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Jan 25, 2017: Sharp will soon scale up its OLED production—in quality and quantity—as required by its parent company Foxconn’s largest customer Apple. Foxconn aims to build a new display OLED plant in the US, stated Terry Gou, CEO, Foxconn, at a press conference in Taiwan.
The $7 billion OLED screen plant will create about 30,000-50,000 jobs in the US. A molding facility will also come up in in Pennsylvania, USA.
In 2016, Taiwan-based Foxconn’s business partner Masayoshi Son, head of Japan’s SoftBank, met Donald Trump and promised another investment of $50 billion in the US.
President Trump wants to lure companies with potential tax incentives and other incentives so that they bring some manufacturing into the US.
Hence, Foxconn’s investment of $7 billion for OLED screen facility would go down well with Trump’s promise to bring manufacturing the US.
Earlier, we had reported that Foxconn, and its Japan-based subsidiary Sharp are also considering building an OLED facility at Zhengzhou, Henan Province, China. Foxconn will partner with Sharp to invest US$855 million (100 billion Japanese yen) in the OLED plant project. In September 2016, Sharp announced that it will invest 57.4 billion yen to install production facilities for OLED screens and components for the displays. It OLED production will start in April 2018.


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Fortnite update 11.30.1 has been released by Epic Games the day the big Star Wars event took place, and if you’re looking for patch notes the dev has detailed what’s in the new update.
Fortnite update 11.30.1 has been released on the PS4, Xbox One and PCs today the day after the Rise of Skywalker screening at the Risky Reels cinema.
The latest Fortnite live event was billed as debuting a screen from the latest Star Wars film in Fortnite Battle Royale.
But the event also surprised Fortnite fans by bringing with it lightsabers to Battle Royale as well as introducing new Star Wars themed challenges.
Fortnite fans also reported major server issues around the time of the Star Wars live event with players experiencing issues logging in.
The day after the big Fortnite event Epic Games has added a surprise update which is available right now.
Epic Games has simply said that the latest Fortnite patch addresses “stability issues” in the game.
The Fortnite Status Twitter posted: “We’ve released patch v11.30.1 on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC to address stability issues.”
They also added: “We have temporarily disabled the DirectX 12 beta. Thank you for participating — we’ve gained valuable information. We’re going to make some improvements and re-open the doors in early 2020.”
Fortnite update 11.30.1 follows hot on the heels of the release of Fortnite update 11.30 earlier this week.
In case you’re wondering then here is the Fortnite patch notes for that download…
FORTNITE UPDATE 11.30 PATCH NOTES
Safe Zone setting on Xbox One may return to 1.00 upon each login.
Magma Wrap looks different than intended on the Bandage Bazooka and Pistol.
Some Twin Turntables items appearing grainy and pixelated.
Bandolette Outfit may appear to have two hairstyles merged together.
Some trees and metal fences in Arena not granting the correct material increase.

domain: news


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July 3, 2006-- Home Textiles Today,
Apollo to Buy Lord & Taylor
Federated Department Stores has agreed to sell Lord & Taylor for $1.195 billion in cash to NRDC Equity Partners, a partnership between principals of Apollo Real Estate Advisors and principals of National Realty & Development Corp. The sale includes 48 Lord & Taylor stores in nine mostly Northeastern states and Washington, D.C., as well as a distribution center in Wilkes-Barre, Pa. The deal should close in the third quarter of 2006, pending regulatory approvals.
Federated Promotes Hanson, Gatio
Federated Department Stores has appointed two new division principals — Amy Hanson and Michael Gatio — effective July 31. Hanson becomes vice chairman for administration of Macy's North. Since July 2002, she has served as president of Federated's Cincinnati-based Financial, Administrative and Credit Services division, also known as the FACS Group.
Hanson will join Frank Guzzetta, chairman and ceo, and Robert Soroka, president and coo, as the division's principals. Gatio replaces Hanson as president of the FACS Group. Currently FACS evp for credit operations and marketing, he will supervise the Citigroup alliance, telephone and e-commerce customer support, and Star Rewards loyalty program. Gatio will report to Tom Cole, Federated vice chair. FACS evp David Faulk will report to Gatio on FACS issues, and to Federated svp for human resources David Clark in the corporate office.
Pier 1 will 'Stay the Course'
Pier 1 Imports has been “disappointed” in results during the first three months of its repositioning drive, but will “stay the course,” said chairman and ceo Marvin Girouard at the annual shareholders meeting. “Sales to interior designers were up 25%” in the quarter, he said, noting, “They are influencers.”
After a year of negative news, the 1,200-store specialty retailer is stepping up to compete with higher-priced offerings. Pier 1 has started to build a direct-to-consumer business, with a new catalog and a growing online shopping. Its ad campaign is built around hipness, and uses a cover version of the Grammy-winning 1969 Isley Brothers soul hit “It's Your Thing.”
Cost Plus Elects New Board Member
Shareholders of 274-store home furnishings retailer Cost Plus Inc. elected Christopher Dodds to the board of directors. He will join the audit committee and serve as the board's financial expert.
Dodds is executive vp and cfo of Charles Schwab Corp., which he joined in 1986.
“As a cfo of a major public financial services company, Chris brings a strong working knowledge of emerging accounting issues and financial trends,” said Barry Feld, Cost Plus president and ceo.
Related Content By Author
Previewing Heimtextil 2017


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"Following the recent media coverage regarding Edinburgh City Council and red meat being off the menu in Edinburgh schools, both QMS and NFUS would like to highlight discrepancies in the reporting on what the city’s decision to sign the up to the non-binding Plant Based Treaty means. Although plant-based options will be available in schools, our understanding is that young people will still have red meat choices as part of a healthy, balanced diet. That forms a great platform to discuss how we can get more local, sustainably produced food included in public procurement in the future.
"Both parties are in the process of setting up joint meetings with local councils including Edinburgh, to discuss the benefits of red meat in a healthy balanced diet and how all local authorities can ensure Scotland’s Good Food Nation Bill, passed by the Scottish Parliament in June, delivers jointly for the Scottish people and the Scottish Food and Drink industry.
"By comparison, the Plant Based Treaty runs contradictory to the good food nation plans that Government, local authorities and health boards are obliged to create as part of the Good Food Nation Bill.


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Earlier in the month, Amazon began selling Xbox Live Arcade titles. Now they're selling WiiWare games too.
So, yeah, you can now buy your digital Wii games from someone other than Nintendo. If that's something that's been really tearing you up inside.
Since a move like this was rumoured at the time of the original XBLA announcement - indeed, we said at the time a move like this was inevitable - it's surely only a matter of time until we see the mega-retailer selling Virtual Console and PlayStation Network titles as well. PSN games in your Amazon.com anyone?


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by Michael A. Fury, Techcet Group
July 11, 2011 – The day before the official opening of Semicon West 2011 started for this participant with the SEMI press conference. The group forecasts $44B equipment sales, 12% growth following 148% in 2010. Capital spending this year is driven by Intel, Global Foundries, and Samsung, with regional spending rankings led by Taiwan, the US, and Korea. Materials were up 25% in 2010 over 2009, and SEMI sees another 6% in 2011 to $46B. Materials spending by region is projected to be, in order: Taiwan, Japan, SE Asia, and Korea. There are 30,000 folks pre-registered for Semicon and Intersolar combined.
The SEMI/Gartner Market Symposium followed with a full room of ~150 people. Vincent Tong, senior VP of Xilinx, led off the session with his view of the supply chain dynamics critical to success at 28nm and beyond. Short-loop learning cycles of three months or less will play a key role in climbing yield curves not just for the semiconductor, but for the complete package, he advised.
Some changes are ahead in capital spending, foretold Bob Johnson, VP of research at Gartner. The impact of the March 2011 earthquake & tsunami in Japan is now being reported to been for only one quarter on the global electronics supply chain, due largely to the excellent efforts of Japanese vendors. Smart phones are well on their way to being the largest consumer of flash memory, which is forecast to have a total demand of 140,000 petabytes by 2015. Media tablet PCs are flagged as the next killer app as a semiconductor growth segment. A buildup of chip inventories has facilitated a push out of fab capacity expansion. Capex spending in 2011 will be up 12% over 2010, driven by Intel, foundries, and NAND, with a slight decrease in 2012 as inventory demand catches up. Capital concentration is continuing, with the top five chip producers spending 56% of the capital, and the top 10 spending 70%.
SEMI’s senior director of industry research & statistics, Dan Tracy, confirmed a sharp recovery in shipments of all wafer sizes in 2010, with 300mm shipments ~50% greater than 200mm shipments. Fab materials are forecast to be $24.8B in 2011, up 8.1% over 2010 with another 4.9% growth expected for 2012. Gold bond wire is being replaced by copper, but is still >80% of the market, with 80% of that gold wire <25


text: tech news DAILY is written, edited, and transmitted by the Marketing & Communication Office. tnDAILY produces editions on a daily basis, weekdays, during academic terms. tnDAILY is transmitted one business day prior to the edition date. Submissions should arrive via the online submission form before noon on the day of the transmission. Direct questions and comments to firstname.lastname@example.org.


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Companies like Uber Technologies, Inc. are changing the way people get around -- especially in major cities. Things have been going so well, in fact, that numerous lawsuits have been filed just against Uber. The latest business litigation to make the Maryland news is a federal lawsuit filed by 15 taxi and limousine companies here on the East Coast accusing Uber of racketeering.
Entrepreneurs face a myriad of decisions when it comes to starting their own businesses. For people in the Metro area who are looking to start a business, deciding where to do so is one of those decisions. It may be helpful to know that Bethesda was recently ranked number eight out of 463 cities in the United States for new business opportunities.


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Vocalocity (News - Alert), a cloud-based phone service provider for small business, announced the launch of its Microsoft (News - Alert) Dynamics-integrated application through Vocalocity Desktop.
The integration automatically populates stored information based on caller ID as customer’s phone rings. After the Vocalocity Desktop appears on the screen, customers can view an activity log including a caller’s name, company, job title, address, business phone, mobile phone, preferred phone, and e-mail.
“As a business owner, we rely on a robust customer relationship management system to ensure that our team stays on top of our leads, our prospects, and our customers, and the Vocalocity integration to our CRM system makes delivering great service infinitely quicker and easier,” said Steve Bachman, CEO of AuditMyBooks and a Vocalocity business VoIP customer, in a statement.
Vocalocity customers can add a new number and fill out contact information to build their lead database within Dynamics. Customers can also view call log to easily identify past concerns or solutions and conduct business more efficiently.
The app has functions like click-to-e-mail. The ability to move between Vocalocity Desktop’s other LinkedIn (News - Alert), Google, and Outlook applications strengthens the ability to collect caller information. The integration syncs with Microsoft Dynamics across an organization to strengthen collaboration and mitigate workflow redundancy.
“The Microsoft Dynamics application within Vocalocity Desktop puts our customers in a position to better sell and service their customers,” said Wain Kellum, CEO at Vocalocity, in a statement. “By easily integrating their existing Vocalocity hosted VoIP phone system with Microsoft Dynamics, customers are in a much better position to compete.”
Recently, Vocalocity announced its merger with hosted communications provider Aptela (News - Alert). With the addition of Aptela customers, Vocalocity's customer base has grown more than 30 percent. Now the company has been considered as the fastest-growing hosted communications service today devoted solely to small business needs.
Rajani Baburajan is a contributing editor for TMCnet. To read more of Rajani's articles, please visit her columnist page.
Edited by Jennifer Russell


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- Our Blog
In the last few years, mobile has evolved into a global force of nature. According to a report prepared by Mary Meeker of venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, mobile device shipments are dramatically outpacing desktops and televisions by four to five times. A study from Cisco points out a similar trend — that in 2014, average smartphone usage grew by 45 percent.
Marketers know where sales take place, but with today's fragmented path to purchase, it's difficult to understand which parts of an advertising campaign contributed to that end sale. Campaign analysis tools have not kept up with the modern shopper. Consumers are shopping with smartphones – but their behavior is very different from online shopping.
SES Miami is coming to sunny Florida in less than two months, and in advance of her keynote presentation on March 26, Google’s Maile Ohye is giving us a sneak peek of the valuable insights she plans to share with attendees about the importance of mobile, customer-centered design and cross-device usage in 2015.
With just a few days to go until SES London, this Q&A with Tomas Vaitulevicius, SEO and analytics manager at Rightmove, will give you a peak at what’s in store at the conference and what he has to say about site architecture. Search Engine Watch (SEW): Your session at SES London focuses on site architecture.
With less than a week to go until SES London, this Q&A with Thomson Reuters’ head of programmatic Emily Palmer will give you a peak at what’s in store at the conference and what she has to say about real-time bidding and programmatic buying. Search Engine Watch (SEW): Your session at SES London focuses on real-time bidding (RTB) and programmatic buying.
Internet giants like Amazon and The New York Times are attempting to push their users directly to apps; others are focusing on offering a better mobile Web experience. What's the right approach? In a world of mobile devices and apps, will websites fade away? To answer this question, we analyzed SimilarWeb data from June through November of 2014 to determine how significant m ...
SES London 2015 includes exciting and informative sessions on a range of topics, from revamping your PPC campaigns and dealing with mobile SEO to developing a marketing strategy with big data and programmatic advertising. More than 30 sessions throughout two days - this is what you can expect at SES London on February 10 and 11 at Victoria Park Plaza.
Google's Hummingbird update created a lot of anxiety, but ultimately, it could be a good thing for the industry, because it frees us from the tyranny of competing for a limited number of top keywords. Essentially, the role of the Hummingbird algorithm is to better answer those longer-tail queries users are typing in Google.


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Have questions regarding this company profile? Get expert analysis and insight from our team of analysts.
Zawya's analysts update company information from primary sources(company annual reports, press releases, company websites, corporate briefings,official statements/interviews) and reliable secondary sources(stock markets, reliable third party publications).
Our researchers then validate this information and source furtherinformation by contacting the companies directly.
Al Meera Consumer Goods Company has signed an agreement to build six new stores out of the 14 planned with a total contract value of nearly QR239m.Gulf Times - 24-Mar-2016
Doha, Qatar - 23 March 2016 Al Meera Consumer Goods Company (Q.S.C.) is pleased to announce that it has just signed an agreement with Al Khayarin Group Contracting and Trading and Al Muftah Contracting Company, to build six new stores out of the 14 planned for the coming period with total contract value of QR 238,730,146, as part of Al Meera's expansion strategy for 2016 and beyond.Press Release - 23-Mar-2016
Doha, Qatar - Almuftah Window Film has signed a major licensing agreement with 3M, one of the world's most innovative business groups. The strategic partnership involves the promotion and distribution of window film, paint protection and building glass films of 3M in the Qatar market.Press Release - 20-Sep-2015
Al Muftah Group has signed a series of distribution agreements with Stanley Security MEA for the Qatar market.Gulf Times - 22-Jul-2015
Qatar Financial Centre (QFC) has announced that Ghanim Al Muftah will be their newest brand ambassador.Press Release - 17-Jun-2015
Changes in the global political climate have resulted in increasing uncertainty in trading markets and economies around the world. For investors, this could be either a great time to invest in assets or a better time to protect their net worth.
The UAE is embracing technology innovation with a vengeance and has seen digital payment systems become a key area of focus.


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Industrial relations red tape will start to hit confidence
ALTHOUGH the State Government is talking up confidence as consumer spending is on the increase, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Queensland says it won't be for long after new industrial relations legislation came into effect this month.
The Newman government is using figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics to show how its economic policy is delivering growth for Queensland.
Acting Treasurer and Trade Minister John McVeigh said an increase of 4.9% in trend dwelling approvals and a rise of 0.5% in retail turnover during November were proof the government's initiatives were having an impact.
He said Queensland's housing finance commitments rose 2.7% in November, almost two and a half times the national increase of 1.1%.
"We've made the process of buying and selling homes easier by reinstating the principal place of residence transfer duty concession the previous Labor government scrapped, wiping up to $7000 off the cost of buying the family home," he said.
"The $15,000 Great Start Grant introduced as part of the 2012-2013 Budget has already seen more than 4100 grants given to Queenslanders."
But CCIQ general manager advocacy Nick Behrens said new federal legislation, introduced in the dying days of the former Gillard government, had added to the compliance and cost burden in relation to workplace bullying, apprenticeships and superannuation.
"We would like to see the government use the first parliamentary sittings of the year to act on this legislation and offer a much-needed reprieve to the business community, which is already battling increased energy costs," he said.
"Just when businesses feel they are turning the corner and things are picking up, they are hit with more costs and compliance obligations."
He said the changes affected every business across the state in some way and they couldn't afford to keep incurring additional business costs and being tied down with red tape.
"We are seeing some positive signs in the economy and business confidence has been on the up in Queensland, but changes like these dampen that confidence quickly," he said.


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By Amy @BubbleJobs
When you attend a job interview, 9 times out of 10, there are normally two or three possible outcomes – you get the job, you don’t or you get asked back for a second interview. Well, how about if there was a fourth outcome? And one that involved making the headlines and coming under the glare of the world’s media?
OK, so that last comment might sound pretty odd but we’ve come across a number of stories over the last couple of weeks where the outcome has been just that… and we’re sorry to say, it’s not been pretty. We’re talking of course about certain brands holding alternative job interviews and treating potential candidates well… less than kindly.
Not sure what we’re talking about? Let us explain. First up, it’s Curry’s. A few weeks ago, candidates that attended a job interview for the electrical retailer in Cardiff were made to dance David Brent-style to a Daft-Punk song in a bid to “break the ice” and impress the manager. The outcome? A load of “rubbish robotics” and some pretty humiliated candidates that turned to the country’s media to complain.
Curry’s response? It was a one-off and not something they actively endorse… only it turns out, it wasn’t a one-off at all. Another job seeker came forward this week to say he too had been made to bust a move in his job interview for the same store last year… oh dear!
Now, obviously Curry’s didn’t exactly get good PR from this little stunt… but the same can’t be said for TV brand LG. A week or so ago, news broke that the manufacturer had used their new 84 inch “ultra-realistic” HD TV to dupe candidates that had apparently come in for a job interview in China. The naughty LG team installed the TV, made it look like a window then laughed and hit ‘record’ as the poor candidates reacted in terror at the apparent meteor strike that was talking place outside.
Now, the jury’s out on whether the job interviews were real at LG for this ad but I have a feeling they were definitely staged (viral marketing anyone?!) and they definitely helped LG to convey its main marketing message – that its new super-duper TV has great image quality and is indeed “ultra-realistic”.
So there you go; two different job interview processes that have got two major brands some pretty mixed exposure over the last two weeks or so. Granted, one was staged (I think!) and one got the brand attention for all the wrong reasons… but after seeing the level of attention both big names received on the back of them, we wouldn’t be all that surprised if we started to see more and more of these stories cropping up in the next couple of months as other brands attempt to jump on the current hot alternative job interview bandwagon.
Do we think it’s right to humiliate job interviewees in a bid to garner some press? Definitely not… but we have a feeling a little thing like a conscious isn’t going to stop some companies who are desperate to get any kind of attention.
As ever, we’re keen to get your thoughts on this one. What do you think of the LG and Curry’s incidents? Would you ever be tempted to stage something like this for your company in a bid to get some column inches? Leave us a comment or tweet us – @BubbleJobs.


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Amazon's latest Prime-exclusive unlocked phone deal includes the fourth-generation Moto X and free second-generation Amazon Echo smart speaker.
Any Amazon Prime member looking for a good deal on an unlocked phone needs to consider these Prime-only discounted models from Motorola.
The biggest bad idea in tech writing is that smartphone camera bulges are bad things.
The Moto X could be made of metal and it'll do something very few phones can.
Motorola's next flagship Moto X could be getting a more premium look and feel.
Want a good Android phone without breaking the bank? Amazon has the excellent Moto X (2nd-gen) for just $200, for today only.
A newer version of one of the best Android phones may be coming, and it sounds like the battery life will be amazing
The battery life, camera, and screen resolution are all bound to get an improvement, according to some leaked specifications for the next Moto X.
It's hardly thinking outside the box.
Motorola is cutting $140 off certain models of its second generation Moto X.
Motorola is offering an incredible deal on the new Moto X for Verizon customers.
It looks like you won't have to stretch your fingers around the giant Nexus 6 to press the power button and turn on its screen.
The results are in.
We tested the iPhone 6's camera to see how well it performs compared with that of the iPhone 5s, Galaxy S5, and Moto X.
The new Moto X runs on pure Android and features a lot of improvements over its predecessor.
Based on early photos, it seems like the Moto X+1 will look very much like Motorola's current flagship.
A new leak shows what the Moto X+1's front panel looks like alongside the Moto X. If the photo turns out to be accurate, it'll be much bigger than the Moto X.
The Moto X+1, Motorola's next major smartphone, may come with upgraded specifications when compared to the Moto X.
Recently leaked photos claim to show a near final build of Motorola's rumored Moto X+1.
Motorola just unveiled its new "digital tattoo" for the Moto X, which allows you to unlock your phone instantly without even touching the screen.
A new leak claims to detail all of the hardware specs we may see in Motorola's next major smartphone, the Moto X+1.


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Cyclists working for meal delivery company Deliveroo are not self-employed and should be paid according to the pay and conditions deal which covers the delivery sector, judges in Amsterdam said on Tuesday.
Deliveroo decided last year to swap all its staff contracts for freelance ones, in which delivery workers are treated as self employed. This, the company said, gives them more freedom to decide when to work and enables them to keep more of their pay.
However, judges ruled in two separate court cases on Tuesday that the job has not changed sufficiently to merit tearing up the formal contract and, in the second case, that the statutory delivery workers pay deal should apply to all delivery crew. They are currently paid per delivery rather than a hourly rate.
Judges said in a different case last year that Deliveroo delivery workers can be considered freelancers but suggested that ‘When contracts such as those used by platforms like Deliveroo are considered to be undesirable, then parliament should take steps.’
The FNV, which brought the cases to court, welcomed the ruling and said it would have consequences for people working for other food delivery firms such as Uber Eats.
‘It could be the end of the current earnings model,’ union spokesman Willem Dijkhuizen said.
Deliveroo said it would appeal against the decision.
Thank you for donating to DutchNews.nl
The DutchNews.nl team would like to thank all the generous readers who have made a donation in recent weeks. Your financial support has helped us to expand our coverage of the coronavirus crisis into the evenings and weekends and make sure you are kept up to date with the latest developments.
DutchNews.nl has been free for 14 years, but without the financial backing of our readers, we would not be able to provide you with fair and accurate news and features about all things Dutch. Your contributions make this possible.


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According to a new Pew Internet survey, 92% of online adults use search engines to find information on the web, and 59% of them do so on a daily basis. This puts search at the top of the list of most popular online activities, but it’s not alone! Among online adults, 92% use email, with 61% using it on an average day. Since PEW started measuring adults’ online activities in 2002, search and email have consistently ranked as the most popular.
Even in 2002, eight in ten adults were using search engines, and more than nine in ten were emailing. The table below shows how these two activities have compared over time to some of the other popular online activities.
Obviously the internet population has grown substantially since 2002, so the overall number of email and search users has increased. In January 2002, 55% of all Americans said that they used email and now that number has grown to 70%.
Naturally we’re happy to hear about healthy search and email numbers. Search is a fundamental element in Advertise.com’s business, and increasingly email is as well. The Advertise.com Email Content Network (ECN) introduced earlier this year connects advertisers with millions of consumers who have opted-in to receive email offers in categories that interest them. Our ECN is ideal for advertisers looking for incremental traffic from users who are prequalified to receive relevant offers and updates.
Can’t wait to see next year’s numbers. Thank you, Pew!
-The Advertise.com Team


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Sanderson Farms Championship Launches "All In For Children's" Mask Campaign
Tournament organizers are asking individuals, families, and businesses to show their support by buying masks at SandersonFarmsChampionship.com/mask and posting photos or videos while wearing them with the hashtag #AllInForChildrens. Face masks feature the Championship's signature rooster emblem and the Children's of Mississippi logo on black fabric. All proceeds from the masks sales will go towards Children's to make up for lost revenue from ticket sales and other events typically held throughout the week.
"Our hope is that this campaign will create a tangible sense of community engagement throughout the state for the Sanderson Farms Championship," said
In 2019, the Sanderson Farms Championship presented a record-breaking
"The mission of this event has always been to raise money for our state's only hospital dedicated solely to the care and treatment of Mississippi's children," said Sanderson. "While this year's tournament will look different, we are excited to provide new opportunities for the community to be involved and give back."
The 2020 Sanderson Farms Championship will be held
Digital Press Kit: https://pr.cirlot.com/all-in-for-childrens-media-kit/
About The Sanderson Farms Championship
The Sanderson Farms Championship is an annual stop on the
About Sanderson Farms
Supporting Mississippi's only
About Children's of Mississippi
Children's of Mississippi, part of the
View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/sanderson-farms-championship-launches-all-in-for-childrens-mask-campaign-301122134.html
SOURCE Sanderson Farms Championship
Anna Neel, firstname.lastname@example.org, 769-798-6322


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Billionaire Paul Allen’s great cable TV dream at Charter Communications is becoming an even bigger nightmare.
Not only is the FBI probing the company for allegedly fudging its subscriber rolls, but also no one wants to buy Charter’s assets except at bargain prices.
On top of that, the company yesterday said it’s launching a bloodbath layoff across the 40 states where it sells cable TV service.
Allen, the co-founder of Microsoft and Charter’s chairman, bought control of the cable company for $4.4 billion in 1998 in hopes of distributing over its wires an assortment of high-tech services, from selling music to TV shopping.
Allen also bankrolled many of the tech vendors that had lined up to peddle goods and services through Charter.
The FBI probe of Charter’s accounting practices in counting its subscribers came at a bad time for Allen. Charter is trying to unload certain non-strategic cable systems in order to help pare its roughly $18.5 billion debt.
Preliminary bids for the 400,000 to 600,000 subscribers that Charter put up for sale came in slightly lower than expected, Chief Executive Carl Vogel told investors at a conference yesterday.
He added that the company will not pursue a deal unless bidders sweeten offers.
When the assets were first put up for sale in the second quarter, Vogel had told investors that he hoped to fetch approximately $3,000 per subscriber.
However, sources close to the process said Charter would be lucky to get bids of $2,200 to $2,500 apiece.
“I think the accounting investigation definitely hinders – although doesn’t prevent – a deal from getting done,” said one source.


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Importer of aluminum? Stay complaint, and find out about the upcoming new requirements regarding import licensing applications.
Find out what the latest trade developments are from - Canadian lumber producers looking for billions in duty repayment to - the U.S. tire industry determined to be ‘materially injured’ by imports from various countries, we've detailed these and much more for you here.
Commerce has confirmed June 28 as the start date for the new AIM System that was delayed earlier this year in response to critical public feedback. Find out more about the adjustments since made to the requirements in order to reduce confusion, better align with industry terminology and allow time for U.S. manufacturers to update their systems with improved tracking capability.


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Skating and fashion show fundraiser set
World-class figure skater Brittney Rizo of Braintree is heading a Boston fundraiser honoring U.S. Figure Skating Hall of Fame member Mary Louise Wright, who died of cancer in 2004.
The Mary Louise Wright Memorial Gala, featuring a skating exhibition, fashion show and auction, will be held at the Skating Club of Boston at 1240 Soldiers Field Road beginning at 6 p.m. Saturday.
“It is to honor this amazing woman, who was an icon in the world of figure skating,” Rizo, a Braintree High School student, said.
The $10 donation at the door will go to the Mary Louise Wright Memorial Scholarship Fund and the U.S. Figure Skating Memorial Fund in Wright’s name.
The event will feature 2008 U.S. Figure Skating Championships bronze medalist Stephen Carriere; 2009 U.S. National Junior Champion Ross Miner; and prominent international medallists, including Rizo and Katrina Hacker. Other national competitors such as Gretchen Donlan and David Conley, who is also a Braintree High student, will also participate.
Braintree High students Julianna DiBona and Michael Ryan will sing the national anthem and perform at intermission. Alex Cooney and Emily Casey, also of Braintree, will model at the fashion show. Braintree High students Kathleen Kiely, Tom Bowes and Tom McDonald are also donating their time at the fundraiser.
“Unlike years past, this year we are trying to incorporate a fun, upbeat fashion show into the event,” Rizo said. “Our fashion show will be dedicated to Mary Louise Wright’s classic style and ability to empower others by way of expressing one’s own individuality.”
The fashion show will feature items from prominent designers such as Betsey Johnson, Swarovski, Coach, Caché, dELiA’s, Tristan, Wet Seal, Zara, Free People and others.


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News and views from the digital frontier.
Posts filtered on Tag
Among the tech companies you might expect to see at the WT (Wearable Technologies) Conference in San Francisco, like Google, 3M Synopsys, is a company that seemed out of place: Tesla Motors. But then again, it’s hard to predict what to expect out of Tesla. The electric car maker was showing off its Model S to conference […] [Read More]
Facebook on Thursday bought Finnish fitness app maker ProtoGeo Oy, further illustrating the Menlo Park company’s rush to remake itself as more than just a social network. The latest move gives Facebook a smart phone app called Moves, which automatically tracks 60 type of activities, including walking, cycling and running. The app has been downloaded […] [Read More]


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Researchers have discovered a processing method for skim milk powder that could provide food manufacturers with an alternative to emulsifiers and foaming agent additives.
A Global Industry Trends report on the anhydrous milk fat (butter oil) market indicates size, share, growth, opportunity and forecast from 2019 to 2024.
Starting next month, Coles will begin sourcing milk directly from farmers in Victoria and southern and central New South Wales for Coles Brand fresh white milk.
Global experts in udder health from 25 countries recently gathered in Copenhagen to discuss how to reduce mastitis in dairy cattle and improve milk production.
Food technology company Naturo has developed milk processing technology that it claims can produce 100% natural milk that is nutritionally superior and stays fresh for significantly longer than pasteurised and UHT milk.
High-fat dairy is in and low-fat is old news, according to Dustin Boughton of Maxum Foods, who highlights some of the latest dairy innovations emerging in 2019.
Using an updated dairy nutrition model, Cornell researchers found farmers can feed cows less protein, maintain a cow's milk-production output and reduce nitrogen in the manure.
A scientific study has developed a harmonised microbial method to detect and enumerate heat-resistant bacterial spores in milk powders.
New Zealand-based Synlait Milk will improve material flow and throughput from production to dispatch at its new liquid milk production facility using an automated order picking system.
Dairy plant operators could potentially save millions using a technology that has been developed to monitor dairy processing waste streams in real time.
AgriChemWhey is tackling dairy waste by building an industrial-scale biorefinery to valorise over 25,000 tonnes of excess WP and DLP per year.
GEA will build an infant formula plant in China for Junlebao Dairy, with commercial production expected to begin in 2020.
A process that minimises the typically exponential spore count increase during spray-dried milk processing has been patented.
The centre in Limerick will focus on scientific research to support innovations in the development of milk-based maternal and infant nutrition products for the global market.
Global milk supply growth is steadily declining as weather continues to be the major supply-side wildcard affecting the outlook for global dairy markets.


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The entry-level iPad could get a significant upgrade, based on the latest reports from Mark Gurman and 9to5Mac. The current entry-level ninth-gen iPad still has a Lightning port and an original circular Touch ID home button, but the design might finally change to match the iPad Mini, iPad Air and iPad Pro models. That could mean flatter edges, a curved-corner display, USB-C charging and maybe a side-placed Touch ID button, almost like a budget version of the iPad Air.
The 12.9-inch 2021 iPad Pro was the only model to have a step-up Mini LED display, similar to the recent MacBook Pros, offering deeper blacks and more dynamic contrast. The 11-inch model still might not get Mini LED this year. Instead, the 11- and 12.9-inch iPads could be getting OLED displays in some future year’s upgrade.
Right now, you might be best holding off on buying an iPad if you can. But in the meantime, here are some guidelines for choosing between the current iPads.
A larger display for the iPad Pro may still be a few years away. A report from MacRumors suggests that two of Apple’s suppliers are preparing OLED displays in larger sizes (up to 15 inches) for future iPad models. However, these bigger Pro tablets aren’t expected to arrive until 2023 or 2024.
Entry-level iPad: New design, plus USB-C
The midrange iPad Air got an M1 chip back in the spring, but the entry-level iPad and the iPad Pro should be next on deck (along with new M2 MacBook Pros).
The iPad Pro, meanwhile, hasn’t seen a refresh since spring 2021, when it added 5G, an M1 chip and a Mini LED display for the larger 12.9-inch version. Signs point to October for a new model.
9to5Mac’s report also says the entry iPad could get optional 5G cellular, which would be an upgrade over LTE options on current models.
I still find my face looks off-center on iPad video calls. It’s the camera placement, although Center Stage helps a bit.
It’s not much of a surprise, since the entry iPad adopted the previous iPad Air’s body design in a similar way a few years ago. Moving to USB-C charging feels overdue.
Reports also point to the Pros getting the M2 chip that recently launched in the MacBook line, which seems like the most obvious move. Other things that might and might not change:
While Apple’s zoom-in Center Stage camera tech helps a bit, it doesn’t address eye-contact issues — I usually look like I’m staring off into space during my Zooms on an iPad. I’d love a camera switch to the longer edge, but who knows if that’s in the cards this year. Apple didn’t shift the camera placement for its latest iPad Air, so it feels unlikely.
Meanwhile, iPad expectations keep looming: iPadOS 16 hasn’t even arrived yet.
iPad Pro: Overdue improvements
My biggest iPad request, besides revamping the OS extensively to make it a better Mac alternative, is fixing the front camera placement. Zoom meetings on iPads in landscape mode (which is how they mostly orient themselves if you use any sort of keyboard case) have their cameras placed off to the side. The iPad Mini and iPad Air have a new design. The entry-level iPad may join them soon.
Will iPads finally fix the camera placement?
The iPad Pro got big upgrades in early 2021. More should come this fall.
Apple’s Pencil is also pretty old now, and the second-gen model, while solid, is pretty long and awkward to store. Would Apple ever consider a more compact Pencil, or one that could tuck away more easily into the iPad Pro’s design? Another programmable touch-sensitive function or two on the side would also be helpful. Again, no reports have popped up on this either.


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Use of the third-party cookie, as a way of observing activity and monetizing web users, is crumbling.
With the continued push for data privacy, we’ve seen widespread anti-tracking policies put into place by browsers including Apple’s Safari, Firefox, and Google Chrome. In fact, roughly 40% of US web traffic now comes from users who block third-party cookies, reducing cookies’ utility for advertisers.
Google has stated that it plans to officially stop supporting third-party cookies on its Chrome browser at the end of 2023, signaling the end of using third-party cookies as a vehicle for targeted advertising. Ultimately, the sweeping changes to cookie policies and implementation mean that businesses will need to rely more on the use of first-party data.
Publishers should seize the opportunity to take back control
Let’s take a look at these ecosystem drivers in a positive light. First, the loss of third-party cookies creates a unique opportunity for publishers to focus on the value of both their first-party data and contextual signals.
Publishers are heavily investing in their first-party assets and many are launching new platforms that offer specialized segmentation and a variety of tools to make it easy for buyers to buy their first-party audiences.
On the marketing side, brands want to be able to trust that a publisher’s first-party data is validated. We also know that advertisers are building out their own first-party assets and are ultimately looking to reach new audiences. Buyers now need to understand which publisher first-party data they can trust, and how they can be assured that the audiences they are buying are truly the right audience to engage.
Quantcast creates a bridge between publishers and marketers
That’s where Quantcast comes in. By verifying publishers’ first-party data, adding additional data insights, and helping publishers measure their audiences, Quantcast creates a bridge between publishers and marketers.
Simply put, we help publishers validate their data and measure their audiences, and we help marketers find new customers by leveraging the data from Quantcast Measure, our audience intelligence solution which is deployed across 100M+ web and mobile destinations. Unlike other platforms fully built on stale, third-party data sources and third-party data, the Quantcast Platform is built on real-time, first-party data that enables superior granularity and accuracy to understand and validate publisher audiences.
Forbes uses Quantcast to drive performance in new areas
Let’s look at how Forbes, one of our publisher partners, benefits from this technology. Through Quantcast’s insights, Forbes was able to drive real value and performance in new areas and influence their clients’ overall media strategies. This approach ultimately drove new revenue and deeper partnerships for Forbes.
Validated audiences are a game changer
Validated audiences can play a big role in today’s shifting advertising landscape. Winning in a cookieless world driven by first-party data will come down to publishers that can build trusted relationships with advertisers to tell deeper stories about their audiences, and can work with a partner like Quantcast to validate the audiences they are building.
With a massive real-time, first-party data set built into the foundation of the Quantcast Platform, we are well-positioned to support our customers as they navigate changes in the industry, and we will continue providing effective audience intelligence and advertising solutions, now and well into the future.
The good news is that there is life after cookies. And as cookies go away, our goal is to bridge the buy and sell sides of the market closer together to drive revenue for publishers while sustaining a free and open internet. And we have started that journey with our recent launch of Connect—our integrated solution that seamlessly matches marketer demand to publisher supply. We’re one big ecosystem after all—consumers, advertisers, and publishers.


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A new London store, the first in Canada, is putting a Polish spin on contemporary home furnishings.
Voelkel held a grand opening last week in a commercial plaza on Fanshawe Park Road W. and Hyde Park Road.
Voelkel (www.voelkelcorp.com) is a new venture for Claire and Brad Jack, who operate the Accents Home Furniture store in the same plaza.
Voelkel features furniture and accessories from the Polish manufacturer Meble Vox.
Claire Jack said the couple came across the franchise opportunity at a trade show in North Carolina and decided to open the first outlet in Canada.
Consumers are familiar with Scandanavian-based contemporary furniture chains such as Ikea and JYSK. Voelkel furniture comes in similar “flat-pack” designs that consumers assemble themselves. Voelkel said the Polish furniture combines functionality and style with superior quality.
“It has that slim Scandinavian style with real quality and craftsmanship. We put it together ourselves and it stands up so much better. You get the best of both worlds,” said Claire.
Lukasz Szymanski, export director for Meble Vox, attended the grand opening.
“The mission of the Voelkel brand is to co-create environments with our end users. Our vision is ‘Freedom begins at home,’ and Claire and Brad shared that vision immediately,” he said
Along with furniture for all rooms in the house, the 3,000 square-foot store also carries accessories and upholstery.
Voelkel will be opening outlets in Montreal and other Canadian cities in the spring, but London is still proving to be the nation’s favourite test market.
Name that tower
The Tricar Group is asking the public for help in naming its newest downtown high-rise tower and offering some great prizes to the best entries.
Construction of a new 24-storey condominium high-rise has already begun at 40 York St., just across the street from Copps Buildall.
This condominium community will be a mix of one and two-bedroom suites, unique two-storey suites as well as some with a unique urban, industrial design finish.
Amenities include a private lounge, fitness centre, dining room, library and a rooftop terrace.
To enter the contest visit www.tricarcontest.com
First prize is a trip valued at $5,000 to either New York City, Chicago or Vancouver.
Second prize is a $1,000 shopping spree courtesy of Downtown London. Third prize is a downtown experience package — a night of dining and entertainment in London.
The deadline for submissions is Feb. 12 and the winners will announced on March 27.
The Municipality of North Middlesex recently became the newest member of the Southwestern Ontario Marketing Alliance (SOMA).
SOMA is one of the longest established regional marketing organizations in Ontario focusing on small and mid-size municipalities looking for foreign direct investment opportunities.
Current members of SOMA include Ingersoll, Stratford, St. Thomas, Tillsonburg, Woodstock and the County of Perth.
Membership in SOMA offers access to foreign trade events and missions and membership in other regional economic organizations.
SOMA president Len Magyar, said municipalities going it alone would spend four to five times more than the price of annual membership in SOMA to achieve the same level of activity.
Justin Dias, director of economic development for North Middlesex, said SOMA generated leads and contacts for their members through 15 different trade events in 2017.
The third annual Game Slice, London’s unique preview showcase for the video game industry, will be held at Fanshawe College’s Centre for Digital And Performance Arts in downtown London on May 25.
The event is sponsored by Mikutech, a London-based software development company. Game Slice gathers local game industry professionals to provide a sneak preview and gather feedback for unreleased games made in Southwestern Ontario.
Last year 120 professionals from 30 game development companies showcased 25 unreleased games. The event was made possible by the support of Big Blue Bubble, Fanshawe College, Robertson Hall, and the Montreal International Gaming Summit.
“Game Slice was created two years ago after hearing people’s surprised comments that London actually had a game development community. As we grow into this new, larger space, I look forward to continuing to raise awareness of our industry alongside one of the province’s best game development schools,” said Mark Mikulec, Mikutech’s founder and chief technical consultant, said For For more information visit gameslice.mikutech.com
Nod to innovation
David Ciccarelli, CEO of London-based Voices.com is one of four finalists for the Canadian Innovation Award in the Entrepreneur category.
The awards, now in their seventh year, recognize leaders in Canada’s technology industry.
Canadian-founded in 2005 by David and Stephanie Ciccarelli, Voices.com is an online voice-over company that connects businesses with professional voice talent globally.


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In May, the Essential Phone aroused a lot of interest. Made by Android’s co-founder Andy Rubin, the promise was to deliver the device come June. But a whole month has passed since that and we are still stuck at the pre-order stage.
If you have forgotten, Essential isn’t your typical smartphone. It’s an ambitious project that looks to challenge major flagship manufacturers and push the modular concept.
It features an edge-to-edge screen to make for a bezel-less and futuristic look. You will find Gorilla Glass 5 on top of the 5.71-inch display for the added protection making for a 1,312 x 2,560 resolution and a 19:10 aspect ratio.
We know the handset is set to run the latest Android software upon launch alongside a new virtual assistant. But under the hood, the phone impresses further. An octa-core Snapdragon 835 processor clocked at 2.45GHz is said to be the heart of the device alongside the Adreno 540 GPU and 4GB RAM.
Although there is no microSD expansion to the 128GB of on-board storage, expansion of features elsewhere is possible. Out of the box, you will find monochrome and RGB 13MP sensors making for a dual camera primary setup, with an 8MP camera for selfies. But a modular attachment sold for $50 (Dh184) can also turn the primary camera into a 360-degree panoramic one.
Combined with the fingerprint scanner at the back and the 3,040mAh battery, the Essential PH-1 is definitely flagship worthy. And especially at $699, the pricing is very reasonable. We just hope the delay is not too long.
With Essential trying to make an impact on the market, this is an inauspicious start. But you cannot dismiss a company entirely for a delay. Rubin deserves the benefit of the doubt. And we’re sure he will overcome this to deliver the much-anticipated handset. It just means it will take a bit more time for the phone to hit our sandy shores, as my colleague put it.


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FESTIVE fun starts early in Lavenham with a Christmas fair.
The Dickensian-style event held in Market Square, will include entertainment and attractions for all ages, on December 9 and 10.
Stalls will be selling cakes, clothes and cheeses, while toys and handbags will also be on offer as visitors walk around the fair listening to carol singers, bands and buskers.
For the first time two live reindeer will also be making an appearance along with Father Christmas and his elves. The Guildhall will open its doors to provide a food hall.
The village’s shops and hotels will all be involved in getting people in the Christmas spirit and, following last year’s success, a number of funfair rides will make a return.
The event is set to run from 6pm to 8pm on December 9, and from 10.30am to 5.30pm on December 10.


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THE CHIEF executive of US retailer Target quit yesterday after months of grappling to deal with a cyber attack that took place last year.
Gregg Steinhafel was also chairman and president. The board thanked him for his 35 years of service at the firm. Finance boss John Mulligan is now interim CEO.
Up to 70m customers were affected by a data breach in November and December 2013 which let hackers access personal information.


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While rumors have been swirling of an
October iPhone event or a quiet Apple Watch launch leading into an unconventional fall update season, it turns out things won’t be all that different after all. Apple announced on Tuesday that the first of its annual fall events will be held on Tuesday, September 15, only about a week later than usual.
event invitation features a doodled Apple logo in blue with “Time Flies” below it, which appears to be a thinly veiled reference to a new Apple Watch. If you open the invite using
Safari’s AR viewer on an iPhone, it will animate into “9.15” and then back to the Apple logo.
An accompanying Twitter
#AppleEvent hashtag is in the same shade of blue, which is somewhat indicative of the classic “Aqua” Apple logo. Recent rumors have suggested that a new “dark blue” hue will be available with the iPhone 12.
Apple is expected to announce four new iPhone models this fall, as well as a new
Apple Tags, and possibly an on-ear pair of
The event will be streamed live on Apple’s website beginning at 10 a.m. Pacific.


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The first move down from $90 to $50 was a multiple contraction and an early impact on the company financially due to the operations in China.
The street estimate is for global same-store sales in 2Q to be -2.9%, with The Americas up 4.7% and international down 29.5%. The corresponding decline in EBITDA is 14% for 2Q20. None of those numbers are even in the zip code of being right!
The next move from $50 to $25 will be due to significant erosion in profitability.
In cities with a significant number of COVID-19 cases (Seattle and New York), Starbucks' (SBUX) stores are either operating at reduced hours or temporarily closed to the public. My local store was take-out only for a few days then it closed permanently. Why are Starbucks stores even open at all? Is the company risking the health of its employees by remaining open?
"As we navigate COVID-19 together, what matters most is how we, as a company, care for you," a company executive said in a letter to employees posted online. “I want you to know that here at Starbucks; you should never have to choose between work and taking care of yourself.”
Several restaurant companies are having trouble staffing in the environment, and Starbucks is one of them. As Starbucks' employee staffing issues grow, so does the likelihood that the company will close more stores in the US.
We will have more details next week in our Industry update call.
The chart below looks at the relationship between Starbucks' same-store sales and EBITDA from 1Q08 to 3Q10. Given the prolonged erosion in same-store sales we are seeing globally, the decay in profitability will be significantly more than in 2008-2009.


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Hackers Shake Web to Core
High level Information Assurance training and certification is available at CED Solutions.
[singlepic id=833 w=320 h=240 float=right]By Byron Acohido USA TODAY
The keepers of the Internet have become acutely concerned about their ability to protect the most sensitive personal information such as account logons and credit card numbers.
Hackers cracked three companies that work with the most popular Web browsers to ensure the authenticity of Web pages where consumers type in sensitive information.
The hacked firms are among more than 650 digital certificate authorities (CAs) worldwide that ensure that Web pages are the real deal when displayed by Microsoft’s Internet Explorer, Firefox, Opera, Apple’s Safari and Google’s Chrome. A hacker gained access to digital certificate supplier DigiNotar this summer and began issuing forged certificates for dozens of marquee companies.
Unable to cope with the fallout, the Dutch firm filed for bankruptcy last week. Two other digital certificate companies, New Jersey-based Comodo and Japanese-owned GlobalSign, were similarly hacked this summer, exposing a glaring weakness in the Internet’s underpinnings.
“The infrastructure baked into the Internet, which is based on trust, is starting to fall apart,” says Michael Sutton, research vice president at security firm Zscaler.
CAs digitally certify account sign-ins, shopping and other pages where consumers type sensitive data. This sets up an encrypted connection to the Web browser, which displays the form for the consumer to fill out. The browser trusts only digitally signed pages.
A counterfeiter issued valid DigiNotar certificates for 531 faked pages. Some of the pages were crafted to expertly impersonate online properties of Google, Microsoft, Skype, Equifax, Twitter, Facebook and the CIA, among others, according to consulting firm Fox-IT.
This touched off a scramble to cut off the faked pages, which were difficult for consumers to spot as faked. The successful hacks demonstrated that it is possible to “impersonate any site on the Internet,” says Josh Shaul, chief technical officer at security company AppSec.
No banks or payment-service websites were targeted, says Mikko Hypponen, chief researcher at anti-virus firm F-Secure. The hackers seem much more interested in harvesting personal data from e-mail services, social networks, credit bureaus, blogging sites and anonymity services.
The pressure is on CAs and browser makers to do more to identify and quickly eradicate counterfeit certificates and faked Web pages, security experts say. “No one knows where the next breach will occur,” says Jeff Hudson, CEO of digital certificate management company Venafi.
Microsoft, maker of Internet Explorer, declined to comment, as did Apple, maker of the Safari browser. “The security of the Web is our collective responsibility,” says Johnathan Nightingale, Mozilla’s director of Firefox engineering.


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Shahrir says Malaysians are greedyShahrir ... ala .... menteri talam dua muka. Dulu masa belum jadi menteri bukan main kokok lagi. Tapi bila dah jadi menteri ... barangnya tinggal kat rumah. Dalam laci .. .wakakakakak
malaysianinsider | ...Datuk Shahrir Samad, the minister who has faced the brunt of criticism over oil prices, courted even more controversy today when he suggested Malaysians were greedy if they expected subsidies to continue.
The Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister, whose job is to regulate prices, said subsidies are meant to only cushion the burden of high prices.
"When prices come down it will just be greed on the part of consumers to insist that they be subsidised," he said.
Shahrir's comments come as more Malaysians have accused the government of reneging on the promise to maintain a 30-sen subsidy on petrol and diesel.
While the government continues to subsidise diesel, it has stopped subsidies on petrol sales.
A quirk in the method in which pump prices are set and the steep drop in global oil prices have now resulted in the government collecting a "tax" through revenue gained from the difference between pump prices and the actual market price.... more.
Rakyat tamak atau kerajaan kedekut?


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SOL Group is launching a new range of medical products and services in Europe and sees the healthcare sector increasingly moving towards a digital footing, the company has revealed to gasworld.
The SOL Group continually works on product and service innovations to anticipate hospital and patient needs.
It identifies sustainability of the entire value chain, availability of resources and the investment in new technologies and therapies as the hot topics facing the healthcare sector today.
And SOL Group is developing a range of new products and devices to meet the evolving needs of this healthcare sector, not least an innovative project in NO therapy and a new and fully integrated service for emergency care.
... to continue reading you must be subscribed


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Epic update suggests big improvements over the current version
We don't know any real details besides the fact that it will be available only for those with Enhanced Autopilot or the Full Self-Driving option.
"Latest Autopilot update is epic. Rolling out to all US owners with Enhanced Autopilot or Full Self-Driving option. International coming soon."
Slowly but surely, Tesla Autopilot has advanced over time. Typically, improvements are slight, but still noticeable. This epic update should then be extremely obvious to any Tesla owners who drive often of Autopilot.
As we've heard of late, features such as Navigate on Autopilot have seen vast improvements over a very short period of time, so we're geeked to hear that such an update is considered epic by Musk. This seems to imply a big step change is incoming.


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Friday June 16
Hanover Sees 150% New Business Growth with Connections Auto ProductThe Hanover Insurance Group, Inc. has announced that its multi-variate auto product, Connections(TM) Auto, has been embraced by the company's agent partners in the year since its introduction, increasing new business by more than 150 percent in launch states.
"Feedback from our independent agent partners is consistent. Connections Auto delivers the broad market reach, ease of doing business, and competitive rates they are looking for," said Marita Zuraitis, president of The Hanover's property and casualty companies. "As a result, the market has responded enthusiastically to Connections Auto in its first year. Clearly, the growth in our new business throughout all 10 launch states speaks to our ability to listen to our agents and deliver the quality products and services they need to meet their customers' needs, and to grow their businesses."
Connections Auto's sophisticated segmentation modeling approach to personal automobile insurance is easy to use and helps The Hanover's independent agent partners attract new customers. Now agents can quote and issue business for approximately 95 percent of the market, enabling them to write policies for customers that may have been previously turned away.
"Kapnick Insurance works very hard to build client relationships. By empowering our independent agents to write policies for clients from the time they are teenagers throughout their senior years, Connections Auto has helped strengthen those bonds," said Sam Engardio, Senior VP, Kapnick Insurance Group, which wrote 100 new Connections Auto policies on the first day the product was offered in Michigan. "Connections Auto has also expanded our business reach, enabling us to write policies for almost every customer who walks through our door."
"By allowing Cross Insurance agents to write a broader range of risk, we are better prepared to compete with direct insurers, and offer customers continuity of insurance provider through lifestyle changes," said Frank Ferland, Chief Operating Officer for Maine's Cross Insurance. "In addition, it is apparent that The Hanover has made significant investments in technology to improve ease of use and online capabilities. Competitive rates and customer service have also added to the product's appeal for our agents and, more importantly, our clients."
Connections Auto is now available in ten states: Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, New York, Tennessee, and Virginia, and will continue to be rolled-out throughout 2006. Connections Auto is part of The Hanover's personal lines product suite, which offers coverage for all lines of personal insurance including auto, homeowners, and umbrella coverage.
The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc., based in Worcester, Mass., is the holding company for a group of insurers that includes The Hanover Insurance Company, also based in Worcester, Citizens Insurance Company of America, headquartered in Howell, Michigan, and their affiliates.
©2006 Collision Repair Industry INSIGHT


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Don't-Miss Windows Phone Stories
Turns out the Verizon exclusive for the Windows Phone version of the HTC One M8 isn't so exclusive after all.
After two years of losing money, Huawei is giving up on Microsoft's mobile operating system.
The company hasn't yet said whether it will offer the hardware boards for makers
Now that Microsoft's first third-party Windows Phone, the HTC One (M8) for Windows, has debuted, the company is committing to a program that will, it hopes, inspire other handset makers to follow HTC's lead.
Maxthon's Cloud Browser offers unique tab navigation and automatic syncing across devices.
HTC's specifications pages claim that the talk and standby times for the Windows Phone version of its One (M8) phone are significantly better than those for its Android counterpart. Does this mean Windows is more efficient, or is a different radio being used?
First came the HTC One (M8) for Android. Now, we go hands-on with an exact copy of the One (M8) running Windows Phone.
As Microsoft chases the low-end phone market where Android already dominates, it could be neglecting one of its own core strengths: productivity.
WindUp makes friends race to see a message before it's gone.
Microsoft's Windows Blue update coming this summer may allow users to access the desktop version of Windows.
It looks like Microsoft is getting ready to release more Lumia phones, including the long-rumored "selfie" phone.
Microsoft still faces some old challenges as its phone platform hits a new milestone.
If you own a Microsoft Lumia smartphone and want to print your pictures at a Walmart, you're in luck.
Microsoft and HTC said that they are working to develop a fix, however.
Microsoft is working to increase the number apps available for its OS, but device sales are shrinking


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Virgin to Launch Unlimited Calling Plans on Nov. 9th from $55-95
Looks like Virgin is set to launch similar unlimited talk and text plans like its big brother, Bell. An update posted by MobileSyrup notes Virgin Mobile will launch identical plans tomorrow but with different names to describe each plan.
According to the internal memo:
“Oh snap! With the Holiday season upon us, we’re in the gift-giving mood and we’ve wrapped up some hot new Combo plans that include UNLIMITED CALLING options! Launching Friday, November 9th, Virgin Mobile is introducing sexy new Combo plans that include everything our Members need. Plus, they’ll be able to put up to 500 on their Virgin Mobile SuperTab!”
Here’s what Bell announced yesterday:
- $55/month 1000 minutes, 200 MB broadband data
- $65/month unlimited local talk, 1 GB broadband data and 10 hours of Bell MobileTV
- $75/month unlimited local talk, 3 GB broadband data and 10 hours of Bell MobileTV
- $95/month unlimited Canada-wide talk, 5 GB broadband data and 10 hours of Bell MobileTV
Stay tuned for any official announcements tomorrow.


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Intel shares fell sharply on Thursday after the company reported weak quarterly earnings and warned investors of further losses in the coming quarter. The chipmaker reported a 16% drop in revenue compared to the previous year, and a net loss of $2.2 billion.
Intel’s weak earnings came as the company continues to struggle with a downturn in the PC market, as well as increasing competition from rival chipmaker AMD. The company is also under pressure to make up for lost ground in the mobile chip market, where it has lagged behind its competitors.
In addition to the weak earnings, Intel also revised its guidance for the first quarter of 2016, predicting that it will post a loss of up to $1.1 billion. This is significantly worse than the prior guidance of a $300 million profit.
The weak earnings and outlook have investors worried that Intel will have difficulty recovering from the downturn in the PC market. The company is still the leader in the processor market, but it has been unable to capitalize on the mobile boom and has been slow to develop innovative products in the face of stiff competition.
Despite the gloomy outlook, Intel shares have been on the rise since the start of the year, as investors bet on the company’s ability to bounce back. However, Thursday’s earnings and guidance suggest that a turnaround is still some way off, and as a result Intel shares dropped sharply in response.


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Sony India has slashed about a seventh of its local workforce, totaling more than 120 jobs across functions. The company, which primarily caters to the market’s upper and upper-mid segments, confirmed that it has cut these jobs recently. In addition, Sony India's television business head Sachin Rai has also resigned, though his exit is being touted as a voluntary exit and not part of the downsizing exercise.
The cuts come as the Japanese electronics major struggles to sell its pricier television sets in a market where cheaper Chinese alternatives are increasingly gaining more ground in the midst of an overall slowdown in TV sales.
In addition, the company is also merging smaller branch offices and roles now deemed redundant to hold down costs. Of late, it has merged multiple offices in Surat with Ahmedabad and Gurgaon with Delhi.
A Sony India spokesperson said the current market scenario has posed several challenges for the company to be able to sustain growth in the short and medium-term. He added that this requires the company to relook at its business strategy, including human resources, and it is taking corrective measures to make itself more agile, efficient and robust in the long term.
The cuts come as firstly consumers do not want to pay the premium that Sony is charging after the entry of the aggressive Chinese brands and secondly because it appears to be losing connect with younger consumers who are opting for brands such as OnePlus, TCL, Xiaomi or even Samsung. This is reflected in the revenues which fell for the fourth consecutive year in FY19 along with the net profit taking a beating for the first time. This is further exacerbated by the slowdown in TV sales as consumers switch to screening more content on their smartphones. While slashing jobs maybe a handy recourse in the short term, but for long term growth, the company needs to focus on getting back in the game.


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According to the guys over at Unwired, this next generation screen has 1000 times faster response times than standard TFT LED displays. Not only that but its kind to battery drain by reducing power consumption. Throw in the 26-million colours and the screen quality is going to be stunning.
It's also no surprise to also see this display fitted into the DMB TV version of the SH150. This AM OLED technology is obviously geared for improving mobile TV broadcast picture quality.
Phone spotters also might be interested to know the LG SH150A also features blistering 7.2Mbps-flavoured HSDPA download speeds and a two-megapixel snapper. Naturally, the LG SH150A is only availble in Korea and we're still unsure when or if this AM OLED technology will reach Blighty. But surely it's only a matter of time.


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UPDATE (September 8, 2017 1:18 p.m. EST): When we first spotted Kim Kardashian at Tom Ford's spring/summer 2018 show earlier this week with icy blonde hair, we had our reservations about whether she was wearing a wig or not.
Well, we just got as good of a confirmation as any that the Khaleesi-inspired hue is completely real. All that platinum is actually her hair. Kardashian revealed the truth, as well as just how long it took to transform her hair platinum blonde, on her app Friday morning.
Spoiler alert: It took hairstylist Chris Appleton 17 hours. I repeat, 1-7 hours to create the shocking hue. "The last time I went platinum, a few years back, I dyed it in one sitting and never gave it the proper time," Kardashian wrote in the post. "So this time, I sat there 12 hours straight. Then, we did another 5-hour session. In the end, SO worth it."
On top of that, she also had to spend a week with yellow-y blonde hair to condition it before toning it. Damn. It goes without saying that Kardashian probably plans to keep the bold hue for a while — through fashion week and beyond. After all that work, we don't blame her for wanting to keep it around.
This post originally appeared on September 6, 2017.
Leave it to Kim Kardashian to kick off New York Fashion Week with a bang — a blonde bang, that is. The budding beauty mogul debuted a dramatic icy blonde hue on the red carpet at the Tom Ford show in New York City Wednesday evening.
Although Kardashian is no stranger to sensational shades (she continues to keep us on our toes by regularly switching from striking platinum blonde to glimmering jet black), the center-parted, waist-length silver 'do is certainly new for the reality TV star. So new one would guess she caught the last episode of season 7's Game of Thrones and decided to pull hairspiration from Khaleesi herself, Daenerys Targaryen. (Which obviously didn't happen, but on the off chance it did, we're certainly not mad at it, BTW.)
Before we chalk Kardashian's new look up to royalty, it's important to note that, based on the star's hairstylist, Chris Appleton, there's a 99 percent chance this silver-y shade is far from the real deal. "Guess who? Seeing if blondes have more fun! Silver white hair vibes! It's NYFW! Colour and cut by me #chrisappletonhair @kimkardashian Makeup @makeupbyariel," Appleton wrote in a debut snapshot on Instagram.


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Inflation watchers breathed a sigh of relief Wednesday morning as the latest report on Canada's Consumer Price Index shows the rate appears to have stalled out at 6.9%. While the number is still more than double the Bank of Canada's target rate, the fact it no longer seems to be increasing is reason for optimism. High inflation creates uncertainty for businesses facing difficult decisions around how they will increase prices and raise wages.
Inflation jumped to 8.1% in June — the highest it had been in decades — prompting the Bank of Canada to raise its interest rate target six times in an attempt to slow the economy.
As we honour members of the armed forces and their sacrifices this Remembrance Day, The Chamber is proud to have a long history of commemorating the soldiers who paid the ultimate price for our freedom.
After the First World War, The Chamber was instrumental in helping create Memorial Avenue that still runs along Shelbourne Street. Shelbourne was chosen as it offered enough space to commemorate every soldier from the city who died in the war. Chamber members helped plan the project, and business owners rolled up their sleeves to dig holes for the trees, providing shade and succour over the years.
After a two-year hiatus due to COVID, the Royal Canadian Legion will be incorporating the veterans’ parade into the national Remembrance Day ceremony. Here in Greater Victoria, a Remembrance Day ceremony will be held at the BC Parliament Buildings from 10:30 am – 1 pm this Friday. Municipalities across the region are also hosting ceremonies and we encourage all members to attend.
We hope you have a day of reflection and remembrance.
The Chamber will be closed Friday, Nov. 11.
With winter looking likely to bring a chilling to Canada's economy as well as the weather, The Chamber is urging government to promote investment in business growth that can light the way through winter.
Working with our national network, The Chamber is calling on federal Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland to work together with business.
"Attempting to borrow our way to prosperity would only generate more debt and inflation," Canadian Chamber CEO Perrin Beatty said, noting a better way is to use available "no-cost and low-cost tools" that will increase government revenue and grow the economy. "These measures include reforming regulation, increasing labour force participation and eliminating longstanding barriers to interprovincial trade, while avoiding new taxes and ending rhetoric that portrays Canadian businesses as the problem instead of as partners in growing a stronger economy."
Minister Freeland is scheduled to provide a fall economic update on Thursday.
The Bank of Canada raised its policy interest rate today by 50 basis points, which aligns with what many experts had been predicting. The move indicates that measures are still required to return balance to Canada's economy.
Inflation has declined from 8.1% to 6.9%, though it's still well above the target of 2-3%.
"The Bank expects CPI inflation to ease as higher interest rates help rebalance demand and supply, price pressures from global supply disruptions fade, and the past effects of higher commodity prices dissipate," states today's news release. "CPI inflation is projected to move down to about 3% by the end of 2023, and then return to the 2% target by the end of 2024."
Another increase to interest rates is expected on Dec. 7, but will depend on how much demand has slowed, and how well improving supply chains are able to keep up.
To paraphrase that old Isley Brothers hit, it's not quite time to "Shout," but inflation is trending "a little bit softer now."
The latest figures from Statistics Canada show the pace of inflation slowed in September, with the cost of goods rising 6.9% from a year earlier. Inflation has been declining for three months, after peaking at 8.1% in June.
The sharp rise in costs was initially attributed to fuel shortages caused by the war in Ukraine, a super-heated housing market and supply chain disruptions caused by the pandemic. However, fuel costs have stopped rising as sharply and supply chains are getting close to their typical efficiencies.
"However, these gains were largely offset by the continued rise of prices for food and services. Unfortunately, there was no progress on 'core' inflation, which held steady at 5%," Canadian Chamber of Commerce Chief Economist Stephen Tapp said. "Today’s lack of progress on inflation — together with Bank of Canada surveys released earlier this week that suggested inflation expectations remain elevated — should be concerning enough to the Bank of Canada for them to deliver the 50 basis-point interest rate hike that the market expects (Oct. 26)."
The latest numbers show inflation has cooled faster than expected. The August Consumer Price Index was up 7% over last year — less than the 7.3% that had been forecast. Core inflation was also lower than expected.
The drop in inflation comes after the Bank of Canada raised interest rates. However, it will take more than numbers to stem inflation and get Canada's economy back on track, said the bank's Deputy Governor Paul Beaudry.
"Some have suggested that policy-makers need to engineer a substantial slowdown — or even a recession — to get inflation back under control," Beaudry said in a speech on Tuesday. "But the best strategy for responding to high inflation needs to consider how people form their inflation expectations. If people understand and believe that the central bank will eventually bring inflation back to target, their expectations will remain 'anchored.'”
Businesses and employers can help by moderating increases to prices or wages, with the understanding that inflationary pressures are temporary. Not an easy task for organizations facing increasing costs and still recovering from pandemic challenges.
The death of Queen Elizabeth II on Sept. 8 has led to a tremendous response from people around the world.
"On behalf of our Chamber members, Board of Directors and Staff we offer sincere condolences to all who are feeling grief and sadness at the passing of Queen Elizabeth," Chamber CEO Bruce Williams said in a statement last week. "These historic events bring us together in conversations about the impact the Royal Family and Her Majesty have had on our world and our lives. Her years of service are an inspiration to all who offer their lives to service of others."
Yesterday, the federal government announced it would mark the Queen's death with a national day of mourning on Sept. 19. BC Premier John Horgan followed suit a few hours later noting that the province has "advised provincial public-sector employers to honour this day in recognition of the obligations around federal holidays in the vast majority of provincial collective agreements."
The unplanned closure of schools and public offices will have an impact on many businesses. Staffing could be challenging as parents scramble to arrange child care. People who had appointments booked will also face disruption as they need to reschedule for a later date.
In Greater Victoria, the province is planning to host a procession on Sept. 19, starting at 10:15 am, and travelling from the BC Legislature to Christ Church Cathedral.
The belief that prices will keep rising can become self fulfilling as markets react to public expectation. To try and put an end to that, the Bank of Canada increased interest rates by 75 basis points Wednesday.
"Surveys suggest that short-term inflation expectations remain high," the Bank of Canada stated in its news release. "The longer this continues, the greater the risk that elevated inflation becomes entrenched."
Rising inflation has been the story of the summer, with fuel costs and global supply chain disruption causing the Consumer Price Index to reach 8.1% in June. Since then, the CPI has dropped though other indicators remain concerning.
To help understand what inflation and interest rates mean for Greater Victoria businesses, check out our special expert panel facilitated by Chamber CEO Bruce Williams.
Canada's inflation rate was 7.6% in July. That's down slightly from the month earlier but still creates many challenges for businesses. Common questions include how much cost can be passed on to customers, and should wages be increased accordingly?
To try and answer some of these, and to shed some light on the role interest rates play in managing inflation, I hosted a special panel of financial experts:
The discussion was informative and enlightening. I encourage every Chamber member who wants to better understand what's happening with the economy to watch the recording of our conversation. I know it helped me, especially as there are reasons for optimism that aren't always reflected in the media. We're lucky to have Chamber Champions who continue to help us get through every challenge that arises.
CEO, The Chamber
As a globally connected nation, Canada depends on reliable international supply chains to make sure businesses have the goods needed for their customers. The pandemic and last year's series of climate emergencies provided tough lessons in the importance of building resiliency in our supply chains. To better prepare for future shocks, the federal government created the National Supply Chain Task Force.
"The Task Force is to report to government within 100 days, which is fast approaching," states a news release from the Canadian Chamber of Commerce. "As the Task Force finalizes its interim report, the business community is looking for a partner to address the preventable items hindering our transportation systems."
The chamber network is calling on the federal government to prioritize infrastructure and economic growth. In Greater Victoria, we are part of the Western Gateway for goods entering Canada and the Greater Victoria Chamber continues to call for investment in infrastructure on the Island.
Fueled by surging gas prices, Canada's inflation rate rose again last month to 8.1%. If the cost of gas is taken out, the rate would be 6.5%.
Other factors contributing to our higher cost of living include jumps in grocery bills, accommodation and ticket prices for sports and concert events. If there is a silver lining it is that the increase was less than expected. Whether this signals peak inflation is unclear. Many experts are forecasting inflation to begin falling in the next few months.
The Chamber is working with a number of members to get a clearer picture of what rising rates mean for business. Watch for updates in future editions of BizNews.
The Bank of Canada raised its interest rate by half a point Wednesday morning, after higher than expected inflation in April. The move was expected as global economies continue to face challenges. In simplest terms, the economy continues to struggle with supply challenges and is not able to meet demand for goods and services. The result has been rampant inflation, making the cost of living less affordable.
"With the economy in excess demand, and inflation persisting well above target and expected to move higher in the near term, the Governing Council continues to judge that interest rates will need to rise further," the Bank of Canada said in a June 1 media release. "The pace of further increases in the policy rate will be guided by the Bank’s ongoing assessment of the economy and inflation, and the Governing Council is prepared to act more forcefully if needed to meet its commitment to achieve the 2% inflation target."
The increase by the bank will mean higher costs for borrowing and will affect the housing market and some business's ability to make investments in their operations.
Inflation crept higher in March as Canada's Consumer Price Index was 6.7% higher than March last year. All eight categories that are tracked by Statistics Canada increased in cost as the CPI recorded its largest increase since 1991, the year the Goods and Services Tax was introduced.
The cost of filling up at the pump was one of the key factors, as was higher hotel rates and the cost of housing in general. Fuel is a factor in shipping and transportation costs so the jump in gas prices results in higher bills for food, furniture and other goods.
The war in the Ukraine has significantly reduced the supply of oil and gas driving up prices. However, the lifting of pandemic restrictions has also increased demand for many services as people seek out in-person experiences.
Surging fuel costs are adding to the ongoing inflation pressures facing businesses.
Prices hit a high of 216.9 cents per litre yesterday in Sooke, caused by global uncertainty from the war in the Ukraine.
The increase is having a particularly hard impact on couriers and transportation companies, and will lead to higher prices for customers.
The Chamber is working with our partners across BC to advocate for help. For every litre of regular gas, Greater Victoria residents pay 30 cents in provincial taxes and more than 15 cents in federal taxes. The biggest cost affecting the price at the pump is the cost for crude (about half the total price), which is what has risen because of Putin's invasion.
BC's Public Safety Ministry said Monday it will not follow Alberta's lead and cut provincial fuel tax.
One idea The Chamber is looking at is calling for a carbon tax exemption for companies that transport goods or passengers. The idea being that these businesses help take single driver vehicles off the road and should be encouraged.
To find the lowest gas prices in the region, go to gasbuddy.com.


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For some, it's not just a sandwich. It's hope. It's love. It's a reminder that people still care
Tampa Bay, FL (PRWEB) June 28, 2016
Much like Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation for Childhood Cancer, PB & J for Tampa Bay started as one person doing something simple to serve others. Last year, Vector Marketing district executive Mike Abramowitz started making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to feed the homeless. He bought supplies and gathered donations from Cutco Cutlery customers. Together he and volunteers from his Vector Marketing sales team made meals at monthly “Feeding Frenzies” and distributed them to the homeless. (Vector Marketing is the sales and marketing arm of Cutco Cutlery.)
In June, Abramowitz will surpass 20,000 sandwiches made over the course of two years. He also hopes to expand his grass-roots efforts to 100 different Vector Marketing locations throughout the United States. The next Feeding Frenzy will be Sunday, June 26, at 9 a.m. at the local Vector Marketing headquarters, 11380 66th St., No. 134, in Largo, Florida. All credentialed media members are invited to attend.
Abramowitz said he’s humbled by how much the efforts have grown since he started in 2015.
"Our first Feeding Frenzy had seven people and we made 350 meals. We have now had more than 100 different volunteers come out to make a difference by spreading the love one sandwich at a time,” he said. “Most people desire to contribute, and our Feeding Frenzy makes it simple and attainable. Imagine 100 locations nationwide, large or small, combining for more than 50,000 meals per month. We have a shot at 1 million meals annually at some point in the future."
Abramowitz is the author of two Amazon best-sellers, “G.R.A.B. Tomorrow: Your Best Year Ever" and “G.R.A.B. Tomorrow: Real Stories, Real People.” He is also the founder of the G.R.A.B. Tomorrow Community, created to help young professionals develop life skills, succeed professionally, and take control of life outside the classroom. Abramowitz has a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering from the University of South Florida. He is in the top 500 Vector Marketing sales representatives of all time, and has more than $6 million in sales as a Vector manager.
Already, additional Feeding Frenzies have been held in Sarasota, Dade City, Tampa, and Brooksville, Florida. Abramowitz hopes to grow the charity using volunteers at other Vector Marketing offices throughout the country. He says PB & J for Tampa Bay has always been about more than sandwiches.
"For some, it's not just a sandwich. It's hope. It's love. It's a reminder that people still care,” said Abramowitz. “It's inspiration to continue fighting through life's obstacles.”
About Vector Marketing:
Vector Marketing is the marketing and sales arm of Cutco Cutlery, a 65-year-old company with headquarters and manufacturing facilities in Olean, New York. Vector sells Cutco products through a national team of sales representatives primarily consisting of motivated college students who are trained to do in-home and virtual demonstrations on a pre-set basis. Vector Marketing has over 200 locations nationwide and works with students of all majors with any levels of professional experience.


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Drone deliveries in Mission District? S.F. startup has plan
Updated 7:27 am, Saturday, March 15, 2014
In a possible near future, Mission District residents who quickly need Tylenol or even condoms might run to a CVS or ... order a drone.
For a dollar a trip, a San Francisco startup, QuiQui (pronounced "Quickie"), wants to use drones to deliver drugstore products. Beginning in July, the company hopes to launch unmanned aerial vehicles to whisk orders 24/7 to Mission District residents in less than 15 minutes.
But those drones might not take off anytime soon. U.S. skies are technically open to commercial drones - at least temporarily - thanks to a recent court decision that rebuffed the Federal Aviation Administration's attempt to ground the vehicles.
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The agency, however, immediately appealed. And even if the FAA approves drones, it will likely craft regulations that will severely constrain their operation, experts say.
"Obviously with burdensome regulations you will need more money and more manpower to satisfy those and get off the ground," said Cameron Cloar, a former pilot who is an attorney at San Francisco's Nixon Peabody. "It's going to be easier for a large company like Amazon to get everything running and get the FAA's approvals."
Once the exclusive domain of CIA operatives searching for terrorists and insurgents in Asia and Africa, drones are now on the verge of becoming an increasingly common sight in the United States. But the possibility of drones hovering over neighborhoods has unnerved many people. Debates about issues such as privacy were fueled when Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos last year disclosed plans for package delivery by "octohelicopters."
Ironically, one of Bezos' harshest critics was 28-year-old QuiQui CEO and co-founder Joshua Ziering, 28, a lifelong aviation nut and former marketing executive.
"The only certainty with (aircraft) models is not if they'll crash, but when," Ziering wrote in an online commentary. "When these drones fail, they don't fail in a very friendly way. Imagine a 6-pound drone coming through your windshield at 80 mph. That's going to be a bad day."
Ziering apparently had a change of heart.
In an interview, he said QuiQui's drones are "hobby-variety stuff" with added redundant systems to guard against failure of their motors, batteries and electronics. He chose pharmacy products because they tend to be lightweight.
"If a toothbrush falls from 20 feet, it won't hurt anyone," Ziering said.
QuiQui ( www.quiqui.me) targeted the Mission because the neighborhood is small - drones have a limited range - relatively flat, and lacks tall buildings.
The drones, which cost a few thousand dollars each, will fly below 500 feet and stay at least 20 feet above ground. When packages arrive, a recipient's phone would buzz, and then it would offer a "swipe to drop" option.
Ziering's economics, though, invite skepticism. Each drone could make four deliveries an hour. Operating around the clock, a drone would generate $96 in revenue. But Ziering said the company would scale up operations and eventually raise prices.
Ziering and three others are bootstrapping QuiQui; two have day jobs. They'd love to find investors.
The company is talking to drugstore owners. But why would pharmacies pick drones over Postmates or other mobile delivery services?
"It's not about what the drugstores want, it's about what consumers want," Ziering said. "Consumers want the fastest and most efficient methods of delivery. Drones use electricity, they're never stopped by traffic, and they're not limited to roads."


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If you thought 4G was cool, think again. South Korea, one of the most wired countries on earth, already has around 20 million 4G users, and now Samsung has managed to successfully test fifth-generation (5G) wireless technology.
This super-fast technology allows users to download a movie in a matter of a second. The test used 64 antenna elements, which they said overcame unfavourable propagation characteristics. These characteristics have previously prevented data travelling across long distances. Samsung’s test concluded data transmissions of more than a gigabyte per second over a two kilometre distance.
Despite the exciting news, the new technology will not be ready to hit the commercial market before 2020. Samsung said that it would offer transmitting speeds of ‘up to seven hundred times faster’ than 4G networks. This means that users will be able to experience a range of services such as 3D movies and games, real-time streaming of ultra high-definition (UHD) content, and remote medical services without any limits. This surely proves worth the entire wait.


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BARCELONA, Spain--Chinese vendors Huawei and ZTE were hoping to make an impression at Mobile World Congress about their presence in the smartphone world.
Well, mission accomplished.
The two companies didn't disappoint on the news front. Huawei kicked off the wireless conference on Sunday by introducing the world's fastest smartphone and the first 10-inch quad-core tablet. ZTE followed on Monday with a downpour of 15 phone announcements.
The announcements are proof that the Chinese vendors, which don't have the name recognition of a Samsung Electronics or LG, can now stand at the same level, competing with similar high-end … Read more