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ALH Conference & Awards kicks off today
By Lindsey Anderson10 October 2016
The second ALH Conference & Awards started this morning in Miami at the Marriott Biscayne Bay hotel. The day-long event boasts an impressive lineup of speakers and presentations.
With over 200 attendees registered, attendees will hear from industry leaders on topics that directly affect their businesses, including how mobile devices and technology affect business; big data and priorities of using such; the real cost of Tier 4 engines on rental; current rental metrics and what they tell us about rental market trends; cost of ownership; online rentals and much more.
The morning's keynote speaker, Larry Silber, will open the day with a discussion about the impact that mobile devices and new technology are having on the equipment rental business.
Silber, who is President and CEO of Herc Rentals, will argue that data, technology and logistics will differentiate the industry’s leaders.
“Through mobile technology, service-oriented businesses are increasingly accommodating the way their customers work and are delivering real-time information when their customers need it”, said Silber.
“With service at the core of its mission, the equipment-rental industry is just beginning to imagine this ‘mobile’ future, with a customer base that is already familiar with how mobile apps and related technologies can meet their operational requirements. Indeed, the future of the equipment-rental industry is mobile, and ― as far as our customers are concerned ― that future is already here.”
Presentations will also be given by:
- Brad Boehler, President, Skyjack
- Gary McArdle, Executive Vice President, Rouse Services
- Alex Schuessler, President, International Group & Founder of SmartEquip
- Dale Asplund, Senior Vice President - Business Services and Chief Information Officer, United Rentals
- Tony Groat, North American Manager, International Powered Access Federation (IPAF)
- Chad Hislop, Director of Engineering, Terex Aerial Work Platforms/Genie
- Kip Eideberg, Vice President, Public Affairs & Advocacy , Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM)
- Liam Stannard, Chief Technology Officer, BigRentz
- Craig Paylor, Chief Operating Officer, Ahern Rentals
Plus a roundtable will be given on fleet management with Charles ‘Chuck’ Miller, Vice President – Operations, Herc Rental; Mike Crouch, President and Chief Operating Officer, ACME Lift Company; Jonathan Dawley, Global Vice President – Aftermarket, JLG Industries and Alex Schuessler.
Rental companies in attendance include: ACME Lift Company; Aerial Access Equipment; Ahern Rentals; BigRentz; Cloverdale Equipment Co.; Compact Power Rental; Herc Rentals; Neff Rentals; NES Rentals; RentalYard.com; Sunbelt Rentals; United Rentals; UpEquip; US Markets and more.


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Nintendo has a very good sense of judging which product can make them a plethora of money, that sense didn’t work in case of the Wii U but that is a different story.
However, when it comes to the amiibo figures, Nintendo nailed it. They are making a ton of money and these figures are more then often sold out at retailers. Fans have been complaining about this issue and Nintendo is trying to improve things.
The company has now announced the Silver Mario amiibo and considering the demand we saw for Golden Mario, this one is also expected to be sold-out soon after release.
Let’s see if Nintendo can keep up with the demand. this time around.
The new figure is coming out on May 29 and thankfully, the exclusive amiibo won’t be priced higher compared to your average amiibo. Meaning Silver Mario can be yours for just $12.99.
On the topic of fans not being able to find their favorite amiibo, Nintendo has issued an apology. Nintendo says:
We appreciate the enthusiasm that our fans continue to show toward amiibo. Sales for the product have exceeded our expectations. We understand how frustrating it can be at times if consumers are unable to find certain figures, and we apologize for that.
Silver Mario is already sold-out on EB Games Australia. It will soon be available for pre-order in other regions as well.

domain: news


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Jordan Brand’s new iteration Air Jordan 1 “Bred Toe” – a combination of its classic “Bred” and “Black Toe” colorways, made a debut this past weekend.
The silhouette come dressed in a red, black, and white theme, the silhouette is more like the Black Toes, features a “Red Toe” and Black tongue.
To continue with our RELEASE REWIND, we were out at Shelflife in Rosebank to capture the behind the scenes of the release.
So far this is one of the best releases from the Jordan Brand ever 2018 kickstarted. And like announced later last year that Nike plans to make Air Jordans more limited in 2018, the Air Jordan 1 “Bred Toe” was one of those drops to prove that.
We present to you another this past weekend Release Rewind of the Air Jordan 1 Retro High OG “Bred Toe” at Shelflife (Rosebank – JHB).
Enjoy the visual and browse the gallery below:


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THEY rushed us into a high-interest-rate financial bail-out, and they are now prepared to sell out most of our farmers. The EU is turning from friend to enemy in the eyes of many in Ireland.
The 55% here who supported the EU/IMF intervention, in a Eurobarometer survey last March, were expressing relief at outside agencies taking over our financial affairs, which our own government had got so disastrously wrong, but they will soon tire of the forced financial austerity which many experts believe will drive Ireland into debt default.
Farmers, however, are wedded to the EU for the income and market support they depend on if they are to remain on the land and provide the raw material for our food and drink exports, which consumers in other EU countries are happy to import to the tune of about €8bn per year.
But it is now clear that the EU is prepared to devastate our farming sector so that it can sell more manufactured items in South America (principally cars, trains, and jet fighters).
That is the inescapable conclusion of an impact assessment by the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre. They have examined the trade liberalisation deal which the Commission is seeking in negotiations with the Mercosur group of countries.
A deal would see Europe open its markets to Mercosur farm imports in return for greater access to their markets for services and goods.
The EU stands to lose up to 3% of its farm income, with many beef farmers going out of business, as cattle prices plunge.
The deepest losses would be felt by Ireland’s 110,000 cattle farmers, and their counterparts in Britain and France, unable to compete with a predicted 200,000-ton annual increase in beef imports from Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay.
By 2020, EU beef production would fall by more than 150,000 tons a year, with EU cattle prices falling by nearly 8%, according to the impact assessment.
Ireland would see its annual farm revenues fall by more than 4% in 2020, due to the high share of beef production in overall farm output here. Farm income in Britain and France would fall by 3% and 2% respectively, according to the impact assessment.
It is predicted that 33,000 farm jobs could be lost in Europe, although some EU farmers and exporters would gain from an expected one million tons per year increase in grain exports.
The European Commission’s trade department has said an EU-Mercosur trade deal would deliver net economic benefits worth €4.5bn a year to both regions. It would be mostly at the expense of cattle farmers. The impact assessment dashed the hopes of the farmers who own our national beef herd — which Teagasc director Professor Gerry Boyle recently described as an important national asset which is generating 38% of agricultural output and earning valuable foreign earnings through exports. However, it depends on 100,000 cattle farmers who need off-farm jobs and EU income support to finance their loss-making cattle enterprises.
It’s no wonder Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney described the impact assessment as shocking, because he knows how precarious cattle farming is here in Ireland. First, CAP reform has threatened it, now it seems a Mercosur trade deal will get it, if CAP reform doesn’t.
The EU beef industry will be strongly defended by agriculture ministers in member states such as France, Ireland Italy, Austria, Greece, Romania, Poland, Belgium, Slovenia and Portugal. But they will probably be swept aside if it comes to a vote by heads of state on a trade deal worth €4.5bn a year.
However, the 736 MEPs elected across the 27 EU member states, who will have co-decision powers, have expressed grave misgiving at the European Commission’s solo run in trade negotiations that could backfire badly on EU citizens.
A Mercosur trade deal could kick in as early as next year, even at the snails-pace of international negotiations.
Agri-sector sources in South America are rubbing their hands at the prospect of revenge for the EU banning Brazilian beef imports on hygiene grounds, in January, 2008. They say a liberalised trade deal would bring affordable meat to 370m people in the EU, and €4.5bn to help the bankrupt nations of Greece, Ireland, Portugal, and perhaps Spain, and that it’s a good swap for 30,000 over-subsidised EU farmers. In truth, hundreds of thousands of EU farmers would be affected.
Even if a Mercosur trade deal isn’t agreed, the entire cattle industry across the EU will drop any medium to longer term plans, due to the shocking implications of the Commission’s own impact assessment.
© Irish Examiner Ltd. All rights reserved


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U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander has been a vocal critic of several of Democratic President Barack Obama's policies, but he said Wednesday that encouraging the development of electric cars is not one of them.
Alexander, a Tennessee Republican, said there is bipartisan agreement on the need to spur the production of affordable electric vehicles.
"I'm glad to support and applaud the president when he does things that I agree with and that I think are good for the country," he said before a speech at a Tennessee Valley Authority forum. "I think he's doing that in many areas of education and he's doing it on electric cars."
Obama has pledged to bring 1 million plug-in hybrid electric vehicles to U.S. highways by 2015, and turned to the battery industry, still in its infancy, as one of the hallmarks of his economic recovery plan.
Electric vehicles built by General Motors and Nissan are arriving in showrooms later this year and every major auto manufacturer is working on an electric strategy, encouraged by federal funding and tax incentives.
"Electric cars are the way to go," Alexander said. "It's the single best way to reduce our dependence on oil, especially foreign oil. After the Gulf spill, everyone is very aware of this."
Franklin-based Nissan North America Inc. has received $1.4 billion in loans from the federal government to help it build the Leaf, a five-passenger all-electric car that can go 100 miles on a single charge.
Alexander inspected a Leaf and other electric cars on display outside the hotel where the TVA forum was held. The senator said he is in the process of buying a Leaf to drive in Washington, where he currently commutes in a hybrid Toyota Prius.
"The Nissan Leaf will cost about $350 a month, and if you don't drive very far each day, you can just plug it in at home at night," Alexander said.


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Nickelodeon launches an online virtual world for tweens
Nicktropolis, as the new virtual world is called, is targeted at tweens that are gaming online. It is the latest addition to MTVNâ€™s online empire which includes gaming and community sites such as AddictingGames.com, Shockwave.com and Neopets.com. Over 25.7 million visitors were attracted to their sites during December 2006, according to comScoreâ€™s Media Metrix.
“Virtual worlds like Nicktropolis are part of our strategy to bring immersive, relevant entertainment experiences to our audiences wherever they are, and to build communities around our content across every kind of platform,” said Judy McGrath, Chairman and CEO, MTVN. “The virtual worlds we’ve been building across our networks give the fans of our brands the high level of interaction they want with one another, and with the content itself.”
Nickelodeanâ€™s latest research found that 86 percent of its young audience, in the 8-14 year old age range, are gaming online, 51 percent are watching TV and video online, 37 percent are instant messaging and 12 percent are active in chat rooms.
The safety of children online is a hot topic, and Nicktropolis will incorporate parent-control features so that the childâ€™s chat settings and security levels can be monitored, plus a â€œreport buttonâ€ to notify site staff of any concerns.


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Home > IP News
Chinese phone makers worry over possible Android patent suit
SHANGHAI: The ruling against Samsung Electronics last week in its patent war against Apple has raised concerns for smartphone makers using the Android system. And this includes fast-growing local brands in China.
Industry observers said the impact on Chinese phone makers is limited for now. However, the bigger challenge will come if Apple decides to sue Google on patents used within Android.
Apart from its huge storage capacity and fancy settings, local phone Xiaomi offers other features that have won consumers' hearts.
Click here to read more


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A new program for store supervisors and department managers may make them better employees but may not help them reach the middle class.
NYS Entity Status
NYS Filing Date
JULY 02, 2013
NYS DOS ID#
NYS Entity Type
DOMESTIC BUSINESS CORPORATION
2013 - OMNI LOBBY SHOP INC.
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A.G Barr is expecting another record year helped by rising sales of Irn-Bru in Scotland and the north of England.
The soft drink maker said sales for the last three months of 2010 grew five per cent with overall sales for the year predicted to be around 10 per cent up on 2009.
The company said its final quarter sales were especially pleasing given the harsh winter weather in late November and December and increased promotional intensity from its competitors in the run-up to Christmas.
It told the stock market: "Across the financial year all of our core brands have performed strongly. Irn-Bru has performed well in its core market as well as delivering excellent growth in the north of England, where additional resources have been focused.
"Rubicon has grown revenue over the year by over 30 per cent and is now a brand with sales of circas 50m, around double the sales at the time of our acquisition.
"The Barr carbonates range has extended distribution across the UK and is growing significantly ahead of the market."
The £10 million expansion of its Cumbernauld plant is "progressing well" and will eventually move 70 million litres of production from a site in Mansfield which is closing down.
In a statement to the stock market Barr warned 2011 will be a tough year due to rising inflation putting pressure on household incomes but expects sales of its core brands to grow as it expands into new geographic areas.


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Recently, sales of cards, stuffed bears, chocolates and other paraphernalia with a Valentine’s Day theme have spiked in the area. One local bag boy, Jimmy Smirdon, is mystified.
“I don’t know what’s special about the month of February,” says Smirdon. “Why do people buy valentine’s stuff now instead of during Christmas when they are out shopping for presents? That is the time to buy gifts for people you love, not a week after Groundhog Day. It’s almost like there’s another holiday coming up, like a second Groundhog Day.”
Smirdon’s girlfriend could not be reached for comment because he has none.


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Sony has said all along that the PlayStation Vita would only begin its global launch in 2011. It never said there’d be a worldwide launch in 2011. So somebody misses out. Guess who!
VG247 reports that a 2012 European launch for Sony’s new handheld is a “certainty”. We’re contacting Sony for comment, but if true, this is hardly surprising news.


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Now you can buy 'wine' for your cat
A Colorado company is looking to help cat owners enjoy the experience of sharing a glass of wine with their pets.
The non-alcoholic, beet-based "wine" was developed specifically for cats by Denver-based Apollo Peak.
Cats can enjoy the company's products in two varieties, including the red "Pinot Meow" and white "Moscato."
"All of our cat wine products have a proprietary blend that includes all-natural organically grown catnip, fresh beets and natural preservatives to help hold the taste and color," the company says on its website. "We believe in natural ingredients for our particularly classy feline friends."
While the lack of alcohol ensures that cats won't get "drunk" from drinking Apollo Peak's wine, the products do contain organic catnip, which can produce a kind of drunken reaction.
"Well, depending on how much they drink, the effects will vary," according to company literature. "When cats smell catnip they tend to get funny, move around and play a lot. The exact opposite occurs when they ingest catnip. They normally will become more mellowed out when they drink the wine, so it might actually help for those restless nights."
Because it is made from natural ingredients, the wine is also safe for dogs — and humans — to drink. The company has teased an upcoming product for canines.
Paint your pet
Heard of painting with a twist? Well, your pet gets to be part of this one.
Create a cartoon likeness of your favorite four-legged friend using acrylic paint on a 12-inch by 12-inch canvas. Just bring a copy of a photo of your pet printed on an 8½-inch by 11-inch piece of paper, and artist Heather Pastor will guide you through the process.
Paint Your Pet is planned for 6-9 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 11, at the Flagler Humane Society complex. The cost is $40 and includes all art supplies, a cocktail and hors d’oeuvres. Registration ends Aug. 1, and you can reserve your seat by calling Laura Briden at 386-216-6375.
Perhaps the best part is that no artistic experience is required.
Oh, and adoption fees for all cats are still only $10 through June.
Jeffery Ritter is development coordinator at Flagler Humane Society and can be reached at email@example.com. Flagler Humane Society is a 501(c)(3) private, not-for-profit organization. For more information go to flaglerhumanesociety.org.


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Household debt levels have increased substantially in advanced nations over the past few decades and the UK is no exception. This rise is because of factors that have to do both with the supply of credit and the demand for credit. Basak Kus argues that any policy tool to tackle indebtedness must address both sides of the story.
According to data from the European Credit Research Institute, as of 2010, UK households’ credit use on average amounted to 155% of their disposable income—significantly higher than the average of the EU-15. In fact, The Guardian recently reported that at £150bn a year, the UK has the largest credit market in Europe, and its size is expanding as we speak.
As staggering as these figures are, until recently scholars have paid very little attention to indebtedness as a socio-economic phenomenon. It is only with the economic crisis that the causes and implications of mounting levels of household indebtedness have begun to be examined systematically.
So what does the existing research tell us about household debt? This, for sure: in order to explain why debt levels have increased tremendously, and why they vary cross-nationally, we first have to understand the factors that shape the demand for and supply of credit.
Figure 1: Total credit to households as a percentage of disposable income
The demand for credit
The rise of a consumer culture is often mentioned as a contributing factor. According to this view, the insatiable demand for consumer products has led households to save less and use more credit, fueling an increase in household indebtedness.
While there might be some truth to this, many scholars believe that this theory diverts policymakers from accepting and addressing the socioeconomic sources of credit reliance and rising indebtedness, such as shrinking wages and rising income inequality. Citizens at the lower end of the income distribution often find many of their basic needs unattainable without loans. Especially in liberal market economies, such as the UK and US, where the redistributive effort on the part of the state has not matched the increase in inequality, credit has become essential to maintaining the basic necessities of a middle-class lifestyle. In both of these countries, income inequality and household credit use have been increasing in lockstep since the early 1980s.
The supply of credit
The rules and regulations that determine who can lend, who can borrow, how much, and under what terms also matter a great deal in shaping household indebtedness. While some nations have more restrictive rules with regards to these issues, others make borrowing and lending relatively easy.
In the UK, the early 1970s constitute a turning point. In 1971, a Royal Commission chaired by Lord Crowther investigated the regulatory structure and status of credit use in the UK. The Committee subsequently issued a report arguing “that reform of the existing legal tangle is badly overdue, and that liberation of the consumer credit industry from the antiquated provisions, and from the official restrictions, that hobble it will enable it to make an increasing contribution to the efficiency of the national economy and to the standard of living of the public.” Increased access to credit, according to the report, would contribute to the citizens’ welfare in several ways: by bridging the gap between income and spending in the intervals between the receipt of income; by facilitating household budgeting over time; and by enabling the purchase real and financial assets in excess of the amounts permitted by households’ own savings.
The report criticised state intervention in the credit markets in the name of consumer protection and argued that it is the consumer choice that matters:
“Our general view is that the state should interfere as little as possible with the consumer’s freedom to use his knowledge of the consumer credit market to the best of his ability and according to his judgment of what constitutes his best interests. While it is understandable and proper for the state to be concerned about the things on which people spend their money and even to use persuasion to influence the scale of values implied by their expenditure patterns, it remains a basic tenet of a free society that people themselves must be the judge of what contributes to their material welfare.”
The goal of policy, the report went on to argue, must be to treat consumer credit users “as adults who are capable of managing their own financial affairs, and not to restrict their freedom of access to credit in order to protect the relatively small minority who get into difficulties.”
These ideas greatly influenced the 1974 Consumer Credit Act, where the UK made a decisive turn away from a more continental model of credit market regulation towards an American approach. The deregulation of credit markets in the following decades made a larger supply of credit available to a larger pool of people.
With less rigid regulations in the UK, the financial sector and credit markets have become more aggressive in pushing high-risk loans – particularly to citizens in the lower end of the income distribution.
Taken together, heightened insecurities, shrinking incomes, increased demand for consumer products, and increasingly aggressive credit markets are leaving citizens more and more indebted. Policy designed to tackle this must look not just at demand, but at the supply side too.
Note: This blog is based on the article “Sociology of Debt: States, Credit Markets, and Indebted Citizens”. It represents the views of the author and not those of the British Politics and Policy blog nor of the LSE. Please read our comments policy before posting.
Basak Kus is Assistant Professor of Sociology at Wesleyan University in the US.
(Featured image credit: Eden, Janine & Jim CC BY 2.0)


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Distressed and annoyed chilli farmers stopped transporting their produce to market for selling and started burning them in the fields only. The cost they invested in cultivation is much higher than the price they are offered by the government. The hatred and annoyance of the farmers can be easily seen in the burning of the yield developed through hard work in field. Due to exploitation by agents and failure of the state government to offer remunerative prices. The amount farmers are earning by selling it is less than the amount farmers give in transportation.
In between the intermediaries are taking advantage of the situation and making the farmers to take the price they offer, farmers said. A distressed chilli farmer, Ramanna from Nadimigadda village in Vemanapali Mandal of Mancherial burnt 38 quintals of dry chilli on his field. He burnt it because he realized that he would not get a good price in the market, not even equivalent to the money he had invested in cultivation, he said. He also mentioned that middlemen were offering between Rs 2,000 and Rs 2,500 per quintal which was very low as compared to the cost of cultivation. Due to rise in labour wages and high prices of seed and fertilizers the investment costs have increased.
Farmers are complaining of exploitation, there hasn’t been much of a change in the retail price of chilli as compared to last year. The retail price of chilli is currently Rs 90 per kg, whereas last year it was Rs 110. This is indicative of the massive exploitation of farmers by middlemen and agents. Mr Ramanna said "there were no chilli-purchasing centres nearby, and so farmers would have spend a large amount of money to transport their produce to Nagpur in Maharashtra to receive a moderate price of Rs 3,000 per quintal, which would not cover their investment and transportation costs."


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Bailout Watch 246: When You Think "Viability" And "Accountability," Think Chrysler
For lo, Robert Nardelli hath descended from the mountain, and yea verily he has a plan! “The company … is ready to share our plans for returning Chrysler to profitability as we move beyond this unprecedented financial crisis,” says Bob the Builder in a memo to employees that was leaked to Reuters. The memo clarifies that government funds would be used to support Chrysler’s ongoing operations, including obligations to pay wages and suppliers, fund health care and pensions and to continue future product development. Not a penny will go to Cerberus. In even less surprising news, Bloomberg reports that Chrysler expects to meet its 24 percent workforce reduction goal with few, if any, involuntary layoffs. Apparently Chrysler’s employees are finding buyout offers more compelling now that the company is in the federal begging business. “There is some reasoning here that is telling people there is more security in unemployment than in staying with the company,”says automotive corporate recruiter Ed Crowder. “If they don’t take it now, they are feeling we may not get anything in three months.” Chrysler expects “minimal, if any, involuntary layoffs come the end of next month,” according to spokesfolks.


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Firms that use leaflet printing 'should make the most of December'
December will be a crucial month for marketing campaigns, such as those using leaflet printing, it has been suggested.
Companies that use leaflet printing may wish to heed advice that marketers should make the most of December.
Ivan Browne, director at GfK NOP, stated in an article for Marketing Week that although most firms have been working on Christmas campaigns for months, now is when consumers begin to start spending.
He noted research shows the VAT increase in January is weighing heavily on people's minds and will affect spending patterns before and after its introduction, with 44 per cent of respondents to one survey admitting they will bring forward major purchases because of it.
Mr Browne predicted this Christmas will be fairly similar to 2009, but organisations should not rely on a late surge in spending, as 47 per cent of people say they are spreading the cost of the holiday season over several months.
His comments follow those made recently by Georgina Wild in a piece for The Grocer, who suggested local businesses can boost their sales over the festive period by advertising their services through leaflet printing.
Published: 25th November 2010
News Category: Leaflet Printing News
Other news from this category:
20% OFF Leaflet Printing in November
20% OFF Leaflet Printing in October
20% OFF Leaflet Printing in September
20% OFF Leaflet Printing in August
Azimuth Print, my leaflet printer have printed my leaflets how do I distribute them?


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No surprise here, really.
That old fashioned “Let’s go outdoors and explore the world!” mentality is long gone. Young people these days would much rather seek their reality looking down into a glowing screen.
Sport Chalet announced on Saturday it has stopped online sales and is in the process of closing all of its locations, including dozens of stores in California, the retailer announced in a statement posted online.
All Sport Chalet stores will remain open for “several weeks,” offering customers the opportunity to use their remaining rewards and gift cards, the company said. A final closing date was not immediately provided.
It also sent out an email to Sport Chalet customers, informing them of the imminent closures.
Unlike today, Sport Chalet wasn’t just about buying clothes. With its maps and tools and books and camping paraphernalia all in one bazaar-like space, it represented a world view and sense of possibilities that was quite appealing for the time. Especially the one in La Canada. Not just travel, but exploration. And certainly nothing about business and career.
Wonder how long Adventure 16 has?


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Announced exactly one month ago, the Samsung Mythic and Samsung Flight will be available via AT&T starting November 8.
Both new devices are touchscreen phones, but they’re not at all similar and are targeted at different categories of customers.
The Samsung Mythic is priced at $199.99 on contract after a $50 mail-in rebate and features stuff like: a 3.3 inch display, TouchWiz UI, 3G, finger zoom, virtual QWERTY keyboard, full HTML browser, AT&T Navigator, AT&T Mobile TV, Stereo Bluetooth and a 3.2MP camera.
The Mythic looks really nice, as you can see in the photo below:
Priced at $99.99 (also on contract and after a $50 mail-in rebate), the Samsung Flight has a portrait QWERTY keyboard.
The Flight also comes with a (smaller) touchscreen display, HTML web browser, AT&T Navigator, stereo Bluetooth, and a 2MP camera.
Via Press release
If you liked the post, you might find these interesting too:
- Samsung Flight II (A927) for AT&T gets official, should be launched soon
- AT&T Intros Four Phones with Opera HTML Browser
- Samsung Eternity II A597 and Flight II A927 announced for AT&T, Flight II available now at Radio Shack
- Verizon announces new phones: LG Octane VN530 and Pantech Crux
- Pantech Reveal now available at AT&T, $80 on contract


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Hardware wallet manufacturer Trezor has confirmed it will deliver its first batch of wallets next month, following a successful crowdfunding campaign that began in June.
Trezor had previously promised to deliver its first orders in October, but delayed the fulfillment date to January after deciding to add more features.
Pavol Rusnak, Trezor’s co-founder, revealed that pre-orders are now closed.
Rusnak and co-founder Marek Palatinus initially attempted to fund the development of their hardware wallet with a Kickstarter campaign. However, the duo abandoned the crowdfunding platform after “long delays in communication” with Kickstarter and “additional conditions” imposed on the project’s page, according to a Trezor blog post.
Instead, the pair decided to solicit funds from the bitcoin community directly, via posting on reddit and other community sites.
On 21st November, a Trezor blog post announced that “most of the initial costs” had been covered by “hundreds of enthusiasts”. Rusnak wouldn’t give an exact figure on how much has been raised, nor how many people have contributed; adding only that the amount was “enough to cover mass production costs”.
Trezor offered bitcoin enthusiasts two ways of supporting its crowdfunding campaign. Supporters could either pay 1 BTC for a standard Trezor unit with a plastic casing, or pay triple the price for the aluminium-clad metallic option.
As bitcoin’s value has soared in the past two months, users have begun to question the wisdom of Trezor pricing its pre-orders in the cryptocurrency.


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for the rights to develop a new apparel and accessories collection with “Masha and the Bear.”
The licensed clothing line will include tops and bottoms, sweatshirts, jumpsuits, knitwear, outwear and dresses. Accessories, including phone cases, socks, shoulder bags, keychains and sticky notes, will be part of the collection.
SHEIN will distribute
collection to Australia and New Zealand with the expected launch in the market by October.
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PortandTerminal.com, March 22, 2019
If you feel like there have been a lot of container ship fires so far this year then you’re right. There have been.
TT Club has calculated that a major container ship happens every 60 days or so now. Why so many?
TT Club reported a jump in the number of container fires affecting cargo ships in 2019. The numbers show currently that a major container ship fire occurs every 60 days on average. Why so many?
What’s causing the fires?
TT Club has revealed that in 66% of incidents, cargo damage is due to poor practice in the packing process, including cargo identification, declaration, documentation and data transfer.
Peter Tirschwell, Vice President, Maritime & Trade, IHS Markit summed it up best in a recent Tweet when he stated that “dangerous goods, often misdeclared” are at the root of the problem.
Based on 2016 figures, the International Cargo Handling Coordination Association estimates that 5.4 million containers are packed with dangerous goods (DG) every year. If just one in a thousand of those 5.4 million containers is a serious fire risk, that means that there are 5,400 potential incidents waiting to happen each year.
“If we get more and more containers on-board, the chance that we will have a fire on-board [due to] misdeclared cargo is much bigger,” Uwe-Peter Schieder, vice-chairman of IUMI’s Loss Prevention Committee said in an interview.
The cost of the fires
These incidents cost the Marine Aviation & Transport (MAT) insurance sector US$500 million in claims each year. They also cost lives, millions of dollars in cargo losses and ship damage. They also cause cargo delays that undermine maritime transport’s reliability. Remaining cargo on the Hapag Lloyd vessel that caught fire last January is still in Bermuda. It was bound for Halifax, Canada three months ago.
These recent fires have reopened the conversation about the difficulties of preventing and extinguishing fires on the open sea. In an era when ships are larger than they have ever been before, when crew are stretched, and the amount of dangerous goods being transported is growing can we really be surprised by TT Club’s “fire every 60 days” finding?
Copyright © 2019 PortandTerminal.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.


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24 Sep Valor Collegiate Academies featured in RETROFIT MAGAZINE
Posted at 09:28h in Uncategorized
BC&A teamed with Manuel Zeitlin Architects on the adaptive-reuse project of a former home improvement retailer in Nashville and converting it into a beautiful new middle school and high school for Valor Collegiate Academies. This project is currently featured in the September-October 2021 issue of RETROFIT MAGAZINE.
Check out the article here.


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The Federal Government has announced it will provide $800,000 for a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in regional Victoria to help power Australia’s lithium battery industry.
Minister for Industry, Science and Technology, Karen Andrews, said the BATMn reactor at the Calix Manufacturing Facility will open the door to a new frontier of advanced manufacturing and battery creation.
“Australia is well positioned to become a world leader in the booming lithium industry, which has huge potential to create new jobs and opportunities for Australians,” Ms Andrews said.
“As the world’s largest producer of lithium, we have an enormous opportunity to leverage off this rapidly-growing industry. That’s why the Morrison Government supported the creation of the BATMn reactor with $800,000 through the Advanced Manufacturing Growth Fund.
“Calix is a fantastic example of an advanced manufacturer using Australia’s abundant lithium reserves to create high-value products for domestic and international markets.”
Senator David Van welcomed the opening of the reactor and the opportunities it will bring to regional Victoria.
“Calix’s BATMn reactor is evidence of Australia’s bright future in advanced manufacturing,” Mr Van said.
The reactor will fuel the work of the Cooperative Research Centre Project (CRC-P) for Advanced Hybrid Batteries, which recently received $3 million through round 7 of the CRC-P Program.
Calix leads the CRC-P in collaboration with the Institute for Frontier Materials and BAT-TRI Hub at Deakin University and specialist chemicals manufacturer Boron Molecular.
The CRC-P project aims to create a sustainable Australian manufacturing industry delivering high performance, affordable, and more recyclable lithium ion hybrid batteries.


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The second iOS 16.4 beta doesn't add much that the first beta didn't have, but there are a few new features. Here's what's new.
The latest beta cycle for iOS 16.4 and the other operating system updates is running at the normal pace for early betas. It took nearly a month for the beta to begin after iOS 16.3 was released, and it has been 11 days since then.
For the second beta, users have discovered that the Apple Books page turn animation has returned. Code refers to three user options for how a page turn animates — curl, instant, and swipe.
The animation was a near-skeuomorphic remnant of the older iBooks experience and disappeared with the Books app update in iOS 16. Users vocalized their disappointment in losing the feature, which may have led to its return.
Code sleuth Steve Moser, who contributes to MacRumors, shared a few discoveries found in the iOS 16.4 beta 2 code. The Apple Wallet app has hidden text that suggests Apple Pay will finally launch in South Korea.
Code discovered by 9to5Mac shows Apple has expanded a feature called 5G Standalone. It became available to US T-Mobile iPhone users with the first iOS 16.4 beta, and support has expanded to Brazilian carriers Vivo and TIM Brazil. 5G SA is also coming to Japanese carrier Softbank.
Discovered in iOS 16.4 beta 1
Shortcut updates and new Focus Filters give users control over the always-on display. Also, there's a new parameter tracked in the battery settings that shows how much battery is used by the always-on display, specifically.
There are several other significant updates coming to Apple's operating system we've already covered in detail.
It isn't clear when Apple intends on releasing iOS 16.4 and the other new updates. These beta cycles usually last for about a month, placing this release sometime in March.


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You'll have to wait four months if you want a Prius, Toyota Motor Co.'s first mass-produced hybrid. People were skeptical about the commercial viability of the car when it was introduced in 1997. Today Toyota can't meet the demand. The Tokyo automaker produced 300,000 in 2005 and plans to ramp production to 400,000 in 2006. The Prius gets 60 mpg in the city and 51 on the highway, according to the U.S. government.
Toyota has been leaning hard on its suppliers for more parts. Company executives denied speculation that the automaker has been locking up suppliers in order to maintain its domination over the hybrid market. Ford Motor Co. officials grumbled to the Wall Street Journal that they are having trouble getting hybrid parts because Toyota is squeezing the supply. Hybrids were effectively novelty vehicles until gas prices soared.
Truchard will be presented the award at the 2014 Golden Mousetrap Awards ceremony during the co-located events Pacific Design & Manufacturing, MD&M West, WestPack, PLASTEC West, Electronics West, ATX West, and AeroCon.
Robots that walk have come a long way from simple barebones walking machines or pairs of legs without an upper body and head. Much of the research these days focuses on making more humanoid robots. But they are not all created equal.
The IEEE Computer Society has named the top 10 trends for 2014. You can expect the convergence of cloud computing and mobile devices, advances in health care data and devices, as well as privacy issues in social media to make the headlines. And 3D printing came out of nowhere to make a big splash.
For industrial control applications, or even a simple assembly line, that machine can go almost 24/7 without a break. But what happens when the task is a little more complex? That’s where the “smart” machine would come in. The smart machine is one that has some simple (or complex in some cases) processing capability to be able to adapt to changing conditions. Such machines are suited for a host of applications, including automotive, aerospace, defense, medical, computers and electronics, telecommunications, consumer goods, and so on. This discussion will examine what’s possible with smart machines, and what tradeoffs need to be made to implement such a solution.


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After slashing the price of the Nissan Leaf by $6,400 a year ago, the Japanese automaker this week announced that pricing for the 2014 version of the all-electric, zero-emissions car would remain virtually the same. Across the board, starting prices on all three trim levels have increased by $180. The 2014 Leaf is on sale now nationwide.
The starting price for the lowest trim level, the Leaf S, is now $29,830; the midrange SV trim is $32,850; and the top SL trim is $35,870. All prices include an $850 destination charge. With the federal tax incentive for purchasing an electric vehicle, the Leaf price could drop as low as $22,330, and even further with state incentives such as those in California.
The 2014 Leaf is powered by a 107-horsepower electric motor that generates 187 pounds-feet of torque, and it gets an EPA-estimated 126/101 mpg-equivalent city/highway and a range of 84 miles. With its lithium-ion battery pack, the car charges up to 80 percent of its full capacity in a half-hour when equipped with a quick-charge port and using a DC fast charger. Otherwise, charging takes either five or eight hours on a 220-volt outlet when equipped with a 6.6- or 3.6-kilowatt onboard charger, respectively. A backup camera is now standard on all trims, while optional equipment includes the Around View Monitor camera system and the new-for-2014 Gun Metallic paint color.


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NBN Co's updated product road map released today outlines plans to introduce fibre-to-the-basement and fibre-to-the-node commercial products in 2015.
Broadband 6,040 articles
Australia is the only country that has mobile connection speeds above 100Mbps, according to the second-quarter 2014 State of the Internet Report.
Security 32,424 articles
Australia's Parliament has passed the first tranche of new national security reforms, approving laws that will give ASIO the power to monitor every device on the internet, and with a single warrant copy, delete, or modify data held on those devices.
Telcos 12,606 articles
Zen Telecom has been fined AU$225,000 for misleading customers by claiming it is associated with Telstra.
Banking 8,144 articles
Eftpos has replaced a network of complex bilateral links between banks and merchants with a centralised payment hub.
Government 10,288 articles
The Chinese government is cracking down on Instagram, fearing dissidents and food porn. Europe is once again telling Google how it feels, and the FBI is releasing software. Plus more gov news 'round the globe.
Cloud 9,081 articles
Ellison also took a moment to apologize for missing this regularly-scheduled second keynote last year due to the America's Cup.
Windows 13,534 articles
Microsoft will open up its first public preview build of the next version of Windows client on October 1. Here's what you need to know about Windows 10.
Enterprise Software 15,623 articles
Call it 'Threshold' no more. The next and last major version of Microsoft's Windows client operating system will be called Windows 10 when it is released next year.
Mobility 45,109 articles
Pebble continues to be my favorite smartwatch. With this software update, users can now leave their activity tracker behind and reduce the number of items on their wrist.
Social Enterprise 10,365 articles
According to a new report released by Tata Communications, one in four Americans admit they wouldn't survive more than five hours without using the Internet in their daily life.


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A batch of companies has been trying to take the mountains of “ugly” fruits and vegetables passed over by supermarkets and find new homes for all that produce. They aim to turn a profit while also curbing the massive problem of food waste.
But they have run into a thorny problem. How do you know whether the oranges and lettuce a company says it “saves” would have been wasted otherwise? It’s a question with implications for the climate, since decomposing food, which releases methane, is responsible for about 10 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. Knowing how much waste is actually being averted is key to calculating these companies’ effects on the environment.
At first, “everyone just simplified it and said, ‘Oh, if it’s surplus or imperfect, it’s reducing food waste. And it’s just not,’” said Christine Moseley, the founder and CEO of Full Harvest, a company that connects farms to businesses that can use their ugly and imperfect produce. Moseley explained that there were already markets for off-grade produce — turning inferior-looking apples into applesauce, for example — meaning there was always a chance the apples you thought you rescued might have been sold to someone else. “There was no standard, and not a lot of data.”
Sensing an appetite for clarity, Full Harvest recently developed the world’s first “verified rescued produce” certification label. The trademarked seal now appears on Mondelez’s air-dried vegetable crisps and some of Danone’s yogurt, assuring buyers that the zucchini and lemons inside the package have been saved from the scrap heap.
Certification reflects a step forward in the field, a sign that companies are getting serious about calculating their impact and that people are hungry to buy more sustainable products. But it’s a field potentially littered with landmines. Some experts have criticized Full Harvest for the lack of transparency around its proprietary certification process. And the tricky problem of verifying whether produce was truly “rescued” will sound familiar to those working on projects to offset carbon dioxide on farms and forests, which have been struggling with similar verification issues — with consequences for the ever-heating planet.
The farm-to-table carbon math
Moseley wants to stop the food waste that happens at farms — the unsold spinach, the outer leaves of romaine that get thrown out in favor of the perfect-looking hearts. Farmers often have to pay to get rid of this waste by sending it off to a landfill. Sometimes they turn it into compost or cattle feed or donate it to food banks. “It’s a very inefficient supply chain, and that’s why so much gets wasted,” Moseley said.
There’s some debate around how much food waste comes from farms, with recent research suggesting it might be larger than previously estimated. Somewhere between 20 and 50 percent of the total food that goes uneaten is lost on farms. The rest is lost in manufacturing, at restaurants, at the grocery store, and in people’s homes, where produce rots on countertops and in crisper drawers.
Dana Gunders, the executive director of the food waste nonprofit ReFED, said that from a greenhouse gas perspective, farms are a smaller piece of the problem because emissions build up after food leaves the farm, when it’s transported, refrigerated, and cooked. “Sometimes people say an early loss is a good loss,” she said. ReFED estimates that the burgeoning surplus produce industry could avert an annual 273,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent, roughly the amount emitted by 59,000 cars a year.
Imperfect Foods, one of the companies that sells boxes of ugly produce, claims it has diverted more than 139 million pounds of food since 2015, avoiding more than 35,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent. Imperfect’s competitor, Misfits Market, says it’s saved 225 million pounds of food from 2018 until last fall, nearly three-quarters of which otherwise have gone to waste. Neither company responded to Grist’s request for comment.
Any company trying to turn a profit off an inconsistent and sometimes spontaneous supply of uneaten food is going to run into challenges. “It’s not entirely fair to expect a business that is working to solve some of those problems to only sell rescues,” Gunders said. Even Full Harvest doesn’t claim all the surplus and imperfect produce it sold would have gone to waste — just its verified rescued ones.
What does it mean to ‘rescue’ produce?
There’s a gray area when it comes to defining what counts as waste, Gunders says. What if corn was previously going to animal feed, but now ends up on your plate instead? What if that carrot was going to get juiced, but now you’re using the whole product, fiber and all?
Imperfect Foods focuses on avoiding these kinds of “lesser outcomes” for its food products, like getting left in the field or being sent to a landfill. This thinking is backed up by the Environmental Protection Agency’s rankings for different strategies to manage food waste, which prioritizes the solutions that provide the most benefits to society. The best option is simply producing less food to begin with, followed by using the surplus to feed hungry people, feeding animals, industrial uses, and composting.
Full Harvest’s website doesn’t define exactly what it means by “waste” or offer details on how its third-party “verified rescued” program works. Moseley said the methods of the program were trade secrets that the company had spent six years developing. Broadly, she said, the proprietary process has two parts: First, working directly with growers to save produce that was previously going to waste, and second, extensive surveys, audits, and affidavits to confirm each order would have been wasted otherwise. “We work with some of the largest food companies in the world who have vetted our process and hold it at the highest level of integrity or else they would not work with us,” Moseley said.
Some experts would like to see more details. “Generally speaking, certifications are pretty transparent about their methods and their criteria,” Gunders said. Austin Whitman, the CEO of the certification company Climate Neutral, said he thought Full Harvest’s methods should be explained and open for scrutiny. “If someone can’t explain to you, soup to nuts, what the requirements are of certification, then it would feel like it’s maybe missing the point,” he said.
To Whitman, the messy question of verifying whether produce was truly rescued reminded him of what’s known as “additionality,” whether an intervention — such as a carbon offset project — has an effect compared to a baseline. For instance, what if a program that’s supposed to incentivize farmers to use better soil practices to store carbon only ends up paying farmers who were already doing it? Climate Neutral, which has certified about 300 companies, uses third parties to verify carbon offsets and make sure new interventions pass an additionality test. It also has an advisory committee that reevaluates its list of standards each year.
The explosion of eco-labels
Demand for environmentally friendly products is growing: A survey from earlier this year found 68 percent of people were willing to pay more for sustainable products. “The trends around sustainability are massive,” according to Moseley, who said companies could be left out in the coming years if they don’t sell sustainable products.
Surbhi Martin, a vice president at Danone North America, oversees the company’s Two Good “Good Save” line, which sells yogurts made with Meyer lemons, pumpkins, and mandarin oranges marked by Full Harvest’s verified rescued seal. Martin said that the Good Save yogurts have been “excellent performers,” with sales increasing 383 percent in the first quarter of this year compared to the same quarter last year. To date, she said, the company has helped rescue more than 500,000 pounds of fruit since its Good Save line started in 2021, “with the goal of inspiring a movement” that will encourage others to use verified rescued produce.
Danone is one of many companies that are turning their sustainability cred into a selling point. Consider Avocado, a mattress company that proudly lists its more than a dozen certifications verifying that its products are organic and vegan, that the wool and other textiles it uses are sustainable, and that the company is “carbon negative,” meaning that it takes more CO2 out of the atmosphere than it emits. Gunders says that people trust certifications more than just declarations, but that she’s starting to see “certification fatigue.”
Environmentally-friendly labels can be a double-edged sword. “There’s no kind of indisputable truth that all eco-labels work, because they don’t,” Whitman said. He founded Climate Neutral because he saw companies starting to claim they were carbon neutral while only analyzing a small, lower-emitting part of their operations, and he wanted to make sure there were a set of rules that were more meaningful. “We’ve certainly seen a lot of cases where industry capture has kind of weakened or watered down eco-labels to a point where they become more a reflection of current corporate practices as opposed to a standard that raises the bar for corporate practices,” he said.
As for the ugly produce industry, Gunders says that it provides a useful service, but shouldn’t be used as an excuse for grocery stores and restaurants to keep rejecting produce that’s perfectly fine to eat. “I just don’t think we’re going to entirely solve this problem with side channels,” she said. “If the produce is edible, why is it not just sold on the shelf?”


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Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company is recalling 1,650 G399A LHS tires, size 295/75R22.5 LRG, manufactured January 24, 2016, to May 28, 2016.
Due to an anomaly during the curing press set-up operation, incomplete adhesion between the tread and the top belt may have occurred.
Incomplete adhesion may result in tread separation of the tire while in use, increasing the risk of a crash.
What to do
Goodyear will notify the vehicle manufacturers that purchased the tires, as well as those that purchased the tires as replacement equipment. The vehicle manufacturers will notify their owners. Dealers will replace the affected tires with a similar tires, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin October 15, 2016.
Owners may contact Goodyear customer service at 1-800-592-3267.
Keep an eye on your inbox, the lastest consumer news is on it's way!


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Space-O Technologies, a new set of IT Services Provider – The Economic Times
Android Application Development, iPhone Application Development
Firms like LeewayHertz and Space-O, called offshore product development centres, are seeing a significant chunk of their revenue come from the Indian subcontinent. – The Economic Times
Among at least 250 app development companies in India, Space-O Technologies identifies as one of the most promising IT service providers for startups by The Economics Times.
The Economics Times is one of the most reputed news listing sites, where news related to Business, Financial, Stock/Share Market, Economy, Loans & Banking, etc. are published. We are proud to share space with other reputed offshore product development centers like LeewayHertz, whose also more than of revenue comes from the Indian subcontinent.
Read the full news here: http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2015-12-16/news/69090945_1_indian-it-services-firms-startups
Android Application Development
, iPhone Application Development


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Revolutionary: AI-powered fuel station in Dubai and Abu Dhabi
The UAE’s largest fuel and convenience retailer introduced the ADNOC Fill & Go station to became the region’s first fuel distribution to introduce AI technology at its service stations. The AI solution utilizes the latest innovations in computer vision technologies, comprising machine learning models allowing computers to recognize vehicles and respond by offering a hyper-personalized fueling experience.
Once a vehicle is registered on the ADNOC distribution app, customers can simply enter on an ADNOC station that supports the new service, where the smart cameras will start identifying automatically the vehicle. At the pump, according to the customer’s stored data, AI technology automatically initiate the refueling process based on the preferred fuel and spending amount, which offer a faster and effortless refueling experience.
Customers are informed by a digital screen when the fueling is completed and are also encouraged to take advantage of personalized offers in ADNOC Oasis stores.
ADNOC Distribution is known for its advanced technology and innovative solutions in the fuel distribution industry. One of the technologies they have implemented is the use of Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) systems at their fuel stations. These systems can recognize the license plate of a vehicle and link it to the ADNOC Wallet, a mobile app that enables customers to pay for fuel and other services at ADNOC stations.
ADNOC Distribution has launched the ADNOC Fill & Go service at three of its flagship service stations, on Sheikh Zayed Road in Dubai, Abu Dhabi’s Corniche Road and Al Khalidiya.
AI- technology allows for a more convenient and streamlined fueling experience for customers, as they can pay for fuel without leaving their vehicle or having to use cash or a card. However, it’s important to note that this technology does not track or store any personal information about the driver or their vehicle.
AI-powered fuel stations are becoming increasingly common around the world, with many companies exploring the use of advanced technologies to improve the fueling experience for customers.
Some of the ways AI can be used in gas stations include:
- AI-technology can be used to predict when equipment in the fuel station, such as pumps and tanks, may require maintenance, reducing the risk of downtime and improving the overall efficiency of the station.
- AI-powered digital sign can display targeted advertisements and promotions based on customer data, such as purchase history and statistics.
- AI can be used to analyze customer data to identify patterns and trends, allowing fuel stations to better understand their customers’ needs and preferences.
- AI-powered kiosks can let customers to order food and drinks or make other purchases, amplify the overall customer experience.
Overall, the use of AI in gas stations can lead to a more efficient and convenient fueling experience for customers, while also improving the operations of the fuel station itself. Thanks to its AI-powered system, the fuel station operates with impressive efficiency, allowing customers to quickly and seamlessly refuel their vehicles and get back on the road.
AI technology is getting very popular but it is important to recognize both the benefits and potential drawbacks of this technology. As the benefits of AI are numerous and can greatly amplify its efficiency and convenience, it is also important to consider the potential risks and unexpected consequences that may arise.
Artificial intelligence has the potential to make significant changes and improvements to our society, including Healthcare, Finance, Transportation, Fuel station, Retail and E-commerce, Entertainment etc. But, at the same time AI has some downsides and challenges that need to be conveyed, including requirements of lot of electricity, huge amount of global-warming carbon emissions, job displacement, data privacy, safety and security risks.
AI models are getting larger in many cases and companies are also regularly working on the improvements that can make them run more efficiently. Microsoft, Google and Amazon, the biggest U.S. companies have carbon negative or neutral pledges. These companies have pledges to be carbon negative by and between 2030 to 2040. These companies are also encouraging other companies to commit to achieving net-zero emissions by 2040. These net-zero pledges and commitments form major AI companies demonstrate a growing awareness of the environmental impact of AI and a commitment to finding a sustainable solution that will enable us to benefit from the progressive or advanced technology. The article about “ The Dark side of AI “can provide valuable awareness into the potential risks and unexpected consequences of this technology.
AI has some downsides and challenges that need to be conveyed, including job displacement, data privacy, safety and security risks. The mass development of AI also raises ethical questions about how we are using and regulating these technologies that need to be addressed.
The article about “The Dark side of AI” is not intended to discourage the use of AI, but rather to provide a balanced viewpoint that takes both the benefits and risks into account. It is essential to acknowledge both the benefits and challenges of AI and it requires the collaboration between policymakers, industry experts and researchers to ensure that “AI” is developed and used in a responsible, ethical and transparent manner.


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Busy BIPA days: Amazon, 7-Eleven and rail company BNSF
A new class action filed against several of Amazon executives, including company founder Jeff Bezos and CEO Andy Jassy, claims investors were deliberately misled about the company’s compliance with a state biometrics privacy law.
Stephen G. Nelson claims in court documents that Amazon could be assailed in 14 other class actions, all alleging that the company has violated Illinois’ Biometric Information Privacy Act.
The act prohibits any private entities from gathering or using an Illinois resident’s biometric data without first being seeking their consent and taking reasonable care of the information.
Nelson holds that besides Bezos and Jassy, Chief Financial Officer Brian Olsavsky and other board members and executives knew Amazon’s actions violated Illinois law and created unnecessary risk without fully informing shareholders.
Specifically, company executives have stored the biometric data of their workers, customers and minors in violation of BIPA.
Executives’ statements dating to 2019 seem to “cloud” the risk Amazon faced if someone took the company to court over the Illinois law, according to Nelson’s filing.
The suit accuses the executives and board members of breaching fiduciary duties, wasting corporate assets and unjustly enriching themselves. Among the remedies sought, Nelson wants all compensation of any kind paid to the defendants to be returned.
7-Eleven has 4 accusers
Convenience story giant 7-Eleven faces a possible BIPA class action proposed by four customers of the chain. Multiple locations allegedly used Clickit surveillance systems that scan faces and recognizes facial features without first getting written consent.
Clickit, according to trade publisher ClassAction.org, reportedly tried to assuage concerns by saying data “can be deleted on a daily basis,” an option that would still run afoul of BIPA.
BNSF still says federal law protects it from BIPA
Lawyers for freight rail company BNSF continue to argue that federal security and industry uniformity concerns remove their client from review under BIPA. The case involves the collection of fingerprints from truck drivers who access secure areas of Illinois rail yards.
The collection took place without a written release by drivers, a violation of BIPA, according to reporting by the Cook County Record.
The court battle has been waged for a number of years, and it has not been going well for BNSF. BNSF claims the Railroad Safety Act and other federal laws pre-empt BIPA, an argument which has been rejected. Company lawyers have now filed documents asking that the judge allow the Seventh Circuit to review the pre-emption decision.
U.S. District Judge Matthew Kennelly acknowledges the very real risks faced by the rail industry and infrastructure companies but has held that notifying individuals about biometric collection does not affect that.
In fact, according to the Record, BNSF uses a phone app in some yards to control access, and the app does not violate BIPA.


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Hony Capital has led a Series B round of funding for Quanyi Pharmacy Chain, an investment and operating platform that is intended to consolidate Chinese retail drug stores.
Financial terms weren’t disclosed but Hony said in a statement that the round was worth multiple billion renminbi. The deal – which comes from Hony Capital Fund VIII – allows the fund to become...
Asian private equity has moved on from chasing momentum plays, with GPs increasingly pursuing opportunities where they have domain expertise and know they can add value, the AVCJ Private Equity & Venture Forum heard.
An emerging technology giant has imploded. Regulations are set to tighten. Investors hit pause but remain confident about the long-term outlook. Business as usual in crypto
Patrick Reid, a UK-based managing director for alternatives distribution management at Morgan Stanley, plots the future of themes around secondaries, longer holds, and hybrid approaches to PE
LionRock Capital is exiting Clarks to its majority partner, Li Ning-owned and Hong Kong-listed Viva China, having helped the struggling British shoe brand survive the pandemic


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Breaking Records: Credit Card Balances Soar 10% to Reach an All-Time High of $6,360 as Payment Delinquencies Surge
As consumer spending habits continue to evolve, the rise in credit card usage has reached alarming levels. Recent reports show that the average credit card balance has surged by 10% to a record high of $6,360. This increase in outstanding balances is worrisome, as it indicates that more consumers are struggling to keep up with their credit card payments. In this article, we will delve into the reasons behind this trend and explore the potential consequences it may have on individuals and the economy as a whole. One of the primary reasons for the surge in credit card balances is the increasing cost of living. As inflation continues to push up prices for everyday essentials such as housing, food, and healthcare, consumers are left with less disposable income. Consequently, many individuals are forced to rely on credit cards to bridge the gap between their expenses and their limited earnings, resulting in higher average balances. Another factor contributing to the rising credit card balances is the ease of obtaining credit. Financial institutions have made credit cards readily available to consumers, often enticing them with attractive rewards, cashback offers, and low introductory interest rates. While these incentives can be beneficial if used responsibly, they can also tempt individuals to spend beyond their means, leading to higher balances that are difficult to pay off. Moreover, the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on people’s ability to make timely credit card payments. With job losses, reduced working hours, and a general economic downturn, many consumers have found themselves struggling to meet their financial obligations. As a result, they have been forced to rely on credit cards to cover basic expenses, causing their balances to increase further. This trend is particularly worrying given the economic uncertainty we currently face. The consequences of higher credit card balances extend beyond individual financial struggles. As the number of delinquencies and defaults on credit card payments rise, it poses a threat to the profitability of banks and financial institutions. These institutions rely heavily on interest income from credit card balances to generate revenue. If more consumers are unable to pay off their debts, it could lead to a cascading effect, potentially affecting the stability of the banking sector. Furthermore, the rise in credit card balances may also have broader implications for the national economy. When consumers carry significant levels of debt, it restricts their ability to spend on other goods and services, thereby slowing down economic growth. This becomes particularly concerning if a large portion of the population is burdened with high credit card balances, as it hampers their ability to contribute to the overall economy. In conclusion, the surge in average credit card balances to a record high of $6,360 reflects the growing financial strain faced by consumers. Rising living costs, easy access to credit, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic have all contributed to this worrying trend. It is crucial for individuals to exercise caution when using credit cards, ensuring that they do not accrue unsustainable levels of debt. For financial institutions and policymakers, finding ways to address this issue and promote responsible borrowing becomes imperative to maintain economic stability and protect consumers from undue financial stress.


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It was announced today that Bionical Emas, a global Contract Research Organisation (CRO) providing a range of services to the pharmaceutical and Biotech sector, is to establish a storage, distribution, and secondary labelling facility in Ireland. Bionical Emas will be initially creating some 35 new local jobs.
Bionical Emas say that due to rapidly increasing demand for its services in the EU, US and Asia-Pacific, the facility will provide a major expansion to the existing logistics and storage capabilities. The state-of-the-art temperature-controlled (ambient and cold chain) facility will be used to store, distribute, and label medicinal products for use around the world.
It is expected that following the completion of the build-out of the facility, Bionical Emas will continue to expand its operations and Ireland based headcount across its three services areas: Clinical Development, Early Access Programs and Clinical Trial Supply.
Welcoming the news, Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade & Employment, Robert Troy said, "I am delighted that Bionical Emas has announced plans to establish a European Storage, Distribution and Labelling facility in Kilbeggan. This new state-of-the-art facility will create 35 new jobs in Westmeath, with the potential for further expansion in the years to come. This is a very welcome announcement for Kilbeggan and the wider Midlands region and demonstrates the Midlands has the skills, talent, people and connectivity that will enable companies like Bionical Emas to embed and grow their operations here."
CEO of Bionical Emas, Jonathan Waring-Hughes added, "We are extremely pleased to have chosen Kilbeggan as our new European hub - Ireland provides a great location for further expansion. Our selection of the Midlands region creates a unique opportunity to tap into the local life science talent and infrastructure. The addition of this state-of-the-art facility will further enhance our global service offerings and enable us to deliver a unique, seamless approach to bring life-changing medicines to patients around the world."


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Xiaomi is rolling out a new 188.8.131.52 update for the Notification app, which brings optimizations for the application. Aside from this, Xiaomi has also added a new feature in the notification section, with the launch of MIUI 14. It lets you block annoying app notifications permanently.
Notifications are one of the essential elements of any smartphone, it informs us of every single happening on the device, which consequences a remarkable user experience. With this new update, the notification app will function more adequately and some bugs that were bothering you will also be solved.
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For a recall, Xiaomi has also made a separate unit for notifications like when you swipe down from the left side it will open a whole notification segment. Whereas swiping down from the right will let you access the quick settings panel, as a result, you will find a clear glance for every single notification.
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Coming back to the current topic, the latest update for the Xiaomi Notification app has arrived with version 184.108.40.206 and it holds a package that weighs up to 10.4 Megabytes. Hence, the corresponding device owners are suggested to opt for a stable Wi-Fi connection over regular mobile data.
Moving on, the update is specifically released for the China ROM. Though, it may not work on the Global ROM. Owners of Xiaomi devices in China can upgrade their app to get an optimized functioning. Through the Google Play Store or it can be installed directly via the link given below.
Get the Xiaomi Notification App:
- Notification App update – Download link


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The St. Louis Regional Freightway, the region’s freight district that officially launched last week, is developing a framework for bolstering and better promoting St. Louis’ freight industry, including pushing for hundreds of millions of dollars of infrastructure projects.
Officials say the region needs to do a better job of telling people what it has to offer. Mary Lamie, executive director of Freightway, argues that other cities have aggressive marketing campaigns, and higher rates of freight growth.
Priority items on the infrastructure project list include replacing the 126-year-old Merchants railroad bridge over the Mississippi River, widening Interstate 270 to six lanes and replacing its bridge over the Mississippi with a six-lane span.
Federal grants already are being sought for some of this work, including $75 million for a new Merchants bridge, $5 million for a freight study to be conducted by the East-West Gateway Council of Governments and $30 million for the Interstate 270 work.
But getting funding to pay for hundreds of millions of dollars in road and bridge work to help move that freight — upgrades that appeal to shippers — could be a significant challenge, given strong national competition for federal money to help fund such projects.
Read more: St. Louis Post-Dispatch


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Dealers in western Kansas have found a way to showcase antiques in their area by sponsoring the Western Kansas Antique Shop Hop April 27-29.
So far, 13 dealers have pledged to participate. The goal of the shop hop is to get shoppers to travel, or “hop,” to all 13 stores during the weekend event.
To encourage shoppers, each store will hold a drawing for a door prize to be given away at the end of the hop. As further incentive to attract shoppers, three grand prizes will be given away during a drawing from the names of people who visit all 13 stores during the weekend. The grand prizes will be gift certificates valid at any of the participating stores on a future purchase in the amounts of $125, $100 and $75.
The idea of a shop hop was borrowed from quilt stores, who have been hosting quilting shop hops for years. While the concept of a shop hop is not new, one way the hop is being promoted is relatively new. A Facebook page for the event has been created, on which details of the hop, pictures and information about specific stores or the names of the prize winners will be posted.
The hop will take shoppers along a 146-mile route from Colby, Oakley, Scott City, Leoti, Tribune and Sharon Springs, Kan. According to Robbin Schemm, co-owner of Scott City Antiques, each store is different and shoppers will find a lot of variety. While her store has a rustic feel, Jim at Vinny’s Fine Antiques focuses on upper-end antique furniture.
Jim Smith, owner of The Shaggy Buffalo in Oakley, Kan., had planned to open his new store some time this summer. However, he decided to move up his opening date to coincide with the shop hop. The shop hop is being advertised regionally, and he wanted his store to be included in the ads. The regional advertising was an attractive benefit to Antiques Nice As New in Sharon Springs, Kan., and Leoti Antiques, both of which have opened in the past year.
This article was originally published in Antique Trader
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Henry Maurth of Southwind Antique Mall in Colby, Kan., and management at A Moment in Time in Oakley, Kan., sees the hop as an opportunity to expand their customer base, which is currently about 85 percent travelers from I-70.
Jana Brittan of Paragons & Poppycock in Scott City, Kan., likes the cooperative nature of the hop. She has always welcomed new antique stores to the area, because there is strength in numbers. On a similar note, Karen’s Kitchen, Colleen’s Antiques and M&M Antiques all in Tribune, Kan., are participating in the event because they want people to realize that, as one of the western towns in Kansas, there are antique shopping opportunities in rural, small-town America.
As the economy tightens and the price of gasoline increases, more people are taking shorter road trips instead of going on extended vacations. Donita Sparks of Divine Secrets, A Resale Shoppe and Randy Schwartz, owner of Randy’s Antiques, both of Oakley, Kan., anticipate that as word spreads, with four antique stores in Oakley and several others within a day’s drive, shop owners will see an increase in the number of shoppers in their stores out for a day of antiquing.
Hours of the hop are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. April 27-28 and the afternoon of April 29. For more information, call Brittan at 620-874-1712.


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Dogfish Head co-founder Sam Calagione shared how the first 149 days of his company’s merger with the Boston Beer Company was progressing during Brewbound’s final Brew Talk meetup of 2019.
Calagione pointed to goals of brand longevity and growth outside Dogfish Head’s homebase of the Mid-Atlantic region as the reasons for forming a business partnership with the maker of Samuel Adams, Truly Hard Seltzer, Twisted Tea and Angry Orchard.
“If you want to be a top 50 brand, you need to really have some level of national capabilities that, frankly, we were pretty anemic in outside of the Mid-Atlantic when we were mom and pop,” Calagione said.
The more than $300 million merger, which closed on July 3, made Dogfish Head co-founders Sam and Mariah Calagione the largest non-institutional stockholders in Boston Beer, other than the company’s founder, Jim Koch.
Calagione also gained a seat on Boston Beer’s board of directors, a spot perhaps he never envisioned for himself when he penned his first book, Brewing Up a Business, in 2005. In that book, he wrote that he would rather swim in a vat of beer than make Dogfish Head a publicly traded company.
“Nine hundred ninety-nine out of 1,000 cases when you go public, you’re legally beheld to prioritizing maximizing shareholder value every quarter and that didn’t seem so interesting to me,” he explained.
What appealed to him about the Boston Beer merger is that Massachusetts-based publicly traded companies can separate their shares into voting and non-voting classes. In the case of Boston Beer, Koch holds all shares in the voting class.
“If you watch how Boston Beer has run their company and their brands, they kind of really put their priorities in a good place and that’s something that gave me a lot of confidence that we were making the right move,” he said.
Additionally, the deal with Boston Beer allowed the Calagiones to buy out the 14.8% share their company had sold to private equity firm LNK Partners in 2015. Calagione explained that Dogfish made that deal at the time to keep the craft brewery competitive at a time when the next phase of growth appeared to require deep-pocketed investment firms, rather than just entrepreneurial brewers.
“There was suddenly a lot of what [market research firm] IRI would define as ‘craft beer’ that were being led by multinational companies or run by private equity companies,” Calagione said. “Mariah and I were like, ‘Oh shit, there’s some really sophisticated, smart business people that are in our industry now navigating through this competitive moment, better bring in some folks that know how to do this.’”
Calagione credited LNK with helping Dogfish Head mature as the industry grew.
“You can be a tasting room, mom-and-pop brewery, and if you’re selling within your own walls and it’s just your family, then just go for it, and do whatever, fly your freak flag in whatever direction you want,” he said. “If you’re committed to the three-tier system and there’s not only your family, but your coworkers relying on you, and you’re asking retailers and distributors to prioritize you versus other brands, you better come correct and be buttoned up and professional with your sales and marketing plan. Be well-differentiated, do your own thing, but be professional and LNK helped us with that.”
As part of this year’s merger, Dogfish Head gained access to Boston Beer’s teams and resources. Calagione estimated that Dogfish Head’s marketing budget will grow by about 500% for 2020, though he doesn’t anticipate spending any of it on television commercials, a medium Boston Beer has traditionally used to advertise its Samuel Adams, Angry Orchard and Twisted Tea brands.
Calagione noted that Dogfish Head will learn national sales programs from established teams at Boston Beer, but will retain full autonomy of its marketing. He added that Dogfish Head’s social media channels have larger fan bases than those of Sam Adams, despite being a much smaller brand in volume.
“What we’re good at is social media, events, and online marketing; we’re just doing that times five, because that’s authentic to our brand,” he said.
In the video below, Calagione pondered how relevant founders’ stories are to new legal-drinking-age consumers, the task ahead with aligning Dogfish Head and Boston Beer’s distribution networks and more.
Watch the entire conversation in the video below.


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October means IBEX. And IBEX means innovation. Those two phrases probably wouldn’t make sense to most people unless you’d helped judge the NMMA’s Innovation Awards for years.
Innovation is one of those buzzwords used by marketers and public-relations folks for any new product. But on the awards committee, we saw its different forms, from new classes of outboards to a tiny fitting attached to a through-hull drain to keep outflowing water from staining the hull. Opposite ends of the spectrum, but both innovative.
Recently, I had a chance to see innovation in a compelling new way at Brunswick’s I-JET lab at the University of Illinois and, a week later, at Correct Craft headquarters in Orlando. I-JET is just one component of Brunswick’s multifaceted strategy to harness emerging technologies and put them on our boats.
Instead of men and women in lab coats testing the latest 4-stroke technology, I-JET was full of young graduate students glued to computers, most of whom were not boaters.
Data analysts, computer scientists, electrical and mechanical engineers, MBA students working with artificial intelligence, augmented reality, automated boats, telematics and a half-dozen other emerging technologies that may or may not end up on boats.
Essentially, they’re exploring the same technologies that the auto industry is putting into our cars and the smart-home sector is integrating into residences. Instead of bilge pumps and catalysts, I heard about neuro-networks and the relative merits of virtual vs. augmented reality.
What I liked best about I-JET was that a lot of the projects may never extend beyond the lab. Brunswick has purposely made I-JET independent of its boatbuilders and engine makers, with permission to fail if a new technology does not make sense for boating.
It’s a research lab in the purest sense, breaking emerging technologies into chunks to study how they really perform in the marine environment.
Leaving there, I was excited for the industry’s future, probably the most excited I’d been in a long time. I’d always considered Brunswick somewhat of a conservative juggernaut, but now they are harnessing brain power from all of their companies and adding fresh minds with I-JET and the startups at its joint venture, TechNexus, to propel boating into the future. That’s something to get excited about.
At Correct Craft, CEO Bill Yeargin gave me the grand tour of the Nautique factory. It’s an impressive place, from the design studio with its subdued, loungelike vibe to promote creativity to the state-of-the-art Ski Nautique in a test facility. The new towboat broke a lot of conventions with its advanced running surface, lightweight, carbon-fiber layup and electronics system that Correct Craft’s software engineers designed from the ground up. The $150,000 boat is the epitome of innovation.
Or as Yeargin corrected me later, sustained innovation. Yeargin is a student of Clayton Christensen, the Harvard professor who came up with the concept of sustained vs. disruptive innovation. In a nutshell, sustained innovation is about mature companies fueling growth by building pricier and more innovative products. Eventually, those products become so expensive that many consumers can no longer afford them. Or, as Yeargin puts it: “Competition between companies actually drives up prices.”
Disruptive innovation happens at the other end of the market when a startup has a low-cost idea that attracts a new consumer base, and the new technology eventually overwhelms the established companies.
Examples include personal computers (disruptor) and mainframe computers (sustainer) or more recently, Netflix vs. Blockbuster.
Yeargin started Watershed Innovations, which will be structured like Brunswick’s I-JET, to be a disruptive innovator outside of its established boat and engine companies. Watershed will focus on technologies that could transform the market. Its first project is a silent aluminum boat that could become a real disruptor if Watershed can contain costs.
“Our other companies don’t have the time or capacity to research projects like these,” says Yeargin, who fully expects Watershed to go on “wild-goose chases” as it tests emerging technologies.
Correct Craft is also investing in 3-D manufacturing, robotics, electric drives and AR. “We’re spending a lot of money on the future,” Yeargin says. “Otherwise, I believe there’s a reasonable chance we could eventually be out of business. There’s a long list of Fortune 500 companies that are gone because they didn’t keep up.”
In the meantime, Correct Craft is doing quite well with its sustaining innovations.
At IBEX, I expect to see innovation across the show, thanks to the prolonged boom. We’ll be covering innovation in the next issue and issues ahead. For a taste, check out this month’s stories on AR (Page 34), innovation centers (Page 38) and 3-D printing (Page 40). I’ll see you in the back aisles of IBEX, looking for the disruptors.
This article originally appeared in the October 2018 issue.


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Sept 22 (Reuters) - The following are the top stories on the New York Times business pages. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
- The U.S. Justice Department filed an antitrust suit on Tuesday against American Airlines and JetBlue, saying a growing alliance between the two carriers had created a "de facto merger" in the New York and Boston markets, reducing competition and hurting consumers. https://nyti.ms/3hVqeCq
- AutoNation, the automotive retail giant, has named Mike Manley, the former chief executive of Fiat Chrysler, as its chief executive, replacing Mike Jackson, who is retiring after running the company for most of the last 22 years. https://nyti.ms/2ZkMUpv
- Alphabet Inc's Google announced on Tuesday that it would spend $2.1 billion to buy a Manhattan office building on the Hudson River waterfront, paying one of the largest prices in recent years for a U.S. office building and providing a jolt of optimism to a real estate industry lashed by the COVID-19 pandemic. https://nyti.ms/3hQItZZ (Compiled by Bengaluru newsroom)


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Woman picks 2.8 kilograms of olives in two minutes
Aynur Kırca followed Sibel Bulut with 2 kilos and 845 grams in the same time period.
The annual crop celebration was held by the Ayvalık Agriculture Chamber in the Ayvalık district of the northwestern province of
“Olive is more than just the financial source of thousands of farmers or an ingredient in various cuisines and dishes. How great it is that we share the excitement of reaping the first harvest of the year. Every harvest is yet another hope, beginning,” Ayvalık Agriculture Chamber Chair Hasan Kıtay said.
“Ayvalık and the surrounding region produce top-quality, top-tasting olive oil. This is both an opportunity and a responsibility,” Kıtay added.
The olives were symbolically harvested and then turned into olive oil using the stone print method in the festival, which Balıkesir Mayor Rahmi Gençer also attended.
“When you say ‘olive,’ you think of Ayvalık,” Gençer said.
“Olive is a national treasure and we should protect it,” the mayor added.
Turkey should be able to sell its olive oil to European Union markets in a customs-free manner, just like it can do for olives, rather than on an inward-processing model, to give a boost to its exports, a leading sector player has said.
The head of the Aegean Olive and Olive Oil Exporters Association said Turkey made some 37 percent of its olive oil exports to Spain in the last 10 months.
The United States and Italy, another olive oil-rich European country, became Turkey’s other top markets in the mentioned period.
Turkey’s olive oil exports rose to 39,449 tons in the last 10 months on amount basis with a 339 year-on-year increase, according to data from the association.
On value-basis, Turkey made olive oil exports worth $152.6 million with a 266 percent year-on-year increase.


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Apple Touts Fraud and Abuse Prevention in the App Store ⇥ apple.com
A news release today from Apple appears to shed light on its App Store crime and fraud prevention tactics in 2022 but, much like previous versions, many questions are left unanswered or unexplained. Here is one such paragraph which makes me scratch my head:
In 2022, nearly 1.7 million app submissions were rejected from the App Store for various reasons, including concerns related to fraud and privacy. In more than one case this year, App Review caught apps using malicious code with the potential to steal users’ credentials from third-party services. In other instances, the App Review team identified several apps that disguised themselves as innocuous financial management platforms but had the capability to morph into another app. Nearly 24,000 apps were blocked or removed from the App Store for bait-and-switch violations such as these in 2022.
The first statistic here — 1.7 million app rejections — can be contextualized by a stat from the previous paragraph: 6.1 million App Store submissions in the same year. Roughly 28% of submissions were rejected, which is down from over 30% in 2017–2019, and perhaps as high as 40% in 2020. It is hard to read anything into that trend, though: it does not necessarily mean Apple lowered its standards or that developers were more compliant, as both could be true. Also, neither.
Apple also says it stopped “more than one” app that has “the potential” for credential theft. But how many is that? Is it two? Is it fifty? A bigger number would be more fitting for the apparent objective of this kind of report — to explain why iOS software distribution ought to be permitted only through the Apple-administered App Store instead of third-party stores — so the use of “more than one” is conspicuous.
Here is another lump of stats:
Last year, Apple blocked nearly 3.9 million stolen credit cards from being used to make fraudulent purchases, and banned 714,000 accounts from transacting again. In total, Apple blocked $2.09 billion in fraudulent transactions on the App Store in 2022.
Good stuff, though I will note Apple’s graphic for this section uses the phrase “potentially fraudulent transactions” — emphasis mine. While it is great news Apple is so careful in this area, it is not as though other payment gateways do not have their own anti-fraud mechanisms.
Again, the unspoken rationale for these news releases — which Apple started publishing around the time European regulators began looking into its App Store-only iOS software distribution policy — is that Apple is uniquely suited to protecting its users from fraud and abuse. But it has also repeatedly struggled with preventing pretty obvious scams. I do not think its failure to achieve a perfect success rate is an indication that App Store protections are ineffective, but the company’s own statistics are also not necessarily painting a complete picture.


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This article is more than 1 year old
Cynical Apple gouges UK with 20 per cent price hike
Wait... That's more than sterling's devaluation
Apple has taken advantage of a more competitive sterling exchange rate to hike its computer prices – by far more than sterling fell. Cupertino raised some UK prices by as much as £500.
Apple had already raised the prices of its iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch products.
Sterling has fallen some 15 per cent from its 1H 2016 average of around $1.45, but Apple's computer prices have risen 20 per cent. But then it wouldn't be Apple if the Apple Tax didn't have an additional Apple SuperTax.
The 12in MacBook started at £1,049 yesterday – today the same model starts at £1,249. The most expensive 15.4in MacBook Pro was £2,499. Now it's £2,999.
While fanbois rummage down the sofa, economists see the exchange rate correction as a boost for the UK. Sterling had been artificially high for years, with Deutsche Bank last December predicting Sterling would fall to $1.15 in 2017... without Brexit.
The IMF's former deputy director Professor Ashok Mody, who negotiated the rescue package for the Irish Republic, and former Bank of England Governer Lord King have both welcomed the more competitive exchange rate. Both point out that the UK economy should be less distorted as a result.
"The pound had been driven up to nosebleed levels from 2011 to 2015 by global property speculators and the banking elites acting in destructive synergy, causing serious damage to Britain's manufacturing base and long-term competitiveness," said Mody, cited in the Telegraph (a must read). "History is going to judge that Brexit at last broke the political-economy lock of a British elite wedded to banking interests, even if it happened completely by accident." The UK had a version of Dutch Disease, with an over-reliance on finance capital, and credit-fuelled import consumption.
Guardianistas weeping over the fate of the City of London has been one of the stranger aspects of Brexit. But Apple price rises? Not so strange. ®


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Midgard RPG Miniatures are up on Kickstarter and looking to get funding. Go have a look-see.
From the campaign:
Licensed miniatures for the Midgard campaign setting are being kickstarted right now.
“Six years ago we were first introduced to the world of Midgard by the folks over at Kobold Press and their Kobold-in-Chief Wolfgang Baur. Midgard has grown considerably in that time, especially with the recent release of the Midgard Campaign Setting.”