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A standardized tow specification being adopted by Detroit automakers for 2015 model-year light-duty pickup trucks will improve safety and ease purchasing for fleet buyers, sources told AutomotiveFleet.com.
Earlier this month, Chrysler, Ford, and General Motors agreed to implement SAE J2807 for 2015 model-year vehicles. The Society of Automotive Engineers initially developed the towing standard in 2010.
This means that buyers of light-duty pickup trucks will now be able to more easily compare the tow rating for various pickups. Toyota has adopted the standard on its pickup trucks.
"Establishing a solid standard for half-ton towing capacities will create a level playing field much like what is already widely accepted with engine ratings," said Mike Cairns, director of Ram Truck engineering. "It's key for all truck makers to accept the standards concurrently. The true benefactor is the customer who can view the numbers with confidence."
Providing a standardized hook-up for trailers will likely help fleet management companies during initial discussions with fleet clients about setting up Class 1, 2, and 3 trucks for trailers, said ARI's Dave Duford, supervisor of the truck spec analyst group.
"If it's towing a trailer, we're going to make sure it's set up to pull the type of trailer we're talking about," said Duford. "It would be a lot safer for anybody who tows a smaller utility trailer. It's a safer operation. It's a more consistent operation."
The standard defines procedures and requirements to determine gross combination weight rating and calculate trailer weight rating for light-duty pickups.
Trailers ranging from a small utility trailer to a gooseneck trainer would be covered under the standard. The Detroit automakers haven't adopted the standard for heavy-duty pickups.
View the SAE J2807 standard here.


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I am always on the lookout for toy recalls – since so many toys these days are not made safely. The latest warning is for International Playthings Tumblekins toys. The company has now recalled over 30,000 of its Chinese-made Tumblekins wooden toys and play sets.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission released a warning to the public after several complaints and then subsequent testing that showed that the toys can easily break into sharp pieces that could well become a possible choking or laceration hazard.
Even though no injuries have been reported so far, we still recommend returning the toy right away to the store in which it was purchased – and they’ll give you a credit or a refund.
The recall of the toys, which were sold through most of last year, include the Tumblekins farm set, fire station, police car, roadster, off-roader, fire truck and school bus.

domain: news


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Marathi | HIndi
Irem is a Japanese video game console developer and publisher, and formerly a developer and manufacturer of arcade games as well. The company has its headquarters in Chiyoda, Tokyo.The full name of the company that currently uses the brand is Irem Software Engineering.
New Delhi, Sep 16 Apple on Wednesday brought iOS 14 as a free software update to iPhone 6s ...
4 As the music streaming industry gets bigger with more global players joining the fray, Apple has finally announced to phase out iTunes with its three modern standalone music services.


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The battle between Apple and Samsung over smartphone design returns to a Silicon Valley courtroom next week as the companies fight over how much Samsung should pay for infringement of five Apple patents in 13 of its smartphones.
Mobility & Wireless
Mobile management vendors like Good Technology and MobileIron are increasing efforts to pitch Android and iOS as alternatives to BlackBerry, thanks to improved security and management tools.
Google has added new features to its search app on iOS, like updated reminders and hands-free search, designed to proactively deliver information to people at certain moments.
With the arrival of the iPhone 5s, Apple regained its spot among the top five smartphone makers in China during the third quarter.
BlackBerry will change its CEO and accept a $US1 billion loan from a consortium involving shareholder Fairfax Financial Holdings as it struggles with inventory and strategy problems. The company has abandoned plans to sell itself.
A speedier successor to the ThinkPad Tablet 2 is being developed by Lenovo as the company tries to add more tablets to its mix of personal computing portfolio.
A number of HTC devices including its flagship HTC One smartphone infringe on a Nokia mobile networks standards patent, a U.K. court ruled Wednesday.
Web videoconferencing may get easier after a decision by Cisco Systems that should help bring widely used technology into browsers.
Apple's once-dominant lead in the fast-growing tablet market is shrinking as buyers move to Android tablets, which are cheaper and available in different sizes, according to separate research released by IHS and IDC .
Samsung Electronics continued to dominate the smartphone market in the third quarter, which also saw quarterly shipments cross 250 million for the first time, according to research firm Strategy Analytics.
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Friday, October 08, 2010
Taking steps to keep pace with its global rivals, UPS is aiming to set up domestic service in China, according to a recent Financial Times report. According to the FT, UPS recently submitted an application for a domestic license to the China State Post Bureau, a local regulator, in order to offer shippers in China domestic next-day delivery service and second and third day delivery products.
Posted on 10/08 at 01:44 AM
While no 2010 weekly volume figures were broken, railroad volumes for the week ending October 2 remained consistent with previously solid weeks, according to data released by the Association of American Railroads (AAR).
Posted on 10/08 at 12:15 AM
Thursday, October 07, 2010
The DOT proposal to grant antitrust immunity to two air carrier alliances for services between the United States and Japan was greeted warmly by shippers yesterday
Posted on 10/07 at 11:12 AM
Preliminary data recently released this week by freight transportation forecasting firm and consultancy FTR Associates indicates that September Class 8 truck total net orders for North American OEM’s at 14,872 units are up 21.6 percent over August and 38.8 percent year-over-year.
Class I railroad carrier Canadian Pacific Limited and Teck Resources Limited said they have inked a 10-year deal in which CP will transport Teck’s steelmaking coal from five Teck-owned mines in southeast British Columbia to Vancouver-area ports. This arrangement is expected to begin on April 1, 2011.
Posted on 10/07 at 06:01 AM
Wednesday, October 06, 2010
The memorandum of understanding will establish a strategic partnership to promote international commerce and logistic activities
Posted on 10/06 at 02:33 PM
Supply Chain •
Recent projections from the National Retail Federation indicates that 2010 holiday retail sales will hit $447.1 billion for a 2.3 percent gain over 2009. NRF officials said that while this increase is slightly lower than its ten-year average holiday sales increase of 2.5 percent, it still represents a significant improvement from 2009’s 0.4 percent increase and 2008’s 3.9 percent decline.
Posted on 10/06 at 12:18 PM
Holiday Sales •
Speaking at the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals Annual Conference in San Diego last week, Chuck Taylor said that for the first time in its history the United States will be forced to increase economic growth while decreasing oil consumption, which, he said, is something that has never happened before.
Posted on 10/06 at 10:03 AM
Chuck Taylor •
Tuesday, October 05, 2010
The Institute of Supply Management’s (ISM) Non-Manufacturing Report on Business recovered some of its losses from its previous report, with a 1.7 percent gain from August to September.
According to the Wall Street Journal, U.S. shippers are going to have a hard sell when in comes to going global
Posted on 10/05 at 12:27 PM


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Kay Schiller's book launched at art exhibition
(22 March 2012)
Dr Schiller's award-winning monograph on the 1972 Munich Olympics has just been translated into German. The book was presented to the public on 20 March 2012 in Munich at an art exhibition on the 1972 Games which was inspired by the book. Kay Schiller and his co-author Christopher Young read from the German translation of the book and discussed its results with journalists and members of the 1972 Organizing Committee. For more information, see here.
T: +44 (0)191 334 1048


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We develop innovative, all-natural products from sustainably-sourced seaweed. Our vision is to integrate seaweed into everyday lives for People Health and Planet Health.
Utilising innovative refinery technology, based on decades of marine science experience, we extract maximum value from the whole plant. This enables us to produce high-demand products, including high purity bioactives for nutrition and cosmeceuticals, plant-based food ingredients, and innovative materials.
From turning the tide on climate change to ensuring food security and livelihoods for future generations, OCEANIUM was formed to make a positive environmental, economic and social impact while helping to drive growth in the sustainable seaweed industry.
Our green and clean chemistry and innovative biorefinery technology is bringing the power of seaweed to the world.
From our fearless founders to a growing team of committed Kelpers, we are OCEANIUM.
Kelp The World®
We’re so pleased to announce the launch of our first product, a clean-label one-to-one replacement for methylcellulose; OCEAN HEALTH® Fiber. “This is a very exciting step for OCEANIUM, as it provides an excellent opportunity to partner with companies on a novel...
We’re so proud to be featured in a great article in Forbes magazine ‘Why Seaweed Is The Sustainability Super-Plant Of The Future’, which highlights the need to develop seaweed-based products as part of the blue economy and the importance of unlocking the industry...
We’re delighted to announce that OCEANIUM is a partner of the PRECODE research project conducted by the Wageningen University & Research, division of Human Nutrition & Health, studying gut and brain health effects of prebiotics in older adults with suspected...
Get the latest seaweed news and OCEANIUM updates delivered to your inbox once a quarter.


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The acquisition will cost Liberty Global $23.3 billion (£14.9 billion) in stock and cash, although it’s subject to shareholder approval yet – and for that matter, the approval of regulators, too.
The new company will span 14 countries and serve some 25 million customers.
Mike Fries, President and CEO of Liberty Global, commented: “Adding Virgin Media to our large and growing European operations is a natural extension of the value creation strategy we’ve been successfully using for over seven years.”
“Virgin Media will add significant scale and a first-class management team in Europe’s largest and most dynamic media and communications market. After the deal, roughly 80 per cent of Liberty Global’s revenue will come from just five attractive and strong countries – the UK, Germany, Belgium, Switzerland and the Netherlands.”
“Like all of our strategic acquisitions we expect this combination to yield meaningful operating and capex synergies of approximately $180 million per year upon full integration.”
How much of that $180 million worth of annual cost savings will come at the cost of jobs isn’t clear – if any of it – but early noises indicate that no customer-facing jobs will be going, at any rate.
Should the deal go ahead, then Liberty Global will become the main pay TV rival of dominant BSkyB in the UK.
Virgin Media will keep its brand name in the UK, however.
So what does this mean for Virgin customers in this country, assuming the deal is approved by regulators? Theoretically, the impact should be fairly minimal, at least in the short term.
The brand stays the same, as no doubt will pricing and current roll-out schedules – and the cost cutting that’s being done should be relatively low impact, too.
Before very long, though, the added muscle the Virgin Media brand has behind it could well mean more competitive deals, with any luck, as the company tries to take lumps out of Murdoch and BSkyB.
The flipside of cheaper prices and an even swifter expanding user base off the back of them, is that the company will need to stay on top of keeping the fibre bandwidth flowing, of course.
Some customers already make a point of moaning about the quality of broadband service during peak periods.
At any rate, this is a major, exciting development for Virgin, and it will most definitely be interesting to see how it unfolds from here.


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Equal opportunity for the gluten intolerant to claim food as medical expenses on their taxes
Recently the Canadian government has given those with Celiac disease the ability to claim some of their gluten-free purchases as a medical expense on their taxes. They must show the price difference for the item they are purchasing against a corresponding gluten-containing item. This is time-consuming, and arduous, but a step in the right direction. However, without the medical diagnosis of celiac disease, those who are gluten intolerant and are on the same diet, cannot claim their equally expensive purchases. We would like the government to give those who are allergic to gluten the right to the same claims on their taxes.


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Here’s a nice holiday present for folks hitting the road this Christmas season.
Gas prices are expected to continue their downward slide, allowing 1 in 4 Americans to take a road trip this holiday season, says AAA Southern New England.
According to AAA’s Annual Holiday Survey, 93.3 million Americans - a 1.6% increase over last year – plan to drive or fly between Saturday, Dec. 22 and Tuesday, Jan. 1, 2013.
Of that number:
- 90% or 84.4 million folks, a 1.3% increase, will travel by automobile;
- 6% or 5.6 million folks, a 4.5% increase compared to last year, are expected to fly; and
- The remaining 4% will take some other mode of transportation.
The national average price of gasoline has slid slowly since September; it’s expected to continue to drop by year’s end with experts predicting by New Year’s Day, it’ll be around the $3.15 -3.20 mark.
In Connecticut, average prices are also on the decline. Since September, average prices here have dropped about 50 cents a gallon with expected prices to hover between the $3.60 - $3.65 mark next week.
The price drop may be attributed to numerous factors this year: a switch to winter-blend fuel, which is less expensive to produce; increasing inventories; cheaper crude oil prices; lower demand; and economic concerns.
However, even though average gas prices are consider high for this time of year, AAA doesn’t expect them to have a major impact on holiday travel, beginning Saturday.
As usual, auto travel remains the dominant mode of transportation for this holiday. The 84.4 million motorists, who plan to travel by car represents about 26.7% of the population – which translates into 1 in 4 Americans.
AAA’s projections are based on economic forecasting and research by IHS Global Insight. AAA has been reporting on holiday travel trends for more than two decades. The complete AAA / IHS Global Insight 2012/13 Year-end Holiday Travel Forecast can be found atNewsRoom.AAA.com.


text: The year 2015 was filled with headlines proclaiming virtual reality as the next big thing that will completely revolutionize how we exist. Even the normally staid New York Times jumped on the VR bandwagon with the release of the NYT VR mobile app. A year earlier Facebook purchased startup Oculus VR for more than $2 billion. Breathless headlines proclaim science-fiction-like advances and tout the novelty of the virtual realty world. Yet, what is missing from all of this hype is a reality check.


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Online retailer Wish has a new World Cup integrated marketing campaign featuring major soccer stars whose countries didn’t make the 2018 World Cup, and Wish used the players at home to start social conversations with the players at the World Cup. The ad spots showcase absent players in their home environment, sitting out the World Cup discovering new hobbies by purchasing products on Wish, including Tim Howard, Gareth Bale, Robin van Persie, Claudio Bravo and Gianluigi Buffon.
Neymar Junior and Paul Pogba are included in the campaign while they’re onsite at the World Cup, watching on their phones as the other players do their hobbies during their time off. Wish have been promoting this campaign globally on TV during the tournament - and have also secured access to the players social media accounts - creating some conversations between the players in real time as the videos are released. An example of the campaign coming to life on social media between players at home and those at the World Cup, Bale becomes an expert hairdresser after buying a pair of clippers.
When Paul Pogba posted his own Wish video, Bale responded by offering to style Pogba’s hair for the big game, and asked “red or blue this time,” sparking rumors that Pogba would be going to leave Manchester United in the UK press.
Created in-house at Wish.
Concept: Sam Jones (head of partnerships) and Hassan Yahya (head of platform advertising).
The campaign was executed by Wish’s in-house creative director, Martín Rossetti.
Wish also used London agency, Archers Mark.


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CK_Modules Multi-Band Processor in Special Offer Bundle
CK_Modules has added the Multi-Band Processor VST effect plug-in to its Special Offer Bundle.
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- Analog Factory Urban Drum Assault Urban Drum Assault is a drum sample library for Urban Style Music and has been created from samples of a cheap Kinder Toy Drum.


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Niamey Niger Marriott Hotel
Radisson Hotel Group has appointed veteran Jim Alderman as President and CEO of NIAMEY NIGERRIOTT Hotel Company ("Nigeria"), the first of its kind in North America, Radisson Hotels Group (RHG) announced today. This fantastic new partnership with a local partner will open the door for us to accelerate the opening of our first six hotels in New York City by March 18, 2020, "said Tim Cordon. The group aims to open all six of these hotels on or before March 17, 2019, all in the city of Chicago, Chicago's largest and most diverse metropolitan area, and in the country's second and largest hotel market by 2020. Today, RHG of Radissons announced the acquisition of Niamey Nigerriott Hotel Corporation, a global leader in luxury hotel development and management, for a total of $1.5 billion.
Founded in 2009, Alderman, a member of the Board of Directors of Niamey Nigerriott Hotel Corporation, will oversee the company's global development, management and operations. Kidd, who was born in New Zealand, has spent most of his career in Asia at the Hilton (November 29, 2018) and was born in New York City, where he had his first job as a hotel manager in the United States. Kong, who was appointed CEO of Hilton International, the world's largest hotel company, in 2004, has led the company to one of its highest growth rates to date.
We plan to have 200 hotels open or under development by 2022, "he told Fortune India. As of September 30, 2020, the company's portfolio includes more than 1,000 hotels and resorts in the United States, Europe, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East and Africa. Radisson Hotel Group, the world's largest hotel company with a portfolio of over 2,500 hotels and the second largest hotel in the Asia-Pacific behind Marriott International, Inc.
Marriott International is in the process of expanding its presence in Africa to 200 hotels by the end of 2023. Radisson has more than 2,500 hotels and resorts, only two of which will generate negative gross operating income in 2020, Cordon said.
Radisson currently has 13 operational hotels in the UAE, including two that opened in Abu Dhabi earlier this year. In the wider Middle East and Africa, the hotel plans to open three more hotels, one in Dubai and two in Cairo, expanding its portfolio to 10 hotels and resorts in Egypt, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman and the United Arab Emirates. Other planned openings include a hotel in Qatar and a resort in Kuwait City, as well as two more in Bahrain and three in Oman.
Four Points Sheraton Monrovia is a franchise owned by Sea Suites Hotel LLC and managed by Aleph Hospitality. In 2019, the company plans to open two more hotels in Ghana, one in Accra and one in Abidjan. Marriott International currently operates four hotels and resorts in the Middle East, Africa and South America, but plans to expand its development plans to Benin and Ivory Coast.
The Radisson Blu Hotel Addis Ababa will be located in the city's central business district, just blocks from the International Trade and Investment Center (ICTIC). The hotel will be the first of its kind in Ethiopia and one of the largest hotels in Africa due to its proximity to the capital of Ethiopia. It will also be on the outskirts of Nairobi, Ethiopia's second largest city and second largest metropolitan region.
The 12-storey hotel is due to open in 2023 and will have a separate living, working and sleeping area with a fully functional kitchen. The Radisson Blu Hotel Algiers Hydra has 140 rooms and is ideally located in the heart of the city's central business district, just a few blocks from the International Trade and Investment Center (ICTIC). The hotel, which is managed by the Radisson Hotel Group, will be part of a multi-million dollar hotel complex called Summit Cairns, designed by Beecher Walker Architects. The resort, which is due to open in 2024, is owned by Assoufid Properties Development SA and is being developed in partnership with the hotel's parent company, Al-Qassim Group SA, a world leader in hotel development.
Currently, nine Marriott International brands are based in the country and the company is currently anticipating the launch of six new brands in North Africa, including the Radisson Blu Hotel Algiers Hydra and the new Marriott Hotel in Cairo. The hotel brands include the newly announced Nairobi Marriott Hotel brand and the hotel's two other hotels in the city of Cairo: the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Cairo with 140 rooms and a total capacity of 1,000 rooms and the new sister hotel Rizzoli Hotel. We hope to lead the way with Radisson Group itself by implementing a 5-year operational plan that will provide an integrated global platform for the development and management of hotels, resorts and resorts in Africa and beyond. In addition to the three new hotels at Niamey Niger Marriott, hotels under this brand will be added to a number of new and newly announced brands, including: The Radissons Hotel Rochester Riverside, the brand's first ever two-star hotel in Rochester, New York, and Legend Resort & Spa, a new resort and hotel on the shores of Lake Michigan.


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** ADVANCE FOR MONDAY DEC. 6 ** An almost full shipping container containing computer monitors sits on the loading dock of the TechCycle warehouse in Loveland, Colo., Thursday, Dec. 2, 2004. The monitors are bound for China where they will be recycled into televisions. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)
Got electronic junk? E-cycle it!
Here's the press release:
EPA and Dell Inc. will join together to encourage greater-Washington, D.C. area residents and businesses to recycle unwanted computer equipment and cell phones at the 3rd annual EPA eCycling Event on Saturday, April 18 at the National Harbor in Prince George’s County, Maryland. The eCycling event will be held at the Plateau from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Area residents can bring any make or model computer and related equipment, including monitors, printers, scanners, keyboards, and mice, and EPA will recycle it for free in an environmentally safe manner. Those hoping to have their equipment recycled should first remove all data from the computer’s hard drive and any removable media such as disks, PC cards, and flash drives.


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FTC Sues to Block $40 Billion Semiconductor Chip Merger
The semiconductor industry is an important, yet often overlooked, market sector for competition. This sector comprises manufacturers, distributors, and buyers of integrated circuits, systems, and software in the electronic products. The sector has many applications across industries, such as consumer electronics, automotive, and healthcare.
The FTC recently sued to block a $40 billion merger of two leading semiconductor firms, underscoring the importance of competition in the industry. In this article, we’ll look at the structure of the semiconductor industry and the importance of competition.
Definition of semiconductor
A semiconductor is a material composed of many small, identical particles that exhibit properties between metals and insulators. Semiconductors are used in electronics for their ability to transmit electricity with both resistive and capacitive properties. They are found in numerous products and applications, including: cell phones, computers, medical devices, automotive parts, television sets and more. The industry is highly competitive due to the wide range of uses semiconductors have in today’s society.
There are four main types of semiconductor materials used in electronics production: silicon (Si), germanium (Ge), gallium arsenide (GaAs) and indium phosphide (InP). Each has its technical advantages, but they all have some common characteristics such as:
- Low melting point.
- Good thermal conductivity.
- High electric breakdown voltage.
- Superior electrical resistance.
- Excellent photo electrical performance.
- Excellent heat resistance.
- Compatibility with other materials and simplicity in manufacturing processes.
Semiconductor fabrication techniques involve layers or films that ultimately form electronic circuits on the material’s surface, subsurface, or within an integrated chip. Depending on the type of application desired each layer will be formed by applying wet chemical methods or subtractive methods such as photolithography. It is also possible to etch away unwanted material from an already existing film structure through an etching process before depositing the appropriate material that best suits each specific application needs.
The heavily competitive nature within the semiconductor industry leads to continuous development of larger circuitry which utilises more transistors per unit area while reducing size further without sacrificing performance over outdated technology. Currently metal oxide semiconductors are being developed amongst manufacturers to improve efficiency further while reducing dimensions even more drastically than before and controlling power consumption levels as consumer electronic devices become increasingly ubiquitous in everyday life activities.
Overview of the semiconductor industry
The semiconductor industry is a core component of modern electronics, supplying a variety of chips and integrated circuits for use in consumer electronics, industrial robotics, computing, transportation, and other equipment. The semiconductor industry includes both large multinational companies as well as small startups. As a result, the size and scale of businesses in the industry vary greatly.
The semiconductor industry is highly competitive. Companies face fierce competition from rivals as they strive to produce new designs that offer superior performance at lower prices. This competition is essential to driving innovation in the sector and keeping costs down for buyers. It also ensures that consumers enjoy a wide selection of cutting-edge products at the best prices.
In most cases, advances in production technology are required to reduce costs or produce innovative products. As such, highly efficient manufacturing processes are key priorities for many companies within the semiconductor industry. As a result, R&D spending continues to rise as firms seek ways to improve their technological competencies over their rivals. This also helps them secure lucrative contracts with buyers who demand reliable components at low cost rates.
The impact of competition on the semiconductor industry has been immense over recent years, leading to numerous big-name mergers which have sparked further research investment into next-generation chip technologies across all sectors requiring electronic components – such as healthcare technology, automotive engineering and home appliances to name a few – helping continue the advancements yet seen across industries dependent on these high precision components delivered in cost effective fashion from within this sector’s key players shaping its landscape today and into future decades ahead.
Impact of Competition
Competition plays a key role in the semiconductor industry as it helps to promote innovation, bolster customer choice, and preserve market entry for new rivals. As such, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) recently filed a lawsuit to block a proposed $40 billion semiconductor chip merger, citing antitrust concerns about the alleged threat to competition the merger posed.
This article will explore the importance of competition in the semiconductor industry, looking at the antitrust implications of the proposed merger and the role that competition plays in inspiring innovation.
Benefits of competition
In the semiconductor industry, competition can positively affect manufacturers, retailers, distributors, system integrators, and consumers. Competition boosts innovation, encourages companies to produce better products to stay ahead in the market and drives down prices.
Competition also motivates companies to continuously improve product quality, innovate faster and provide customers with a wider range of product choices at competitive prices. This helps build strong customer relationships and increases overall customer satisfaction. As a result, manufacturers can build trust with consumers and remain competitive in the long term.
In addition to encouraging innovation and improving product quality, competition can increase sales for semiconductor manufacturers due to higher consumer demand for their products. This can be attributed to decreased buyers’ costs and increased consumer choice when buying semiconductors. Furthermore, competition can lead to new market entry points where new entrants replace ones that fail at sustaining their competitive advantage over time. Finally, because competition promotes lower price points on products, this could lead to increased unit sales volume due distributors’ marking up these products to maximise profit margins per item sold.
Challenges of competition
With increased competition in the semiconductor industry, companies face numerous challenges in their attempts to survive and prosper. Before considering these challenges, it is important to recognize that competition is a key factor in driving innovation and growth. Competition between firms often leads to businesses striving to continuously improve their products, services and technology to build a competitive advantage.
The challenge lies with the fact that while competitiveness brings benefits such as better products, more options and lower prices—it also increases pressure on businesses.
One of the major challenges firms face with increased competition is the decreased profits they can make on each sale due their need to compete through lower prices. This impacts gross margins as businesses are forced into competing at discount rates or promoting more features rather than providing complete integrated solutions at premium market rates. Companies must also ensure that clever marketing tactics do not mislead consumers; any sort of unfair or deceptive practices can be punished legally and significantly damage reputation. Additionally, competing against larger companies can often leave smaller competitors unable to keep pace with innovation if they cannot afford sufficient resources for research and development (R&D). Finally, increased competition can create barriers for entry for new start-ups looking to enter the semiconductor industry, who may find it difficult (or expensive) breaking into an established market rife with powerful players who have already secured a portion of the available market share.
FTC’s Role in Regulating Competition
The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) plays an important role in regulating competition in the semiconductor industry. Recently, the FTC took action to block a proposed semiconductor chip merger worth $40 billion. The move was intended to protect competition in the semiconductor market and prevent one entity from controlling the industry.
Let’s explore the FTC’s role in regulating competition in the semiconductor industry.
FTC’s antitrust authority
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is the independent federal agency responsible for protecting U.S. consumers from anticompetitive, deceptive, and unfair practices in the marketplace. As part of its mandate, the FTC enforces numerous antitrust laws including the Sherman Act and Clayton Act, which promote free-market competition and protect consumers from market power abuse by large corporations.
The Antitrust Division of the FTC is responsible for enforcing the antitrust laws for all Americans, including companies and consumers. The Division works to protect competition by investigating potential violations of the law – such as collusive agreements, monopoly behaviour, or attempts to monopolise – as well as preventing anti-competitive mergers, acquisitions and business arrangements that can harm consumer choice and options.
Regarding antitrust enforcement in the semiconductor industry, one goal of the FTC’s actions is to ensure that new technologies are made available to all participants reasonably without favouring certain companies over others or giving any company an undue advantage over its competitors. Through its investigations and enforcement actions, the FTC recognizes that a dynamic semi—conductor industry – with multiple competitors offering various products – is essential for consumer choice regarding product availability/features/pricing and that dynamic competition should be preserved whenever possible. The Antitrust Division also actively investigates cases involving software licensing practices necessary for some chip manufacturers to comply with legal requirements related to patent licensing or other intellectual property rights to participate in certain markets or benefit from economies of scale when manufacturing chipsets.
FTC’s enforcement actions
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) protects consumers, ensures business competition, and prevents fraudulent and anti-competitive acts. It has been given authority under the Sherman Antitrust Act of 1890 to prevent companies or individuals from using unfair methods of competition or monopolistic practices that reduce competition and harm consumers. To ensure fair competition in the marketplace, the FTC investigates potential violations of Section 2 of the Sherman Antitrust Act.
The FTC can take action against a company when it believes its actions will likely harm competition. Alternatively, it can challenge a corporate acquisition that would create or strengthen a monopoly within an industry segment. It also combats anti-competitive agreements between competitors, such as price-fixed arrangements or customer allocation arrangements.
When challenged by the FTC, a corporation may be ordered to pay fines and penalties or accept court-mandated remedies such as terminating mergers and divesting assets to restore competitive conditions within the market. Additionally, if a company is found guilty of violating antitrust laws under Section 2, it could face civil action from private parties claiming damage due to its illegal actions. In cases where proof isn’t sufficient for court intervention but indications point toward improper behaviour being taken advantage of by certain companies with competitive goals, private settlements may be used to restore competitive balance instead.
The semiconductor industry is particularly important for effective economic growth since new innovative technologies depend heavily on semiconductor components. Moreover, the evolution in chip design opens up new product possibilities that can shape how electronic startups create future strategies. Reportedly semiconductor revenues are forecasted to increase 4 percent annually over 2017–2021 worldwide due to debut technologies such as 5G IoT devices, AI automation, autonomous vehicle chipsets while addressing new needs like healthcare digital solutions and safety features for transportation networks. Furthermore, by enforcing relevant regulations, enforcing orders and considering essential steps like rewarding whistleblowers who disclose activities involving antitrust behaviour, the FTC plays an essential role in keeping Monopoly abuse out there while promoting healthy competition, creating innovative mediums which lead to long term sustainability and prevent favouritism among enterprises.
FTC’s Recent Action to Block Merger
In a major antitrust lawsuit, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) recently blocked the merger of two of the world’s largest semiconductor chipmakers. The $40 billion deal was seen as a threat to competition in the industry, and the FTC stepped in to ensure that the merger did not occur.
Through this action, the FTC sent a clear signal to the market about the importance of competition in this industry.
Let’s take a closer look at what happened.
Overview of the proposed merger
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) recently took action to block a proposed merger of two major semiconductor companies, Qualcomm and Broadcom. The FTC argued that the merger would decrease industry competition, raising consumer prices and giving the merged company too much control over critical semiconductor technology.
This action is part of a trend in the semiconductor industry, as federal regulators have challenged several major mergers. In many of these actions, government regulators are concerned that the mergers would give too much market power to one supplier and reduce consumer choice and innovation. This sentiment seemed to be at play when the FTC blocked Qualcomm-Broadcom’s proposed transaction.
The proposed acquisition was valued at over $100 billion and would have resulted in one of the largest technology transactions ever. Today, there are still four main players in the global semiconductor industry: Intel, Qualcomm, Broadcom and Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.—none of which could control more than 80 percent of any particular market within the overall semiconductor sector. However, after a merger between Qualcomm and Broadcom was completed, this threshold could easily have been crossed.
The FTC believes such a reduction in competition could result in higher prices for consumers or harm innovation within the industry—two outcomes that should be avoided at all costs given how vital access to quality semiconductors is in society today. Furthermore, while blocking this merger will benefit consumers today—it also sets an important precedent for other deals approved by regulators moving forward; that competition matters both currently and into the future when ensuring our economy remains vibrant over time.
FTC’s rationale for blocking the merger
On December 21, 2020, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) took action to block the proposed merger between two of the leading semiconductor companies – NXP Semiconductors and Qualcomm. This merger was an effort by Qualcomm – a large semiconductor firm that supplies products for Apple, Samsung and other tech giants – to acquire one of its competitors in the chip space, NXP Semiconductors.
The FTC felt this merger could have significant adverse competitive effects in the relevant markets. According to their review, allowing this merger could allow Qualcomm to use its size and power to raise prices or use other exclusionary tactics against their competitors.
Additionally, the FTC considered trends in innovation and growth in this technology sector. Merging these two companies would reduce a key source of competition in innovative technologies for chip makers such as Intel, AMD, Broadcom and others. This reduction could slow innovation and drive up costs for consumers seeking new chip technologies in various products including smartphones and laptops.
The FTC blocked this proposed merger because they believed it was unhealthy for competition within the semiconductor industry, and believing that it would be detrimental to consumers if allowed to proceed without regulatory scrutiny or control over prices set by merged entities being placed into effect.


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Dubai: India’s invalid currency notes are now on their way to Dubai and may end up in your living room as a piece of furniture or a photo frame.
P.K. Mayan Mohammad, owner of a company that is currently recycling the demonetised currency notes of 500 and 1,000 denomination, can tell you how.
His firm, Western India Plywoods in Kannur district of the south Indian state of Kerala, was chosen by the Reserve Bank of India to recycle the demonetised notes that are being returned to the RBI as pieces of paper with no value.
According to Indian media, a whopping 22 billion currency notes of Rs500 and Rs1,000 denomination were in circulation in India as of March 31 and all these will have to be safely disposed of after the ban.
During his Dubai trip this week, Mohammad said 30 to 40 per cent of the hardboard and fibreboard products made by recycling the scrapped bills are being exported through Dubai.


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Google's Apps Dashboard monitoring service reported that Gmail and Drive service had resumed after suffering outages.
The company did not specify how many users were affected, or where, but the outage prompted widespread complaints on social media on both coasts in the US and other major markets, from the United Kingdom to Brazil.
Some users additionally reported that the outage had affected Google Docs, the company's word-processing and spreadsheet programs, while Chrome, Google's Internet browser, also crashed unexpectedly.
"We are currently experiencing an issue with some Google services," Google spokesperson Andrea Freund said in a statement. "For everyone who is affected, we apologise for any inconvenience you may be experiencing."
Firmly entrenched in the consumer market, GMail is one of Google's most popular and important product offerings. The search giant, which has been pushing a corporate version of the email service and its Apps suite to businesses to compete with Microsoft, said this month that the package will no longer be free to business customers.
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For more information, please see our Comments FAQ


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Pesticides found in mineral water
Study finds traces of medicines for breast cancer and thinning blood in 20 per cent of bottled water
A CONSUMER watchdog has raised doubts about the purity of bottled mineral water sold in French supermarkets, after studies found traces of pesticides and medicines.
The 60 Millions de Consommateurs study was based on 47 bottles of water and 10 samples taken from tap water in different regions of France. They were tested for 85 different molecules.
The group said the biggest surprise was the presence of tamoxifen, which is used to treat breast cancer, in five of the bottles tested - including Céline Cristaline and Carrefour Discount.
Some pesticides that have been banned for more than a decade were found in Vittel, Volvic and Cristaline.
60 Millions said the traces were very small and the water was still safe to drink. It stressed that there was nothing to suggest that the bottling companies had done anything wrong.
Eight of the 10 tap water samples contained traces of pesticides and medicines, including blood-thinning drugs.
The union representing mineral water suppliers said it was astonished by the findings and produced its own evidence to the contrary.


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It looks like India is climbing up the priority tree for Apple.
Tech critics seem divided in their initial opinions of the iPhone 6, with some saying it is well worth the price tag, while others are not that impressed.
It's d-day for Apple fans. iPhone 6 is on the way, actually two new ones and Apple has finally bitten the bullet and is giving into the phablet phenomena.
Apple is poised to reveal its next big thing today in a crucial attempt to prove its technological tastemakers still have the power to mesmerise the masses.
According to news reports, the iWatch will also support the NFC mobile payments system that Apple will be introducing in the iPhone 6 devices as well.
Now according to a report on Recode.Net, 2014 is definitely the year and the iWatch will launch along side the iPhone 6 on 9 September.


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In a whopper of a move toward sustainability, Burger King announced reusable “zero-waste” packaging. The containers will be used for its burgers/sandwiches, as well as for beverages. Burger King’s pilot program is set to debut in New York City; Portland, Oregon; and Tokyo in 2021, with ambitions to roll out in more locations. The program is being launched in partnership with Loop, a packaging service.
To opt into the program, customers will pay a deposit and then be refunded the money once they return the containers. The containers will then be sanitized so they can be reused. Though some consumers might see this optional program as a hassle, it’s sure to lure eco-conscious consumers who have been enjoying the fast food giant’s foray into plant-based meats in the form of the Impossible Whopper. Additionally, Burger King has 18,000-plus locations in the U.S. That adds up to a lot of wasted packaging bringing harm to the environment.
Burger King has every intention of taking its sustainability innovation in reusable packaging to the max. The company has said that it would supply 100% of its packaging from “renewable, recycled or certified sources” and recycle all that’s used in the U.S. by 2025.
More From GOBankingRates


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Don't-Miss Servers Stories
An Apple Web site has hinted at the launch of Nehalem-based Xserve rack-mount servers.
The Wall Street Journal says that IBM could pay as much as $6.5 billion
Chip-maker Intel is slashing prices, closing plants, and laying off employees after a bad financial quarter.
The Mac version of NeatReceipts is feature-equal to its Windows counterpart. The interface of the receipt-scanning software has been cleaned up as well.
Parallels Server has been updated fixing the cause of several crashes with the application including one that resulted in a kernel panic in the virtual operating system.
HP introduced a new home media server, compatible with both Macs and PCs. The server can act as a centralized iTunes Library, as well as a Time Machine backup for Mac users.
Google's Eric Schmidt calls for new government spending to improve broadband and encourage alternative energies.
Over a million of the Internet's DNS servers are still vulnerable to a cache-poisoning attack patched in July.
IBM is suing one of its top executives, a server guru who is trying to take a job with Apple.
EMC has announced MozyPro for Mac, a version of the online backup service targeted at businesses.
Intel is shipping its latest Xeon chip, the six-core Xeon 7400.
LaCie introduced a new Neil Poulton designed media server in capacities of 500 gigabytes to 1 terabyte.
More cores and a bigger cache should give Dunnington a boost over Intel's current Xeon processors


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LG G Pad 8.3 launching next week in S Korea
UK by end of 2013, hopefully
LG's latest attempt to cash-in on the global tablet phenomena, the G Pad 8.3, is releasing next week in Korea with a wider launch to 30 another country's before year end.The 8.3-inch slate packs a Full HD (1920x1200) IPS (of course) display and will run Android 4.2.2, out of the box. It will be powered along by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 processor with 2GB of RAM and features a 500-megapixel rear-facing camera with a 1.3 megapixel one mounted on the front for video chat.
Message integration with phone feature expected to help salesIncluded out of the box is a feature that allows users to check and send messages received by their Android smartphone from the tablet, which they are hoping will give it some differential in an increasingly crowded marketplace. There are already apps that do just that on Google Play, of course, but this is the first bundled functionality of this type that we know of.
We fully expect the UK will be one of the 30 countries to see the LG G Pad in 2013 although pricing is as yet unknown. For what it's worth, the pre-order price in S Korea translates to about £320


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Specsavers Ashford is celebrating two decades of looking after the community’s eyecare by unveiling new cutting edge technology in store.
Specsavers, located at 36 County Square, have recently completed a renovation where traditional reception desks have been replaced by mobile, standing and seated service points, and customers are now greeted and registered on tablet devices, which are also used to measure and dispense their glasses.
The concept, which is being rolled out across all Specsavers stores, is the first of its kind in optics. As well as this, the store has decided to focus on a month-long fundraising push for Guide Dogs ahead of its official birthday in November, encouraging donations through minor glasses repairs and cleanings. Staff also took part as a team in The KM Big Quiz to raise further funds for the charity.
A huge leap forward for optics
Specsavers Ashford store director, Clive Perry says: ‘It’s fantastic to be celebrating 20 years of optical service in County Square.
‘We are delighted with the new look store. It has a real wow factor for customers and so far the feedback we have received has been very positive. Specsavers has really taken optics a huge leap forward with the creation of a very modern and efficient retail environment. We’d like to invite the community in store to come and give it a try, as well as make a donation to Guide Dogs who we are continuing to support.’


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Jay Guzowski was getting more nervous by the day.
As senior product planner for the redesign of the 2012 Honda Civic, Guzowski was shepherding the compact car from design freeze to market. But as he listened to others around the American Honda conference table--with a year to go before the car's on-sale date--he heard a disturbing refrain: The upcoming Civic was not good enough.
He had heard it before, but now there was a drumbeat from corporate managers, r&d; engineers and dealers.
In 2009, Honda had witnessed the wreckage of the global economy after the Lehman Brothers collapse. The Civic's development had almost reached design freeze when Honda executives decided the car would seem too upscale for an entry-level offering. The content level needed to be reduced to reflect cautious consumer tastes. Honda Motor Co. CEO Takanobu Ito's decision to take content out of the 2012 Civic would delay the car's launch by nearly six months, from late 2010 to early 2011.
In the interim, though, industry scuttlebutt was that the competing Hyundai Elantra, Chevrolet Cruze and Ford Focus redesigns weren't cutting back on equipment and content just because consumer confidence had taken a hit.
The photos, renderings and prototypes confirmed just that. The new Civic looked cheap by comparison. The interior materials and fabrics chosen may have cut costs but were clearly inferior. The layout of the instrument panel and center cluster was cluttered and jumbled, with too many cut lines and low-grade plastics. Changes to the exterior styling were barely discernible from the outgoing model.
"The feedback we heard was loud and clear," Guzowski said. "I was taking the temperature and making sure it wasn't a one-off we were hearing."
Guzowski looked at his calendar--April 2010. Then 33 years old, he had been at Honda only a few years, after stints at Volvo Cars of North America and American Suzuki's ad agency, Colby & Partners. Guzowski, a former instructor at Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, Calif., and analyst with Honda R&D; Americas, understood when Honda stylists and engineers described their worries about the car. His next task was to steel himself to inform his bosses far up the executive ladder that their franchise car didn't measure up.
It was too late to save the 2012 Civic. All Honda could do was limit the damage.
"We read the market wrong," admitted Vicki Poponi, American Honda assistant vice president of product planning and a former executive at Honeywell's Garrett turbocharging division.
"After the Lehman shock, we thought there would be different consumer behaviors. We knew that unemployment would last a long time and that there would be recessional trends. We thought consumers would be more sparse in their needs and be tightening their belts. The Civic was going to reflect that world," Poponi said.
But after internal study teams expressed concern that the 2012 Civic was underwhelming, Honda executives faced a big decision.
Honda could let the Civic run for the traditional three model years of the five-year cycle before implementing midcycle improvements. Or the company could deem the car's problems so deep-seated that they needed attention sooner.
The former would involve heavy incentive spending and hurt the brand's image. The latter would require replacing machinery and tooling before they were amortized and would strain Honda's r&d; resources. Making big changes to a car before three model years also waves a red--or white--flag to the rest of the industry.
But the Civic is Honda's most crucial car. Although the subcompact Fit is beneath it in the lineup and the mid-sized Accord is often a bigger seller, the Civic is the main entry point to the brand.
The Civic was key in the trend of modified tuner cars among young buyers in the '90s. The United States represents almost half of Civic worldwide sales. Nearly one in four Americans who buys a Honda buys a Civic.
Through mid-2010, a few meetings with top management at American Honda--including CEO Tetsuo Iwamura and sales boss John Mendel, as well as Honda R&D; Americas President Erik Berkman--showed that Honda couldn't wait. The possibility of damaging the brand was too great. A proposal to quick-change the Civic was sent to Toshihiko Nonaka, head of Honda R&D; in Japan, who concurred.
"We saw that it wasn't going to be best in class," Poponi said. "We saw that we didn't go far enough. There was no wait-and-see, no gnashing of teeth or debates about what we have to do. Everybody was right on board."
Because Honda is a proudly lean organization, blame for the 2012 Civic could be assigned to many people. But after the car was unveiled with a thud, Ito publicly accepted the blame at the Tokyo auto show in November 2011, saying, "The ultimate responsibility rests with me."
The intimation was that Ito was ensuring that the 2013 update wouldn't fall short.
Fortunately for Honda, the decision to quick-change the Civic was made as most development team members were putting the final touches on the 2012 model. They had not yet been reassigned to their next projects. With the decision to fast-track the update, the team stayed in place, including chief engineer Mitsuru Horikoshi.
"Normally, there are different chiefs for [the redesign] and the minor model change," Poponi said. "But the 2012 Civic development team wasn't fully disbanded, so they just stayed with the process. There was no loss in the cadence."
Guzowski said there was "very little downtime getting people up to speed" in making the changes.
"Honda is a very flat organization. Everybody is involved all the way through the process," Guzowski said. "Everyone had tangential knowledge of what needed to be done. There were no secrets."
Besides, the existing team was playing for pride.
"The team didn't want to give up, either. There was a lot of emotion and commitment involved," Poponi said. "If Honda were driven by financials, we wouldn't have done this. We never asked if this was financially right for the company. We knew we had to do what was right for the customer and that the rewards would follow."
Meanwhile, Honda's marketers had to sell the existing car. The media introduction in March 2011 may have revealed that the automaker knew of the 2012 Civic's shortcomings. A brief drive through clogged Washington morning-rush traffic led to a parking lot at FedExField, where a short, uninspiring autocross course gave little insight. Honda returned journalists to their hotel via bus rather than having them drive back in Civics. But even the fleeting drives were revealing.
Scathing reviews began arriving in the media. In July, Autoweek said the Civic "has lost its way in the world." In August, Consumer Reports removed the Civic from its "recommended" list for the first time in memory, describing it as "cheap" and "insubstantial." In October, a Wall Street Journal review called it "a dud" and "a betrayal."
But by the time those articles were published, Honda engineers were well into updating the car. Those reviews merely confirmed what the automaker knew.
"Our decision to refresh and shift was made way before Consumer Reports," Poponi said.
With a nearly clean slate, Honda planners and engineers looked at the needed changes. The deadline: in time for the 2013 model year, or about 18 months from the launch of the 2012 model.
"We looked at what were the drivers of the discontent," Poponi said. "Mostly, it was that the instrument panel was too busy and the car overall lacked a premium feel."
There were limits to what could be changed. Redesigning too many components or their locations would require new engineering, more crash tests and tens of millions of dollars in modified assembly line tooling. And with the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami crippling Honda's Japanese r&d; operations, American Honda and Honda R&D; Americas had to pick up much of the development slack.
Still, the list of changes was lengthy. The instrument panel layout was redone to remove clutter and reduce the number of irritating seams between components. The instrument panel's rice-paper pattern was replaced with a more traditional embossing. The faux "piano-black" surface surrounding the climate-control buttons was made less shiny and plasticky. The swirl pattern of the seat fabric was changed. A black-on-black interior choice--a Honda mainstay left out of the 2012 model--was added. On the outside, the hood and trunk were given sportier designs. More noise-canceling underbody sheeting was added.
The quick change provided another side benefit for the Civic. For the 2013 model year, Honda was planning to introduce its Advanced Compatibility Engineering II, or ACE II, body structure for the redesigned Accord. The additional longitudinal braces in the front crash structure would improve the Accord's safety rating in the new frontal offset tests.
Normally, such a dramatic structural change would have had to wait for the Civic's midcycle change in the 2015 model year. But because the team was pulling ahead the program, it incorporated the ACE II body structure into the 2013 Civic.
"We didn't just plan this car to countermeasure the obvious shortfalls," Poponi said. "We wanted to leapfrog."
But just because the product planners and engineers wanted to make changes, that didn't make them so. Updating assembly lines takes weeks, if not months, and the pressure was on.
"We asked the people in the factory to redo things they had just done," Poponi said. "Doing this sort of thing comes from the bottom up. Even if leadership wanted to do it, the shop floor could have dragged their feet. They worked their fannies off."
Even though Honda knew a fix was on the way by the end of 2012, that didn't eliminate the problem with selling the 2012 Civic for 18 months.
"We knew we would hurt residuals with high incentives. And we don't do fleet, so we had fewer tools to manage," Poponi said.
Online interest in the car plummeted quickly after launch, according to data from Compete Inc., a market research company. Honda was losing ground to new launches from Hyundai and Ford. Fortunately for the company, American Honda Finance's strong credit rating and opportunities for low borrowing rates allowed the sales arm to promote attractive lease deals to help move the metal.
The outgoing 2011 Civic had lower incentives than the compact segment average--often by several hundred dollars--until the final months' sell-down when incentives spending spiked. But within months of the 2012 Civic launch, Honda opened the incentives spigot, even as the economy recovered, according to TrueCar.com data.
Incentives on the Civic climbed from $901 in September 2011 to $1,988 in February 2012, while average segment incentives rose from $1,102 to $1,367. Through summer, Civic incentives remained around $1,700 per unit, often several hundred dollars above the segment average, according to TrueCar.com.
In the last months of 2012 sales, American Honda Finance offered a $1,999-down, $149-a-month lease, although some dealers whacked the down payment to zero. Honda also launched a stair-step volume incentive for dealers to encourage them to clear out inventories.
Honda executives were forthcoming in saying the Civic was on a short cycle for its changes while the original 2012 Civic was still on sale. The disclosure was unusual for Honda, which usually refuses to discuss upcoming product for fear of hurting the old model's sell-down. The remaining 2012s would be pitched as solid deals for value-minded shoppers.
For all the teeth gnashing in the media about the Civic, dealers loved the car. Despite its shortcomings, it was among the segment leaders in sales once post-tsunami inventories reached normal levels. Through November, the Civic outsold the second-place Toyota Corolla by 18,523 units and the third-place Ford Focus by 61,473 units.
"The '12 was a great car. Only the press disliked it. The buyers loved the car and bought it in big numbers. We would have done fine with no change at all," said Dave Conant, CEO of Conant Auto Retail Group in Los Angeles, which includes Norm Reeves Honda, one of Honda's top-volume dealerships.
"Could it have been better? Yes, I suppose. Did the press expect more? I guess. But the car was a great car regardless," Conant added.
All told, when the 2013 model arrived in November, Honda added more than $500 of content, while raising the price of the sedan LX trim level by $160. Honda does not offer the base DX trim with the 2013 sedan. Sales of the 2013 sedan began Nov. 29, with other models following through Feb. 6.
Although Honda heralds the 2013 Civic as a triumph of a lean company moving quickly, Jim Hall, managing director of the 2953 Analytics consultancy, sees a cultural problem that Honda must address.
"What's radical about the whole program was that they let the Civic get that bad before they had to fix it in this way," Hall said. "The program should not have gotten far enough along to have been approved in the first place."
But Honda already had delayed the 2012 Civic redesign once to reduce the content level. Should the company have delayed it again to get it right, even if it meant carrying the previous version that much longer? Hall says yes.
"This was not a cheap fix. They had to pull tooling ahead and they had to scrap tooling that won't have the required number of strikes to amortize it," Hall said. "The interesting thing is that they bit the bullet. But this year's car should have been last year's product."
What's more, Hall worries that Honda may be celebrating a near-miss, when it should be looking deeper at what allowed the 2012 Civic to happen at all.
"It wasn't a bad product, but it wasn't good enough to be a Honda. They approved it willingly," Hall said. "They have to fix their processes or else this becomes the norm."
Meanwhile, Honda may not be done with the Civic. With four model years remaining in the Civic's life, more changes could be down the road.
"Our intent is to keep Civic the best vehicle in the segment," Poponi said. "We won't sit on our laurels. We'll react. We can't say, 'This is it.'"
Spring 2009: Honda CEO Takanobu Ito orders decontenting of the 2012 Civic, delaying the scheduled fall 2010 launch by 6 months.
April 2010: Initial internal reports indicate the final 2012 Civic redesign is inferior, but it's too late to make changes and delay the car again.
Summer 2010: Honda execs consider moving up Civic midcycle changes to fall 2012 from spring 2014.
Winter 2010: Short-cycling is approved and midcycle change work begins.
March 2011: 2012 Civic is unveiled to media; earthquake/tsunami devastate Japan.
April 2011: 2012 Civic goes on sale.
August 2011: Consumer Reports removes Civic from “recommended” list.
Fall 2011: Web traffic for Civic plummets.
October 2011: Honda discloses pull-ahead of Civic's midcycle changes.
Spring-summer 2012: Civic incentives soar.
November 2012: 2013 Civic debuts at Los Angeles Auto Show; sedan goes on sale.


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Pioneer Corporation Africa has moved closer to acquiring the entire shareholding in transport and logistics firm Blue Star Logistics. While Pioneer would neither deny nor confirm the deal, starafrica corporation said an offer for its unit, Bluestar, has been received from a Zimbabwe Stock Exchange listed entity.
“An offer has been received from a Zimbabwe Stock Exchange listed entity to purchase starafrica’s stake in Bluestar Logistics,” said starafrica in a note to shareholders.
Finer details of the deal remain a closely guarded secret, but sources confirmed that the suitor for Bluestar is Pioneer.
“Of course, Pioneer has been talking to starafrica with a view to acquiring the entire stake in Bluestar Logistics,” a source said.
The parties have agreed on most issues regarding the deal, but await various regulatory approvals. Pioneer said it had “no comment” and even if it was considering the acquisition it would only talk after complying with all regulatory requirements of the stock exchange.
“If at all Pioneer is considering such a transaction all due processes will have to be complied with before making any public announcements as Pioneer is a public listed company,” it said.
The proposed acquisition of Bluestar comes as Pioneer has just completed the acquisition of another transport and logistics firm, Unifreight, with all relevant approvals obtained.
Pioneer said on Monday all conditions precedent necessary to give effect to the sale and purchase agreement between Unifreight Limited and Pioneer Corporation Africa Limited transaction have now been met and the issue of shares to Unifreight can now be executed.
A total of 51 497 587 Pioneer Corporation Africa Limited shares will be issued to Unifreight Limited. The December 2013 audit is underway and the results will be issued in due course.
Meanwhile Pioneer group chief executive Mr Albert Ushe has left the group stepping down from his position with effect from February 2014 having completed two terms in office at the helm of the group. He decided to resign and pursue personal interests.
Group finance director Mr Gary Smith will be acting in that role in the interim until a substantive appointment has been made.


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Top LA boutique in hot water after labelling real fur items as 'faux'
West Hollywood, Calfornia is known to sartorialists as a fashion hub with its priorities in the right place.
But after a vote to ban all sales of fur garments by 2013, one of the area's most popular boutiques has found itself under fire for mislabelling its fur-trimmed outerwear.
Three jackets described on Kitson's website as being fabricated from synthetic materials, were subjected to microscopy tests that found the allegedly faux fur-lined hoods were made from the coats of real animals.
Busted! The Humane Society of the United States revealed that popular Los Angeles boutique Kitson recently sold three different items as faux fur that were actually real animal fur after it conducted laboratory tests
Oops: The analyses were made by a method known as microscopy after an anonymous tip-off from a blogger who noticed the Street Level handbag on the Kitson website
The laboratory tests were run by The Humane Society of the United States after a researcher was tipped off by a blogger that a Street Level handbag described online as 'faux leather and carry on', was most likely real.
A Canada Goose jacket for infants and a Monnalisa jacket, also for small children, were also advertised as embellished with fake fur but the analyses showed that all three items were made from fur most probably from the Canidae family.
The Canidae family counts the coyote, grey wolf, red and artic fox, raccoon dog, jackal and of course, domestic dog, among its list of members, all of which suffer brutal torture, according to Humane Society findings.
Methods such as neck-snaring, anal electrocution and skinning alive have all been reported as measures taken to produce fur for fashion purposes.
Genuine: The tests concluded that all three items contained fur from the Canidae family which includes coyotes, arctic foxes and domestic dogs among its members
Having been described on the Kitson website as a nylon and polyester jacket with a 'detachable faux fur hood', on purchase the purple Canada Goose 'Reese Bomber' carried an interior label that clearly stated the trim was made from coyote.
But while a Monnalisa 'Pink Puffy Jacket' also for infants had a similar product breakdown online, no reference was made to the fur detail on tags inside the item.
Microscopy revealed the fur was most likely from a raccoon dog.
And the pocket book by fashion brand, Street Level, proved also to be constructed from Canidae hair.
Pierre Grzybowski, research and enforcement manager of the Fur-Free Campaign at The HSUS, who discovered the errors, lamented: 'It’s troubling that a retailer in an area like West Hollywood, which recently passed a ban on the sale of fur, wouldn’t be more aware and diligent in protecting the public from being duped.
Correction: The Reese Bomber from Canada Goose was re-posted on the site after having been temporarily taken down with an accurate description of the coyote fur-trimmed hood
'Kitson should take immediate action to contact every customer who purchased these products and to ensure that unsuspecting consumers are not duped into supporting animal suffering in the future.'
The trendy boutique was quick to take down all three products from its website by Wednesday evening and in the ensuing polemic, issued a statement to assure consumers the mistake was entirely unintentional.
The release read: 'Kitson prides itself on its strong vendor partnerships and will continue to work with them to sell with integrity both online and in stores. Kitson thanks the Humane Society for its efforts and for bringing this issue to its attention.'
In anticipation of the 2013 ban, the statement continued by saying Kitson would 'work diligently and vigilantly to ensure content is correctly listed in the future, conducting additional research when information is omitted on products.'
Since 2011 all apparel using fur in the United States has had to be advertised and labeled with the name of the animal killed, the country of its origin and whether the fur was dyed.
Violations of these laws are punishable by fines of $5,000 and up to a year incarceration.
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- Furious shopper tears plastic sheets off banned 'non-essentials'
- Shocking moment brawl erupts at petrol station in Oldham
- Police in Wales interrupt church service amid coronavirus pandemic


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Food Genie service
LAST UPDATED : Oct 16, 2020, 12:48 PM IST
- Delhi: Ask 'genie' to deliver food at IGI T3 boarding gate
There’s good news for passengers travelling through Terminal 3 of the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) airport. A unique “Food Genie” service has been launched, which allows them to order through interactive self-ordering kiosks and get food of their choice near their boarding gates. Now, passengers will not have to remain hungry with the fear of missing their flights or arriving late to the departure area.
- Covid-19 a warning to world against unsustainable food habits: Javadekar
"The emergence of Covid-19 has emphasized the fact that unregulated exploitation of natural resources coupled with unsustainable food habits and consumption pattern lead to destruction (of the) system that supports human life," he told the UN's Biodiversity Summit on Wednesday in a pre-recorded video speech. Covid-19 is reported to have spread through a market in China where wild animals were being sold for food.
- From food to shelter, 'Rahat' helped govt bring services, care to migrants
Even as the state government waged a pitched battle against the pandemic, its efforts were backed by a mobile application called ‘Rahat’ that enabled convergence of various department and facilities, according to a latest concept paper prepared by the state government.
- ITC Hotels ties up with Zomato for delivery services
In keeping with ITC Hotels' commitment towards enhancing gourmet experiences, the chain today announced its partnership with Zomato, India’s leading food delivery platform, to offer customers responsible dining experiences in the comfort of their home.


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Users of Citrix Systems’ GoToMyPC remote desktop access service were forced to change their passwords following what company officials called a “very sophisticated password attack” in which hackers tried to use usernames and passwords leaked from other Websites to access GoToMyPC accounts.
Citrix security officials responded by forcing all users of the service to reset their passwords. The company first issued a notice June 18, and users coming onto the service this week were notified that their passwords were no longer operational and they would have to create new passwords.
According to the updated notice Citrix issued this week, the damage from the attack was minimal. Company security officials said that no sensitive customer data—including credit card information—was exposed during the incident. However, they added they were continuing to investigate the issue and that they will let users know the results of the probe after it’s completed.
No other Citrix services were included in the attack, company officials said. The GoToMyPC service is used to gain remote access to home and work PCs over the Web.
They did not say how many people were impacted by the password reuse attack. According to reports, some users over the weekend found they couldn’t sign onto their account and were being asked to reset their passwords. Soon after, Citrix issued the warning that the site was under attack and steps users could take to protect themselves.
“We have experienced an issue which requires you to reset your password if you are having trouble logging into your account,” the post said. “Please reset your password through the ‘Forgot Password’ link if you are having trouble logging into your account.”
Soon afterward, that suggested password reset became a mandatory one, with the GoToMyPC security officials resetting all passwords and forcing users to go in and reset them. Citrix officials made recommendations for creating highly secure passwords (don’t use a word from the dictionary or use the same password in more than one place, use eight or more characters and make it complex by randomly adding capital letters, punctuation or symbols) and offered the option of using two-step verification.
Passwords are seen as a particularly vulnerable point in the larger information security environment, due in part to how consumers use them. In a recent Mail.com survey released earlier this month, one in 10 Americans said they never change their passwords, and 38 percent alter their passwords on an average of every six months. In addition, 20 percent use the same password for most or all of their Internet services; only 23 percent use different passwords for different services.
Fifty-eight percent of respondents said they store passwords in their head, while 15 percent write them on a piece of paper. Another 5 percent save passwords in their browser, and only 9 percent use password management software.
“There are two main reasons Americans are so negligent when it comes to passwords: first, the sharply increasing number of Internet services that require an authentication with passwords, and second, the missing knowledge on password security,” Martin Wilhelm, public relations manager for Mail.com, told eWEEK. “People choose passwords that are easy to remember because it’s much more comfortable than handling a complex and individual password for a variety of different services. What they don’t have in mind is that they run the risk of losing all their data on the Internet once this password has been spied out by Internet criminals.”


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A few months have passed since the release of the latest firmware update for the Samsung Galaxy A51, and now it’s time to make some changes. Samsung recently started rolling out a new update for the Galaxy A51, and now the 2019 mid-range handset is receiving a new security patch.
Although Samsung has released the October 2022 security patch for some of its gadgets; But Galaxy A51 has no place in this spectrum. Instead, this mid-range phone is now receiving the September 2022 security patch. Currently, this update is only available in Russia and for devices with model number SM-A515F.
This update has firmware version number A515FXXS5FVI1 and according to the structure of the firmware ID, it can be assumed that the new update only includes a newer security patch and does not contain any new features. Therefore, users should not wait for the release of a new feature. However, security is not a category that can be ignored; Especially since the mentioned update is specific to an old mid-range phone released in 2019.
The September security patch fixes more than 20 vulnerabilities, including memory access errors in various functions. Additionally, a bug that allowed attackers to make remote emergency calls has also been fixed. It is expected that this update will soon be available in more countries and for more diverse models.
Galaxy A51 users in selected markets can manually download and install the new firmware by going to the phone’s settings menu, selecting the Software update option, and then touching the Download and install button. Also, Galaxy A51 users, if they wish, can download the official firmware file from the Internet and then manually flash it on their handset using Samsung’s ODIN tool and a Windows PC.


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Come November, Meltwater Entrepreneurial School of Technology (MEST) will be hosting its first Africa Technology Summit (ATS) in Ghana.
The three-day event, which will run from November 3rd to 5th, will be focusing on the area of investing and supporting of startups. Topics will include the role venture hubs play and how they can better serve and support entrepreneurs in scaling their startups for success; investors’ views on the most compelling opportunities today in Africa and how they’re focusing their time, attention, and money; and how to ensure technology talent and solutions are being leveraged to support the most vulnerable communities.
However, the third day of the ATS conference will be aimed at connecting startups with investment opportunities, as MEST has partnered with Angel Fair Africa to make this happen.
Some notable guest speakers and entrepreneurs to be speaking at the event include Chika Nwobi, founder and managing director (MD) of L5 Labs, and co-director of 440.ng; Alisee de Tonnac, chief executive officer and co-founder of Seedstars World; Eric Osiakwan, founder of Angel Fair Africa; Raphael Afaedor, co-founder and CEO of Supermart.ng; Etop Ikpe, co-MD of DealDey; and a host of others.
MEST was founded in Ghana in 2008 with an aim to provide training, investment and incubation to aspiring high tech entrepreneurs in Africa. With its headquarters in Accra, the school has since inception trained over 200 Ghanaian and Nigerian entrepreneurs and invested US$15 million in the training program and incubator which has provided seed funding to over 20 startups.


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Facilities stop accepting compostable packaging as contamination debate persists
After a decade of trying, one of Oregon's leading compost facilities is calling it quits on compostable packaging — and until more clarity comes to the market, it might not be the last.
Jack Hoeck, vice president of Rexius, shared the news at this year's U.S. Composting Council Conference in Phoenix. Initially, he said, Rexius had expected compostable packaging would help capture more food scraps, and that any resulting contamination could be managed effectively.
"As we've gone through, my experience has been that's really not true. We have not been able to keep the contamination at a level that I think I would want for my product," Hoeck said during a presentation on the subject. "At the end of the day, my real job is to produce a product that people will want."


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Since its establishment in 1914, the US Federal Trade Commission has stood as a bulwark against the fraud, deception, and shady dealings that American consumers face every day — fining brands that "review hijack" Amazon listings, making it easier to cancel magazine subscriptions and blocking exploitative ad targeting. On Monday, Michael Atleson, Attorney, FTC Division of Advertising Practices, laid out both the commission's reasoning for how emerging generative AI systems like ChatGPT, Dall-E 2 could be used to violate the FTC Act's spirit of unfairness, and what it would do to companies found in violation.
"Under the FTC Act, a practice is unfair if it causes more harm than good," Atleson said. "It’s unfair if it causes or is likely to cause substantial injury to consumers that is not reasonably avoidable by consumers and not outweighed by countervailing benefits to consumers or to competition."
He notes that the new generation of chatbots like Bing, Bard and ChatGPT can be used to influence the user's, "beliefs, emotions, and behavior." We've already seen them employed as negotiators within Walmart supply network and as talk therapists, both occupations specifically geared towards influencing those around you. When combined with the common effects of automation bias, wherein users more readily the accept the word of a presumably impartial AI system, and anthropomorphism. "People could easily be led to think that they’re conversing with something that understands them and is on their side," Atleson argued.
He concedes that the issues surrounding generative AI technology go far beyond the FTC's immediate purview, but reiterates that it will not tolerate unscrupulous companies from using it to take advantage of consumers. "Companies thinking about novel uses of generative AI, such as customizing ads to specific people or groups," the FTC lawyer warned, "should know that design elements that trick people into making harmful choices are a common element in FTC cases, such as recent actions relating to financial offers, in-game purchases, and attempts to cancel services."
The FTC's guardrails also apply to placing ads within a generative AI application, not unlike how Google inserts ads into its search results. "People should know if an AI product’s response is steering them to a particular website, service provider, or product because of a commercial relationship," Atleson wrote. "And, certainly, people should know if they’re communicating with a real person or a machine."
Finally, Atleson leveled an unsubtle warning to the tech industry. "Given these many concerns about the use of new AI tools, it’s perhaps not the best time for firms building or deploying them to remove or fire personnel devoted to ethics and responsibility for AI and engineering," he wrote. "If the FTC comes calling and you want to convince us that you adequately assessed risks and mitigated harms, these reductions might not be a good look." That's a lesson Twitter already learned the hard way.


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Daily Video: Microsoft to Take .NET Cross-Platform to Linux, Mac
Microsoft has decided to take its popular .NET framework cross-platform to Linux and the Macintosh, and to expand on its moves to open-source the .NET technology.
Microsoft announced these and other moves with its core Visual Studio toolset. It also introduced new capabilities for Visual Studio Online, Windows Azure and more at the Microsoft Connect event in New York City on Nov. 12. In addition to taking .NET cross-platform and open-sourcing the technology, Microsoft is providing a new free version of Visual Studio.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, home of the U.S. Weather Service, was recently breached by hackers. The breach has now been contained.
NOAA spokesperson Scott Smullen stated that, in recent weeks, four NOAA Websites were compromised by an Internet-sourced attack. The NOAA statement did not specify who might be behind the attack. A Washington Post report pointed fingers at hackers from China.
Apple is developing a full-time sales effort to boost sales of its computer hardware and services to enterprise business users as the company pushes to expand its reach in wider markets. The expansion into deeper business-computing sales comes on the heels of other recent business-related moves by Apple, including the partnership deal announced in July between Apple and IBM that matches up Apple's devices with IBM's global sales and support services.
SAP is rolling out a set of applications designed to enable businesses to take advantage of the massive amounts of data being collected by sensors and a variety of devices connected to the Internet of things. The new IoT applications—which focus on maintenance, logistics and manufacturing—will be available in a software-as-a-service environment that will run on SAP's HANA Cloud platform.
These new apps cover an expanded number of data sources—including a broad array of sensors and wearable devices—and can help bring analytic and application processing capabilities out to many of the devices themselves, according to David Parker, SAP's global vice president for big data and IoT.


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If one thing was unclear about Sony's presentation on the PS5 today, which revealed the PS5 price and release date among a slew of new PS5 games, it was what exactly will be available at launch for the console in terms of software. Now, a follow-up blog by Sony has confirmed a number of launch games meant for the system, as well as the US prices of its games.
"Games like Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales, Call of Duty Black Ops: Cold War, and Demon’s Souls will launch alongside the console," Sony confirmed (opens in new tab), and those titles will be accompanied at launch by three other games: Astro's Playroom, Destruction All-Stars and Sackboy: A Big Adventure.
While Insomniac confirmed on Twitter that Spider-Man was coming on November 12 along with the console's initial launch, Demon's Souls was more of a mystery. No solid release date has been revealed for Demon's Souls, as far as we can tell, but this would seem to suggest that it'll arrive on November 12 with the console.
In addition, Sony confirmed the price of its Worldwide Studios games would cost from $49.99 (about £39/AU$68) to $69.99 (about £54/AU$96) on PS5, a lean increase on PS4 prices.
See all the prices below.
Here are the PS5 first party launch games
- Astro’s Playroom (Japan Studio) – pre-installed on PS5
- Demon’s Souls (Bluepoint Games / Japan Studio) – US$69.99/¥7,900/€79.99 (RRP)
- Destruction All Stars (Lucid Games / XDEV) – US$69.99/¥7,900/€79.99 (RRP)
- Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales (Insomniac Games) – US$49.99/¥5,900/€59.99 (RRP)
- Marvel’s Spider-Man: Mile Morales Ultimate Edition (Insomniac Games) – US$69.99/¥7,900/€79.99 (RRP)
- Sackboy A Big Adventure (Sumo Digital / XDEV) – US$59.99/¥6,900/€69.99 (RRP)
Expect other games from third-party publishers to launch alongside, like Devil May Cry 5. Keep an eye on our big PS5 games list for more of what to expect this year.


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A novel approach to an energy storage device run on an aqueous electrolyte can go from flat to fully-charged in just 20 seconds, making it perfect for portable electronics that frequently need a quick boost.
While the concept isn't new, previous attempts have resulted in devices that suffer from low power and short working lives.
We ask a lot of power storage tech these days. Not only must it be compact, powerful, long-lasting, and quick to recharge, it also has to be environmentally friendly. Oh, and preferably not blow up if you happen to chew on it.
For those and other reasons, aqueous storage devices – those that contain water-based solutions rather than a mush of toxic or flammable organic paste – have gained some serious attention as safe and reliable options.
Although less flammable than modern lithium batteries and potentially a whole lot cheaper, the way the solution carries electrons introduces a serious problem.
The cells that make up a battery work by transferring electrons between two materials. Aqueous solutions limit the voltage range between the two points more than other solutions, resulting in the anode being eaten away faster.
That makes for a poor life span and low amounts of power – not exactly great for reliably pushing your latest smart device through the day.
So researchers at Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) have put a new spin on the system, modifying the way a device called an aqueous hybrid capacitor (AHC) is constructed.
Hybrid capacitors such as these are essentially a mix of battery and capacitor – with electrodes that store their power electrochemically as an electrostatic charge. Adding an aqueous solution of ions inbetween can help carry the current.
By using graphene-based polymers instead of more traditional metallic conductors on the anode, and making the cathode with a scattering of metaloxide nanoparticles, the researchers were able to overcome the shortfalls of previous AHCs.
The web of tiny carbon fibres on the anode turns out to be far more efficient at transferring electrons into the aqueous solution, allowing for batteries with more than 100 times the power density than previous devices while still sustaining capacity for over 100,000 charges.
Better yet, the new anodes coupled with liquid electrolytes mean the whole thing can go from zero to 100 perfect with just 20 seconds of charging.
All of this is at no cost to its safety or economics.
"This eco-friendly technology can be easily manufactured and is highly applicable," says chemist Jeung Ku Kang.
"In particular, its high capacity and high stability, compared to existing technologies, could contribute to the commercialization of aqueous capacitors."
Since the power source doesn't need to be a strong one, its rapid rate of charging might see it couple up neatly with photovoltaic cells or other micro-generating power sources.
It'll be a while before we see these kinds of devices outcompete the likes of lithium ion batteries, but cheap cells that can handle extreme conditions without catching fire will no doubt find a place in future portable technology.
The low charge time is just an added bonus, though we've been promised charge-while-you-wait batteries for years now.
Beefed up capacitors could provide an altogether different approach, allowing us to charge up in less time than it takes to say "I'm on 1 percent I'll call you right back!"
Who knows where quick-charge aqueous batteries will fit among these kinds of storage technologies. But given the rate at which cheap, power-hungry smart devices are spreading, we're going to need more like them.
This research was published in Advanced Energy Materials.


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Rachel Watkins, senior marketing manager at Belo + Company, spent the last several years working on branded content for the Dallas Morning News product and helping develop FWD-DFW, an initiative that sparks awareness and conversation around the equitable education, health and wellness in North Texas. FWD>DFW spotlights the stories of companies and causes that are making a difference in the Dallas community and beyond.
“Consumers expect businesses to invest in their community and beyond, making civically minded and socially responsible companies the ideal partners for branded content,” Watkins said.
FWD>DFW works with its partners to provide content that educates, informs, and impacts North Texas. It’s about how to move FWD — together. Great examples of corporate social responsibility campaigns from their partners include Frito Lay supporting Operation Smile, Baylor Scott and White connecting veterans with service dogs, and The Birthday Party Project from Toyota.
Ninety percent of consumers say they want companies to tell them how they are supporting causes and making a difference. This is why it’s crucial for corporate social responsibility (CSR) to be part of local media branded content initiatives.
And here are a few reasons why:
1. By producing custom branded content that reflects your clients’ community priorities, you amplify the mission, vision and impact of their CSR initiatives. Through the power of storytelling, you’re strategically bringing their social-good impact to life for consumers who wouldn’t otherwise hear about it.
2. A CSR approach to branded content creates a positive halo effect for your clients. You can compellingly showcase companies and their causes, and that builds brand reputation and drives competitive advantage as well as awareness, acquisition and loyalty among target audiences — with significant millennial and Generation Z impact, too.
3. You’re also helping companies retain and acquire talent by celebrating their social responsibility as well as focusing on diversity and inclusion.
4. With CSR stories, you’re encouraging volunteer and donor engagement, as well as other civic engagement priorities, such as voting, advocacy, and more.
Consumers expect businesses to invest in their communities and beyond. This makes civically minded and socially responsible companies the ideal partners for branded content.
“When a brand’s messaging is based on things that really matter, consumers engage differently and even volunteer their attention. It’s a move from ad interruption to ad attraction,” Watkins said.


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Former first lady Melania Trump revealed on Thursday plans to join the non-fungible token (NFT) hype by selling its “Melania’s Vision” watercolor painting.
The NFT, which also plays an audio recording of Mrs. Trump’s voice, says: “My vision is, look forward with inspiration, strength, and courage.”
In her statement of micro-blogging platform, Twitter, the former first lady, highlighted that all the financial proceeds would go to helping children aging out of the U.S. foster care system. However, she has yet to specify the name of the charity or the monetary amount to invest into her new objective.
The NFT costs one SOL, a cryptocurrency that operates on the Solana blockchain. At the time of the announcement, one SOL’s value was $181.34 a piece, according to CoinMarketCap.
According to Mrs. Trump’s press release, credit card payments for her painting’s NFT will also be accepted through the cryptocurrency exchange company MoonPay Limited.
It is worth mentioning that a spokesperson of the financial company debunked the press release’s declaration, stating: “We are not partnered with Melania, nor can users purchase her NFT collection using credit card payments through MoonPay.”
Since the initial announcement, no representative published any clarifications on Mrs. Trump’s behalf, and her office did not reply to any request for comment.