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Fans of Salsarita’s Fresh Cantina can reveal their own secret identities with its new online quiz. By visiting www.salsaritas.com, visitors discover which Salsarita’s dish best complements their personality and share it online.
The secret identities users receive are diverse— a fact which points to Salsarita’s own diversity throughout its menu, says Salsarita’s CEO and restaurant industry veteran Phil Friedman. “Our menu is as diverse as the people who visit Salsarita’s,” Friedman says. “Salsarita’s Secret Identity quiz is one fun way to reflect that idea.”
Associating a user’s personality with different dishes, Friedman adds, helps bring attention to menu offerings using a means that’s engaging and shareable.
“A secret identity’s only compelling if there are others who are privy,” Friedman says. “With Salsarita’s Secret Identity quiz, visitors are able to not only learn who they are, but they can also confide in trusted allies the identity using Facebook or Twitter.”
Yanira Castro, Salsarita’s director of marketing, says that the new online quiz represents the franchise’s strategy of putting a new twist on an existing trend. “Gamification can engage and build relationships with guests, but it’s only effective if it’s keeping with the spirit of the franchise it represents,” Castro says. “With Salsarita’s Secret Identity, guests are given an experience that’s consistent with a character about which they are already well familiar: a customized menu, enjoyed best with others.”


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Brands are continuing to embrace upcycled fibers as consumers increasingly look for product with a purposeful past, and Australian lifestyle brand Country Road, is adding those repurposed fibers to its top selling ‘Sateen’ jean this spring.
Country Road is the first major retailer in Australia to introduce denim garments made with Lenzing’s sustainable Refibra technology. The women’s jean is available in seven colors and retails online and in stores for $92.
The retailer joins Zara, which introduced Refibra into its collections in 2017, Patagonia, Reformation and Mara Hoffman, which have all joined in Lenzing’s effort to help close the loop.
With its Refibra technology, Lenzing transforms cotton scraps collected from garment production and wood pulp from responsibly managed forests into new virgin Tencel Lyocell fibers. The fibers are produced via a closed-loop production process using bioenergy and can be used for fabric and garment production.
Lenzing’s long-time collaborator for sustainable projects, Spanish mill Tejidos Royo, created the fabric for Country Road. It has a smooth and soft hand feel, yet is durable for every day wear.
“We actively look to partner with manufacturers who are driving innovation in this space. Lenzing continues to demonstrate how we can reduce our ecological footprint and reassess waste as a resource,” Darren Todd, Country Road managing director, said.
The launch marks a key milestone for the new technology and a major step forward for sustainable fashion, Tricia Carey, global business development director of denim, for Lenzing Group, said.
“While retail brands pay more attention to supply chain transparency, consumers are becoming more conscious about choosing high quality products made with sustainable materials and green production process,” Carey said. “Guided by the Tencel brand promise of ‘Feels so right’, we will continue to innovate and identify ways to reduce the fashion industry’s ecological footprint while ensuring natural comfort.”
Tencel Lyocell fibers produced by Refibra technology recently attained the Recycled Claim Standard, which certifies that production processes in its entire supply chain having undergone proper steps to ensure integrity of the final product.
Expect to find more Refibra in denim in the coming seasons. Candiani, Blue Diamond and Prosperity are among the global denim mills integrating the upcycled fiber into their production.

domain: news


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Will you still be able to taste the rainbow in California, or are Skittles disappearing from the sunshine state? This question is fresh in the minds of Californians, given the passing of a recent bill, which aims to change some ingredients found in America’s popular candies and snacks. The four ingredients included in the ban include:
- Red Dye No. 3
- Brominated Vegetable Oil
- Potassium Bromate
Titanium dioxide was another ingredient originally included in the bill, and an ingredient in Skittles candy. That is why people believed that Skittles would disappear from California, but it was dropped from the ban. Skittles do contain titanium dioxide, but they don’t have any of the other four ingredients listed above. That means that the candy will be safe from any major changes, at least for now.
What Is The Skittles Ban?
Assembly Bill (AB) 418, or the Skittles ban, was introduced to legislation by Jesse Gabriel, a Democratic assembly member from Woodland Hills, California. AB418 essentially aimed to ban the sale of processed foods, which contained dangerous or toxic chemicals, in California. It quickly became known as the Skittles ban, which Mars, the makers of Skittles, strongly opposed.
In fact, Mars made a statement saying that chocolate and candy are safe to enjoy, and have been for centuries. Mars company opposes AB418 because it claims that no evidence supports banning the ingredients listed in the bill. According to Mars’ statement, those ingredients in the ban have all been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The company continued to say that food safety is a number one priority, and it doesn’t include any ingredients that do not comply with FDA safety standards.
Although Mars is not incorrect in saying that these ingredients are FDA-approved, that doesn’t mean that the ingredients are healthy for you. When eaten in high amounts, these ingredients can lead to health complications, especially if they aren’t balanced by exercise and a balanced diet.
What About The Future Of The Ban?
According to Gabriel, he does not want to ban Skittles; rather, he wants to make American treats less “dangerous” to eat. He said that the idea behind this ban is for companies to make small modifications to recipes in order to exclude dangerous and toxic chemicals. In the European Union, the United Kingdom, and other nations around the world, bans on these chemicals are in place. That means that Skittles and other brands already made changes to recipes. The idea is to do the same thing in the United States.
Red Dye No. 3, for example, can contribute to potential cancer risk, according to some studies. Additionally, artificial food dyes, such as Red Dye No. 3, may contribute neurobehavioral problems in children, including hyperactivity. It is a synthetic dye primarily derived from petroleum. This dye has been banned for decades in makeup and topical medications because it was linked to cancer. What makes it okay to consume in various foods, oral drugs, or dietary supplements?
Although Skittles may be off the hook for now, there are up to 12,000 food products that still contain the banned chemicals in AB418. Peeps, the popular Easter candy, contains Red Dye No. 3, but the banning of an ingredient doesn’t mean the product goes away. Additionally, the bill doesn’t go into effect until 2027, which gives manufacturers time to change their recipes to continue sales in California. If they don’t want to change the recipe, they can decide not to sell their product in an entire state.


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Tickets are now on sale to Australia's only truly regional ag tech event - AgSmart Connect in Tamworth on March 6 and 7.
AgSmart Connect is being staged by Australian Community Media Rural Events, with dozens of exhibitors already confirming their attendance and several high profile farm and industry leaders locked in as keynote speakers.
ACM Rural Events commercial manager Lupe Prada said the event, now in its third year, had been designed with farmers front of mind.
"AgSmart Connect really aims to put the latest innovations directly in front of farmers so they can see what the best fit is for their business," Ms Prada said.
AgSmart Connect really aims to put the latest innovations directly in front of farmers so they can see what the best fit is for their business.- Lupe Prada, ACM Rural Events
"Our seminar program features some heavy hitters in the ag tech space who'll also be part of panel discussions around some of the issues and opportunities we are seeing when to comes to innovation in farming.
Tickets can now be purchased online at 40 per cent off the price payable at the door. A single adult ticket costs $15 online and $25 at the door, children aged 12 to 17 years are $7.50 online and $15 at the door while kids aged 11 and under are free.
High school students attending in their school uniform are also free while University of New England students get 50pc off the door price and should contact their administrator for details.
ACM is also using AgSmart Connect to launch an inaugural research project looking at the complex relationship between farmer literacy and the adoption of agricultural innovations within the Australian farming landscape.
The results of the research will be presented at AgSmart Connect by ACM Insights Manager Karen Rogers.
An established research analyst, Ms Rogers said the Harvesting Knowledge: Understanding Farmer Literacy and Adoption of Agri-Innovation in Australia project aimed to uncover the key factors influencing farmers' understanding and uptake of innovation.
Coming on board as the sponsor of the research is the NSW Department of Primary Industries' Farms of the Future Program, which supports farm businesses to adopt and integrate agricultural technology into their operations to boost productivity and resource management. Farms of the Future is also bringing its partners along to the event, with Field Solutions Group, Farmbot, and Sentek Technologies all having a presence at the Farms of the Future Hub.
Other exhibitors that have recently registered include Hardi Australia, Upton Agricultural Technologies, Athena IR-Tech, PyroAg, Elynx, Bardee, Siteguard, AGMON, Drone-Hand and Farmdeck.
Tickets can be purchased online by visiting www.acmruralevents.com.au/agsmartconnect/tickets.
For any other enquiries, contact the team at firstname.lastname@example.org or phone 02 6768 5800.


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Corning Inc. Gorilla Glass Victus will help your phone survive a 6-foot drop along with a scratch resistance while Samsung will be the first to feature this brand new glass. The very next Samsung Galaxy or iPhone that you will buy will not be a big headache even if you drop them from a significant height.
Gorilla Glass Victus can not only resist a 6-foot drop but is also the first in 6-years to meaningfully improve your phone’s scratch resistivity which helps shrug off disturbing and nasty scratches. Corning’s Gorilla Glass hasn’t gotten much better at resisting coins and keys since 2014’s launch of Gorilla Glass 3. However, the new one offers much more effective resistance.
Corning® Gorilla® Glass Victus™ is the toughest Gorilla® Glass yet, with drop performance up to 2 meters, and scratch resistance up to 2x better than Corning® Gorilla® Glass 6.
Watch more: https://t.co/9sX8uVs31K#TougherTogether #GorillaGlassVictus pic.twitter.com/bxWoZnQibF
— Corning® Gorilla® Glass India (@GorillaGlassIN) July 23, 2020
Corning Gorilla Glass Victus will save your phone from a tumble
There is no Gorilla glass 7 out in the market, just Victus. Victus can take care of both scratches as well as drops with a very good amount of resistance. The company says that the new glass provides twice as much scratch resistance as the previous version. A victus clad phone will be able to survive up to a 2-meter or 6.5-foot drop. The phone can literally be dropped from your head-height and it will still survive the drop. The question is, do people really do that?
The company, Corning Inc has gone too far while making the phones this hardy. The new drop resistance is much higher than the currently available Gorilla 5 which is present in all devices. Corning VP and lead Gorilla scientist Jaymin Amin admit that Victus is still not completely pocket-proof.
The phone is still vulnerable to wedges from keys, dirt, sand, metal, and other materials. But, these caveats will still apply to any glass material. Victus is too good to break on the first drop. Unless and until you throw it from your window it will not crack.
Let us know what you have to say about this in the comments section below! Also, don’t forget to join us on our Telegram Channel for more such latest updates and discussions.


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Beer says no
By BEL JACOBS
Cult Scottish independent craft brewing company, BrewDog, has launched a beer in protest at US President Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw from the Paris Climate Agreement.
The beer is called Make Earth Great Again, a reference to Trump’s insular, short-sighted campaign slogan: Make America Great Again. The packaging shows a robot Trump taking aim at a polar bear, a common symbol of the effects of melting ice caps; its recipes uses ingredients from areas most affected by global warming.
Water sourced from melting Arctic ice caps is lightly flavoured with increasingly rare Arctic cloudberries, The brewers also chose to create a 7.5% Saison pale ale, a brew that is fermented at 95 degrees, a much higher temperature than any other style of beer in a nod to global warming. The beer offers a mix of "spicy and bright citrus notes of spiced orange, nutmeg, clove, and caramelized banana.”
“Beer is a universal language, with the capacity to make an impact the world over,” co-founder James Watt told Food Drink & Franchise earlier this month. “We decided to make a statement and brew a beer that could have a direct, positive impact on climate change both through supporting an organisation making a difference, and providing a vehicle for craft beer fans to make their voices heard by the establishment,”
All proceeds will be donated to UK-based climate change charity 10:10, which lobbies for new climate change legislation.
America is now the only country in the world not signed to the Paris Agreement, an accord listing actions countries would voluntarily take to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Trump announced USA's withdrawal from the treaty earlier this year.
BrewDog is no stranger to politically motivated beer.
In 2014, Hello My Name is Vladimir was a sharp challenge to Russia's laws against "homosexual propaganda"; 2015’s controversial No Label, "the world's first transgender beer" was brewed with hops that "had undergone a sex change" from female to male flowers before harvest.
In August, the company revealed plans to build "The Bar on the Edge," a craft beer bar along the United States and Mexico border where Trump has threatened to build a wall.
Make Earth Great Again is BrewDog's first protest beer since the company opened DogTap, a brewery in Canal Winchester, Ohio — its first and currently only in the States — earlier this year. It'll be the only place you can drink Make Earth Great Again if you in the US.
Otherwise, it’s available in the UK, either online or in BrewDog's bars.
Brewdog has sent a case of Make Earth Great Again to The White House. Trump’s response is not yet known.
Find out more here www.brewdog.com


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“Free banking” in the UK is nearing an end. Regulators view the current banking model as unfair to consumers and might well force the end of the UK phenomenon of free in-credit banking. Our research suggests that customers are willing to pay for services that add real and lasting value to their lives, like digital banking. However, customers are unlikely to choose to pay for services that they presently see as free. It is unclear whether customers understand how they are charged for “free banking”, so there may be a case for educating the public on hidden account charges. Banks are finding it difficult to maintain free current accounts due to the low interest rate environment but are unlikely to risk losing customers by being the first to introduce charges. However, banks will need to begin investing in new current account services – with fees – to capture new revenues.
Stephen Whitehouse is a financial services partner at PwC.
When the Co-op Bank introduced free banking in 1974, it was aiming mainly at competitive advantage and it worked. The major banks took 11 years to catch up. But a secondary reason was the desire to be attuned to customers and the research showed that customers felt banking should be free. Now M&S is restoring clarity and the next step could well be the end of free credit cards, which distort the market in favour of the well-off and well-organised. In theory consumers should benefit from more transparency and banks will jump at the opportunity to charge. However, in rude practice this will not mean the end of free. Many consumers prefer to be complicit in their own deceit and the market will serve them too. We shall see a range of products bundled and unbundled, and consumers can balance the drive of their psyche with the call of common sense.
Malcolm Hurlston launched free banking for Lord Thomas at the Co-operative Bank.


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At the 2021 Critics' Choice Awards, the Euphoria star is nominated for Best Actress and is set to receive the fourth annual SeeHer Award, presented by her Malcolm & Marie co-star John David Washington. And while the show will be a hybrid in person and virtual event, we know one thing is for certain: Zendaya's outfit will, as it so often does, set her up to win best dressed.
Just take the 2020 show. She delivered an unforgettable fashion moment, wearing a a fuchsia asymmetrical top along with a maxi skirt. "I feel incredibly grateful for Euphoria, in general, and just the fact that I could be a part of it," she told E! News at the award show in Feb. 2020. "To be even mentioned in the conversation, with a lot of people that are pretty special, it's very cool."
Ahead of the 2021 show, we're revisiting all of Zendaya's must-see fashion moments over the years. Take a trip down memory lane in the gallery below!
This story was originally published on Saturday, Sept. 19, 2020 at 6 a.m. PT.


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This Las Vegas Remote Car Delivery Service Is Like 'Training Wheels' For Self-Driving Cars
Ride-share users in Las Vegas have a new option to get around — and the company behind it is hoping the service will get riders more used to cars on the road with no one in the driver's seat.
Halo is offering vehicles that will be driven to users; those users will become the drivers to get where they want to go and then leave the cars there.
The service relies on a strong 5G system, and Halo hopes to roll out more vehicles in more parts of Vegas — and then eventually to other cities as well.
Joann Muller, the transportation correspondent at Axios, has written about this.
The Show spoke with her about these Halo cars and whether they’re kind of like the training wheels versions of self-driving cars.


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Nearly a year ago, the British Embassy Tallin launched the UK-Estonia TechLink, aiming to create stronger public and private partnerships between the UK and Estonia in technology, science and innovation. The programme was launched under the umbrella of the Digital5, the club of the world’s most advanced digital governments.
TechLink is currently partnering with the City of London and British-Estonian Chamber of Commerce for a trade mission focused on transnational digital identity and FinTech.
The visiting Estonian delegation will be in London on 14 November and during their visit, the British-Estonian Chamber of Commerce, in co-operation with the City of London, the Council of British Chambers of Commerce of Europe, the Estonian Embassy in London and the British Embassy in Tallinn will present a seminar on FinTech and e-residency.
The seminar will be held in the light of the prospect of British withdrawal from the European Union, which has opened up huge areas of uncertainties for British business and for the world. The City of London - the world’s largest financial centre - is seeking to find ways to retain easy access to the EU single market without having to move hundreds of thousands of jobs to Frankfurt, Paris or other EU centers. Estonia’s global lead in the delivery of e-solutions, combined with the high quality education system and the well-known attractions of Tallinn gives huge possibilities to create partnerships with British businesses, whether in financial technology, trading or wider services.
The seminar will be held from 10:00 - 14:00 on Monday, 14 October 2016 at Pewterers’ Hall.
If you would like to register or for more information, please visit the British-Estonian Chamber of Commerce website.


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THE e-commerce boom has helped many businesses stay afloat despite the current tough operating environment. It has not only supported retailers but also various players in the logistics space.
As e-commerce growth further accelerates, the rising demand for logistics will ensure that TheLorry continues to grow from strength to strength in the coming years.
This certainly assures Nadhir Ashafiq, co-founder and executive director of TheLorry, who struggled to find his pace in the initial days of the nation-wide movement restrictions.
“We were very pessimistic about the economy overall in the first stages of the movement control order (MCO) – we focused on survivability over everything else. However, pockets of opportunities emerged in the e-commerce segment and we made a data-driven decision to focus our attention on it,” he says.
The startup, founded in 2014, operates a logistics platform that connects individuals and corporate clients to lorry, truck and van owners in Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Indonesia.
Prior to the pandemic, TheLorry enjoyed a profitable operation in Malaysia and Singapore.
When the MCO was first implemented in March last year, the platform saw a sudden drop in its consumer business as moving services became impossible due to the movement curbs.
This forced them to pivot the business to where the opportunity arose within an area related to logistics while adapting to the new situation. With the surge in online demand for groceries at the time, TheLorry quickly launched its grocery shopping service to cater to new consumer needs.
But given the fluidity of the situation, Nadhir notes the importance of keeping an eye on what is happening to keep adapting as things change.
Fortunately for the team, its e-commerce delivery business also bloomed during this time given its partnerships with platforms such as Lazada and Shopee.
“(But) our systems, process, operations and technology were stressed-tested during this high volume period,” he admits.
The company also faced other challenges such as reduced cashflow and managing a remote workforce.
To cope, the company fundraised and trimmed its expenses. It also implemented better procedures and a more robust system to deal with the increased volume. It also received support from its investor Mavcap, which helped the team through valuable connections and advice during the pandemic.
Mavcap is an investor in TheLorry via VC funds, namely, the Axiata Digital Innovation Fund and the ECM Straits Fund.
Nonetheless, Nadhir says the company has been lucky to be able to ride on the e-commerce trend during the pandemic not just in Malaysia but also in its regional markets.
With the entire logistics industry – from warehousing, fulfilment and trucking to delivery – expected to benefit from this growth in e-commerce, TheLorry will be putting more resources into this space, especially in bulk supply chain, over the next few years.
The company has raised more than US$10mil (RM42.38mil) so far and Nadhir says TheLorry will be going to the market for its Series C funding round soon.
He expects the company to continue to post high double-digit to triple-digit growth in the next few years, supported by its initiatives and the general trend.
Nadhir also thinks there is still potential for its grocery shopping service moving forward even as the economy opens up further towards the later part of the year.
“We see that customers would be more willing to adopt online grocery shopping during and post-pandemic and therefore, we think the new services will contribute to the long-term revenue for the company,” he says.


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McDonald’s TV starts in Vegas
Harris Corporation, a communications and information technology company, began a pilot program with McDonald’s in May that launched the fast-food chain’s branded TV channel — powered by Harris Digital Signage solutions — into 20 restaurants around the country. The announcement follows on the heels of two successful trials at the Viva McDonald’s location on the Las Vegas Strip, and an additional McDonald’s restaurant in Norwalk, California.
Each pilot location features Harris Digital Signage solutions to manage, monitor and play out digital broadcast-quality video content for the McDonald’s Channel, a unique private network. The McDonald’s Channel presents entertainment, infotainment, messaging and advertising. ChannelPort Communications will manage and co-ordinate the overall implementation of the channel on behalf of McDonalds.
Harris InfoCaster technology drives broadcast-quality video content to displays installed throughout each restaurant. The new systems are designed around file-based workflows that merge broadcast television technology and IT infrastructure. The systems will be designed and managed by Harris Broadcast Communications and Harris IT Services. Harris IT Services will supervise the entire operation from the Harris Advanced Media Center in Melbourne, Florida. Managed services include reception of programming and interstitial content, quality assurance, content scheduling for every display in the network, and remote monitoring for each location.
“The McDonald’s-Harris relationship has been essential to getting this project to the pilot stage,” said Brad Hunter, West Division marketing officer for McDonald’s. “It is comforting to know that Harris can manage this end-to-end platform, allowing McDonald’s to focus on the day-to-day operation of its restaurants.”
The three parties anticipate a pilot of several months and will then evaluate the potential for a wider rollout.


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PASIG, Philippines, 26 September 2023 – Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) are the new drivers of the economy – making up 99.58% of the total enterprises that operate in the country, and employing 63% of the country’s workforce. FullFill (We Empower Ecommerce Solutions, Inc.) recognizes their role in driving holistic nationwide growth as the company delivers end-to-end operations solutions for emerging entrepreneurs nationwide.
FullFill is a 100% Filipino-owned business operations and fulfillment support startup fostering a roster of tenant partners (enterprises needing an operations solutions partner) and collaborator partners (startups who offer services related to running and scaling a business). The company curates a two-way support system where these two sets of industry contributors can benefit from each other through the unique services and products that each offers.
“We recognize that there is an intensive gap that needs to be addressed in setting up a business, especially for startups,” shares FullFill CEO and Co-Founder Joy Chua, “With the comprehensive services that we offer through FullFill and our collaborator partners, we want them to feel empowered that they can manage their operations and scale their ventures,” Chua added.
Currently, tenant partners within the FullFill HQ are supported by its community of collaborators offering 360° support in business registration, accounting, marketing and advertising, social media management, crowd-funding and more. By cultivating an ecosystem of MSMEs that uplifts other MSMEs, FullFill works toward a shared vision of helping businesses scale and expand their horizon to more opportunities in their network.
Champion for local talent and MSME empowerment
Within their headquarters in Pasig are brands carrying newfound success with FullFill. Through its strategic location, tenant partners, particularly those in need of assistance in scaling and those from provincial areas, are able to efficiently carry out their operations while being more accessible to their customers. The company supports the full-time operations of province-based startups like Nature’s Apothecary, a producer and distributor of locally-sourced loose leaf tea from Agusan Del Norte.
Expanding its reach in B2B industries, FullFill has been the partner of the manufacturer for non-toxic and sustainable household cleaners, Messy Bessy, for its end-to-end warehousing and fulfillment operations for both B2B and B2C channels. Aklan-based bag distributor, 210 Trading, has also tapped the company for nationwide department store distribution. FullFill handles its cargo reception from abroad, quality checks, sorting, tagging, repackaging, and logistics coordination.
Bringing forth the company’s mission to help MSMEs scale and reach wider audiences, FullFill is trusted by home-based entrepreneurs like Playdate Collection (kids supply distributor) and Aleros (award-winning makers of fruity chili sauces). Both share a common journey from being home-based startups to requiring larger storage and a more efficient operations partner for scaling and meeting market demands.
The company’s 360° support also helped brands grow even as their owners pursued life goals abroad. Travel Clothing, owned by a seafarer based in Canada, entrusts FullFill with its operations while he travels the world and pursues other passions.
“Listening to our tenants, we really found that the day-to-day operations and not knowing how to do things efficiently, took up majority of their time – making them lose focus on their passion of growing and rebuilding their businesses,” shares FullFill COO and Co-Founder Che Secillano, “Given these pain points, we try to find solutions that would ease their worries and help them regain that spark and drive to further their ventures,”
This comes as an opportune time to provide more options for Filipino business owners as the growing demand for local businesses continues to grow. The company believes that not only is it important to enhance and expand the MSME industry, but to ensure that along with its growth, Filipino business owners are given the right support to help them cater to the unique needs of their market.
“With the evolving consumer behavior, we have to be creative and strategic in making sure that we address the needs of local businesses – no matter where they are in the country. FullFill stays committed to continuously improving our services and cultivating an ecosystem where every aspiring entrepreneur has the opportunity to thrive,” concludes Chua.
For more information on FullFill’s vision, business ecosystem, and partner collaborators, you may visit their website at https://www.fullfill.com.ph/.


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Jeff Sass, Chief Marketing Officer of .CLUB Domains, wrote an article on CircleID called “Have New Domains Had Our Twerking Moment?”.
After Google’s announcement about its new holding company, Alphabet, using the domain name abc.xyz there have been a lot of buzz.
From .NYC to .London to .Tokyo the “new Google” story is making .news everywhere, as the .media large and small speculates on what it means for the .online and .tech industries, and beyond.
Jeff then talks about the XYZ registry and its sudden luck:
One .company in particular is having a .party thanks to their sudden .link to Google’s surprising announcement, the domain name registry .xyz. By choosing and using abc.xyz as the web address for the .website with the Alphabet announcement, .Google showed the world that it can be .cool to use a domain name that has some meaning on both sides of the “dot.” As a representation of the “alphabet,” abc.xyz makes perfect sense. It’s short, easy to remember and relevant.[…]
Is Google’s spelling move with abc.xyz our twerking moment? It is too soon to tell for sure, but it certainly has gotten the conversation going around new domains amongst a larger, more mainstream audience than were talking about them before, and that’s a good thing for everyone with an interest in the new domain extensions.
Read the complete article here.
Everybody is saying bullshits that Google (Alphabet) use .XYZ domain as their new home. I see ONE PAGE, to be more specific just an ANNOUNCEMENT, nothing like new home. People are overreacting.
The only lesson I get is that people are even more stupid than I thought they are. Including many reporters. And those dumboes who register google/alphabet related .xyz make it even worse, hurting the domain investor industry.
Mike, thanks for the comment. I was pretty specific on that “…using abc.xyz as the web address for the .website with the Alphabet announcement.” Not necessarily a new home. That said, it is undeniable that there has been a renewed discussion about new domains prompted by Google’s actions. Articles in Wired… pieces on Bloomberg… Certainly the availability of .xyz and other new extensions has been exposed now to some folks who may not have been aware before.
Is that a typo? I think you meant to say Jerking moment
Negari twerking? Cannot be unseen. 😛
… playing & replaying like a horrific GIF.
No consumer has visited ABC.XYZ , they still have no idea what .XYZ is. All the hype is on news websites that consumers never visit.
News websites get crazy traffic. And all websites are posting links to abc.xyz so its pretty easy to visit without any effort or .xyz knowledge.
No. When watching CNN they don’t talk about abc.xyz they just talk about the name change to Alphabet , the Stocks, and the reason why. If they ever mention abc.xyz it flies over the consumers head , because they really don’t care. Why would they care??? It has zero effect to them, they just want to use Google Search. When you go out to lunch today ask your waitress if she heard of abc.xyz , she’ll have zero idea what you are talking about.
You are talking about TV and I am talking about the internet.
BTW Bloomberg had Daniel Negari talk about .xyz.
That is my point Consumers do not watch or read Bloomberg.
But they do use the internet… and the story is Everywhere.
And also at this point new gtlds are mostly looking for business owners and startups to build their websites, not consumers.
Consumers will come later.
The story of Google changing it’s name to Alphabet is everywhere. Talk about abc.xyz is only being talked about on B2B sites.


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##Harry Ramsden’s Coming Back Home To Yorkshire
[Harry Ramsden’s](/archive/harry-ramsdens/harry-ramsdens-franchise.php), the iconic British brand, world famous for its fish and chips, is to return to the roots of its founder with the opening of a brand new outlet this Spring.
In partnership with Vikesh and Dimple Patel of JVP Ventures, who, in late 2013, became the first franchisees signed by the company, post-acquisition, as part of an ambitious growth strategy, it is announced that three new outlets will be opening before the end of the year.
Harry Ramsden’s will return to Yorkshire in April 2015, when the first of these openings takes place in Shipley. Located in the town’s Wrose Road, the new outlet will take the form of a ‘traditional local’ and the purpose built unit, which extends to 1,000sq.ft., will bring with it 10 full and part-time jobs. Further openings are already being planned to take place in Huddersfield and Sheffield from April onwards.
Franchisee Vikesh Patel is aware that comparisons are likely to be made, however, he noted: First and foremost, to be able to bring Harry’s name back to his roots is really exciting for us. We have spent a great deal of time and effort in identifying and securing suitable sites however that process has been made slightly easier since both Dimple and myself were born and brought up in Yorkshire. Time and taste move on and whilst I think comparisons will be inevitable, our new Harry Ramsden’s outlets will reflect the brand’s evolution and we are looking to the future with great confidence.
Joe Teixeira, CEO of Harry Ramsden’s commented: It has always been a dearly held ambition to bring the Harry Ramsden’s name back to Yorkshire so I am delighted that we are able to announce the opening of Shipley. It effectively represents deserved financial investment in the brand and more importantly, secures Harry Ramsden’s legacy, locally. As we continue to successfully move forward, we still embrace the heritage and values of Harry Ramsden himself and this approach is allowing us to actively re-engage with customers of old as well as introducing Harry’s to a whole new generation, as our performance underlines.
As well as recently recording a 9.7% increase in annual like-for-like sales, Harry Ramsden’s is now one of the Top 40 ‘Eating Out’ brands in the UK, having recently debuted at No 15 in the CGA Peach BrandTrack report.


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Amazon selling more Kindle ebooks than print books
Published: 6th Aug 2012 13:51:23
The UK's biggest book retailer Amazon now sells more ebooks than hardbacks and paperbacks combined, the company has said.
For every 100 print books sold through the site, Amazon said it sold 114 titles for its Kindle e-reader device.
It added that the average Kindle owner bought up to four times more books than they did before owning the device.
The strong figures have been boosted by titles such as multi-million selling erotic novel Fifty Shades of Grey.
The book has sold more than 31 million copies worldwide, with two million ebooks of the title selling in less than four months.
The figures do not take into account ebook sales on other platforms, such as Apple's iBooks or the website for bookseller Waterstones.
Amazon's figures have also been boosted by a surge in popularity for self-publishing.
The company said there had been a 400% increase in authors using Kindle Direct Publishing since summer 2011.
Among them were some of the site's bestsellers. British author Kerry Wilkinson is one of the world's most successful self-published authors.
He has sold more than 300,000 copies of his work in the past year.
Ian Clark, blogger and co-founder of a group promoting greater use of libraries, said the figures should not be seen as a sign that ebooks were dominating over physical sales.
For every worrying story I've heard about an independent book shop struggling, I've heard about a good one flourishing”
He said that as Amazon was the only official vendor of books for Kindle - by far the most popular e-reader on the market - it had very little competition in selling titles for the platform.
With print sales, however, Amazon faces competition from many big, established retailers.
"To really judge the state of the ebook market, we need proper sales data so that we can compare across the board," he wrote.
Jonathan Ruppin, web editor for bookseller Foyles, said it is a trend the book industry must adapt to deal with.
"The proportion of sales that are taken up by ebooks will continue to increase," he told the BBC.
"At some point they will overtake printed sales across the whole market."
He said while online buying could put smaller businesses at risk, he was optimistic that more traditional bookshops still had an important role.
"There's an awful lot of doom-mongering about the retail book trade.
"But for every worrying story I've heard about an independent book shop struggling, I've heard about a good one flourishing."
The figures were released as Amazon marked the two-year anniversary of the Kindle's release in the UK.
"Customers in the UK are now choosing Kindle books more often than print books, even as our print business continues to grow," said Jorrit Van der Meulen, vice-president of Kindle in Europe.
"As a result of the success of Kindle, we're selling more books than ever before on behalf of authors and publishers.
"And thanks to Kindle Direct Publishing, thousands of self-published authors have also been given an outlet to share their work with the millions of Kindle readers worldwide."
However, despite the e-reader's popularity, the company is still yet to announce plans to sell the Kindle Fire - a tablet computer - in the UK, despite it being on sale for over eight months.
At 19:00:34 in EnglandMore than half of Charing Cross Hospital could be sold if plans to overhaul health services in north-west London are approved.
At 18:59:57 in HeadlinesIsrael's security cabinet has rejected a Gaza ceasefire proposal put forward by US Secretary of State John Kerry, officials say.
At 18:53:05 in SportSarah Clark secured another Commonwealth Games judo gold medal for Scotland in the under-63kg division.
At 18:51:55 in EnglandTwo teenagers have been found guilty of killing a market trader in a row over a stolen watch.
At 18:48:54 in HeadlinesRussia has accused the US of launching a "smear campaign" over its alleged involvement in the conflict in Ukraine.
At 18:48:07 in EnglandA union in Jersey says it will monitor "very closely" any developments or moves to privatise a telecommunications company.
At 18:44:49 in HeadlinesAuthorities in California are searching for a fugitive homeless man who has refused treatment for tuberculosis and may be contagious.
At 18:38:22 in EnglandThe RNLI has issued a warning for children to stay safe at the seaside after a girl narrowly avoided being swept into the path of a shipping lane.
At 18:34:58 in SportJersey's men's triples beat their Channel Island rivals Guernsey 24-9 at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
At 18:28:49 in PoliticsWhen this picture of Ed Miliband's battle with a bacon butty hit the news, the Labour team pulled a few faces of their own. So why is the party's leader talking about how he looks?
Harvard CitationBBC News, 2012. Amazon selling more Kindle ebooks than print books [Online] (Updated 6th Aug 2012)
Available at: http://www.ukwirednews.com/news/1444754/Amazon-selling-more-Kindle-ebooks-than-print-books [Accessed 25th Jul 2014]
News In Other Categories
Cardiff has beaten London, Manchester and Glasgow as the place where residents feel the most satisfied to live, a survey has found.
The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) has agreed to a £3m settlement with the business tycoon Vincent Tchenquiz.
Secret Cinema organisers have cancelled both weekend screenings of Back to the Future, after ongoing difficulties with hosting the "immersive" cinema event.
With the doors to its brand new £1million training centre officially open, one of the UK's leading apprentice training providers, Bristol based S&B Automotive Academy, is showcasing its world-class facilities by launching a series of foreign student exchanges for the first time in its 41-year history. To get a flavour of what life is like as an apprentice in the UK, the Academy hosted 16 apprentice engineers and bus drivers from the G9 Automotive College in Hamburg, Germany, as part of a Europe-wide vocational training initiative called the ‘Leonardo Programme’ with support from the European Social Fund. In a reciprocal arrangement, S&B will be sending nine apprentices to Germany during February 2012 so that they can get an appreciation of life in the automotive industry on the Continent. A further three German exchange groups are being planned for next year. Designed to assist the development of vocational skills and training across Europe, including work placements for trainees, the Leonardo Programme has a budget of €1.75bn, which is helping to encourage UK organisations to work with their counterparts abroad. In what is expected to be another challenging year for employers in the UK automotive sector, S&B’s Chief Executive, Jon Winter, claims that the exchange initiative will bring many benefits to the Academy and its apprentices: “In a world of global automotive brands, it’s important for our learners to understand the international context of the industry they have chosen to make their career. This new exchange programme will enable apprentices and Academy staff alike to achieve a better understanding of the challenges and opportunities within the automotive arena in Europe. With the Academy’s influence also extending to the USA and Asia, there’s every possibility that this initiative could move further afield in the future.” Continued Winter: “The need for skilled technicians across the world is on the increase and we actively encourage our apprentices to look at broader horizons during their training. Many of them have already learned the phrase ‘Vorsprung durch Gelehrtheit’, quite simply, ‘Advancement through learning.” In the 2010/11 academic year, S&B doubled the number of successful Apprenticeships over the previous year with some 350 apprentices graduating from the Academy. At the same time, achievement levels reached an all-time high with an overall success rate of 85%. For those learners on the Advanced Apprenticeship three-year programme, success rates were even higher, at over 98%. PHOTO CAPTION: As part of their exchange visit, S&B Automotive Academy arranged for the German apprentices to visit Hampshire bus operator, Bluestar, at its Barton Park depot. The students are pictured with S&B’s Andy West (3rd right) and Steve Prewett, Bluestar’s Area Engineering Manager (2nd right). Ends http://www.sandbaa.com
Rose Week has been taking place at Sir Thomas and Lady Dixon Park in south Belfast, with thousands of visitors turning out to see the park's award-winning gardens.
Police are hunting a 42-year-old man who has been missing since 14 July.


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08:09:34 local time VIET NAM
* ILO warns of future financial woes of social security fund:
The International Labor Organization Vietnam suggested the country gradually increase the retirement age to 65 for both men and women to prevent the social security fund from running into heavy deficit, something which is “dangerously close.”
A report released on Thursday by ILO suggests that the Vietnam Social Security Fund could start having deficits by 2021 and experience a depletion by 2034 if no reforms were made.
The report, titled “Actuarial valuation of the public pension scheme of the Vietnam Social Security Fund,” was presented to the Government at a workshop co-organized by the ILO and the Ministry of Labor in Hanoi on Thursday.
It provides financial projection of the present public scheme of the fund and analyzes possible reforms that could increase the fund’s sustainability.
08:09:34 local time LAOS
* Germany supports capacity building in Lao garment industry:
The Garment Skills Development Training Centre of the Association of the Lao Garment Industry (ALGI) has received additional industrial sewing machines, technical equipment and vehicles, allowing management to visit the 110 garment factories.
The handover ceremony of the assistance package took place at the Garment Skills Development Training Centre on 22 August, between the President of the Association of the Lao Garment Industry, Mr. Onesy Bouksivongsak, and Charge d’Affaires of the German Embassy, Mr. Michael Zinn. Relevant officials of both sides witnessed the handover.
Mr. Michael Zinn thanked all participants for making a success story of the garment Skills Development Centre. Founded in 2010, the centre is the first garment training centre in Laos funded by the Trade Development Facility, a multi-donor trust fund financed by Australia, the European Union, Germany, Ireland and the World Bank.
08:09:34 local time CAMBODIA
* Union reps claim factory beatdown:
Union representatives who claim they were beaten to within an inch of their lives yesterday after they handed out pro-union leaflets in Phnom Penh’s Por Sen Chey district have vowed to take legal action.
The 10 union members, who represent four different unions – the Union Federation for Labour Rights (UFLR), Cambodian Federation of Labour Unions, Khmer Workers Union Federation and Union Federation Peace for Workers – stood in front of Dayup Global Co Ltd passing out literature with information detailing the Labour Law and workers rights yesterday morning, San Lay, secretary-general of the UFLR, said.
“After we gave out all the leaflets, we went to have breakfast,” Lay said. “Then a group of people came out of the factory carrying stones, sticks and cleavers to attack us.”
Outnumbering the union representatives four to one, the armed men pummelled the latter group, leaving two unconscious and vomiting blood, and the others with less severe injuries, Sam Soeun, president of the UFLR, said.
09:09:34 local time INDONESIA
* Entrepreneurs Urge Government to Elaborate Incentive:
Industry players particularly labor-intensive industry urge the government to soon elaborate incentive policy for industry since they want to have exact calculation and how many tax incentives that they can obtain to boost companies’ performance.
Head of Indonesia Textile Association (API), Ade Sudrajat, said until now he still awaits the detail of incentive policy. After that, he can analyze whether it bring positive or negative result for the industry.
“We are waiting for the technical guide because it contains criteria and limitation to obtain incentive, but the impact can be beneficial or not at all,” said Ade to Bisnis on Sunday (8/25).
07:09:34 local time BANGLADESH
* Made in Bangladesh:
After deadly factory disasters,we investigate if retailers like Walmart and GAP know where their clothes are being made.
In November 2012, a fire at the Tazreen Fashions factory in Bangladesh killed at least 112 people.
Walmart’s Faded Glory brand shorts were among the clothing found in the charred remains.
The retailer blamed its supplier, saying the order had been sub-contracted to Tazreen without its authorisation.
Fault Lines obtained documents related to the order and investigates whether Walmart has lost control of its supply chain in Bangladesh.
We speak to the owner of the factory at the centre of the Faded Glory order that ended up in Tazreen, as well as other players directly involved in the order.
We also interview an auditor who gives us an insider’s perspective on the way Walmart gets its clothing manufactured.
And we visit factories where clothing items are being worked on by children as young as 12.
read more. & see video report.
* JS body wants realistic wage board for ready made garment workers:
The AL government in June formed a wage board for RMG workers who clashed with law enforcers over pay hike in different industrial areas
A parliamentary panel on labour and employment ministry on Sunday suggested the government should not come up with a wage structure as it might result in violent street protest by garment workers ahead of the national polls.
The Awami League government in June formed a wage board for ready-made garment (RMG) workers who clashed with law enforcers over pay hike in different industrial areas.
In 2010 the government raised the minimum wages to over Tk3, 000 from the previous Tk1, 650 a month.
The parliamentary standing committee suggested the ministry create 200 more posts of factory inspectors for better supervisions of the working conditions in all industrial units to stop human tragedies on the scale of the Rana Plaza disaster.
“We have advised the ministry to come up with a realistic wage board award as soon as possible, but it must not be unacceptable,” Shahiduzzaman Sarker, a committee member, told Dhaka Tribune after the meeting at the parliament building.
“If the RMG workers pour on to the street in protest, it will be very difficult for us to handle it ahead of the elections,” he said.
* Minimum wage for RMG workers:
Bangladesh country manager of a global apparel sourcing company wanted to know my reaction over the proposal to fix the minimum wage for the workers in Ready-made Garment (RMG) industries at Tk 8000 per month.
Though I knew, the minimum wage is being reviewed by a recently formed wage board for the RMG workers and the workers, media and civil society were asking for a massive hike in the minimum wage in view of large rise in the ‘cost of living’, I was not quite sure at what level it was being fixed. I rather sought opinion of the gentleman on the issue. He thought without fixing issues like infrastructure, energy supply, building safety, workers’ safety and, more importantly, labour productivity, this might be a counter-productive exercise for the Bangladesh RMG industry.
Optimum pricing in the marketing or management world has always been a challenge. While ‘low pricing’ may affect the productivity and overall image or acceptability of the product, out of the market pricing or non-sustainable pricing may seriously impact the core competitiveness of the product or the industry segment as a whole.
While our workers in the RMG industry do deserve a respectable minimum wage, preliminary studies suggest that present condition of the industries may not be supportive of a minimum wage hike at more than USD 100 per month. With less than 2700 units out of around 5500 woven and knitting factories doing direct contracts, it may have devastating impact on the factories doing sub-contracts for little known or not known apparel brands or retailers including ‘mom and pop shops’.
* Database creation for RMG workers at snail’s pace:
Preparation of biometric database for the garment workers at Ashulia is progressing at snail’s pace as the factory owners are showing little interest to the direction of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association.
A total of 132 factories, out of around 300 located at Ashulia, have so far deposited money to the BGMEA for the creation of database and 80 factories have progressed in integrating 80 per cent workers in the database, said BGMEA leaders.
On May 20, the country’s apex trade body for garment manufacturers had instructed its member factories at the area to prepare a biometric database of their workers by August 30.
BGMEA leaders, however, said that it was a difficult task to incorporate all the workers under a database and so it would take time.
* Factory shut over cracks in building:
An apparel factory was shut Monday due to workers’ unrest as cracks were discovered in the building in Gazipur district.
According to industrial police sources, workers of SQ Crystal garments factory Sunday found cracks had developed on the sixth and tenth floor of the 10-storey building located at Telipara area of the city. Some parts of the partition of tenth floor broke down during construction on Sunday.
Panic spread among workers and on Monday the workers gathered in front of the main gate of the factory where they enforced a strike.
The authorities declared the factory shut for Monday and Tuesday to avert any untoward incidents.
Assistant Superintendent of Gazipur industrial police Mosaraf Hossain confirmed the incident.
SQ Crystal garments factory will examine the matter and will resume operations from Wednesday if the engineer gives a green signal, he said.
* RMG workers protest building cracks, sacking in Gazipur:
Workers of a garment factory yesterday observed work abstention after they discovered cracks on two floors of the factory building in Gazipur.
Workers of SQ Crystal Garment Factory in Telipara area found cracks on the sixth and 10th floor of the 10-storied building on Sunday.
The workers yesterday demonstrated before the factory gate, said police.
The authorities closed the factory for two days — yesterday and today.
Meanwhile, workers of GL Fashion Limited demonstrated protesting the sacking of five of their co-workers.
* RMG factory declares holidays as cracks found in building:
The authorities of a garment factory in Gazipur declared holiday on Monday and Tuesday as cracks were found in the building.
According to industrial police, panic spread among workers of SQ Crystal garments factory at Telipara of the city after cracks were detected on 6th and 10th floors of factory.
Workers gathered in front of factory and shouted slogans, saying that some parts of the 10th floor collapsed during construction on Sunday.
* Bangladesh Factory Inspections to Start in September:
Inspections are due to begin next month on at least 2,000 garment factories in Bangladesh that are not already part of two separate initiatives by retailers and brands in Europe and North America to audit all their supplier factories in the country.
The government-led National Tripartite Action Plan on Building and Fire Safety, which is working with employer and worker groups and the International Labor Organization (ILO), says teams led by the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) will undertake the assessments.
There are also plans to set out a national standard for fire safety and structural assessments as a benchmark for all audits to meet.
The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) has pledged to share documents related to factory design and layout with the Committee — which will also share the national standards with all relevant stakeholders at a workshop on September 7.
* BGMEA listing inactive RMG factories:
Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association is preparing a list of garment factories that are non-operational and existing only on paper as international buyers have been putting pressure to ensure an effective inspection system.
Following the tragic blaze in Tazreen Fashions on November 24 last year and the Rana Plaza collapse on April 24 that killed more than 1,200 garment workers, the pressure from international buyers have increased.
Recently North American and European retailers have taken initiatives to ensure safety standards in the readymade garment sector, suggesting the Bangladesh government should recruit 200 more factory inspectors.
BGMEA vice-president Shahidullah Azim told New Age that they had been assessing the number of non-operational factories as the ministerial committee on social compliance had been repeatedly asking them to submit the list of operational factories.
read more. & read more.
* BD to buy more cotton from Uzbek:
* ‘Mystery shrouds over signing of Ticfa’:
The is no progress over signing of the much-talked-about Trade and Investment Cooperation Framework Agreement (Ticfa) that the cabinet approved on June 17 last as the Commerce Ministry says ‘a mystery’ has shrouded the issue, reports UNB.
“There’s no update yet. A mystery has been created, apparently,” Commerce Minister GM Quader told UNB at his office on Monday.
He said Bangladesh could have been benefited much had Ticfa been signed and in their (US) views, they just wanted to help Bangladesh through signing the deal.
Meanwhile, a senior official at the Commerce Ministry said the Commerce Minister wrote a letter to Foreign Minister Dr Dipu Moni requesting her to take necessary steps for signing the proposed Ticfa.
* Foreign ministry urged to take steps to sign TICFA :
The commerce ministry has requested the foreign ministry to take steps to sign the Trade and Investment Cooperation Forum Agreement (TICFA) with the United States soon, sources said.
Recently, Commerce Minister Ghulam Muhammad Quader sent a letter to Foreign Minister Dr Dipu Moni, to take necessary steps for signing the much-talked-about trade and investment deal as early as possible.
read more. & read more.
* US wants to sign Ticfa next month:
The US government wants to sign the proposed Trade and Investment Cooperation Framework Agreement (Ticfa) with Bangladesh next month for ‘expanding trade and investment’ through enhanced cooperation and more comprehensive agreements, reports UNB.
US Ambassador in Dhaka has already written to Commerce Minister GM Quader proposing him to sign the deal next month during Quader’s US visit.
A copy of the letter obtained by this correspondent reads: “If you’re able to attend, I would suggest that you add a stop in Washington to sign the Ticfa, which thanks to your tenacious support, is now ready for signature.”
read more. & read more.
THE SAVAR BUILDING COLLAPSE
* Workers Voice Discontent After 4 Months Of The Rana Plaza Tragedy:
4 months have passed after the tragic Rana Plaza Collapse at Savar, Bangladesh. Victims and families of the deceased still mourn their helplessness at the tragedy site everyday, while come together in protest when the pain grows unbearable.
On 24 August, as the 4th month of Rana Plaza passed away, victims-rights activists-families of victims came together in protest infront of the BGMEA Headquarters demanding compensation for the surviving victims and a full report on the identification of missing victims.
Later on Sunday morning, 25 August 2013, apparel workers blocked New Airport Road in Joar Sahara area of the capital demanding a hike in their salaries and other benefits including attendance bonus and lunch allowances.
The demonstration that started around 8:00am caused huge traffic congestion on the road in the morning rush hours.
06:39:34 local time INDIA
* Employment in textiles sector would rise up to 62 mn by 2022:
To fulfil the needs of skilled manpower in the sector, the ministry launched Integrated Skill Development Sector in 2010 on a pilot basis for two years
Employment in the textiles and clothing sector would rise to 60-62 million by 2022 from about 35 million in 2008 as per the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) report, Parliament was informed today.
Referring to the NSDC report on ‘Human Resource and Skill Requirements in Textiles Sector (2022), Textiles Minister K Sambasiva Rao said: “The overall employment in the textiles sector would increase from 33-35 million in 2008 to about 60-62 million by 2022.”
This would translate into an incremental human resource requirement of about 25 million people, he said in a written reply to the Lok Sabha.
* Embracing GM crops:
India has enjoyed signal successes with genetic engineering in agriculture, but its relationship with this environmentally friendly, wealth-enhancing technology may be coming to an end. At the very least, it is in disarray, the victim of activists’ scaremongering and government pandering.
The recommendations of a technical expert committee (TEC) forwarded recently to the Supreme Court are absurd. The TEC has called for an indefinite moratorium on field trials of genetically engineered (“genetically modified” or “GM”) crops until alleged deficiencies in the government’s regulatory and safety systems have been addressed.
The truth is that the cultivation of these plants in 2012 on a record 170.3 million hectares worldwide (by more than 17 million farmers) caused not a single mishap — not an ecosystem disrupted or a person given a tummy ache.
During the past decade, widespread adoption of an insect-resistant, genetically engineered crop called Bt-cotton, which contains a bacterial protein toxic to pests, has drastically reduced the use of chemical pesticides in cotton fields, enhanced food security and improved farmers’ bottom line. It took 15 years (1982-97) for cotton yields in India to increase from 200 to 300 kg/hectare, but the availability of Bt-cotton boosted yields from 300 kg/hectare to over 500 kg/hectare during just 2002-08.
06:09:34 local time PAKISTAN
* Govt urged to protect working women’s rights:
The Women Workers Union on Friday urged the Punjab government to protect the rights of working women in accordance with the ILO Charter and labour laws in the country.
The government must also evolve a comprehensive policy for working women at the earliest and ensure its effective implementation.
The demands were made at a national conference of women workers held by the WWU in collaboration with Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung. It was attended by MPAs Dr Noshin Hamid, Faiza Malik, Lubna Rehan, Shameela Aslam, and Tehseen Fawad, members of civil society organisations, women labour leaders from Sindh, Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab.
* PIEDMC to establish ‘garment city’;
Punjab Industrial Estates Development and Management Company (PIEDMC) will develop a ‘garment city’ in order to revitalise the garment industry in Punjab province. PIEDMC Chairman S M Tanveer revealed this in a meeting with the industrialists belonging to garment sector.
While giving details about the proposed industrial estates, he said, this would be established in accordance with the vision of Punjab Chief Minister who wanted to make the province an industrial hub of the country. The garment city will be established at about 400 to 500 acres of land in close proximity of Lahore. This proposed industrial estate would provide modern infrastructure, he added.
read more. & read more.
06:09:34 local time UZBEKISTAN
* Andijan residents expedite weddings as cotton season approaches:
Residents of Andijan province in Uzbekistan are being advised to hold weddings no later than September 10 – the beginning of the cotton-picking season.
Managers of most organizations in Andijan province have been instructed to not let their employees take holidays during cotton picking season.
At the same time makhalla committee managers are recommending that residents planning to get married do so before September 10.
This year’s cotton picking season is set to start later than last year. However, preparatory meetings to work out strategies and goals for this year’s harvest are already taking place in the region between farm managers, makhalla chairs, universities employees, as well as other regional and local community representatives.
* Bangladeh to buy more cotton from Uzbek:
Bangladesh plans to import 200,000 tons of cotton a year from Uzbekistan in a new deal to be finalized soon.
Negotiations are underway to set its terms in a Memorandum of Understanding between the two governments, the Financial Express quotes Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association President Atiqul Islam as saying.
Bangladesh’s industry is heavily dependent on imported cotton yarn and fabric.
The proposed deal will “ensure a steady supply of cotton to the country`s textile industry”, said Islam.
The garment and textile industry of Bangladesh uses about 800,000 tons of cotton annually and the bulk of it is imported from India, Uzbekistan, Pakistan, Africa, Brazil, and the US.
The deal comes at a time of mounting criticism of Uzbekistan`s cotton industry over its use of child labor. The Cotton Campaign has, for instance, alleged that the Uzbek government forces “children as young as 10 to pick cotton under appalling conditions each harvest season”.
More than 120 international apparel brands and retailers have already banned the use of cotton from Uzbekistan as part of efforts to stop the country using forced and child labor to harvest its cotton.
* Next stop for textile industry? :
Swedish clothing retailer H&M wants to set up shop in Ethiopia, since production costs there are cheaper than in the Far East. Other clothing manufacturers are hesitating. Could Ethiopia become the next Bangladesh?
Ethiopia’s economy just keeps growing – since 2007 at times with double-digit leaps and bounds. “The Economist” projects that the country will experience annual growth of 7 to 8 percent through 2016.
Ethiopia’s government is apparently placing special emphasis on the textile industry – by 2016, the country aims to export more than a billion dollars worth of apparel. Factories established by the likes of H&M are more than welcome.
According to a supplier, the Swedish chain wants to produce more than a million items of clothing per month in the East African nation. A company spokesperson confirmed that test runs have already been ordered from Ethiopian producers.
Cheaper than China
Many producers have in the past relocated production to countries that offered cheap labor, like Bangladesh or China. But in such countries, social standards have risen along with wages – while the world seems to be examining production conditions increasingly critically. So producers have started considering new options for cheap labor.
On the African continent, Morocco and Tunisia are known as clothing production countries, mostly for discount apparel. Other African countries, like Ghana or Kenya, don’t play much of a role in the fashion industry, according to GermanFashion, a German industry association.
read more. & read more.


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As the COVID-19 pandemic is slowly dying down in Europe, East Asia, and North America (while possibly only now taking off in other parts of the world), there remains a question of – now what?
The immediate threat of a serious illness and overloading the healthcare system has dissipated, but we still need to take all the necessary precautions to keep the curve as flat as possible. This means that, all across the globe, major events and gatherings of any kind are still canceled and will likely remain that way for the foreseeable future.
No music festivals, no concerts, closed theme parks, even the reopening of movie theaters is questionable. On the business side of things, conferences and various summits and congresses have all been postponed indefinitely. The situation is uncertain as of yet, and no one can be sure when and if everything will be back to normal.
So what happens now? Do we completely forget about these important events for the time being? Or is there a way to still make them happen and for the experts and businesses in really any field to enjoy meeting and discussing their brand new ideas?
Well, as they say, when one door closes, another opens. This time, that second door comes in the form of VR.
We’ve already witnessed the immersive powers of VR in education, healthcare, military fields, tourism, sports, and gaming. We’ve talked about how this technology helped businesses hold their regular meetings and gatherings even during the COVID-19 lockdown.
So it should come as little surprise that VR is especially neat when we’re talking about organizing conferences and similar large-scale events. Take a look at the Educators in VR International Summit, the first of which took place in February in AltspaceVR.
In times like these, when it is imperative that we leave our homes as little as possible, VR spaces able to support a large number of people with plenty of tools and equipment available are invaluable.
Here are the three best apps and platforms that support virtual conferences:
Created by Microsoft, AltspaceVR is the leading virtual place for holding live events of any kind, including shows, meetups, and lectures. It is colorful and vibrant and is sure to infuse a dose of humor into your business conference. All you need to do is design an avatar that will best represent you.
The Educators in VR Summit featured 170 speakers in 150 events spread out over six days. Thanks to AltspaceVR, it went by without a hitch and all of it was for free. Not something other options on this list could easily beat.
This is a platform primarily used for education and training, but it can absolutely hold its own when it comes to a conference of several thousand attendees. HTC held its annual Vive Ecosystem Conference (VEC) using the Engage platform. The organizers of the event, the speakers, and the guests were all impressed with the platform’s capabilities.
Engage went out of its way to accommodate the massive conference, going so far as to add multilingual support and upgrade their servers to allow for up to five thousand live users. If you’re asking HTC China, there is no better platform to organize this type of event on.
VirBELA technology takes the meaning of collaboration on a whole new level. They’re offering the option of visiting an open VR campus with your team (for free!) and finding a space for your business there, as well as a private suite, and an enterprise campus specially customized to fit your company’s needs.
The founders of VirBELA are saying how their platform can support a VR conference of any size, no matter what it requires. They’re already getting calls from numerous groups and organizations that are looking to avoid travel and banding people together in the real world.
The Future of VR Conferences
Will VR events become the new standard? We would like to think so. The fact is that VR conferences and business meets reduce costs for travel and accommodation, offer a lot more flexibility to the attendees and speakers and, in the end, make all of us safer and more protected from health hazards that are still lurking out there.


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Apple launched the iPhone SE last year, which is a smaller iPhone that was targetted towards a specific set of people. It was supposedly cost less in comparison to the other regular variant of the iPhone in the market and in fact, even in India, the device was received quite well, despite it not being all that inexpensive. However, now we have some new reports which claim that the company is planning on refreshing this variant with updated specs.
On the other hand, the news which is far more interesting than this is the fact that Apple is said to launching the smartphone first in the Indian market. Yes, the new iPhone SE is said to be manufactured by Wistron and it has been reported that it will reportedly start shipping early next year. And in case if you have been following the news, then might already know that Wistron is the same manufacturer who started assembling the current generation of iPhone SE in India.
The manufacturer is said to add a new production line for the new iPhone SE and it has also been reported that Wistron is currently in talks with Karnataka Government for additional land. This indicates that we could be seeing double or even triple amount of production capacity in coming years. The price of this particular smartphone is said to go down, thanks to the tax exemption on basic customs duty.
And now talking about the device itself, it looks like this new iPhone SE will sport a 4-inch to 4.2-inch display on the front and it also looks like the device will be offered in 32GB and 128GB storage configurations respectively. In terms of the SoC, it has been reported that it is most likely to run on Apple’s A10 chipset and it will be kept powered by a 1700mAh battery.
Well, if the reports are true, then this could very well turn out to be a great offering in the country. Also, given the fact that affordable smartphones are being pushed more than ever in the country, if Apple manages to price it well, then this could be a great offering for the people. Having said that, be sure to let us know what do you think about this by leaving a comment down below.
Source – Tekz24


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However, it turns out, maybe we shouldn't be so jealous after all as there seems to be a very important issue with the ITV pantry.
After a segment on the show about expiry dates and food ordering, the This Morning Instagram account decided to show off their own food organisation.
And it seems there was a fundamental problem with their studio ingredients – the plain flour was out of date.
The social media post was captioned: "Hands up who likes a tidy pantry! #tidypantry #labels #expirydate #thismorning."
Sitting next to sugar and fusilli pasta, the 411,000 follows of the This Morning Instagram account warned the likes of Holly and Phil about their food mistake.
Calling them out, one said: "The flour is out of date whoops."
Another added: "Your plain flour is out of date!"
Not letting them off, another pointed out they needed "new flour" with many more bringing the flour's expiry date to light.
Of course, this was all part of the segment.
Also, as a baking ingredient, most flours have a best before date rather than an expiry date meaning it can still be used.
Fans aren't letting the This Morning team get away with much these days as they've also been venting their frustrations at Holly and her regular get the looks.
Rather than paying attention to her outfits, fans have been quick to comment instead - on the background.
One commented: "That's got to be the worst looking corner in the building to take a picture.
Another said: "Very pretty and all, but why do you always stand in what looks like the corner of a multi-storey car park??"
You can't get nothing past those eagle-eyed This Morning viewers.


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Ford Might Limit The Number Of Shoppers Allowed In Ontario Grocery Stores
Desperate times, desperate measures. The latest update on the development of COVID-19 in Ontario has reported another increase in cases, and still some people who are assuming the worst can't seem to stop panic buying. Premier Doug Ford spoke to reporters on Wednesday, March 18, when he suggested he could look to limit the number of shoppers who are allowed in provincial grocery stores at any given time.
... and disable advertisements! No kidding :)


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Jeremy Gutsche delivered the trends keynote at Chicago Trends Conference in Chicago on March 16, 2017.
The Future Festival Chicago trends conference is an immersive one-day event bringing Trend Hunter's consumer insights research to the Midwest. A spin-off of Trend Hunter's three-day trends festival held each fall in Toronto, the Chicago consumer insights event also includes a networking reception filled with tech demos and the opportunity to meet one-on-one with Trend Hunter's Advisory and Research team.
The Future Festival Chicago trends conference immerses attendees in the 2017 Trend Report and the first-ever Trend Hunter Megatrend Framework. Additionally, the event includes two keynote presentations from CEO and trends expert Jeremy Gutsche, who introduces the Six Patterns of Opportunity from his New York Times bestselling book, 'Better & Faster: the Proven Path to Unstoppable Ideas,' as well as his new talk, 'How to Spark a Revolution.'


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First Free Story (1 of 3)Join Skift Pro
Deutsche Lufthansa AG, the German airline, said it plans to suspend its dividend payout to retain its reserves, as the company embarks on a fresh round of cost cuts and enlarges its short- and long-haul fleet of aircraft.
The company said it will buy 8 long-range and 100 short- to medium-range aircraft, in a purchase valued at about 9 billion euros, according to a statement today. At the same time, Lufthansa said it will close sites and merge administrative functions in a bid to save costs.
Lufthansa said profit last year reached 990 million euros, compared with a year-earlier loss of 13 million euros, mainly as it benefited from disposal gains. Revenue in 2012 rose to 30.1 billion euros from 28.7 billion euros, Deutsche Lufthansa said, citing preliminary earnings figures.
To contact the reporter on this story: Benedikt Kammel in Berlin at email@example.com. To contact the editor responsible for this story: Benedikt Kammel at firstname.lastname@example.org.


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Japan Asks China to Reconsider Anal Collection Method for PCR Tests
12:55 JST, February 28, 2021
BEIJING — The Japanese Embassy in China has asked Beijing to reconsider its method of collecting PCR test samples from the anus of some visitors, a Japanese government official revealed.
China mandates PCR tests upon entry into the country. Samples previously have been taken from the nose and throat. However, testing using the anus began at several immigration points in early January, according to Chinese media and other sources.
The Japanese Embassy in Beijing said it asked the Chinese Foreign Ministry to review the method because of its heavy physical and psychological burdens and after having received complaints from Japanese and others entering China.
CNN has reported that the U.S. State Department lodged a complaint against China, saying U.S. diplomats were subject to this collection method.
Chinese media outlets have reported that samples taken from the anus show a longer period of positivity than those collected from the nose and throat, which can reduce the chance of not detecting infections.
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"In light of the current situation, we are cutting down on our budget allocated for giveaways and social media promotions. The money we save will be contributed towards the covid relief," Xiaomi said on Twitter.
The company runs a contest whenever it launches products. The announcement from the company came when it unveiled new products- Mi 11 Ultra, flagship Mi QLED 75 inch TV and two new models in Mi11 X series.
Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Karnataka, Kerala, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat and Rajasthan reported 75.01 per cent of the new COVID-19 cases registered in a day.
According to official data, India added a record 3,32,730 new coronavirus cases in a span of 24 hours, taking the country's infection tally to 1,62,63,695. Total 2,263 coronavirus-related deaths were reported in the period.
Delhi and nine states account for 81.79 per cent of the new deaths. Maharashtra saw the maximum casualties (568). Delhi follows with 306 daily deaths.
Several hospitals in Delhi, Noida and Ghaziabad are reported to have been running out of oxygen.
People on social media have been reporting about shortage of several medicines, hospital beds and other facilities.
- Front Page
- Pure Politics
- Brands & Companies
- Indices End 8-Day Rally Ahead of US Jobs Data
Indian equities reversed their eight-day winning streak Friday, taking a pause on their record-breaking path as traders trimmed bullish bets ahead of key US jobs data and carried lighter positions to next week amid a negative undertone in global markets.Luxe EV Sales on Full Charge, Push up Waiting Period
Luxury carmakers are seeing unprecedented demand for high-end electric vehicles (EVs), with the well-heeled snapping up models such as the Mercedes Benz EQS, BMW iX and Audi e-tron.OpenAI’s Chatbot Thinks Out of the Box, Comes up with Detailed Answers
A new chatbot created by artificial intelligence non-profit OpenAI Inc has taken the internet by storm, as users speculated on its ability to replace everything from playwrights to college essays.
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Nokia has released a brand new app for its Windows Phone devices that promises to make mobile web browsing a far less painful experience. Xpress is its name, and it’s currently available as a free beta download.
Xpress capitalises on the work Nokia has been doing with its budget Asha range in recent years. The web browser on Nokia’s latest feature phones cuts down data usage by as much as 90 per cent, which is a massive plus in less developed countries where data charges are prohibitive and the mobile is often the only way to connect to the internet.
It seems that Xpress is bringing these data-saving practices to Nokia’s high-end Windows Phone devices. Nokia claims that the new app compresses data by up to 85 or 90 per cent (Nokia can’t seem to decide) by utilising cloud technology. One happy side effect of this is that browsing the web with Xpress uses up less battery power.
The new Xpress beta really runs with the whole data-saving angle, featuring as it does a data usage monitor – similar to that found on the more recent versions of Android. Another great data-saving feature found in Xpress is that it lets you save videos you might want to watch to your SkyDrive account without costing you any data. You can then watch it back later when you get to a Wi-Fi hotspot.
Xpress isn’t just about saving you pennies, though – it’ll also save you time. It has an RSS feature built into it that takes your favourite websites and pushes the content into an easily digestible magazine format. It also provides quick links to your most frequently visited sites.
Another clever feature relates to search. If you tap on a word on a web page, Xpress will find you related search content from Wikipedia, Bing and YouTube.
Finally – translations. Xpress has built-in one-touch translation software. Just select the ‘Translate to’ option when you’re on a foreign website and Xpress will do the rest for you.
Xpress is available now as a beta download from the Nokia Beta Labs website. You’ll need to have a Nokia Lumia phone to run it.
With HTC surprising everyone with its commitment to (and cheekily Lumia-aping) Windows Phone 8 plans, Nokia is going to have to focus on its unique software offerings as much as its distinctive hardware design. Xpress could join Nokia Drive as the best example of this yet.


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The Herald and Times Group has launched a new free magazine called Scottish Cycling.
The quarterly title covers all aspects of cycling from mountain biking and road rides to easy paced days out with the kids.
Distributed throughout February, Scottish Cycling will have a print run of 50,000 copies and will be available across major cities including Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dundee and Stirling.
The distribution network will consist of over 500 outlets, including major bike retailers, outdoor and camping shops, leisure centres, gymnasiums, sports cafes and schools.
The magazine also comes in a free digital e-edition format which is available to read on all mobile and tablet devices including the iPad and iPhone.
Magazine Publisher Darren Bruce said: “Following Britain’s recent successes at the Tour de France and the London Olympics, we anticipate that cycling in the UK will continue to go from strength to strength.
“The launch of Scottish Cycling now bridges a gap in the market that helps visualise Scotland’s beautiful landscapes from two wheels, whilst encouraging everyone to become fit, active and healthier.”


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In this vehicle review, Aaron talks about the 2020 Chrysler Pacifica in its Hybrid format. This plug-in minivan offers a lot for the family of up to eight. A few things make the Paciifca stand out, even without the plug-in hybrid (PHEV) drivetrain.
The Toyota Venza returns as a 2021 model in an all-new design. Aaron is glad to see the wagon-like Venza look more appealing and Kristin likes that it’s a hybrid by default. The new Sienna minivan was unveiled at the same time, sharing the same drivetrain and with a surprise nudge-nudge finger point towards Chrysler in its announcement. Both of these are a big deal for Toyota, whose losing ground in the smaller two-row midsized crossover segment and whose minivan has become aged against newer competition. Both of these seek to rectify those shortcomings and are definitely on point towards doing so. Find out what we know and what we think about the new 2021 Toyota Venza and the 2021 Toyota Sienna.
We cornered a Chrysler sound system expert and talked about stereo options in the new Pacifica. Turns out, there are four options and one of them has not just a subwoofer, but 20 (yes, 20!) speakers. Check it out!
Kristin talks with FCA’s Mary Ann Capo about the 2021 Chrysler Pacifica minivan, now with AWD and a new infotainment system. This is a big step forward for the best-selling minivan and adds something that many of us have wanted for a long time: all-wheel drive. Learn the details and ins and outs of this setup straight from the source.
In this segment, Kristin talks to Mary Ann Capo of Fiat-Chrysler about the new changes to America’s most popular minivan, the Pacifica, and its new Voyager sibling. The two look at the van twins and talk about the new S trim and more. Check these out even if you don’t think you like minivans!


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Starborne: Frontiers, a tactical MMO by Solid Clouds has been under the wraps for a while, with a soft launch in the Philippines that went live last December. There’s been some radio silence since then, except the news that the game was set to launch in mid-2022. While that hasn’t happened either, Solid Clouds has just announced that they will be beginning a Closed Beta Test for Starborne so players can try it out and report any bugs they may find.
Starborne: Frontiers is Solid Clouds’ second game after Starborne: Sovereign Space, which is set in the same universe. Frontiers, like its predecessor, is a combination between an auto-battler and a squad-based RPG set in a futuristic world. it sees players take on the role of a Fleet Commander who must keep recruiting new ships and training pilots to face whatever is thrown at them. The galaxy is vast and not much is known about it, so players must be prepared for anything.
Speaking about the upcoming game, CEO of Solid Clouds, Stefán Gunnarsson, said: “I’m really excited to see the Starborne Universe expand. This release has truly been a labor of love, and finally seeing the lore and complex character stories come to life feels like a dream come true.”
The latest addition to this universe will have a power-packed story featuring an immersive campaign storyline full of bounty hunting and boss fights, alongside numerous other game modes. There are loads of characters to pick from ten different factions, to create a perfectly unique squad of the strongest heroes the galaxy has ever seen.
Beta testers will be privy to the campaign mechanics, PvP arena, and bounty system. It should go live in the next few weeks and players and register for it on the official website or Discord channel. Hopefully, a launch date should be out soon as well.


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Global Processing Services (GPS) CEO Commentary - Following Marqeta IPO
- Trading Systems , Data
- 11.06.2021 03:35 pm
While in the past few years there has been considerable investment and disruption in merchant acquiring, with the emergence of winners such as Stripe and Adyen, the role of the technology providers behind the cardholder side of the payments equation – otherwise known as issuer processors – has been largely overlooked, despite enabling many of the most innovative and valuable fintechs today.
However, that is beginning to change. The intrinsic value of issuer processors is increasingly being reflected by the post-M&A valuations of some of the biggest companies in the space, from SoFi’s $1.2 billion acquisition of Galileo and its recent SPAC merger taking its market cap to $16.9 billion, to SaltPay’s acquisition of Tutuka and its subsequent $700 million fundraise now valuing the company at over $1 billion. This is only further highlighted by retail investor interest in US-based Marqeta’s IPO, demonstrating that the year of the issuer processor has now arrived.
While the market opportunity is huge in the US, with issuers processing $6.7 trillion worth of transactions in 2020, our experience is that this opportunity stretches across the globe and could be almost five times that amount, given the rapid shift to digital payments adoption and increasingly cashless societies post-Covid.”


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More than 3.5 million Southland residents are traveling during this Thanksgiving holiday, a 3.8 percent increase over last year that the Automobile Club of Southern California attributes to lower gas prices and improved personal finances.
Around the state, the number of people projected to take Thanksgiving holiday trips is 5.65 million, according to the Auto Club.
The number of people traveling at least 50 miles from home between today and this coming Sunday is expected to be the highest a Thanksgiving holiday since 2007, when 4 million Southern Californians took trips, the Auto Club said in a statement.
For both Southern California and the state, 85 percent of travelers are expected to drive while 11 percent fly.
About 3.01 million Southern Californians will travel by car — a 3.9 percent increase over 2013 — while more than 379,000 are projected to fly, a 2.7 percent increase over last year, according to the Auto Club. Statewide, 4.85 million will drive to holiday destinations, and 610,000 will go by plane.
“As Californians see improvements in jobs and household worth this year, they are more willing to spend on travel,” said Auto Club spokesman Jeffrey Spring.
“An added bonus for travel budgets has been dramatically lower gas prices in the past two months. Consumers have more money in their pocket to plan trips, and this Thanksgiving’s travel will cost them less by car and just 1 percent higher than last year on average by air.”
Gas prices in Los Angeles and much of the Southland are heading toward an average price of $3 a gallon and are about 40 cents lower on average than at this time last year.
The top five destinations for Southern California travelers, according to a survey of the Auto Club’s AAA Travel agents, are, in this order, Las Vegas, San Francisco, San Diego, Grand Canyon, Santa Barbara and the California Central Coast.
Nationally, 46.3 million people are expected to travel over this holiday weekend, an increase of 4.2 percent from last year. Eighty-nine percent, or 41.2 million, will drive to their destinations, and 3.5 million are expected to fly, the Auto Club said.
The Auto Club quoted IHS Global Insight, which conducts holiday travel research and calculates holiday travel projections for the AAA, as reporting that West Coast travelers plan to spend about $700 on Thanksgiving trips this year, and the average trip distance for them will be 434 miles. Last year, West Coast residents spent an average of $681 and traveled an average of 795 miles.
Among this year’s projected Thanksgiving travelers, 46 percent have household incomes below $50,000, 33 percent between $50,000 and $100,000, and 22 percent have incomes of over $100,000, the Auto Club said. In 2013, 36 percent of travelers had household incomes below $50,000, 33 percent between $50,000 and $100,000, and 31 percent had incomes above $100,000.
Today is expected to be the most popular day for outbound travel, while Sunday is expected to be the day when most travelers return home, according to the Auto Club.
Unlike the Auto Club, which regards the Thanksgiving holiday travel period as between today and Sunday, the managers of Los Angeles International Airport consider it to be an 11-day period that began last Friday. They forecast LAX to be the nation’s busiest airport during that stretch.
More than 1.97 million passengers are forecast to pass through the airport between Nov. 21 and Dec. 1, said Nancy Suey Castles, public relations director of Los Angeles World Airports, the city agency that runs LAX. That’s a 4.8 percent increase over last year’s 1.82 million, which also made LAX the nation’s busiest airport, she said.
Travel experts attribute the increase at LAX to more available seats as airlines add flights to new cities, use larger aircraft on some flights. The addition of several new international air carriers is also seen as a factor.
Passengers should expect to see busy terminals and many domestic flights 90 percent full, Castles said. Flights between LAX and cities that are traditionally popular with Southern Californians — such as San Francisco, Las Vegas, Chicago, New York City and Boston – may be fully booked, she said.
Sunday and Monday are forecast to be the busiest travel days, with both days exceeding 207,000 passengers, Castles said.


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Earlier this year, Google announced its plans to retire Google Reader on July 1. And, of course, the Internet responded with the same overreaction it demonstrates whenever it's faced with change.
Web & communication software
Mere days after the Skype announced plans to integrate video calling with the Outlook.com web service, Viber has delivered a counterpunch with a new desktop app that lets you make free calls from Mac or Windows PCs, including video calls--a new optio...
If you want to be among the first to experience Mailbox for iPhone, stop reading for a moment and make a reservation for early access to the app. We'll wait.
Mailbox, the free iPhone app that makes managing your email a delight, is now available in the App Store. With any luck, you already made a reservation to gain access to the app, which the developers are rolling out slowly to avoid overloading their ...
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