been used. We're not aware of personally identifiable customer data being impacted and the code also did not have the ability to request customer credentials to gain iCloud and other service passwords."


text:
Ever since a system update released over two months ago, some owners of the Sonos Arc and Sub have complained about reduced performance from their pricey home theater devices. This thread on the company’s forum is a good chronicle of the frustrations. Customers noticed that the Arc had lost some oomph at lower volumes, and for those who had run Trueplay tuning on their setup, the Sub had been robbed of its bottom-end growl.
Now, Sonos says it has resolved both issues as of the latest update. Version 14.18 was rolled out yesterday. And while the official changelog only mentions “bug fixes and performance enhancements,” a Sonos employee went into much greater detail in the forum thread:
With the 14.18 software update, both of these issues have been addressed, and the Enhanced Clarity for Arc adjustments are retained. There was a clear preference within our community for the previous volume settings, and these have been restored. This will be apparent immediately after updating to 14.18.
The Trueplay issue has been fixed. Customers who experienced a lower Sub level after performing Trueplay after updating to 14.12 will need to update their systems and then perform a new Trueplay tuning in order to address these improvements in their system. Customers will hear a more powerful low end response, meaning any Sub level adjustments made after 14.12 should no longer be required.
As mentioned at the beginning there, the 14.12 update that caused all this trouble included some beneficial enhancements to voice clarity on the flagship Arc soundbar. Those improvements are sticking around, but the company is giving customers what they asked for and restoring the volume settings that were in place prior to that update. I’m curious as to how Sonos balanced those objectives, but maybe the Arc still has some remaining headroom to work with.
The recently released Sub Mini was never impacted by the same Trueplay issue that plagued the Sub. And Sonos notes that “home theater configurations without a Sub were unaffected, including standalone soundbars and those bonded with surrounds only.”
With this situation now ironed out, Sonos fans can look forward to the company’s next flagship smart speaker. Codenamed Optimo 2, the device will deliver an immersive listening experience with drivers that fire in nearly all directions. It’s set to be released in the coming months — perhaps as a replacement for the Sonos Five — alongside a mic-free Optimo 2 SL.


text:
24 Jul In the news: Blockchain- the technology to make DSCSA work after 2023?
Verify Brand was recently mentioned in a Pharmaceutical Commerce article, “Blockchain technology: the technology to make DSCSA work after 2023?” Nick Basta wrote:
“[Robert] Celeste’s work group has attracted a cross-section of industry players—and that has value all by itself since each player has a different perspective on needs and capabilities. Participants include Pfizer and Merck, Cardinal Health and AmerisourceBergen, the Geisinger health system, the Healthcare Distribution Alliance, Rx-360 (an industry consortium), and industry software developers iSolve, TraceLink, Unisys and Verify Brand. Mention of longtime traceability vendors like TraceLink and Verify Brand brings up the interesting question whether blockchain will replace part of what these vendors have been doing—creating the mechanism by which stored data can be made available to trading partners. The consensus, at the moment, is that blockchain technology is complementary and not competitive to the software that collects serial numbers from packaging lines and stores them.”
We’re excited to be a member of the Center For Supply Chain Studies Blockchain Core Team, and have been researching blockchain as a potential tool in the fight against counterfeit and diverted pharmaceutical products since 2015. While there are definitely hurdles to overcome, we have long seen the potential blockchain brings to securing the pharma supply chain. Tools like a blockchain ledger will greatly simplify the exchange of transactional data, making the process of tracking items through the supply chain much more robust. The blockchain will be a complimentary system to Verify Brand’s existing DQSA and brand security solutions.
Read the full Pharmaceutical Commerce article here.


text: When Tesla introduced the Model S P100D this past August, the company said it had made the quickest full production car in the world, with the ability to go from zero to 60 miles per hour in a mere 2.5 seconds. Now a Motor Trend test has found that a recent software update can push the car even quicker than that, to a mere 2.28 seconds — 0.02 seconds faster than any production car Motor Trend has ever tested. In November, Tesla Chairman and CEO Elon Musk began telling followers on Twitter to expect a “Ludicrous+ Easter egg” software update that would unlock the car full power, shaving 0.1 seconds off its acceleration time. With Ludrious+ engaged, the P100D is even quicker than Musk himself had expected, though upon seeing the results he tweeted that the car could likely improve its performance more if one were to remove the car floor mats and front trunk liner. While the Tesla is quickest off the line, things start to change once the cars hit the 60 mph mark. Electric cars are known for delivering torque better than internal combustion engines, which helps them accelerate rapidly. However, as Motor Trend notes, the engines of the other supercars give them the advantage at higher speeds. At 70 mph, the LaFerrari edges ahead, followed by the Porsche 918 Spyder and the McLaren P1 at the 80 mph mark. Tesla did not offer any additional comment on the news.


text:
Zip Co Limited (ASX:Z1P)
reports for the first four months of FY21, ended 31 October 2020 that revenue was up 91 per cent to $96.7 million.
Monthly transaction numbers were up 140 per cent year to date.
Customers increased to 4.8 million – that’s up 109 per cent year on year.
Zip US, under the QuadPay brand, accelerated post first quarter FY21, with October delivering record results across all key metrics – $160.6m in transaction volume (up 200% YoY), $11.4m in revenue and more than 2.5m customers.
Shares in Zip Co Limited (ASX:Z1P)
are tradding 2.35 per cent higher at $6.33.


text:
Estimated read time: 1-2 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
Susan Wood ReportingSome exciting news if you love the outdoors, and you like the newest equipment to head out there.
There's talk of a huge retail store coming to the Wasatch Front. In fact this one's so huge, some consider it a tourist attraction.
It's an outdoor lover's indoor haven, where trophy fish swim past you and quaint bridges cross a small river. And soon you may not have to wander far to find it.
According to Utah County Commissioner Gary Herbert, the huge sporting goods store Cabela's is seriously considering coming to town. But Cabela's won't say where, in fact everybody involved in the negotiations is keeping quiet about the deal.
Wherever it goes, it could mean 800 jobs for the store alone, and ultimately four thousand jobs for the entire area.
The place is so unique it would become a tourist attraction. Lehi has a lot to offer Cabela's, including a very visible location right off of I-15 in the middle of Utah's two most populous counties. And the city may be arranging even more incentives with private companies.
It could be such a good marriage, the city is even reportedly negotiating with nearby property owners for land swaps with Cabela's to make the deal happen.


text:
Comentatorii locali tind să jubileze la veștile proaste din America de Sud și la înfrîngerea stângii de acolo. Venezuela e exemplul cel mai clar, tocmai datorită militantismului Chavismului, dar și a dimensiunii crizei. Îndreptăm atenția mai jos spre două analize ce caută să facă mai transparentă economia politică din spatele crizei venezuelene, în contrapondere, așadar, cu verdictele deja cunoscute din presa mainstream (corupție, eșecul socialismului, etc.) Ceea ce se întrevede, în schimb, este confluența dintre o criză sistemică a statelor exportatoare de petrol și speculațiile făcute de capitaliștii locali în vederea acumulării.
How Bad is Venezuela’s Economic Situation?
enezuela’s central bank just did something totally unexpected: it released updated economic figures showing the country has sunk into its worst economic crisis in decades. Data this detailed hasn’t been published by the BCV in over a year, and it makes for grim reading.
The Bad News
Few Venezuelans would be surprised to hear the economy isn’t doing well, but the new figures released by the Central Bank of Venezuela (BCV) on January 15 still felt like a punch in the gut. Annual inflation hit 141.5 percent in 2015 – double the 2014 rate, and easily the worst in the world. High inflation is nothing unusual in Venezuela. Yet since 1999, Chavismo has done a relatively reasonable job of keeping inflation well below crisis levels. However, the new figures also show Gross Domestic Product (GDP) has nosedived, sinking 7.1 percent by third quarter 2015. Growth isn’t everything, especially in an economy aiming to transition away from capitalism. Yet these numbers are extreme. Moreover, the devil is in the details. In its breakdown by sector, the Central Bank of Venezuela’s (BCV) report indicated food costs are among the biggest drivers of inflation. Venezuelan consumers saw the cost of food lurch upwards by 55.7 percent in the third quarter. Overall, food costs rose a whopping 254.3 percent in 2015 – a figure that easily surpasses wage increases by any measure. Increases of basic food costs disproportionately impact the poor, who typically spend a larger chunk of their income on necessities like staple foods. However, the BCV’s numbers also show the state apparatus as a whole is also bearing a heavy load.
One of the most telling figures was to be found in the bank’s current account data, which showed a US$782 million trade deficit for the 2015 third quarter. This is particularly concerning, as those numbers are from a time in 2015 when Venezuelan oil was fetching an average price of more than US$40 a barrel. Today, Venezuelan oil is selling for something closer to an average of US$25. In other words, the trade deficit figures are likely already worse, with no signs of a quick recovery.
Not The Whole Story?
It’s important to note this isn’t the whole picture. Firstly, while the economy as a whole is witnessing a serious downturn, the poverty figures we have available don’t look too bad. On the contrary, the latest official statistics (released in mid January) suggest extreme poverty has continued to remain relatively low. The figures indicate 4.78 percent of Venezuelans now live in extreme poverty – down from 4.9 percent in November 2015, and less than half the rate in 1998. This figure indicates the poorest Venezuelans aren’t bearing the brunt of the downturn, as soaring food prices would suggest. However, the picture remains incomplete, as we don’t have fresh data on purchasing power. This means it’s unclear how well impoverished (as opposed to extremely impoverished) and working class (colloquially speaking) Venezuelans are faring. For over a decade, most Venezuelans have enjoyed a steady rise in purchasing power for basic goods. However, if inflation continues to soar while wages struggle to keep up, purchasing power could go down the drain, and we may eventually see poverty figures rise. For now though, it at least appears Chavista social missions are not only keeping the country from slipping into extreme poverty, but actually modestly decreasing extreme poverty. In times like these, this in itself is a notable achievement.
Behind the Food Lines in Venezuela
In another of our articles on the alleged hunger in Venezuela, teleSUR’s Iain Bruce looks at some of the underlying causes of the shortages the country is suffering.
This week, the Venezuelan government began raising the controlled prices of several essential food items and other basic goods. The aim is to make it’s more worthwhile for producers, wholesalers or retailers to sell them, and thereby reduce the incentive to hoard them or divert them onto the parallel, informal market where they go for many times their official price.
Is There Hunger in Venezuela?
In our previous article, we mentioned this elaborate system of bachaqueo, or reselling. It is the most glaring expression of the food problem in Venezuela, it fuels both the shortage of basic goods, and their exorbitant price.
The figures speak for themselves. In the last half of April, these were some of the prices that the bachaqueros were selling goods for in the poor area of Petare, in the east of Caracas:
There are other mechanisms that divert these goods from supermarkets and corner shops, like smuggling abroad and hoarding. But the basic principle is the same. Private sector wholesalers and retailers, as well as corrupt elements in the public system, resist selling at controlled prices, so that they can make much larger profits elsewhere.
But these are just the symptoms. What really lies behind all of this?
Has the Government Neglected Production?
The Venezuelan opposition’s parliamentary report on the food situation in the country – the one it drew up to back its claim that there is a humanitarian crisis and seek international intervention – has a fairly simple argument to explain the shortages. The Bolivarian government allowed domestic production to collapse and relied too much on imports. Now it has less dollars to import with, that problem has turned into a crisis.
This argument contains a grain of truth but it is incomplete, to put it mildly.


text:
Customers at a new 7-Eleven can get Slurpees and tacos without having to leave their cars.
The convenience store giant has opened the sixth location of its “evolution” store format, at Park Lane and Abrams Road in Dallas. The location also features the first-ever Laredo Taco Company drive-thru restaurant, with indoor seating as well. (7-Eleven acquired Laredo Taco Company restaurants in 2018.) It is the first time 7-Eleven has operated a corporate-owned drive-thru restaurant at one of its stores.
At the drive-thru, customers can select from various Laredo offerings and also order a Slurpee — a first for the iconic 7-Eleven beverage — or choose from over 30 other beverages.
The evolution format is designed as a testing ground where the chain can test new concepts, products and services tailored to the individual market. So far this year, 7-Eleven announced plans to open evolution stores in North Texas and Manassas, Virginia, with more planned later in the year. The retailer continues to tweak the design and product mix of the format based on customer feedback and shopping habits.
In addition to the Laredo Taco Company, the new Dallas store offers an assortment of exclusive products and services, including mobile checkout and delivery. The most popular features include self-serve specialty coffee and espresso drinks, on-tap novelty beverages, cookies and croissants baked fresh in-store, national brand skincare and cosmetics items, and The Wine Cellar and Beer Cave. The exterior includes larger-than-life murals painted by local muralist Tex Moton.
While opening the first Laredo Taco Company drive-thru restaurant with a 7-Eleven store would be exciting any time, we think customers looking for socially distanced ways to grab breakfast, lunch and dinner will really appreciate it now," said Chris Tanco, 7–Eleven executive VP and COO.


text:
For most people, it’s difficult to imagine a world without Facebook, Netflix, or Google. However, in China not only do people live without these internet behemoths, but they scarcely notice they’re missing.
Tight restrictions on foreign tech have fostered massive growth in China’s tech industry. Homegrown sites, apps, and other technology are wildly popular and dominate many aspects of daily life here. Amidst this frenetic development, China has evolved from impersonating foreign tech to developing its own. Now, tech innovations coming out of China easily match or in even surpass those from Silicon Valley.
Here’s a look at some of the biggest successes of China’s tech sector, and how they may influence their competitors elsewhere in the world.
China is leading the way in internet-based banking and investment. Financial technology (fintech) has surged ahead in China, and is now more sophisticated than anywhere else in the world. China alone accounts for half of the digital payments processed worldwide, thanks to an ever-increasing middle class. People in this demographic now conduct the majority of their personal and professional financial transactions through integrated web platforms: Smartphones essentially act as wallets for 65 per cent of mobile users.
Ease and speed of use have prompted widespread adoption of such fintech. Mobile apps such as Tencent’s WeChat - the all-in-one super app - are the ultimate streamlined product for the modern consumer. The WeChat Pay function can assist with everything from shopping, to food delivery, or hailing a taxi. It’s just a matter of time until the convenience of these fintech features reach the social media platforms of the West.
The rise of ‘unicorn’ companies
Part of the reason China’s tech sector is proving so successful is the massive entrepreneurial drive that is encouraging innovation at a grassroots level. The result is the world’s most dynamic startup scene - according to Premier Li Keqiang, 15,000 new enterprises are registered every day. Out of these startups, 34 unicorn companies (private companies worth more than $1 billion) have been born in the last three years. In fact, one in three unicorns is now being created in China.
While Silicon Valley is still the hub of global technological innovation, China’s economy and startup scene continue to thrive and Chinese innovations may soon surpass those coming out of the US.
Developing artificial intelligence
China has a clear strategic focus on artificial intelligence (AI). Instead of simply emulating the US, China is aiming to take the lead and the country has become a hub for AI development. Massive state support along with influence from a powerful private sector spearheaded by tech giants mean AI in China is charging ahead and may outpace the US sooner rather than later.
The premise of teaching software to behave like a human would makes it the perfect complement to e-commerce platforms - such as Alibaba, Baidu, and Tencent (the ‘three kingdoms’ of Chinese tech, referred to collectively as BAT). Tencent and Alibaba both rival Facebook in terms of power, and they are throwing the full force of that influence behind AI. Alibaba recently announced that they would invest $15 billion in research and development of technology, including AI, over the next three years. The initiative will see specialized research labs set up and populated with the world’s top talent.
Although the US still outranks China in the amount being invested, the number of companies involved in AI, and the number of patents, China isn’t far behind. The New Generation Artificial Intelligence Plan released in July outlines a plan to ‘lead the world’ in AI by 2030. With the amount of money, energy, and optimism being invested, it’s entirely possible that the future of this technology will be defined by China.
There is still a long way for China to go before it completely surpasses the US in all things tech, but the day might come sooner than you think - stay ahead of the trend by investing in Mandarin lessons. Get in touch with us today to find out how we can help your business and career goals in China take off.


text:
Thanksgiving is the time to gather with family and friends, and this year, millions of people will be doing just that. This time of year is the busiest time in the U.S. to travel on the roads and in the sky, and this year could be busier than ever. Read on to find out what delays you may face if you're traveling this season.
Busiest in Almost 20 Years
According to AAA, over 55 million people are expected to travel in the U.S. this Thanksgiving. This number is a 2.3% increase from last year, and the third highest since AAA began tracking holiday travel in 2000. Although many people are expected to travel on the roads for Thanksgiving, air travel this year could reach its highest number since 2005.
Regardless of the mode of travel, the weather in certain areas of the U.S. could complicate plans.


text:
As part of Alberta’s red tape reduction efforts, a 7-Eleven in Edmonton is among the first convenience stores in the province to serve and sell alcohol for on-premise consumption and takeout.
Customers visiting the 7-Eleven at 14110 127 St. can order beer, wine coolers to be consumed on-premises in the store's new designated dining area or purchase for takeout.
The development comes of the Alberta Government announcing this summer that the Alberta Gaming, Liquor & Cannabis (AGLC) was ahead of schedule with plans to relax rules around consumption. In a release, the government said AGLC removed “unnecessary restrictions on liquor sales, promoted responsible and safe drinking in designated parks and helped many businesses survive the recent pandemic.”
As part of the changes, convenience stores can sell alcohol if defined dining areas are treated as restaurants. In addition, staff must have Pro-Serve Liquor Training and alcohol must be stored in locked coolers.
In a statement, Karin Campbell, manager, communications, AGLC, told CTV News: "The licence permits this 7-Eleven location to operate and in-store restaurant that offers a selection of alcohol beverage products to adult customers, for consumption in a designated new dining area of the store."
While the 7-Eleven location is 7-Eleven Canada’s first to sell alcohol, it won’t be the last.
In February 2021, 7-Eleven confirmed it was preparing many of its Ontario shops to serve beer and wine after applying for 61 licences from the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario.
Several of those applications have since been withdrawn, however selling beverage alcohol is a major focus for the convenience industry in communities across the country. Until now, only Quebec and Newfoundland allowed for the sale in convenience stores.
Select stores in Ontario can sell through the LCBO Convenience Outlet program, but it's a far cry from Doug Ford's election promise to reduce red tape, offer Ontarians choice and allow for the sale of beer and wine in corner stores.


text:
SPYR Inc (OTCMKTS:SPYR) is a micro-cap player we have been pointing to for some time. The company is an emerging leader in mobile gaming, but the story is a bit more interesting than that. The narrative here is a diversified consumer play that has roots in both the fast casual dining segment (the more conservation growth segment for the company) and the digital gaming and app space. Recent fireworks have been focused on the digital gaming side, with the big news in play at the moment in the form of the company’s announcement that the company’s flagship brand, Pocket Starships, is set to become part of the first group of games available on the new Gameroom platform, now available in beta, for Windows PC gamers that was recently developed and released by Facebook Inc (NASDAQ:FB).
The company also just announced that Farshid Almassizadeh, the former VP and COO of EA Interactive at Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ:EA), will join the SPYR team as its Chief Strategic Advisor. Mr. Almassizadeh will bring his 25+ years of experience in the gaming industry to SPYR as an advisor to SPYR’s management team, the game publishing team, as well as the associated developer community. This should continue to build positive news momentum for the stock.
SPYR Inc (OTCMKTS:SPYR) engages in the digital media and restaurant businesses primarily in the United States. The company engages in developing, publishing, co-publishing, and marketing mobile games and applications.
It also owns and operates American Diner theme restaurant under the Eat at Joe’s brand located in the Philadelphia International Airport in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The company was formerly known as Eat at Joe’s, Ltd. and changed its name to SPYR, Inc. in March 2015. SPYR, Inc. was incorporated in 1988 and is headquartered in Denver, Colorado.
According to the company’s materials, “SPYR, INC. is a holding company that through its wholly owned subsidiary SPYR APPS, LLC, is engaged in mobile application and game publishing and development. SPYR, INC. also owns and operates an “American Diner” theme restaurant located in the Philadelphia International Airport in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania called “Eat at Joe’s” through its other wholly-owned subsidiary, E.A.J.: PHL Airport Inc. The Company is currently exploring opportunities for additional acquisitions in these and other verticals, including mobile application and game development, to expand its holdings, to drive and increase revenue and to generate profits and build value for shareholders.”
According to the company’s latest release, Mr. Almassizadeh has held executive positions, including COO of EA Interactive and Senior Director of Product Development for The Simpsons and The Sims Console franchises, at Electronic Arts. He is presently an executive at Age of Learning and previously held an executive position at GlobalWide Media.
Mr. Almassizadeh is a proven and versatile senior executive with a measurable record of success building international organizations and running profitable businesses within the console, mobile, online, advertising, educational, social games and entertainment industries over the last 25+ years. He has also served as an advisory board member to companies in the apps and entertainment space, including Relationup, Halon Entertainment, 2Mundos and MATTERvr.
It seems likely that Mr. Almassizadeh will bring a wealth of knowledge and contacts in the games industry to SPYR, which is a priceless additional ingredient in a recipe that has been showing more and more promise with each passing week so far this year.
As the company notes, he will be advising and assisting the company with all aspects of its games business, such as development, user acquisition and monetization strategies, marketing and PR, strategic partnerships, identifying new games for publication and fundraising. James R. Thompson, SPYR’s CEO and President, stated: “Everyone at SPYR is very excited to be working with Farshid. His many years of experience and connections in the gaming industry are going to be invaluable to the company and we believe that he will help us cultivate all of the seeds we have planted over the last year to grow our games business and revenue.”
Shares of the stock have pulled back of late, after exhausting momentum in a huge upward move that took the stock higher by nearly a factor of 10 in just a few months.
The current pullback could be a healthy breather. Into the teeth of that pullback, we now know that the company will feature significant added talent and experience, as well as huge additional exposure through Facebook’s estimated 1.8 billion monthly active users.


text:
Coronavirus could boost Mexican meat exports
MEXICO – In the midst of the coronavirus alert, Mexican beef exports could increase by more than 40% for this year, due to food security and the rumor about the food market in Wuhan City.
China’s purchases represent about 4% of Mexican beef sales abroad, and it is important to mention that more than 80% of the total Mexican beef exports go to U.S. consumers.
Rogelio Pérez, the main commercial official of the Mexican Livestock Association (AMEG), predicts that due to the coronavirus, future sales could represent a third of the overall sales growth of 40%.
The executive said that China’s demand would benefit Mexican companies SuKarne and Grupo Gusi, since these have permits to export to the Asian country. 42 other companies of Mexican origin have requested permits for the export of said product.
“It is a benefit for Mexico in the sense that we could grow exports more quickly,” Pérez said.
Source: Dinero en Imagen


text:
Devil Engine is hiding a demo for Devil Engine Ignition
Posted on June 2, 2019 by Brian(@NE_Brian) in News, Switch eShop
The side scrolling shoot-em-up Devil Engine launched on Switch earlier this year. A few years ago, a new “Ignition” expansion was announced. What you may not have known is that a demo for the DLC is hiding in the original game itself.
The demo can be easily accessed by inputting a button combination on the main menu and using a particular code. Below are the full instructions:
Devil Engine Ignition launches on Switch this winter.


text:
Inside Final Fantasy XII The Zodiac Age Video Reveals Developer Secrets
Square-Enix has released a new video for Final Fantasy XII The Zodiac Age that sits down with the developers of the game.
The video, which can be seen below, puts the spotlight on director Takashi Katano and producer Hiroaki Kato. These two discus the development of the game, and talk about their inspirations while making the world of Ivalice.
Inside FINAL FANTASY XII THE ZODIAC AGE (Closed Captions)
The game is now out for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC.
Take a trip to a desert village with the Terracotta Oasis Expansion Pack for XSEED Games’ Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town, now available on the Nintendo Switch
A double dose of blue blur action is making its way to the Epic Games Store with the release of SEGA’s Sonic Mania and Sonic Mania Plus Encore DLC


text:
Paul Schneider, owner of TWIST with three stores in Portland and Seattle, was interviewed in December by Oregonlive.com on his savvy buying skills that saw his stores through a very tough year.
Here are some of the top-sellers he was banking on for the holiday seasion:
jewelry has definitely become more popular this year, as have pieces
that have meaning; whether it's words or symbols on it, people seem
very connected to that.
Artists have been finding more
creative uses of beautiful semiprecious stones and cutting the stones
in a different way — that's been really fun for people when they come
We've also been focusing more on wedding rings and bridal
jewelry. People are still getting married and for most people, it's the
most expensive and meaningful piece of jewelry they will ever buy. Ours
is not traditional jewelry but we respect traditions. We have diamonds,
platinum and gold rings. We've really created business there.
Read the whole article here. Kudo's to this savvy Couture Jeweler!


text:
Published 4:00 am, Wednesday, April 23, 1997
Cable giant to buy5-newspaper group Inglewood, Colo. Tele-Communications Inc., the nation's largest cable television company, says it will buy five western newspapers for about $627 million in stock.
TCI is purchasing Kearns-Tribune Corp., which owns the Salt Lake Tribune and four other newspapers. TCI said the deal will allow it to experiment with electronic publishing and explore further arrangements between cable and newspapers. (Associated Press)
AT&T using less cashto lure customers New York AT&T Corp. is changing how it reaches out and touches potential customers.
LATEST BUSINESS VIDEOS
- Britney Spears Gives Us ‘Baby One More Time’ Flashback in Schoolgirl OutfitWochit
- Advertisers Want Screen Time On NetflixWochit
- Star Wars: The Last Jedi Not Expected To Top Force Awakens OpeningWochit
- Here’s Why Nokia’s New Phone Is DumbFortuneTime
- One of Tesla's Biggest Bears Tells Us Why His Price Target Is $170Cheddar
- Volkswagen CEO Attacks Tesla For Firing People While Still SpendingWochit
- Gaming Company Sea Ltd.'s Key to Success on IPO Day: Tencent's MentorshipCheddar
- With its $1 Billion Investment in Lyft, Google Throws Shade at UberCheddar
- Gaming Company Sea Ltd.'s Key to Success: Tencent's MentorshipCheddar
- NYC's New Law Prohibits Salary History Inquiries By EmployersWochit
To dissuade people from abusing its generosity, the telecommunications conglomerate is writing fewer checks to first-time customers. Instead, it's giving away 250 free minutes of calls a month for six months. (Associated Press)<


text:
Zoom’s Stock Price Plunges As CFO Discusses Concerns Over Businesses Reopening
Zoom had been one of the best-performing stocks over the past year, thanks to the Coronavirus pandemic forcing people to work from home. However, with businesses and offices now reopening, the company might face growth challenges.
Zoom Could Face Some Challenges
The Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of Zoom Kelly Steckelberg told CNBC’s Squawk Box earlier today that the company could face growth challenges as businesses and offices start to reopen. Zoom’s video interactive software has gained massive over the past 18 months, thanks to the Coronavirus.
The pandemic forced businesses and offices to operate from home, with meetings turning virtual. As a result, corporate entities and freelancers turned to Zoom to carry out their meetings despite the pandemic.
However, with the vaccinated population now increasing and businesses operating again, live events and meetings have started again. This has affected Zoom’s performance, and it could extend for the coming months.
The CFO said, “What we’re seeing… is headwinds in our mass markets, so these are individual consumers and small businesses. And, as you say, they are now moving around the world. People are taking vacations again, they’re going to happy hours in person.”
With the fast rate businesses and offices are reopening, the CFO added that their guidance for the rest of the year is not so positive, and this will reflect in the stock’s performance. In its latest guidance, Zoom expects massive growth from its direct and channel businesses. However, it expects a decrease in its online businesses due to the challenges facing smaller customers and consumers.
Zoom’s stock price is down by 15% so far today, becoming one of the biggest losers in the market. ZM is trading at $292 per share at the time of this report.
Zoom Delivers Excellent Q2 Earnings
The CFO’s comments come 24 hours after the company delivered an excellent second-quarter earnings result. In the second half of 2021, Zoom’s earnings per share were $1.36, surpassing the analysts’ estimate of $1.16. The revenue of $1.02 billion also surpassed the $991.0 million as expected by analysts.
The revenue increase was 54% year-over-year for the second quarter. However, Zoom’s growth had reduced during the previous quarter. The first quarter of the year saw Zoom record a 191% growth rate, but it expects it to be 31% in the current quarter.


text:
Dr Reddy’s launch generic version of Nexavar (sorafenib) Tablets, 200 mg in US
Sorafenib is a kinase inhibitor used to treat unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma and locally recurrent or metastatic, progressive, differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC) refractory to radioactive iodine treatment
Dr Reddy’s Laboratories announced the launch of Dr Reddy’s Sorafenib Tablets, USP, 200 mg, a therapeutic generic equivalent of Nexavar (sorafenib) Tablets in the US market following the approval by the US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA).
“We are pleased to launch this important generic product, illustrating our continued commitment to bring affordable generic medicines to market for patients,” says Marc Kikuchi, CEO, North America Generics, Dr Reddy’s Laboratories.
Dr Reddy’s Sorafenib Tablets, USP, are available in 200 mg tablets in bottle count sizes of 120.


text:
Lemonade Launches in the Netherlands
Lemonade, the insurance company powered by artificial intelligence and behavioral economics, launched in another European country today. Consumers in the Netherlands can now get contents and liability insurance instantly, anytime, and from any device – as well as file claims and get paid in seconds through the Lemonade app.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200402005116/en/
Lemonade insurance app (Photo: Business Wire)
Today’s launch marks the second EU country Lemonade has entered, following Germany last year.
Unlike the traditional insurance model, Lemonade takes a flat fee for its operations, and gives remaining underwriting profit to nonprofits, as part of its annual Giveback. The company launched its homeowners and renters insurance in New York in late 2016, and has been one of the fastest-growing insurance companies ever since.
Consumers rate Lemonade #1 for its insurance products across multiple platforms, citing the hassle-free digital experience with lightning-fast claim payments, best-in-class customer service, and an unconflicted business model.
“We chose the Netherlands for our next European launch due to the many requests we received from Dutch consumers asking us to come there next,” said Daniel Schreiber, cofounder and CEO, Lemonade. “Our unique insurance policy is not only the most transparent, affordable, and mission-driven in the market, but it’s also crafted specifically for Dutch consumers, with things such as bicycle theft coverage and more.”
The Lemonade product in the Netherlands enjoys the ease of use and delightful experience for which Lemonade is known in the United States, but has the added benefit of being based on the company’s Policy 2.0, a new insurance policy designed for the 21st century.
Policy 2.0, currently available only in the Netherlands and Germany, is a short, easy to understand, and transparent document designed for ordinary people and not for lawyers, a consumer-friendly departure from the dense and dated policies that dominate the market.
Lemonade is licensed and supervised by the Dutch Central Bank (DNB), and has its European headquarters in Amsterdam. The company chose to set up operations in the Netherlands for its collaborative and seasoned regulatory environment, coupled with a centralized hub of multilingual talent.
To access the media kit, including visual assets, please click here.
Lemonade offers homeowners and renters insurance in the United States, and contents and liability insurance in Germany and the Netherlands, through its full-stack insurance carriers. Powered by artificial intelligence and behavioral economics, Lemonade replaces brokers and bureaucracy with bots and machine learning, aiming for zero paperwork and instant everything. A Certified B-Corp, Lemonade gives unused funds to nonprofits selected by its community during its annual Giveback.
Lemonade is currently available in Germany, the Netherlands and most of the United States, and continues to expand globally.
Stay in touch at @lemonade_inc or firstname.lastname@example.org
About Business Wire
Subscribe to releases from Business Wire
Subscribe to all the latest releases from Business Wire by registering your e-mail address below. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Latest releases from Business Wire
VR Fitness Developer FitXR Secures $7.5 Million In Series A Venture Round Led by Hiro Capital10.7.2020 08:00:00 CEST | Press release
FitXR, the leading VR fitness company, today announces that it has secured $6.3m in investment funding, led by Hiro Capital, with continued support from U.S.-based BoostVC, Maveron and TenOneTen Ventures, together with an additional $1.2m in the form of an innovation loan, from Innovate UK. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200709005856/en/ Cherry Freeman, Co-Founding Partner, Hiro Capital (Photo: Business Wire) FitXR, who had previously secured $1.25 million in seed funding from investors, will use the new investment to expand its operations in Europe and North America, and to accelerate launch of several exciting new products and services for people to keep fit in Virtual Reality. The investment marks a significant show of belief in FitXR, who over the last year has grown to become one of the leaders of the VR fitness sector, with its mission to put the fun back into fitness. Its first product, the boxing rhyt
Laboratory Studies Confirm BETADINE® Antiseptic Products’ Effectiveness Against COVID-19 Virus10.7.2020 00:37:00 CEST | Press release
Mundipharma today announced that laboratory testing at the Duke-NUS Medical School in Singapore, has confirmed the effectiveness of its BETADINE® antiseptic products against the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) which causes COVID-19 disease. Testing has demonstrated BETADINE’s® strong in-vitro virucidal activity, killing 99.99% of the SARS-CoV-2 virus in 30 seconds. The products subjected to testing were: BETADINE® antiseptic products, namely Solution (10% PVP-I), Skin Cleanser (7.5% PVP-I), Gargle and Mouthwash (1.0% PVP-I) and Throat Spray (0.45% PVP-I). The research has been published in the respected Infectious Disease and Therapy Journal on 08 July 2020. “These results confirm our view that BETADINE® antiseptic products, used appropriately and in conjunction with other preventative treatment options including PPE, can play a role in limiting the spread of infections, including COVID-19,” said Raman Singh, CEO Mundipharma. “It also provides the medical community as well as consumers
New Evidence Shows Morinaga Milk’s Probiotic Bifidobacterium breve A1 Improves Memory of Older Adults With Cognitive Dysfunction9.7.2020 20:00:00 CEST | Press release
Morinaga Milk Industry Co., Ltd. (TOKYO:2264), a leading Japanese dairy product company and a key global probiotics manufacturer, confirmed that its proprietary probiotic strain Bifidobacterium breve A1 (a.k.a. B. breve MCC1274) is safe and effective for improving memory functions of older adults with suspected mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial (RCT). This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200709005032/en/ Figure 1. Changes of RBANS scores at 16 weeks from baseline. Values are indicated as mean with error bars as the standard error. **p<0.001, ***p<0.0001, inter-group difference, Student’s t-test. (Graphic: Business Wire) The new study, published recently in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, has produced breakthrough results uncovering a novel promising probiotic intervention for early dementia prevention. The clinical study conducted by a clinical research orga
rf IDEAS and Ricoh Simplify Secure Access to Multifunction Printers9.7.2020 18:05:00 CEST | Press release
rf IDEAS, a leading manufacturer of credential readers for authentication and logical access, today announced with Ricoh the integration of its WAVE ID® Plus dual-frequency card reader technology with Ricoh’s Smart Operation Panel (SOP), Gen 2.5. The new WAVE ID Ricoh Universal SOP Reader is the most innovative reader for secure pull-print applications with Ricoh multifunction printers. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200709005764/en/ WAVE ID® Ricoh Universal SOP Reader (Photo: Business Wire) rf IDEAS and Ricoh have a proven record of working together to deliver secure workplace solutions that feature the most advanced identification and authentication capabilities. “As we continue our worldwide partnership with a leader in the print industry, we are delighted that Ricoh chose rf IDEAS to develop an innovative credential reader design that connects to its A3 multifunction devices,” said Tod Besse, senior vice
Immersive Labs Adds Tenable Co-Founder and Security Industry Veteran Jack Huffard to its Board of Directors as Demand for Improving and Measuring Cyber Talent Grows9.7.2020 17:46:00 CEST | Press release
Immersive Labs, the company empowering organizations to equip, exercise, and evidence human cyber capabilities, announced Jack Huffard, a co-founder and board member of Tenable (Nasdaq: TENB) will join its board of directors to help drive growth. This comes on the heels of Immersive Labs’ recent expansion into the U.S. market, backed by Goldman Sachs and Summit Partners with $50M in financing, after four successful years of fast-growth and an impressive customer roster in the UK and the U.S. With the addition of Huffard to the board, a cybersecurity industry business leader who helped Tenable through its fast growth and successful IPO, the Immersive Labs team is well-suited for its next phase of innovation and market leadership. Huffard also currently serves as a board director for Norfolk Southern Corporation (NYSE: NSC) and is a member of the National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee (NSTAC), helping the US government navigate pressing national security issues and stren
Jonckers Announces New CEO9.7.2020 17:08:00 CEST | Press release
Jonckers, a global leader in language platform technology and multilingual solutions, today announced that its Board of Directors has appointed Silke Zschweigert as Chief Executive Officer, effective immediately. Zschweigert previously held the position of Chief Revenue Officer. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200709005715/en/ Silke Zschweigert Newly appointed CEO of Jonckers - a global leader in language platform technology and multilingual solutions (Photo: Business Wire) “I’m very privileged to be asked by the Board to be the next CEO of this dynamic and forward-thinking company,” said Zschweigert. “The company transitioned from being a pure language service provider to an AI-driven Language Platform with a multilingual community. I look forward to scaling this capability and further developing advanced solutions creating significant value for Enterprises going global.” Zschweigert succeeds Geo Janssens who
In our pressroom you can read all our latest releases, find our press contacts, images, documents and other relevant information about us.Visit our pressroom


text:
The popular website, Wikipedia has joined hands with other major internet platforms to ask the Indian government to reconsider the recent changes they had proposed in India’s internet laws. The Wikimedia runs the famous online encyclopedia Wikipedia. The letters filed by Amanda Keton, the general counsel for the Wikimedia Foundation and by the union minister of electronics and information technology Ravi Shankar Prasad suggests that the proposed changes in the internet laws would directly impact the open usage and editing model of Wikipedia. The financial and logistical implications of the current changes in internet laws will be complicated. The letter says that implementation of such changes as new rules will directly lead to the failure of Wikipedia to continue to be accessible in India, however it is not clarified majorly.
A set of changes in the intermediary rules of the Indian internet laws has been introduced by the Indian government in December 2018. In view of the recent changes, an intermediary app is defined by the government that grounds more than 5 million users on its platform. These new apps and services under these new rules would be required to establish a local office anywhere inside the country and they need to recruit at least one senior employee who will take the responsibility for any legal issue arising out the content published on the platform.
Under these new proposed rules, the responsibility for the illegally, wrong or willfully misinformative content will rest in the hands of the person who posts it and then the role of the company’s representative will come into play. it further states that the technology company has more than 5 million users who will take responsibility for all their published content and they will be liable to remove any information or content on their websites if it is found deceptive or illegal by the supervised automation model.
Wikipedia has over more than 771 million users in India. There is no second thought that rolling back their service form the internet platform for the Indian users, which comes on the number one position whenever a user searches anything over the internet, would lead to hampering the right of information. it will be worth seeing how the Indian government would deal with such reaction from the major internet giants that suggest tweaking the newly proposed internet laws to maintain a healthy ecosystem.