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Pegatron’s shares closed down 0.77 percent at NT$45.2 yesterday, underperforming the broader market, which gained 0.6 percent.
Tue, Aug 13, 2013 - Page 13 News List
PC market changes hit Pegatron profits
DROPS:Sales of consumer electronics dropped 27 percent quarter-on-quarter due to decreased market demand ahead of clients’ new product launches, Pegatron said
By Helen Ku / Staff reporter
This story has been viewed 1771 times.
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Elvis walked off with the top prize at last night’s DMA Awards, netting the agency’s first ever grand prix at the industry awards for its Cadbury’s 2019 “Hunt the White Creme Egg” activity, which also picked up two golds for best digital experience and best integrated campaign on the night.
The Mondelez-owned brand launched the “Creme Egg Hunt” strategy in 2017 but this year it hacked other companies’ social media feeds, billboards, websites and live experiences by hiding a White Creme Egg in their advertising.
Consumers got clues from HuntTheWhiteCremeEgg.com and uploaded photos of the sightings to win prizes including 30,000 milk chocolate Cadbury Creme Eggs, 1,000 rare white eggs and £10,000.
The work included TV, print, out-of-home, digital, social, in-store, PR, media partnerships and experiential. The grand prix judging panel praised the campaign’s creative execution, integrated strategy and, ultimately, “fantastic results”, which saw sales of the brand rise by 9.9%.
DMA Awards committee chair Matt Conner, who is also managing director of last year’s grand prix winner MRM McCann, said: “[Elvis and Modelez] excelled in combining a creative strategy with intelligent use of data throughout its audience selection and placement. This engaging campaign encapsulated the brand values, triggering behaviours that went on to deliver a significant retail sales impact. Delicious!”
But while Elvis made off with the “A Big Hunk o’ Love” from the judges, Proximity London took home the most golds on the night, with five gongs for Ikea. Ogilvy, which had led the shortlist with 23 finalists, was next in line, winning four golds for IBM, Rolls-Royce and Formula One. Merkle, MRM McCann and MullenLowe Open picked up three golds each.
In total, 17 different agencies and 22 brands each took home at least one gold across all the categories this year, which the DMA claims “highlights the breadth of the great work being done across the data and marketing industry”.
However, this claim appears to have fallen flat in the automotive and privacy by design categories, which both failed to muster a gold winner, despite handing out silvers and bronzes.
This year’s awards were judged by over 300 senior marketers from agencies, brands and suppliers over four days, with additional days of judging in Bristol and Edinburgh.
DMA managing director Rachel Aldighieri said: “The campaigns entered into the DMA Awards every year showcase the amazing talent our industry has within it. It also highlights how, despite economic uncertainty, we continue to deliver fantastic and engaging work for clients. Winning a DMA Award means you’ve truly made a difference, so every one of this year’s winners should be proud of their achievement.”
For the full list of winners visit the DMA Awards website>
Ogilvy leads field as DMA Awards shortlist is revealed
McCann takes home DMA top prize for Xbox campaign
Proximity London leads the field at 2018 DMA Awards
Karmarama lands double as it nets top DMA prize again
Proximity London takes pole position at DMA Awards
DMA Awards boosts equality as Glazer becomes chair
Karmarama takes home DMA top prize for Unibet
Proximity scoops DMA grand prix for The Economist
Ogilvy scoops DMA grand prix

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Does spacex own Bitcoin?
This article is in your queue. Tesla Inc. TSLA -0.92% Chief Executive Elon Musk said Wednesday that he and his rocket company, SpaceX, hold bitcoin, a cryptocurrency he generally supports despite having concerns about its environmental impacts. The Wall Street JournalTesla CEO Elon Musk Says He Personally Owns Bitcoin—and So Does SpaceX
Does Elon Musk own ethereum?
Musk also revealed he personally owns Ethereum, sending the price of the Bitcoin rival past $2,000, as well as Dogecoin, the meme cryptocurrency he has taken a particular interest in in recent months. ForbesElon Musk Still A Bitcoin ‘Supporter’: ‘I Own Bitcoin, Tesla Owns Bitcoin, SpaceX Owns Bitcoin’
Read full article at CNBC
22 July, 2021 - 12:30pm
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Bitcoin, which dipped below $30,000 earlier this week, is back above $32,000 today, after influential tech chiefs Elon Musk and Jack Dorsey voiced their support at a conference on Wednesday.
Musk disclosed for the first time that his private rocket company SpaceX holds bitcoin and that Tesla would “most likely” resume accepting it as payment for its electric cars.
The billionaire entrepreneur said he personally held bitcoin, ethereum and the more niche dogecoin, while two of his companies, SpaceX and Tesla, were bitcoin investors — and would remain that way. “We’re not selling any bitcoin, nor am I selling anything personally,” he said. “I would like to see bitcoin succeed.”
Musk may not be selling bitcoin, but he is certainly a big buyer of nickel, reports Henry Sanderson. Tesla has agreed to buy nickel for its batteries from BHP, the world’s largest miner, as it looks to lock up supplies of the metal not controlled by China. The deal is the third for nickel it has signed in the past eight months, following ones with Vale and the Trafigura-backed Goro mine. Musk has been seeking supplies of “sustainable” nickel and the metal is a key material for Tesla’s longer-range cars that require more powerful batteries.
In other electric car news, Mercedes has acquired Yasa, a British electric motor start-up. Spun out of Oxford university in 2009, Yasa manufactures next-generation electric motors for performance cars, and counts Ferrari and other supercar brands among its customers. Its products, known as axial flux motors, offer greater efficiency, and are smaller, than traditional electric drives.
Meanwhile, in Asia, Foxconn and Japan’s Nidec are in discussions to set up a Taiwan-based joint venture next year to build motors for electric vehicles, as the two Apple suppliers make an aggressive push into the market.
#techFT brings you news, comment and analysis on the big companies, technologies and issues shaping this fastest moving of sectors from specialists based around the world. Click here to get #techFT in your inbox.
The frenzied pace of start-up investment continues in Europe, with more venture capital deployed in the first half of this year than in the whole of 2020. That means VC firms are getting through their funds faster than ever; transatlantic investor Index Ventures this week announced two new funds totalling $2.9bn, just one year after raising its last set worth $2bn.
Elsewhere, Sifted sat down for brunch with Daniel Dines, the founder of software sensation UiPath and Romania’s richest man; the interest in on-demand grocery delivery start-ups shows no sign of waning; and top executives at digital bank Monzo reveal that an IPO is on the cards.
OnePlus today launched the value-priced Nord 2 5G, with the Chinese company describing it as a comprehensive upgrade from the first Nord, “from camera and performance to charging and design”. It has a 50MP AI triple camera with an improved Sony sensor and optical image stabilisation (OIS). There is also an 8MP ultra-wide camera with a 119.7-degree field of view along with a 32MP selfie camera. The MediaTek processor offers 65 per cent faster CPU performance and 125 per cent better graphics performance than in the Nord of a year ago. Warp Charge 65 charging technology charges from 0 to 100 per cent in less than 35 minutes. The screen is a 6.43-inch fluid AMOLED display with a 90 Hz refresh rate. The phone is available for pre-order now with shipping beginning on Monday. It starts at £399 for a 128GB version. TechRadar has a first review.
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Yahoo Drops Flickr Pro To Compete With Facebook, Still Offers Two Paid Tiers For Ad Haters And Power Users
The bookend to Yahoo's Big News Day -- a major refresh of its photo sharing site Flickr -- will see the company drop is Flickr Pro pricing tiers as part of a bid to compete better with Facebook/Instagram and the rest of the crowded market in the online photo space. But it is not getting rid of paid tiers altogether: it's keeping an ad-free tier, called Ad Free, as well as a tier for power users, doublr, respectively priced at $49.99 and $499.99 for a year of use.
Flickr Announces One Free Terabyte Of Storage Space Per User, Officially Beating Everyone
Yahoo’s Flickr photo-sharing service is now offering one full terabyte for users, enough storage space to hold whole swathes of the world’s photos. The service is offering this benefit in addition to its full resolution photo storage service. While the average user will probably not touch the outer limits of this storage space in a lifetime, this alone is probably enough to draw dedicated photographers to the service and, more important, bring lapsed users back to the Yahoo fold. This move is important. Given the odd nature of most photo sharing services, you are either limited to a few dozen gigabytes or, in the case of Instagram and other mobile services, an unstated upper limit that is not part of the marketing collateral. While I don’t doubt that Google or Facebook could make the terabyte claim in the near future, being first to market with this particular feature is an important milestone. This move is quite clearly a play by Yahoo to make its wares relevant. The long-beleaguered ...
Yahoo Board Approves a $1.1B Pricetag For Tumblr
TechCrunch reports that Yahoo's string of acquisitions may soon include Tumblr: "The Wall Street Journal is now reporting via Twitter that the rumored $1.1 billion cash acquisition deal for social blogging site Tumblr has been approved by Yahoo’s board of directors. The Tumblr acquisition was rumored last week, with a price tag reportedly north of $1 billion, which appears to be accurate if the WSJ’s sources are correct." The article notes, too, that "Yahoo had only $1.2 billion cash on hand as of its most recent quarterly earnings, which makes an all-cash offer for Tumblr a lot more of a stretch than it would be for someone like Apple, or even Facebook, which acquired Instagram for $1 billion in a mix of both cash and stock."
File Transfer And Sync Service Pi.pe Launches Pi.pe Prints, Offering Photo Printing Options For Over A Dozen Cloud Services
Pi.pe, the file transfer and synchronization service which emerged from San Francisco-based Pixelpipe, has previously served as one of the only serious utilities to move photos and other media files between all the various cloud services. Since its launch a little over a year ago, Pi.pe’s focus has been primarily on backup and sharing. But it was missing an option for ordering prints – something which most services focused on photo management today offer. Today, that changes. The company is now launching Pi.pe Prints, which allows users to print photos hosted all over the cloud to locations like Walgreens, CVS, and soon Shutterfly, Tesco, and Fuji Film, too – the latter likely in about a month’s time. Pricing for Walgreens and CVS is the same as is listed on their own websites (e.g. 4×6 is $0.19), but through the integrations Pi.pe will earn 10 to 15 percent of the sale price from its printing partners. At launch, the new printing service includes support for images stored on Facebook ...
Since Photos Are Boring Without Filters, Glassagram Will Spice Up Your Google Glass Pics
Thanks to Instagram, we rarely see photos taken from camera phones without some type of filter on it. Even Twitter’s photo service uses Aviary to drop an earthy overlay or black-and-white treatment onto your digital masterpiece. Google Glass users aren’t going to be left out of this craze thanks to an app aptly named Glassagram. Again, this is the type of app that we’re seeing early on, consisting of the very basics that consumers will look for when thinking about whether Glass is a device for them, once they become available to the general public. Adding filters to photos is pretty consumery. Once you sign up for Glassagram, you simply share a photo with the service, then a card is sent back to your Glass timeline with all of your filtered options: The timeline card is going to be a main component in every Glass app that we see, as it will be the primary way for users to interact with what they’re seeing. For now, options like “share” are all we have, but I could see a day where ...


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Pinterest lets users add gender pronouns to profiles as part of creator-driven Pride campaign
In the coming weeks, Pinterest users will be able to add pronouns to their profiles that best represent their gender identity. The move is part of the platform’s new creator-driven Pride campaign, “Show Your True Colors,” which launches today.
Pinners will be able to select various sets of pronouns in their settings and add them to their personal or business accounts, appearing next to their usernames on their profiles. The pronoun option is available in local languages in more than 15 countries, including the U.S., Spain, Italy, France and Brazil.
A digital film running across YouTube, Twitter and Instagram complements the initiative and highlights six LGBTQ+ Pinterest creators for a campaign that aims to inspire and celebrate diversity on the platform. In the film, the creators, including U.K.-based Zooey Gleaves and France-based Boubou Belbak, discuss how Pinterest has helped them express themselves and explore their sexuality. Pinterest worked with independent creative agency Platform 13 and director Mollie Mills on the film.
Throughout June, Pinterest will also feature content from LGBTQ+ creators and allies in its Today tab and whenever someone searches terms related to Pride, suggestions will appear in colors of the rainbow. On June 23, Pinterest will also host a virtual event for Pinterest creators about being a LGBTQ+ creator and business, featuring actress and activist Dominique Jackson and fashion designer Christian Siriano. Pinterest will also donate to LGBTQ+ organizations like Immigration Equality, Mermaids and BLAQ.
The campaign is part of Pinterest’s efforts to make its platform more inclusive. Earlier this year, the platform expanded its skin tone range feature, which lets Pinners refine beauty searches with a range of skin tones, to 13 additional countries. Pinterest has also recently launched its Creator Fund, a program designed to help underrepresented creators become successful on the platform.
“There is no going back from the tumultuous time we went through in 2020. As we all re-emerge this year, we see a specific need to be uncompromising in how we show up and out for the LGBTQ+ community who have faced a disproportionate disadvantage during COVID-19,” says Belinda Boakye, U.K. marketing manager at Pinterest. “’Show Your True Colors’ campaign aims to spotlight our LGBTQ+ Pinners and Creators across the platform, ensuring we’re representing the nuanced lived experiences of our international audiences, and making steps in social impact investments for the LGBTQ+ community, which we’ll cultivate in long term.”
Pinterest’s userbase of those identifying as LGBTQ+ as well as their allies continues to grow. Over the past year and a half, the platform has seen users, and especially Gen Zers, increasingly searching for ways to express their sexual identity through searches for gender identity-focused pins that feature art, flags, quotes, comics and more. “Omnisexual” searches have multiplied by 8.5 and “pansexual” is up by 85%. Even other less known terms, like “polysexual” (up by 42%) and “abrosexual” (up threefold), are appearing in user searches.
Searches for ways for users to celebrate and express their sexual identities also spiked during the pandemic, especially with images of LGBTQ+ flags. Pinterest says that searches on terms like “bisexual pride flag” have multiplied by a factor of five, and “genderfluid flag” searches by 4.5. “Lesbian flag” searches have grown fourfold and searches for “asexual flag” has grown threefold. Meanwhile, searches around ways of coming out have also spiked on the platform with searches for “coming out cake” increasing 250%, “coming out party” up 67% and “coming out photoshoot up by 44%.


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We have just one day to go before Samsung officially takes the wraps off of its next-generation Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ smartphones. So naturally, the most revealing photos we’ve ever seen of the two unreleased flagship smartphones just leaked.
Big-name smartphone makers always have trouble keeping a lid on their unreleased products. There are just too many chefs in the kitchen for these companies to control them all. That said, the leaks leading up to Samsung’s Galaxy S9 announcement have been particularly extensive. In fact, we might know every single detail there is to know at this point.
We’ve heard the rumors and we’ve read the reports. We know the specs and we know the pricing. We know when preorders will go live and we know when the Galaxy S9 and S9+ will be released. We’ve seen the renders and we’ve seen the mockups. We’ve even seen leaked photographs of the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+. But we’ve never seen Samsung’s new flagship phones quite like this.
The wait for Samsung to unveil its new Galaxy S9 and S9+ flagships is about 24 hours now. Despite the short amount of time we have left to wait, a flurry of photos hit Instagram to show the world what Samsung’s new flagship smartphones look like in the wild.
Most of the photos were posted by an Instagram user with the handle “vnas_world.” This appears to be an anonymous account created solely to share these leaked photos of the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+. With everything we’ve seen and everything we know at this point, we’re more than confident enough to say that these photos are the real deal, giving us a clear view of both the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ while they’re powered on.
Here are a few of the photos that were posted, and you can see the rest on the user’s Instagram page.
Did you catch the “AR Emoji” app in the second photo above? That’s rumored to be Samsung’s take on the Animoji feature Apple introduced on last year’s iPhone X.
A second anonymous Instagram account posted another photo of the Galaxy S9 and S9+, this time showing the backs of the phones in three different colors. This particular photo was later removed and the account was deleted, but you can still see it below.
Samsung will officially announce its new Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ smartphones on Sunday during a press conference at the MWC 2018 trade show in Barcelona, Spain. The phones are expected to be available for preorder beginning March 2nd, ahead of their release on Friday, March 16th. Both phones are expected to be priced higher than their predecessors at launch, but Samsung is rumored to have a preorder promotion in place that will save buyers up to $350 when they trade in a qualifying smartphone.


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A select few Google users may notice a something new: a large banner-like advertisement at the top of the search results page.
Synrgy, a digital marketing startup, spotted a "sponsored" photo of Southwest Airlines at the top of the page after searching for "Southwest Airlines."
See also: This Is the World's First Banner Ad
— Synrgy (@SynrgyHQ) October 23, 2013
Ordinarily, when searching for "Southwest Airlines," one might see a basic search ad promoting the airline's website, followed by regular search results:
Google confirmed to Mashable that it has been experimenting with these visual search ads among a select group of desktop users in the United States. "This is a very limited test in the U.S.; one of many we run," a rep wrote in a statement.
However, a person familiar with the situation denied that these qualify as banner ads. Instead, Google appears to be billing this as part of its efforts to continue expanding its search ad products to make them more visual. For example, Google started letting marketers add image extensions to search ad listings earlier this year.
Image: Chris Jackson/Getty


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Last week, I had the pleasure of spending some time at RIM’s BlackBerry DevCon Europe event, where Thorsten Heins, the newly installed CEO, took to the stage to tell its ecosystem partners that “we are ready to compete.”
While obviously the audience was filled with BlackBerry converts, for a company that has been surrounded by negative publicity for so long, the atmosphere was incredibly buoyant. RIM talked up the fact that its customers are downloading apps, and are not adverse to spending cash – music to the ears of the assembled developer base.
In addition, its integration of BBM with its app platform has also created some interesting opportunities for developers, with some attendees present identifying real-world gains from offering products integrated with a mobile-focused and app-friendly social networking platform.
With support for Android apps in the pipeline, and the company also supporting HTML5 and Flash, RIM is clearly committed to working with its partners in whatever way they feel most appropriate, rather than attempting to mandate any kind of development path which fits its own end.
The big issue the company faces, however, was one which was hardly touched upon during the keynotes: the need for new BlackBerry smartphones. The event was dominated by talk of the PlayBook, and the planned BlackBerry 10 platform, but this clearly leaves a whole in RIM’s current product portfolio where the attractive, flagship handsets should be.
The numbers show the significance of smartphones in RIM’s portfolio. In the first three quarters of the company’s current year, RIM shipped 37.9 million BlackBerry handsets, compared with 850,000 PlayBooks. Smartphones will deliver the kind of volumes for the company that tablets never will, and it is this kind of volume that helps create momentum in the market.
Obviously, transitioning to a new platform is no easy task, as Nokia’s travails in the shift to Windows Phone have showed. Existing products instantly begin to look dated, as attention shifts to the latest and greatest around the (in RIM’s case, especially long) corner. BlackBerry 7 was also a little late coming to market, and its arrival was accompanied by RIM’s high-profile service outage, which did little to improve the company’s image.
With the first BlackBerry 10 smartphone set to reach the market in the second half of the year, and factoring in time for volumes to build and for the platform to work its way into the company’s mid range, RIM is facing a prolonged period where it is primarily offering devices based on what has been identified as a legacy platform. With new versions of Android and iOS available, and the Nokia-driven momentum for Windows Phone set to benefit adoption of this platform, RIM’s proposition could easily look lacklustre in the interim.
In some ways, the focus on the PlayBook at the event looked to be misguided. After all, the device has sold in unimpressive numbers, to the point of inventory write-downs and price cuts.
But the focus was very much on the PlayBook platform, rather than the hardware – and it is this which will form the basis of the BlackBerry 10 handset operating system. RIM is paving the way to ensure that when BlackBerry 10 devices reach the market, they will be supported by a fully-formed application catalogue, whether developed natively for the platform, for Android, using HTML5 or Flash.
In September 2011, Mike Lazaridis, one of Heins’ predecessors in the CEO chair, admitted the need for a fully-rounded content, software and hardware proposition to ensure success. “We have learned the importance of ensuring an established vibrant ecosystem is available prior to commercial launch, and our QNX smartphones application environment development and final industrial design will be released into the market based on this experience,” he said in a conference call.
Ultimately, the company’s developer story, and its long-term strategy, look promising. But, in the meantime, its device volumes are on the slide, as consumers vote with their feet.
The new smartphones can’t come soon enough.
The editorial views expressed in this article are solely those of the author(s) and will not necessarily reflect the views of the GSMA, its Members or Associate Members


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Amazon seems ready to jump on the generative AI bandwagon with a new project that will involve a “once-in-a-generation transformation for search,” according to a job posting discovered by Bloomberg on Monday.
The listnow removed by Amazon but accessible via a web-based archive, it’s for a senior software development engineer and says, “We’re reinventing Amazon Search with an interactive conversational experience that helps you find answers to product questions, make product comparisons, receive personalized product suggestions and much more, to easily find the perfect product for your needs.”
The conversational element sounds very similar to the new wave of AI chatbots led by OpenAI, backed by Microsoft, whose tool ChatGPT went viral shortly after its release in November. ChatGPT and similar chatbots like Google’s Bard can converse in a very human way, and elements of each are being integrated into Microsoft’s Bing search engine and Google’s own search tool.
He also makes it clear that the company is willing to proceed with the work as soon as possible, saying that it needs someone “to help us realize and deliver this vision to our clients immediately.”
Base salary for the position ranges from $136,000 per year to $260,000 per year, depending on the location of the successful applicant and the skills they bring to the job, Amazon said.
Another list, which at the time of writing this article remains in the website from Amazon, it’s for a senior technical program manager who will work on what Amazon describes as an “AI-first initiative to redesign and reinvent the way we search by using next-generation deep learning techniques at scale.” This position pays between $119,000 and $231,400 per year.
Amazon notes in this list that its product search engine is “one of the most widely used services in the world, indexing billions of products and serving hundreds of millions of customers around the world,” so any changes that bring to search will have a huge impact on the use of your site.
At this stage, however, it is difficult to say precisely how it will affect buying habits. But if, for example, the search experience feels more like a conversation and encourages online shoppers to avoid trawling through endless return lists, it could mean fewer products are viewed, giving the algorithm more power than ever before. Amazon and the results it provides. That doesn’t sound like great news for sellers desperate to see their wares, although it could result in a more efficient online shopping experience for customers.


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Flat new speakers to revolutionise acousticsApril 2nd, 2009 - 11:40 am ICT by IANS
London, April 2 (IANS) A flat new speaker so ultra-thin that four of them piled atop one another will be just one millimetre thick will vastly improve acoustics and the quality of public announcements.
Lightweight and low cost, these flexible speakers can be concealed inside ceiling tiles or car interiors, or printed with a design and hung on the wall like a picture.
Pioneered by the University of Warwick’s spin-out company Warwick Audio Technologies, the Flat, Flexible Loudspeaker (FFL) is ideal for public spaces where it delivers planar directional sound waves, which reach further and more clearly than sound from conventional speakers.
Steve Couchman, CEO of Warwick Audio Technologies, believes it could entirely replace the speakers currently used in homes and in cars, as well as in public address systems used in passenger terminals and shopping centres.
“We believe this is a truly innovative technology. Its size and flexibility means it can be used in all sorts of areas where space is at a premium,” Couchman was quoted as saying in a Warwick release.
Audio visual companies are investigating its use as point of sale posters for smart audio messaging and car manufacturers are particularly interested in it for its light weight and thinness, which means it can be incorporated into the headlining of cars rather than lower down in the interior.
The product is slated for commercial launch later this year.
Tags: acoustics, car interiors, car manufacturers, ceiling tiles, conventional speakers, couchman, ffl, innovative technology, launch, loudspeaker, millimetre, passenger terminals, point of sale, public address systems, public announcements, public spaces, shopping centres, sound waves, thinness, university of warwick


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July 19, 2018
Expedia says packages are better for hotels than room-only
Hotels are achieving higher average daily rates (ADR) from consumers who book packages rather than just rooms, according to data from Expedia Group.Read more
Sabre is enabling agencies to access Booking.com listings via Sabre Content Services for Lodging, a technology solution that integrates hotel content from multiple sources into the GDS.
The solution will launch later this year and will be available via Sabre APIs, Sabre Red Workspace, GetThere and TripCase.
Booking.com has over 28 million listings., including 5.4 million homes, apartments and unique accommodations.
Ripsy Bandourian, the OTA's senior director of partnerships and business bookers, said the agreement with Sabre will help expand Booking.com's reach with agencies.
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LONDON, ONTARIO —In the wake of India's recent ban on non-basmati rice exports, Londoners are feeling the impact as they rush to stockpile their preferred rice varieties, anticipating scarcity and rising prices. The Indian government's move, aimed at curbing domestic inflation caused by heavy rains affecting crops, has set off a wave of panic buying among consumers, leading to concerns about the availability of this pantry staple. As the world's largest rice exporter, India's decision to restrict rice exports has triggered a ripple effect on global food prices and supply chains.
Jose Thomas, a resident of London, shares his concerns about the potential scarcity of rice varieties he enjoys. "Rice is a staple in our household, and with the ban, we fear it may become difficult to find the specific types we prefer. So, we've decided to stock up while we can," he explains.
This panic buying is not only affecting consumers but also putting a strain on suppliers and grocery stores. To manage the heightened demand, many grocery stores have implemented purchase limits per family to ensure fair distribution. "We've never seen such a surge in rice purchases before. To ensure all our customers have access to rice, we've had to impose limits," says a local store owner.
South Asian restaurants in the area are also feeling the pinch. The popular restaurant, Punjabi Rasoi, known for its delectable rice dishes, is grappling with the consequences of the rising cost of rice. With suppliers increasing prices due to the export ban, restaurants like Punjabi Rasoi are facing financial challenges. The combination of reduced business and higher operating costs poses a threat to their survival.
India's decision to ban rice exports is not only impacting London but also creating global concerns about food prices. As the world's leading rice exporter, India plays a crucial role in ensuring a stable rice market. However, with this export ban, prices of rice from other Asian countries such as Thailand and Vietnam have already seen an increase. Adding to the complexity, Russia's termination of a key grain deal has added further strain to the global food supply, raising fears of a potential food crisis.
The ban is part of India's broader efforts to stabilize its domestic economy by focusing on internal consumption and curbing inflation. In addition to the export ban, the government had earlier introduced a 20% duty on rice exports to alleviate the pressure on its own consumers. While the measures aim to address India's internal economic challenges, the repercussions are being felt worldwide.
Meanwhile, in the United States, weather-related challenges are also impacting grain prices. Hot weather and inadequate rainfall have affected wheat harvest forecasts, contributing to a decline in grain supplies and further exacerbating global food price concerns.
As the situation unfolds, the world watches closely, hoping for a resolution that strikes a balance between domestic economic stability and global food security. In the meantime, Londoners and consumers worldwide are left navigating the uncertainties of the rice market, making thoughtful decisions about their pantry supplies, and bracing for potential impacts on their daily lives.


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The American Consumer Satisfaction Index is a long-running study, conducted every quarter, that measures U.S. consumers’ perceptions of the quality of services and products. The ASCI is one of the mide widely-cited and most respected measures of perceived brand quality and consumer satisfaction in the nation, and its results are often seen as significant economic indicators for industries.
This quarter, Apple and Google found their stock in the ASCI going up…while U.S. automobile manufacturers and major appliance maker Whirlpool took it on the chin.
In the personal computer industry, the overall trend was downward, with the industry as a whole slipping one percent to an overall satisfaction rating of 74. However, Apple bucked the trend, seeing its largest gain in customer satisfaction ever, reaching a new industry all-time high of 85. Apple’s new score puts it a whopping 10 points higher than the next highest-ranked PC company, Dell (which also went up a point). All other PC makers saw their scores drop three points.
In the Internet portal/search engine category, Google has reclaimed the top spot from rival Yahoo, posting a ten percent jump in satisfaction to a score of 86. Yahoo has previously edged out Google by one point last year, but fell three percent for a score of 77. Google’s improved score “sets a new standard for e-businesses,” according to the ASCI.
Traditional American businesses didn’t do so well: no domestic auto maker managed to place among the highest-ranked auto brands, although consumer satisfaction with the industry actually remains at an all-time high of 82. However, Chevrolet fell four percent to 79, Dodge fell three percent to 78.
Among appliance manufacturers, Whirlpool took a big hit, seeing its consumer satisfaction rating slide five percent to a still-respectable score of 80. General Electric and Electrolux each dropped one percent to 80.
- Consumer Reports pulls its Dyson stick vacuum recommendation
- AAA pushes for standardized names and definitions for driver assistance tech
- Adobe’s new survey finds voice technology is gaining in popularity, expanding
- The best dating apps for 2019
- The latest rumors say AMD may launch a new Radeon GPU during CES


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This is the kind of anthem we want for Pride Month.
Shamir is back with brand new indie rock anthem On My Own, which promises to become one of the more addictive tracks in his repertoire.
Shamir filmed the accompanying music video in his home, styling himself in secondhand clothing and creating the visual himself.
On My Onw was produced by Kyle Pulley and will feature on Shamir’s forthcoming new album, which is coming later this year.
It follows Shamir’s recent Bandcamp Day track Something That’s Worth My Praises, which was released for 24 hours to raise money for Black Lives Matter and the Philadelphia Bail Fund.
A release date and title for Shamir’s new album have yet to be announced, but it’s being teased as a ‘reimagining of 90s pop and rock for the modern world’.
With an introduction like On My Own for the new project, consider us excited for the album.


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Who is the world's biggest cyber unicorn? (Photo: ShutterStock)
Within three years of its founding: the cyber company Wiz raises $300 million at a valuation of $10 billion, becoming the world's largest cyber unicorn.
The main investors in the current round are the Lightspeed Fund and the Greenaux Fund, who are leading the round alongside the existing investors in the company.
Wiz was established in March 2020, its technology is installed in more than 35% of Fortune100 companies and its clients include Morgan Stanley, Colgate, Slack, Salesforce, BMW and more.
The company employs 650 workers, of which about 150 are in Israel, and it is expected to continue recruiting workers, including in Israel.
The company has offices in the USA - in New York and Denver, and it plans to open new offices in Washington DC, Austin and Dallas.
Since its establishment three years ago, the company has raised a total of 900 million dollars, which brought it to a value of 10 billion dollars.
Gili Raanan's Sequoia, Index, Insight Partners and Cyberstarts funds participated in the previous fundraisings and the current one.
Among the prominent private investors in the company are Bernard Arnaud, the richest man in the world;
Howard Schultz, the founder of Starbucks and other notable entrepreneurs.
The world's biggest cyber unicorns (Photo: Wiz)
Assaf Rapaport, co-founder and CEO of Wiz
: "We are very proud of our growth rate in regards to the number of customers, sales and the increase in the value of the company, especially against the background of the difficult market conditions in which global high tech is found.
Wiz's product has proven to be a platform that serves organizations in the field of cloud security, allowing them to unify a number of different systems - from vulnerability assessment, through information protection to advanced authorization analysis, for both security and development teams.
Wiz continues to grow globally, and sells to a variety of organizations from different industries."
Patrick Backhouse, partner at the Greenaux Foundation
: "Wiz is quickly becoming the center of the cloud security industry. Just two years ago, securing the cloud environment was little more than relying on a scattered collection of point solutions and add-ons. Wiz has built a comprehensive cloud-based platform that gives customers actionable insights in minutes, showing them areas of vulnerability theirs, the risks they face and how to resolve them. Rarely do we see a business gain traction or gain customer sympathy so quickly, and we are excited to partner with Assaf and his team as they continue the next chapter of their journey."
Arsham Mamrezada, partner at Lightspeed: "Continued cloud adoption by companies worldwide opens up the next platform opportunity in cyberspace. Wiz has grown to become the gold standard in cloud security with customer sympathy typically reserved for the best consumer app rather than business cyber. Lightspeed is excited to be leading this round." .
The global cyber market is experiencing accelerated growth: according to Israel's National Cyber System, about 40% of global investments in the cyber field are made in Israeli companies, and this is in addition to the research and development centers of global companies operating in Israel.
The White House recently approved a special annual budget of 15.6 billion dollars to protect against cyber attacks on government bodies and federal agencies.
A report by the global PwC shows that 69% of global business organizations expect to increase their procurement budgets for cyber technologies, compared to 55% who answered this in a previous survey. 26% of those surveyed expect that their cyber expenses will increase by more than 10%. Also war Russia's cyber in Ukraine, along with government cyber attacks from Iran and more, increase not only the awareness of business organizations and decision makers in the various governments, but also the need to constantly defend yourself using advanced technology.
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In collaboration with Sanofi
How long did it take companies in the world to reach a value of 10 billion dollars? (Photo: Wiz)
Wiz was founded by Assaf Rapaport, CEO; Ami Lutbek, VP of Technologies;
Yanon Kostika, Vice President of Products, and Roy Reznik, Vice President of Research and Development.
The entire team has been working together for more than 20 years, among other things, as the managers of Microsoft's cloud security group, which purchased Adalum, which they founded, for approximately $320 million.
Wiz enables security and development teams to identify, prioritize and prevent complex cloud risks that cross between the different cloud layers.
The technology scans the cloud environment, on all its different layers, by simply interfacing with an API.
This is how an in-depth analysis of the resources in the cloud is performed, including the network structure, access permissions and configuration errors that could be an opening for attackers.
In addition, the platform also scans the application and software layer and identifies weaknesses and vulnerabilities.
Wiz combines all the findings into one clear picture of the most material risks in the cloud by calculating hundreds of different risks and the contexts between them.
In the last year, Wiz significantly expanded its cloud protection platform, and expanded into other areas, including the security of container environments and Kubernetes, a DSPM solution for protecting sensitive information in the cloud, and a CDR solution - which helps organizations with the detection and prevention of attacks in the cloud.
Wiz's platform allows companies to more fully consolidate cloud security into one tool.
Assaf Rapaport, co-founder and CEO of Wiz (Photo: Omer HaCohen)


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The appointment, which came after a competitive pitch called in May, started 1 August and runs for a year. The agency’s remit covers corporate branding and promotional support around SilkAir’s 25th anniversary celebrations in 2014.
This is the first time that SilkAir is working with a PR agency, at a time when the air carrier will see the delivery of up to 68 new Boeing 737-800 aircraftthe biggest order of its kind...
- Campaign Asia-Pacific online premium content* including in-depth monthly focus on key trends and industry issues
- Unlimited website access*, and an archive of more than 70,000 articles
- Regular value-added supplements including brand health checks, sector studies, ad critiques and research charts
- Daily newsletters and breaking story alerts straight to your inbox
- New weekly feature articles on the latest research, innovation and marketing trends
- Be the first to hear about industry events


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Some representatives tend to reveal more than others, and this happens because of company policies and individual personalities. That is why a discussion with officials from some brands can be a tricky thing to turn into a story.
Fortunately, that is not the case with AMG Boss Tobias Moers, who has spoken to the Australians at CarAdvice about the Mercedes-AMG C63 and the future derivatives in the range.
The first news about it is that the all-wheel-drive system employed by the company, found in its bigger brothers, will not be available on the current generation C63.
Instead, those who dream of an AWD Mercedes-AMG C63 are suggested to seek a GLC 63 or a GLC 63 Coupe, Moers explained to reporters. The boss of the performance branch of Mercedes-Benz has a point here, since the GLC shares its platform and underpinnings with the C-Class, so it is the closest thing to an all-wheel-drive C-Class in AMG form.
Another direction of development was the Black Series version, which is something rare even for the AMG division. In the case of a future Mercedes-AMG C63 Black Series, Mr. Moers did not deny the possibility, but motivated its delayed launch because the company is currently busy with other projects.
To be fair, it is important to note that Black Series models are usually launched at the end of a product lifecycle at Mercedes-Benz.
The C-Class W205 makes no exception, so it is evident that you must wait a few more years until you could cross the Black Series variant of this model off the list of possibilities.
We would not take it off the bucket list, but it is important to keep your options open, especially with a facelift in the pipeline.


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While every trick-or-treater has a favorite Halloween candy, it turns out each state does too.
According to candystore.com, sour patch kids have proven the most popular in New York.
Tootsie Pops take the cake in New Jersey.
In Connecticut, they have a sweet tooth for Almond Joy.
Candystore.com looked at sales data from the past 15 years to come up with these rankings.
Data shows that America's favorite candy overall are Reese's Peanut Butter Cups.


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Hyundai Motor Gives Over 50 Cars to FIFA for Transportation FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup
- The models given are Azera, Santa Fe, Tucson, Elantra and H1
- Hyundai Motor has sponsored events at FIFA over the last 14 years
March 7, 2014 – Hyundai Motor Company is once again giving its support to sport and this time the company, through its dealer Hyundai Costa Rica, is handing over 56 vehicles to the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup Costa Rica 2014 to transport members of the Local Organizing Committee, representatives from FIFA and participating delegations.
This sponsorship is performed thanks to the leadership of the brand and the close relationship between Hyundai Motor and FIFA for the past 14 years, during which it has sponsored major events such as the FIFA World Cup™ tournaments in Korea-Japan 2002, Germany 2006 and South Africa 2010, and other activities such as the FIFA Confederations Cup.
"Hyundai Motor as a partner of the event and as part of their global marketing strategy to assist and promote women’s football , presents these brand new 56 vehicles for transporting everyone involved in the realization of this historic event" explained Federico Rojas, Executive Director of the Local Organizing Committee.
This business alliance support goes beyond soccer, because also allows Hyundai Motor to promote social participation of women by promoting top-level sport.
"As a loyal sponsor of the game, we are committed to the support and promotion of women's soccer. It is for this reason that today we started the path, along with the organization and the athletes of 16 delegations, to the best experience and the most exciting journey as it is to live an FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup" said Erick Xirinachs, General Manager of Hyundai Costa Rica.
Meanwhile, Eduardo Li, Costa Rican Football Federation President and Special Advisor to the Local Organizing Committee said, "It is gratifying to have the support of a big company like Hyundai Motor, official sponsor of FIFA, that is helping us with the contribution of the vehicles that will be used during the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup. It seems like yesterday when we started this daily effort, with hard work and dedication, to give the people of Costa Rica and the world a first world soccer event ".
Furthermore, Li said that without the support and effort of many people and private enterprise "we had not been able to realize this dream."
The 56 vehicles Hyundai 2014 -Azera, Santa Fe, Tucson, Elantra and H1 models- will travel the country to reach the four venues of the World Cup: Costa Rica National Stadium, Ricardo Saprissa Aymá Stadium, Alejandro Morera Soto Stadium and Edgardo Baltodano Briceño Stadium.
So far Costa Rica has qualified for two female FIFA tournaments: FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup New Zealand 2008 and FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup Germany 2010, where Hyundai Motor was also an Official Partner.
About Hyundai Motor
Established in 1967, Hyundai Motor Company is committed to becoming a lifetime partner in automobiles and beyond. The company, which leads the Hyundai Motor Group, an innovative business structure capable of circulating resources from molten iron to finished cars, offers top-quality best-sellers such as Elantra, Sonata and Genesis. Hyundai Motor has seven manufacturing bases and seven design & technical centers outside of South Korea and in 2013, sold 4.73 million vehicles globally. With almost 100,000 employees worldwide, Hyundai Motor continues to enhance its product line-up with localized models and strives to strengthen its leadership in clean technology, starting with the world’s first mass-produced hydrogen-powered vehicle, ix35 Fuel Cell.
More information about Hyundai Motor and its products can be found at:
http://worldwide.hyundai.com or http://www.hyundaiglobalnews.com
Global PR Team
+82 (0)2 3464 2152 ~ 2160


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Twice now, Audi has shown off a next-generation quattro concept, but this time around we might actually see it head to production.
According to the director of the German automaker’s UK arm, Audi will be launching a series of top-end vehicles based on recent concepts such as the Audi quattro and even the wildNanuk. “Every concept we show has production possibilities, and these cars are no different,” said André Konsbruck in regards to the Nanuk and quattro concept.
Though neither vehicle has been confirmed for actual production, both have production viability according to Konsbruck and are undergoing customer testing and internal evaluation to see if there’s a valid business case for either or both vehicles.
Konsbruck admits that those vehicles are clearly for niche markets and will push the price ceiling on the brand upwards, but will also raise the brand’s image in addition to building the desirability of Audi as a whole.
“However popular they are, we cannot just build Audi A3s, that’s clear,” Konsbruck elaborated. “Audi has always done special projects to drive its premium image, and cars like the Quattro and Nanuk could achieve that.”
GALLERY: Audi Sport Quattro Concept
GALLERY: Audi Nanuk Concept
Discuss this story at our Audi forum.


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Microsoft has begun to release details of the next version of Windows CE, planned for Q1 2013.
A year ago, there was a certain amount of concern for the future of Windows CE, stemming from the dual announcements of Windows 8 on ARM, and a Windows Phone 8 built on the same Windows-on-ARM codebase replacing a Windows Phone 7 historically built on CE.
However, it soon became apparent that in the short and medium term, such endeavours would not produce a replacement for Windows CE, and a roadmap for Windows CE which is far from superficial has emerged. A significant investment in Microsoft’s small-footprint embedded OS is, it seems, being made.
The first details relate to an update to .NET Compact Framework from version 3.5 to 3.9, and integration with Visual Studio 2012. Microsoft has released a video on this topic.
Up to now, Windows CE users have had to put up with using a version of Visual Studio at least one or two revisions behind current. Compact 7 users are limited to Visual Studio 2008.
VS2012 offers C++ users significant advantages, including support for the current version of C++, known as C++11, which includes many important new language features such as range-based FOR loops. Code management via Team Foundation Server and improvements to Solution Explorer can make a big difference to productivity. See Microsoft’s What’s New in VS2012 page. Other good stuff includes Standard Template library improvements, and auto-parallisation and vectorisating, which could provide big performance enhancements with the latest multicore ARM devices.
The update gives us .NET Compact Framework 3.9, which promises smaller images and is said to be multicore-safe (Compact 7 already claims support for multicore devices).
The new capabilities will no doubt be delivered as an update to VS2012 for those on an MSDN Subscription which covers embedded tools.


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Phnom Penh (FN), March 27 – Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen confirmed to announce business reforms on 29 March 2019, addressing Wednesday at the graduation ceremony held at National Institute of Education in Phnom Penh.
The Premier stated that at the 18th Royal Government-Private Sector Forum to be held this Friday at the Peace Palace, he will present a number of key interventions, including budget package to resolve trade issues. He will also introduce detailed sharp measures on: (1) promoting competitiveness of Cambodian economy; (2) enhancing and promoting investment and business environment; (3) diversifying the national economy and creating more quality jobs for Cambodian workers.
In order to promote competitiveness, economic diversification, and business environment in Cambodia, the Royal Government of Cambodia (RGC) has decided to introduce in-depth reforms to reduce operating costs. The government also considered private sector an engine of economic growth and a real partner for development.
“I will reform our business sector. I can say we will reduce our national holiday [for better productivity],” the Premier said.
“Cambodia is a poor country, but we have many holidays. The poor kingdom has an average of 28 holidays per annum compared to 11 days off that the rich Singapore has.”
According to the Strongman, Cambodia has created a dialogue mechanism called “Government-Private Forum” under the leadership of Prime Minister, and participations from all ministers, governors, 300 private sectors, ambassadors, and international organizations. The mechanism aims to allow private sector present the challenges for the government to take actions. All the decisions of the Forum will be considered the decision of the Council of Ministers.


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Volkswagen today claimed they have set their sites on global leadership in electrified vehicles.
Wolfgang Durheimer is best known for his brief, but pivotal role at Bentley, which is owned by the Volkswagen Group.
Some things get better with age and the new 2015 Volkswagen Golf R sports car is one of them. The performance 2015 Golf R has been revealed early and it gets more horsepower than its predecessor.
If you are thinking about purchasing a new 2014 Volkswagen, there are big changes coming for the 2014 model year and good news for performance fans.
Want to know how to get 78 mpg in a Volkswagen Passat TDI? Volkswagen has just announced there has been a new world record 77.99 mpg that was achieved in one of their new diesel Passat’s.
Volkswagen has released details on the new 2014 Golf GTD and reveals the new diesel GTD “Grand Turismo Diesel” will be even more fuel efficient than before.
Starting from VW’s Herndon VA headquarters, the two drivers will circumnavigate the 48 contiguous states, racking up 8,000 miles in attempt to set a new world record for Lowest Fuel Consumption
Fifty years ago a small German car company decided that the war was far enough in the past that it could move on from basic transportation and cheap runabouts.
Imagine growing up in one of Sao Paulo's barrios, dreaming of owning a shiny new car but with little hope of realizing the dream.
Automakers like Volkswagen are all about bringing concepts to auto shows and letting the world see what their design teams can come up with.
The Volkswagen Group who owns Audi has made no secret of the fact that they want to be the number one automaker in the world by 2018.
Volkswagen has hit an incredible milestone by building the one million Scirocco model in Wolfsburg Germany.
Buyers of the 2013 Volkswagen Jetta GLI and the VW Beetle Turbo and Beetle Convertible are in for a pleasant surprise.
The 2013 Volkswagen Golf R-Line packages include three different options that can be ordered separately or combined with a handful of modifications inside, outside and underneath that bolster the s
At the International Vienna Motor Symposium Prof. Dr. Martin Winterkorn, Chairman of the Board of Management of Volkswagen AG, gave a forecast of future drive system technologies.
Sometimes we need to look back to see where a car is going in the future.
Volkswagen has achieved what almost every industry watcher said was impossible.
The new 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee is an impressive sport utility with many of the things that only Jeep can provide.
Volkswagen is definitely on track with four World Car of the Year wins in the past five years.
This means the annual rate of seasonally adjusted sales is holding steady for a projected total of 15.2 million vehicles, while full size pickups are again showing market share growth.
Reaffirming the ability of automakers to reduce the environment and climate impact of the cars we drive, Volkswagen and Greenpeace have jointly announced an agreement for Volkswagen to reduce the f
Affected by Wednesday’s recall are over 20 different Volkswagen models imported or manufactured in China between December 2008 and March 2013.
We’ve heard plenty of conflicting messages from the German mega-carmaker Volkswagen in the past when it comes to the electric drive.
The intention to achieve this lofty goal by 2018 was announced at the Geneva International Motor Show, and in keeping with this directive, VW is putting more than two-thirds of available investment
On Monday, the Volkswagen Golf won the 2013 European Car of the Year award in grand fashion.


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NORTHBOROUGH, Mass. — While Toys For Tots may be among the best well-known holiday toys drives, it is not the only program seeking help from Northborough residents this season.
The Northborough Recreation Department has put out a call for toy donations for its Holiday Sale on Saturday, Dec. 1. The sale will allow those who are facing financial difficulties to purchase new and used toys and games at reasonable prices.
All proceeds from the event will benefit Northborough Recreation.
Donations should be new or gently used and in working condition. Northborough Recreation recommends bicycles, dolls, sporting equipment, book, computer games, and other toys and games for children ages 2 and up. The department will not accept stuffed animals, booster seats, clothing or infant toys.
Donations can be dropped off at the Northborough Recreation Department, located in the basement of Northborough Town Hall, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.


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VANCOUVER, BC , Oct. 6, 2020 /CNW/ – Patient Choice , a scrappy new Canadian start-up, says that easy and affordable access to medical cannabis is unnecessarily difficult to find for patients.
“Medical cannabis patients deserve convenience, choice, and competitive pricing,” said Joel Taylor, Co-Founder of Patient Choice. “Right now, accessing medical cannabis is unnecessarily expensive and difficult, and people are being pushed back to the illicit market. Patients are getting the short end of the stick, so we’ve built something with freedom and fairness in mind for both patients and providers.”
The Patient Choice model puts patients first. A previously unreleased poll examining medical cannabis in Canada suggests that the vast majority of patients believe that they are being taken advantage of, and that the current medical distribution model is ripe for disruption that makes things better for both patients and providers.
- 72% of Canadians and 82% of medical cannabis patients agree that “Physicians who prescribe medical cannabis should give their patients a choice of suppliers and products.”
- 70% of Canadians and 71% of medical cannabis patients agree that “if clinics that prescribe medication to patients are paid directly by the producers of that medication, that’s a conflict of interest.
- 70% of Canadians and 91% of medical cannabis patients agree that “Physicians providing specialized consultations to patients considering using medical cannabis should be paid for by provincial health care plans, like other medical appointments.”
The Patient Choice platform – online at www.patient-choice.com – gives medical cannabis patients flexible and convenient freedom to purchase their supply from a range of different providers competitively priced on one platform. Once your medical document is securely registered with Patient Choice, there’s no need to re-register with different cultivators every time you want to try something new. And if your primary provider runs out of a preferred medication, you have seamless access to every other producer and processor on the platform, with no hassle or delay ensuring you always have access to the medication you need.
Patient Choice is already carrying a variety of different product formats including flower, oils, tinctures, and vapes. With an increasing number of Canadian patients authorized for personal or designated cultivation, Patient Choice also serves the critical niche market for growing materials, including seeds and plants. The range of available growing materials will continue to expand as live plant delivery logistics are strengthened across Canada .
Initial supplier partnerships include Artiva, Weathered Islands, Medz Cannabis, Greenway Greenhouse, TGOD, Bonify, Tantalus, Virtue Cannabis Co, GTEC’s Alberta Craft Cannabis, and Heritage Cannabis’s Pura Vida and Purafarm brands.
Patient Choice is continuing to onboard suppliers. Producers, processors, and nurseries interested in listing their products on the platform at no upfront cost are encouraged to get in touch for more information.
Survey results are based on an online study conducted by ResearchCo on December 18 and December 19, 2019, among 1,000 adults in Canada, as the Patient Choice model was being developed. The data has been statistically weighted according to Canadian census figures for age, gender and region in Canada. The margin of error—which measures sample variability—is +/- 3.1 percentage points, nineteen times out of twenty.
Learn more at www.patient-choice.com .
About Patient Choice:
Patient Choice is a Health Canada licensed online medical platform that connects medical cannabis patients, licensed producers, and processors. Our goal is to give both patients and providers more choice and a better deal, while keeping things simple for prescribing healthcare professionals.
SOURCE Patient Choice


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The Czech Republic’s manufacturing performance worsened for a sixth month in September on declining new orders, an industry gauge showed after the central bank cut interest rates to a record low.
The HSBC Czech Republic Manufacturing PMI fell to 48, from 48.7 in August, the bank said today in an e-mailed report. A result greater than 50 signals an improvement in performance, while a figure below signals deterioration.
“Output declined at the fastest rate in over three years, while demand from both domestic and export markets remained weak,” the bank said in the report compiled by Markit, a financial information services company. “New orders have declined for six successive months, though the rate of contraction stabilized after accelerating in both July and August.”
The central bank in Prague cut the benchmark interest rate to a record-low 0.25 percent on Sept. 27 as weakening domestic demand pushed the economy into the second recession in three years. Gross domestic product contracted for three quarters through June as households cut spending in response to a worsening economic outlook across Europe.
The economy relies on demand for cars, auto parts and electronics goods from the European Union, the market for about 80 percent of its exports. The government wants to push through a package of measures including tax increases that the central bank forecasts will further depress domestic demand next year.
“Policy makers seemed to have exhausted their response options,” Agata Urbanska, a London-based economist at HSBC, said in the statement. “Eyes need to be fixed on the fiscal policy side and the future of the vetoed pension-system reform and fiscal austerity measures debated in the parliament at present.”


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SYDNEY, N.S. — As one of the first dive shops to ever to open in Cape Breton continues its penchant for innovation, its transitioning to inshore diving and marine services has developed a need for equipment to match the growing and ever-changing nature of its work.
This is one of the reasons why Commercial Diving and Marine Services Atlantic, formerly known as Scuba Tech, partnered with Innovacorp and the Nova Scotia Power MakerSpace for the fourth edition of the Intersect Challenge.
“It’s not a registered trade, but when it comes to commercial diving as an industry, it is relatively new as compared to welding or electrical so the equipment is still evolving,” said Kensen Jardine, owner and operator of CDMS.
“Our understanding of commercial diving is still evolving so the equipment is still evolving. That’s basically where this challenge came from.”
Bob Pelley, Innovacorp's regional manager for Cape Breton, said each edition of Intersect sees them partner with an organization that had a challenge that needed to be solved.
Teams from the public are provided details on an issue and asked to create a product and a company that offers a solution that can be used by the partner company in the challenge and, potentially, others around the world.
New companies are created through the process and the partner organization agrees to become their first client.
The winning pitch this time gets $10,000 and business support and access to the Nova Scotia Power Makerspace.
- Promotes the intersection of established businesses and entrepreneurship.
- The business provides a problem they need solved.
- Pitch your solution to solve it.
- Launch Thursday, Feb. 13, 6-8 p.m. at MakerSpace on Nepean Street, Sydney.
- Application deadline is Feb. 26.
- Live judging on March 30.
- Winner gets $10,000 and business support and access to the Nova Scotia Power Makerspace.
- RSVP to Holly Chisholm at [email protected] to attend.
Past winners have included Tracker Inventory, which is now providing services to laundry facilities and hotels in New Brunswick and investigating opportunities in the fishing industry. It also won the recent Spark Nova Scotia Challenge.
Check-in Analytics was also a winner in a challenge that partnered with Destination Cape Breton with a goal of realtime measurement of room nights. That company is doing well in the market and testing a new product to assist other challenges faced by hotel operators and tourism associations.
While previous Intersect Challenges resulted in the launch of companies with IT-related interests, this one will look to create a physical product or products.
“We have been wanting to do a design challenge in the MakerSpace so we decided to merge the two concepts,” Pelley said.
“It’s targeted at commercial divers but we know there will be other opportunities for recreational divers and other water enthusiasts — whether it is snorkelling or a wide variety of applications in other areas.”
Most aspects of MakerSpace from software to hardware, are expected to be showcased during the challenge, a prospect that pleases Matt Swann, director of the Nova Scotia Power MakerSpace.
“What we want to get people sort of aware of is the fact that the MakerSpace is not just a place to play, it’s not just a place to learn, but it is actually a place to launch businesses,” Swann said.
“You can really make use of this place to get new things started.”
Jardine said the diving industry is one with room to grow, so he’s keen on seeing potential products that come from the challenge.
“That’d be the ultimate goal, to try and do something for divers everywhere,” he said.
Details on the challenge will be provided during its launch party Thursday from 6-8 p.m. at the MakerSpace on Nepean Street, Sydney. The launch will be recorded for later playback for those who cannot attend.
Application deadline is Feb. 26, while live judging and the winner will be announced on March 30.
To attend, RSVP to Holly Chisholm at [email protected].


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*NEWS: OC Startup Acquired by P.E. Firm
This news is courtesy of SoCal Tech, which OCSN has a partnership with. Urban Armor Gear, with HQ in Laguna Niguel, which makes “ruggedized” protective cases for mobile devices like smartphones and tablets, has been acquired by private equity investor Hammond, Kennedy, Whitney & Company. Financial details of the acquisition were not announced by the companies. The startup was founded in 2011.
A link to the press release about the news can be found here.


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When AssetPoint lost a bid to a Microsoft partner, it decided to become a Microsoft partner itself. Now a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner, the maintenance software provider has seen lead-generation climb 10 to 15 percent, Web traffic climb 7 to 10 percent, and months shaved off development time—all as a result of the Microsoft partner programs in which it participates.
For most of its 30 years, AssetPoint offered its maintenance management software on IBM and UNIX platforms and Oracle database software. And the company prospered, becoming a leader in its field for delivering integrated maintenance software and program improvement services that reduced costs and improved profitability. It was named one of the 25 fastest-growing companies in South Carolina in 2009 by the state Chamber of Commerce.
But the market changed, with more of its customers moving to adopt the Microsoft application platform. One day, AssetPoint lost a large piece of business to a company that it didn’t even consider a major competitor. That company offered its solution on Microsoft software. And it had something more going for it: it was a Microsoft-certified partner.
“That got us to thinking,” recalls Mike Stone, Vice President of Global Marketing at AssetPoint.
AssetPoint executives looked into the possibility of joining the Microsoft Partner Program themselves and, Stone says, “The more we looked at it, the more we liked what we saw.”
||Being a Microsoft partner has definitely contributed to our growth. There’s no doubt about that.
Vice President of Global Marketing, AssetPoint
The company joined the Microsoft Partner Network, becoming a Registered Partner immediately, a Certified Partner six months later, and a Gold Certified Partner a year after that. AssetPoint has maintained its Gold Certified Partner status ever since, earning five certified competency credentials. The competency credentials provide a competitive advantage by demonstrating to the company’s customers that it is especially qualified in areas including service oriented architecture and business process, mobility solutions, and data management solutions.
As a Microsoft partner, AssetPoint has participated in a variety of activities. For example, the company has used several Microsoft Ready-to-Go campaigns, which are easy-to-use, professional, premade materials and sales tools designed to help partners to identify opportunities, generate demand, and grow their customer base.
Among other Microsoft marketing activities, AssetPoint has taken advantage of business-to-business e-mail lead generation, search engine optimization, and participation in Microsoft Front Runner programs, which are designed to give companies access to software, support, and a rich, vibrant ecosystem of peers, partners, and support resources around the globe.
AssetPoint used Front Runner, for example, when it migrated its products from the Windows Vista operating system to Windows 7. With technical information provided through Front Runner, the company was able to complete its migration in 80 hours and earn certification on the new operating system.
Windows 7 is far from the only Microsoft technology for which AssetPoint has gotten a boost from Microsoft. As a Microsoft partner, the company is entitled to licenses to a broad range of Microsoft products for development use. It is also entitled to an array of Microsoft online resources for knowledge transfer, including Webinars on the latest Microsoft technologies. It has participated in such Webinars, for example, on developing for the Microsoft .NET Framework and on Microsoft SQL Server 2008 data management software.
The range of benefits that AssetPoint has gained is as broad as the number of partner programs in which it has participated.
Achieves Major Savings in Software Licenses
The technology aspects of the partner programs have been highly beneficial, according to Kay Jenkins, Executive Vice President—Products and Services, AssetPoint. Perhaps the biggest benefit, she says, has been the development licenses for Microsoft technologies including the Microsoft Visual Studio 2008 development system, Windows Server 2008, Microsoft SQL Server 2008, Microsoft Office 2007, and more.
“Beyond the cost savings, gaining licenses to the latest Microsoft software makes it easier to become familiar with that software,” says Jenkins. “It helps us to stay on top of what Microsoft is doing. It helped speed our migration to .NET.”
So has the access to online training and Webinars. “Microsoft’s online resources are awesome,” says Jenkins. “You can find 80 to 90 percent of what you need online.”
“Microsoft pushes Webinar information out to us as a Microsoft partner, so we don’t have to search it out,” continues Jenkins. “It saves us the time and cost of sending someone to training. When we first moved to .NET, a six-month project, Microsoft’s online resources probably saved us two months of training.”
Speeds the Marketing and Sales Cycle
One of the biggest benefits AssetPoint has seen as a Microsoft partner comes from the certification of its products. “Certification has helped us improve our marketing and sales cycles,” says Stone. “That’s because product certifications have given us credibility in the marketplace. Prospects are put at ease to know that our products are certified by Microsoft. And because our competitor’s products aren’t certified, it gives us a competitive advantage as well.”
AssetPoint has also sharpened its marketing programs as a result of participation in Microsoft Ready-to-Go Marketing Services. The search engine optimization program helped to improve the company’s Web page ratings and boosted traffic by an estimated 7 to 10 percent. The business-to-business lead generation program improved the results of the company’s e-mail lead generation campaigns by an estimated 10 to 15 percent.
Participation in the Ready-to-Go campaigns has been especially helpful. The company recently participated in the Microsoft information worker campaign. It gained 65 leads from that effort.
“The Microsoft Ready-to-Go campaign we launched really resonated with our community of maintenance engineers,” says Stone. “One of the biggest issues in the field today is the aging of the workforce and the thinning of the ranks of young maintenance personnel. The campaign spoke exactly to that issue, which is what made it so successful.”
“Being a Microsoft partner has definitely contributed to our growth,” says Stone. “There’s no doubt about that.”


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Cobra Releases AURA Camera Locator
Cobra Electronics this week announced the release of the SL3 GPS Safety Camera Locator. The product is described by the company as a GPS-enabled device that alerts drivers of traffic and safety cameras coming up on the road.
"The SL3 GPS Safety Locator provides a simple, safe way to warn drivers of potential dangers at a price that is less than most traffic violations or deductibles," the company's senior vice president of marketing and sales, Tony Mirabelli, said as part of the announcement. "An audible and visual alert provides the driver added awareness."
The product is available now at a suggested retail price of $99.95, which includes a year of full database updates. For more, visit www.cobra.com


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The New Publicis
By: Johnathan Arp
In a relatively unexpected move, Publicis and Omnicom merged last week as seen in this AdAge article. The newly formed Publicis Omnicom Group will now account for over 41% of Global advertising revenues with WPP, the nearest competitor, at 32%. This is the largest ever merger in the Advertising space. Some prospective rationals for the merger are to fortify against new media giants like Google and Facebook (who are many times seen as competitors to ad agencies), to allow better access to pricing data when buying from aforementioned media giants, and to defend against new entrants in the space, namely Accenture, Deloitte and other consultancies.
There are some potential client conflicts of interest (the single entity will now cover Coca-Cola and Pepsi, AT&T and Verizon, McDonalds and Yum Brands etc) and anti trust concerns, but the deal has been pushed through. The question remains whether this is a signal of added consolidation in the industry or if clients will look to more nimble indy agencies that can offer more attention.


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The founder of luxury retail sales platform Cettire says the launch of a new mobile app will increase its market penetration, improve customer experience and help keep shoppers on the site.
Dean Mintz said the launch of Cettire’s app for iOS and Android devices was a key milestone in the company’s growth strategy as about 80 per cent of its website traffic already comes through mobile devices, even without apps of its own in the market.
Cettire holds no inventory of its own. Products are ordered through its website and dispatched by third-party suppliers, and fulfilment is fully automated. It services 53 markets.
“(This) further extends our proprietary technology platform, whilst enhancing brand and customer experience,” Mr Mintz said in a statement.
“Mobile applications are a critical component of our growth strategy to acquire new customers, increase conversion rates and improve retention.
“While the majority of our traffic is already mobile and our website is
mobile-optimised, our apps enable a more seamless engagement with customers and provide considerable scope for an even greater personalised experience.“
Mr Mintz said the app would drive customer and brand awareness globally and have features such as app-specific push notifications, seamless checkout management and “wish lists” where shoppers can save products they are viewing.
At the same time as revealing the new mobile app, he said the business grew strongly in the third quarter through increased site traffic, more active customers (those that have purchased in the past 12 months) and repeat purchasers.
Cettire posted a 163 per cent increase in revenue in the March quarter to $48.7 million. Unique website visits reached 13.3 million compared with just 3.6 million a year ago and the number of orders also increased.
But key metrics such as the conversion rate fell 26 per cent and the average order value fell to $682 from $695.
Despite the Young Rich Lister’s upbeat comments, Cettire shares fell 10.2 per cent to 66¢ just before the close of trading on Thursday. The stock peaked at $4.75 in mid-November 2021 and has since been under pressure.
Mr Mintz recently sold a stake in the company he founded, pocketing about $47 million. Since the sale was revealed on March 23, the shares have tanked, despite his continuing ownership of 56.72 per cent of the company and a promise not to sell any more shares until the release of the company’s full year 2021-22 results.
Cat Rock Capital Management LP is the second-biggest investor at 11.72 per cent.
Cettire recently entered the $100 billion global beauty market and still has not provided any updates about further direct brand partnerships. It has announced only one direct brand relationship – with Italy’s Staff International.
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Sekani Solomon’s short film, Star Wars: The Last Stand, was viewed nearly 2 million times in the first two months after he posted it on YouTube. It was a pleasant surprise, to say the least, Solomon says, particularly since the film was a personal project that started out as a gag when he was working as a motion designer at Imaginary Forces in 2016.
When COVID-19 shut down live-action production last year, unforeseen opportunities opened up for many 3D artists, including Los Angeles-based motion designer Jan Sladecko
A love of design and VFX inspired friends and collaborators Justin Fields and Jordan Broe to start Los Angeles-based Sanctum Studios.


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The e-catering initiative was launched by the IRCTC, a subsidiary of the Indian Railways, in 2015 and was extended from time to time to cover more number of trains.
The case went to AAR when an applicant, which is in the business of providing catering services to various industry and factory canteens, charged GST @ 18% for their services by considering them as 'outdoor catering service'.
In a circular dated May 16, the Delhi government had warned bars and pubs to not play recorded music citing a rule that bars them from doing so.
Some 50 mid-sized and well-known casual dining restaurants and hamburger joints across the country have closed in the past year after their profitability was hurt by the rollback of input tax credit, inflation.
Starbucks said Saturday it has told workers to consider anyone who walks into its stores a customer, "regardless of whether they make a purchase."
Food inspectors from the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) who raided the place also served a notice to the outlet for functioning under unhygienic conditions.
Sameer’s appointment at Zomato will be effective July after his latest stint at GE serving as the CFO for its South Asia business
Alibaba and Softbank are reportedly looking to park millions in the Gurgaon-based company. Why does this indomitable pair see a recipe for success in Zomato?
Mumbai Dabbawala Association spokesperson Subhash Talekar said they are in an advanced stage of finalising the new project to deliver parcels within the city
Sources close to the discussions said Zomato is talking to Alibaba while Swiggy is close to wrapping up a new $200-million financing round with participation from Yuri Milner’s DST Global, Coatue Management, and Meituan-Dianping.
SoftBank is the largest shareholder in cab hailing applications Ola and Uber, both of which acquired and launched food delivery services last year, respectively.
The U.S. coffee chain, which recently raised $7.15 billion in a deal with Nestle SA, aims to have 6,000 stores in the country by the end of 2022
The complainant, Rakesh Kumar, said that the sharp object was stuck in the patty of the burger and injured his mouth and throat after he took a bite.
Westlife Development, master franchisee of McDonald's in west and south India, on Friday said it has achieved its highest ever annual revenues of Rs 1,100 crore - 22 per cent growth year on year.
The tenure of Agarwal, a 1985-batch IAS officer of West Bengal cadre, has been given three-month extension beyond May 15, 2018, an order issued by personnel ministry said.
A train is a medium of transport and cannot be termed as a restaurant, the AAR said in a decision that will impact those supplying food on trains.
With this, the food-tech startup has become one of the youngest internet startups in the country to make the offer.
The government had withdrawn input tax credit against goods and services tax when GST on restaurants was slashed to 5% from 18% in November last year.
For the full year, Jubilant posted a net profit of Rs 206 crore as opposed to Rs 67.2 crore it posted last year.
Seven autonomously swirling cooking pots - what the restaurant calls a "never before-seen robotic kitchen" - hum at Spyce


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In May, Disney Parks Blog announced that the first-ever Walt Disney World store would open on International Drive in Orlando, Florida. The store opened on May 31 with a massive digital billboard advertising the Resort’s 50th Anniversary.
Outside of the Orlando International Airport (MCO), this is the only Walt Disney World Resort merchandise location off Disney property. Those very airport store displays inspired the massive, gleaming billboard on top of the Hollywood Plaza parking garage on I-drive.
“We took a lot of knowledge from setting up the 50th art installations in our parks and the Orlando International Airport and wanted to spread a little of that magic out into the world,” Will Gay, design director with Disney’s Yellow Shoes Creative Group, told Disney Parks Blog. “It all started with a little idea and a question – could we do this? Could we turn this into a dynamic art display bigger than anything we’ve ever done before?”
Unfortunately, the glimmering billboard isn’t holding up. @GregInORL shared a photo of the billboard this week on Twitter:
Off with his head
Off with his head pic.twitter.com/VrLqjFrlar
— Greg in Orlando (@GregInORL) October 10, 2022
The advertisement features a golden statue of Figment, EPCOT’s iconic purple dragon. However, two giant black bars cut through the golden statue, text, and navy blue background. The Walt Disney Company hasn’t commented on the reported damage to the digital billboard.
According to Disney Communications and Public Affairs Manager Kathleen Prihoda, the billboard is meant to be an “impressive ribbon-like Disney art display that enwraps the outside of Hollywood Plaza garage.”
Over time, the interactive display will change, advertising new products and experiences at Walt Disney World Resort. The 50th Anniversary Celebration is slotted to end early next year, so new art is expected soon!
The Walt Disney World Store features merchandise, ticket sales, and an interactive Disney Vacation Club Virtual Discovery Station with floor-to-ceiling screens that transport Central Florida visitors to Disney Parks and Disney Cruise Line destinations worldwide.
Have you noticed damage to the Walt Disney World store billboard?


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EXCHANGE: Herbal farmers grow small garden for health care
June 25, 2017
ANNA, Ill. (AP) — It's a quarter of an acre that grows about 50 plants, an area that some folks would call a garden of life.
The compact, fenced-in plot is a small part of the Dayemi community's 100-acre property in Union County, where some familiar-looking plants and some even more familiar-looking weeds grow, all for the purpose of producing products that fuel this part of the herbal-medicine market.
This is the Dayempur Herbal Garden, which produces products that are sold in 24 health care markets and stores in Illinois, Missouri, Ohio and Kentucky, according to Terry Hickey, general m...


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As of 17 January 2019, 1SG will be list on P2PB2B, one of the fastest growing crypto exchanges in recent years. Supporting 27 cryptocurrencies with 71 market trading pairs, P2PB2B see a 24-hour trading volume of about 102 million and is ranked top 30 worldwide on Coinmarketcap.
P2PB2B tagline promises, a “trustworthy partner in the world of cryptocurrency trading”, and demonstrates it through their unprecedented processing speed, tight security measures and a well-developed referral programmed. Servers are able to host up to a million TCP connections which can process 10,000 trades in a single second, making trading 1SG more efficient than ever. With more than 95% of users’ asset placed in cold wallets, users are reassured by the security of their assets, especially when they are hidden behind a Web Application Firewall (WAF) that detects and prevents potential hacking. The platform also has a referral programmed that encourages active traders, offering a million altcoins as a prize pool.
What stands out the most, is its unique support of USD fiat deposits. This acceptance allow many of its current listings to be paired with the legal tender including 1SG. We are therefore, pleased to announce that 1SG is available in three different trading pairs on the platform, namely 1SG/ETH, 1SG/BTC and 1SG/USD.
Since launched in 1st of January 2019, 1SG has already secured listings on four renowned cryptocurrency exchanges, amongst which includes Kryptono Exchange, TOP.ONE, BitMart and P2PB2B. 1SG a new stablecoin showing remarkable liquidity.
1SG is a stable coin, issued by the Mars Blockchain Group which overcomes the problems of today’s cryptocurrencies, while providing open, transparent, efficient KYC/AML process. With the key features of stable value and high liquidity, Mars Blockchain is a start-up committed to becoming a leading stablecoin in global cryptocurrency market. 1SG circumvents the volatility of other major cryptocurrencies by maintaining a fixed peg to $1 SGD in the markets.
For more details, check out http://1.sg/
P2PB2B was originally founded in 2014 and has introduced a completely new experience for crypto traders after 4 years by updating the whole platform. Our mission is to provide investors and traders with the best possible solutions for trading, buying, and selling digital assets.
To trade 1SG now, head over to these exchange platforms:
For more information on 1SG, keep up through its social media outlets:


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The next fortnight is set to be the busiest time for new trailers in months, with some more announced today.
Tomorrow (Monday) we’ll see the first trailer for “Men in Black III”, Sony confirming the promo will hit at that time via the film’s Facebook page.
Tomorrow’s edition of “Entertainment Tonight” will include the first trailer for “G.I. Joe: Retaliation” which is expected to be released online a few hours later.
Still no word on when the proper quality (non-bootleg) version of the 63-second trailer for Ridley Scott’s “Prometheus” will go online, though there’s talk it could be as early as tomorrow.
Later in the week, specifically on Friday, will be the first trailer for the Sacha Baron Cohen comedy “The Dictator”.
The 2min 3sec second trailer for “The Dark Knight Rises” which premieres with “Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows” on Friday is now rumoured to be going online the following Tuesday (Dec. 20th).
The first trailers for “Jack The Giant Killer” and “Rock Of Ages” are also expected to hit with ‘Game of Shadows’, they’re both due to go online between Friday and the following Monday.
A second trailer for “Ghost Rider: Spirit Of Vengeance” is due out with “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” later this month but is expected to go online before that film opens.
Finally there’s still no word on when the first trailer for “Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters” will be released, though it is due shortly.


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After the latest round of bad news for Ford Motor Company, analysts and employees at the troubled American automaker expect the company to aggressively cut fixed costs by offering buyout packages to most, if not all of its U.S. factory employees.
In announcing a $254 million second-quarter loss early this month, the company pledged to speed up reorganization plans and has announced production cuts to keep expenses in check. It announced last week that it will cut fourth-quarter production by 21 percent, a move that will require temporary layoffs of some factory employees.
Ford had previously stated plans to close 14 plants and eliminate as many as 30,000 factory jobs by 2012. But those cutbacks may come more quickly.
Analysts say Ford needs to make the production and personnel cutbacks permanent if it hopes to make the turnaround toward profitability, and many believe an announcement on personnel cutbacks could come soon.
"I think it's going to happen. I don't really think they have a choice," said Rebecca Lindland, automotive analyst with Global Insight.
Ford has refused to comment on any potential buyouts, and United Autoworkers Union, which represents about 82,000 Ford employees, also refused to comment on any of Ford's restructuring plans.
But media reports and analyst speculation suggest that long-time employees would be in line for a $100,000 payout, but possibly forfeit all future health coverage and other benefits. More recent hires would receive $15,000 for college and have their health benefits continued while they attend school.
Many of the white-collar and blue-collar jobs targeted for buyouts are likely held by workers making somewhere in the neighborhood of $100,000 annually, according to Lindland and fellow auto analyst John Wolkonowicz.
"One-hundred thousand really isn't that much when you add in health expenses," Lindland said.
During the last several years, Ford and General Motors have seen a steady erosion of their U.S. market share as Japanese automakers Toyota and Honda achieved steady gains. The shift was underscored in July, when Ford for the first time sold fewer vehicles than Toyota Motor Corp. in the United States.
GM, however, has moved more aggressively to limit their fixed costs. In May, about 35,000 hourly workers at GM accepted buyout or early retirement offers. The company had previously announced a plan to cut its 113,000-person U.S. hourly work force by 30,000, closing 12 plants by 2008. The company now expects to reach its job reduction target by Jan. 1, 2007, about two years ahead of schedule.
"GM has certainly taken the hits they need to take, and they made them quickly. Ford is taking what looks like a slower, kinder, gentler tactic, and it's not working," Lindland said.
The expectation is that Ford will stick near the initial plan of about 30,000 job cuts, but accelerate the process and complete the buyouts long before 2012.
The analysts said Ford must also improve a product line that has become less appealing to consumers in recent years. While longtime staples like the Ford Mustang have continued to sell, high gas prices this summer caused a slip in small and medium-sized SUV sales. The challenge, the analysts said, will be to overcome consumers' negative impression of U.S.-made cars and create a new products that are accepted by younger car buyers.


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A social media presence is no longer an optional part of running a small business; it’s an absolute necessity.
Facebook, Instagram and other popular forums are as important, if not more so, to a company’s marketing as is television ads and sponsoring local events. But that’s still a lesson some small-business owners are learning.
Half of small-business owners have a Facebook page, according to the CNBC/Survey Monkey Small Business Survey. The survey, conducted in April, gathered the findings from more than 2,000 small-business owners across the country in a variety of industries. It revealed that while 40 percent use social media to communicate with potential customers, just 21 percent advertise their companies on social media.
Those numbers are increasing as these sites become a bigger part of the general public’s life (Facebook, for example, recently announced it had hit 2 billion users). If you’re running a small business and are on (or joining) Facebook and other social networks, there are a number of ways to gain an edge on the competition — and boost your bottom line.


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Valentine’s Day is right around the corner, and to prepare for the day, Seton Hall University students shared their favorite makeup brands, tips and tricks.
Kassidy Kelly, a sophomore public relations major, shared a makeup tip.
“Next time you sit down to do your makeup, try mixing your liquid foundation with a small drop of your daily face moisturizer before applying,” Kelly said. “This will not only keep your skin extra hydrated and keep your makeup from looking ‘cakey,’ but will help to make your foundation last longer – a little goes a long way.”
Kelly also said she finishes her routine with setting spray and added, “Another one of my go-to tips is to keep a little pressed powder compact in your purse or bag for touching up so your makeup will never look oily or shiny.”
Courtney Jenney, a senior public relations major, also shared some of her favorite makeup tips.
“I love to use my bronzer as eyeshadow,” Jenney said. “By using the same tones, it doesn’t look like I’ve used a million different products.
“I love to contour my face to give it more depth,” Jenney continued. “When you apply basic foundation and powder, your face can look really flat. By contouring your forehead, cheekbones and jawline, your face will have much more of a shape to it.”
Victoria Cardona, a senior finance and management major, discussed some of her beauty tips.
“Some cool tips or hacks that I came across when I started really getting into makeup – and still use now – are priming your face before putting on concealer or foundation,” Cardona said. “Using concealer as a lid primer, using tape for a straight, sharp cat eye or clean eyeshadow, and you can never go wrong with highlighter.”
Cardona added that color correcting is an amazing solution to redness, dark spots, and under eye bags.
Kelly said that she purchases makeup from many different brands. “Too Faced Cosmetics and Anastasia Beverly Hills,” Kelly said. “I think they are very reasonably priced for the quality and longevity of their products.”
Cardona recommended certain brands that are affordable, but also good quality for those on a budget. “I usually recommend Elf, Morphe, ColourPop, NYX, Sephora brand, Kylie Cosmetics, and Wet -N- Wild,” Cardona said.
Cardona added, “The more expensive does not always mean the best product, and the same goes for the least expensive, but when given the chance to try out the product or read reviews, always take advantage.”
Kelly said that it is very important to always remember to take off one’s makeup every night before going to bed.
“This is one of the main causes of breakouts, and with a good skincare routine, you can easily avoid them,” Kelly said. “I’d recommend the Clinique 3-Step set. It’s so easy and really changed my skin for the better.”
Kelly concluded with what she said her spring and summer season makeup trend predictions are. “I think that fun, colored eyeliners are going to be making their way into the upcoming fair-weather season,” Kelly said.
“Nothing says summer like a little pop of color. I also think that dewy, naturally glowing skin is going to be a staple look in the summertime.”
Rhania Kamel can be reached at email@example.com.