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Shoei Electronic Materials Inc. has bought property in west Eugene with plans to expand its research and development and start production of a nanotechnology that could revolutionize televisions, smartphones and other devices.
The company, a subsidiary of Japan-based Shoei Chemical Inc., bought the 5-acre lot in the Greenhill Technology Park last month. The sale price was $297,000, property records show.
The parent company acquired the technology from Voxtel, a Beaverton-based nanotechnology company. That technology promises to significantly reduce the cost of producing minute particles known as quantum dots. Oregon State University researchers teamed with Voxtel to develop the technology with state funding.
Shoei Chemical created the subsidiary to bring the technology to a commercial scale and then manufacture it.
The dots are crystals -- measuring 0.0001 of the width of a human hair -- made of silicone or other semiconductor material that gather and emit light very efficiently and can change color precisely depending on their size.
Electronics companies are starting to use quantum dots to produce televisions and electronic devices that display more accurate colors and draw less power. Companies also could use the technology to improve solar cells, night vision goggles and medical imaging devices.
"It's basically on the forefront," said David Schut, the local company's vice president of research and development. "People are starting to implement them into production."
Sony has introduced quantum-dot technology in some of its televisions. Amazon has used it in its new Kindle Fire tablet, and there are rumors that Apple will include it in its new iPhone.
Several companies are producing quantum dots for commercial uses.
Several years ago, Voxtel, with Schut on board, and the OSU researchers rented a lab at University of Oregon and set out to solve a major problem in the production of quantum dots and other nanoparticles.
Large-scale production creates quantum dots of different sizes. That's problematic for some applications, including televisions, because their size dictates the colors they'll emit. A group of different-size dots, each emitting a different color, will produce white light instead of the color that the manufacturer wants.
Companies separate the dots into similar sizes to solve this dilemma, but that creates its own problems, explained Brian Paul, an Oregon State University researcher who worked on the project.
"In addition, you're throwing away everything," he said. "The separation process is very expensive. It doesn't add up."
The Oregon Nanoscience and Microtechnologies Institute funded their work to develop a method that can produce quantum dots and other nanoparticles continuously and with more uniform size.
Schut said the technology is not only significantly cheaper, but it is "greener" because it uses less solvents while producing a higher yield.
ONAMI -- an academic, business and government collaboration -- works with and funds projects by universities and businesses to help bring new nanotechnologies to market faster to create high-paying jobs.
The results of the initial research were impressive enough that Shoei acquired the technology from Voxtel, and Schut joined the company's newly created subsidiary.
Shoei Electronic Materials is now developing a reactor system that can produce quantum dots on a commercial scale as it seeks out customers who can use the technology.
"This was a great opportunity for us to work with an Oregon-based company," said Greg Herman, another OSU researcher who worked on the project and previously worked with Schut at Hewlett-Packard. "The fact that Shoei is putting the R&D center in Eugene is outstanding.
"It's creating jobs."
Shoei Electronic Materials started its work six months ago in Corvallis. It has 10 U.S. employees plus another 10 employees who travel back and forth from Japan, Schut said. It plans to expand its workforce to 50 employees.
The company plans to expand its research and development to Eugene and eventually build a plant and headquarters, hiring even more workers.
Schult couldn't provide a firm timeline for its arrival in Eugene, saying it depends on the company's ability to bring the technology to market. The property is in an enterprise zone, so it could be eligible for future property tax breaks.
Schut, a University of Oregon graduate, said Eugene is a good location for the company's future plans because it can draw on the wealth of knowledge of researchers studying quantum dots and other nanotechnology at the University of Oregon and Oregon State University.
Lane Metro Partnership, the area's business recruitment agency, long has touted the research at the local universities helping build the local economy, and Shoei's investment in Eugene is one example of that, said John Lively, the partnership's economic development specialist.
"I believe we have more opportunities like that in our area," he said.
Follow Christian on Twitter @RGchill . Email email@example.com .


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“PVC is one of the most hazardous consumer products ever made, and the federal government can’t keep ignoring that reality."
The company will replace glyphosate in the consumer lawn and garden segment with other "known and well-established active ingredients."
"Policy interventions to reduce pesticide exposure in individuals residing near agricultural fields should be considered to protect the health of children."
Brookhaven National Laboratory “continues to show almost no regard for its neighbors…Is this any way for a government-funded agency to treat its neighbors?”
Bayer will have to pay between "$8.8 billion to $9.6 billion to resolve current Roundup lawsuits."
The move by the EPA amounts to a generous gift to BASF, Bayer and Corteva Agrisciences whose dicamba herbicides were deemed by the court to have been approved by the EPA illegally.
J&J faces more than 14,000 cases accusing Johnson & Johnson’s talc-containing products of causing ovarian cancer or mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer caused by asbestos exposure.
Scientists and doctors are urging the governments to put "safety guidelines" in place to protect the health of the people, not the industry.
"The EPA's pesticide office is clearly willing to bend over backwards, including disregarding its own guidelines for evaluating cancer risks, to give the industry what it wants."
Bayer's stock took a dive, losing billions of dollars in value, after the first jury verdict in August 2018, and share prices remain depressed.

domain: news


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Electronic Entertainment Expo 2018, better known as E3 2018, is one of the biggest annual events dedicated to gaming. Onstage in Los Angeles from June 12th to 15th, it is the stage for big announcements not only by the three big names in the sector, Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo, but also by publishers and developers including Electronic Arts, Bethesda Softworks, Ubisoft and Square Enix.
Prominent revivals, updates, trailers and even the anticipation of a new console coming from Microsoft characterize the event. Among the most appealing ads, a new Halo, Gears of War 5, Pokémon Switch, The Last of US Part II, FIFA 19, a new The Elder Scrolls, Tom Clancy’s The Division 2 and much more.
In June, the entire video game industry meets in Los Angeles for the Electronic Entertainment Expo 2018 press conference, better known as the E3 2018, revealing a burst of new triple-A video games and expected sequels. Like every year, the Los Angeles event brings big news and updates for the Sony PlayStation, Microsoft Xbox and Nintendo consoles as well as new games from Electronic Arts, Bethesda, Ubisoft, Capcom and many others.
What is E3
E3, or the Electronic Entertainment Expo, is the most anticipated event of the year for the gaming industry as it is the stage for big announcements, updates, trailers and reveal new and possible consoles. Also for the E3 2018, the 24th edition of the event, the major exhibitors are Sony, Microsoft, Nintendo, Electronic Arts, Bethesda Softworks, Ubisoft and Square Enix, but at the conferences are revealed the titles of many software houses, including independent ones (indie).
Where and when it takes place
E3 2018 takes place at the Los Angeles Convention Center from 12 to 15 June 2018 but, as usual, the days prior to the opening of the fair are dedicated to conferences and media briefings of hardware houses and major publishers. As announced by the big names in the sector, here are the Italian dates and times of the main events:
- Electronic Arts EA Play: Saturday 9 June at 8pm
- Microsoft Showcase E3 2018: Sunday 10 June at 22
- Bethesda Softworks: Monday, June 11th at 03:30
- Square Enix: Monday 11 June at 19
- Ubisoft: Monday 11 June at 22
- Sony PlayStation: Tuesday 12 June at 03:00
- Nintendo: Tuesday 12 June at 6 pm
The Microsoft E3 2018
In the beautiful new location of the Microsoft Theater, the Colossus of Redmond takes the field at E3 2018 with the Xbox division and giving a large space not only to the first party games but also to third parties. Highlights include Halo (Halo: Infinite), three games from the popular Gears of War series and a multitude of trailers, from Kingdom Hearts III to Fallout 76, from Metro Exodus to Anthem, from Crackdown 3 to Forza Horizon. 4.
The third parties played a crucial role in the Microsoft conference: from The Division 2 to Shadow of the Tomb Raider and Sekiro Shadow Die Twice from From Software, up to announcements like Jump Force, Dying Light 2, Devil May Cray 5, Just Cause 4 and to Captain Spirit, spin off of Life is Strange. In addition, an Xbox title of CD Projekt Red from the name Cyberpunk 2077 is also impressive. The development of a new generation console is also announced, but its name is unknown.
Nintendo E3 2018
For the sixth consecutive year, Nintendo waives to host a traditional press conference at E3 2018 in favor of streaming a video presentation that focuses on the new games for Nintendo Switch and, in particular, on the upcoming Super Smash Bros title. presence of Bayonetta 3, Metroid Prime 4, Pokémon Switch and some relevant third parties from the likes of Fortnite.
The E3 2018 from Sony
At E3 2018, Sony focuses mainly on the games already announced in the past, or four exclusive PlayStation. This is Death Stranding, Ghost of Tsushima, Spider-Man and The Last of Us: Part II. Space even for third-party ads and independent games, but no new hardware in sight.
Like every year, the E3 2018 is a stage for great news not only from the three major companies (Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo) that also provide hardware but also from leading publishers and developers.
Electronic Arts – EA
On the occasion of the EA 2018 event held at the beginning of E3 2018, Electronic Arts announced FIFA 19 and revealed new details on the highly anticipated Anthem and Battlefield V. Even the announcements of two new EA Originals titles, namely Unravel 2 and Sea of Solitude.
At Bethesda’s E3 2018 conference there were all the biggest and most awaited video games: Fallout 76, Doom Ethernal, the new The Elder Scrolls VI (followed by Skyrim), the post-apocalyptic Rage 2 shooter and a new franchise called Starfield that presents with a science-fiction title in single-player.
Ubisoft participates in the E3 2018 with one of the most anticipated games next season, or Tom Clancy’s The Division 2, but not only: space to Skull & Bones, Beyond Good & Evil 2, Transference Enter the Home of Mind, Starlink Battle for Atlas and Assassin’s Creed Odyssey.
On the occasion of the EE 2018 showcase of Square Enix, the company gives space to the new and awaited chapter dedicated to the adventures of Lara Croft, or Shadow of the Tomb Raider, to Kingdom Hearts 3, to Final Fantasy VII Remake, Left Alive and The Avengers Project.


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In a very Deadpool-like fashion or maybe just a very Ryan Reynolds-like fashion, it was announced that Hugh Jackman will be returning as Wolverine in Deadpool 3.
Check out this very tongue-in-cheek twitter announcement below.
Hard keeping my mouth sewn shut about this one. ⚔ pic.twitter.com/OdV7JmAkEu
— Ryan Reynolds (@VancityReynolds) September 27, 2022


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Walt Disney entered a multi-year games development partnership with leading mobile gaming company Jam City, continuing the Mouse House’s foray into gaming and heightening expectations over the booming sector.
Jam City is one of the key players in that growing mobile market with successful company-exclusive franchises like Cookie Jam, which has generated over half a billion dollars in revenue.
The publisher is also responsible for hits based on well-known franchises and intellectual property, such as “Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery,” released earlier this year.
Jam City CEO Chris DeWolfe, who co-founded social networking site MySpace back in 2003, believes Disney is an ideal partner for the company, given how the rapid global expansion of mobile technology has opened up the gaming industry beyond the usual suspects.
“When we look at IP and entertainment companies, we can create great mobile experiences but there aren’t that many that translate globally to all corners,” he said. “Disney is one of those really special organizations that has created an amazing brand, and has shepherded those brands worldwide.”
DeWolfe added that their partnership with Disney fits into what he sees as being some of the biggest developments in the mobile gaming space. He cited two big developments down the line in particular, the first being the desire for more narrative games given that people “want to be [even more] immersed in their mobile experience.”
He also saw the social aspect of mobile games improving with more player-versus-player elements, as well as the continued rise of esports in the sector. DeWolfe said that many of Jam City’s own brands, like Cookie Jam and the popular Panda Pop games, could eventually become part of the “cultural zeitgeist” in the entertainment space.


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New Morganfield Goody's store to hold grand opening Wednesday | Shopping & Services
Morganfield’s new Goody’s store will hold a grand opening on Wednesday, Oct. 17. Customers who are eager to get a first glimpse of the new Goody’s store can attend the 8:45 a.m. ribbon cutting, with doors swinging wide open to welcome all shoppers at 9 a.m .
The first 150 people will receive a free canvas tote bag. You can also register to win a $250 Goody’s gift card during the grand opening week.
Shopper reward programs such as a membership discount for customers 50 and over, military discount and a Premier Rewards credit card will also be available at the new Goody’s.
“Morganfield shoppers deserve a hometown store that delivers great fashion brands at great prices. Goody’s is that store,” said Michael Glazer, president and CEO of Stage Stores Inc., the parent company of Goody’s, in a news release.
Glazer added that the new Goody’s will offer clothing, accessories and cosmetics for juniors and women as well as a wide range of men’s and children’s apparel.
Stage Stores purchased the rights to the Goody’s name in 2009 and the retail company began operating stores under the Goody’s name in 2010.
The store is located at 1015 US Hwy 60 E in the Union County Shopping Center.
You can get a 20% off shopping pass by clicking here.


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“Horny with excitement” is not a phrase that I had heard—just me?—until it came out of Aidy Bryant’s mouth when she, Tanya Taylor, and I sat down to talk dresses. Glamourhad arranged the meeting between the Saturday Night Live star and the New York City–based designer because Taylor had agreed to make Bryant a piece for an upcoming event. Why did Glamour get involved? No high-fashion designer had ever offered to make one in Bryant’s size (an 18) before. “There’s no conversation happening between plus-size women and designers,” she says. “The door is never open.” We are ready to change that, and Bryant is too.
Her frustrations with fashion are common among celebrities. Cases in point: Leslie Jones said, in a tweet that went viral in 2016, “It’s so funny how there are no designers wanting to help me with a premiere dress for [the Ghostbusters] movie. Hmm, that will change, and I remember everything.” (FYI, Christian Siriano ended up making her a gorgeous red number.) Melissa McCarthy revealed that no one would dress her for the 2012 Academy Awards, despite her asking five or six designers. Hell, even actress Bryce Dallas Howard, a size 6 (size 6, people!), said she had to buy her 2016 Golden Globes dress from Neiman Marcus.
Some stars have managed to get around the issue by using costume designers as stylists, since they are miraculously able to dress an array of sizes for TV and movies. (Bryant does so with Remy Pearce of SNL.) “I’ve never shown up to the set of SNL or Girlswithout having a million options for me to try on,” says Bryant, who appears in Lena Dunham’s series this season. “They don’t bat an eye at my body or how to dress me because they dress all kinds of bodies as costumers.” And while she always looks top-notch on SNL—highlights include her furry Lil’ Baby Aidy look, leather Twin Bed outfit, and Adele costumes—there are crickets when it comes to the red carpet.
For that, she and the SNL tailoring team often get crafty and sew two size-12 pieces together to make an outfit. But a sign of better times came at the 2016 Primetime Emmys, when she partnered with fast-fashion plus-size brand Eloquii to create a dress. “It was the first time that it wasn’t my stylist and me asking all the favors,” she says. “I actually got to make choices as opposed to having two options that are junk or junk-er.”
To keep Bryant’s momentum going, we asked Taylor to take the reins on the look that Bryant will wear for her January appearance on Late Night With Seth Meyers. It’s the first plus-size piece she’s ever made, and—fun fact!—it was modeled after the dress she created for Michelle Obama to wear to the 2016 White House holiday party. “We didn’t approach this any differently than we would with any other custom piece,” says Taylor. “The only difference was not intuitively knowing if the fit looked right before Aidy put it on.”
Seems simple enough. So why don’t designers make plus-size dresses more often? “Designers don’t want to take the effort to customize for bigger sizes,” says Taylor. “They don’t have their usual solution of lending a sample.” Let me explain: Most dresses you see celebs wearing on the red carpet aren’t in stores yet; they’re samples, fresh off the runway, made for an upcoming season in a size 2 only. Until a full size run of the style is shipped to stores the following season, that one dress serves as the piece used in photo shoots and for celebrities to wear to events.
Sometimes stylists dress clients who aren’t a size 2 in current-season dresses from department stores. But that “automatically takes me out of a circle of A-list quality that my peers have,” Bryant points out. And it also assumes retailers actually stock sizes above a 14, which many do not. “We would absolutely be willing to broaden our size range, but our retailers only buy up to size 12 from us,” says Taylor.
Designers who want to solve this issue—and dress the many fantastic actresses, and, you know, humans who are not a sample size—could produce samples in two sizes, say, a 2 and a 14, to make lending a plus-size garment easier. “That takes time, money, and energy,” says Siriano, who tackled this for spring. “You have to fully commit.” He also managed to land sizes above a 14 in stores. “It’s a major up-front cost,” he says. “To make a size run up to 16 could mean there’s $200,000 to $300,000 tied up in fabric alone. You could go out of business in one season if the pieces don’t sell!” The payoff: “We took a risk, and retailers bought up to size 18.”
And as a last-ditch effort, Bryant says, “there is never a time that I go to a photo shoot without bringing at least six options,” a lesson she learned from her worst experience. “I was at a magazine shoot for the new hires of SNL, and I remember getting there with Cecily [Strong] and Kate [McKinnon] and noticing that there were just three things on my rolling rack—each something like what an 80-year-old woman would wear to sing at a funeral. I was paralyzed.” Now she hauls separates from her own wardrobe to set, to work with what the stylist brings. “I shop almost exclusively online, from brands like Eloquii, ASOS, Elizabeth Suzann, or Rachel Comey, if one of their straight-size pieces has a little extra room,” she says.
Yes, Bryant does the legwork for beautiful outfits, but it’s also to set a good example for her fans. “Representation matters,” she says. “This takes a lot of planning, but to me, it’s worth the extra effort for the girls who are looking at my clothes on Instagram or tweeting me to ask what I wore in a sketch.” Oh, and it’s personal. “I know seeing bigger women looking great would have mattered to me when I was younger—that’s why I try not to wear a black dress every day,” she says. “I feel for the girl I was, wanting to wear cool clothes but only being able to find retro gowns, full-on animal-print craziness, or sacks. It was transformative for me to see girls who looked like me and were killing it. I realized I didn’t have to dress like a clown; I could dress cool.”
Now what? First, Bryant plans to take this dress to the Meyers’ stage, and then “wearing it on repeat is a big part of my plan,” she says, laughing. But seriously, “I do feel like a door is opening. There’s been hesitation for me to ask to do custom work with designers, but now it feels doable. And I’m motivated because this dress has a level of quality that is missing from plus-size clothing. I feel unapologetic when I wear it. It sounds hokey, but it says, ‘I’m worth it.’ ”
So designers, get on board! Bryant’s final message for you: “Either you’re for inclusiveness and diversity, or you’re against it,” she says. “And being passive means you’re against it.”
Update: Taylor gave us an exciting update following the publication of this story. “I was so excited to work on this project with Aidy and the Glamour team. It was such an incredible experience and it only strengthened our desire to move into the space. To coincide, we’re thrilled to announce that we will be launching select styles in plus size with our Pre-Fall collection.”


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Whilst legislation preventing the presentation of winding up petitions by landlords against commercial tenants is not yet in force, it seems the courts are ready and willing to embrace the spirit of the proposed new law.
Two recent cases are evidence of this - both with different outcomes.
In the case of Shorts Gardens the court considered an application to prevent winding up petitions being presented, which included (amongst others) a claim that the business of the debtor company had been adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and, given the intended legislation, the winding up order should not be made. In denying the application, Mr Justice Snowden noted the contents of the government's press statement and said that he considered that it was "overwhelmingly likely" that the legislation would only apply to companies in certain sectors (namely petitions by landlords for unpaid rent) and, further, that the defence was opportunistic given that the nature of the debts (many of which arose pre-COVID-19 for unpaid business rates). Mr Justice Snowden stated:
"The reason that [the debtor companies] have not paid the debts that they owe has nothing to do with the coronavirus, and they are not the sorts of entity owing the type of liabilities which the proposed legislation seems to be intended to protect."
It seems that Mr Justice Snowden, at least, has no tolerance for companies seeking to take advantage of the current pandemic for their own gains (or to avoid payment of debts).
In another recent case (protected by a privacy order), the Court allowed an injunction preventing a landlord from presenting a winding up petition against a retail business citing the government's announcement as regards the intended legislation. The Court held that it was entitled to take into account the intentions of the government, despite the fact that the legislation was not yet in force. Doubtless, commercial tenants will breath a sigh of relief with this decision.
Not everyone is happy with this outcome however; some in the industry consider it troubling that the court are looking to enforce proposed legislation which is not yet law (even if it is expected to be law imminently). Certainly, the courts are treading a tricky line here in a currently fast-paced area of law.
Nonetheless, from a practical perspective, it appears that the courts may be willing to assist companies who are facing financial difficulties as a result of the COVID-19 and give effect to the intended legislation, but will not go so far as to prevent any winding up order being made.


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Microsoft will be rolling out its promised, free subset of mobile-device-management features to Office 365 commercial customers over the next four to six weeks.
All About Microsoft
Microsoft watcher Mary Jo Foley's blog covers the products, people and strategies that make Microsoft tick.
Mary Jo Foley
Mary Jo Foley has covered the tech industry for 30 years for a variety of publications, including ZDNet, eWeek and Baseline. She is the author of Microsoft 2.0: How Microsoft plans to stay relevant in the post-Gates era (John Wiley & Sons, 2008). She also is the cohost of the "Windows Weekly" podcast on the TWiT network. Got a tip? Send her an email with your rants, rumors, tips and tattles. Confidentiality guaranteed.
Microsoft's Corporate Vice President of its combined OneDrive and SharePoint team, Chris Jones, is moving to a new role inside the company's Applications and Services Group later this year.
Microsoft and Yahoo have another month before they'll announce whether their 10-year search pact will continue as it currently stands.
Microsoft's next Windows 10 Mobile test build, expected around early April, will support a lot more Windows Phone test devices than the first build did.
Microsoft has bought another productivity company. This time it's LiveLoop, a vendor of collaboration plug-ins and tools for Microsoft Office.
Microsoft has rolled out firmware updates for its Surface Pro 3 devices that aim to make them more easily configurable for business use.
Microsoft has a raft of new Dynamics CRM codeames and delivery dates on its updated roadmap for 2015.
Microsoft is tweaking its browser strategy ahead of making 'Spartan' available to Windows 10 users.
Microsoft is combining Azure Websites, Mobile Services and BizTalk Services into a new bundle for developers building all kinds of cross-platform apps.
Microsoft's Windows 10 software development kit for writing universal apps is now available for download.
Microsoft has struck deals with 11 Android tablet makers, including Samsung and Dell, to preload a number of Microsoft's applications and services on Android hardware.
Microsoft Chief Marketing Officer Chris Capossela explains how Microsoft is attempting to transform its business model.
Microsoft has updated its patent agreements -- both of which likely include Linux licensing elements -- with Fuji Xerox and Melco Holdings.
Microsoft has released the first public preview of Office 2016 for Mac, its updated Office suite for Mac OS 10.10 users, which is due out this summer.
New leaks reveal a new 'zero footprint' Nano Server and a shielded virtual-machine role are likely to be part of Microsoft's Windows Server 2016 release.


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Shanghai Bairun Investment Holding Group Co., Ltd. (百润股份), best known for the Rio brand, has launched Rio in slim cans. The ready-to-drink (RTD) alcoholic cocktail beverage (预调鸡尾酒) in slim can covers RIO (5% ABV and 3% ABV). Rio Strong (强爽) with 8% ABV, launched in April 2016, is already in a 500ml slim can.
The 3% ABV Rio 500ml complements the existing 330ml can packaging and offers more value for money.
Also new is the RIO 5% ABV (本味) in 500ml can. The RIO 5% ABV in 275ml glass bottle was first launched in April 2016 to provide consumers with an RTD alcoholic cocktail beverage that has a higher alcoholic content targeting both male and female.
Slim can has recently become a trend with Coca-Cola introducing slim cans for its beverages to project a modern look.
Rio claims first to embrace ad-free broadcast of Sing! China
Rio has become a partner of Youku for the ad-free broadcasting of Sing! China (中国新歌声), which was previously known as The Voice of China (中国好声音), a hugely popular show, not only in China but in countries/territories with a sizable Chinese population like Malaysia, Taiwan and Hong Kong. The reality singing contest Sing! China premiered on 15 July 2016 featuring top singers including Jay Chau as part of its panelists.
One thing special about Rio’s collaboration with the video hosting service provider Youku is Rio covers all the advertising expenses for Youku to broadcast Sing! China on Youku, which is equivalent to YouTube. This makes Rio the first advertiser to test the add-free (免广告赞助商) concept in China.
What Rio did is it buy out the 60 second ad on Sing! China. Also, each consumer who bought Rio Sing!China-related products will get to enjoy seven days of ad-free Youku viewing experience. In addition to that, from 25 July 2016, Rio will have a 1mn free drinks promotion on its Tmall website. This free drink promotion raises the question whether the company is trying to clear old inventory following the build up of inventory due to poor sales.
The ad-free approach does away the need for audience to watch the commercial, which is on average 30 minutes and 28 seconds for one episode of the previous The Voice of China.
This ad-free concept ties in with the purity appeal of Rio’s 5% ABV (本味), which carries the tagline ‘ 最经典最纯粹的口感 (classic and pure taste).’
On Youku, there is still a four second advertisement for Rio but the audience gets to enjoy the show immediately.
First quarter 2016 results
First quarter 2016 revenue for Bairun fell 73.3% year-on-year to RMB 216.4 million from RMB 810.4 million a year ago. The company reported a net loss attributable to parent company of RMB 63.57 million, down from a net profit of RMB 315 million. The decline is attributed to the fall in sales of Rio. It appears the troubles for Rio is far from over.


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Published in: Credit Cards | Nov. 22, 2019
6 Stats That Show Why Americans Are Bad With Debt
Here are some of the most alarming statistics about Americans' debt and their attitudes toward it.
You may have heard that Americans have lots of debt. Between student loans, credit cards, personal loans, and other forms of consumer debt, we owe trillions of dollars.
But just how bad are we when it comes to handling that debt? After all, even a large amount of debt can be healthy if it's used responsibly.
The Ascent recently conducted a series of surveys and has some hard numbers to support the assertion that Americans simply aren't good with debt. Here's some of what we found.
1. Americans think money can buy happiness
In The Ascent's study on the psychological cost of debt, 17% of indebted Americans said that money can "absolutely" buy happiness. A shocking 56% said that it could buy happiness "to an extent."
Plus, 63% of respondents believe that wealthy people are happier than non-wealthy people.
2. Too many people only pay the minimum on their credit cards
Another interesting finding in the psychological cost of debt study is that many Americans make the minimum payments on their debts. This may not be too bad when it comes to things like home, auto, and student loans. I generally make the minimum payments on these debts, too.
Where it gets alarming is that 43% of people with credit card debt report making the minimum payments or even less on their balances each month. If you only pay the minimum, it can take you decades to pay your debt and your interest can end up being several times the amount you borrowed in the first place.
3. The average American credit card holder owes nearly $6,000 on credit cards
The average credit card user owes $5,937 on their credit cards, according to The Ascent's study of credit card preferences and habits.
The survey found that 60% of people owed at least some money on credit cards and that baby boomers had the most, with an average balance of $6,800.
4. One-fifth of Americans depend on credit cards for basic expenses
The credit card preferences and habits survey also found that one in five Americans depends on their credit cards to cover basic living expenses. That means that this group needs to use credit cards to pay for things like groceries and gasoline for lack of any alternative means of payment. This is alarming.
5. Being debt-free isn't seen as a sign of financial success
In The Ascent's How Americans Define the Middle Class survey, respondents shared traits that they perceive as belonging to someone who's part of the middle class (as opposed to the lower class).
For example, nearly 84% said that the ability to pay bills on time was a defining trait of the middle class. Just over 80% of respondents said that a secure job qualified an individual as middle class, and nearly 64% said that the ability to save money was a middle-class trait.
However, few people seem to think that lack of debt is as important. Only 20% of respondents said that less than $5,000 in debt made someone middle class, while less than 8% said that no debt was a perceived middle-class trait.
6. Americans waste lots of money on interest
The average credit card interest rate in the United States is over 17%. When the average credit card debt is about $6,000, it shouldn't come as a shock that interest is one of the biggest ways Americans waste money.
In The Ascent's study of wasteful spending habits, respondents saw 15 different expenditures and stated if each was a waste of money. Paying excessive or unnecessary interest was the second-most agreed-upon response on the list, with 73% of respondents saying this was an example of Americans' wasteful spending.
If you're curious, the number one response was excessive and unnecessary fees. It's fair to assume that many of these fees are tied to Americans' debts, as well.
Learn from these mistakes
I won't sugar-coat it. These statistics are a little scary. However, one of the smartest things you can do with this information is to learn the mistakes other Americans are making and avoid making them yourself. Prioritize being free of bad debt, don't live off your credit cards, and don't waste your money paying lots of interest.
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Difficult market outlook for wool continues
Farmer-to-merchant wool trading is set to kick into gear in the coming weeks, as shearing will commence on sheep farms across the country. However – like last year – the outlook for prices remains difficult.
Although prices have yet to be set in stone, no great changes are expected from last year’s returns and prices of 50-55c/kg have been muted for lowland wool.
Although pretty much on a par with this time in 2017, the prices are down significantly on the prices achieved during 2016 and 2015. Back in 2016, €1.00/kg was common place, while it was a further 30c/kg higher at €1.30c/kg in 2015.
Speaking to AgriLand, Kevin Dooley of Dooley Wool Merchants said: “It’s very hard to sell wool at the minute. Buyers from China are not sourcing wool from Europe.
Our wool is being sold into the UK for washing where it’s then sold on for textile and carpet production.
Kevin also highlighted that there has been no great increase in supplies just yet this year – despite the fine weather that braced many parts of the country last weekend.
“Farmers have been slow to shear this year, as conditions have been less than ideal. They don’t want to put ewes rearing lambs under stress if the weather was to get cold again.
“It’s been a tough winter and farmers are holding out for warmer temperatures before shearing,” he said.
An online trading platform
In other wool related news, industry partners in New Zealand have come together to develop and launch an independent online wool trading platform.
Modelled on the Global Dairy Trade (GDT) platform, the Natural Fibre Exchange (NFX) is scheduled to go live with its first trading event on May 22. It has already received a commitment of 6.5 million kilograms for the first 12 months.
Wools of New Zealand chief executive and NFX spokesperson Rosstan Mazet said: “The NFX draws on international models as an open access, independent trading platform and represents a cross section of the wool market.
There are a number of in-built features to the platform that ensure the NFX is pro-competitive, transparent and encourages fair discovery of prices for the fibre products traded between buyers and sellers.
“Online trading is playing an increasingly important role in international commodity markets. This platform is a natural evolution towards developing the most efficient means of selling significant volumes of wool.
“Buyers in turn can compare all prices in real time with all parcels of wool available simultaneously over multiple rounds of bidding,” he noted.
An integral feature of the platform, he added, was as a tool to provide an objective reference point from the perspective of both buyers and sellers.


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Model exhibit returns to RAF Museum Cosford
PRESS RELEASE – For the successful fifteenth year, the popular Shropshire Scale Model Show returns to the Royal Air Force Museum Cosford next month. It is one of the largest modeling events in the country and shows no signs of slowing down, as a record 150 exhibitors and traders will travel to Cosford for the all-day event taking place on Sunday April 3This annual event attracts approximately 4,000 visitors each year and takes place amid the collection of world-class aircraft and military vehicles on display at the museum. Thousands of detailed models of planes, cars, bikes, trucks and sci-fi artifacts will be spread throughout the site, filling the museum’s hangars with a world of model making. With over 100 model clubs registered to exhibit their designs, many of which have taken years to perfect, this year’s event is set to be bigger than ever.
Everything a dedicated model maker could want or need will be on sale during the one-day show. Up to 50 merchants will sell a range of modeling equipment and kits suitable for model makers of all levels, from young children who are discovering their passion for modeling to passionate modelers who have been making kits for many years. There will be everything from kits of various sizes as well as glues, paints and other detailed sets available for same-day purchase. New to the exhibit this year will be a North Somerset Modeling Society Pirate Show. Their pirate ship themed booth will feature a mixed collection of model memorabilia as well as witty pirate puns. French trader MACH 2 will attend the show for the first time this year, of which the 1:72 scale Argosy is sure to attract attention as it is on display alongside the actual aircraft on display at the Museum.
Event organizer Gary Stevens, secretary of the Shropshire Scale Modellers and the Telford branch of the International Plastic Modellers Society, says: âI am amazed at how popular the show has become over the years; I still remember the first show in 1998, when we rented 80 tables for a few clubs and traders. This year we are recruiting nearly 500 tables to accommodate the 106 exhibitor displays and nearly 50 traders. The international element of the show grows stronger as we welcome French dealer / manufacturer MACH2 whose 1:72 scale Argosy will be on sale alongside the real thing. Every year I try to have a special feature on the show and this year is no exception as the North Somerset Modeling Society will be presenting their award-winning, humorous and pirate exhibition, which has to be seen to be believed!
To make access to the museum even easier, the organizers have set up a free park for the day to cope with additional visitors, departing from Cosford station. The show will be open to the public from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and entry to the event is FREE. For more information, please call the Royal Air Force Museum Cosford on 01902 376200 or visit the museum’s website at www.rafmuseum.org.


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Potentially dangerous contamination has resulted in a recall from The Swinomish Fish Company.
The manufacturer fears that its traditional and peppered flavors of Native Catch Salmon Bacon may be tainted with clostridium botulinum, the bacterium which causes botulism. No illnesses or reactions have been reported to date.
Both recalled items are packaged in eight- and 14-ounce clear bag with a best-by code of 01/23/2016 or 03/16/2016. The peppered flavor bears UPC 7 83583 27965 9 while traditional features UPC 7 51778 15900 0.
The potential for contamination was noted after a routine Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) inspection discovered that the product had potentially been under processed.
Recalled products were shipped to locations in Florida and Washington between the dates of August 10, 2015 and December 11, 2015.
All retail outlets that sell these products are being notified to remove the product with affected date code from their shelves and warehouses immediately. Consumers are urged to dispose of the products or return to the stores where it was purchased. Customers should know that the product may not be safe even if it does not smell or appear to be spoiled.
Botulism is a potentially fatal form of food poisoning. Symptoms include general weakness, dizziness, double-vision and trouble with speaking or swallowing. Difficulty in breathing, weakness of other muscles, abdominal distension and constipation may also be common symptoms. People experiencing these problems should seek immediate medical attention.
Customers with questions about the recall can contact the Swinomish Fish Company at (360) 466-0176.


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Through this program, Facebook aims to help build the ecosystem for AI in India and support startups with the resources and opportunities.
Facebook is inviting applications for the second edition of its India Innovation Accelerator Program 2019, which will focus on Artificial Intelligence (AI) startups that have the potential to create social impact on a large scale.
According to the social networking service company, the program will support a cohort of AI startups that are working on building technology to solve complex social problems in the domains of empowerment of women and girls, agriculture, healthcare, education, climate change, resilient cities, etc.
Facebook team believes that Artificial Intelligence (AI) is one such technology that can solve problems important for the society and help to find right solutions, said Satyajeet Singh, Head of Platform Partnerships, Facebook India and South Asia.
“We want to help build the ecosystem for AI in India and support startups with the resources and opportunities they would need to succeed. We aim to bring our industry knowledge and technical know-how to take their ideas to the next level,” he added.
The last date for submitting application to participate in the program is June 2, 2019.
T-Hub is partnering with Facebook for the second time to run the India Innovation Accelerator Program.
The first edition of the India Innovation Accelerator program last year was focused on innovative startups in the AR/VR/MR industries and it was a great success, said Ravi Narayan, CEO of T-Hub.
How AI startups will benefit from this program?
Startups accepted into the program will participate in a curriculum of activities specifically designed to support product development, growth and expansion to new markets.
Facebook will provide technical expertise, mentorship, training on the use of Facebook products and tools, free access to a suite of products and services, and access to experts within the company.
The startups will also have access to T-Hub’s network of mentors, industry experts, investors, service providers and will be allowed an opportunity to attract funding for their business during the Demo Day at the end of the program.
Minimum eligibility criteria to apply for the program include:
- At least one full-time employee with some initial market traction.
- A product or service that provides a functionality/capability that is not currently available in any off the shelf product, or a functionality/capability that can be demonstrated to possess a significant advantage over current offerings in some aspect.
- Product or service that represents original ideas, wholly-owned with freedom to use or is licensed by the team.
- A team that is based in India and is working to serve the Indian market. Teams aren’t limited to working in India but must have customers in India.
- Formed or is a part of a recognised, legal entity for the company structure.
(With inputs from Yourstory)


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HOLMES BEACH (FOX 13) - A staple surf shop on Holmes Beach was damaged after it caught fire on Sunday.
Firefighters were called to the West Coast Surf Shop just after 2:30 p.m. on Gulf Drive as a line of thunderstorms passed over the Bay Area. However, investigators say weather was not a factor in the fire, but rather an electrical shortage.
There were three employees and almost 30 customers inside when the blaze started on the second floor where most of the retail space is located. The employees coordinated an evacuation of the building, and there were no injuries. Officials say there was up to $250,000 worth of damage.
The surf shop expressed their gratitude on their Facebook page early Monday morning by writing, "Thanks to our heroes, Kaitlin, Anna, & Benny for making sure our customers got out safe and sound! Not to mention the police and firefighters for their valiant efforts to save our livelihood! You don’t know how much it meant to come home to a parking lot full of amazing friends, family, customers, and kind strangers waiting with open arms. It made such a traumatic experience so much more bearable."
West Coast Surf Shop has been around since 1964.


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Inflation inches up to 3.88%
New Delhi, Sept. 14: The rate of inflation inched up marginally to 3.88 per cent in the week ended August 30 from 3.7 per cent in the previous week, mainly due to rise in prices of fuel and manufactured products. The inflation rate was 3.52 per cent a year ago.
Frankfurt, Sept. 14: The Indian subsidiary of Hyundai plans to introduce a diesel engine version of Santro, managing director J I Kim said.
Mumbai, Sept. 14: Intel Corporation is planning to reduce the prices of its celeron processors by 6 to 14 per cent.
Mumbai, Sept. 14: The Indian Iron & Steel Co Ltd (IISCO) has put its captive oxygen plant at Burnpur on the block as part of its revival package approved by the Centre.


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‘Toy Story 5’ is coming.
Disney CEO Bob Iger announced that the ‘Toy Story’ series will continue to make sequels, specific information has not been disclosed.
Three Disney animation will make a sequel
The first ‘Toy Story’ was released in 1995, ushering in a new era of 3D animated films, followed by Toy Story 2 in 1999 and Toy Story 3 in 2010, becoming a classic trilogy.
And in 2019 there is a follow-up Toy Story 4, opening a new chapter for the classic characters.
Last year was the launch of the Lightyear prototype characters of the derivative film ‘Lightyear’, but the response was poor.
Related Post: Disney announces Zootopia+ will have a sequel.


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Apple's iPhones have the lowest failure rates among major smartphone models, according to a study from SquareTrade, a company that sells electronics warranties. The study compared iPhone, Android devices from Motorola and HTC, RIM BlackBerry handsets and "an aggregated pool of all other smartphones" by analyzing data from 50,000 failure reports.
According to the study, iPhone and BlackBerry malfunction rates have declined by more than 60 percent in the past two years. Owner accidents, not manufacturer problems, are now the No. 1 reason why most smartphones fail, accounting for 77 percent of all failures among the four manufacturers and nearly 90 percent for the iPhone 4 alone, according to the study.
iPhone 3GS and Research In Motion (RIM) BlackBerry handsets have the lowest overall failure rates, with 11.8 percent and 13 percent of users, respectively, reporting a failure during the first year of use, according to SquareTrade's report. "The major Android phone manufacturers and the iPhone 4 all failed at similar rates," states the report, "with 14.5 percent to 15.9 percent projected to fail over 12 months."
When it comes to surviving accidents, however, RIM's BlackBerry prevails. Accidents caused the device to fail in the first 12 months for only 6.7 percent of users, compared to 9.4 percent for the iPhone 3GS, 10.2 percent for the "other smartphones" and 12.2 percent each for Motorola and HTC. The iPhone 4, with its front and back glass panes, fared the worst in accidents, with 13.8 percent of users reporting failures due to accidents in the first 12 months.
For more, read the eWeek article Apple iPhone, RIM BlackBerry Smartphones Most Reliable: Study.
This article was originally published on 11-11-2010
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Aprilia's new SR 150 has been spotted near ARAI's facility in Chakan, Pune. The SR 150 is expected to debut in India this year.
Aprilia first showcased the SR 150 at the 2016 Delhi Auto Expo. The SR 150 will be Aprilia's second scooter to launch in the Indian market, after the SRV 850 ABS.
The SR 150 will be manufactured at Piaggio's facility in Baramati, Maharashtra. This makes the new "sport-scooterbike" the first product to be produced in India with the Italian manufacturer's badge.
The domestic production promises a relatively affordable price tag for the Aprilia SR 150.
The SR 150 will be powered by a 150cc air-cooled engine that powers the Vespa 150. The engine is good to produce 11.4bhp at 7000 rpm, and peak torque of 11.5Nm at 5500 rpm.
Once launched, the Aprilia SR 150 is expected to be priced around Rs. 80,000 - 1 lakh ex-showroom.


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This week the Westmont location reopened, and in our Sunday visit it seems word is already out as they were very busy. McDonald's restaurants across the country have been refreshing their store presence with extensive remodeling, or as the case with the Westmont NJ location on Cuthbert... a full new building
The LIDL Supermarket global chain was approved for a location in Cherry Hill almost 2 years ago, and now they are going back before the planning board to reduce the size of their planned store at Rt 38 and Cuthbert Blvd.
Surprising even the most ardent area Tesla owners, a row of Tesla Supercbargers have appeared in the back lot of The Promenade at Sagemore, in Marlton NJ, They aren't open yet, but that can't be too far off.
Bubbakoo's Burritos opened across from Mall Chevrolet on Haddonfield Road in Cherry Hill NJ. Bubbakoo's is a fast growing New Jersey founded fast casual eatery featuring burritos, bowls, tacos, salads, nachos and more!
Panda Express has opened in Cherry Hill, and we give you a photo tour of the eatery and an understanding of their menu style.
Voorhees is the latest location for the rapidly expanding Royal Farms Convenience/Gas Station chain... and it is ready to open Thursday January 17th.


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Australian fruit and vegetable growers have been warned by a visiting US horticulture expert that while the quality of their produce is better than ever before. The demands of the average consumer now start at “perfection”.
In Australia this month to meet with local growers, Rabobank’s California-based senior fruit and vegetable analyst Dr Roland Fumasi said the list of qualities that buyers were looking for in fresh produce continued to grow and had changed markedly in recent years.
“Consumers now expect the quality of their fruit and veg to be 100 per cent perfect, 100 per cent of the time,” Dr Fumasi said.
“They expect it to taste amazing, look good and to be extremely convenient and they want this all year-round. And that is just the starting point.”
Dr Fumasi said to gain customer loyalty, growers had to appeal to the deep-seated values of consumers.
“When you look at the buying habits of the middle-class consumer, not only do they now want a high-quality product – they are also looking for staunch food safety, transparency regarding production, sustainable farm practices that leave a lighter footprint on the environment and assurance that farmers are looking after their employees.
“And while these consumer demands are increasing, farmers are now also producing their fruits and vegetables in a more complex environment than ever before, with rising labour costs, water issues, changing environmental policies and government red tape.”
“Within the next 10 years or so, it is predicted that 66 per cent of the world’s middle-class population will live in the Asia-Pacific and it is in this group of people where we see the biggest growth in fresh fruit and vegetable consumption.”
Dr Fumasi concedes that food safety and consistent quality are still the biggest drawcards for Asian consumers willing to pay a premium for Australian produce but that their demands are likely to catch up with western markets very quickly.
According to Dr Fumasi, the retail trends of grocery shoppers in the US have become increasingly fragmented and the same trend is being witnessed in Australia, particularly among millennial buyers.
“The younger generation seem to be very comfortable purchasing from a variety of retail sources including traditional retailers, farmers markets, and value retailers such as Costco and of course buying online,” he said.
“In the US we have grocery websites that have gained good traction because of their reliability, convenience, traceability and for their ability to share background stories on the produce they sell.
“At the ‘click of a button’ not only are you able to select from 20 different tomatoes, but you can also see where they were grown, how they were grown and by whom, along with nutritional information and recipe ideas.


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Wed Dec 11 2013 13:00:41 | Source:feedproxy.google.com
Two new devices have entered the Google Play edition family They are the LG G Pad 83 and the Sony Xperia Z Ultra Curiously though perhaps indicative of Sony s commitment to provide a true Google experience they ve dropped the Xperia moniker in the Z Ultra Both devices have landed in the Google Play Store...
Wed Dec 11 2013 13:31:54 | Source:venturebeat.com
Google s family of pure Android devices is getting bigger better and more diverse Sony and LG have announced Google Play editions of the Sony Z Ultra and LG G Pad 83 which are unlocked contract free and running stock Android The
Wed Dec 11 2013 5:27:35 | Source:www.nfcworld.com
Intellectual property commercialisation firm France Brevets has filed patent infringement lawsuits against two phone makers HTC and LG in the US and Germany for using two NFC patents that were granted to Inside Secure inRead the rest of French firm sues HTC and LG for NFC patent infringement at NFC World
Wed Dec 11 2013 8:45:24 | Source:thedroidguy.com
A couple of days ago we saw the LG V510 tablet leaked out by Evleaks claiming that it is the Nexus 8 tablet we ve been hearing so much about But today we have come across a new image of the tablet revealing the front and back without any sort of Nexus branding This raises question The post LG V510 tablet...
Wed Dec 11 2013 11:04:19 | Source:androidspin.com
Looks like the LG V510 mystery device evleaks stated was a Nexus tablet has been solved today Evleaks was almost correct on the tablet being a Nexus but it turns out it will be a Google Play Edition LG G Pad 83 This information was found out by the source zip file that was downloaded from the
Wed Dec 11 2013 23:11:25 | Source:androidspin.com
Happy Google Play Edition day my Android friends Yeah who saw this coming today Two new Google Play Editions added to the Play Stoer as well as the white Nexus 7 that I forgot to mention in the show Let us know if you guys picked up any of the new devices News Topics Android
Wed Dec 11 2013 2:17:20 | Source:feedproxy.google.com
LG G2 is one of the best Android smartphones available in the market at the moment It has become a norm for every OEM to launch a mini version of their flagship devices Samsung launched a bunch of mini as well as HTC But the problem with them is they downgrade the specifications which differs Read more...
Wed Dec 11 2013 3:17:35 | Source:feedproxy.google.com
The LG G2 is the company s flagship Android smartphone the handset comes with some impressive specifications and now according to a recent report LG has sold 23 million handsets since launch The LG G2 launched around 4 months ago and sales of the handset are below what LG had previously predicted the...
Wed Dec 11 2013 23:04:27 | Source:feedproxy.google.com
We ve heard rumors about a purported tablet with 83 inch display that was being misinterpreted as a Google Nexus 8 but it turns out it s incorrect It s not a Nexus 8 but the Google Play Edition of LG G Pad 83 that is available for 34999 The tablet ships in one to two business days Read more The post...
Wed Dec 11 2013 12:33:36 | Source:feedproxy.google.com
LG is known for manufacturing Google s stock Android Nexus line of smartphones and now the company is loading its own tablet with the pure version of Google s mobile OS LG has just unveiled a ne
Wed Dec 11 2013 17:33:26 | Source:feedproxy.google.com
The South Korean electronics manufacture LG has just launched a new variant of its G Pad 83 flagship Android tablet It s called the LG G Pad 83 Google Play Edition which is previously under name as the LG V510 Besides the Samsung Galaxy S4 andLG G Pad 83 Google Play Edition tablet now available is a...
Wed Dec 11 2013 22:11:23 | Source:feeds.i4u.com
I4U New Holiday Gift Guide hardly takes any rest and it is always busy in bringing the latest new gift tips hot deals and offers for the followers We are always on the hunt for the great deals
Wed Dec 11 2013 6:55:02 | Source:news.yahoo.com
The shockingly weak sales of LG s flagship G2 smartphone have wider industry implications The company moved only 23 million units of its flagship model during its launch quarter missing its already lowballed 3 million unit target by more than 20 The context here is that Samsung shipped 10 million units...
Wed Dec 11 2013 10:30:00 | Source:www.themobileindian.com
LG G Pad 83 Google Play Edition is already on sale in the United States for 350 Rs 21 463 approx
Thu Dec 12 2013 0:59:00 | Source:www.igyaan.in
Google has swelled the ranks of the devices it certifies as Google Play Edition by adding two new devices to the category the humongous Sony Z Ultra and LG G Pad 83 Google Play edition which is based upon LG s tablet of the same name Earlier this year at Google I O 2013 Google announced the The post...
Wed Dec 11 2013 21:22:53 | Source:www.bgr.in
Yesterday a evleaks tweet about a device codenamed LG V510 being a Nexus device created quite a bit of buzz as many including us thought it was the forthcoming Nexus 10 Turns out it isn t but what it is is the Google Edition of LG s G Pad 83 The device is now available on the US Google Play Store for...
Wed Dec 11 2013 22:27:51 | Source:www.bgr.in
At a launch event in Delhi LG today announced its recently unveiled curved display smartphone called the G Flex The phone has only been showcased for the time being and will hit stores n February next year priced somewhere between Rs 60 000 65 000 The G FLex comes with an interesting design which includes...
Wed Dec 11 2013 22:47:39 | Source:feedproxy.google.com
The LG G Flex launched in India today at a press conference in New Delhi The phone will only be available in stores in February next year though and LG has indicated the price could be around Rs 60 000 65 000 The LG G Flex features a curved 6 inch 720p display a Snapdragon 800 processor with
Wed Dec 11 2013 23:30:12 | Source:feeds.itproportal.com
Apple s process would deposit and pattern a conductive thin film on a flexible substrate to form a touch sensor pattern while the flexible substrate is in a flat state Read more http wwwitproportalcom 2013 12 11 new curved screen iphone could help apple hunt down samsung and lg
Wed Dec 11 2013 11:31:43 | Source:allthingsd.com
The Google Play edition isn t quite a Nexus device but represents another pure Android option


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BISMARCK, N.D. — Forget about cat burglars. A thief in North Dakota is after kittens.
So says a pet store owner in North Dakota’s capital city, who said Thursday that a weeks-old orange tabby was stolen from his display cage during an overnight break-in this week.
Barbara Weekes, owner of Animal Kingdom in Bismarck, said employees hadn’t named the purr-happy critter because that helps them from getting too attached. But she said the kitten had become a favorite, nonetheless.
“He was very loveable. He loved being held. Not all cats do,” Weekes told the Associated Press of the kitten stolen in the Monday night heist.
Police told the Bismarck Tribune that while windows were smashed on three other businesses in the same part of town Monday night, Animal Kingdom was the only store entered. The thief also pocketed some loose change from a till.
Surveillance video from one of the business showed a man in a white sweat shirt, dark pants and a black ski mask run along the sidewalk carrying what appeared to be a crowbar. He smashed the windows on the businesses while he ran before hopping into a waiting car — described as an older, brown, four-door car.
Each business sustained several hundred dollars’ worth of damage.
Weekes said she doesn’t know why the tabby was nabbed. Two other kittens were caged with him — each priced at $48.98 — but they were left behind. It’s a first for the store, she said, though customers have been caught trying to smuggle pets out during store hours before.
Police have been in touch with some leads, she said, adding that she’s hopeful the kitten will be returned.
“The response has been amazing,” she said. “Everyone seems to be looking.”


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UK auto sector worst hit as Q2 exports fall | Automotive Industry News
The automotive sector was amid the worst impacted parts as United kingdom producing exports fell sharply in Q2 2020, according to the Lloyds Financial institution Worldwide Trade Index.
The pace of decrease was the swiftest considering the fact that facts selection began in 1996, pushed by the effects of coronavirus on each intercontinental provide chains and slipping overseas demand for British products and products and services.
The index hit a new reduced of 34.6 for new producing exports involving April and June 2020, representing a remarkable decrease from 46.8 in Q1 2020. The preceding historic reduced of 38.8 was recorded in 2009 amid the world-wide financial disaster. A reading through below fifty alerts a reduction in new export orders, when a reading through earlier mentioned fifty implies development.
Automotive (31.five) and fundamental metals (28.three) exports have been hit most difficult, reflecting a slide in world-wide demand for producing parts and the shutdown of automobile generation in Europe.
Of all those suppliers that reported a downturn in overseas orders, the broad bulk (ninety three%) attributed it to the effects of coronavirus, blaming the pandemic for shrinking demand, widespread organization closures, and delays to export initiatives.
The close of the second quarter of 2020 saw early indicators of intercontinental demand returning with June exhibiting an maximize in hunger for British client products.
Sharp financial contraction in the bulk of United kingdom export markets, like the European Union and North The usa was also recorded, driving a trade-weighted evaluate of world-wide demand for British products and products and services to a report reduced of 35.2 in Q2 2020.
China, immediately after publishing a reading through of 42 in Q1 2020, was the only United kingdom export market place to see an maximize in Q2 (fifty two.6), as the country’s lockdown steps eased.
Gwynne Master, running director and world-wide head of trade for Lloyds Financial institution International Transaction Banking, said: “The success show the total effects of the pandemic as swathes of the world-wide trade markets shut down amid initiatives to enable comprise the spread of the virus.
“Export steps hit an all time reduced in Q2 though we see little indicators of recovery as early as May well and into June.
“Whilst it is far too early to communicate about the trajectory of recovery, it is encouraging to see enhanced exterior demand, indicators that China’s overall economy is stabilising, and some United kingdom client goods’ export development in June.
“Governing administration schemes and finance choices go on to be built easily obtainable, which will enable United kingdom exporters go on to trade, to position for a return to normality to intercontinental trade, and to put together now for opportunity long term disruption.”


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On Tuesday, the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed a ruling that Apple conspired with publishers to eliminate retail price competition in e-books. The 117-page opinion delves into the nuances of antitrust law and comes as the computer giant sets its sights on entering the music streaming market.
In April 2012, the Justice Department and state attorneys general brought legal action after Apple introduced the iPad, launched the iBookstore and came to deals with the biggest book publishers including CBS Corp.’s Simon & Schuster Inc., News Corp.’s HarperCollins Publishers Inc., Penguin, Lagardere SCA’s Hachette Book Group, and Pearson and Macmillan.
When Apple entered the e-book market, Amazon.com was the dominant player, though publishers were unhappy that Amazon was selling e-books for $9.99 in the Kindle store. Amazon set the price point under a “wholesale model” while Apple coordinated a move to an “agency” model where publishers could set higher prices and it would take a commission. By employing “most favored nation” contractual clauses, Apple acted as the “hub” in a hub-and-spoke conspiracy, according to the Justice Department.
The lawsuit, and the resulting ruling by U.S. District Judge Denise Cote, was controversial in antitrust circles. The ruling also had some potential in becoming a guidepost in dealmaking surrounding content delivery. In July 2014, Apple came to a settlement to pay as much as $450 million to resolve the e-book litigation, but it was contingent on what the 2nd Circuit would say on appeal. The judge also appointed an antitrust monitor for Apple, which resulted in a separate opinion last month from the 2nd Circuit affirming the minder to Apple’s dismay.
Today, Circuit Judge Debra Ann Livingston issued an opinion (read here in full) that discusses Apple’s role as the facilitator of horizontal agreements among the publishers to set prices. Part of the trickiness is that horizontal agreements are per se unlawful under the Sherman Act, while vertical ones like what Apple arguably did with each of the publishers require more analysis to determine whether they unreasonably restrain trade.
Livingston accepts the existence of a “hub-and-spoke” conspiracy, though, and analyzes the contracts that Apple made with those publishers.
“All Apple did, it claims, was attempt to enter the market on profitable terms by offering contractual provisions — an agency model, the MFN Clause, and tiered price caps — which ensured the company a small profit on each e-book sale and insulated it from retail price competition,” she writes. “This had the effect of raising prices because it created an incentive for the Publisher Defendants to demand that Amazon adopt an agency model and to seize control over consumer?facing e-book prices industry?wide.”
Apple might have known about what would happen, it further argued, but it hardly could be blamed for a conspiracy if everyone was merely following their independent business interests.
“We disagree,” Livingston responds. “At the start, Apple’s benign portrayal of its Contracts with the Publisher Defendants is not persuasive — not because those Contracts themselves were independently unlawful, but because, in context, they provide strong evidence that Apple consciously orchestrated a conspiracy among the Publisher Defendants. … Apple understood that its proposed Contracts were attractive to the Publisher Defendants only if they collectively shifted their relationships with Amazon to an agency model — which Apple knew would result in higher consumer?facing e-book prices.”
Later in her opinion, Livingston attempts to soothe industry fears about the finding that a company can be held liable for adopting otherwise lawful contract terms. She says the 2nd Circuit is “breaking no new ground” in finding that most favored nation clauses can be misused to anticompetitive ends. It all depends on context.
The opinion then moves to a discussion of why Apple must suffer “per se condemnation” under antitrust law for coordinating those horizontal agreements, and even if more is required, Livingston finds Apple’s attempts to justify its market moves as unavailing.
Circuit Judge Dennis Jacobs offers a dissent that accepts the finding of facts regarding Apple’s behavior toward e-books, but puts it in a more flattering light. After Apple entered the market, Amazon’s share decreased from 90 to 60 percent over the next two years. “The restrictive market conditions Apple faced and the pro-competitive results of Apple’s conduct make its vertical dealings categorically reasonable,” he writes, citing among other things the cutting-edge functions and applications of the iPad. “How else could the competitive benefits have been realized in this market?”
But just because Amazon was dominant doesn’t let Apple off the hook, responds Livingston. She interprets Jacobs’ theory to mean that “marketplace vigilantism” is warranted to eliminate “competitive evils,” and opines, “Whatever its merit in the abstract, that preference for collusion over dominance is wholly foreign to antitrust law.”
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The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) collaborated with its Mumbai Alumni Chapter to host "Manufacturing to Retailing: Strategic Move or Growth Requisite?" at the institute's Mumbai campus. Colin Shah, managing director of Kama Schachter Jewellery Pvt Ltd, was the chief speaker.
The seminar covered the challenges of growing a manufacturing brand into a retail brand in India, and eventually an international brand. Shah shed light on different strategies of product development and positioning, marketing and merchandising to tackle the shifting demand of consumers today. He explained fluctuating market trends across the globe and highlighted the importance of marketing research for jewellery design and manufacturing.
Shah founded Kama Jewellery at the age of 25, and then established various international manufacturing units and brands under the umbrella of Kama Schachter Jewellery Pvt Ltd.
"He [Colin Shah] has shared years of exhaustive research in product development and marketing strategies for brands within India and abroad," said Apoorva Deshingkar, head of country sales for GIA in India. "Such insight into the industry mechanisms is tremendously valuable to GIA alumni."


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Hackers are selling your Facebook logins for as low as $3 on dark web: Report
Facebook is scrambling to figure out the extent of the fresh data breach that affected almost 50 million accounts worldwide.
Consequences of the latest Facebook data breach seem to be beyond repair. Hackers who accessed digital tokens of almost 50 million users around the world are now selling Facebook logins on dark web for as low as $3 ( ₹200 approximately).
The Independent reports that it has discovered dozens of such listings on the marketplaces on the dark web. The website said these credentials are being sold between $3 and $12. Buyers can purchase these user data through cryptocurrencies such as bitcoins. It estimated the value of the entire stolen data around $150 million and $600 million.
The leaked digital tokens, which include users' sensitive data, could be misused by cyber criminals for crimes like identity theft or even blackmailing. The least harm could be your log ins, which are usually email IDs and phone numbers, to be targeted for spam and fraud emails.
Research by another website Money Guru reveals that Facebook Logins have been on sale on the dark web without any check. According to the research, the process of gaining access to users' personal data and selling them in the underground market takes less than 10 minutes.
"What people may not know is that it takes less than 10 minutes to create an anonymous account, select someone's data from the marketplace and reach a payment screen. All criminals need to access the dark web is the Tor Browers, a VPN and an internet connection," said the report. What is View As feature and here's why it has been disabled on Facebook
The reports of Facebook credentials being sold online come shortly after the company said it had found no evidence of Facebook Logins being used by hackers.
"We analysed third-party access during the time of the attack we have identified. That investigation has found no evidence that the attackers accessed any apps using Facebook Login," said Guy Rosen, a Facebook vice president overseeing security.
Last week Facebook disclosed that it had faced the worst-ever security breach in its history, saying hackers had accessed almost 50 million accounts through an exploit in digital tokens.


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Plenty of consumers who use Google to look up information have long been complaining about the company selling their information to advertisers, but now it’s the advertisers who are complaining about Google’s practices.
In this case, the advertisers whose internet ads were placed via Google’s Adwords program, have filed a class action lawsuit alleging the tech giant deceived them about the placement of their ads. According to the lawsuit, the objective of the Adwords service is to place ads alongside relevant internet searches. For example, if someone looks up exercise tips, Google might place ads for local gyms and/or personal trainers alongside the search results.
Instead, the lawsuit alleges ads appeared on error pages and undeveloped websites, which are also known as parked domains. This type of placement does nothing to help the advertisers because only a few, if any, people will see their ads. In fact, such a placement can even hurt the advertiser if a frustrated consumer accidentally finds themselves on an error page or an undeveloped website and they associate the advertiser with a failure to maintain that website/webpage.
Companies pay to have Google post their internet ads in places where they’ll be seen by their target audiences, so if Google is instead placing these ads on unused websites and webpages, then the advertiser has paid for a service that doesn’t benefit them at all and may even harm them.
The class action lawsuit was originally filed in 2008 and alleged Google violated California’s fair advertising laws. A California federal district judge refused to certify the class of plaintiffs, saying they did not qualify for class action status because each advertiser would have paid a different sum for their ad placement, which means they would each receive different damages.
Ever since the Supreme Court’s 2011 decision regarding claims brought against Wal-Mart by a class of employees, many judges throughout the country have refused to certify class actions if the amounts of each individual class members’ claims are not identical. This is despite the fact that the law does not require the amount of the class members’ claims to be identical, so long as the nature of their allegations against the defendant are similar enough to try all their cases together.
The advertisers appealed the district court’s decision and the appellate court sided with them. Google responded by asking the Supreme Court to hear their case, but the Supreme Court refused, letting the decision of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals stand. This means the advertisers will be able to move forward with their allegations against Google as a class action.
The highest court in the country has been in a bit of a tight spot ever since Justice Antonin Scalia died. Scalia authored the decision against Wal-Mart’s employees and acted as a strong proponent for curbing class action litigation in recent years. The Supreme Court has refused to hear many cases on a variety of matters since they lost one of their justices. The even number of eight justices creates the possibility of a tie, which would complicate and severely hinder the legal process.
Our firm is looking for consumers interesting in filing suit who were duped into purchasing Parmesan or Romano cheese with wood pulp in it or adulterated olive oil and have proof of purchase and/or still have the product. We are also looking for consumers who have been duped into purchasing any type of adulterated food product.
Our Naperville, Illinois consumer rights private law firm handles individual and class action gift card, data breach, privacy rights, deceptive advertising, predatory lending, unfair debt collection, lemon law and other consumer fraud cases that government agencies and public interest law firms such as the Illinois Attorney General may not pursue. Class action lawsuits our law firm has been involved in or spear-headed have led to substantial awards totalling over a million dollars to organizations including the National Association of Consumer Advocates, the National Consumer Law Center, and local law school consumer programs. The Chicago consumer lawyers at Lubin Austermuehle are proud of our achievements in assisting national and local consumer rights organizations obtain the funds needed to ensure that consumers are protected and informed of their rights. By standing up to consumer fraud and consumer rip-offs, and in the right case filing consumer protection lawsuits and class-actions you too can help ensure that other consumers’ rights are protected from consumer rip-offs and unscrupulous or dishonest practices.
Our Lombard and Elmhurst consumer attorneys provide assistance in data breach, privacy violation, fair debt collection, consumer fraud and consumer rights cases including in Illinois and throughout the country. You can click here to see a description of the some of the many individual and class-action consumer cases our Chicago consumer lawyers have handled. A video of our lawsuit which helped ensure more fan friendly security at Wrigley Field can be found here. You can contact one of our Wheaton and Waukegan consumer protection, gift card and data breach attorneys who can assist in consumer fraud, consumer rip-off, lemon law, unfair debt collection, predatory lending, wage claims, unpaid overtime and other consumer, or consumer class action cases by filling out the contact form at the side of this blog or by clicking here. You can also call our toll free number at 630-333-0333.


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Since scoring several legislative victories with the passage of the 2014 farm bill last month, the organic industry has wasted no time in getting to work on one of those wins: the newly authorized ability to establish an industry-funded research and marketing "checkoff" program. Still giddy from organic’s farm bill successes, Organic Trade Association CEO and Executive Director Laura Batcha and four other organic stakeholders presented plans for what's technically termed an Organic Research and Promotion Order on Friday at Natural Products Expo West.
“We changed the game, and we got it done,” Batcha said. “Now we’re here to say we’ve got a choice.”
The choice Batcha referred to is the option to go forward with a proposed order, which would create and authorize a board to collect mandatory fees from the industry that could be put toward anything from national television advertisements to regional research about citrus greening or fire blight of apples.
"Hopefully gone will be the days when we have to do fundraisers for separate areas of industry and meet in hotel rooms and at dinners to raise funds," said Melody Meyer, vice president of policy and industry relations for United Natural Foods.
The current proposal offers different options for how fees would be assessed, which include basing the number on a percentage of gross profits or calculating a percentage of the total cost of organic ingredients used. Every certificate holder along the organic supply chain would pay into the pot with the goal of keeping the program “really shallow and really broad,” said Marty Mesh executive director of Florida Organic Growers. In other words, while lots of people would pay into the program, nobody would pay an extraordinary amount. Such a model ensures that everyone, in every stage of production, distribution and sales has skin in the game and a voice in how the program’s dollars are spent, Batcha said. Imported organic products would also be assessed the fees.
The amount of money the program could potentially raise is nothing to scoff at. The Organic Trade Association’s initial estimates based on number of organic certificate holders puts the number at around $30 million annually. That certainly rivals the $250 million the newest farm bill allocates specifically to the organic industry over five years. The Organic Trade Association, by the way, would not be allowed to receive money from the checkoff program because it is a lobbying organization.
The proposal is now open for comment and can be found at the United For More Organic website. Once a proposal is finalized, it will go to a vote and will only move forward with the approval of two thirds of industry stakeholders, which in this case would be organic certificate holders. If the support is there and all else goes as planned, the program could be up and ready to go in 18 to 24 months, Batcha said.


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Clarisonic, the beauty device maker acquired by L’Oréal in 2011, will outsource manufacturing to external partners and will lay off 120 people working out of its Redmond, Wash. production facility over the next 15 months.
L’Oréal USA Tuesday filed a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification with the Washington State Employment Security Department, which requires companies with more than 100 employees to give people 60 days notice of layoffs.
A Clarisonic spokeswoman said the company will still retain a local presence. The layoffs will only affect production, and the company’s headquarters and all of its HQ employees will remain in Redmond.
Production will cease when the layoffs are completed by the end of 2017. Affected employees will receive financial support and help finding new jobs.
Clarisonic is the brainchild of David Giuliani, who also invented the Sonicare electric toothbrush. Giuliani sold his company, Pacific Bioscience Labs, to L’Oreal in 2011.
Founded in 2001, Clarisonic’s first device was released in 2004. The device uses sonically-oscillating brushes to remove dry skin, dirt and cosmetics from the skin.
Here’s the full statement from Clarisonic on the layoffs:
Clarisonic is the leading beauty device company in the world. This success has been fueled by consumers embracing and recommending its patented skin-cleansing devices. Founded in Seattle, Washington in 2004, Clarisonic has sold more than 15 million devices worldwide.
Product innovation remains a priority for Clarisonic, with an ongoing investment in our internal research and innovation capabilities based at its global headquarters in Redmond, WA. In order to provide additional manufacturing expertise to produce the beauty devices of today and tomorrow, Clarisonic has decided to make a gradual transition to shift its production to external manufacturing partners. The transition will be complete by the end of 2017. This manufacturing shift will result in reductions of 120 employees from its Redmond-based production facility over the next 15 months.
Affected employees have already been made aware of this news and will receive financial support and job placement resources, as well as the opportunity to apply for other positions within L’Oréal if in good standing. Clarisonic is very grateful for the contributions of these employees and is committed to supporting these colleagues throughout the transition period.
These changes will further enhance Clarisonic’s ability to deliver innovative beauty devices to customers around the world.


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Realme is gaining from strength to strength in India since its launch last year, with the market sharing going from 3 percent to 18 percent in a single quarter, according to a recent study by Counterpoint Research. Now, elaborating on this (and more), Realme has revealed that it shipped 10 million units in the third quarter of 2019, registering an 808 percent year-on-year growth. This data for global shipments, by Counterpoint, shows Realme has become the seventh biggest smartphone vendor by shipments in the world in Q3 2019, up from 47th a year ago. The company was already in the top 10 smartphone brands list as of the second quarter of 2019, but it rose a few steps to the seventh spot. Of course, the growth is testament to the brand’s success in the India and Indonesia, which accounted for 80 percent of its shipments.
As mentioned above, Realme is the fourth largest smartphone brand, in terms of market share, in India right now. The company accounts for 16 percent of the market here and is also selling phones in over 20 countries. In fact, the Realme X2 Pro is amongst the company’s first smartphones to sell in the European market as well. The company’s chief competition in India comes from Xiaomi, which leads the market here. While Realme hasn’t surpassed Xiaomi in terms of market share in India, both companies have been having Twitter battles with their new launches. Realme’s portfolio in India includes devices like the Realme XT, Realme 5 Pro, etc, with Realme X2 Pro and Realme XT 730G on the way.
The company was also amongst the first to sell a quad-camera smartphone in India and use the new 64MP camera sensor from Samsung. With the Realme X2 Pro India launch next month, it is clear the brand has its sights set on the likes of OnePlus too. Having said that, competitors like Xiaomi, Honor, OPPO, and others have all tried to enter the premium segment and compete against OnePlus. Xiaomi, for instance, recently announced the Redmi K20 Pro, Honor has launched devices like the Honor View 20 smartphone.―91 Mobiles


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Space Adventures CEO Eric Anderson gives an update on his company’s plans for commercial circum-lunar flights. Actually, the only real updates are that the flight has slipped from late 2015 to early 2017 since their last estimate in May, and that they still haven’t sold the second $150 million ticket they need to make the flight possible (but they’re close).
They also want to launch it in time for the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 1 fire as a tribute to the late Gus Grissom, Ed White, and Roger Chaffee. I guess that works. They won’t make their planned 2015 launch date, and the 30th anniversary of Challenger and 45th anniversary of Soyuz 11 in 2016 don’t really fit thematically, so why not commemorate Apollo 1. And it sounds a lot better than we’ve slipped another 13 or 14 months just in less than a year and we still haven’t sold that other ticket.
Jeff Manber isn’t very impressed with Space Adventures’ plan to send humans around the moon. He’s skeptical about whether the company has actually sold a $150 million ticket, thinks their promo video has crappy production values, and says they should hire James Tiberius Priceline (William Shatner) as a spokesman. He also questions the wisdom of spending $150 million to be a guinea pig on Russia’s first ever lunar human flight. (A good question, actually.)


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Game developers can prepare to create apps for Windows Phone 8.1 with a beta program from Unity Technologies.
The options are increasing for people who want an LTE smartphone, but don't want to spend a fortune or sign an expensive contract. Two new alternatives that won't drain wallets are Nokia's Lumia 635 and the Huawei-made Kestrel.
Overnight Nokia announced the Lumia 930 at the Microsoft Build conference in San Francisco, a Windows Phone 8.1 smartphone bristling with both features and the adored design language technophiles identify as uniquely Nokia.
Nokia's Refocus app -- which lets users play with the focus after a picture has been taken -- is now available for all Lumia smartphones with Windows Phone 8.
Facebook has made its Messenger app available for Windows Phone 8, a bonus for Microsoft as it seeks to increase the number of applications available for its smartphone OS.
IBM-owned Fiberlink and BlackBerry are adding Windows Phone to the list of platforms they can manage and protect, as enterprise interest for the smartphone OS is increasing.
In a bid to go after the low-end smartphone segment, Nokia is using Android with its own user interface and Microsoft services on the X, X+ and XL devices.
Microsoft will soon offer an update to its Windows Phone operating system that will bring a number of new features targeted at enterprise users.
With developing markets in its sight, Microsoft is making a number of changes to Windows Phone that it hopes will result in a wider range of less expensive devices.
The Lumia 1320 aims to bring the large-screen form factor to the masses by delivering a value-for-money proposition. With a low $449 price tag, it poses a serious threat to its larger and more expensive rivals.
Nokia has released a beta version of its Camera app that will add more advanced features to smartphones like the Lumia 520 and the Lumia 720.
Nokia is hoping that availability of its low-end Lumia 525 in countries like China and Russia will soon give its smartphone sales a boost.
Harvey Norman has been named exclusive Australian launch partner for Nokia’s Lumia 1520 smartphone, making it the sole retailer of the vendor’s first ‘phablet’ play.
Instagram is now available for Windows phones, some three years after the photo-sharing app's launch, the company announced Wednesday.
Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8 developers can now integrate Facebook's login system into their applications so people don't have to create a separate user name and password for them.
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SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) — Shares of Tesla Motors Inc. surged in the extended session Wednesday after the electric-car maker reported quarterly results that topped Wall Street estimates, while shares of Facebook Inc. slumped on a multi-billion deal to buy messaging service WhatsApp Inc.
Tesla TSLA, +0.75% shares jumped 12% to $216.55 on very heavy volume after the company reported adjusted fourth-quarter earnings of 33 cents a share on revenue of $761.3 million. Analysts surveyed by FactSet were looking for earnings of 23 cents a share on revenue of $683.9 million.
Shares, which are up 400% over the past 12 months, closed down 4.9% in the regular session Wednesday before the report. Read what Tesla executives said about the quarter
Facebook FB, -0.28% shares fell 2.9% to $66.09 on very heavy volume after the social-networking site announced it would buy WhatsApp for $16 billion in cash and stock, with an added $3 billion in restricted stock units over the next four years. Follow MarketWatch’s live blog of Facebook’s conference call.
Safeway Inc. US:SWY shares rose 4% to $36 on heavy volume after the supermarket operator said it was holding talks for a possible sale. Safeway also reported adjusted earnings from continuing operations of 53 cents a share for the fourth quarter on revenue of $11.31 billion. Analysts estimated fourth-quarter earnings of 47 cents a share on revenue of $11.49 billion.
On the other hand, shares of Blackhawk Network Holdings Inc. US:HAWK fell 13% to $24.50 on moderate volume after Safeway announced it was distributing the 37.8 million shares of Blackhawk it owns to Safeway shareholders.
Shares of Onconova Therapeutics Inc. ONTX, +2.76% fell 40% to $8.35 on heavy volume after the biotech company said a late-stage clinical trial for its myelodysplastic syndrome treatment did not meet its primary endpoint.
Jack in the Box Inc. JACK, +0.35% shares rose 1.9% to $54.50 on moderate volume after the fast-food chain reported adjusted earnings of 75 cents a share on revenue of $450.1 million. Analysts estimated fiscal first-quarter earnings of 66 cents a share on revenue of $435.9 million.
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