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As of on the London Stock Exchange (LON) ∙ Minimum 15 minute delay
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Schroders Discloses 10.129% Stake In Royal Mail Vs 5.405%
Royal Mail Affirms FY Targets, Q1 Performance In Line With View
Royal Mail Says Orna Ni-Chionna Will Stand Down From Board Following AGM
Royal Mail plc provides postal services. The Company's segments include UK Parcels, International & Letters (UKPIL), General Logistics Systems (GLS) and Other. UKPIL operates in the United Kingdom collecting and delivering parcels and letters through approximately two main networks, the Royal Mail Core Network and Parcelforce Worldwide. UKPIL provides letter and parcel services to and from countries around the world under reciprocal arrangements with other overseas postal administrations. It is also responsible for the design and production of the United Kingdom's stamps and philatelic products. Parcelforce Worldwide is an express parcels business. The Company operates across a network of approximately 50 depots throughout the United Kingdom. GLS operates in continental Europe and the Republic of Ireland and has a ground-based deferred parcel delivery network in Europe. GLS provides parcel and express services, as well as logistics solutions.
100 Victoria Embankment
Chairman of the Board
Group Chief Executive Officer, Executive Director
Chief Financial Officer, Executive Director
Group Chief Technology Officer
Maaike H. De Bie
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Price To Sales (TTM)
Price To Book (MRQ)
Price To Cash Flow (TTM)
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Royal Mail Plc <RMG.L> said on Thursday its performance in the first quarter was in line with its expectations and re-affirmed its annual forecast in a short statement ahead of its annual general meeting.
** Britain's former postal monopoly Royal Mail Plc down 3.1% at 197.1p after HSBC downgrades stock to 'hold' from 'buy' and cuts PT to 216p
** Royal Mail shares hit record low of 198.25p, down 9.2%, taking this week's losses to 15%
Royal Mail Plc slashed its dividend by 40% on Wednesday to fund a new five-year turnaround drive focused on expanding its parcels business internationally to better position the group for a future dominated by online deliveries.
Royal Mail Plc on Wednesday slashed its dividend by 40% and said it would invest a further 1.8 billion pounds ($2.29 billion) in its UK postal service over the next five years in hopes of turning the business around.
Royal Mail Plc said Deputy Chairman Keith Williams will replace Les Owen as chairman, becoming the third person to hold the role in the past year.
Royal Mail Plc said on Friday Deputy Chairman Keith Williams will succeed Les Owen as chairman in May.
* SCHRODERS PLC DISCLOSES 5.005 PERCENT STAKE IN ROYAL MAIL PLC - FILING Source text for Eikon: Further company coverage:
Royal Mail Plc reined in its full-year profit forecast on Tuesday and spoke of a larger than expected decline in letter volumes, sending its shares down as much as 18 percent to a record low.
** Shares of Royal Mail slump as much as 18 pct to an all-time low
Royal Mail Plc on Tuesday narrowed its full-year profit forecast, and guided to a larger-than-expected decline in addressed letter volume for the year.
Insurance group Hiscox <HSX.L> and Spirax-Sarco Engineering <SPX.L> will be joining Britain's top share FTSE 100 <.FTSE> index as a result of this month's quarterly review, FTSE Russell said on Wednesday.
Postal company Royal Mail <RMG.L> is set to lose its place in the FTSE 100 <.FTSE>, while insurer Hiscox <HSX.L> is likely to join Britain's top stock index in a reshuffle next week, analysts said.
* Productivity to improve in second half, says CEO (Adds CEO comments, further detail on cost savings)
Royal Mail Plc's first-half profit dropped about 25 percent as the post and parcels company failed to cut enough costs in the UK and margins came under pressure at its fast-growing European business.
British shares retreated on Tuesday as the positive impact of a new North American free trade pact faded globally and shares of Royal Mail <RMG.L> hit a record low the day after the 500-year-old postal service issued a profit warning.
Royal Mail is having a ropey old year. Two weeks after Chairman Peter Long resigned in the wake of investor ire over a golden hello for Chief Executive Rico Back, the delivery service unveiled a profit warning that sent its share price down almost a fifth. The problem for...
UK shares retreated on Tuesday as the positive impact of a deal on North American free trade faded globally and shares of Royal Mail hit a record low the day after the 500-year-old postal service issued a profit warning.
Shares of Royal Mail <RMG.L> deepened its slump on Tuesday, hitting a record low, a day after the 500-year-old postal service warned annual profit would be far lower than expected, hurt by eroding logistics business margins and weaker letter volumes.
Britain's top share index lagged other European markets on Monday as investors kept one eye on developments over Brexit from the ruling Conservative Party's annual conference, and another on Ryanair's 13 percent dive after a profit warning.
Quote and financial data from Refinitiv. Fund performance data provided by Lipper. All quotes delayed a minimum of 15 minutes.


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KARSAN Eyes Europe Exports With New Bus
Turkish vehicle maker Karsan has manufactured a new minibüs called “jest” with an eye to launching exports to Europe.
Karsan, which has been manufacturing commercial vehicles for big brands like Renault , Peugeot , Citroen and Hyundai for many years, is now looking at the European market with its exclusive jest, which was produced with an investment of 50 million euros.
The company has been in competition with minibuses such as the J9 and the J10 , which was renewed in 2010 , for 29 years. It now aims to sell 2,500 new jest models in both the midibüs and minibüs versions.
They aimed to complete the deal in Europe by 2015 Karsan CEO Murat Selek said The company will also open Italy-Based sale-maketing Office, he said. “we anticipate a fast increase in minibüs sales in Europe.”
Karsan Marketing General Manager Vançın Kitapçı said the jest had drawn demands from potential customers because it was designed to carry only people, in contrast to alternatives, which were usually transformed from freightage vehicles.
Kitapçı said they would start selling jest to dealers at a price of between 95,000 Turkish liras and 105,000 liras next week
Kitapçı also said they had reached an agreement with Vodafone to provide Wireless Internet on the minibuses. The mobile Internet will offered to passngers free of charge, while Karsan will pay the free withour passing on the cost to minibüs users, he said.

domain: news


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TechSpot means tech analysis and advice you can trust.
A hot potato: The developers of Palworld have been accused of plagiarizing Pokémon since the game's explosive launch last week. The company that owns Pokémon recently confirmed its awareness of the situation, but analysis from legal experts suggests that a lawsuit might not be an open-and-shut case.
The Pokémon Company issued an official statement in response to the controversy surrounding the recent hit release, Palworld, which bears strong visual similarities to Nintendo's monster-training franchise. The likelihood of any legal proceedings remains unclear.
In a boilerplate announcement, the Pokémon Company acknowledged receiving numerous inquiries about Palworld without directly referring to the game. The company stated that it would investigate whether Palworld's character designs infringe upon Pokémon's copyright, a right it continues to defend vigorously.
since I'm bored as hell, I'm gonna be making a thread of this i think... Palworld design analysis trying to spot every pokemon they jumbled together pic.twitter.com/Ch9jcx5hCI– onion_mu (@onion_mu) January 18, 2024
Nintendo, one of the most famously litigious entities in the video game industry, aggressively pursues individuals who share and develop unofficial or pirated copies of its games. Many expected the company to take similar action against Palworld developer Pocket Pair, as the monsters it designed bear uncanny resemblances to specific Pokémon.
Legal experts have acknowledged these resemblances but admit they might be just different enough to escape a lawsuit. Palworld also faced accusations of ripping 3D assets directly from Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, but no concrete evidence has surfaced. Pocketpair CEO Takuro Mizobe claimed that Palworld passed legal reviews before its release. Moreover, images from Palworld have been publicly available since at least 2022 – Nintendo and the Pokémon Company have had two years to sue Pocket Pair but never did.
The Palworld developer also noted that, despite the visual similarities, the game bears little mechanical resemblance to Pokémon. It's more an amalgamation of elements from many popular titles, including Pokémon, Ark: Survival Evolved, Minecraft, Fortnite, Monster Hunter, and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Taking heavy inspiration from another product isn't enough to sustain a lawsuit.
Regardless of the legal status of the game's default characters, modders will find it challenging (though not impossible) to add real Pokémon to Palworld. Nexus Mods refuses to carry Pokémon-related mods for Palworld, fearing Nintendo's wrath, although it still hosts Pokémon mods for other games. A YouTuber who posted a now-deleted video of one such mod later said, "Nintendo has come for me." A Discord server for Palworld mods also forbids any discussion of mods to add Pokémon.
#Palworld has sold over 8 million copies in less than 6 days!– Palworld (@Palworld_EN) January 25, 2024
Thank you very much!!
As stated previously, we continue to work at full-speed on addressing bugs and issues!
Thanks for your support!#Pocketpair pic.twitter.com/4PLB1J4CYH
Although other monster-taming games with cartoon-like art styles exist, the conversation surrounding Palworld has become so heated due to its historic success. Over the weekend, we reported that it had sold three million copies and reached 1.8 million concurrent players on Steam, but Palworld has since surpassed these milestones.
Palworld is currently the top-selling and most-played game on Steam as of January 25, outperforming evergreen pillars like Counter-Strike 2, Dota 2, and PUBG. On Thursday, Pocket Pair announced that Palworld has sold eight million copies on Steam. According to unofficial data, it has become the second game in Steam's history to exceed two million concurrent players. Its peak is now second only to PUBG's three million, and it could take the crown, given its current pace and planned updates.
The latest patch introduced significant bug fixes, and Pocket Pair's roadmap includes substantial upcoming features. The developer plans to add PvP, end-game raid bosses, new environments, Xbox-Steam crossplay, and more.


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The coin is the first collectable UK 50p to celebrate a royal event and was designed by artist John Bergdahl.
Marking 70 years on the throne, the coin depicting the Queen on horseback will be struck on the 'heads' side of a new 50p and traditional £5 crown.
The Royal Mint's Divisional Director of Commemorative Coin Clare Maclennan said: "The Platinum Jubilee is an historic occasion and one that is particularly special for The Royal Mint, as the original maker of British Coins for 1,100 years.
"In celebration of this landmark event, the official Platinum Jubilee collection, including the new 50p and traditional £5 crown, features a unique commemorative design on both sides of the coin.
"Designed by esteemed artists and made with original craftsmanship, Her Majesty's Platinum Jubilee coins are enduring pieces of art that will be collected, cherished and passed down for generations."
Royal Mint Museum Historian Chris Barker added: "The Queen's legacy on coins stretches the length of her momentous reign, with The Royal Mint striking five definitive portraits of Her Majesty on official UK coin and celebrating previous Jubilees.
"The 1977 Silver Jubilee crown was the first major UK commemorative coin produced at The Royal Mint's Llantrisant home, after the minting in London ceased in 1975. Roughly thirty-seven million coins were produced at that time, and thousands were gifted to children across the UK as a memento of the occasion. Today's launch marks another significant milestone, and The Royal Mint plays a proud part in the nationwide celebrations."


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Škoda Auto India, in its endeavour to improve customer satisfaction, has launched its all-new Service CAM initiative. The Service CAM, a smartphone app-based tool allows Škoda Auto India customers to remotely approve service and repair jobs of their Škoda cars while it is in service.
Service CAM is an all-new digital tool that enables dealerships to send video documentation of the vehicle to customers. In case of unforeseen defects observed during repairing of the car, customers receive a personalised link via SMS or e-mail, which includes the video and cost calculations towards the repairs. Customers can decide from the comfort of their homes or office, whether they would like the work to be carried out or not. Service CAM makes back and forth calls redundant and provides complete transparency to customers.
Škoda Service CAM is currently active across the entire network of Škoda Auto India dealerships in the country. Customers can contact the nearest dealership for more details.
- · A new digital tool, representing transparency, convenience and modern technology for customers
- · Lends customers ability to remotely decide on additional work
- · Smartphone app-based implementation and solution
- · Operational across all Škoda Auto dealerships
You can add more to this story by commenting below.


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On 28 October, Mark Zuckerberg announced that Facebook was rebranding as Meta. The timing was likely a public relations strategy to end the tech giant’s downward trend.
Over the past year the $1trn company has faced congressional antitrust hearings, and damning whistleblower testimonies from ex-employee Frances Haugen revealing (amongst other disclosures) how the company knew but failed to act on the platforms role in advancing teenagers’ self esteem issues and the amplification of hate speech and misinformation in the Global South.
With the Meta launch and the announcement of a virtual reality online space called the metaverse, Zuckerberg is now attempting to redirect attention away from this public scrutiny and into a world that does not exist and where nobody has been harmed – yet.
According to Zuckerberg, the metaverse will be “an embodied internet where you’re in the experience, not just looking at it”. It will be a totalizing claim over all aspects, spaces and possibilities of social life. Ultimately, the metaverse is about exercising an even more pervasive form of power – it is an obvious next step for capitalist logic and a distinct challenge to our future collective imagination.
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So what exactly is the metaverse?
What makes the metaverse particularly terrifying is the explicit fragmentation and loss of experience which we are supposed to be excited about and willing to inhabit. During the October 2021 annual Facebook Connect conference , Zuckerberg, in an hour and 17 minute speech, described all the ways his company’s vision of the future could make us “feel like” something – but not quite experience it.
Zuckerberg explained how the metaverse could make us “feel like” we are “right there in the moment”, “right there together”, “right there with other people” all without the “there”. This metaverse future is predicated on incompleteness and imitation. It promises connectivity in exchange for the possibilities of the human sensorium. In this virtual reality, we do not get to make our own experience, but will live in one ruled by its singularity.
The extractive logic of this metaverse future is simple. It implies that more data is being produced and collected through a pervasive system of surveillance. The products in the whole Meta suite are designed as massive experimental rooms for company researchers seeking to increase the number of ads people click through. After all, more than 95% of the company’s revenues come from ads.
Meta and other tech companies carry out the experiments in the same settings the products are deployed. They have managed to make us comfortable with spending time within their lab – as they perfect increasing data collection through heightened engagement.
But it's not just Facebook that is going Meta. From Bumble to Nike, it seems like every company is trying to get in on the virtual action. The metaverse offers a natural space for expanding their business and the data they can collect about people.
The metaverse is thus all about control. This is not control for its own sake, but the continuation of a process refined over centuries through which capital seeks to shape the labor of workers, and the workers themselves. It is a logic that seeks workers not to guide, but rather, to complement machines and their mechanical functions. Workers follow the rhythm of the machines at an assembly line as they do driving an Uber: executing the movements that the owners of capital encoded into the machines.
The metaverse is now extending that control over people who are no longer presented as the prosthetics of machines, but a constitutive element within its matrix – placing the worker’s whole existence inside the machine itself. This virtual reality world will mediate all of our senses. There will be no more natural cycles to offer a shared sense of time. No real seasons or sunsets. The whole environment within which human interactions occur will be subjected to the cycles and rhythm of the corporate machine.
We need to collectively define and build the future
Tech companies have been controlling the narrative about the future for decades. Their leaders have been made into demi-gods to justify their enormous power. Apple co-founder Steve Jobs performed as the larger than life visionary of our computerized brain. Tesla founder and CEO Elon Musk argues that his massive wealth will save the human genome by colonizing other planets. These should be collective decisions, instead they have ended up in the hands of individuals who argue that ‘the future’ starts today. However this future is being constantly displaced, embodied by the next technology, the next big leap into – ironically – fewer possibilities of existence away from the screen.
Now with the metaverse, there is no way out.
To create and imagine a different future, we need to think in new ways, and reject the enclosure of the virtual. Unlike the metaverse, this needs to be a collective process.
However as we spend more time engaging in digital settings, the social scaffolding upon which our interactions depend is becoming more opaque – managed and controlled by a couple corporations. It is critical that we focus our attention on the power of big tech which directly threatens our emancipatory capabilities. Once we manage to claim space for a public conversation on what future we need, want and deserve, we can start envisioning the technologies that could serve within it.
We need to make sure that the spaces of the future enable change, agency, co-production, negotiation, cooperation and resistance. This is just a step towards creating an alternative and hopefully better future beyond the metaverse.


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A recent study has discovered that fabric face masks can do little to no help in preventing the transmission of Covid-19 or other airborne diseases, as reported by the Daily Mail.
According to the researchers from Bristol University in Britain, they found that 90% of COVID-19 particles are able to penetrate fabric face masks, making them less effective during pandemics.
Fabric face masks have progressively become more popular during the pandemic for their reusable quality, however, experts now warn that this particular type of face mask is less effective against viral transmission and may even contribute to its spread.
The researchers noted that fabric face masks are not generally produced from a material capable of filtering particles compared to the standard medical face masks or N95. Instead, It is made of tightly-woven fabric and although it is not visible to the eye, even a minuscule gap in the fabric is enough to allow most of the particles to penetrate through.
In short, just double-mask folks.


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Thanks to improvements in the job market, consumer confidence -- and spending -- is on the rise. After experiencing gains for the past nine months, consumer spending is up more than 7 percent since last March. Also impressive, and more relevant to our conversation here, online spending is up 16.1 percent compared to the same time last year.
As spending has improved, so too has the website performance of Internet Retailer's Top 50. The average response times of these sites dropped from five seconds in the first quarter of 2010 to 3.37 seconds last quarter. The average availability of these sites improved only slightly less dramatically, reaching 99.43 percent in Q1 2011 (up from 99.17 percent in Q1 2010).
The biggest news, however, is that for the first time since we started reporting our Web Performance Index for Retail, the two fastest websites also took the top positions in the availability rankings.
Avon Products, Inc. grabbed the title for the highest availability (99.96 percent) and the quickest response time, a near instantaneous 0.89 seconds. An incredible performance, and a huge improvement over Q1 2010 when availability came in at 99.90 percent and response time averaged 2.16 seconds.
Peapod, the wholly-owned subsidiary of Royal Ahold (based in the Netherlands) and one of America's leading Internet grocers, takes second place in both categories. The site's average response time for the quarter was just 1.29 seconds, and availability was 99.93 percent.
We'll award the bronze medal this quarter to Kohl's Department Store. Kohl's 1.68 second response time was the third fastest out of all the retailers, and it scored high with availability as well -- 99.70 percent. (See the full rankings of retailers website speed and availability in the charts below.)
Since we've been monitoring the performance of these sites for a year now, I also want to recognize the three brands that have shown the greatest year-over-year website performance improvements:
- 1-800-FLOWERS.COM decreased its average response time from 14.23 seconds in Q1 2010 to 4.89 seconds in Q1 2011.
- Buy.com reduced its average response time from 14.14 seconds to 5.15 seconds.
- Sony Style dropped its response time from 13.15 seconds to 4.18 seconds.
As gas prices continue their quick climb to $4 per gallon, and consumers look to cut back on driving, the online retail channel will likely become even more active and integral to retailers' success. Delivering optimal website performance and a feel good user experience should remain a high priority as retailers look to capture this audience.
To compile the Web Performance Index, AlertSite monitors the home pages of these sites from 12 U.S. locations, every five minutes between 6 a.m. and 11:59 p.m. EST. It measures the time it takes to render every object on the page. If a page does not fully render within 60 seconds, an error is recorded and counted against the overall availability of the site.


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CRESTVIEW — The University of West Florida Small Business Development Center will host a "Starting a Business" workshop.
The event is 1-4:30 p.m. May 11 at the Crestview Area Chamber of Commerce, 1447 Commerce Drive, Crestview.
Attendees will learn the essentials for getting started in business, including idea evaluation, legal business structures, regulations and licensing, taxation and finding capital.
The cost to attend is $50 per person and free for UWF students and employees who present a Nautilus card. Pay online, by phone or at the door (cash or check).
Call 586-7809 or go to www.sbdc.uwf.edu and click on "Training Opportunities" to register.


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A Nexus 7 with 32 GB of onboard storage was apparently delivered to a customer in Japan. Neat. Here’s what interests me:
Interestingly enough, the surprise delivery comes at a time when Google is rumored to launch a new, more spacious 32GB model as soon as October 24th — though only time will tell if that’s actually going to be the case.
Why does that date sound familiar? Oh yeah:
I think [a smaller iPad is] scheduled to be announced at an event on October 17, with preorders starting on October 19, and shipping starting on October 26. “Why those dates?”, you ask. Apple’s quarterly financial call is scheduled for October 25, and they often like to follow those calls with product launches.


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[This piece was initially published on global research.]
Trump started his trade war with China over a year ago. After a year of escalations, two high-profile G20 meetings and months of on-off-on again negotiations, the trade war has the world tittering on the edge of a global recession.
In the run-up to last month’s G20 meeting, Trump had boasted that “it’s me right now that’s holding up” a deal with China. Rejecting Beijing’s pleas for a “balanced” deal, Trump’s top trade advisor Lighthizer declared that any deal must involve China making up for its’ “past transgressions.” 1
The notion that the U.S. has long been the victim of unfair trade practices, especially at the hand of China, thus is no longer just election rhetoric, but the raison d’être of America’s trade war.
In the past, U.S. politicians often accused China of manipulating its currency to steal American jobs. Historical data shows that China has actually kept rates stable and steady over many decades. There is no evidence of China ever artificially lowering its currency only to raise it later purely for trade gains.
The fact that China never developed a “freely convertible” currency was not a result of cheating per se, but of the country focusing on developing its Main Street over Wall Street economy first.
With an almost 300% increase in wages over the last decade, China is no longer a low wage nation in Asia. Yet the average Chinese worker last year – working on average 6-day weeks and 12-hour days – still earns only around 1/10th of his American counter-part, at around $2.86/hr vs. $22.04/hr. 2 Is China still “stealing” American jobs? If so, what of nations like Vietnam or India that now command even lower wages?
Americans face the same – albeit reverse – conundrum with its European and Japanese trading partners. Today the U.S. stands almost alone among developed nations without Universal health care. This can be great drag and major source of trade disadvantage for American companies. Trump recently provoked an uproar when he commented that Britain’s NHS should be part of free trade negotiations post Brexit, with British leaders biting back: the NHS is not “for sale”! 3
So is universal healthcare a “basic right” … or an “unfair” “subsidy”?
U.S. officials have long called out China’s state subsidies to its industries even though the U.S. itself has long used subsidies throughout its history.
The development of semiconductor technology, the Internet, and many blockbuster drugs in the U.S., for example, all arose from government-sponsored research in America’s Universities or corporate labs. Silicon Valley grew out of generous subsidies strewn to in the aftermath of WWII. 4 Some of its most prominent companies – Apple, Google and Facebook included – received billions of dollars in subsidies just this past decade alone! 5
Recently, based in part on a 2018 American Chamber of Commerce survey, the Trump administration has taken to berating China for engaging in rampant IP “theft” of American companies through “forced” joint partnerships. 6 China has challenged the U.S. to provide concrete evidence, but to no avail.
Over the last several decades, many American businesses have indeed flocked to China and sought out local partners to help them make products to sell around the world and establish critical beachheads in the Chinese market. The American partners would bring know-how and technology while China would provide cheap, dependable labor and critical manufacturing infrastructure. This was all a very public and welcomed part of China’s opening up.
Perhaps some U.S. companies have recently felt “pressured” by the breaks and incentives offered by some local governments to partner with local businesses and bring technologies and high-skill jobs to their localities. But if so, what of the deal that Trump announced with much fanfare in 2017 offering billions in tax incentives to Foxconn to partner with local businesses and universities to build advanced factories, run R&D facilities, employ high-skill workers, and jointly share and develop intellectual property in Wisconsin? 7
Global trade was never meant as a platform to structurally suppress the development of another nation. Even with IP concessions, China rightly understood that liberalization would bring unprecedented opportunities for its citizens and businesses to learn from the outside – to copy, imitate, and improve as the case may be – the many “unprotected” ideas that would inevitably flood in. As China moves up the technological value chain, it seems only natural to up the ante and offer top businesses from around the world special incentives and breaks to bring to or develop in China the newest, breakthrough technologies.
It is ironic that Trump today would make “IP theft” such a focal point of his trade war. Over the last couple of decades, China has become a top producer as well as top paying consumer of intellectual property. In 2018 alone, China filed around 1.4 million patents, more than double that of the U.S. 8 China now ranks second only to the U.S. in global IP royalty payments. Even Microsoft, the poster child of American companies being “ripped off” in the 1990’s and early 2000’s, has found success in China: developing a dominant market share for its products and running a world-class R&D program there.
Besides berating China of systemic “IP theft,” the Trump Administration has also alleged Chinese companies posing national security risks to nations around the world by potentially working with the Chinese military; criticized Chinese restrictions of direct foreign investments as unfair, illegal, and unacceptable; and slammed China uniquely for carrying out and benefiting from global industrial espionage and cyberattacks.
But if the Trump administration were truly honest about the global national security risks that partnerships between companies and military posed, what of the long list of U.S. companies – from Google to Cisco to Boeing – that have worked – secretively or publicly – with the U.S. military? What of the companies that WikiLeaks have disclosed to have spied on the world on behalf of U.S. intelligence?
As for restrictions on foreign direct investments, it is the U.S. that has by far the most stringent restrictions on foreign direct investments in the world, with a Committee on Foreign Investment that has categorically rejected all major Chinese investments in its technological sectors for over a decade in the name of “national security.” Recently, at the urging of the U.S., the EU has also raised restrictions on its so-called “strategic sectors” 9 and Japan’s restrictions on its technology sectors earlier this year with an eye toward China. 10
Industrial espionage and cyberattacks is a complex global issue. Traditionally, the world’s biggest practitioners of industrial espionage have been associated with the world’s biggest economies. 11 In 2018, China, Japan, and the U.S. all ranked amongst the hardest hit of countries by cyberattacks, 12 but it was China that ranked among the least prepared against such attacks while the U.S. the best. 13 The claim that China is the chief provocateur and beneficiary of espionage and cyberattacks is simply not grounded in fact.
China today represents a $600 billion market for the American economy. Several American companies including GM and Qualcomm already sell more in China than anywhere else in the world. 14 China is willing to discuss ways to make trade more sustainable and fair, but that discussion must be grounded in principles of equality and reciprocity.
Many Americans are taught today to think that America’s inequality is a result of international trade. But how many really believe getting back $1-2/hr jobs from China (or elsewhere) is the key to reviving America’s Middle Class and solving America’s gaping inequality problem?
America’s revitalization cannot start in Beijing. It must start at home with Americans confronting long-ignored structural problems, such as its perpetual runaway military budget, dysfunctional healthcare system, a government long captured by special interests, just to name a few. A prosperous China – like a prosperous Europe or Japan – can raise the water for all. An insecure America that sees a threat in everyone else’s successes will just make the world less prosperous and less safe.
- https://www.cnbc.com/2019/06/27/china-wants-balanced-trade-deal-at-summit-but-us-isnt-interested.html ↩
- https://tradingeconomics.com/china/wages-in-manufacturing and https://tradingeconomics.com/united-states/wages-in-manufacturing ↩
- https://www.rt.com/uk/461062-trump-nhs-trade-deal/ ↩
- https://techcrunch.com/2014/07/04/the-government-once-built-silicon-valley/ ↩
- https://www.breitbart.com/local/2018/07/05/silicon-valley-giants-enjoy-billions-in-government-subsidies/ ↩
- https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/2181528/us-right-cry-foul-about-forced-technology-transfer-do-business ↩
- https://www.theverge.com/2018/11/5/18064346/foxconn-deal-wisconsin-madison-university-partnership-students-ip ↩
- https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Business-trends/China-keeps-global-crown-in-patent-applications ↩
- http://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20190207IPR25209/eu-to-scrutinise-foreign-direct-investment-more-closely ↩
- https://asia.nikkei.com/Politics/Japan-to-restrict-foreign-investment-in-domestic-tech-over-leak-fears ↩
- https://www.investopedia.com/terms/i/industrial-espionage.asp ↩
- https://www.comparitech.com/vpn/cybersecurity-cyber-crime-statistics-facts-trends/ ↩
- https://www.cybersecurity-insiders.com/list-of-countries-which-are-most-vulnerable-to-cyber-attacks/ ↩
- https://money.cnn.com/2018/04/05/news/economy/china-foreign-companies-restrictions/index.html ↩


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Last week, Starbucks workers of a Buffalo, New York franchise location voted in favor of unionization in a vote with 19 for and 8 against. It is the first-ever Starbucks union and is projected to influence a wave of other union votes across the franchise.
On December 13, a group of Boston-area Starbucks workers filed petitions with the National Labor Relations Board in pursuit of a union vote. Service Employees International Union affiliate Workers United has also filed for votes on behalf of four other Starbucks locations in New York and Arizona.
Buffalo employee Alexis Rizzo said in a press conference, “This is a monumental victory for us. This is something that is a dream come true and the courage of all the partners standing here next to me.” After some delay due to challenged votes, workers from a separate Cheektowaga, New York store also voted in favor of unionization 15-9.
Starbucks has long resisted efforts of unionization, but with the compounding stressors of COVID-19 and increasing consumer demand and staffing shortages, workers are more willing to organize.
As public opinion sways in favor of the unionized stores, Starbucks has acknowledged the potential risks to its public reputation if it continues to dissuade unionizing efforts. However, the relationship between the newly-unionized has been described as ‘contentious’, with workers accusing the company of intentional intimidation by forcing employees to attend meetings with top executives, or dragging on negotiations.
Johnnie Kallas of Cornell’s Industrial and Labor Relations School spoke on a panel ahead of the vote tally, saying, “Sometimes strikes and union organizing victories can be very contagious…[This vote] could inspire a lot of workers across the country in a low-unionized sector to fight for union rights.”
Though unions have been declining for decades, there was a slight increase in 2020, potentially prompted by the pandemic. Currently, the percentage of the American public who approve of unions is at the highest level since 1965, reflecting a broader trend of interest in accountability for employers.


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Full steam ahead for vacation rentals in 2016 - with tech provider LeisureLink opening the year with a $17 million round of funding.
The US-based company is being backed by Clearstone Ventures, Kinderhook Industries and Escalate Capital Partners.
LeisureLink claims it has so far secured more than $1 billion in bookings to various vacation rental partners since its inception in 2007.
Clearstone managing director Jim Armstrong says the investment is a "better way" to gain a foothold in the buegeoning alternative accommodation sector than Airbnb, HomeAway and other consumer-facing services.
Growth is good news for vacation rental companies, LeisureLink CEO Julian Castelli says, but the leg-work behind the scenes is "increasingly complex".
LeisureLink offers distribution, revenue management and business information services to vacation rental owners.
It was acquired by VacationRoost in 2014 and later that year the combined companies were renamed LeisureLink.
NB: Vacation rental image via Shutterstock.


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It’s a brand many people are fanatical about, with collectors the world over and if you love all things Yankee Candle you could be smelling the sweet smell of a right bargain thanks to a famous supermarket.
The candle company has millions of devotees worldwide, with people clamouring for the latest scents as soon as they’re released, as well as pouncing on a sale as soon as it’s announced.
Well speaking of sales, Asda has a red hot deal on Yankee Candles right now.
The supermarket is offering selected smaller versions of the branded candles for 10p.
The Votive candles - which are a little bigger than tea lights - usually retail for around £1.99, meaning customers will make a saving of £1.89.
Asda's offer was spotted by savvy shoppers on the Extreme Couponing and Bargains UK Facebook group, and the post has already been shared almost 1,000 times.
The offer is not available on Asda's website, but can be found in selected stores across the country.
If you can't find the offer in your local store, such as Tyneside branches in Felling, Boldon, Gosforth, Metrocentre and Benton, you can still find some great Yankee Candle deals on Asda's website.
The supermarket has slashed the price of three gift sets, including the Yankee Candle Votive Gift Set 8-pack (was £12, now £9).
It comes with eight scented offerings including Cherry Vanilla, Apple Pomegranate, White Jasmine and Vanilla and more.
The deals are a great way for candle lovers to buy some new offerings, without having to pay full price.
The Yankee Candle Company started life in Massachusetts, America by its founder Michael Kittredge.
He created his fist scented candle as a gift for his mother, it was called Christmas 1969, and was made from melted crayons.


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Japanese, European partnership to supply aluminum sheets to automotive manufacturers
FRANKFORT, Ky. (May 9, 2014) –Gov. Steve Beshear today announced a joint venture between Constellium N.V. and UACJ Corp. to build an aluminum production facility in Bowling Green. The $150 million project is one of the largest in south central Kentucky in the past decade and is expected to create 80 new jobs.
The joint venture will produce finished aluminum body sheets for cars and trucks. The company will supply these parts to the country’s major automotive manufacturers.
“This is a huge investment in Kentucky – one that further solidifies our role as a key player in the auto industry,” Beshear said. “It’s also exciting to see companies from two different continents jointly choose Kentucky as the place to manufacture an innovative product. I want to thank both Constellium and UACJ for putting more Kentuckians back to work, and I look forward to seeing this partnership’s impact on vehicles around the world.”
Constellium, a European aluminum company, and UACJ, a Japanese aluminum company, both will supply the aluminum coils that will then be treated and processed in Bowling Green. The joint venture is subject to regulatory approval.
The companies chose Bowling Green for many reasons, including its location to customers and highly skilled workforce. Construction on a 225,000-s.f. facility at the Kentucky Transpark is expected to start this summer. The facility is also designed to allow for future expansion.
“Bowling Green is the right place for this plant, particularly because its central location will allow us to serve automotive OEMs across the U.S. with our advanced and innovative range of products,” said Laurent Musy, president of Constellium’s Packaging and Automotive Rolled Products business unit. “The availability of a highly skilled local labor force and the entrepreneurial spirit of the area were the decisive factors in choosing the city of Bowling Green and the state of Kentucky, which have been very supportive during the decision process.”
“This project is very significant for UACJ in terms of our Body-in-White market strategy,” said Mitsuru Okada, CEO of UACJ. “We look forward to supplying automotive OEMs throughout the U.S. with advanced products utilizing the technologies each party has separately developed in Europe and Japan. We welcome this joint venture with Constellium to tackle the strategic automotive market in the U.S. Both companies have been working hard together in the spirit of equal partnership, allowing us to finalize the agreement in a timely and efficient manner.”
Tri-Arrows Aluminium will be one of the key suppliers of cold rolled aluminium coils to the new partnership. Tri-Arrows Aluminum, which is headquartered in Louisville, is a subsidiary of UACJ. The company manufactures its base aluminum coils at its joint-venture operating mill at Logan Aluminum Inc., located in Russellville. Logan is one of south central Kentucky’s largest employers with more than 1,000 full-time employees.
“This is a great opportunity for UACJ and Tri-Arrows to participate in this dynamic growth segment for aluminum along with our partners at Constellium,” said Patrick Franc, president and CEO of Tri-Arrows Aluminum Inc. “We are also very pleased with the choice of Bowling Green, which is in close proximity to the Logan rolling mill.”
The demand for aluminum sheets is growing as more automotive manufacturers are switching to aluminum from steel. Aluminum allows vehicles to be lighter, which helps manufacturers comply with new federal fuel standards.
The Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority (KEDFA) preliminarily approved the company for tax incentives up to $4.5 million through the Kentucky Business Investment program. The performance-based incentive allows a company to keep a portion of its investment over the term of the agreement through corporate income tax credits and wage assessments by meeting job and investment targets.
KEDFA also approved the company for tax benefits up to $1.5 million through the Kentucky Enterprise Initiative Act, which allows approved companies to recoup Kentucky sales and use tax on construction costs, building fixtures, equipment used in research and development and electronic processing equipment.
The announcement is another win for Kentucky’s thriving automotive industry. Kentucky ranks third in the U.S. in light vehicle production and first per capita. Since 2010, nearly 300 motor vehicle-related projects have been announced statewide, representing more than 17,600 new jobs and $4 billion in new investment.
Warren County has also been certified by the Kentucky Workforce Investment Board as a Work Ready Community. The certification is an assurance to business and industry that the community is committed to providing the highly skilled workforce required in today’s competitive global economy.
Constellium is a global sector leader that develops innovative, value added aluminum products for a broad scope of markets and applications, including aerospace, automotive and packaging. Constellium generated 3.5 billion euros of revenue in 2013.
UACJ was established in October 2013 when Furukawa-Sky Aluminum and Sumitomo Light Metal Industries integrated their business operations. Both companies featured a distinguished history as aluminum producers in Japan. Together, their annual capacity for rolled sheet products exceeded 1 million tons, making them the largest such manufacturer in Japan and the third largest in the world.
About Tri-Arrows Aluminum Inc. (TAA)
Tri-Arrows Aluminum, Inc. was established in August 2011 when a Consortium of then- Sumitomo Light Metals Industries and Furukawa Sky Aluminum, in addition to Sumitomo Corporation and Itochu Group purchased the former ARCO Aluminum, Inc. TAA has long been an innovative leader in the supply and marketing of rolled aluminum can sheet to the North American container industry with annual production exceeding 325 thousand tons.


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Nimbuzz's Holaa app to offer India-specific features
buzz is mulling to offer India specific features on its free caller identification app Holaa. The app has already crossed downloads since its launch some four months ago.
Nimbuzz is mulling to offer India-specific features on its free caller identification app Holaa. The mobile application maker claimed that the app has already crossed million downloads since its launch some four months ago.
The move from Nimbuzz is aimed to give a tough competition to its major rival Truecaller.
Holaa works similar to the Truecaller. The app block calls from spammers or other unwanted callers and besides lets users to see details, including the caller's name, photo and location during an incoming call in real-time.
Nimbuzz CEO Vikas Saxena has said Holaa will be a big draw for consumers in the Indian market where spam calling is rampant. "Given the pace at which the Indian start-up space is moving, professionals can do the same kind of work here as in Silicon Valley," Saxena added.
However, unlike Truecaller, Holaa does not need internet connection to work. It offers analysis of the user's call patterns and time spent on phone calls.
If we draw a brief comparison between Truecaller and Holaa, then Truecaller is surely leading at the front at present.
As per Financial Times report, Truecaller got $60 million in funding from Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers and Sequoia Capital last year - valuing the company at $250 million. It has more than 100 million downloads, with India being its biggest market. In comparison, Holaa is much smaller and is yet to raise investment on its own.


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VTT’s Scientist Dr. Juhani Sibakov gave a presentation about oat
processing and consumption in the Nordic Countries at the 20th IGV
International Scientific Conference in Potsdam on 22th April 2015.
The conference was entitles as “Healthy Grain for a Healthy Diet” and
it gathered together 120 participants from 16 different countries.
Majority of the participants were from the food industry.
Read more about the presentations from the conference program:
You can download the presentation of Sibakov here:
Sibakov 2015_Oats and oat products – Processing and consumption in the Nordic Countries


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#47 - Amazon’s Prime Day Will be Very Different This Year
“We’re selling on Amazon, paying for fulfillment and advertising — and now have to pay Amazon to fix their own abuse,” said one seller.
Online shopping remains strong heading into the holidays and analysts expect Prime Day sales will top last year’s event. But a mid-October Prime Day could still result in some snafus.
A damning congressional report about Big Tech helps make the case to break up Jeff Bezos’ empire.
Try the gold standard in Amazon FBA accounting, trusted by leading ecommerce accountants
Good to Know
Prime members who purchase $10 in products from a small business selling on Amazon will earn a $10 credit to spend on Prime Day.
What happens to all returns? You might figure they simply get resold to someone else. Think again.
The review, like many on the e-commerce platform, is fake. Amazon banned incentivized reviews in 2016, but it’s still a rampant problem on the platform.
New and innovative way! All done via SMS. Ask customers to text in their orders to trigger SMS funnels. Reviews via MMS photos are automatically detected.
protexting.com - [SPONSOR]
Amazon's announcement falls in line with its now-regular cycle of introducing new tools for combatting counterfeiters and infringers. But the ecommerce giant's new policy is far from perfect.
Last year Amazon Prime Day raked in $6.93 billion worldwide from 124 million U.S. Prime users (up almost 11% from the previous year).
ProTexting - Join the #1 SMS & MMS Messaging Platform, now offers Amazon integration!
Amazon want to help you prepare your business and with peak and the new post-Brexit customs border approaching wanted to give you the latest information on key FBA inventory dates to help you prepare for the upcoming changes.
Businesses from California, Florida, Texas, New York, and New Jersey represented nearly half of the 75,000 new Amazon sellers in the U.S. over the past twelve months.
The scheme involved approximately 318 unauthorized refunds for orders purchased through eight Amazon accounts belonging to Nguyen and others.
aShop - Effortless Stores for Amazon Sellers
Tips and Tricks
Let’s explore what the Amazon Vine program is, its pros and cons, how to enroll, and whether the Amazon seller community believes it’s worth joining.
Happily, for small business owners still hoping to get in on the action next, Amazon spokespersons offer the following hints and tips.
Making sense of all of your fees, refunds, sales and everything else Amazon charges can be tricky - luckily A2X, developed by fellow sellers to help work this out can. Find out how and try it for free.
a2xaccounting.com - [SPONSOR]
While the e-commerce giant has been taking steps towards curbing this problem for online brand protection, consumers too need to learn how to identify and eliminate counterfeits on Amazon.
Spoiler alert: reviews are incredibly important to a product’s success. 75% of U.S. consumers said that, when shopping online, they’re looking for the product with the best ratings and reviews.
Amazon/Ecom Attorney and 7 figure Amazon seller Jeff Schick proved that having multiple passions works well when you know how to put them together.


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Open for business
Truck stop, motel reopen with new owners, new name
WILLIAMS — The Jay Bros. Truck Shop and Circle S Motel are up and running.
The Jay Bros is a new name but the location is familiar. The business was formerly known as Boondocks, USA, at the intersection of Interstate 35 and County Road D-25 at the Williams exit.
Owned by Harry and Shelley Chaudhari and managed by their sons Jay and Parth, the truck stop and motel re-opened in May and has been undergoing renovations and remodeling.
Throughout the summer, landscaping was done at the front of the property. Gas and diesel pumps with chip-reading credit card capabilities are expected to be operational by the end of July. Despite being an independently owned fuel station, the Jay Bros offers competitive rates.
“It’s just a simple Mom and Pop kind of thing,” explained Parth Chaudhari.
Inside, coolers hold a variety of soda, water and sports drinks. A large selection of snacks and refreshments are also on display. Future plans include stocking items for a small grocery section, he said.
The Chaudharis bought the long-running Boondocks business from Bob and Miriam Welch and closed on the deal in February. The Boondocks was a multi-faceted business with a gas station, convenience store, restaurant, service station and motel.
While the Circle S Motel and the Jay Bros Truck Shop opened in May, other parts of the business remain a work in progress, said Parth.
“The service and repair center needs tools and service personnel,” he said. The Chaudharis are open to the possibility that a contractor rent the space for their own operation.
Plans are to re-open the restaurant once updating and renovations are complete, said Parth. The family owns and operates the popular Taste of India off of I-80 in Lexington, Nebraska and Parth expects that the Jay Bros will offer a culinary variety including American and Indian cuisine.
“There is a lot of opportunity here,” said Parth. “But we have to do it one thing at a time.”


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Astralis, a major Danish esports organization that has teams in CS:GO, League of Legends, FIFA, Rainbow Six Siege, and Fortnite, is now the majority owner of PIXEL.TV, the first internet-based TV platform in Denmark.
This is a strategic move that will see Astralis move further in the gaming entertainment industry. The acquisition of PIXEL.TV will help Astralis to strengthen its digital production and presence, according to the org’s CEO Anders Hørsholt. Even though Astralis has acquired a majority stake, PIXEL.TV’s founder and CEO Thomas Bense will continue to manage the company.
The organization took similar steps in the gaming entertainment space last year when it opened Astralis Nexus, a huge gaming and entertainment center in Copenhagen, Denmark.
“With the opening of Astralis Nexus, we have established a platform where we interact with Astralis fans and the huge audience for casual gaming,” Astralis’ founder and CRO Jakob Lund Kristensen said in a statement. “Just as the Astralis Nexus is for everyone, whether you are a hardcore Counter-Strike player or just having fun with Candy Crush, with a broad range of content, PIXEL.TV will be a broad, inclusive media platform embracing all types of gamers.”
Now that PIXEL.TV is a part of Astralis, Bense expects his product to become more significant as it will include plenty more esports content. In his vision, the deal will open possibilities for PIXEL.TV abroad.
With the acquisition of PIXEL.TV, it’s possible that Astralis start to broadcast exclusive content on the platform or even some of its CS:GO matches, should the organization be interested in acquiring broadcast rights from some of the biggest tournament organizers in the future.


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Peugeot delivered the essentials in 2022 by maintaining its position as the leading automotive brand, despite its significant loss of market share. The lion firm wants to raise the bar in the private channel in 2023, where it is in big trouble.
Facing the distribution network and repairers, Christophe Prevost, Peugeot’s sales director in France, used the word “battle” to sum up the financial year of 2022. After many battles carried out last year (lack of in parts, logistics crisis, energy…) and which is far from over, the Sochaux company has gained points but also lost some.
Among the satisfecits, and beyond “headwind”he held his place of market leader in passenger cars, with a share of 16.1%. Peugeot, however, suffered a 14.1% drop in registrations in a French market that fell 7.8%, gaining 1.1 points compared to last year. The brand is moving forward with a relatively stable portfolio compared to 2021 despite an order market that has slowed significantly in recent months. The 208 consolidated its position as the best-selling car in France, well ahead of the Dacia Sandero and Renault Clio. The lion brand places three other models in the top 10: the 2008 (5e ; – 1 place), 308 (7e ; + 14) and 3008 (8e ; – 1).
A sharp increase in electrification
For the first time, the e-208 rose to the top of the electric car market (it was 3e in 2021), before the Dacia Spring and the Tesla Model 3. The brand, which will launch its e-308 at the start of the school year in September 2023, has worked on its offer in recent months to lower the rental cost of its 100% electric vehicles and thus meet the expectations of “small rider customers”. In particular, it promotes gains of 50 to 70 € per month on e-208 and e-2008 (LOA of 36 months, plus 500 km per month, without services).
Driven by its electric city car, but also by the 3008 and 308 plug-in hybrids, Peugeot claims the number one market position for electrified vehicles. In 2022, these models will represent 35% of its order portfolio (compared to 14% in 2021); a share that even climbs to 40% in the private channel. On the other hand, electrified vehicles accounted for only 15% of its deliveries due to extended lead times for plug-in hybrids. According to models and strengths, the brand is developing waiting times from 2 months (thermal VP) to 8 months (PHEV).
The figure: 10%
- Proportion of private customer orders placed 100% online in 2022 (Peugeot Store)
The private channel, the big downside
The performance in the B to B channel is another satisfaction for Peugeot, whose share is at 22.9% (15.9% for Renault). “Our vehicles are recognized by rental companies and major accounts because they remain in good condition and are then resold in excellent condition”, explained Christophe Prevost in a press briefing organized on January 3, 2023. On the other hand, and like last year, the results are not there in the individual channel (– 21.8 %) with only a fraction of 10.3%, far behind Renault (15.9%) and Dacia (15.8%). This market accounted for only 29.4% of its registrations last year. “With our order portfolio, which is characterized by a high level of electrification and equipment, we experience more difficulties in the production of cars, especially for individuals”explained the director of commerce.
Jump at opportunities
In all its regional departments, the lion brand has been overtaken by Renault and/or Dacia. “This is not our place. Collectively, we couldn’t be prouder of our performance as individualscommented Christophe Prevost in front of the network. We have suffered in this channel, and it is an absolute priority to rectify it. To do that, we need to jump on opportunities, like lead processing. We are not at war on this topic, and there is no reason why we should not improve. »
The brand announced that it will be released in January “a map” aims to direct customer orders to vehicles available for production. Peugeot is also betting on the launch at the end of January of the 408, presented as a model to conquer, on the restyling of the 508, 2008 and 208, or even on the contribution of new technologies and engines to increase its penetration rate and regain leadership.on this channel.
Profitability of 1.2% to 1.4% in 2022
Despite this poor performance in the most profitable channel, the distribution network recorded satisfactory financial results last year, benefiting in particular from a significant increase in NV and UV sales prices. Average profitability is expected to be between 1.2% and 1.4% in 2022, higher than in 2021. “This demonstrates the resilience and resilience of our network in the face of adverse winds. commented the manager, noting the sustainability of the NV unit’s profitability, the solid performance in used cars and after sales, but also the reduction in overheads within the dealerships. This “massification of turnover” should continue in the coming months. “But it must, on the one hand, make sense in terms of economic balance and, on the other hand, respect the customer journey of the brand. This is why we are attentive to each file consisting of the integration of a brand on a new site »concludes Christophe Prevost.


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Jumbo: Marvel, Myth, and Mascot
About the Exhibition
DateJan 22 – May 15, 2015
LocationRemis Sculpture Court
The popular Fall 2014 exhibition curated by Dr. Andrew McClellan, Professor of Art History at Tufts has been extended in a reprise exhibit to commemorate the 125th anniversary of Jumbo’s arrival to Tufts and the dedication of a bronze monument of Jumbo on the academic quad, near Barnum Hall. A lavishly illustrated 72-page publication is available for purchase at the gallery, through the gallery’s e-commerce marketplace, or at the Tufts Bookstore.


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Activision's Destiny Boasts $500 Million In Sales To Stores
Activision likes to go big on its franchises, and it looks like Destiny is set to join the company's elite ranks alongside Call of Duty. Activision says that Destiny has sold more than $500 million worldwide to stores.
While revenue to stores and through bundles isn't as impressive as the amount actually sold through to consumers, there's no doubt that Destiny is big business for Activision. Eric Hirshberg, Activision CEO, says the game is "the highest-selling day one digital console release in history." Hirshberg didn't cite specific numbers, but if this is correct it certainly indicates that the game and the franchise has a very bright future.
The $500 million figure is also relevant because it's what Activision has said Destiny would cost factoring in marketing, packaging, royalties, and other costs.
In an interview with Game Informer early this year (issue 249), Hirshberg explained the company's philosophy of betting big on a small number of franchises. "I think sometimes publishers take the false security in having a wide slate and having a game in every single category," he said. "If you do fewer things, you can generally focus on them more and hopefully make them better."
"The ambition and the scope of [Destiny] require that. In order to do it right, there's only one way to do it. You have to go big."
Destiny has the potential to sell through to the $500 million mark and beyond. Regardless, it's a long-term investment that will continue to pay off for future titles now that the initial groundwork has been laid to get the IP off the ground.


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Arrow has announced its continued association with actor Hrithik Roshan. With this appointment, Roshan will feature in the brand’s upcoming campaign. The actor has been associated with the brand since 2020, when he featured in their campaign ‘On Top Of The World’ which emphasised Arrow’s rich heritage, contemporary style and New York point of view.
Cadbury Dairy Milk Silk reveals new brand identity and packaging
Cadbury Dairy Milk Silk has launched a new visual identity, which includes an ‘S’ on its packaging, along with refreshed mould designs. It has also rolled out a film titled ‘S for Love’ featuring the chocolate brand’s new identity.
Gujarat Titans partners with FDCI X Lakmé Fashion Week
Gujarat Titans has launched an athleisure collection in partnership with designer Kanika Goyal. The collection will be launched in two segments, with the first autumn-Winter collection launching at the FDCI X Lakmé Fashion Week scheduled from 12-16 October 2022, and the spring-summer collection scheduled for a later stage.
A unique campaign by IDFC FIRST Bank and Radio Mirchi celebrating teachers that always put you first in a gratitude campaign like no other
Celebrating teachers who put their students first and inspire them, IDFC FIRST Bank with Radio
Mirchi launched a gratitude campaign for Teacher’s Day by creating a platform to share impactful stories of special student-teacher relationships.
For the campaign, Mirchi Jocks talked about the inspiring efforts of teachers towards students’
triumphs and invited listeners to share heart-warming stories about their teachers.
They identified student-teacher pairs, with the most impactful story, and invited them over to
Mirchi studios for a special celebration.
Finally, sound bytes from the conversations between the student-teacher pair and the RJs were
played on Teacher’s Day, 5 September, on the morning show. The campaign concluded with a
grand video of various Teacher’s Day celebrations, to spread the message of celebrating
teachers who put always put you first.
Honey & Dough appoints Social Neeti for digital
Social Neeti has bagged the digital rights for Honey & Dough. The agency will be responsible for the brand’s social media management, marketing strategy and organic growth.


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Thieves used a vehicle or vehicles to ram the front of the Costcutter shop in Monterey Road, Walton Cardiff, soon after 3am today.
Police were the called to the site, which is on the outskirts of Tewkesbury, at 3.20am after members of the public reported that the ram-raid had happened.
Gloucestershire police say four offenders and three vehicles were reported to be involved in the theft.
The force said a cash machine was loaded onto a stolen van during the incident but it fell from the vehicle during a police pursuit and had been recovered.
The offenders then decamped into what was believed to be an Audi and escaped from police.
The van and a stolen Nissan Pathfinder were also used in the incident and have been recovered by officers.
A number of inquiries are continuing this morning.
Shop owner Manjeet Singh thought the cash machine would have had between £15,000 and £20,000 in it.
He did not know when the shop would re-open.
It has been sealed off by police, with forensics teams doing their work.
Residents and business people have been shocked by what happened and the amount of damage that was caused to the shop.
Among the wreckage was the front door and window frame and a considerable amount of glass.
Wheatpieces Community Centre Adam Fendt said the shop had been targeted by thieves before but it had been many years ago.
That, he said, had been a regular burglary rather than a ram-raid and only a small amount of money had been stolen.


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ICAEW Business Advice Service launches app
Recognising its greatest strength is in its members and community, ICAEW Business Advice Service (BAS) has launched a mobile app to help its advocates share business content on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook.
ICAEW BAS has launched a new, free mobile app for iOS and Android where members can access daily business content to share on their social networks. Each share via Twitter, LinkedIn or Facebook automatically carries the @ICAEW_BAS handle to increase brand presence, while supporters benefit from daily, relevant business content to raise their profile as thought leaders.
Recognising the potential in social media advocacy to drive awareness and sales for its members, ICAEW BAS is launching the mobile app to make sure its SME content is available wherever, however and whenever members and their community want to access it.
Clive Lewis, ICAEW Head of Enterprise, says: “This new app makes it easier for members to share content via their mobiles whether during a quick break at work, on their morning commute or between meetings. Awareness drives leads which drives sales and we want to do as much as possible to support our members and their clients.”
For ICAEW BAS, social media advocacy isn’t just about likes - members and employees can make a significant difference in communicating brand messages authentically. According to LinkedIn’s Official Guide to Employee Advocacy, when employees share content, it’s perceived as three times more authentic than company messages and typically see a click-through rate (CTR) that is two times higher than company shares of the same content.
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TOKYO — French automaker Renault SA and Nissan Motor Co. of Japan are setting up a company to buy parts in a move to improve their leverage over suppliers and obtain better prices.
Renault has been working with Nissan to develop cars together and share parts since it acquired a 36.8 percent stake in the Japanese automaker two years ago.
The formation of a new Paris-based parts-buying company will allow the automakers to cut costs through larger volume and to act more quickly in making decisions, said Nissan executive vice president Itaru Koeda.
Initially, it will handle about a third of the combined Nissan and Renault annual parts purchases of $50 billion, or about $14.5 billion, the automakers said.
It will operate in Europe, Japan and the United States to negotiate deals with global suppliers in engine and other vehicle parts, Koeda said.
Koeda, who heads Nissan's purchasing department, said the automakers will choose their suppliers by "competitiveness," and both European and Japanese parts-makers will have a chance to expand their business.
In the future, the company may handle as much as 70 percent of the procurement for Nissan and Renault.
"To maintain our brand identities, we need different suppliers for at least about 30 percent of the parts," Koeda explained.
The management of the company will be split more or less equally between Renault and Nissan, with Jean-Baptiste Duzan, head of Renault's purchasing department, as chairman and managing director. Koeda will become vice chairman.


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7 questions answered on the safety of electric bikes
Big issues to face after devastating fire
Next-gen YZF-R1 gets MotoGP tech
Euro 5 emission laws spark a revolution
Zero to hero
Torque is 35 percent more than Ducati Panigale V4’s maximum!
Yamaha’s Niken as the official support bike for the Tour de France
Yamaha’s Niken leaning three-wheeler has been announced as the official support bike for the Tour de France, Giro d’Italia and La Vuelta. The three-year deal will raise the Niken’s profile worldwide, including Australia, as these cycling grand tours are widely televised.
Euro 5 explained
Next year’s new Euro 5 emissions rules will herald a new generation of high-tech bikes. This is what you need to know
Inside a motorcycling renaissance
We are living in an age that is about to replicate the dawn of motorcycling. This time the technology is being driven by electric motors, not the wheezy combustion-engines that launched motorcycling at the start of the 20th Century. Electric motorcycles account for less than o
H-D and Indian come out slugging
America’s big two manufacturers have taken two very different approaches to marketing a new model. While its competitors crow about their touchscreens and sat-navs, Harley-Davidson’s latest cruiser makes the fact it has none of that into a selling point. It’s the stripped-b
Harley- Davidson’s not kidding
Harley-Davidson has acquired StaCyc, Inc., a producer of electric-powered two-wheelers specifically designed for children aged from three years. The acquisition of StaCyc expands Harley-Davidson’s electric portfolio and reinforces its commitment to lead in the electrification o
MY19 Aprilia RSV4 1100 Factory
Press Release: Aprilia Australia is pleased to announce the arrival of their new flagship superbike and supernaked models. The MY19 RSV4 1100 Factory will be available in May for $33,990* inclusive of the following standard features: 17 HP 1100 CC ENGINE Titanium Akrapovi
Yamaha and KTM fire up their middleweight adventure tourers
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An Australian government agency and a billionaire are suing Facebook’s parent company over claims it hasn’t done enough to protect consumers from scams using the names of celebrities on the social media platform.
Andrew Forrest, Australia’s second-richest person, says he tried for years to get Facebook to act as photos of him were plastered across false advertisements on the social media platform, luring users into crypto scams. As consumers duped of thousands of dollars contacted him to complain, Forrest was having no success trying to get Facebook to remove the ads, he says, and an open letter to Mark Zuckerberg went without response. “Meanwhile innocent Australians…kept investing under my name,” says Forrest, the founder and chairman of Fortescue Metals Group.
Forrest filed what’s called a “private prosecution” against Meta – Facebook’s new corporate name – under Australian law, which permits individuals to file criminal complaints against other individuals or companies. In the complaint, Forrest alleges that the company’s actions ran afoul of Australian anti-money laundering laws because it didn’t take sufficient steps to stop criminals from using its platform to defraud Australian users with scam ads. A month later, Australian government agency, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, echoed his claims in a separate lawsuit, alleging that the social media giant engaged in false, misleading or deceptive conduct by publishing the fake ads.
Such scams are not unique to Australia. As recently as February, scam ads on Facebook featured bogus cryptocurrencies supposedly backed by Amazon and Tesla, and individuals including Warren Buffett. In several cases, there were even ads that included an image of Mark Zuckerberg, Meta’s CEO, enticing users to invest in a new “Meta token”.
The claims made by Forrest and the Australian consumer protection agency mark the first time a jurisdiction has attempted to hold Facebook accountable for content published on its site — something the United States has been unwilling to do so far. “Dissatisfaction with the social media platforms is mounting around the world,” says Paul Barrett, NYU Stern Center for Business and Human Rights, “and that the United States is well behind a number of other jurisdictions, Australia being one, the EU being a much larger and influential jurisdiction, that have been moving to greater regulation and oversight.”
In an emailed statement, a Facebook spokesperson said the company has cooperated with the ACCC’s investigation and intends to defend itself against the ongoing litigation. “We don’t want ads seeking to scam people out of money or mislead people on Facebook – they violate our policies and are not good for our community,” the Facebook spokesperson. “We use technology to detect and block scam ads and work to get ahead of scammers’ attempts to evade our detection systems.”
On Monday local time, Facebook was scheduled to appear in an initial hearing for Forrest’s criminal case in a Perth court, but didn’t make an appearance, prompting the court to enter a plea of not guilty on the company’s behalf. Simon Clarke, a member of Forrest’s legal team, says he received a letter from Facebook representatives, stating the company wouldn’t appear because it believed the court didn’t have jurisdiction. The next hearing is scheduled for June 17. “Arguing that even though they make a fortune from Australian people they don’t have to defend themselves in West Australian court,” Forrest says, “that goes to the core of [Meta’s] attitude that our job is just to make money.”
Forrest previously had filed a separate civil complaint in September in Superior Court of California, San Mateo County, alleging that Facebook had aided and abetted fraud, and was negligent in warning users because it sent them targeted scam ads. Facebook’s lawyers responded earlier this month that the company is protected from Forrest’s claims by Section 230 of the federal Communications Decency Act — which absolves liability for internet companies from third-party content published on their platforms — arguing that “organizing, recommending, and amplifying third-party content is not the same as creating it, and challenging the targeting of content inherently treats a Defendant as a publisher or speaker.” An upcoming hearing is scheduled for April 22.
Forrest, who made his fortune in mining and is worth $19 billion according to a Forbes estimate, is among a group of Australian public figures and celebrities, including a former New South Wales premier Mike Baird, popular television host David Koch and the entrepreneur Dick Smith, to have been included in the scam ads. Forrest first learned that his image was being used in 2019, when, he says, Facebook users contacted him saying they had been scammed.
The typical scam ads enticed users to click through to a third-party website with a fake media article that would include false quotes and images of celebrities endorsing the advertised cryptocurrency product, according to the ACCC. After signing up, users were then contacted by scammers who pressured them into handing over money.
Forrest says he was unsuccessful in trying to reach Facebook’s Australian executives, prompting him to write an open letter to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg in 2019, who he’d previously met through initiatives linked to the Giving Pledge, a campaign that encourages mega-wealthy individuals to give most of their wealth to philanthropic causes. When Forrest finally heard from Facebook executives in Australia, he says he was given “codswallop” — Australian slang for ‘rubbish’ — that Facebook didn’t have the algorithms to identify scams. “Why wouldn’t you have one person identifying this?” he says. “They refused to do anything that wasn’t algorithmic.”
In one case, a Facebook user lost $650,000 in the scam, according to the ACCC. In many cases, the ACCC alleged, Facebook still didn’t remove the scam ads after being notified by the celebrities implicated in the false ads. In its claim, the agency alleges “the technology of Meta enabled these ads to be targeted to users most likely to engage with the ads,” and that Meta failed to detect and prevent spam and protect its users from scams.
The ACCC, which filed its complaint on March 18, is only the latest legal headache for Facebook in Australia. The agency previously sued the company in 2020 accusing it of collecting user data without permission. Then, in February 2021, Australia enacted a law that would force Facebook and Google to negotiate payments to publishers for news content shared on their platforms. The move caused an uproar and prompted Facebook to shut off its news services to Australian users before reinstating the function after Facebook agreed to pay some publishers.
But despite efforts in the U.S. to regulate technology firms — including calls to rewrite Section 230 of the federal Communications Decency Act — the Australian action against Facebook isn’t likely to prompt a “stampede” of litigation in the U.S. over the crypto scams, NYU’s Barrett says. Though, he adds, the litigation Down Under likely won’t be an issue that Facebook can ignore. “There are a lot of people around the world that are unhappy,” he says. “It’s one more whack at the tree.”


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Inside what looks like a witch's cottage on wheels is a mobile bakery.
Aptly named, Broomsticks Bakery is a food truck that has started going out since the last week of September to sell its baked goods.
The food truck was designed to go with the witchy name that her friends helped her come up with.
“I liked the idea of when I’m in the kitchen, it's kind of like alchemy, it's kind of like magic,” owner Shaina Dwiel said.
The truck, which is open in front of Harmony School on East Second Street on Fridays, serves from-scratch baked goods. Dwiel said the truck tries to cater to all by having gluten-free and vegan options.
Dwiel tries to make the baked goods a little healthier than typical bakeries by using natural ingredients, no artificial sweeteners and adding things like nuts or nut butter for protein in the food.
Dwiel mentioned a chocolate doughnut she made using almond butter, maple syrup as the sweetener and raw cacao for taste.
Dwiel baked throughout high school for her mother’s dinner parties and said she learned to bake a lot of things from scratch when she moved to Bloomington and lived in a co-op.
“I’ve been wanting to bake and sell my goods for a long time, and it's never seemed right,” Dwiel said.
She said now that her kids are in school, her husband convinced her to open a food truck, but she still wants more flexibility in her schedule than owning a store front would provide.
The inspiration for the name comes from the Three Broomsticks restaurant in the "Harry Potter" series.
The trailer was made by Bloomington company Carpenter Owl, and Dwiel said every detail was thought out.
This is apparent from a large glass window that allows customers to see the baked goods, the patterned curtains, which are made from Guatemalan fabric and the handmade broomstick that hangs outside. Dwiel said the roof of the trailer is made of ceilings of old railway cars and the siding is old pickle barrels.
She said she made the bar that hangs off the outside by herself from an old tree.
She preps her items beforehand but also has a small oven in the truck to bake on-site.
The menu changes each time the truck is out, but she said she bases it off what’s in season or popular at the time. A couple weeks ago she was offering apple cider, pumpkin scones and apple muffins.
Tuesday, she was offering the scones again along with sweet potato cinnamon rolls, carrot cake bread, blondies and cheddar crisps.
Tuesday was also her first day parking on Kirkwood Avenue, but she said she plans to park there more often.
Seniors Makala Morales and Tess Ruzga said they visited the food truck because when they were driving by they thought it was a tiny home and wanted to check it out.
Morales has Celiac disease,so she said she was excited about the gluten-free options. She was eating the blondie and said she loved the texture.
“I got the carrot cake with maple cream cheese, and I will say I’m at a solid 12 out of 10 right now,” Ruzga said.
They said were excited about the new truck and said they plan to be regulars now.


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CA: Customers at Orcutt Burger Restaurant Hit With Debit Card Fraud
Rachel Laine reports:
Customers at a local restaurant are hit with debit card fraud. The Coast Hills Federal Credit Union is sending out an alert about the Orcutt Burger Restaurant.
The credit union says it has stopped all signature-based debit transactions to prevent further theft from any debit card activity.
Coast Hills says customers can still use their debit cards at other places, but they must use the four-digit pin number to complete the transaction.
Read more on Central Coast News.


text: Electric cars are looking more and more interesting. A new story out is saying that EV cars in the future will get close to 600 miles on a single charge. and the experts say that these batteries won't take exotic materials to make work. Only down side, for a full charge it'll probably take all night. You can read more HERE!


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The investigative newspaper Novaya Gazeta now boasts an English version online. And the Rossiyskaya Gazeta has produced both a digital edition of a supplement about Russia, to be distributed in the UK and the US.
Novaya’s new website is only designed to contain six articles at a time, as “not every article interests foreign readers," commented Sergei Asriyants, Novaya Gazeta's online editor.
Monday’s selection of articles included reports about the now infamous murder of one of the paper’s reporters, Anna Politkovskaya, as well as an article about the bombing of a train in Russia.
Novaya has also started selling a Russian-language weekly edition in Germany.
Totally unrelated, but another leading Russian paper, the Rossiyskaya Gazeta, is also exporting its content. Its 8-page supplement about Russia will be distributed with the Daily Telegraph on Aug. 25, in the Washington Post on Aug. 30 and in the Times of India on Sep. 1.
The digital edition of the supplement will be available on www.rbt.rg.ru.
“We want to offer an insight into the real Russia – not just the Russia that we read in the headlines. Digital editions provide a great opportunity to reach a wider audience,” said Eugene Abov, Deputy CEO of Rossiyaskaya Gazeta.


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When sisters Jeanie Peterson and Cindy Johnson started SOL Store of Lingerie15 years ago, the idea of being fitted for a bra was foreign to many women. So, too, was the thought of spending $100 for such a garment. But SOL has proven there is a business to be made in selling expensive lingerie and providing personal service. The sisters (shown at left) carry designs by such top French firms as Aubade and Lise Charmel and since opening, have carried the Marie Jo “daisy” bra, so named for the floral motif on its straps. The bra cost $98 when SOL opened (it’s now $112) and is still their best-selling design, Johnson says. What makes it so expensive? Quality, design and construction, according to the intimates expert. A high-quality bra has 40-50 pieces and is a complicated item to make. Everything from the fabric to the lace, elastic, hardware and thread have to be selected and tested for fit and durability, she says. She’ll share this knowledge and more when the store hosts an anniversary party from 5-8 p.m. Aug. 29. They’ll have entertainment, champagne and cupcakes, and will be introducing the newest color of the daisy bra, a purple that looks very much like the shade used by the Colorado Rockies. A portion of the event’s sales will benefit the Morgan Adams Foundation, which raises money for pediatric cancer. 248 Detroit St., 303-394-1060. sollingerie.com
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Princeton: The first fully 3D printed quantum dot LED
It seems like everything is being 3D printed nowadays. From human body parts and electronics, to toys. If you have followed the industry over the last years, you have likely heard about 3D-printed LEDs. Although an entire LED had not been 3D printed, researchers had been working on numerous possible ways of doing so.
Five different materials of the LED
When you think of 3D printer, something like the MakerBot probably comes to your mind - another gimmick that can build physical objects out of plastic, or sometimes metal if you’re lucky. However, many scientists are interested in utilizing the principles of 3D printing and additive manufacturing to construct small electronic devices completely from scratch, such as the a new type of LED built by researchers at Princeton University. Using a custom 3D printer, this team was able to fabricate quantum dot LEDs composed of five different materials. As the team leader Michael McAlpine says, this is the first time anyone has accomplished such a task.
Development of the special 3D printer
The first step in making these LEDs was to build the printer necessary to do it (no off-the-shelf printer was going to do the job). It took more than six months and $20,000 to get this far, and no one knew if it would be possible to combine the necessary materials, even with this custom equipment. When all was said and done, the team found their LED printer to be completely functional, unlike some past attempts that could only print a circuit breadboard onto which pre-made LEDs were attached.
Layers of quantum dot LEDs
The bottom layer of each quantum dot LED is composed of silver nanoparticles, which are perfect for connecting the LED to an electronic circuit. On top of that are two polymer layers that push electrical current up toward the next layer. This is where the real “quantum dots” are — they’re nanoscale semiconductor crystals, in this case cadmium selenide nanoparticles wrapped in a zinc sulfide shell. Each time an electron hits these nanoparticles, they emit orange or green light. The color can be controlled by changing the size of the particles. The top layer is a comparatively ordinary gallium indium that directs the electrons away from the LED.
How the 3D printer works
The 3D printer works in a similar fashion to 3D printers that rely on plastic, but on a much smaller scale. It lays down a single layer of the LED, then moves up to add the next one composed of a different material. When the five-layer stack is complete, it’s a functional quantum dot LED. Quantum dot LEDs are in some ways quite similar to the LEDs used in current smartphones and lightbulbs, but again, smaller. This is why many electronics firms are looking toward quantum dots as the future of display technology.
A low-res picture of a working 3D-printed quantum dot LED
If you’re looking for a current analog of quantum dots, it’d be AMOLED. A quantum dot screen only uses power when displaying a color, and can shut unneeded pixels completely off. The difference, however, is that a quantum dot LED can display a wide range of colors without the degradation or vulnerability to humidity and oxidation of LEDs and AMOLEDs. The problem has always been how to go about making these tiny LEDs, but the 3D printer build at Princeton seems rather capable for a first try.
In addition to printing the quantum dot LEDs on a flat surface, the team succeeded in building then onto a convex surface (like a contact lens) and even created a 3D cube of quantum dot LEDs with all the electronics and light emitting components built in. Hey, it is a 3D printer after all. The team found the performance of the LEDs to be above average, but not quite as good as industry-leading components made via traditional processes. Still not bad for the first fully 3D printed LEDs ☺


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The host of CBS’s “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” will be putting in some extra time on camera tonight thanks to a deal between the network and Google that will cut back on commercial time.
In an exclusive, Variety reports: “Google will advertise the fact that it is sponsoring a program segment during which commercials normally run, marking the first ‘Late Show’ takeover of a regularly scheduled advertising break.”
The report quotes Jo Ann Ross, president and chief advertising revenue officer at CBS Corp., saying: “The entry into ad pod takeovers featuring sponsored original content with ‘The Late Show’ is just the beginning. We will continue to work with the show, and across all of our dayparts, to innovate and expand on what we offer our advertisers.”
Variety adds: “Colbert will introduce viewers of the sponsored segment to ‘More Show Presented by: Google’s Nest Hello video doorbell,’ a nod to the search-engine giant’s connected-home unit.”
The report notes that CBS has been using its late-night programming to try out new advertising approaches for several years.


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Citi today announced that it has reached a definitive agreement to sell 100% of the shares of Citi Cards Japan,
Intuit Inc. today issued its monthly Small Business Employment and Revenue Indexes.
BCMS boosts Asia Pacific presence with Hong Kong office launch.
CafeX, a leading provider of real-time engagement solutions for mobile and web platforms, announced that it has closed on $21M
Gehl Foods announced today that it has been acquired by Wind Point Partners.
ICL today announced that it has made an offer for shares with Allana Potash Corp.
The connected life market has been valued by Frost & Sullivan at over $700 billion by 2020, and the company
Moody’s Analytics, a leading provider of economic forecasts, expects the current US economic expansion to be one of the longest
A majority of British adults are falling through an ‘advice gap’ by not making use of financial advisers, according to
French independent managing company Banexi Ventures Partners finalised a €1.2 million investment in Netwave, a realtime data insight provider.


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| Dec 12, 2012
| 12:34 PM
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Fearful shoppers hid in stores and behind racks as the man ran down a corridor and to a back hallway that led downstairs.
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| Mar 25, 2013
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We all love a good night’s sleep, and a good mattress can help. But a mattress can
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| Feb 28, 2013
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A report condemning the failed sale of the Orange County Fairgrounds will go to the district attorney's office for legal review.
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| Feb 20, 2013
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| Nov 9, 2012
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LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — Dozens more coffee shop workers in Louisville will unionize as rank-and-file employees of Sunergos Coffee voted Wednesday evening to join an affiliate of the Service Employees International Union.
About 57 baristas, shift leads, delivery and bakery workers and others who were employed by Sunergos as of early December were eligible to vote in the election overseen by the National Labor Relations Board.
After a majority voted in favor, the workers will join NCFO 32BJ SEIU, the same union that employees of the larger Heine Brothers Coffee chain voted to join last year.
The Sunergos Workers Union announced shortly before 9 p.m. Wednesday that they won the union election.
WE WON OUR UNION ELECTION‼Now it’s time to bargaining for a fair contract that includes living wages, transparency from our employer, and the dignity and respect all workers deserve #solidarity #UnionsForAll pic.twitter.com/UMMg6RsgEY— Sunergos Workers Union (@SunergosUnion) January 12, 2023
With low-paid jobs and an often transient workforce, coffee shops have not traditionally been a bastion of organized labor.
But a unionization trend has swept the industry in the last couple of years.
As of mid-December, 269 Starbucks stores across the country had voted to unionize, including three in the Louisville metro area, according to the NLRB. The chain has more than 9,000 company-operated stores in the U.S., plus thousands more licensed locations.
More than 200 workers at Heine Brothers, the largest locally owned chain with 17 stores, voted by a 62% margin to unionize in September.
Founded in 2003 by Matthew Huested and Brian Miller, Sunergos has five Louisville stores and a roastery at its flagship location on Woodlawn Avenue in south Louisville’s Beechmont neighborhood.
In addition to customer tips, the company’s baristas earn from $8.25 to $10.25 an hour, while those who are promoted to shift leads earn up to $12.25, according to documents filed in the NLRB case.
“Unionizing is how my coworkers and I will get the living wages, company transparency and respect we deserve while at our jobs,” Sunergos barista Clove Harrington said in a statement provided by NCFO 32BJ SEIU.
Sunergos management did not respond to a message left at the company’s office Wednesday.
Certifying a union is only the first hurdle for workers looking to make changes through organizing. The next phase — negotiating an initial labor contract with the employer — is often arduous for newly unionized workers.
Federal law requires employers and unions to make a “good faith” effort to negotiate.
But, “The way that our legal system is, you don’t actually need to reach agreement," University of Louisville law professor Ariana Levinson, who teaches labor law, told WDRB News last year.
Workers at dozens of union Starbucks stores — including the one in Clarksville, Ind. — conducted a brief strike last month to pressure the company to make progress on a contract.
Heine Brothers and the union continue to negotiate, according to representatives of both organizations. The chain has not suffered any work stoppages since the union vote.
Emily Walker, an organizer with 32BJ SEIU, said the union is “optimistic” about reaching a deal with Heine Brothers.
“Both sides are still bargaining in good faith,” she said.