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Story W.A. Demers, photos by R. Scudder Smith and W.A. Demers
WESTPORT, CONN. – The 39th annual Southport-Westport Antiques Show, presented by the Near & Far Aid Association, Inc, and the Antiques Council sailed into the 2003 season with a well-attended preview party (750-800) at the Fairfield County Hunt Club on April 24. The show closed on Sunday, April 27, with the show committee reporting substantial gates on Friday and Sunday, and disappointing crowd numbers on Saturday due to rainy weather.
The Southport-Westport show remains a first-class event – one dealer places it in the top three shows north of New York City in terms of quality – and for many in this well-to-do part of Fairfield County, the show is the true harbinger of spring, full of inspiration for home decorative arts enthusiasts. The question raised by some is whether serious antiques selling goes on and, of course, there is a range of opinions among the 67 dealers who participated — about a dozen of them new to the event or returning after a hiatus.
One dealer said the gate was so bad that “one could roller skate down the aisles most of the time,” another dealer characterized the crowd numbers as “soft at best,” and yet another said, “I think, generally, that the gate was off, and no, people weren’t buying freely. On the other hand, there were new faces at the preview party, especially decorators from New York who haven’t been there for years, and who were seriously buying.”
The show’s 2003 theme — “From Far to Near via Wind and Sail” — with its image of sails furled toward a new destination was indeed apt, for in 2004 the show will be moving to Greens Farms Academy in Westport and changing its date to the third week in June. As with any change, the news caused some grumbling in the “ship’s” hold by some dealers but no mutiny.
It is not just that the venue and show dates are changing, but next year’s show will also be going head-to-head with the Wilton Outdoor Antiques Marketplace, a June staple that draws many of the same dealers and buyers.
Southport-Westport show organizers said that the conflict with Wilton was inevitable since that was the only date they could get the academy. The reason for moving from the Hunt Club is primarily financial, organizers said, adding that they are rising to the challenge of maximizing the charity’s financial contri-butions. A benefit for the Near & Far Aid Association, a community-based charitable organization that has been active since 1946, the show is a key fundraiser. Near & Far distributed more than $840,000 to 70 agencies last year, more than $600,000 of which went to accredited Fairfield County organizations.
“Because we’re a charity, 100 percent of our proceeds go to the charity,” said Caren Hart Nelson, co-chair of the show. “Our costs for using the Hunt Club have gone up, and although we’ve a great relationship with them over the years, we’ve had to move on. Change is never easy.”
One dealer who specializes in American furniture said that while Greens Farms Academy may be an excellent venue for an antiques show, the fact that the date will be pushed beyond the traditional show season — September to May for the brown furniture trade – is a concern. “Typically, the industry standard is that fine furniture does not sell at shows in the summer months since people are often preoccupied with second homes, children out of school, family vacations, summer weddings and outdoor activities,” said the dealer.
Nelson countered, “For this area, after May 31, it’s a summer community, and we will attract that crowd and capture a new audience.”
The Southport-Westport Antiques Show liaison, Karen DiSaia of Oriental Rugs, Ltd, Old Lyme, Conn., was very upbeat about the changes in store for the three-day show. She said she understands other dealers’ concerns that this is the final year of holding the show at the Hunt Club and in the last week of April.
“Though there is concern about the change of date to the third weekend in June, the Antiques Council has embraced the challenge of creating the best early summer show in years,” she said. “It will be in a wonderful new location, which is only about a mile from the Hunt Club. It will be a smaller show and we feel that the new energy will only serve to enhance the 40th year of the show.”
Echoing this thought was Marybeth Keene of Wayne Pratt, Inc, Woodbury, Conn., who said that while she may have been wavering before, Saturday’s torrential rain quickly pushed her into the camp eager to leave the muddy paddocks, ever-roost-ing birds and Port-o-lets of the Hunt Club behind. “We’ll have to wait and see what next year will bring, but I have faith in the committee and Near & Far to organize a destination show that will draw people,” she said.
Jeffrey Cooley of Old Lyme, Conn., agreed that change of venue will be a challenge. “But clearly it is the right financial move, and perhaps a little ‘reinvention’ will be good for the show,” he said. “The date is the greatest problem, as it conflicts with Wilton, Father’s Day and, in general, people’s minds are far from home decorating or collecting in June when golf courses and summer homes and kids call.”
In addition to the preview party, special programs for this year’s show included a Designers’ Choice House Tour on Friday featuring five homes and a Saturday Night Spaces, a cocktail event on April 26, that pitted four architect/designers and their creative skills against one another under a 90-minute time constraint to transform an empty space on the show floor into unique vignettes using selected antiques and accessories from the dealers’ booths. “This was a terrific idea,” said Keene of Wayne Pratt. “It was very clever and drew a lot of young people.”
“We were trying to show that antiques are fun, and that you can use them in your home,” said show co-chair Nelson.
Some dealers were less sanguine about events that seem tangential to actually selling antiques. Said one: “I think the future of the show will be based on the participation of decorators and their interests, not as a show of antiquarians.”
The quality of the show itself, however, was summed up by Jeff Bridgman of Historic York County, Penn., as offering “much that appeals to the discriminating high-country collector.”
“It was a stunning and interesting show,” agreed Cooley. “The new layout was a great success and the innovative programs worthwhile.” Cooley said that he sold a “lovely watercolor by Fidelia Bridges [1834-1923] to a delightful, thoughtful collector.”
Among the show’s new dealers, Rhonda Eleish and Edie Van Breems, Woodbury, Conn., who specialize in Eighteenth and Nineteenth Century Scandinavian and northern European antiques, brought a Nineteenth Century Finnish step back cupboard dated 1844, in original paint and with a replacement lock on the door. They also showed a Nineteenth Century Finnish Rocco rust painted two-door armoire and a Nineteenth Century Finnish painted document box circa 1837. Smalls included copper molds and wooden cheese molds, baskets and bowls.
Also at the Southport-Westport show for the first time were Melinda and Lazlo Zongor, Bedford, Penn., who deal primarily in coverlets and other early American textiles. Highlights of the Zongors’ offerings included a coverlet by the New York weaver James Cunningham featuring George Washington on horseback and the New York state seal in the corner block. The rare red and white version on display was perhaps one of only two others that are known to exist.
“Among other things, I was pleased to sell several copies of my book, Coverlets and the Spirit of America,” said Melinda Zongor. “Since this was our first time at this show, our material, coverlets, is new to this audience. We were gratified by the genuine and strong interest in them.”
Their first time exhibiting at Southport-Westport, Stuart and Audrey Peckner of N.P. Trent, West Palm Beach, Fla., deemed it a “successful show,” considering the economy and the fact that they were exhibiting continental furniture. “We sold on opening an important Charles X formal étagère as well as a Directoire dining table,” said Stuart Peckner. “I was impressed with how hard the council and committee worked to try and create a selling atmosphere.”
“Considering the markets over the past 24 months, the gate was not thrilling but was on par with many other antiques shows,” said Charles and Rebekah Clark, Woodbury, Conn. “People seem to be taking their time considering purchases. We anticipate follow-up sales in the coming weeks.” The Clarks believe that price points seem to be the current preoccupation.
“People expect prices to be lower in the current economic condition even though costs — inventory, booth rent, fuel, labor, materials, etc — have risen,” they said. Bringing a Regency sinumbra to the show along with a classical bookcase secretary and other American furniture and accessories of the classical period, the Clarks sold lighting to a customer who had purchased lighting from them last year.
Bridgman observed that even if the gates seemed smaller, “I find that the people who come are serious – both last year and this year.” What differed this year, added Bridgman, was that last year he sold almost entirely flags. “This year I sold across the board,” he said. “I sold many flags, but folk art, furniture and a great Amish quilt contributed to half or more of my sales. I was extremely pleased, and I definitely topped last year’s sales.”
Bridgman sold a very unusual, late Nineteenth Century, cast-iron caribou head with an ornate oval back plate that was decorated with grape vines. “It had white paint with an exceptional surface,” said Bridgman. “I also sold a wonderful, yellow paint decorated flour chest with a lift-top lid over two doors. I am particularly fond of this form, which is uniquely Pennsylvania.”
A large green majolica lizard coolly eyed visitors at the booth of Charles L. Washburne, Chappaqua, N.Y., and a larger-than-life grasshopper poised for a leap beyond the glass case that contained him and hundreds of other colorful majolica pieces. The lizard was later to be seen basking in the spotlight of the Saturday Night Spaces designed competition as evidenced by the tag affixed to his tail.
Like the lizard, a graceful Chinese Tan dynasty horse from the Eighth Century was marked with a tag at Vallin Galleries, Wilton, Conn., during the preview party, indicating that it would figure into the Saturday Night Spaces design-off. Peter Rosenburg, owner, said he has been bringing his Chinese and Asian art and antiques to the Southport-Westport show for eight to ten years.
Other highlights in his booth were a Japanese painting on paper of China geese done in the Nineteenth Century, a Chinese lady’s Ming dragon court robe of the late Fourteenth Century embroidered with fanciful golden dragons against a bright red cloth, and an extremely rare Chinese export bureau in elm burl with rosewood and ivory inlay, circa 1820. A globelike Chinese perfumer with internal gimbal crafted of pure silver in the Eighth Century was so delicate that it had to be opened carefully lest it became deformed.
Anyone wanting to conduct some quick research on just about anything displayed at the show could duck into F. Russack Books, Inc, Danville, N.H. Owner Rick Russack, who said it was his fifth year at the show, pointed out an interesting find, a book published in 1955 titled Susan’s Teeth And Much About Scrimshaw. “This is a very rare book,” said Russack, “I’ve only seen one other.” The book, privately published by Everett Crosby, provides details about and depicts the whale’s teeth carved by sailors.
Furniture, ceramics, Chinese export, folk art, Eskimo and Indian art were also among the many categories covered at Russack’s booth.
DiSaia of Oriental Rugs Ltd, brought a large selection of antique oriental carpets, among them a 3-foot 5-inch by 2-foot 2-inch antique Daghestan prayer rug, circa 1880, that had been beautifully preserved and a 7-foot by 12-foot Sennehkurd/Malayer, circa 1930, that was woven with a rare combination of colors – shades of coral, green, yellow and light blue.
She sold an antique Gendge Kazak, which was “perhaps one of the most interesting I have ever had. It had brilliant color in diagonal stripes and was in fabulous condition. It sold to someone who just loved it and found a spot for it.” DiSaia also sold a very small, but interesting Anatolian Yastic, “again to someone who just loved it and bought it. No taking it home to try it. That is a rare thing in this market.”
At Southport-Westport for her fourth year, Norma Chick of Autumn Pond Antiques, Woodbury, Conn., filled her booth with furniture, delftware, paintings and folk art. A “Portrait of a Young Girl with Her Doll,” American, circa 1930, gazed wistfully amid an exuberant collection of vanes, including a J. Fiske trotting horse from the last quarter of the Nineteenth Century, an American scroll and arrow, circa 1860, a copper rooster, a gamecock and an Ethan Allen horse vane.
While pundits have labeled the ostrich as the “national bird” of France following the cross-Atlantic chill between the United States and its gallic ally, a more heroic French Nineteenth Century cast-iron eagle stretched its wings on a rocky outcrop at The Finnegan Gallery, Chicago. Chockfull of American, French and English garden furniture, architectural rdf_Descriptions and accessories, Finnegan also displayed a pair of turn-of-the-century French wrought iron tables with marble tops and an unusual pair of French faux bois “standing mushrooms” fashioned in the 1920s in the rustic style of the late Nineteenth Century.
Fine early silver and period furniture were represented at Anthony Scornavacco, Gem Lake, Minn., including a French step back cupboard, circa 1790, an English three-part dining table, circa 1800, shown with a set of ten English Regency chairs, and an old Sheffield plated candelabra suite comprising four candlesticks and a pair of candelabra arms, circ 1820. A large Belgian tapestry, circa 1700, hung on the booth’s center wall.
There was much to meet the discerning eye at Wayne Pratt, Inc, Woodbury, Conn., including a Boston block front kneehole bureau table, circa 1760-80, that, according to Pratt, exhibited a wonderful surface and original brasses. A rare Chippendale carved cherry bonnet-top desk and bookcase, attributed to Benjamin Buckham (1737-1773) or Samuel Loomis (1784-1814) was also on display. “We sold a couple of tall pieces and chest of drawers,” reported Keene. “A lot of our clients were there, and we met new people at the show and preview.”
American furniture and accessories up to circa 1820 is the focus of Janice F. Strauss American Antiques, South Salem, N.Y., and that was evident by the American tall chest in ruddy maple and Boston Queen Anne desk on display. The tall chest, probably South Shore, Mass., circa 1770, featured six graduated drawers, the top one simulating three. Its center carved fan disguised a secret wooden lock. The desk, circa 1735-50, made of mahogany and the interior featuring the protruding and stepped ends typical of the William and Mary period, exhibited serpentine shaping incorporated into both the vertical and horizontal dividers along with blocked drawers. A seven-year Southport-Westport show veteran, Strauss also brought an American teakettle with the maker’s name on the handle — John W. Schlosser, a coppersmith born in 1785.
Attending the show for their second year, Kathleen and Roger Haller of Silver Plus, New York City, specialize in English Eighteenth and Nineteenth Century silver. Among the wide array of rdf_Descriptions on display were several silver antique pieces by Hester Bateman, whose hallmark was simple but elegant bright cut decoration. The display case showed a Bateman goblet made in 1779, a cream boat fashioned in 1785, a cream jug crafted in 1786 and a caster created in 1787.
Steve Shapiro of SAJE Americana, Short Hills, N.J., said he has been a Southport-Westport show dealer for the past seven years and is very sorry that the show is moving to a new venue and will take place in June next year. “It forces us to choose,” he said, referring to the conflicting Wilton outdoor show. Shapiro was showing a bird’s-eye maple and mahogany four-drawer Hepplewhite chest with an inlaid top edge and inlaid band above the high flared French feet.
Above a Maine dressing table, circa 1820, in original paint and stencil was an oil on canvas likeness of little Mary Barker from Portland, Maine, who, 8 years old when her portrait was painted in 1844, posed with an accordion and flowers. Shapiro quipped that the girl’s nose was turned up from the smell of the cheeses wafting from a luxuriously provisioned hors d’oeuvres table next to his booth during the preview party.


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Majestic sees sales fizz
Majestic Wine today became the first retailer to deliver concrete evidence of a one-off millennium boost as it revealed like-for-like champagne sales up 60% in the past seven weeks.
Chief executive Tim How said: 'We're beginning to run tight on Moet although we're OK for the moment. Over the last three weeks we've been selling 25,000 bottles a week.' Overall sales were 14.5% ahead in the seven weeks to 15 November, up from 8.1% for the six months ended 27 September.
New World wines continue to show the most growth, led by Australia and Chile. Sales in the first half were 19% ahead at £34.6 million while pre-tax profits climbed 15% to £1.203 million. Earnings per share grew 13% to 5.71p and the dividend is 17% higher at 2p.
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ChannelAdvisor Corp (ECOM) Upgraded at BidaskClub
BidaskClub upgraded shares of ChannelAdvisor Corp (NYSE:ECOM) from a sell rating to a hold rating in a research note published on Tuesday.
A number of other research analysts have also issued reports on ECOM. First Analysis upgraded ChannelAdvisor Corp from an equal weight rating to an overweight rating and set a $13.00 target price for the company in a report on Thursday, August 31st. DA Davidson began coverage on ChannelAdvisor Corp in a report on Friday, September 22nd. They issued a neutral rating and a $12.50 target price for the company. Needham & Company LLC reiterated a buy rating and issued a $18.00 target price on shares of ChannelAdvisor Corp in a report on Sunday, September 17th. KeyCorp reiterated a hold rating on shares of ChannelAdvisor Corp in a report on Friday, August 25th. Finally, TheStreet lowered ChannelAdvisor Corp from a c- rating to a d+ rating in a report on Monday, June 5th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have assigned a hold rating and two have given a buy rating to the stock. ChannelAdvisor Corp currently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $14.50.
Shares of ChannelAdvisor Corp (NYSE:ECOM) remained flat at $12.10 during midday trading on Tuesday. The company’s stock had a trading volume of 19,112 shares. The stock’s 50-day moving average price is $11.07 and its 200-day moving average price is $11.22. The company’s market capitalization is $319.82 million. ChannelAdvisor Corp has a 52-week low of $9.80 and a 52-week high of $15.85.
ChannelAdvisor Corp (NYSE:ECOM) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, August 3rd. The software maker reported ($0.15) earnings per share for the quarter, missing the Zacks’ consensus estimate of ($0.10) by ($0.05). ChannelAdvisor Corp had a negative net margin of 13.28% and a negative return on equity of 19.95%. The firm had revenue of $30.00 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $28.65 million. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted ($0.11) earnings per share. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 10.7% compared to the same quarter last year. Analysts predict that ChannelAdvisor Corp will post ($0.03) EPS for the current fiscal year.
In related news, insider M Scot Wingo sold 15,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, September 18th. The stock was sold at an average price of $11.72, for a total value of $175,800.00. Following the transaction, the insider now owns 807,896 shares in the company, valued at approximately $9,468,541.12. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, Director Marc Huffman purchased 10,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, August 10th. The stock was bought at an average price of $10.00 per share, for a total transaction of $100,000.00. Following the transaction, the director now directly owns 36,411 shares in the company, valued at $364,110. The disclosure for this purchase can be found here. Insiders have sold 45,000 shares of company stock worth $498,300 in the last quarter. Insiders own 11.30% of the company’s stock.
A number of hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Tudor Investment Corp ET AL acquired a new position in ChannelAdvisor Corp during the 1st quarter worth approximately $120,000. Citigroup Inc. increased its position in ChannelAdvisor Corp by 166.6% during the 2nd quarter. Citigroup Inc. now owns 10,818 shares of the software maker’s stock worth $125,000 after purchasing an additional 6,760 shares during the period. ClariVest Asset Management LLC acquired a new position in ChannelAdvisor Corp during the 1st quarter worth approximately $136,000. Voya Investment Management LLC acquired a new position in ChannelAdvisor Corp during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $136,000. Finally, Cubist Systematic Strategies LLC acquired a new position in ChannelAdvisor Corp during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $138,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 81.50% of the company’s stock.
ChannelAdvisor Corp Company Profile
Channeladvisor Corporation is a provider of Software as a service (SaaS) solutions. The Company’s SaaS solutions enable retailer and branded manufacturer customers to integrate, manage and optimize their merchandise sales via hundreds of online channels. The Company’s platform enable its customers to connect with new and existing sources of demand for their products, including e-commerce marketplaces, such as Amazon, eBay, Jet.com, Newegg, Sears and Walmart, search engines and comparison shopping Websites, such as Google, Microsoft’s Bing and Nextag, and social channels, such as Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest.
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TUI are offering £100 off their summer 2021 package holidays.
The offer applies to holiday bookings with a minimum spend of £750, that are departing between May 17 and October 31 this year.
To apply the offer, holidaymakers can use the code PAYDAY on the TUI payment page.
There are holidays to popular destinations like Greece, Turkey and Spain.
Some of the late summer deals where the discount can be applied include:
- Seven night holiday at TUI BLUE Atlantica Belvedere Resort, Kos on a half-board basis with flights from Manchester and transfers – from £640pp
- Seven night holiday at TUI BLUE Zante Maris, Zante on an all-inclusive basis with flights from Gatwick and transfers – from £768pp
- Seven night holiday at TUI SENSATORI Barut Fethiye, Turkey on an all-inclusive board basis with flights from Gatwick and transfers – from £789pp
- Seven night holidas at Paloma Orenda, Antalya, Turkey on an all-inclusive basis with flights from Bristol and transfers – from £845pp
- Seven night holiday at Riu Paraiso Lanzarote Resort, Lanzarote on an all-inclusive board basis with flights from Manchester and transfers – from £814pp
- Seven night holidays to at Suite Princess, Gran Canaria on an all-inclusive board basis with flights from Gatwick and transfers – from £681pp
The deals are based on two adults sharing a room.
TUI has extended its free changes policy to the end of June, which means that Brits due to travel between May 17 and the end of June can change their booking to a later date for free.
The travel company has seen huge demand following the Government update on February 22, with bookings for holidays departing from July onwards increasing by 500 per cent overnight.
Currently Greece, Spain and Turkey are the most popular destinations.
Boris Johnson explained on Monday that UK holidays could restart from April 12, but is yet to announce when a trip abroad is back on the cards.
Another announcement on April 12 will be given for foreign holidays, but is expected to be no earlier than May 17, and more likely to be June 21.
For those looking to book a break later for in the year, there are cheap all inclusive holidays for this summer, many of which have free child places and there are many cheap package holidays.
If you fancy staying in the UK, holiday parks are also offering huge bargains – some of which start from £3pp a night.
We've also found cheap deals in the warmest parts of the UK, as well as at Britain's best beaches for dog owners and those with kids.
If you click on a link in this story we will earn affiliate revenue.
Source: Read Full Article


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The Game Developers Conference, or GDC 2020, is set for March at the Moscone Convention Center, San Francisco, California. It is expected to run for four days from March 16th to 20th.
It seems that GDC has been facing the withdrawal of developers, reasons being the outbreak of the Corona Virus. The latest withdrawal being Unreal Engine Games at Epic due to health concerns, there are rumors of the decision by officials to cancel the whole event for this year.
The GDC event consists of the showcase of various developing works related to gaming overall. With them hosting The Game Developers Choice Awards and Independent Games Festival, the event consists of programming, visual arts, professional coverage of in-game content and much more all done by industry professionals all in the course of what the gaming industry holds. It is considered to be one of the largest professional game industry events related to gaming news.
The GDC has also hosted events in China, an example being the GDC China in 2007. This was for the reason for affirming the growing gaming industry of china that year. The last one being in the region in 2012, it has since been canceled.
The withdrawal of Microsoft was previously noticed and now adds Epic’s name to the line that already includes Sony, Facebook, and Unity. This makes a large part of the event already detained in terms of the variety that it has normally showcased annually up till now.
The news of the withdrawal was met with much disappointment by followers on Twitter. This is the tweet:
The news of the outbreak of the virus of Chinese origin has put San Francisco into a state of Emergency. It has already affected a large part of the industry with the cancellation of events and tournaments. It has also resulted in the delay of various tech and hardware surrounding the gaming and Esports industry.
The GDC has had a history of hosting the latest news. The previous GDC of 2019 was the award giver to God of War. It was honored with the prize for ‘Game of the Year’ at the 19th annual Game Developers Choice Awards ceremony. The ‘Best in Play’ awards also hailed titles such as Quench by Axon Interactive, Inner Friend by Playmind and more.
In the circumstance of this year’s cancellation, there shall be much disappointment and disapproval by the expecting audience. There is the possibility of a Streamed event to take place in place of a fully canceled event. The withdrawals have surely been a burden for the expecting attendees. This is another factor that is being seen currently by the event organizers in their decision regarding this event in March. There were even rumors of the latest news on Playstation’s PS5 showcasing at the event, unfortunately, the company withdrew early.
There is no specific confirmation of what the outcome will be, but only time will tell if GFC shall hold this year.


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Mar 21, 2018 | By Benedict
Oxford Performance Materials, a company whose materials have been used in everything from medical implants to Boeing airplanes, has been given the green light to distribute its 3D printed medical devices in Japan, paving the way for major expansion within Asia.
Making a 3D printed medical implant—designing it, sourcing the right materials, performing the necessary medical testing—is no mean feat, but for some companies in the medical field, making such a device is actually only a small step on the road to commercialization. The trickiest part comes later.
That’s because, for a 3D printed medical device to have any value, it needs to be approved by governmental organizations. In the U.S., the FDA performs that role, examining individual products to see if they meet the necessary standards for use on human bodies.
To this end, the FDA recently published its guidance on 3D printing of medical products in order to tell manufacturers what it is looking for in a product.
Connecticut’s Oxford Performance Materials (OPM) is one company that has frequently found itself dealing with the FDA in order to bring its specially designed PEKK (poly-ether-ketone-ketone) medical implants to market. The company’s OsteoFab implants are some of the industry’s most popular, and OPM has had several different implants given 510(k) clearance by the FDA.
That’s the U.S., but what of other markets? While some countries are relatively skeptical of 3D printing and in no rush to approve products that might go wrong down the line, others are taking a different tact. In Korea, for example, Ministry of Food and Drug Safety has explored fast-track options for 3D printed medical devices in order to get the technology developed faster. It’s a risky tactic, of course, but one that can benefit the national economy.
Elsewhere in Asia, Japan remains an influential figure in the medical device market. A famous advocate of new technologies, Japan can massively boost a medical device company’s profile by rubber-stamping its products for medical use.
Fortunately for OPM, Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare has just granted the American company Accreditation of Foreign Medical Device Manufacturer, permitting it to bring its laser melting OsteoFab 3D printed medical device options to the prosperous Asian nation.
OsteoFab combines laser melting additive manufacturing technology with OPM’s proprietary OXPEKK material formulations to offer 3D printed PEKK medical implants for craniomaxillofacial (CMF), spine, and other emerging orthopedic and neurologic indications.
OPM says it has long identified Asia as an attractive market because of “demographic trends and a predictable regulatory and reimbursement environment.” The company also believes that Japanese healthcare companies have an appreciation for beneficial technologies.
“OPM started regular exploration of the Asian market 10 years ago in order to deeply understand the reimbursement environments, potential markets and commercialization opportunities,” said Scott DeFelice, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of Oxford Performance Materials. “This accreditation allows OPM to start an export program to initiate market development and advance our Asian business.”
For more information about what Oxford Performance Materials does, read its independently commissioned scientific study into the antibacterial properties of 3D printed PEKK implants.
Posted in 3D Printer Company
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Walmart.com, the online arm of the world’s largest retailer, said Tuesday that it has laid off 24 employees, or about 10 per cent of its workforce, as it cut operations that weren’t effective on the Internet.
The layoffs are only the latest in a string of e-commerce missteps for Wal-Mart, whose online operations are now in their third incarnation and have failed to live up to the company’s reputation for retailing prowess.
Walmart.com executives said they decided to cut merchandising operations in product categories that were not successful on the Web during the holiday season – the first key buying season for Walmart.com under its current management.
“Once we got through the holidays, we had enough data to understand what customers responded to and what they didn’t respond to,” said Jeanne Jackson, chief executive officer (CEO) of Walmart.com. The company found that there were several categories of goods that are traditional hits at Wal-Mart’s stores -from underwear and socks to votive candles – that failed to sell online. “The price is too low for the customer to pay shipping,” Jackson said.
The company also cut some of its online marketing operations. “Internet advertising prices have not come down that much, and it is still a cost-ineffective way to attract customers,” Jackson said. Instead, the company will rely more on the brick-and-mortar stores of its parent, which are visited by an average of 90 million customers a week, to drive shoppers to its site.
But Jackson insisted that she remains bullish about the company’s prospects. “This is not about a retrenching of the business,” Jackson said. Walmart.com is actively trying to fill 52 positions, mostly in areas like Web site design, product management and engineering, she said. “I wish I could take someone with buying skills and teach them Java script overnight.”
In addition to the layoffs, an undisclosed number of employees were re-deployed in new jobs.
Analysts say the cuts indicate that Walmart.com is being run with the same dogged and ruthless attention to the bottom line that has been the company’s hallmark throughout its 38-year history. “Everyone has to be prudent in light of the current market environment,” said Jeetil Patel, an analyst with Deutsche Banc Alex. Brown.
Although job cuts at online retailers have become routine during the past year, these are the first significant layoffs at the Internet operations of a major offline chain. “That is probably an indication of more to come,” Patel said.
Wal-Mart, along with VC firm Accel Partners, made a US$100 million investment in Walmart.com in January of 2000, spinning off the company into an independent entity. Shortly after, they hired Jackson, an executive at the Gap (GPS), who had been in charge of the clothing retailer’s Internet operations.
Jackson says she plans to continue focusing on making the company’s Web site easy to use, streamlining product searches and checkout procedures. Most analysts say Walmart.com’s site still pales in comparison to that of competitors like Amazon.com (AMZN). Jackson also said Walmart.com plans to launch a joint Internet service with AOL in the second half of this year, more than a year behind schedule.


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09 Jul Scoop: Technology uptake critical to NZ small business resilience and long term success
Originally published: Scoop, 8 July 2020
65% of Kiwi SMEs have increased productivity after implementing cloud-based tools
Xero, the global small business platform, has found the majority of small businesses in New Zealand want to increase productivity in a post-COVID world but feel that the cost of technology, the time it takes to implement and a lack of information about what to do is preventing them.
Craig Hudson, Managing Director of New Zealand and the Pacific Islands at Xero, says before the pandemic, Xero worked with the New Zealand Institute of Economic Research to develop economic modelling which explored how leveraging technology could help to grow New Zealand’s productivity.
The new research was conducted with n=505 business owners and key decision makers across New Zealand from the Pureprofile panel which concluded at the beginning of June 2020.


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Demand for alternative source of finance for small businesses is rocketing
Demand for alternative sources of finance is rocketing, with figures this weekend showing that lending to small firms through peer-to-peer lending site Funding Circle has passed £100million.
The site, set up less than three years ago, has grown so fast that experts estimate in ten years it could account for ten to 20 per cent of small business lending.
Smaller firms access more than £1million a day via alternative sources of finance, and new entrants are always appearing.
Last week saw the launch of crowdfunding platform, CrowdBnk, aimed at putting would-be entrepreneurs in touch with investors.
Entrepreneurs who sign up can describe their idea on the site. It is reviewed by CrowdBnk, which will come back with any questions or suggestions about how to make the proposition clearer. It will then go live on the site for investors.
Investors can contribute as little as £10 to ideas in return for shares, rewards or a combination of both.
Once firms have hit their target, CrowdBnk will deal with the paperwork, helping firms become public limited companies if they are offering shares to backers.
CrowdBnk is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Similar funding sites include Seedrs and Crowdcube.
The latest Bank of England figures show that lending to small businesses has risen for the first time since August 2011 – by £239million in March.
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Waje’s ready to elevate herself
released a single with local songstress Lira, titled Mountain. This is the first single from her upcoming album.
Waje’s big break came 10 years ago when she was featured on P-Square’s Do Me. But because she wasn’t featured in the video, Waje didn’t really benefit from the song’s breakout success. She considers 2009 as the year she really started becoming a force.
“That’s when I really took my career into my own hands and started doing stuff for myself, not just features.
“That’s when I eventually came out with a single and started pushing myself as an artist.”
Given the fact that she had so little exposure and she didn’t go to music or business school, she’s had to learn on the job. But she’s done well and, over the past five or so years, has amassed some impressive achievements such as seeing her self-titled debut album receive four nominations at the World Music Awards in 2014. Ten years in the game now and she’s as hungry as ever to achieve yet more success.
In her spare time, Waje loves nothing more than catching a good movie. She has also done a bit of acting and will be looking to do more.
She also wants to get into fashion and sees herself selling merchandise in the not-so-distant future. “I’m a rings girl, I love wearing them on stage. This is actually minimal,” she says, gesturing towards the glittering rings wrapped around her fingers. “I wear a lot of them, so it would be nice to have a Waje ring collection. Just little things that aren’t so expensive that can help a woman look very good by herself without having to break the bank.”
Nigerian star Waje has set her sights on the next level of success.


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GMO Poisons Found in Indiana Waterways
October 20, 2010
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The Indiana Business Journal reports that proteins from genetically modified crops are showing up in Indiana waterways.
According to the Journal, the University of Notre Dame and Loyola University looked at 217 streams, drains and ditches near Indiana cornfields and found genetically modified (GM) bug-killing protein in 50 of them.
The protein is in genetically modified corn and other crops that are engineered to produce their own pesticide when insects bite them. But when farmers mow the fields, the residue remains from the crushed plants – and it's finding its way to the waterways.
"The protein is carried to surface water by runoff and by the leaves and stalks that sometimes wash into streams," the Journal said. "And the protein lingers. The study was conducted six months after harvest."
The paper, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, says it is not known whether the trace levels of the protein are a threat to invertebrates in the water.
But either way – it's still poison, and it's a poison that was in 85 percent of the U.S. corn crop last year.
Vote with Your Pocketbook, Every Day
The food companies on the left of this graphic spent tens of millions of dollars in the last two labeling campaigns—in California and Washington State - to prevent you from knowing what’s in your food. You can even the score by switching to the brands on the right; all of whom stood behind the I-522 Right to Know campaign. Voting with your pocketbook, at every meal, matters. It makes a huge difference.
I encourage you to continue educating yourself about genetically engineered foods, and to share what you’ve learned with family and friends. Remember, unless a food is certified organic, you can assume it contains GMO ingredients if it contains sugar from sugar beets, soy, or corn, or any of their derivatives.
If you buy processed food, opt for products bearing the USDA 100% Organic label, as certified organics do not permit GMO’s. You can also print out and use the Non-GMO Shopping Guide, created by the Institute for Responsible Technology. Share it with your friends and family, and post it to your social networks. Alternatively, download their free iPhone application, available in the iTunes store. You can find it by searching for ShopNoGMO in the applications. For more in-depth information, I highly recommend reading the following two books, authored by Jeffrey Smith, the executive director of the Institute for Responsible Technology:
For timely updates, join the Non-GMO Project on Facebook, or follow them on Twitter.
Please, do your homework. Together, we have the power to stop the biotech industry from destroying our food supply, the future of our children, and the earth as a whole. All we need is about five percent of American shoppers to simply stop buying genetically engineered foods, and the food industry would have to reconsider their source of ingredients—regardless of whether the products bear an actual GMO label or not.


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Tenerife top choice this summer with Brit holiday arrivals up 20%
- British visitors to Tenerife up 20% January – May 2016 (Tenerife Tourism Corporation)
- Tenerife residents offering a “big warm hug” to British tourists (Tenerife Tourism Corporation)
- Brits saving a minimum of £100 on holidays to Tenerife (cheap-holidays-tenerife.com)
Boasting 11 hours of sunshine a day, breathtaking natural beauty and some of the world’s warmest waters, it is no wonder that Brits are heading back to their favourite Canary Island for this summer’s getaway.
Latest figures from the Tenerife Tourism Corporation state that British tourism to Tenerife has already jumped an astonishing 20% between January and May this year with a whopping 800,000 Brits visiting the popular holiday destination. In 2015 the island saw over 1.7 million British arrivals with the UK accounting for 34% of the island’s total tourist arrivals.
In response to these latest figures, Tenerife Tourism Corporation travel industry and promotion director, Pia Louw, comments,
“We are very encouraged to see continued growth from the UK market year on year, with average growth of 3.5% for the last five years. The latest figures for the first months of 2016 are also very encouraging and demonstrate that our beloved British visitors recognise that we have so much to offer – from must-visit attractions such as the UNESCO-listed Teide National Park to the latest products including stargazing, sports and luxury tourism.”
The UK’s recent decision to leave the EU has however caused some uncertainty for holidaymakers who are concerned about their travel expenses post the Brexit vote.
In response to Brits’ concerns, the Tenerife Tourism Corporation has just launched #bigwarmhugtravel, a new campaign reassuring the UK that the people of Tenerife are behind Brits regardless of their status in Europe.
The campaign sees Tenerife residents posting images of themselves on social media giving British holidaymakers a “big warm hug” in order to spread their love and support of the island’s largest source market.
Director of Tourism in Tenerife, Alberto Bernabé comments,
“With so many turbulent times in the world and political uncertainty in the UK at the moment, we hope this campaign will show the British people that we are with them no matter what.”
Jodi Beard, herself a Tenerife resident as well as Marketing Director of ATOL and ABTA protected holiday planning specialists, Cheap-Holidays-Tenerife.com, which offer discounted flights to Tenerife and holiday accommodation in the popular southern area of the island is confident that the island will continue to attract British tourists this year. She comments,
“Tenerife is home to award winning beaches, delicious restaurants, friendly and welcoming people as well as the magnificent Mt Teide that recently played host to location scouts for the HBO hit series Game of Thrones. All of these attractions are what bring Brits to Tenerife. It’s the place to be this summer and we are seeing a steady flow of holiday enquiries which we expect will continue throughout the season.”
Flights to the ever popular island can be found for less than £200 with Cheap-Holidays-Tenerife.com offering a variety of attractive holiday packages. Flights and seven nights’ accommodation for two people can be arranged for less than £430. The site also promises to beat the price of any other genuine accommodation-only seven-night holiday by a minimum of £100.
For more information, please visit http://www.cheap-holidays-tenerife.com/ or call Cheap Holidays Tenerife today on 0800 0124 300.
Notes to Editors
Cheap-Holidays-Tenerife.com offers flights from UK airports, and accommodation in the popular tourist resorts of Costa Adeje, Los Cristianos and Playa de las Americas in south Tenerife. Their team scours the web for the most competitive holiday prices on the market… and then beat them*!
The UK and Tenerife-based call centres are staffed by British advisors, all of whom are dedicated specialists in Tenerife holidays. What’s more, their Tenerife-based advisors have lived on the island itself for an average of ten years, which means they have the ultimate first-hand knowledge to offer great advice to travellers!
Now for the serious bit: The discounts available via Cheap-Holidays-Tenerife.com are subject to qualification criteria relating to the traveller(s). Please be sure to read this criteria, which can be found in point 4 of the Terms and Conditions. A holiday consultant will then contact you to arrange a Personal Orientation Meeting during your stay, which will involve showing you how to receive similar discounts on all future holidays (not just to Tenerife).
Of course, no customer travelling with Cheap-Holidays-Tenerife.com is under any obligation whatsoever to accept or to buy any holidays or offers during their Promotional Holiday to Tenerife with Cheap-Holidays-Tenerife.com. However, to qualify for the discounted prices, you’ll still have to meet the qualification criteria mentioned above.


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Srinagar, May 13: Eicher Tractors from the house of TAFE - Tractors and Farm Equipment Limited, announced the launch of the Eicher Prima G3 series.
As per the statement, Eicher Prima G3 is a new series of tractors in the 40 - 60 hp range, that offers premium styling, progressive technology and perfect comfort built with decades of unmatched experience.
Launching the Eicher Prima G3 series, Mallika Srinivasan, CMD - TAFE said, “The Eicher brand, for decades, has been well-known for its trust, reliability, ruggedness and versatility in both the agriculture and commercial space. The launch of the PRIMA G3, brings to the progressive farmers of a modern India, more productivity, comfort and ease to match their new aspirations, and offers an enhanced value proposition that Eicher has always promised.
Dr Lakshmi Venu, DMD, TAFE Motors and Tractors Limited (TMTL) said, “Young and progressive farmers of India are seeking to maximise returns from farming operations while focusing on technology and agri-tech solutions, and the PRIMA G3 would be the ideal partner in creating an ecosystem that will revolutionize agriculture”.


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Isuzu Motors is set to acquire 57.7 percent of General Motors East Africa (GMEA) stocks to become a subsidiary of Isuzu Motors.
This follows a buy out agreement reached with General Motors Company, GMEA’s parent company.
As the result, GMEA’s company name will be renewed in April this year and the new company will be known as Isuzu East Africa.
According to the new structure, the other shareholders will be ICDC:20 per cent, Centum Investments:17.8 percent and Itochu Corporation:4.5 per cent.
GMEA Managing Director Rita Kavashe (pictured) has been retained and will head the new company in a similar capacity.
“Isuzu is making this investment with the intention of expanding its commercial vehicle production and sales in Eastern Africa,” a statement from the Japan-based company said.
Since its establishment in 1975, GMEA has been engaged in assembly and sales of Isuzu-badged light and mid-duty trucks and buses, and import and sales of Isuzu pickup trucks and Chevrolet passenger cars. GMEA has maintained the top share in Kenya’s commercial vehicle market for five years since 2012.
“Isuzu will make this investment aiming at further quality improvement, vehicle sales expansion and aftersales service enhancement. For these purposes, Isuzu will provide the company in East Africa with as much assistance as possible in the fields of personnel training, manufacturing technique and enhancement of Aftersales business,” read the statement.
Reports that the company could decide to enter the market under its own name and take over GM operations in the region first emerged in 2014 but GM management dismissed them as “speculative and untrue.”
At the time, there were growing concerns that GM was fast losing the market to Toyota.
IEA’s sphere of business will be CKD kits-based assembly and sales of Isuzu trucks and buses, import and sales of Isuzu pickup trucks, parts supply and after-sales servicing.


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Reuters Brand Features is a paid for, custom created solution which allows brands to share their story with their target audience on Reuters. Mark Kelley, a market analyst from Nomura Instinet, has published a complimentary note about the future of the online dating industry. Keep abreast of significant corporate, financial and political developments around the world.
The dating service industry has exhibited strong growth in terms of sales, and has been evolving continuously over the past couple of decades. The online dating industry has been growing at a rate % yearly since These days, it counts for $ billion in gross sales. Analyses. Consequently, it is no surprise that the business is booming with the many thousands of apps and websites available.
Online dating is going mainstream. The study is based on a survey of 2, U. Young adults are leading the surge in online dating, with usage among to year-olds almost tripling since Pew's online dating study.
Never miss a great news story! The global online dating market has witnessed continuous growth in the past few years and is projected to grow even further during the forecast. Email dmz ryerson.
Dozens of platforms then followed suit. worldwide: Revenue in the Online Dating segment amounts to US$m in an annual growth rate (CAGR ) of %, resulting in a market volume. While online dating was once considered taboo, the number of couples meeting online has more than doubled in the last decade to about 1-in
Reading Support The Online Dating segment is expected to show a revenue growth of 6. Reading Support In the Online Dating segment, the number of users is expected to amount to Reading Support User penetration in the Online Dating segment is at 4. Reading Support With a rate of
The Dating Services industry has exhibited strong growth over the past five years as a growing number of consumers use the internet to seek love.


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SINGAPORE: The sharing economy held much promise when it burst onto the scene in the not-too-distant past, opening up an avenue for people to earn an income by sharing their underused resources with others.Consumers, too, embraced it in a big way, hoovering up goods and services in nearly every area imaginable — from point-to-point transport and bicycles to accommodation and co-working spaces — typically at low cost.But more than a decade after it began its meteoric rise across the globe, the collaborative movement has come under siege, including here in Singapore.The hype surrounding the sharing economy is fading rapidly, as its original ideals have taken a back seat to the relentless corporate pursuit of profits.Fuelled by the rise of digital technologies — which allowed owners of goods to be matched quickly with those who needed them — the sharing economy was meant to spur higher levels of social efficiency.“Idle resources can be wasted if they are not … [Read more...] about The Big Read: Sharing economy — the next big thing that never was?
Looking for the next big thing
Although many consumers in the “Marketing 5.0” era lead an always-connected lifestyle, offline channels are still necessary, especially for |the auto buying journey, Pairote Cheunkrut, head of Krungsri Auto Group, told a press conference last week. He shared some digital insights that says will help brands win the heart of car buyers and shape the auto finance industry in the 5.0 era. Consumers may use online platforms to search for vehicle or loan information, reading reviews and comparing prices, Pairote began. But those consumers also visit dealerships for test drives and talk to financial advisors before submitting documents, he continued. Thus, auto finance services must be available both online and offline, and all customer data must be synchronised across all channels, Pairote said. “This will allow lenders to deliver a truly seamless customer experience.” He said consumers in the age of Marketing 5.0 are more empowered than ever because they … [Read more...] about Omni-channel shopping shaping up as the ‘next big thing’ in auto finance
By Christopher Mims The Wall Street Journal Fri., Nov. 16, 2018 If it feels like new technologies go from flights of fancy to billion-dollar businesses faster than ever, that’s because they do. Consider that Uber, founded in 2009, started allowing drivers to sign up with their own cars in 2013. Five short years later, the company operates in more than 70 countries and competes with dozens of copycats. It’s considering going public in 2019 at a potential valuation of $120 billion (U.S.), which would make it the biggest IPO in U.S. history by far. When novel software can go from hackathon to app store overnight, and even complex hardware can hit manufacturing lines in months, the determining factor of success is us—as consumers, workers, even regulators. If the pitch works and we bite, a technology can quickly transform our social norms. At the WSJ Tech D. Live conference in Laguna Beach, Calif., this week, what became apparent across dozens of … [Read more...] about What’s the next big thing in tech? It’s up to us
By Doug Smith Sports Reporter Wed., Aug. 15, 2018 He was introduced last among the starters because that’s the treatment stars always get, and the ovation for R.J. Barrett before his collegiate basketball debut eclipsed the one for iconic Duke Blue Devils coach Mike Krzyzewski. When Toronto-area fans next see the teenage sensation in person it may very well be sometime in 2019 at an NBA game, so they were out to enjoy all they could get of the Mississauga product Wednesday night. Barrett, the ballyhooed Duke freshman guard seen as The Next Big Thing in Canadian basketball, didn’t disappoint, finishing with 34 points as the Blue Devils beat the Ryerson Rams 86-67 at the Paramount Fine Food Centre in Mississauga. Teaming up with equally outstanding freshman teammate Zion Williamson, Barrett made 12 of 30 field goals, eight of 14 free throws and had five rebounds. Williamson was virtually unstoppable. He had 29 points, including three three-pointers … [Read more...] about R.J. Barrett looks like the next big thing as Duke pulls away from Ryerson
Nintendo’s next big thing isn’t a video game or a video game console. It’s foldable cardboard. caption This is one of several “Toy-Con” creations that can be built with the starter set of Nintendo Labo. source Ben Gilbert/Business Insider Nintendo “Labo” – pronounced “lab-oh,” like “laboratory” – is an entirely new concept from the quirky Japanese gaming powerhouse. Starting at $70, you get a kit full of buildable cardboard toys to complement the wildly popular Nintendo Switch console. There are games, of course, which are included in the package. More importantly, there are step-by-step instructions for building each of the toys in the set. Think: Lego meets model airplanes, but more fun. I got to try Nintendo Labo back in February ahead of its launch on April 20. What I found was a surprisingly brilliant learning tool aimed at kids growing up in a digital world. Here’s the starter … [Read more...] about I built and played Nintendo’s next big thing, Nintendo Labo — and it was a surprisingly brilliant learning tool


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LONDON (MarketWatch) -- Spanish telecom firm Telefonica
said that it made an offer to buy 50% of Brasilcel from Portugal Telecom
for 5.7 billion euros. Brasilcel is currently jointly owned by Telefonica and Portugal Telecom and owns about 60% of Brazil's Vivo Participacoes. Telefonica said that it will make a tender offer to buy the shares of Vivo Participacoes not owned by Brasilcel.


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In a lengthy report Friday, the ride-hailing giant said it would improve its software and training and keep two test drivers in every vehicle, among other measures. Uber said it is applying for a permit with Pennsylvania’s Transportation Department to resume testing of the vehicles in Pittsburgh, where it has an office.
The plaintiffs blame the city for the arrival of companies like Uber and Lyft and a loss in the value of taxi plates of hundreds of thousands of dollars. In a statement of defence, the city says any lost value is the “result of market forces.”
Mr. Michael, who had served as Uber’s Chief Business Officer, resigned from Uber last year following an investigation into the ride-hailing service’s workplace culture by former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, The Wall Street Journal earlier reported.
The San Francisco company is seeking an operations executive who can help make delivery drones functional as soon as next year and commercially operational in multiple markets by 2021, according to a job posting that appeared on Uber’s website.
Self-driving companies are well aware of the problem, but there’s not much they can do at this point. Tweaking the algorithms to produce a smoother ride would compromise safety, undercutting one of the most-often heralded justifications for the technology.
Uber Canada released the data this week about app opens in Halifax and reps for the company say it shows a demand for the service. Mayor Mike Savage said Halifax can’t just close its eyes to ridesharing and is awaiting results of a survey on taxis and ridesharing that launched last week.


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SINGAPORE: Carrefour to close Singapore stores
Carrefour will close its Suntec and Plaza Singapura stores
French retail giant Carrefour has said it will shut its two stores in Singapore by the end of the year.
The retailer said it will close its Suntec and Plaza Singapura stores since "expansion and growth perspectives do not allow reaching a leadership position in the medium and long term".
The decision comes two years after Carrefour cancelled plans to sell its Malaysian and Singapore divisions, after the auction did not attract bids that would have justified proceeding.
Carrefour sold its Thailand business to Casino subsidiary Big C for EUR868m (US$1.2bn) in November 2010.
More recently, the retailer pulled out of Greece in July in order to allow the stores "to meet the challenges of Greece's prevailing economic environment."
Today's news comes just two days before Carrefour releases its first-half results and CEO Georges Plassat unveils his recovery plan for the group.
Brazilian tycoon Abilio Diniz, the chairman of the CBD, the country's largest retailer, has been lined up for a seat on the board of local food group Brasil Foods....
Two Dutch supermarket chains have become the latest European retailers to pull frozen lasagnes from shelves amid concerns the lines could contain horse meat....
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- UK organic industry's bullish outlook
- UPDATE: Mondelez confirms Irish plant changes
- Saputo's Warrnambool to buy Lion's cheese arm
- WhiteWave launches "Australian-style" yoghurt
- Thorntons sales, profits fall
- Greenyard Foods, Univeg, Peatinvest mulling merger


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Mention of fitness industry giants Nike and Lululemon brings to mind images of their iconic emblems dotting leggings and sweeping across the season’s hottest sneakers. Since their humble beginnings, these apparel companies have long since expanded beyond clothing and into other lucrative aspects of exercise and wellness.
When the COVID-19 pandemic saw the shuttering of gyms and people pent up at home, firms were quick to capitalise. In a US$ 500 million (approximately GBP 369 million) deal back in 2020, Lululemon purchased fitness-tech start-up Mirror. Their website describes the product:
“When it’s off, it’s a mirror. When it’s on, it’s the world’s first interactive smart gym with you at the center.”
Lululemon integrated Mirror into their wellness ecosystem, selling it with branded yoga mats and offering trials in their retail locations but they did nothing to alter the Mirror product itself which was launched in 2018.
Now, two years since the acquisition and four since the product came to market, Nike has brought forth a lawsuit concerning the at-home workout tech. In a Manhattan United States District Court, Nike filed a complaint citing that Lululemon’s distribution and sale of Mirror, and its accompanying app, violates multiple of their long-held patents. These include a patent Nike filed in 1983 for a “device for determining a runner’s speed, distance traversed, elapsed time and calories expended”. The patents in question cover ways for athletes to compete against others in a digital community as well as technology that can determine an athlete’s calorie output, speed and repetitions. Nike established their long-standing history with this technology, having employed it in Nike+ Kinect for Xbox and the Nike Run Club mobile app.
Lululemon stood firm as they responded in a statement, saying that while the company “respects intellectual property”, it “does not believe that Nike’s patents are relevant” to Mirror. Nevertheless, Nike pushes forward with the lawsuit, seeking monetary damages. Nike did not take legal action against Mirror when it was first brought to market nor have they taken any action against similar products such as VAHA or the Tempo Studio. If Mirror is in violation of patents as Nike claims then it is hard to picture a world where these other products would not also do so. Legal fees can add up and Nike is investing in a hit against Lululemon to push back against their expansion into the fitness industry.
Major players like Nike and Lululemon are increasingly relying on the courts to protect their intellectual property as more competitors enter the space and existing competitors expand their offerings. Stringent intellectual property rights enforcement rewards industry innovation and helps companies maintain their competitive advantages. However, there seems to be a selective application of this process as Nike had no problem with Mirror until Lululemon acquired it and they have taken no action against similar products which utilise comparable technologies.
Rather than a universal application of intellectual property law, Nike and other similar companies use the courts, and their wide arsenal of patents, to deter their most eminent competitors. If the courts rule that Lululemon’s Mirror is in violation of Nike’s patents then it seems that a myriad of other products would be too.
This is far from the only recent patent lawsuit in the crowded fitness industry as Lululemon saw itself embroiled in a legal battle against Peloton in November of 2021. This came in response to Peloton’s foray into the athletic wear sector after previously selling branded Nike and Lululemon apparel. It is clear that as major fitness brands expand into multi-sector empires, fierce competition drives companies to seek legal protection of their value proposition.
While the pandemic-induced boom in at-home fitness has led to an increase in patent lawsuits among major retailers, the future of this fervor remains unclear. The reopening of brick and mortar gyms has prompted firms to decrease profit projections for the coming quarter of specific, at-home exercise tech. We will have to keep watch to see if this drop in demand drives desperate intellectual property defense or leads to a decrease in lawsuits.


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Meet Kuri, Another Friendly Robot for Your Home
Inside the Silicon Valley office of Mayfield Robotics, Kuri looks up at me and squints as if in a smile. Then the robot rolls across the floor, emitting a few R2-D2-like beeps.
Mayfield Robotics, which spun out of the research branch of Bosch, built Kuri as the next step in home robotics. It joins an increasingly crowded field: joining smart-home devices like Amazon’s Alexa and Google Home are wheeled robots like Jibo, Pepper, and Buddy, ready to offer companionship and entertainment (see “Personal Robots: Artificial Friends with Limited Benefits”).
Kaijen Hsiao, CTO of Mayfield Robotics, says Kuri was built to focus on doing a few things very well, and its personality will be what sets it apart. The 20-inch-tall robot is essentially an Amazon Alexa on wheels, letting users play music or control their smart devices from anywhere in the home. It can also live-stream video of your home for surveillance purposes.
Kuri is currently available for pre-order for $699 and is expected to ship to buyers by the end of the year. Mayfield is beginning to manufacture the robot now but will spend the year fleshing out the software side.
While people are at home, Kuri’s mission is to provide entertainment, whether that’s playing music or a podcast or reading a story out loud. It can autonomously follow users from room to room as it performs these tasks. Through a website called IFTTT, users can also set up custom commands for specific actions.
Kuri promises to keep working for you when you’re not home, too. Behind one of Kuri’s eyes is a 1080p camera, and users can access a live stream from the Kuri app. The video function can be used to check on a pet or make sure no intruders are present. Microphones embedded in the robot can detect unusual sounds, prompting the robot to roll in that direction and investigate. Or users can remotely pilot the robot to a specific area. The company says Kuri has “hours of battery life” and drives itself to its dock when it needs to charge.
Mayfield built this robot to perform all these tasks with personality. Kuri comes across as lovable but simple, so there’s no reason to expect it to do more than simple jobs. “He talks robot. He talks in bleeps and bloops,” Hsiao says. “It makes him endearing, but it also sets expectations appropriately.”
But will that be enough to make people want Kuri? In 2017, there will be a range of home robots that use artificial personality, says Andra Keay, the founder of Robot Launchpad and managing director of Silicon Valley Robotics.
“However, I believe that there is going to be a limit to the number of personalities we will want to have in our houses,” Keay says. “So the race is on to create not just engagement but loyalty. That’s a real challenge.”
Geoffrey Hinton tells us why he’s now scared of the tech he helped build
“I have suddenly switched my views on whether these things are going to be more intelligent than us.”
Meet the people who use Notion to plan their whole lives
The workplace tool’s appeal extends far beyond organizing work projects. Many users find it’s just as useful for managing their free time.
Learning to code isn’t enough
Historically, learn-to-code efforts have provided opportunities for the few, but new efforts are aiming to be inclusive.
Deep learning pioneer Geoffrey Hinton has quit Google
Hinton will be speaking at EmTech Digital on Wednesday.
Get the latest updates from
MIT Technology Review
Discover special offers, top stories, upcoming events, and more.


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Touch ID has been phased out of recent versions of the iPhone, but Apple is still exploring new uses for the technology. A new patent details plans for an Apple TV remote that uses Touch ID to prevent children from accessing material their parents don’t want them to see.
First filed in 2017, the patent is one of 64 that was recently granted and published by the US Patent and Trademark Office. It also covers far more than Apple TV and Touch ID. The patent simply describes a remote with a biometric component that can be used to control an electronic device through a wireless connection, whether it’s Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or some other form of communication.
Though the patent uses a TV and a fingerprint sensor as examples, the remote could integrate another biometric modality, including face, iris, and gesture recognition. By the same token, the scope of the electronic device is not limited to TVs. The remote could control virtually any smart device, encompassing everything from living room mainstays like set top boxes and video game consoles to less conventional options like kitchen appliances and HVAC systems.
The remote would allow children to use it, but would require a passcode if the child tries to access restricted content.
Though it is not present in the iPhone 11, Bloomberg and Ming-Chi Kuo have both reported that Touch ID could return to Apple’s flagship smartphone sometime in the next few years, most likely through the use of an in-display fingerprint sensor. An earlier Apple patent detailed an acoustic fingerprint imaging solution that would allow the entire screen to function as a biometric sensor.
Apple has also integrated Touch ID into its MacBook Air and MacBook Pro laptop computers, as the tech giant consistently finds ways to leverage its proprietary fingerprint technology.
Source: Patently Apple


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Last updated on March 26th, 2022 at 10:02 pm
Menomonee Falls-based commercial printing company Burton & Mayer Inc. is moving into the space formerly occupied by Ensync Inc.
Burton & Mayer said in a news release that the company would be set up by Aug. 16 in its new location, at N88W13901 Main St., Suite 200. The company is moving just down the road from its current location at W140 N9000 Lilly Road. If you need help from a different service now that they relocated, see here the best managed print services in the area.
“Work is being done at the new facility now so we can move presses, bindery and other operations over a period of weeks,” Jason Anderson, Burton & Mayer sales manager, said in the release. “This means there will be no interruption of production from one location to the next. For our clients this will be a seamless transition from one address to another.”
The 42,600-square-foot space had previously been used by Ensync, which made distributed energy resources systems and internet of energy control platforms. The company laid off substantially all its workers and filed for receivership in March 2019. Ensync initially moved into the space in early 2018.
“With advancements in both digital and traditional manufacturing technologies, we believe the new facility is a great fit for both clients and employees,” Jennifer Burton-Ziemann, president of Burton & Mayer, said in an email. “It’s only a block away, so employees will not be impacted with a longer commute. And the facility is well equipped for Burton & Mayer to continue offering high quality products, meeting tight time commitments all necessary for our customer’s success.”
Burton & Mayer announced its relocation after selling its 105,500-square-foot Lilly Road industrial building to Denmark-based Caljan Inc., which plans to use the facility to manufacture conveyors and automated labeling products. Those are operations currently performed overseas.
Also with this move, Burton & Mayer will be just east of where Main Street and Interstate 41 interchange, an area that’s undergoing change.
The former Radisson hotel just west of the interchange was recently converted to a Delta Hotel by Marriott. And Milwaukee-based Cobalt Partners LLC is redeveloping the former von Schledorn Auto Group site southeast of the interchange. That project includes a new 33,000-square-foot Ascension Wisconsin health center and potentially an office development.
International Autos Group has built two new dealership buildings on the north side of Main Street, which are meant replace those of the former Von Schledorn Auto Group.


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Pyramid Scheme Class Action Suit against Amway/Quixtar to Go Forward
Amway has lost its legal effort to stop the largest and potentially most damaging class action lawsuit ever brought against the multi-level marketing scheme from going forward. A federal judge has ruled that Amway's rules for settling disputes are "unconscionable" and unenforceable. He denied Amway's defense. The case will now proceed.
The class action lawsuit was filed in 2007 against Quixtar (Amway) charging that the company is running an illegal pyramid scheme. (filed in US District court in the northern district of California on January 10, 2007, case number 3:07-cv-00201-EMC.) Amway distributors charge that there is no retail "direct selling" opportunity, only an endless chain recruitment program.
"The Court finds
that the RoC requirement that an IBO engage in Informal and Formal Conciliation prior to arbitration is substantively unconscionable, and exceedingly so. The ADR deck could not possibly be stacked more in Quixtar's favor than it is here."
The case was brought by one of America's most prominent law firms, Boies, Schiller and Flexner. David Boies of this firm represented Vice-President Al Gore in front of the US Supreme Court in the world famous case, Gore vs. Bush that contested the vote counting in Florida after the 2000 election. The other firm partnering with Boies, Schiller & Flexner in the suit is Gary, Williams, Parenti, Finney, Lewis, McManus, Watson, & Sperando, P.L.. in Stuart, Florida. This firm has a powerful track record of successful class action suits against large companies.
Amway delayed the case for nearly a year by claiming that the distributors could not bring a class action suit because they had to submit to Amway's "conciliation" and "binding arbitration" process. Amway distributors sign an agreement often without realizing the consequences that includes Amway's system for settling disputes. The distributor charged that the Amway system was unfair and that many distributors had no understanding of what they were signing.
The Amway system has also been responsible for "muzzling" former distributors who raised issues of fraud, deception, and financial losses. IN the class action case, all such evidence will now get a pubic airing.
The suit is based on the very same charges that the Federal Trade Commission has brought against Equinox, SkyBiz and other MLMs that regulators shut down. The suit charges that the Quixtar program based upon selling products to recruits "for personal use", then authorizing them to recruit others to do the same while requiring or incentivizing them to maintain quota levels of monthly purchases, and then rewarding them in a multi-level compensation system is a fraud. The suit also attacks Quixtar's infamous "tools" business as a second pyramid scheme perpetrated on new recruits. The "tools" scheme was exposed in a 2004 special report on NBC Dateline.
Using Quixtar's own payout data a report published by Pyramid Scheme Alert has shown that 99% of all Quixtar recruits never earn any profit. In the report, "The Myth of MLM Income Opportunity," the 99% loss rate was shown to be caused by the pyramid recruitment model and the lack of retail sales, not the "failure" of the recruits.
Regarding the charge that the "non-retailing" business plan that most Quixtar recruits engage in is a scam, the FTC has prosecuted other MLMs on these grounds. FTC declarations have stated that if the majority of the money used to pay the "upliners" is gained primarily from the purchases of the downliners not from their retail customers the payments are de facto payments for recruiting. In such cases, the "business opportunity" is not to sell the MLM products but to recruit others into the "business opportunity" in an endless chain. Endless chains are considered "inherent frauds" since they cannot deliver on their promise of income to any but a few at the top; the vast majority are doomed from the start to financial losses; and the schemes must use deception to lure consumers into nearly certain financial losses.
Pyramid Scheme Alert has asked the FTC to reopen the case that it previously brought against Amway in which the FTC had charged that Amway operated a pyramid scheme. An Administrative Law Judge in 1979 ruled that Amway could continue to operate in the US, based on Amway's claims that its business was primarily based on retail sales (sales by Amway sales people (IBOS) to actual end-user customers). Amway claimed that the business was not based on each salesperson making money from the investments of other salespersons.


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Juniper & Ivy to make its culinary debut
Kai Oliver-Kurtin | Downtown News
The much-anticipated restaurant led by celebrity chef Richard Blais will open its doors on March 3. Juniper & Ivy will be Blais’ first west coast venture, and will highlight California ingredients on a continually evolving modern American menu.
Juniper & Ivy will have an entirely open kitchen, outdoor patio space, and an innovative beverage program. Located in a circa 1920s former roofing company warehouse, the restaurant has preserved many of the original structural components. Key modern elements such as hickory-stained tables and bar tops, gray leather booths, and a chandelier made of LED tubes were added to the space to create a juxtaposition of the old and new.
The open kitchen is designed to highlight the talent and energy of the culinary team. As Chef de Cuisine, Jon Sloan will be an integral player, serving as Blais’ right-hand man in the kitchen. Sloan has cooked in San Diego for the last six years, most recently as executive chef of Roy’s San Diego Waterfront.
“I’ve been working for a really long time and under a lot of great chefs, but this is really exciting and humbling,” Sloan said.
Blais gained fame from his participation on Bravo TV’s “Top Chef” and his subsequent win on “Top Chef All-Stars.” He’s known for his frequent use of molecular gastronomy in the kitchen.
“I’m well-versed in modern techniques, as is Richard,” Sloan said. “But we’re not trying to be a modern-focused restaurant, we’re just trying to be a good food restaurant.”
The chef duo is focused on serving fresh ingredients in an unpretentious environment and want guests to be able to try new food without breaking the bank.
Billed as offering “left coast cookery,” the restaurant’s ingredient-driven dinner menu will change daily and emphasize locally-curated products. Menu selections will be notably playful and serve as conversations starters, evolving daily with the chefs’ inspiration.
“Most menus focus on heavy starch, protein and veggies, but we don’t want to get attached to that,” Sloan said. “Someone can come in and have a few snacks or drinks, or a full meal.”
Sloan also said they won’t be doing anything standard at Juniper & Ivy. In fact, they expect to be able to have both a conversation about and story behind everything they’re doing. His hope is that guests will have a unique experience in a homey atmosphere.
Juniper & Ivy is located slightly north of the popular Little Italy dining corridor on Kettner Boulevard between Juniper and Ivy streets.
“Little Italy is a growing neighborhood and we’re excited to be a part of that community,” Sloan said. “The way our menu is constructed is different from what’s already in Little Italy.”
Also joining the culinary team is sous chefs Anthony Wells and Bradley Chance, sommelier Tami Wong, and bar manager Jen Queen, who recently received her Master Mezcalier status. Dan Pena is the general manager, and owner Mike Rosen is an investment manager based in La Jolla.
Reservations will be available soon. For more information, visit juniperandivy.com.
—Kai Oliver-Kurtin is a local freelance reporter who also works full-time doing social media marketing for the U.S. Navy. She enjoys covering events, restaurant news, culture and entertainment. Contact her at firstname.lastname@example.org.


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By Uri Inspector, Staff Reporter
Nasdaq’s Analytics Hub, an alternative data platform for institutional investors, fund managers and traders, has expanded its offering with a string of new and diverse data sets. The additions include an Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) offering, a social media sentiment data set, a global news aggregator and a supply chain measurement capability.
The ESG offerings include an exclusive distribution arrangement with eVestment ESG, which claims to be the only provider that allows users to screen for ESG-friendly investments based on empirical evidence rather than third-party designations. The service is aimed at helping firms’ investment decisions and recommendations comply with international ESG standards.
The social media addition comes in the form of iSentium Social Media Sentiment, which transforms widespread social media sentiment assets into actionable scores using iSentium’s patented natural language processing technology (NPL) and artificial intelligence (AI). This updated dataset contains additional fields for a view of how the set is curated, and is targeted at institutional investors, sell side firms, research firms, retail brokers and others.
Another new data set, Global News Exposure, collects publicly available media content concerning global financial systems, supply chain and volatility networks, in order to quantify relationships among financial, economic, socio-economic and political forces, to help users strengthen risk management strategies.
Finally, Supply Chain Networks Exposure can measure global and regional supply chain information to identify relationships between companies based on the production and sale of products. Users will be able to use proprietary knowledge graphs to identify well-positioned companies to inform future investments.
Led by a belief that alternative data will play a larger and increasingly important role in the investment landscape in the future, the Analytics Hub team says it is constantly working to offer new data sets. As new content providers come to market, client demands rise for new data points that provide new and innovative views of the market.
According to Nasdaq, the exclusivity of a number of its data sets, a rigorous vetting process of third-party data, and the efficiency of its delivery of structured data linked to common symbology make the Analytics Hub a clear leader in alternative data services.
According to Nasdaq, “Due to technological innovations, there are now many data sets that can quantify what was previously not quantifiable. These data sets can be used by investors of all shapes and sizes to find new insights in the market.”
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As Alexa and her sister Olivia shyly played among peers at Windmill Library on a recent Thursday, they clung tightly to two American Girl dolls clothed in garments from bygone eras.
“This made their day,” their mother, Meghan Plackemeier, said. “We didn’t know this program existed. We were here for story time for my youngest daughter and we saw a doll on the shelf. She already knew her name. They have an Amazon Prime series where they make movies out of these dolls. They’re so excited.”
The dolls are part of a toy-lending program created by the Las Vegas-Clark County Library District to offer an alternative way to learn — through play. The district purchased about 200 American Girl dolls for distribution at 19 branches. Branches carry dolls for on-site play while offering a checkout system so kids can enjoy them at home.
Read the full story from the Las Vegas Review-Journal.


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- Special Sections
- Public Notices
Household Hazardous Waste Day only comes around once a year and oh, what a year it was. The turn out for 2011 was more than the last two years combined.
Almost every year, as the city’s budget allows, the environmental cleanup group, Clean Harbors - out of Bartow, comes to Cedar Key at the start of hurricane season. Residents can drop off items that can’t be put out into the regular trash.
Public Works Director Josh Wilson reported that while there was nothing particularly odd that was disposed of, but there was a lot of it.
One man dropped off two full truck loads of old tires; there was a 50-plus inch plasma TV, more computer monitors and televisions than they could count, a giant copier, gallons of used motor oil, old paint and solvents, chemicals, fuels and more.
According to Wilson, “Our dump truck was overflowing with used tires collected.”
In the “yukkiest item disposed of” category was a giant drum of mysterious liquid that clam bags are dipped into but nobody was sure why or what the product was.
According to their website, “Clean Harbors is fully permitted to manage a wide variety of regulated materials.”
Tthey bill the city for their services, however, it costs less than picking the items out of the Gulf of Mexico after a good storm.
Until next year, either drop off your hazardous items for free on Wednesday mornings at the land fill or store them until the next pick up day.


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Women’s online fashion retailer, boohoo.com, has launched its menswear range of fast-fashion clothing, footwear and accessories for customers aged 16-35.
The collection will focus on key trends and core wardrobe essentials such as printed t-shirts, traditional chino, outwear and denims, with prices ranging from £8 to £35. The etailer has invested several million pounds in the venture and is hoping to sell more than 1,000 menswear lines within a week.
Boohoo.com launched in 2006 and has, since then, more than two million womenswear customers globally, and in 2011 the etailer achieved revenues of £24.5m and saw its pre-tax profits rise from £77,000 to £135,805.
Boohoo.com Chief Executive Mahmud Kamani says: “It’s an exciting time for Boohoo, and our growth and expansion reflects our commitment to providing our customers with incredible value and cutting edge style. Men and women alike are embracing online shopping in a whole new way and we offer a 24 hours shopping experience that delivers new trends on a weekly basis”. He also adds that he expects to be generating 25 per cent of overall revenues from the range within three months.
Boohoo is targeting the UK, United States and Europe for sales.
Check out the collection on the company’s website: http://www.boohoo.com/icat/mens-new-in/


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The challenges EV start-ups are facing
While the demand for electric vehicles is forecast to grow strongly and barriers to entry are lower, EV start-ups are set to face several hurdles in terms of production ramp-up, financial backing and talent retention
Sales of plug-in electric vehicles (PEV) totaled to more than 2 million units in 2018, a 63% increase from the previous year, according to the IEA’s Global EV Outlook 2019. PEVs accounted for 2% of global light-vehicle sales in 2018, which is a quantum jump from 0.3% in 2015. If recent announcements by OEMs on electrification are any indication, PEVs will continue to record strong growth over the next decade. IHS Markit forecasts production of battery electric vehicle (BEV) to be over 15 million units by 2031, accounting for around 12% of total light vehicle production in that year.


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This Week Trends
A St. Petersburg, Fla., man died recently because of an exploding vape device, the Pinellas County Medical Examiner's Office confirmed Tuesday. Tallmadge Wakeman D'Elia, 38, died in a bedroom fire May 5, with burns covering more than 45 percent of his...
After a slow launch, Juul Labs' valuation has quickly rocketed out of sight. Now, its competitions is starting to freak out. While raising $1.2 billion from potential investors, Juul reportedly was valued at $15 billion in June, Bloomberg reported. Check out...
One of the most common issues that new vapers—or even seasoned vapers—experience? Feeling dehydrated when vaping. Many newbies are probably puzzled by their sudden thirst or dry mouth. Yes, smoking cigarettes made you feel thirsty, but vaping kicks the...
Month In Review
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Hot Stuff Coming
Cold brews are all the rage right now. But that doesn’t mean that cold brew coffee only comes in beverage form. If you haven’t...
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Creamy coconut meets mango and watermelon, with a hint of acidity from freshly squeezed clementines. Vapeaholic from Vapors Anonymous will have you daydreaming of...
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Amendment 9 Florida Update: While the war isn't over, vapers have won the first round of the battle. The Miami Herald reports that retired Florida chief...
A strawberry smoothie made with whole milk and sugar. Sounds like the perfect combination, right? That's what The Milkshake Man Strawberry Milkshake vape juice...


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One of the founding fathers of video game industry, Nolan Bushnell, who founded Atari back in 1972 has returned to the ailing company by taking a place on its Board of Directors.
In a press statement, Nolan said,
I am very excited to be reacquainted with Atari at a time when it is poised to make interesting strides in key growth areas of the games industry. The company and its iconic brands have always been important to me, and I look forward to further guiding them at the board level.
The man behind the Atari 2600 game console, Nolan Bushnell was forced out in 1978 after a management dispute and during his time out founded another 20 companies including Chuck E. Cheese’s. Could we see a change of fortunes for Atari? Only time will tell.
Bushnell and Virden will be filling the positions left open by Gardner and CEO Harrison.
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India raised import duty on a range of items including air-conditioners, refrigerators, washing machines, footwear, jewellery, furniture fittings and tableware besides imposing it on aviation turbine fuel (ATF) as the government seeks to rein in the current account deficit and shore up the rupee.
The move follows an announcement to this effect by finance minister Arun Jaitley earlier this month after a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the wake of the slump in the rupee against dollar.
The moves comes into effect on Thursday, a finance ministry release said. “The central government has taken tariff measures, by way of increase in the basic customs duty, to curb import of certain imported items,” it said. “These changes aim at narrowing the current account deficit (CAD).” The prices of all these goods are expected to rise, dampening demand, lowering imports and helping local manufacturers.
Rs 4,000 CRORE IN REVENUE LIKELY
The increased duty is likely to yield about Rs 4,000 crore in revenue. “The hike in import duty on the identified non-essential items is likely to have a modest impact on curtailing the size of the current account deficit in FY2019, which we currently estimate at around 2.8% of GDP,” said Aditi Nayar, principal economist, ICRA Ltd.
Here is the revised rate for the following items :
|Washing Machines ( Less than 10 kg)||10||20|
|Compressor for Refrigerators & ACs||7.5||10|
|Radial car tyres||10||15|
|Diamonds ( semi-processed)||5||7.5|
|Lab grown diamonds||5||7.5|
|Cut & polished coloured gems stones||5||7.5|
|Articles of jewellery and parts thereof, of precious metal or of metal clad with precious metal||15||20|
|Articles of Goldsmith or silversmith wares and parts thereof of precious metal or of metal clad with precious metal||15||20|
|Bath, shower bath, sink, wash basin, etc. of plastics||10||15|
|Articles of plastics for conveyance and packing such as boxes, case, containers, bottles, insulated ware etc.||10||15|
|Tableware, kitchenware and other household items of plastics||10||15|
|Miscellaneous items of plastics such as office stationery, fitting for furniture’s, decorative sheets, statuettes, beads, bangles etc.||10||15|
|Trunks, Suitcase, Executive cases, Brief Cases, travel bags and other bags etc.||10||15|
|Aviation turbine fuel||0||5|
India’s current account deficit deteriorated to 1.9% of GDP in FY18 from 0.6% in the year before and is forecast to rise to around 2.8% in the current year. Given the uncertain global environment, emerging economies running high current account deficits have seen their currencies depreciate sharply amid interest rate increases by the US Federal Reserve, higher crude prices and an intensifying global trade war. The Indian rupee is down about 13% since January.
The consumer durable industry had lobbied the government for protection against Chinese imports and a number of items have seen increase in duties. Customs duty on air-conditioners, household refrigerators and some washing machines has doubled to 20% from 10%. Duty on compressors used in air-conditioners and refrigerators has been raised to 10% from 7.5% and that on speakers to 15% from 10%. Duty on imported footwear has been raised to 25% from 20%.
“The move, though significant, is not surprising in view of the recent global developments. The government is looking to discourage import of white goods and other items perceived to be used more by affluent class. Message is clear — local is the new global and if local market is to be accessed then more value addition should take place in India,” said Pratik Jain, Partner & Leader, PwC India. Duty on radial car tyres has been raised to 15% from 10%. Non-industrial cut and polished diamonds, semi-processed or half-cut or broken diamonds, lab-grown diamonds and cut and polished coloured gemstones will face higher customs duty of 7.5% as against 5% now.
Import duty on jewellery has been raised to 20% from 15%. This pertains to “articles of jewellery and parts thereof, of precious metal or of metal clad with precious metal” and “articles of goldsmith or silversmith wares and parts thereof of precious metal or of metal clad with precious metal.”