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Tranquil Store Founders To Meet With Honest Flower About Possible Collaboration
It goes without question that the global economy took a big hit due to the COVID-19 breakout. However, one of the Industries that flourished despite the effect of the pandemic is the CBD Industry.
“At the beginning of 2020, the cannabis sector in the UK hardly exploded because COVID-19 came along and prevented that. However, it has still thrived even during this pandemic,” says Professor Mike Barnes, of Medical Cannabis Clinics and Maple Tree Consulting.
Each day, we see more entrepreneurs trooping into the market. The growth of this market is due to the increased consumption of hemp-based products due to their various health benefits and increased incidences of diseases such as epilepsy and other sleep disorders.
One notable name in the industry is the US-based CBD company “Tranquil Store.”
This CBD company offers various products ranging from vegan granola bars, lollipops, oils, pet treats, and so much more. The company is growing at a progressively high rate and shaking the industry, day in day out.
Recently, Alec Martin, founder of Tranquil Store, met with Jordan Turnbow, a partner of Honest Flower, to discuss a potential partnership at one of their facilities located in Houston, Texas.
Honest Flower is a wholesale CBD company founded in 2019 by a group of individuals with a passion for designing professional-grade lifestyle products and making those products easily obtainable by all who desire. The brand was born with the belief that all people, no matter their circumstance, have the right to obtain premium quality products at affordable pricing.
“Our belief system here at Honest Flower is that people come before profit, Turnbow comments. “Simply put, the earth is our greatest resource. It has everything we need to live a healthier life. In knowing this, we as a company, set-out to harvest from those resources in the most efficient and beneficial ways.”
Tranquil Store is most notable for its first-class customer service. “We value our customers’ feedback highly,” Martin says. “We aim to create the best experience over and over again. You could come in contact with us multiple times throughout the day, and that experience you receive would be as if it was your first encounter.”
The partnership between Tranquil Store and Honest Flower would help customers of both brands in their aim to purchase CBD and other health & wellness products at a much lower cost.
“We truly believe that we can create and provide high-quality products at an affordable price so that everyone can get a piece of the pie,” Turnbow asserts. “One of our biggest objectives here is not only creating these high-quality, affordable products, but it’s creating these high-quality, affordable products that speak directly to our consumer’s wants, needs, pleasures, and pains.”
The meeting of both parties went well, and we should all be on the lookout for an official announcement in the coming new year.


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One year after its first ICE Totally Gaming exhibition, FBM proves once again its prestigious status by showcasing great novelties.
“The attendance in London was beyond expectations!” Posted at the booth S8-320, the team of FBM
amazed the market with new machines, new games, and online gaming features. Following the superiority of the brand, FBM came with a lot of surprises: the new Shadow
, that was presented in Las Vegas during the last G2E. Three new games came together with the machine: The Vault Heist, Pharaoh’s Legacy, and Magic Tales.
The new Galaxy
machine has been unveiled, proving once again that the brand knows how to please everybody. It is the epitome of the bingo machine, with its state-of-the-art technology and its modern look. Its two large ensure to the player a fullfilling gaming experience, all together with the high-definition floating monitors integrated video-topper, USB charger, and last generation processors.
“We proposed something that is more than just a bingo cabinet, and the clients' reaction corresponded to what we expected."
“We opened 2019 celebrating a new full team of machines, new games, and features. FBM is ready more than ready for 2019,” commented Renato Almeida.
All together with these new features comes the Online Gaming section.
FBM keep investing in this continuous growth area, launching new games and features.
The absolute leader on the Bingo market expects more for 2019. FBM has just launched in Spain two new features that are already being a success among players: MEGA
, that bring to the player new possibilities of winning and much more fun.
FBM has already confirmed its participation to the Feria Internacional del Juego in Madrid, on April 9th and 10th.

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Google is rolling out a wealth of new accessibility features for Android users, including its long-awaited Action Blocks. The recently reported features are arriving just in time for Global Accessibility Awareness Day. So each centers firmly around accessibility. So the list includes a ton of additions to apps ranging from Live Transcribe and Sound Amplify to Voice Access. But the biggest of those is a brand new — in terms of public availability — app called Action Blocks.
Action Blocks were announced under testing in October of last year. As the name implies, they serve as blocks that users can tap on to perform actions. Specifically, they work with Google Assistant-related actions.
Similar to widgets, Action Blocks — once created — appear as oversized square cards on the home screen and allow users to accomplish any task Assistant can. For instance, they can be set up to call a specific person, turn off smart lights, or watch a show in a favorite app. The blocks themselves can be customized with labels and custom symbols or icons.
They can also be created using preset actions or with completely custom actions derived from statements that would ordinarily be spoken to the Assistant.
Global Accessibility Awareness Day Brings more accessibility than just Action Blocks
Other Google accessibility apps are being updated alongside Action Blocks too. For instance, the search giant’s speech and sound transcription app, Live Transcribe, can now respond differently to specific words. To begin with, users can now type in hard-to-transcribe names or terms in Settings. Those would be words that the AI has a hard time handling.
Secondary to that, Google will now allow Live Transcribe transcriptions to be searched. So, if there’s a key portion of the text that needs to be discovered, particularly in long speeches, users can now find it more easily. As with other Live Transcribe features, that’s going to be done locally instead of on the cloud. So privacy will be less of a problem here than with some competing apps and services.
For those who have difficulty hearing sounds, Live Transcribe can additionally be set up to vibrate when it hears a specific name. The feature is intended to serve as a way to alert users that they’re being spoken to or otherwise catch their attention.
Beyond Live Transcribe, Google’s Sound Amplify is being updated as well. Bluetooth support is being added so that users no longer need to rely on wired headsets. That’s going to be useful since headphone jacks are slowly being phased out and those who are hard of hearing would otherwise likely lose access to environmental sound amplification.
Google maps will set itself apart from other apps on the accessibility front too
The final update is arriving on Google Maps. That aims to set itself apart from other maps and travel apps by adding features for wheelchair-bound users. More directly, Google is tacking in the ability to have wheelchair access shown immediately in search results. Prior to the change, users would have needed to expand a given location’s details to see that information.


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Most customers using the Internet for car shopping know what they want when they enter a dealership, according to a study by Claria, an online marketing firm.
It says its research shows 63% of those consumers knew which type of vehicle they wanted to purchase, and only consider that type.
Fifty-four percent of respondents decide on a make and brand of vehicle after shopping and researching different makes and brands.
Another survey finding: 58% say price is the most important factor in making a vehicle purchase. Other important factors include vehicle size (51%), auto maker reputation (48%) and vehicle design and style (46%).


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Feb 22, 2010
Estee Lauder CEO done pruning, now fine-tuning
Feb 22, 2010
By Jessica Wohl
BOCA RATON, Florida (Reuters) - Fabrizio Freda may be spending less time on airplanes these days, but he is busier than ever overseeing Estee Lauder Cos Inc's (EL.N) overhaul.
During his first year at the cosmetics maker, Freda spent as much as 70 percent of his time traveling away from its New York headquarters to meet with employees, consumers and the retailers that sell the company's goods.
Seven months into his role as chief executive officer, travel time has been pared back to maybe a week to 10 days per month, he said in an interview.
Freda travels most often to China and also spends a good deal of his time visiting markets throughout the United States and the United Kingdom, he said.
Continuing international expansion is key, especially as many U.S. consumers hold off from buying pricey creams such as La Mer and have traded down to lower-priced department store brands such as Clinique.
Last year, 55 percent of Estee Lauder's sales came from outside North America and "in the foreseeable future" that percentage should grow to 60 percent, Freda said.
Freda is most excited about the potential growth of skincare products, especially sales to Asian women.
One area the company is emphasizing in 2010 is taking care of hyperpigmentation, or darkening of the skin. Freda said he is very excited about the global roll-out of Clinique's Even Better line, which helps even out skin tone.
Last month, Estee surprised Wall Street with much stronger profits, helped by growth in the Asia Pacific region. Its shares have nearly tripled from a year low last March.
COURTING WALL STREET
On Thursday 18 February, Freda and Estee Lauder made their first trip to present at the Consumer Analyst Group of New York conference in Boca Raton, Florida. While Estee Lauder often speaks with analysts, Thursday 18 February's presentation gives it an opportunity to address a broader pool of potential investors.
The CAGNY debut does not imply that the company has any plans to distance itself from its founder's family by courting Wall Street.
"The family is still very much involved," said Freda. "We can continue growing very successfully on our own if we want. We see ourselves more as an acquisitive company than anything else," Freda said, discounting suggestions that Estee Lauder could be prettying itself up for a potential sale.
He said he and Executive Chairman William Lauder, the most recent CEO, have offices near each other and speak often.
Freda joined Estee Lauder in early 2008 after several years at Procter & Gamble (PG.N) and a stint at Gucci SpA. He is the first relative newcomer to run Estee Lauder and only the second non-Lauder to do so.
When he came on board, he found Estee Lauder was not integrated well, with 29 brands operating on their own.
Freda and his team has trimmed that number to 25. A restructuring that began in February 2009 was two-thirds completed at the end of December and the company is still working to improve results from businesses such as fragrances.
"We have finished the pruning of the portfolio. We still have some brands that need to improve their profitability and their work," Freda said.
The company's top priorities for cash are to invest internally, return funds to shareholders through share buybacks and dividends and keep looking at acquisitions. Estee Lauder had $1.22 billion in cash and equivalents at the end of the fiscal second quarter, up from $728.9 million a year earlier.
"Within the next year, maybe some opportunity will emerge and we will have sufficient cash," Freda said.
Buying small brands and expanding their global reach has been key to Estee Lauder's growth. When it bought the MAC brand in 1998, it had $140 million in sales. Today, MAC's annual sales are well above $1 billion.
Estee Lauder was founded in 1946 and entered its first international market, London, in 1960.
Italian-born Freda said he has grown to enjoy the energy of living in New York, especially when he gets to run through Central Park with his daughter.
He still counts Rome as the "most pleasant" city he has lived in. Besides their Manhattan home, Freda and his wife have a home in Italy and one in her home country, Belgium.
(Reporting by Jessica Wohl; Editing by Michele Gershberg and Richard Chang)
© Thomson Reuters 2023 All rights reserved.


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It is becoming an annual event: The U.S. Postal Service threatens to stop Saturday mail delivery, Congress says don’t do it, and the agency’s deficit grows. There has to be a better way.
The service expects to run a deficit of $7 billion this year, prompting Postmaster General John Potter to once again propose that it deliver mail five days a week instead of the current six. This would require an act of Congress because six-day delivery is written into federal law.
“The Postal Service is the only financially troubled business I know that would focus on cutting service rather than on trying to serve its customers better,” Sen. Susan Collins said of the proposal. “The Postal Service needs to increase its volume and attract more customers. It cannot expect to gain more business if it is reducing service.”
Sen. Collins is the ranking Republican on the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, which has jurisdiction over the service.
To be clear, the Postal Service is not a typical government agency. In 1971, it was reorganized as an independent government-owned agency intended to be self-sufficient, like private businesses. It receives about $75 million a year in government funding for free mail for the blind and for overseas absentee-balloting materials. It gets the bulk of its revenue by shipping packages and selling stamps and other services.
As demand for those services drops, so does its revenue.
The Postal Service projects a 15 percent decline in mail volume, largely due to the increase in electronic communications. It may attract new customers or more volume from existing customers by offering new services. Its flat-rate boxes, for example, have been popular. The Postal Service should work more closely with its large customers to see what additional services or changes would increase their mailing volume.
At the same time, the Postal Service must reduce its expenses. The service cut its expenses by more than $6 billion last year — about 10 percent of its budget — mainly by reducing work hours.
Still, it operates more retail outlets than Wal-Mart, McDonald’s and Starbucks combined.
Eighty percent of the service’s budget is devoted to personnel, and it is burdened by contracts it can no longer afford. The contracts, for example, forbid layoffs; any downsizing must come through attrition. Postal employees also get more generous benefits than other federal workers. Two of its four union contracts are up for renegotiation this fall, offering it an opportunity to push for more flexibility in areas such as cross-training and part-time work.
If Congress doesn’t like the Postal Service’s suggestions, it should consider the view of one of its consultants.
The national consulting firm McKinsey & Co., in a report released this week, suggested the Postal Service reduce mail delivery to three days a week in some areas. It should also close more post offices, the company said in the analysis requested by the postmaster general.
To bring the Postal Service budget into balance, both it and Congress are going to have to consider uncomfortable options.


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Turnpike sees record numbers in 2015
BEREA - The Ohio Turnpike had a banner year in 2015, reaching an all-time high of 53.4 million vehicles traveling along the 241-mile toll highway.
The Ohio Turnpike and Infrastructure Commission released its 2015 numbers Tuesday.
Brian Newbacher, a public information officer for the turnpike commission, said the commission doesn't make projections about turnpike usage or possible miles traveled by vehicles.
Newbacher said with the mild weather last year extending into December, coupled with low gas prices, turnpike officials could see there was a possibility of 2015 being a record-breaking year.
"We could see by the fourth quarter that it had the potential," Newbacher said.
For 2015, more than 53 million passenger cars and commercial vehicles traveled on the road, up from 51.2 million in 2014. The 2015 total surpassed the previous record of 51.7 million vehicles set in 2006.
In 2006, the turnpike set a record for the highest number of vehicle miles traveled on the road with 3,040,292,635.
That is still the record, according to turnpike records, with 2015 total vehicle miles coming in at 3,001,286,889 — only the second year in turnpike history to surpass 3 billion miles.
The turnpike commission also reported a 2 percent increase in the percentage of total traffic using E-ZPass on the road, which includes both commercial and passenger cars. The number of passenger cars using the electronic toll-paying feature rose 9 percent.
Last year, the E-Z Pass transponders became available at some retail locations for the first time, according to the turnpike commission. Barney's Convenience Mart, Inc. became the first non-turnpike retailer in Northwest Ohio to offer E-ZPass in December at 18 locations in Lucas and Wood counties.
Newbacher said the turnpike commission planned to increase the number of retailer locations that will offer E-Z Pass transponders in 2016.


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Borsec is the most powerful Romanian brand for the 2nd year in the row, according to the Top 50 most powerful Romanian brands 2011, a study realized by Unlock Market Research and Biz Magazine.
The top 10 includes, besides Borsec, the Romanian brands Poiana, Kandia, Gerovital, Dorna, BCR, La Dorna, Dacia, Plafar and Timisoreana.
Five of the brands in the 10 places of the top in 2010 are also playing this year in the same league: Borsec, Poiana, Dorna, BCR , Dacia and Timisoreana.
This year, the media brands had their own top, with Pro TV being a leader, followed by Antena 1, Radio Zu, TVR 1, Prima TV, Kiss FM, Radio 21, Libertatea, Adevarul and Europa FM.
Romanian market’s dynamic makes that, each year, in the most powerful Romanian brands top to have important changes and new entries, a thing that shows us that Romanian brands are making constant efforts to impose in consumers’ minds and hearts
Editor in chief Biz Magazine
The study, made by Unlock Market Research, aimed to measure Romanian brands’ power for the 2nd year in the row, but not from financial or corporate perspective, but in terms of trust and feelings they get from consumers.
The conclusions of the study were presented today at BrandRo, the 1st Biz event of the autumn. Among events’ speakers there were Adina Vlad – Managing Partner Unlock Market Research, Anca Rarau – Director Marketing & Comunicare Banca Transilvania, Catalin Dobre – Group Creative Director McCann Ericson, Lorand Szarvadi – Cofounder Domo, Maria Apostol – PR and Corporate Affairs Director ProTV.
The top 50 most powerful Romanian brands are as it folllows:


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JAKARTADAILY.ID – The Ministry of Tourism held an exhibition of the top 50 best tourist villages in the 2022 Indonesian Tourism Village Award (ADWI) as part of a series of events leading up to the ADWI 2022 awards.
Minister of Tourism Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno while attending the ADWI 2022 exhibition said the peak event of ADWI 2022 will take place on Sunday, October 30, 2022, at the Soesilo Soedarman Hall, Sapta Pesona Building, Ministry of Tourism Office, Jakarta.
Meanwhile, the exhibition of the top 50 best tourist villages ADWI 2022 took place in the courtyard of the Sapta Pesona Building, the office of the Minister of Tourism, Sunday, October 30, 2022.
"The actors present various tourism products and the creative economy from 50 villages selected in the top 50 best tourism villages in ADWI 2022," said Sandiaga in a press release published on kemenparekraf.go.id.
One of them is Umauta Tourism Village, Bola District, Sikka Regency, East Nusa Tenggara, which presents their mainstay creative economy product, Maumere Weaving.
"Creative economic products from this tourist village are one of the mainstays to attract tourist visits, not only domestic tourists but also foreign tourists," said Tourism Minister Sandiaga Uno.
In supporting the development of tourism and the creative economy, apart from various supports such as training and assistance with the pillars of adaptation, innovation and collaboration, one of the things that are also emphasized is the use of digitalization.


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A fifth restaurant has closed its doors in intu Victoria Centre. Thai eatery Thaikhun is the latest to shut its doors less than three years after arriving in the city centre's Clocktower dining area.
The first victim was Joes Kitchen. Next came Coast to Coast, Handmade Burger Co. and Stonebaked Pizza Company.
Thaikhun opened in the shopping centre at the end of 2015.
A notice in the window says: "We are sorry to say we have decided to close our restaurant after over two happy years here in Nottingham.
"This location didn't quite work out for us unfortunately.
"We would like to thank every person who ever visited our restaurant and we are sorry if you have made a journey to us today only to find that we have now gone."
Ian Leigh, managing director of the Thai Leisure Group, ended his message with 'khob khun krub' - thank you in Thai.
The chain restaurant, which had an alfresco dining area, on the shopping centre's upper floor, specialised in street food dishes inspired by the streets of Bangkok such as dumplings, spring rolls, green chicken curry and noodles.
The closure now leaves Ed's Easy Diner, Nottingham Street Food Club and Coffee Club, and Rizzoli, an Italian prosecco bar, on the upper floor.
Triple Two Coffee, a new coffee and cake kiosk, opened its doors on the ground floor yesterday while McDonald's will be opening in the former Coast to Coast restaurant overlooking Milton Street in October.
Nottinghamshire Live has contact intu Victoria Centre for a comment and is awaiting a response.
Earlier this year, research by national accountancy firm UHY Hacker Young showed that the UK’s top 100 restaurant groups grew their debt by 19% in the past 12 months – from £1.65bn to £1.96bn.
Simon Browning, partner in charge of UHY’s Nottingham office, said: “Consumers only have a finite amount of spending power when it comes to eating out, and the oversaturation of the market means that groups that fall foul of changing trends can very easily fail.
“Many restaurant chains are still increasing their borrowing in order to acquire and fit out new sites, even as high-profile competitors face insolvency. Though trading conditions on the high street have become very challenging over the past year, these businesses often feel they have little choice but to continue with their expansion plans. This may mean taking a gamble on the success of new sites."
“A lot of restaurant businesses do not have the option of easing off on expansion plans as the sector struggles – they simply have to grow quickly to reach profitability.
“Significant expansion for a restaurant group is a very expensive undertaking – rent deposits and fit-out costs for a group of new sites often require a substantial increase in borrowing. If new sites don’t turn out to be profitable, restaurant groups can very quickly find themselves facing closures.
“The margins in the restaurant business are so thin that just one or two underperforming sites can send the whole chain into the red.”
To receive one WhatsApp message a day with the main headlines, as well as breaking news alerts, text NEWS to 07790 586202. Then add the number to your phone contacts book as 'Nottingham Post'.Your phone number won't be shared with other members of the group.


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Big World of Warcraft fan? Happen to play on either Windows XP And Vista? If your answer to both of these questions was yes, then you might want to consider upgrading soon.
In a recent post on the Battle.net forums, Blizzard Entertainment announced that they would officially be shutting down support for a large number of their games on both Windows Vista And Windows XP.
Blizzard explains that although Microsoft had ceased mainstream support for these two operating systems in 2009 and 2012 respectively, the developer themselves continued to support them on account of the fact that a large number of their audience was still using them at the time. But now that most of that audience has upgraded, support for these versions of Windows will be coming to an end starting this year.
The games that are affected by this decision include:
- World of Warcraft
- Diablo III
- StarCraft II
- Heroes of the Storm.
As of yet no official date has been announced, but Blizzard did mention that these changes will be rolling out on a “staggered schedule.”
CHECK OUT MORE
- Nintendo Switch Port Of Final Fantasy XIV Could Still Happen
- Bethesda Currently Has 3 New Games In The Works
- Early Nintendo Switch Systems Have Been Stolen and Resold, Says Nintendo


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In addition to downgrading Cisco, JPMorgan is upgrading (I, II) Juniper (JNPR +3.3%) and...
Thursday, January 17, 9:36 AM ETIn addition to downgrading Cisco, JPMorgan is upgrading (I, II) Juniper (JNPR +3.3%) and Infinera (INFN +6.6%) to Overweight. The firm sees improving 2013 carrier capex, new routers, stock buybacks, and "a proactive focus on operating leverage" aiding Juniper, which is about to partly upend its business model in an effort to embrace software-defined networking. Infinera is expected to benefit from rising demand for 100G optical gear and its high-end DTN-X system, which now has 5 tier-1 carrier clients. Separately, Infinera discloses sales chief Ronald Martin is leaving, while assuring investors there's no change to 2012 guidance.
TECH ETFs IN FOCUS
Latest Tech Articles


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It has been revealed that Ghanaian business mogul Nana Kwame Bediako alias Freedom Jacob Caesar has acquired a mansion in the prestigious Bel Air area of Los Angeles for US$7,000,000.
Also known as Cheddar, the man with an eye and a taste for extravagance has also gone on to reportedly spend some US$2,000,000 on decorations for his mansion.
According to him, the Versace themed decoration was inspired by his visit to the Versace House in Italy.
“I happen to be in Italy and I went to the Versace House and I had this inspiration. When I came into this house, for some reason it looked like Versace for me; that’s the inspiration I got.
“So eventually, that whole dream became a vision and it became a reality,” he said in an interview during a tour of his mansion, said to be part of the five most luxurious homes.
The mansion among other things features a US$22,000 customised TV set and several rolls of Versace wallpaper estimated at a cost of US$250 per roll as well as a US$120,000 chandelier.
Ultimately, the real estate mogul plans to sell off the mansion.
“Profit is sanity, everything else is vanity,” he emphasised.


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The need to reduce chemical use is driving the uptake of biologicals. While the industry has a long way to go before it can match the success of traditional synthetic crop protection products, its growing influence in the market cannot be ignored. AgriBusiness Global magazine spoke with Thomas Mason, the President of BioProtection Global, on issues facing the industry:
Q. What’s been the impetus behind the growth of biological products?
Tom Mason: In the early 2000s there were very few regulations or calls on farmers to reduce chemicals. Over the years there has been a massive shift from consumers, regulators, and retailers in terms of the produce being sold. Across the globe there is massive pressure to reduce chemical use. As a result, biological products are becoming more important. It is an exciting time for our industry because we are developing products to allow farmers to meet market demands.
Q. What is the level of uptake of biological products?
TM: Developing countries — Kenya, Ethiopia, Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala, Peru, Argentina, and most equatorial nations — are growing for export markets. Farmers are feeling the pressure to improve yields with smaller margins. Over the past 10 years, there has been very little increase in agricultural prices for fresh produce compared to the prices of commodities. Despite this, agrochemical prices have risen at the same rate as petrol prices. This means farmers have a much smaller margin, and the only way to improve that is through improved yields. Farmers have realized biologicals, as well as biostimulants, have a significant impact in improving yields, which results in farming earning a more economically sustainable practice.
Q. How biological products compare to conventional pesticides?
TM: Across the globe, biologicals are regulated in exactly the same way as traditional agrochemicals. What that means is that if a company is developing a solution and wants to place that product in the market, the company has to prove to the local agricultural regulator that the product works as well or better than the existing most common solutions in the market.
Q. How would you describe market growth of the biological industry?
TM: We estimate the biological market to be worth more than $4 billion and growing at double digits compounded annual growth rate. As the President of Bioprotection Global, my goal is to oversee a rapid expansion of the industry, something we are seeing from the mergers and acquisitions activities embedded within the industry. Even big chemical companies like Bayer, Monsanto, and others recognize the importance of biologicals and biostimulants and want to acquire companies in this segment.


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Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman & CEO Dr. Oh-Hyun Kwon unveiled on June 21 Samsung’s vision for ‘Human-Centered IoT,’ including a strategy to spend $1.2 billion over 4 years for U.S.-based Internet of Things (IoT) R&D and investments.
This will be led by the Samsung Strategy and Innovation Center, Global Innovation Center and Samsung Research America, part of Samsung’s U.S. footprint of more than 15,000 employees across the country, said the company.
Kwon delivered this news in a speech as part of a Samsung-hosted forum in Washington, D.C. The event, entitled Internet of Things: Transforming the Future, brought together technology industry leaders with policymakers and influencers to discuss the many ways IoT can benefit society, and how to tackle the challenges that remain in bringing it to scale.
“At Samsung, putting people at the center of everything we do is our highest value,” said Kwon. “The same must be true for IoT if we want to realize its full transformative power. Today, IoT is changing individual lives – helping people to age in their own homes.”
“But tomorrow, using IoT, we can give the same independence to millions of Americans. We can keep people out of hospitals and nursing homes. As our populations live longer, these benefits and cost savings for society cannot be ignored,” he added.
As the IoT ecosystem is by nature connected and interwoven, collaboration is vital to promoting this level of openness and interconnection. Kwon urged attendees to pursue cross-sector dialogue and partnerships, and announced Samsung’s role as a co-founder of the newly launched National IoT Strategy Dialogue.
The event is part of Vision for Tomorrow, Samsung’s recently launched public affairs platform for cross-sector collaboration around issues affecting the policy dialogue in the U.S. and around the world.


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Business News Asia
According to the UK Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), British car production rose by 7.4% year-on-year in October. Most of these are luxury cars and special models exported to the European Union (EU).
According to the SMMT, UK car production in October was 69,524 units, higher than in the same period last year. However, it is still around 48.4% below the 2019 level as UK automakers continue to suffer from chip shortages and supply chain issues.
About 81% of the cars produced in October have exported abroad, according to the SMMT, most of them to the EU as well as other countries such as the US, Australia, and Turkey.
The UK finance minister announced last week that the government will impose excise taxes on electric cars from 2025.


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Cornish digital archive hits the web
A free archive of materials relating to the history of Cornwall has launched online. Made possible thanks to a £225,000 grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund, cornishmemory.com provides access to a wealth of photographs, films and audio recordings from the county dating back to the mid-19th century. More than 31,000 items are currently available to explore, but the project’s curators hope to expand the collection over the coming months. To see our personal highlights from the site, turn to ‘Past in Pictures’ on page 46.


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Thirteen of the nation's largest retailers-all members of the Advertising Age 100 Leading National Advertisers-recorded combined first quarter sales growth of 4.3% to $103.9 billion, but hidden in the numbers was a median same-store sales decline of 2.4%. In fact, only three of these retailers-Gap, Wal-Mart and Lowe's (see chart)-grew in store-for-store sales in the period.
Same-store sales are gaining some life. All of these elite retailers have recorded improved same-store sales for the January-May period over their January-March quarter. Advertising, up 6.5% to $954.6 million in the first quarter, is expected to increase further. These 13 retailers are likely to be the locomotive that propels all retail media advertising-at $2.72 billion in the first quarter 2003, down 1.6%, according to TNS Media Intelligence/CMR-into the plus column for the full year.
STRUGGLING WITH DECLINES
Specialty retailers like Gap have started to see the positive effects of increasing their ad spending, says Tom Holliday, president, Retail Advertising & Marketing Association. Gap, struggling with a string of declines in same-store sales covering almost two years, increased its ad budget and "scared away the clouds hanging over the chain," he says.
Federated Department Stores is expected to boost its ad budget this year as it tests a major branding campaign for Macy's, part of a national effort to take better advantage of the well-known Macy's name. Federated also is adding the Macy's name to all its regional chains such as Bon Marche in the Pacific Northwest. The new name in Seattle: The Bon-Macy's. Kohl's, the department store-discount hybrid moving into California and the Southwest markets, will fuel ad spending in the region as competitors react to hold their ground. At the same time, Wal-Mart this year will introduce supercenters in California and likely ignite an ad war.
Home improvement heats up
In home improvement, Lowe's is expanding rapidly into larger markets where it confronts head-to-head Home Depot, category leader with 10% of retail sales. Lowe's in 2002 boosted its media spending by 18.4% to $263.9 million vs. Home Depot's 10.2% advance to $397.3 million. Lowe's slowed its ad flow in the first quarter, down 1.4% from the prior-year period, as Home Depot jacked up spending 31.5%.
Sears is among the bevy of retailers striving to get better performance out of their ad budgets. "It's appalling that[Sears] has had 20 months of negative comparables, even with Land's End in the mix," says Burt Flickinger, managing director of Strategic Resources Group/Flickinger Consulting, New York.
Growth in retailer ad spending in 2003 is likely to be modest. "Because many retailers have positioned themselves with low inventory levels, I don't see overall retail ad spending being up more than 3% in 2003," says Mr. Holliday.
Additionally, several key retailers have cut the number of pages and the distribution of their weekly preprint ads, says Mr. Flickinger, noting three major supermarket chains have moved the distribution dates of circulars from Sunday to Friday and Saturday to cut costs.
If retail ad spending turns around in 2003, thank the wars being waged on a number of retail fronts.


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Gestalt Tech continues to build automotive relationships with defi SOLUTIONS
When the current leaders of defi SOLUTIONS decided to add Gestalt Tech to its family of data and service providers, they likely had a pretty good idea of the provider’s capabilities.
After all, Gestalt’s chief executive officer is Stephanie Hanson, who founded defi SOLUTIONS that was acquired by Fiserv four years ago.
This week, Hanson brought her current technology endeavor to the marketplace with defi SOLUTIONS, so finance companies can have a cloud-based, smart data warehouse purpose built for shops using the defi LOS originations system.
The companies highlighted the ease of the Gestalt Tech data warehouse will make it possible for defi LOS clients to quickly onboard and derive value.
Gestalt is built to eliminate the need for finance companies to hire data engineers to create a data architecture, data models and data mapping while also handling security, PII, data export, and warehouse maintenance on behalf of clients.
According to Gestalt, data pulls that used to take months and hundreds of hours will take less than one day.
Additionally, the more Gestalt is used, the more the data customizes to the need, helping lenders with a Gestalt data warehouse be more productive, save time and money, and increase trust with key partners.
As its name implies, Gestalt unifies data to create a meaningful whole that’s greater than the sum of its parts.
“Gestalt solves a problem for our defi LOS clients in need of effective data warehousing,” defi SOLUTIONS CEO Tom Allanson said. “I appreciate the efforts of the teams involved at Gestalt and defi who came together to deliver a solution that helps our lenders efficiently manage the movement of data and improve their BI decision-making.”
For Hanson, it’s back collaborating with familiar professionals.
“We are excited to be working again with defi LOS clients, many of whom we’ve known for decades and worked with in other ventures,” Hanson said. We look forward to introducing them to the opportunities Gestalt can provide their businesses.”
It’s the second notable move for Gestalt within automotive. In August, the company finalized a partnership with Inovatec.
“Gestalt’s solutions can be a game changer for many lenders,” Inovatec co-founder and chief executive officer Vlad Kovacevic said in another news release distributed this summer. “While other data warehouse solutions simply provide data with little if any analysis, Gestalt enables same-day delivery of data that lenders can actually use during critical moments, such as compliance reporting and investor loan tape generation. This offering makes data far more accessible and beneficial than what was previously available in the market.”


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TOP-5 cryptocurrency news for August 11
The latest news for today, August 11, was prepared for you by CoinShark journalists. From this material you will learn about the news of regulation in South Korea, the proceedings with the hacking of the BitMart exchange, as well as the launch of the bitcoin transfer service via sms and other cryptosphere news.
South Korea plans to accelerate the creation of comprehensive digital asset legislation. When compiling it, international developments and practices will be taken into account. This was announced on Thursday by the head of the South Korean agency FSC.
The FTC will investigate the details of last year's BitMart hack. This is the first hack investigation in the history of the regulator. The FTC plans to determine why the hacker easily gained access to users' funds in order to understand the degree of guilt of the company's management.
Machankura phone service launched in South Africa. With it, you can transfer BTC from wallet to wallet offline. The service operates in 6 African countries. To use it, you need to have a regular push-button telephone.
The Cardano network processes about 75,000 transactions daily. According to experts, this is not yet full capacity. With the advent of more projects, the number of transactions in the blockchain should increase.
The SEC is investigating Coinbase products. We are talking about staking products, which the exchange will have to talk about in court at a scheduled meeting. Representatives of the exchange confirmed receipt of the subpoena.
If you decide to try your hand at the world of cryptocurrencies, do it with a trusted and reliable partner - HUOBI. Welcome bonus for registration - up to $700 and 90,000 SHIB.
CoinShark is not responsible for the content, accuracy, quality, advertising, products or any other content posted on the site. This article is for informational purposes, prepared on the basis of materials and information from open sources . Cryptocurrency is a high-risk asset, investing in it can lead to losses. Readers should do their own research before taking any action.


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A Danish pizzeria has concerned and also intrigued the internet, with a "kiwi pizza".
The pizza, which is topped with ham and kiwifruit, has been called a "slippery slope" online – but others are willing to try it.
A photo of the pizza was posted to Reddit, with the comment: "Kiwi pizza from a Danish pizzeria, an unholy abomination."
But many people said they would want to eat the pizza, and that it looked pretty good.
"If pineapple goes great on a pizza, then I would not mind tasting pizza with kiwi. I would not mind at all," one commenter said.
"Why is pineapple okay but this isn't," another asked.
Others said the kiwifruit pizza wasn't the worst idea they'd seen.
One revealed - "I thought the Swedish banana pizza was bad."
That pizza had banana and curry powder as its toppings, and has already proved to be divisive.
This story was originally published on Stuff.co.nz and has been republished with permission.


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CompUSA will live on, thanks to a deal with electronics marketer Systemax. Systemax, which owns popular computer parts reseller (and CompUSA competitor) TigerDirect, announced yesterday that it has entered into an agreement to purchase the...
...of Windows 10 Mobile, Samsung's latest slip-up and Clippy's machismo
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Review: Ulefone Be Touch
Polling app Straw goes global with 2.0 release (and we chat about it with @BenThePCGuy)
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What do American Pie's Stifler and Soul Calibur's Sophitia have in common? Two words: Warren Zide. According to The Hollywood reporter, the Pie and Final Destination producer has purchased the film rights to Namco's fighting...


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There’s something about the number nine. It’s considered sacred in some cultures, lucky in others and, well, unlucky too by a few (as it is one short of 10, thought to be the ‘perfect’ number).
Mathematically, too, nine has its charm. For instance, if any number is multiplied by nine, and the digits of that answer are repeatedly added until it is just one digit, the sum will be nine [eg: 9x3=27, and 2+7=9; 578329×9 = 5204961 (5+ 2+ 0+ 4+9+ 6+1 = 27; 2+7=9)].
But enough of math, and let’s move to a few stats instead. As Forbes India
completes its ninth anniversary this month, we thought it was a good time to look at the highest single-digit number from the perspective of economic growth: What would it take to get to—or, rather, get back to—9 percent growth in the gross domestic product (GDP), or the national output?
To be sure, a high GDP growth brings along with it several good tidings, including higher incomes, better living standards, improved life expectancy and, ideally, lower unemployment. It isn’t, of course, a Holy Grail, what with high growth often accompanied by the phenomena of unemployment (jobless growth), and income and wealth inequality.
For developing countries like India, though, economic growth, with its warts and all, is critical to improve living standards. And any growth in the vicinity of 9 percent will go a long way in achieving that objective.
Why 9 percent? Well, it’s not just a number that coincides with the Forbes India anniversary. We also chose the 9 percent level because that’s the highest India has ever got—in the heady years of 2005, 2006 and 2007—since it kick-started economic reforms in the early ’90s.
So can 9 percent be reclaimed? Suffice it to say that India can’t keep relying on the solitary growth engine of domestic consumption to step up the pace. Exports and, more importantly, private investments need to pick up to get within sniffing distance of 9 percent growth.
And, as Forbes India’s Samar Srivastava points out in our cover story ‘Nine to Nine’, investments have to surge by 25 percent per annum, from just 5 percent now, if the 9 percent dream has to be realised. And that’s not going to happen in a hurry.
Nine is indeed the theme that runs through much of this issue. For instance, Forbes India’s Pramod Mathew identifies nine sectors that could benefit if India hits the 9 percent GDP bull’s eye. Manu Balachandran takes us through nine hot and differentiated startups to look out for. And Anshul Dhamija tells us why India Inc takes the auspiciousness of the number 9 pretty seriously. This translates into number plates that add up to nine, apartments bought on the ninth floor and, every so often, for around ₹9 crore.
Staying with the number 9, April 9 is a day Pratik Pota won’t forget in a hurry (although he would love to). It was on that day that a video went viral on social media, alleging that Domino’s Pizza used fake cheese in its pizzas. Pota, CEO of Jubilant FoodWorks, the master franchisee for Domino’s in India, dismisses the video, but concedes that such incidents impact consumer sentiment. And that’s exactly what Forbes India’s
Rajiv Singh found out as he went about talking to head honchos of, and investors in, quick service restaurant brands that have been hit by a combo of woes. Don’t miss ‘Cooking up a Storm
Editor, Forbes India
Twitter id: @Brianc_Ed
Check out our Festive offers upto Rs.1000/- off website prices on subscriptions + Gift card worth Rs 500/- from Eatbetterco.com. Click here to know more.
(This story appears in the 25 May, 2018 issue of Forbes India. To visit our Archives, click here.)


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Speaking at the recognition ceremony, Commissioner General of the URA, Allen Kagina commended the companies that had attained the special status. “They have consistently demonstrated a very high commitment to comply with customs regulations and security procedures” she said. “An AEO certified company for example is not subject to physical inspections, queuing or immediate audits”
The 10 companies that have achieved this status were chosen from a list of 41 companies that had initially expressed interest. These are Spedag Interfreight, DHL, Nice House of Plastics, Unifreight Cargo Ltd and, BAT Uganda Limited. Others are Roofings (U) Limited, Ballore Logistics, Steel and Tube Industries Ltd, Jesa Farm Diary, Uganda Batteries Ltd and Toyota Uganda. An AEO in Uganda is an individual, a business entity or government department that is involved in international trade and is duly authorized by the Commissioner of Customs of the Uganda Revenue Authority to self-manage key aspects of its customs processes previously handled by URA. The objectives being to enhance trade facilitation, promote customs to business partnership, ensure security for the international trade supply chain, and encourage voluntary compliance to customs laws and procedures.
The AEO project is an initiative of the URA supported by Trade Mark East Africa that seeks to enhance trade by reducing the cost of doing business through simplifying customs procedures and reducing clearance time. ‘’This recognition will also enhance the image and trust of the businesses that have it, as it provides for mutual recognition with the other revenue authorities in the region. We will know we have achieved our objective when the savings businesses are enjoying, trickle down to a reduction in prices of goods for the common Mwananchi” Kagina concluded.
Narrating their experiences about using the new system for their clients, Spedag Interfreight one of the companies who participated in the pilot project reported that they were able to register significant improvements in efficiency which resulted in monetary savings for their clients and Increased truck turnaround from 2.5 trips per month to 5 trips a month resulting in better evacuation of containers and better revenue earnings. “The AEO programme is a fantastic initiative which is improving our business tremendously. Mr. Bharta the CEO of Spedag said. “We commend URA and its partner in this initiative , Trademark East Africa for introducing it here in Uganda and we look forward to additional benefits it will provide us in the region as companies that receive AEO certification in Uganda will enjoy the same recognition and benefits seamlessly in the other East African countries”. He added.
Speaking after the ceremony, Allen Asiimwe, TradeMark EA Country director thanked all the companies for taking part in the project. “This is an important first step towards full implementation of the AEO programme in Uganda a development which we are sure will have very positive knock on effects on the companies involved and the Ugandan and regional economy” She said.
The Commissioner General thanked TradeMark EA for its support. “This is the latest in a series of initiatives we have successfully rolled out supported by TradeMark Africa (TMA) others include ASYCUDA World which we launched at the beginning of the week, she said.
URA plans to bring another 10 companies onto the AEO programme in the next phase of the project.
Source: TradeMark Africa (TMA)
TradeMark Africa (TMA) is an aid-for-trade organisation that was established with the aim of growing prosperity in East Africa through increased trade. TradeMark Africa (TMA) operates on a not-for-profit basis and is funded by the development agencies of the following countries: Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, the Netherlands, UK, and USA. TradeMark Africa (TMA) works closely with East African Community (EAC) institutions, national governments, the private sector and civil society organisations.


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Scholarship Funding for Women’s Leadership Development in 2021
This is the final call for women working in the transport and logistics sector to express their interest in scholarship funding for leadership development in 2021.
The final date for expressions of interest has been extended to March 31.
Scholarships for women’s leadership – applications extended to March 31
Scholarships are still available through Women & Leadership Australia to support the development of female leaders across Australia’s transport and logistics sector.
Scholarships of $1,000 to $5,000 enable participation in one of three leadership development courses designed for emerging through to senior leaders. All scholarships must be allocated by the end of March and it is unsure when these scholarships will be available again.
Register your interest by completing the Expression of Interest form https://www.wla.edu.au/transportlogistics.html
View Similar Blogs
Are you our new Treasurer? Expressions of Interest should be emailed to email@example.com. Closing date for Expressions of Interest: Midnight on Friday, 15 September 2023.
The 60th Annual Australian Supply Chain and Logistics Awards were held at Crown Palladium, Melbourne on Friday 18 March 2022. There was a record audience in attendance to celebrate the achievements and innovation in the supply chain and logistics industry – and our MC, Shane Jacobsen, ensured that it really was a night to remember!…
During his National Cabinet address on 2 July, Prime Minister Scott Morrison made reference to additional support through the International Freight Assistance Mechanism (IFAM). This extension has now been officially confirmed, with the Australian Government announcing that IFAM will receive an additional $260.9 million to continue operations until 30 June 2022, with an operational tail to the…


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To listen click here
San Francisco, June 16 – Reddit CEO Steve Huffman has said that the social discussion platform was never designed to support third-party applications.
In protest to the application programming interface (API) changes, thousands of Reddit communities are still dark that are forcing some third-party developers to shut down their apps, reports The Verge.
According to Huffman, those third-party apps aren’t adding much value to the platform.
“So the vast majority of the uses of the API — not (third-party apps like Apollo for Reddit) — the other 98 per cent of them, make tools, bots, enhancements to Reddit. That’s what the API is for,” Reddit CEO said in a statement.
“It was never designed to support third-party apps.”
Huffman further objected to the third-party apps that are competing with his company.
“I didn’t know — and this is my fault — the extent that they were profiting off of our API. That these were not charities.”
When questioned about if he genuinely believes that the blackouts haven’t impacted his decision-making around the API pricing changes at all.
“That’s our business decision, and we’re not undoing that business decision,” Huffman replied.
According to a fact sheet shared by the company on Thursday, there are now more than 1,00,000 “active communities”, 57 million “daily active uniques” and over 50,000 “daily active moderators” on the platform.
In an internal memo sent on Monday to employees, Reddit CEO had said that like any other blowups on the platform, “this one will pass as well”.
Last week, Huffman had hosted an AMA (Ask Me Anything) session to discuss the platform’s controversial API changes, confirming that the company is not planning to revive its coming API pricing changes that have caused multiple developers to announce they will be shutting down their apps.


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Google is rebranding Android Market as Google Play. Google Play will bring all Googleâ€™s entertainment products under one roof. Google Music, Google Movies, Android Market, Google eBook Store are now called Google Play combined, the move is to unify all the services into one to make it easy for users to access content from anywhere.
Google Play is entirely cloud based that means you donâ€™t have to worry about syncing them as they are readily available through web, android phone or tablet. Starting today Android Market, Google Music, and ebook store will come under Google Play and accordingly the Android Market app on your Android device will be updated to Google Play store app, just wait for few days if it is not updated for your device.
From Google Blog
Today weâ€™re eliminating all that hassle with Google Play, a digital entertainment destination where you can find, enjoy and share your favorite music, movies, books and apps on the web and on your Android phone or tablet. Google Play is entirely cloud-based so all your music, movies, books and apps are stored online, always available to you, and you never have to worry about losing them or moving them again.
In the new Google Play store Google Music is referred as Google Play Music, Google Movies is referred as Google Play Movies, and eBook store is referred as Google Play Books. The content you already purchased including apps, music, books will continue to be available through Google Play Store.


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Students gathered to watch the Super Bowl to pick their favorite commercial.
T-Mobile was the winning choice for the 2016 Cocky Award.
By Emily Huff
Advertising students at the University of South Carolina gathered on Super Bowl Sunday to watch the game and to choose their favorite commercial. The Super Bowl ad poll is conducted by professor Bonnie Drewniany and students in her course on Super Bowl advertising.
T-Mobile won the 2016 Cocky Award for their ad featuring Steve Harvey poking fun at his mistake during the Miss America pageant.
An executive and chief creative officer for T-Mobile, Peter Deluca and Andrew Christou, claimed their statues in a ceremony in Columbia Tuesday. They also spoke to the class before the event about creating the commercial.
Christou says a specific element made the commercial a fan favorite.
"I think it is the humanity in us that we have all failed," Christou said. "We have all made mistakes and to look at yourself and have a little fun with yourself is a good feeling, a delightful feeling that I think really resonated with people on an emotional level and a comedic level."
Even Cocky made an appearance to present the awards.
Christou and Deluca were able to spin a huge mistake into a winning moment.


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Nodebrick – a South Korean game development studio – has announced that it will be adopting the Dai stablecoin for use in its gaming ecosystem.
Nodebrick’s collaboration with MakerDAO – the creators of the Dai stablecoin – will see Dai utilised within the studio’s flagship game Infinity Star.
In a Medium blog post, the South Korean studio states it has adopted Dai because of its integration with the popular peer-to-peer OpenSea marketplace. Another reason behind the collaboration lies in the volatility of cryptocurrencies.
“With volatility having multiple unintended consequences for users, it is more beneficial to have a stablecoin address these quirks and limitations while providing a lot of value to the Infinity Star community,” writes Nodebrick.
The Nodebrick team is also contemplating the possibility of using Dai as a payment option for some of its seasonal item sales.
“We always believe that strategic and meaningful partnerships is the key to bringing in more value to the community and to our users,” says Nodebrick CEO Huey Shin.
“The partnerships we undertake realise these beliefs across how we are building Infinity Star. We couldn’t be more excited to have MakerDAO in our corner.”
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by the author should not be considered as financial advice. We do not give advice on financial products.


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Tribune News Service
Amritsar, March 6
Celebrating the heritage looms and crafts of Punjab and the women, who have been promoting them through their skill, the three-day Virasat exhibition opened at Art Gallery on Saturday. Municipal Commissioner Komal Mittal inaugurated the exhibition which is being organised by Shramik Bharati under their pilot project, Virsa Punjab Women’s Craft.
The products displayed include furniture, the famous panja dari, bean bags made from jute and natural fibres, jewellery, handmade baskets, embroidered cushion covers, crochet and organic food. Shramik Bharti has been pushing for empowering women in rural sectors through social entrepreneurship programmes, implementing holistic rural development in 12 villages in Amritsar and Ferozepur districts.
Varinder Pal, project coordinator, Shramik Bharati, said, “Holistic rural development project works in the areas of infrastructure, natural resource management, livelihood, agriculture and education. The organisation hired four designers for scouting and identifying skills among rural women. Thereafter, the skill enhancement exercises started, which led to the production of the handicrafts and handloom items by 150 women in 12 villages that have been exhibited here.”
After two years of extensive skill and product development, Pal’s team has got together women artisans and weavers and set up Virsa Punjab Women’s Craft. “The aim was to ensure that every woman earns at least Rs200 per day for 200 days per year and such exhibitions would be held in promoting the brand and give an opportunity to women to interact with the masses. The exhibition will give them hope and dedication to work for themselves,” he said.
Heritage looms at the exhibition includes hand weaved ‘manjis or cots’ in contemporary designs and furniture, traditional ‘azaar-band’ or ‘naala’ made into statement jewellery pieces and accessories. Similarly, ‘panja dari’ craft has been modernised with innovative designs and mixed with crocheted embroidered work.
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It's been a mixed bag for tire makers at the halfway point of 2019.
Some have experienced business as usual, like Bridgestone Americas Inc. Business in 2019 has met expectations so far for the North American subsidiary of the world's largest tire maker, Bridgestone Corp.
T.J. Higgins—president, integrated consumer tire group, U.S. and Canada, Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations—said the replacement tire market has shown strength as many newer vehicles are entering their first tire replacement, including vehicles with high-value-added tire fitments, such as run-flats and high-rim diameter tires.
Those importing from China, however, have a different view. Walter Weller, senior vice president at China Manufacturers Alliance L.L.C., the North American subsidiary of Double Coin Holdings Ltd., said antidumping/countervailing duties on TBR tires have caused great volatility for many tire makers, especially those based in China.
"We were already transitioning to other sources of supply so the tariffs/duties have not had much of an effect on us," Weller said. "We plan to continue to offer high quality tires at a reasonable price as we have in the past. We have a strong brand and fantastic customers who have committed to us and we to them. We are focusing on making sure we are able to supply our existing customers' needs going forward."
North America focus
Apollo Tyres Ltd. continues to make North America a top priority, according to a company spokesman. While the firm does not have a manufacturing presence in the region, it has not been impacted by the antidumping and countervailing duties as it gets its products for North America from its sites in the Netherlands and Hungary.
The firm does not have any immediate plans for establishing a manufacturing plant in North America. Right now it is focused on getting its plant in Hungary to a similar capacity utilization level as its other plants and bringing its new site in Andhra, India, online by the end of 2019.
BKT USA Inc. also is on track to build its first manufacturing plant in the U.S., according to Minoo Mehta, president of the U.S. subsidiary of India's Balkrishna Industries Ltd. The firm is still in the process of selecting a site.
Business-wise, BKT only deals in off-the-road tires. Mehta said that the ag industry has been hit in the Midwest because of severe weather conditions. Millions of acres have not been tilled this year. The deteriorating trade relationship with China has put severe pressure on exports of ag products.
Demand for BKT tires has increased substantially in the large OTR tire segment, Mehta said.
"The farm industry will be affected severely this year," he said. "Other segments will continue to be stable. The government will need to intervene to stop the bleeding for the farmers, and with it being close to election year, things should change for the better."
Titan International Inc. has intensified the rollout of its Goodyear R14 crossover tire designed for year-round use in various conditions. Paul Hawkins—senior vice president, aftermarket sales, North America—said the firm expected a stronger start to 2019, but factors in the North American ag market, including lower commodity prices, ongoing trade concerns and a delayed planting season, have all had an impact.
Shift to bigger vehicles
Kenda Tire USA Inc. has been improving the size of its offerings for the last few years in anticipation of original equipment manufacturer's shift to light trucks, CUVs and SUVs. Brandon Stotsenburg, vice president of automotive, said the LTR and CUV segments continue to show strength, and Kenda's new products have been thriving in these segments.
"Kenda continues to partner with the independent dealer as our primary channel for the aftermarket," Stotsenburg said. "We have added programs and products to enhance these offerings and more importantly, retailer margin opportunities."
Andrew Briggs, Yokohama Tire Corp.'s vice president of marketing and product management, said Yokohama also has been impacted by the shift to CUV/SUVs.
Even with ultra-high performance tires, performance remains the priority, which includes wet and dry grip. Briggs said the higher up in the category, the more important some of the more refined performance attributes, like noise and comfort, become.


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The government of Abia State, Nigeria, has announced plans to re-launched the development of the Aba Inland Container Depot (ICD) public private partnership (PPP) project.
Eastgate Inland Terminal Limited is the concessionaire of the project.
The PPP agreement between the two parties was signed in 2009. Under the agreement, the government will provide infrastructure and other logistics for Eastgate which will construct and operate the new facilities.
The project will be developed on build, own, operate and transfer (BOOT) basis. The total project investment is estimated at N100 million (US$0.5 million).
The project is expected to ease off congestion at the Nigeria's ports as well as fast track clearing services to importers in the country.
Last month Nigeria's Federal Executive Council (FEC) approved the development of the Ibom Deep Sea Port in Akwa Ibom State, paving the way for a PPP. The project aims to become a cargo gateway for central and eastern Nigerian markets and beyond.


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Japan joins the US by restricting chipmaking gear exports to China
- Japan has finally caved into the US push to have its allies restrict tech shipments to China.
- Japan will expand restrictions on exports of 23 types of leading-edge chipmaking technology to China.
- The restrictions would mean ten Japanese companies would need licenses to ship a broader-than-expected array of equipment to transform silicon into chips.
For almost six months, the US was lobbying its allies, including Japan, to join Washington in tightening shipments of semiconductor tools to China. It took a little while for Japan and the Netherlands to agree to join the US, but both countries took time to chart a middle road between the two superpowers.
Now, Japan Trade Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura has announced that Tokyo would expand restrictions on exports of 23 types of leading-edge chipmaking technology to China. Though Nishimura claims the move was not in coordination with the US and was not a ban, it is apparent that Japan’s restriction aligns with the US ratcheted-up efforts to limit China’s access to crucial semiconductor technologies.
He claims these export controls apply to all regions and are not meant to target one country. “We will be looking at whether there is any danger of military appropriation,” he told reporters earlier today, according to Bloomberg’s report. The measures will be subject to public comment before implementation, slated for July.
The report also noted that the ruling would now mean ten Japanese companies, including leading gearmaker Tokyo Electron Ltd. would need to get licenses to ship a broader-than-expected array of equipment used to transform silicon into chips, spanning cleaning, deposition, annealing, lithography, etching, and testing.
For context, Japan and the Netherlands are where some of the world’s largest manufacturers of semiconductor manufacturing equipment are headquartered. With all its might, the US has been trying to gather allies because experts reckon that the US-driven export controls could only effectively choke China off entirely if other countries in the supply chain do the same.
Thes announcement comes after a verbal deal was reached between the US, Netherlands, and Japan in January 2023. Before Japan’s move, the Hague, on March 9, revealed the first public details of its approach, which amounts to an intention to impose export restrictions on the “most advanced” semiconductor technology.
In short, Japan is still more cautious by not stating China as the target for its export restrictions. Countries categorized as Japan’s most-favored trading partners will be able to continue importing without a license, the country’s trade ministry officials said.
“Those nations include Taiwan and Singapore, key global semiconductor supply chain participants. Shipments of restricted equipment to China would require sign-offs by export control officials,” the report by Bloomberg reads. The export control by Japan will affect a wide range of equipment, including etching machines capable of making 14- and 16-nanometer and more advanced chips.
Nishimura believes the impact on companies will be limited and that Japan will continue shipments if their exports are not being reappropriated for military use. Japan’s planned export controls also include tools to clean silicon wafers of impurities, extreme ultraviolet mask-testers, and immersion lithography machines. Screen Holdings, Lasertec, and Nikon are suppliers of such equipment.
Even for the Netherlands, home to ASML Holding NV, its plans to curb exports of some so-called immersion DUV lithography products do not target any particular country. Rules from the Hague are expected to be published before the summer, adding to existing restrictions for the most cutting-edge lithography machines critical to producing the world’s most advanced chips.
On the other hand, the US has banned American gear suppliers Applied Materials Inc, Lam Research Corp., and KLA Corp. from shipping some of their most advanced technology to China. For the Biden Administration, Japan’s Tokyo Electron and the Netherlands’s ASML Holding NV are the two other critical suppliers the US needs to contain China’s technological ascent.
Besides collaborating to restrict chip exports, Japan is also part of a Chip Alliance proposal, which includes South Korea, Taiwan, and the US. The countries in the alliance each excel in specific segments of the semiconductor industry. For the US, combining the strength of each participant will create a complete semiconductor supply chain that runs from design to manufacturing.
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Goldbelly — the food e-commerce platform that delivers fully cooked meals as well as meal kits nationwide from more than 1,000 restaurants — is launching video platform Goldbelly TV on its website on Tuesday.
The company also announced that veteran TV producer Art Edwards (co-creator of Cake Boss) has joined Goldbelly, overseeing new production arm Goldbelly Studios. Edwards’ producing credits include a slew of Food Network and TLC shows such as Heat Seekers, Kitchen Boss, Ultimate Recipe Showdown and Bakers vs. Fakers.
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Goldbelly CEO and co-founder Joe Ariel asserts that what will make its new video content stand out in the marketplace is that, unlike traditional TV offerings, users of the platform will be able to readily access the food seen on screens.
“With [typical] food programming, you watch these shows and you want the stuff but you can’t get it. There’s a disconnect for anyone who views that food content. I would always vent about that,” says Ariel. By contrast, with Goldbelly’s new video offerings, customers can order prepared meals and watch content from the restaurants they enjoy, or take it a step further and select food kits and cook along with chefs. “We want to be Food Network 2.0,” Ariel says.
“You can really consume the content twice,” Ariel continues. “You can consume it with your eyes and with your belly — and that has never been done before. We’re connecting those dots so that people can watch these amazing stories and also taste them. It elevates the whole experience. You can access what you’re watching.”
For his part, Edwards, the co-founder of Cakehouse Media (with Cake Boss star Buddy Valastro), says that he’s approaching food content at Goldbelly quite differently than when he worked in cable TV. “I would bring in talent and they [cable executives] were very specific on the type of person that they wanted,” he says. “It wasn’t always the best cook or the most innovative and experienced chef. It was a pretty narrow type of person they were looking for, people who are interesting or funny or might drop their cake, and that was frustrating — having access to the greatest chefs in the world but not being able to put them on television.”
Goldbelly TV’s shoots take place in restaurants, in chefs’ home kitchens and in a studio kitchen in Manhattan. Content will include both on-demand and live-stream videos. “What’s been so refreshing is the choices we’re making editing our videos,” says Edwards. “There are things I would never get away with putting on Food Network. We put in mistakes. We put in when people say things that are off-color and are really revealing about their personalities. We’re free to do whatever we want to.”
Most of the videos will run about three minutes. “You’ll have the chefs in our studio kitchen for the most part and you’ll see how they prepare their ingredients. They’ll tell their stories. We’ll also visit the restaurant and see how the food is made kind of in its normal environment. There are chef interviews. It’s part travelogue, part kitchen how-to, part food beauty shots. We’re capturing all elements of the traditional food genres in three minutes,” Edwards says.
Goldbelly’s move into content production comes after the company has experienced rapid recent growth. Founded in 2013, Goldbelly, according to Ariel, has seen sales double in the last 18 months, partly due to people being stuck at home during the COVID-19 pandemic. (In May, Goldbelly secured $100 million in new funding, while in early November, DoorDash announced that it was adding national delivery to its offerings in what seems to be a direct challenge to the company.)
“In the last two years, a lot has changed in the world,” Ariel says. “Whenever there’s a crisis, you’re ready to step out of your day-to-day pattern in some ways and for us [consumers] may have heard about Goldbelly — ‘Oh, I can get this food in a box shipped to me.’ They were willing to give it a shot. We got millions of new customers.” For some of those customers, the appeal was ordering from restaurants in cities they loved and had visited but were prevented from traveling to due to pandemic health concerns and restrictions. “[Getting] food shipped to you from places you may have grown up with, places you may have traveled to, that may have deeper meaning,” Ariel says.
He adds that just in the way that Goldbelly created a national e-commerce platform for restaurants across the country, it is now offering a new level of reach to its participating chefs. “These are chefs and restaurants who don’t have access to the airwaves. Now with Art [Edwards] and his background and the team — they’ve produced the top shows on TV — and to be able to access that level of content is something totally transformative and empowering to chefs and restaurants all across the country,” Ariel says.
Goldbelly had previously live-streamed some cooking shows on its website, and Edwards had worked with the company on producing a series of videos for YouTube called The Goldbelly Show a few years ago. “It had been relatively low-budget but a big success, like 20 million-plus views on YouTube,” Ariel says.
Among the chefs whose meal kits are available on Goldbelly are Daniel Boulud, Nancy Silverton, Thomas Keller, José Andrés, Marcus Samuelsson and David Chang.
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Apple has informed employees they will be required to return to the office by April 11, the first phase of a multi-stage transition to a hybrid workflow.
According to AppleInsider, Apple plans to have employees back in the office at least one day a week by April 11. By May 2, the plan is for that to increase to two days a week, and three days by May 23.
“For many of you, I know that returning to the office represents a long-awaited milestone and a positive sign that we can engage more fully with the colleagues who play such an important role in our lives,” said Apple CEO Tim Cook, in a memo to employees seen by Bloomberg,. “For others, it may also be an unsettling change.”
Apple has a complicated relationship with remote and hybrid work. Like most tech companies, Apple sent its employees home at the outset of the pandemic, and has continually postponed return-to-office dates as the pandemic continued.
Nonetheless, Cook and company have made it clear that the goal has always been to get employees back in the office as soon as it was safe to do so, despite many wanting fully remote work to continue as an option.


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New Event Notice: Reimagining the Future of Mobility
Join the SAA and its Young Professionals Network (YPN) on August 18 (1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.) as a panel of experts discuss Reimagining the Future of Mobility. Speakers include:
- Peter Deppe, Co-Founder and CEO, KUHMUTE
- Trevor Pawl, Chief Mobility Officer, State of Michigan
- Tanya Skilton, Director of Purchasing and Supply Chain, BrightDrop
Watch your email and the SAA website (www.SAAauto.com) for more details. Registration opens soon.
Miss the LMC Lunch and Learn?
Did you miss June 22’s informative presentation from LMC Automotive's Jeff Schuster and Al Bedwell. The pair provided an updated outlook on vehicle production and the electric vehicle market. If you did miss the presentation – or would like to watch it again, the presentations and the zoom recording can be found on SAA's website in the Members section (www.SAAauto.com).
New SAA Industry Insight Video Examines Findings of Working Relations Index Study
Check out the latest SAA Industry Insights featuring Plante Moran's Dave Andrea who discusses the findings of the 2021 WRI Study. The Working Relations Index Study examines the working relations between Tier 1 suppliers and their North American-based OEM customers from the suppliers’ perspective.
Can Suppliers Avoid Extinction as the Automobile Pivots to Electric?
With every major automaker focusing capital investments on new electric models, suppliers need to understand where the industry is headed — and act fast. Daron Gifford outlines how to turn the coming disruptions into new opportunities.
Enterprise Value Increases to Drive Robust Automotive Supplier M&A Activity
Analysis from Conway MacKenzie indicates that global aggregate auto supplier enterprise values will increase over $400 billion by the spring of 2022 (two years after the pandemic began), leading to robust M&A activity in the next 24 months.
New Vehicle Prices Hit May Record
The average new-vehicle transaction price (ATP) in May 2021 increased 5.4% year over year and reached $41,263, according to an analysis by Kelley Blue Book. The ATP in May 2021 was an all-time record for the month and the 3rd highest ever, following December 2020 ($41,335) and February 2021 ($41,333). Prices increased 1.2%, or $493, from April 2021. The non-luxury vehicle ATP in May was $38,459, while luxury ATP stood at $56,371. The non-luxury segment increased 4.9% ($1,805) year over year, while luxury saw a 2.9% ($1,597) increase.
Supply Constraints to Slow U.S. Auto Sales Growth in June
Growth in U.S. new vehicle retail sales for June is expected to be lower than the previous month, despite strong consumer demand, as supply constraints and chip shortages have led to lean inventories, consultants J.D. Power and LMC Automotive said.
Which Automotive OEMs Have the Best Supplier Relations?
Surprisingly, in the thick of a pandemic year, four of six U.S. and Japanese OEMs improved their supplier relations in Plante Moran's annual North American Automotive OEM--Supplier Working Relations Index Study.
Semiconductor Shortages: Who is Cashing in?
When word of a semiconductor shortage began to circulate at the end of last year, there were many unknowns, including which automakers in North America would be impacted the most. But as we move beyond the six-month mark, we are getting a much clearer picture of those that have persevered, despite the headwinds, and those that have struggled.
Mexico: There Is a (Growing) Liability in Your Fixed Assets – Which You Know You Have
Fixed assets, long a reliable source of value, increasingly present a risk of liability for companies operating in Mexico. Mexican law requires any company that handles, transports, or possesses foreign-made products may be required to prove – with no statute of limitations – that such products are legally imported. Local authorities have taken notice that the necessary records to prove legal importation of fixed assets are not always readily available, and have recently increased their audits of such assets as a source for revenue. There are a number of legal steps, however, that companies should take to mitigate this increasing risk.
U.S. Hybrid Vehicle Market Share is Double That of Full EVs
While a couple of U.S. states and regions like Europe are focused on a future filled with nothing but all-electric vehicles, consumers haven’t been quite so quick to trade in their ICE-powered vehicles for BEVs. EV sales have indeed risen in recent years, , but still only represent a small percentage of overall automotive sales. On the flip side, U.S. hybrid vehicle market share has grown significantly as HEV and PHEV sales outpaced BEV sales in April, according to new data from IHS Markit.
How Technology is Changing the Automotive Industry
The development of autonomous technology and the continued usage of computers has begun to boost user engagement while reducing the necessity for direct control of driving without taking away the pleasure of the open road. As the user begins to hand over control to an onboard navigation system, the advancement of autonomous technology will change the driving experience. One thing is for sure: future cars will be autonomous and interactive, and the two trends are inextricably linked.
Raw Material Costs Rising for Automotive Industry
Widespread inflation has led to the highest raw material cost per U.S. vehicle since 2011, a new Bank of America (BAC) Global Research report found. The report examines the recent bout of US inflation and examines its consequences for the automotive industry. One key takeaway from the report is that the cost of raw materials has risen sharply since mid-2020.
LexisNexis Risk Solutions Helps Automakers Bridge Secondary Owner Knowledge Gap
LexisNexis® Risk Solutions has announced the availability of LexisNexis® Owner Check, a groundbreaking ownership management solution that provides automakers a more timely and complete method of identifying vehicle ownership changes and providing updated contact owner information, helping to unlock new customer engagement and retention opportunities.
Is Your Culture Ready for Industry 4.0?
While Industry 4.0 has been a buzzword for some time, the technology has become more affordable and effective enough in the last two to three years to make it a reality for more companies. There’s an increasingly clear ROI from technology spending, clearing a hurdle that in the past has held back many manufacturers from committing to a digital transformation.
Expectations for Youngstown’s Reinvention Diminish as Electric Truck Companies Scatter
After General Motors unplugged its nearby Lordstown plant, the company and its Endurance all-electric pickup truck were considered the savior of Youngstown. “It’s booming right now. It’s definitely booming,” Donald Trump said in September. These hopes are fading as Lordstown Motors faces financial difficulties and locals are once again worried about the region’s financial future.
Automakers And Suppliers Need to Adapt “All-New Ways of Doing Business’ to Master the Conversion to Electric Vehicles, materials Shortages, the Rise of New Entrants and Other Disruptors such as Autonomy and Connectivity
The automotive industry has so far come through the COVID-19 pandemic well, with significant support of governments worldwide and newfound investor appetite for electric vehicles despite shortages of key components throttling growth. However, the industry now faces disruptions of a magnitude and complexity like never before, and players in the industry need to adopt and hone all-new ways of doing business at virtually every level of their organizations—and they need to do so quickly as the pace of change has accelerated.


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At Christmas time, as many of us head home to spend the holidays with family, it’s important to remember those who don’t have a home at all — like the many homeless dogs who will spend the holidays in shelters.
But these dogs deserve some extra special Christmas cheer, and of course there’s nothing they love more than a squeaky new toy.
That’s why one animal charity has come up with an adorable Christmastime tradition: letting their dogs each pick their own present by laying out a huge selection of toys to choose from.
Since 2019, Dogs Trust Ireland has taken all the toys donated by supporters and lined them up across a room, and let the dogs from their Rehoming Centre come in one by one to pick out their favorite.
The dogs are all overjoyed, no doubt in awe about this magical room full of toys. But what’s incredible is that all the dogs really do seem to select their favorite out of the bunch and choose that as their present.
Some dogs know just what they want, like Milo, the long dog who picks the longest toy of the bunch:
While others, like Gizmo, need to take their time and find the toy with just the right squeak:
No matter what toy they pick, it’s clear that the gifts warm these dogs’ hearts.
Take a look at Chase, who contentedly lies on the floor after picking out his favorite toy — that’s the face of a dog who’s having a great Christmas!
“Santa Paws Day” has become a tradition over the past few years, and we hope it continues.
The shelter used to do a “Secret Santa” exchange where employees bought toys for specific dogs, but this way the dogs definitely get just the one they want — and makes for an adorable video.
Dogs Trust Ireland also has a message for people looking to bring home a dog over the holidays: please be responsible, and remember that a dog is for life.
“We are pleading with the public not to purchase puppies in the run up to Christmas,” said Ciara Byrne Head of Communications at Dogs Trust Ireland. “Sadly, this is the most lucrative time of year for puppy farmers, and we know genuine dog lovers don’t want to fuel this vile trade.”
They cited a high rate of dog rehoming in 2021, after a surge in demand during the pandemic. If you want to help a dog this Christmas, they urge you to sponsor one through their charity instead.
And you can always donate a toy to a shelter dog this Christmas — this adorable video proves that it will truly make their holiday.
We love this idea. What an adorable video and cute way to give these shelter dogs an unforgettable Christmas!
Please share this heartwarming story!


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The owner of a Lincolnshire company is in the running to be crowned as Britain's best shop owner.
Chris Isaac, owns the Sack Store, in Boston and Stamford Garden Centre, has been shortlisted for the final of the National High Street Hero Awards.
The homeware shop sells traditional and modern furniture and lighting, along with wood burning stoves, electric cookers, wall and floor tiles, and everything else needed to furnish a home.
Chris, who grew up in the county, was shortlisted after transforming his flagship Sack Store into a sustainable site with biomass heating.
He says he has bucked the national trend of declining retail sales by turning his home furnishings sites into 'destination venues' with award-winning restaurants.
"We want people to enjoy coming to our stores - to feel like they can spend hours there and enjoy the process of shopping," he said.
"We always believed great restaurants would help bring customers in and give them somewhere to switch-off while they mull over which items to go for.
"I'm lucky to have found the room to create these spaces - and even luckier to have a team that have made them happen."
The father-of-three, who opened his first store 25 years ago and employs more than 50 staff, added that he had been impressed by the sales success of eco-friendly log burners, which have proved popular among younger customers.
"We're all from rural areas so we all support environmentally friendly ideas," he said.
"It's a team effort and it's all the staff who deserve recognition, not just me. We feel a bit shy about this nomination but we're happy to be flying the flag for Lincolnshire."
The High Street Hero Awards ceremony will take place on Thursday, January 23.
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- A staggering three in 10 Brits – the equivalent of over 8 million households – have already turned their central heating on after weeks of awful weather
- A further 4.6 million households are considering turning the heating back on, but haven’t taken the plunge just yet
- Other measures taken to survive the Great British summer include wearing woolly jumpers, putting slippers on and having hot baths
- With a third of bill payers already worrying about the cost of keeping warm over the winter, uSwitch.com urges consumers to stay on top of their energy accounts and check if they could move to a cheaper deal.
A staggering three in 10 Brits (30%) – the equivalent of over eight million households – have already switched their central heating on due to this summer’s terrible weather, according to new research from uSwitch.com, the price comparison and switching service.
While much of Europe sizzles in a heatwave, the UK has been shivering through unseasonably cold and wet conditions over the summer – with some regions reaching as low as two degrees. In addition to the 30% of households who have already given in to the cold and switched their heating on, a further 17% – the equivalent of over 4.6 million households – are thinking about it, to try to keep warm.
One in three Brits (33%) would normally wait until the end of the school summer holidays or when the clocks go back at the end of October to turn their central heating on. By switching it on so early this year, millions of homes risk adding significant sums to their annual energy bill. With previous research finding that over a third of bill payers (32%) are already worried about how they’ll afford this winter’s bill, uSwitch.com urges consumers to check their account balance now and shop around for a better deal which could deliver hundreds of pounds of savings.
Switching the heating on isn’t the only thing Brits have been doing to stay warm through the summer months, with more than two thirds (68%) taking other forms of action. Three in 10 (30%) have worn woolly jumpers, a quarter (25%) have put their slippers back on and a fifth (20%) have been enjoying hot baths. More than one in 10 (11%) have put their winter duvet back on their bed, while 8% have unpacked their winter coat or put a fire on.
Claire Osborne, uSwitch.com energy expert, says: “It wouldn’t be the Great British summer without a certain amount of miserable weather, but the chilly conditions this year are enough to make anyone consider cranking up the thermostat. It’s incredible that eight million homes already have their heating on before we’re even halfway through August. It’s understandable given how cold it’s been over the past few weeks, but consumers need to consider the impact it will have on their energy bills.
“Energy prices continue to rise, and we know that over a third of bill payers are already worrying about the cost of keeping warm over the winter. With so many people giving into the cold and turning the heating on, households could find their annual bill gets a lot larger than expected. But shopping around now and switching to a better deal, before even colder weather bites, could save hundreds of pounds – enough to cover the expense of already having the heating on.”
Find out how you could save over £1,000 a year with uSwitch here.


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It might not shock you to learn that an 84-inch 3D 4K TV (OMFG ABBREVIATIONS) will cost you a pretty penny. LG today took the large covers off of its crazy-big new TV for the Australian market, and it revealed the price. We’ve gone eyes-on with the TV that costs the same as a small hatchback.
The 84-inch monster panel got its coming out party at this year’s IFA tech fair in Berlin. Today was its first showing in Australia. The local price? $15,999. For $15,999, you can pick up the 2012 Ford Fiesta with a $500 chunk of change to spare.
Still, small hatchbacks aside, it’s still a bunch cheaper than Sony’s latest 4K offering which is being priced around $28,000. For those playing the car game, that’s just shy the cost of a new Toyota Camry Altise. Ouch.
LG is calling its TV a UD — Ultra Definition — TV. It’s sporting a resolution of 3840 x 2160 pixels, which to you and I is essentially 4K. LG has bolted an upscaler onto the thing so that you can make your SD and HD content look watchable on this comically huge panel, as well as a 2D-to-3D image converter.
The panel also has 3D capabilities and a few smart options like smart picture zooming that lets you set the 3D depth and smart audio which allows you to tune the depth of the audio. The smarts continue into the dashboard on the panel which lets you install and run apps on your TV. LG has over 400 apps right now.
You can pick up LG’s 84-inch mammoth 4K panel from November.


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Afghanistan formally launched the export of pine nuts to China via air corridor which was inaugurated between the two countries on Tuesday.
The Office of the President, ARG Palace, said the Afghanistan-China air corridor was inaugurated by President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani earlier today, during a ceremony which was attended by other high level officials.
According to a statement released by ARG Palace, the first consignment would consist of 20 tons of pine nuts to be transported via air corridor to china.
President Ghani said the government would seriously consider much attention to the hidden treasures of the country, including pine nuts, pistachios, and cumin, emphasizing that the national day of pine nuts would be celebrated every year after this.
According to ARG Palace, the pine nuts export reaches to 23 thousand metric tons annually and would be exported with name and sign of Afghanistan after this.
This comes as President Ghani had earlier said a major portion of the benefits from pine nuts exports goes to the pockets of the outsiders which amount up to $500 million a year.
Speaking during the closing ceremony of industrial exhibition in Kabul in December last year, President Ghani said pine nuts export from Afghanistan amounts to $700 million a year.
However, he said the turn over as a result of the exports of the pine nuts from another country reaches to $1.2 billion a year as the third country exporting the Afghan products make an annual profit of up to $500 million.


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The iconic Resistol brand gets back to its roots with the new Double R line of classic cowboy pearl-snaps.
First hitting shelves in August, the Double R collection is already creating buzz in stores across the country. What enabled it to launch with such momentum? First and foremost, it comes from a brand we already know and trust when it comes to quality, design, and fit.
The latest release from Resistol, Double R is all about enduring style. You’ll find nothing but classic Western appeal among its debut designs, boasting front and back yokes, subdued colorways, and traditional plaids and prints that pay tribute to the pre-Urban Cowboy pearl-snap. These shirts are timeless yet on-trend, understated yet stylish, retro yet contemporary — and all made in fabrics treated with a unique enzyme wash for a heavenly soft finish. “ ... [We] made an internal decision to get back to our roots,” noted Annie Barrientos, who oversees Resistol apparel at Hatco, when the new line was first announced at the beginning of the year. “We are seeing a move back to a more core look. There are a lot of vintage looks having a resurgence, mostly from the 1970s. Americana Vintage is in.”
Adapted from the print feature in the Fall 2016 issue of C&I's sister publication,Western & English Today, a business-to-business magazine. To read the issue and find out more about W&E, visit the website. See more from Double R by Resistol in the C&I Spring 2017 fashion feature here.