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|By PR Newswire||
|September 4, 2014 05:39 PM EDT||
MONTREAL, Sept. 4, 2014 /CNW Telbec/ - Paquette Gadler Inc. announces it has filed yesterday a motion to authorize the bringing of a class action against Infineon Technologies AG, Infineon Technologies North America, Samsung Electronics CO., Ltd, Samsung Semiconductor Inc., Samsung Electronics America, Samsung Electronics Canada, Koninklijke Philips N.V., Philips Electronics North America Corporation, Renesas Electronics Corporation and Renesas Electronics America at the Montreal court house for Ms. Mélanie Cormier.
The motion was filed to authorize a class action against the respondents, who would have participated in a smart card chips cartel between September 1st 2003 and September 30th 2005 by fixing, maintaining, increasing or otherwise controlling the price of smart card chips and by having sold or otherwise distributed them in Canada.
Smart card chips are commonly found in electronic devices, such as credit cards, and cell phones. As a result of price fixing, consumers did not obtain a fair price for products containing smart card chips. Furthermore, the lack of competition between the respondents deprived consumers from the advantages of a competitive market.
The motion for authorization targets any person who purchased or otherwise obtained an electronic device containing a smart card chip in Canada within the class period.
SOURCE Paquette Gadler inc.
Containers have changed the mind of IT in DevOps. They enable developers to work with dev, test, stage and production environments identically. Containers provide the right abstraction for microservices and many cloud platforms have integrated them into deployment pipelines. DevOps and containers together help companies achieve their business goals faster and more effectively. In his session at DevOps Summit, Ruslan Synytsky, CEO and Co-founder of Jelastic, reviewed the current landscape of Dev...
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Elon Musk, a crypto enthusiast and Tesla CEO, believes it’s impossible for governments to destroy cryptocurrency while slowing down the progress made in the space. Musk, a long-standing advocate of cryptocurrency, particularly bitcoin and dogecoin was speaking at the Code Conference in California on digital technologies. Musk answered a question about whether the US government should regulate crypto. He said that it was not possible to destroy crypto. Musk said that governments can slow down the progress of crypto, however.
The US was due to vote on the final passage this week of the $1 trillion infrastructure bill. This bill included provisions regarding tax regulations around cryptocurrency. In the next few days, the bill will likely be brought to the floor. Musk stated that he would not recommend doing anything at the conference on the government’s decision to regulate the crypto space. He said, “I believe there’s some value to cryptocurrency, but it’s not the second coming of God,” he continued.
Musk also spoke out about the current situation in China regarding cryptocurrencies, noting that China has’significant electricity generation problems’. Because the demand for electricity is higher than anticipated, a lot of South China is experiencing random power outages. He suggested that crypto mining could be a factor in this. China’s central bank People’s Bank of China announced last month a complete ban on crypto mining in a statement.
Digital assets were affected by events like China’s crypto ban. This led to inflows of $95 million in digital assets last week. That brought the total inflows for the past six weeks up to $320m. Investors saw this as a buying opportunity, CoinShares, a digital asset management company, had reported in its weekly report.
Musk tweeted earlier this year that Tesla would no longer accept Bitcoin payments from customers to purchase electric cars. This was in response to concerns about the environment. Musk said that Tesla would accept bitcoin again if he ‘confirms that the percentage renewable energy usage will most likely be at or above 50%, and that there is a tendency towards increasing that number.’ Reuters reported Musk’s statement.

domain: news


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Friday, August 07, 2009
How can the U.S. economy expand if consumer credit continues to contract? Good question. And not one that stands any better chance of being answered in light of the most recent data on credit card and auto loan amounts outstanding as reported by Bloomberg.
Consumer credit in the U.S. declined in June for a fifth straight month as banks maintained tough lending terms and households remained reluctant to borrow money for major purchases.Importantly, consumer credit contains no housing related debt at all. One can only imagine how sharply outstanding home equity lines of credit and home equity loans are contracting these days. Is this data collected and published anywhere aside from at individual banks?
Consumer credit fell $10.3 billion, or 4.92 percent at an annual rate, to $2.5 trillion, according to a Federal Reserve report released today in Washington. Credit dropped by $5.38 billion in May, more than previously estimated. The series of declines is the longest since 1991.
Stagnant wages and falling home values mean consumer spending, about 70 percent of the economy, will take time to recover even as the recession eases.
“This string of declining credit should continue as long as the economy eliminates workers at an elevated pace,” said Richard Yamarone, director of economic research at Argus Research Corp. in New York. “We’re 20 months into the recession and the economy is still losing a quarter-of-a-million jobs per month.”


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AAAN, Brand Communicator to host APCON boss, Fadolapo
The marketing and communication publication, Brand Communicator, in collaboration with the Advertising Agencies Association of Nigeria (AAAN), is organising an industry reception for the recently appointed Registrar and Chief Executive Officer of the Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria, APCON, Dr. Lekan Fadolapo.
The event, which is billed for Friday, March 5, 2020 and scheduled to hold at the Sheraton Hotel & Towers, Ikeja in Lagos by 9:00pm, is expected to have in attendance, heads of sectoral groups and selected key stakeholders within the Integrated Marketing Communication space in the Nigerian market. The event will be an hybrid event.
Until his appointment, Fadolapo, a registered advertising practitioner and fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), was the Executive Secretary of the AAAN.
While throwing light on the collaboration between Brand Communicator and AAAN to host the grand reception, Chief Executive Officer of Awesome Communications and Publisher of Brand Communicator, Joshua Ajayi, said the reception is necessary because of the years the industry had been in limbo, following the seeming Federal Government’s apathy towards constitution of the APCON Council and lack of a substantive registrar. “Fadolapo’s appointment therefore warrants celebration for the industry. The grand reception will also afford the new APCON boss the platform to formally address the IMC industry.”
The Steve Babaeko-led AAAN was founded in 1973 as a sectoral body within the Nigerian marketing communications landscape and has become a force to be reckoned with both locally and internationally.
Formerly known as Association of Advertising Practitioners of Nigeria (AAPN), the association formally changed its name on Saturday May 1, 2004 at Lekki Peninsula Resort, Ajah, Lagos during its 31st AGM/Congress. AAAN is the umbrella body that coordinates and promotes the interest of advertising agencies in Nigeria.
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Newark, NJ (PRWEB) December 19, 2005
While the holiday season takes shape, Pay Per Click will no doubt play a major role for much of the online sales generated, but at what cost to the advertiser? Pay Per Click fraud is expected to be bigger than ever this holiday season.
While the holiday season takes shape, Pay Per Click will no doubt play a major role for much of the online sales generated, but at what cost to the advertiser? How many of the clicks are even real? The consensus seems to be around 50% according to most of the rising anti-fraud companies stepping into the fray to advise their clients. That means that, while the click value may very well be accurately assigned by the market, the other half or more of the clicks this holiday season will be outright phony, which will cost advertisers big time, especially mom and pops who might be caught off guard.
A small article on an SEO website (http://www.seochat.com/c/a/Search-Engine-News/PayPerClick-Destined-to-Evolve-into-PayPerAction/) takes the credit for the title “Pay Per Click Destined to Evolve Into Pay Per Action?” , but not necessarily the idea. Froogle is an eBay skip away as it is, but it doesn’t’ go the whole nine yards. Local Pay Per Call and other options have been around for some time now. We’re all just waiting for something serious to pull PPC down before we will be able to get behind a new medium, it would seem.
Most Internet Yellow Pages are flat, static, and interactively stale. U.S. advertising in Yellow Pages equaled $15 billion last year according to Kelsey Group. One out of four Internet searches is for local information. Searches for local information are likely to increase by around 33% a year, while use of the printed Yellow Pages dwindles by 4% annually, according to Kelsey. With billions of dollars of local advertising at stake, everyone's stepping up to address and tackle the local search challenge.
Traditional search engines and web directories use automated information retrieval systems to display content relevant to a user's search request. Eliminating the many difficulties and problems that are encountered and arise from the various automated tools that try to properly interpret unstructured user queries is also a challenge, leaving us to wonder how engines heavily invested in PPC and non-local approaches will fare on tomorrow’s local-focused Internet, especially as PPC behemoth Google is now fighting off litigants in court in class action suits revolving around click fraud as this is being written.
So what, if any, are the real detractions of Pay Per Action? Well, users may just have to reveal their identity as opposed to anonymous PPC, but most likely on secure servers which is no different than the part where you fill out the order form with your address and credit card information. If you’re comfortable with your favorite merchant or product carrier knowing your personal information, then there really is no problem for the consumer there. How about on the advertiser end? The only likely problem is if Pay Per Action advertisers fail to understand the medium, which requires up front information about the user. Ultimately, credit cards, as already done in many situations, confirms one’s identity quickly and accurately enough for most of us in today’s society, and poses little problems for even the guy who buys survival equipment from his camouflage lined computer chair.
One dot com pundit (http://www.imediaconnection.com/content/4663.asp) has noted a key factor being the distribution of broadband connection to the Internet, providing “always on and always connected” access to the Internet in every home that formerly would have pulled out the worn phone book to contact a local business. This is a notable factor, as connecting at cost each time is a detraction for homes not yet plugged in 24-7. This isn’t a flaw in local search, per se, but just a small delay that will probably diminish rather quickly in the next 5 years or less, according to Jupiter Media (http://www.jupitermedia.com/corporate/releases/05.08.23-newjupresearch.html), who states that broadband will likely include 80% of all Internet users by the year 2010. With 43% already getting online via broadband [Jupiter], it would seem that the end of PPC is nearing indeed, and with it, click fraud.
Imagine a holiday season not that far away, maybe even December 2006, when the majority of clicking doesn’t automatically spend the marketing budget of the advertiser until the purchase is made. The PPC guys will lose their corner on online advertising, but the consumer and businesses will both profit when neither is forced to pay extra for the Pay Per Click’s darker side. Then clickmen will have to go back to less relaxed methods of robbing and stealing during the holidays, and simply drop the TV set when the sirens start to sound, or else get legitimate jobs, instead of fueling a rogue corporation’s offshore antics.
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Pricey patio door remains missingPosted: Updated:
PHOENIX -- It's the case of the missing $10,000 door.
It's not just any door, this door is huge 16 feet by 10 feet. Not only is it a big door, but it also comes with a big price tag. Although it was paid for months ago, the homeowner says it still hasn't arrived.
“It's my dream home, I designed it about four years ago and now here I am being the builder of it, it's super exciting!”
When Angela Johnson designed and started building her home, she held nothing back.
“Everything is custom as you can see even the insets and the arches are different then what you'd typically see, the doors the windows, everything.”
And part of her personal design included customized windows and doors, specifically a beautiful custom-made patio door.
“I decided to go with a well-known company who I thought would be really easy to deal with cause they're huge in the construction industry, they work with all of the builders and that was Paramount.”
Paramount Windows Corp. to be exact. Angela says she hired them way back in April and paid them more than $33,000 for windows and interior doors, the price tag included $9,500 for that patio door alone. Although everything was installed, that huge door is still missing.
“They said I'm sorry, there's a delay those are coming like a month later than your windows and I said ok, which would've put us at May 11th.”
But Angela says the door has never been installed. and she claims all she's getting is lip service.
“We're sorry, we're sorry there's been a delay or a back order or there's this or there's that and every time it's a different excuse.”
Angela says the missing door is holding up the rest of her construction which includes her final inspection. So, she contacted 3 On Your Side.
“Here we are three months past the day that my door was supposed to be delivered, with five separate times that it was supposed to be delivered.”
Paramount Windows tells 3 On Your Side that they apologize for the delay, and blame the hold up on the door's manufacturer which initially made the door, but it was the wrong size. They say that delayed the project again.
Although they have been trying to expedite the door's arrival, Paramount Windows says the delay has not been their fault. However, after 3 On Your Side's involvement, the door finally did arrive and Paramount Windows says it's expecting to install it any day now, which is good news for Angela, who remains frustrated.
"I can't live in a house with a big piece of plywood."
Paramount Windows Corporation is licensed and has an A Plus rating with the Better Business Bureau. In light of Angela's frustration, they say they'll send her a $2,500 check to offset the delay. And they tell us the door will be in tomorrow.


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Late last month, Paradox Interactive CEO Fredrik Wester made a surprising statement in a post on the publisher's official forum: he was so confident that Victoria 2, Paradox's most recently-announced title, wouldn't turn a profit that he pledged to shave his head and publish photographs if the game ended up being a financial success.
The game is a sequel to 2003's Victoria: An Empire Under the Sun, an in-depth strategy game set in the Victorian era. Wester said it had "a terrible launch" -- which is why his expectations for the new game are reserved at best.
Wester's post referenced a poll conducted last year, asking Paradox community members what game they wanted to see the company develop next. Victoria 2 narrowly beat out the World War II-era strategy game Hearts of Iron III, the latter of which ended up being announced days later and was released this August -- and hails from a more commercially successful franchise than Victoria.


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Italy: Inflation rises to highest level in almost three years
November 16, 2011
In October, consumer prices rose 0.6% over the previous month, which was up both from the flat reading recorded in September and the 0.2% rise recorded in the same month last year. Accordingly, annual inflation rose from 3.0% in September to 3.4% in October which, although in line with market expectations, marked the highest level since October 2008. The reading was mainly the result of the 21% increase in value added tax (VAT), which was included in the government's austerity plan approved in August and became effective from 17 September. The core inflation index, which excludes more volatile categories such as unprocessed food and energy, rose 0.4% over the previous month. As a result of the monthly pick-up, annual core inflation rose from 2.4% in September to 2.5% in October, the highest level since December 2008. Finally, annual HICP inflation inched up from 2.5% in September to 2.6% in October. The Bank of Italy sees HICP inflation averaging 2.7% this year, before dropping to 1.9% next year.
Author: Armando Ciccarelli, Head of Data Solutions


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Tue, 27 Apr 2021 13:13:00 GMT
eBay has unveiled a new campaign film that vividly and playfully portrays people’s everyday conversations, to show all the ways people can win in life, thanks to eBay.
The campaign lands as the UK emerges out of one of the longest lockdowns in the world with a renewed sense of optimism and desire to get back to life. But with purse strings tighter than ever, eBay is championing all the savvy ways people are getting what they want at prices they love by shopping eBay’s unrivalled spectrum of value. From Certified Refurbished electricals and pre-loved bikes, to the site’s discount designer section Brand Outlet, there are more ways to purchase and more ways to win, when consumers buy on eBay.
The TV spot titled ‘More ways to win’ – created by McCann London and Craft London and bought to life by MJZ director Tom Kuntz – begins as we join a loveable rogue reciting a ‘you’ll never believe this’ story to camera. A fast-paced, rollercoaster ride ensues as we discover he’s looking to shed the ‘banana bread bod’ of lockdown life, to start a – somewhat ambitious – health kick with his not so trusty doggy Nobby. But on his pursuit, word of mouth, words of wisdom, and a few life hacks are shared by a flurry of diverse characters that inhabit his world. This sets him down a road of shrewd ‘eBay wins’ and ultimately leads to him serendipitously meeting ‘the woman of his dreams’.
On a craft level, director Tom Kuntz with production house MJZ brought the script to screen with a graphical character study, and eye for stand-out comedy, that painted a rich, filmic world befitting of the ‘people’s marketplace’.
The film is accompanied by a broader integrated campaign, including topical radio scripts. Each one playfully heroes a different slice of life post lockdown, through the items we all really need right now – from outfits for going ‘out out’ again, hairdryers to rid yourself of the lockdown barnet, to camping gear for the inevitable staycation. Once again showing how there are more ways to win when shoppers buy on eBay.
Ray Shaughnessy and Dan Norris, joint ECDs at McCann London said: "eBay has got 29 million active UK users. 29 million. That’s half of the country who’ll compulsively boast ‘got it on eBay’ to whoever will listen when they bag the thing they want or need at a price they can afford. Somehow Ebay remains a very human platform with personality and soul and it’s this brilliant energy that Tom Kuntz has captured so perfectly.”
Eve Williams, chief marketing officer at eBay UK said: “We're excited to bring our diverse marketplace to life, where everyone can feel proud to say they 'got it on eBay'. From a pre-loved bike to designer clothes from Brand Outlet, this ad showcases the many ways our customers can find joy and value when they shop with us – especially as we emerge from lockdown and get back outdoors. Tom Kuntz and the team at McCann London have been able to craft a spot that truly shows why there's more ways to win when you buy, sell, eBay.”
Categories: Retail and Restaurants , Online retailersMcCann London, Tue, 27 Apr 2021 13:13:00 GMT


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Atiku Abubakar accuses Bukhari-led government of destroying his business by selling his shares in Intels
Presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar allegedly sold his stakes in Intels, a company he co-founded with Italian citizen Gabriele Volpi, to provide integrated logistics services to Nigeria’s maritime, oil and gas sectors.
Intels signed an agreement with the Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA) in 2010 to collect revenues on behalf of the federal government agency for some port operations, but the agreement had many problems based on alleged illegality.
In a statement released Monday, January 4 by his spokesman Paul Ibe, the former vice president accused the federal government of running his business.
Insisting that there should be a noticeable difference between politics and business, Atiku added that he is redirecting his investments to other sectors of the economy for profit and job creation.
The declaration is readable;
“Integrated Logistics Services Nigeria Limited (Intels) co-founder Atiku Abubakar has sold his stakes in Intel over the years.
“In the past five years, this issue has become more pressing as this government was concerned about the destruction of a legitimate company that employed thousands of Nigerians because of politics.
“He sold his stakes in Intel and redirected his investments to other sectors of the economy to generate profits and create jobs.”


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Samsung plan to boost share value falls short of Elliott goals
Samsung Electronics Co. is demonstrating it is finally willing to be responsive to shareholder calls for change. But not that responsive.
Elliott Management Corp. began campaigning last month for an overhaul of Samsung Electronics as the company was struggling to contain the fallout from battery fires in its Note 7 smartphones and preparing for heir apparent Jay Y. Lee to assume greater control of the family enterprise. Last year, Elliott lost a fight to prevent a merger of two units within the conglomerate, Cheil Industries Inc. and Samsung C&T Corp.
Now, it appears that Elliott will have to wait longer for broad change at South Korea’s most valuable company. Samsung said it will add at least one outside director next year, while the investor had sought three independent directors. Samsung said it will use 50 percent of free cash flow in shareholder returns for this year and next, indicating a return of about 9.5 trillion won ($8.1 billion) in 2016. Elliott had sought a special dividend of 30 trillion won.
Billionaire Paul Elliott Singer, who leads Elliott, had also pushed for Samsung to separate into an operating company and a holding company, and list shares on a U.S. exchange. The Suwon, South Korea-based company said it will spend at least six months looking at the possibility of a holding company structure and listing the company’s shares on additional international exchanges — without promising any definite change. The review doesn’t include the Samsung C&T merger, the company said.
“The restructuring guidance fell short of investors’ expectations,” said Park Kang-ho, analyst at Daishin Securities Co. “The announcement wasn’t strong enough to offer a further boost to the shares.”
Samsung shares, which are up more than 33 percent this year, was mostly unchanged in trading in Seoul.
Samsung also said it will increase total dividends by 30 percent in 2016, bringing the annual dividend amount to 4 trillion won. The rest of the allocated total cash return will be used to buy shares starting at the end of January. Samsung completed a share buyback worth 11.3 trillion won earlier this year.
Read here: Gadfly column on Samsung’s cash
The changes come as Vice Chairman Lee increases his influence at the world’s biggest smartphone maker, which is recovering from the Note 7 smartphone crisis. The company is also grappling with an influence-peddling scandal linked to Korean President Park Geun-hye, with its offices raided twice as part of the widening political scandal. Prosecutors are looking into links between Samsung and a confidant of the president, who is at the center of an influence-peddling investigation.
“It now has to pull itself together amid ongoing troubles, including the recent political scandal, so it isn’t a great time to execute such a structural reform just yet,” said Lee Sang Hun, governance structure analyst at HI Investment & Securities Co.
Samsung said it’s looking for a “highly qualified” director “with global corporate experience” and plans to nominate at least one new, independent board member for approval at the next annual shareholder meeting in March 2017.
“The outside directors recommended by Elliott are likely to be very independent from the current board, thus we can expect monitoring inside and outside of Samsung Electronics to strengthen,’’ said Cho Sung Ick, a fellow focused on industry structure at the Korea Development Institute.
The electronics giant said it needs to keep a net cash balance of 65 trillion to 70 trillion Korean won, based on its historical and expected capital expenditures, working capital requirements, acquisitions and other financing needs. Still, the company will review its cash position every three years and return any excess cash beyond the target balance to shareholders, Samsung said.
In October, Elliott made its appeal for change, arguing that Samsung should return more cash to its shareholders. Samsung has a dividend yield of about 1.3 percent compared with roughly 2 percent for Apple Inc. and 2.4 percent at Microsoft Corp.
“Clearly the political environment is changing in Korea and seemingly in a direction that will make it harder for the status quo for the chaebols to persist,” Daniel O’Keefe, managing director of Artisan Partners, which backed Elliott, said before the changes were announced. Artisan holds more than 1 million Samsung Electronics shares and has owned stock in the company for more than a decade, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. “We think it is natural that all stakeholders demand better corporate governance.”
Aberdeen Asset Management Asia, another investor in Samsung, had also supported Elliott’s proposals.
“Samsung has faced multiple challenges in 2016,” said Samsung Chief Executive Officer Kwon Oh-hyun. “In 2017, the global economic outlook will remain uncertain and the competition in key products will continue to intensify but we will continue to invest.”
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Guitar Center coming to Public Market in Emeryville
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- Blanca Torres
Guitar Center, a musical equipment retailer, plans to move into a space formerly occupied by Borders in Emeryville’s Public Market.
The store has signed a lease for 18,000 square feet at 5800 Shellmound St. with landlord TMG Partners. Work is expected to start on the build-out of new location in July.
The former Borders took up about 30,000 square feet in the Public Market, a retail and office complex that is known for its food court made up of various vendors. It also includes office space and a movie theater.
The rest of the Borders space will also be leased. One deal is already pending, said Craig Semmelmeyer, principal of Main Street Properties, who represents TMG on its retail leases at the Public Market.
The Guitar Center has more than 200 stores nationwide. In the Bay Area, it has locations in Concord, El Cerrito, San Francisco and San Jose.
The Emeryville location is expected to open sometime next spring.
Blanca Torres covers East Bay Real Estate for the San Francisco Business Times.
Contact her at email@example.com or (415) 288-4960.
Read her blog postings at Bay Area BizTalk.
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Yes, that was a piano falling. From about the fourth story, I should think. And it’s the musical accompaniment to the year that is ending today. The year ended with a thud when we received notice that the Albertson’s LLC chain will move from Source Interlink to The News Group effective April 2014.
In some ways this means not very much. The copies shift from one warehouse to another. A different colored truck makes the delivery. The credits go to a different line on a worksheet.
But for the local Chicago warehouse, where we have already lost over 75 Dominick’s stores as Safeway closed that banner of their chain this month, more losses will mount. As for Safeway, to date only 11 stores have been picked up and will be re-branded by the Marianos division of Roundy’s. Mariano’s is a high-end chain with small mainlines and not an enormous amount of checkout space. The rest of the stores are awaiting word on whether or not someone else picks them up. It’s possible that most of them will be re-opened because in the Chicago marketplace we have many small regional grocery chains. From what is out in the news, some have expressed interest but so far no commitment that I am aware of.
In the meantime, a big hole in our sales.
It also means that the primary traditional grocery chain, Jewel/Osco, moves to News Group and will no longer be serviced by a Chicago magazine wholesaler.
This is clearly TNG’s “push back” on Source snatching national contracts for CVS and Rite Aid. It doesn’t match the volume, but it is interesting to see. You have to wonder: What’s next?
If you’re a Chicago “veteran” like myself, it’s shocking to see the former Dominick’s chain disappear. It’s equally odd to contemplate the thought of a long-established chain like Jewel/Osco moving to another magazine distributor.
This is clearly an announcement to anyone in this business that if you’re not willing to adapt to all of the market changes that have accumulated over the years, a piano will surely be dropped on your head.


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We’re edging closer and closer to finding out whether or not Hyundai is going to produce its first ute, inspired by the Santa Cruz concept.
The model would take the form of the Santa Cruz concept, which was unveiled at this year’s Detroit Motor Show. Scott Margason, Hyundai America’s director of product planning spoke to Edmunds about the vehicle recently, saying:
“We would not be starting from scratch with this vehicle, that is fair to say… A lot of active work going on within the company in terms of whether we take that concept to production.”
Hyundai is said to be considering basing the production version on the new Tuscon SUV (pictured), which would save lots of time and money in development and production. While the Tuscon is front-wheel drive, Hyundai is likely to install an all-wheel-drive drivetrain.
As we’ve already reported, key players in Hyundai’s North American branch are lobbying to its Korean headquarters to go ahead and produce the model.
The Santa Cruz concept was unveiled with a turbocharged 2.0-litre, four-cylinder engine, producing around 141kW, offering a claimed economy of 7.8L/100km. If production goes ahead, the ute is likely to take on a sporty crossover-ute character, like the concept, as opposed to existing as a heavy-duty diesel workhorse.


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Local auto manufacturers have asked the government to cut down taxes to reduce prices of cars and off-road vehicles in the country.
The concerns were shared in a meeting organised by the government with local manufacturers seeking proposals to help reduce the prices of locally-manufactured vehicles.
With the demand and supply balance tilting again in favor of the former, premiums charged by showrooms have increased prices for buyers.
“We have informed the government that there were around 40pc taxes on each car and off-road vehicle. The best possible way to reduce prices would be through abolishment of some taxation on new cars being assembled in the country,” said Indus Motor Company (IMC) Chief Executive Ali Asghar Jamali.
Talking to media on Thursday, he said that government and auto sector will review vehicle prices in December as they are going to negotiate a new auto policy.
“Auto sector foresees a promising future and aims to be the biggest contributor to the government’s macroeconomic goals, provided, a predictable and long-term auto policy is in place,” Jamali said.
He said that other issues will also be taken up in the upcoming meeting with regards to the demand of the Ministry of Science and Technology for localised testing of standards.
“We do not have any objection to the testing of parts and the whole vehicle even the crash test — but does anybody has the facility and the qualified personnel to do it,” Jamali said while adding that “apart from establishing the standards the government should also establish the testing labs — because we have already adopted the Japanese standards.”
He said that it would be unfair that the government department may charge fee just to issue a certificate and the tests are conducted by the company abroad.
Similarly, he added that the existing auto industry has objections to the new electric vehicle policy.
“We demand that tax relief should be given to all assemblers for the import of car batteries and motors — and not for the import of whole car,” he said.
“This way, we too will start producing electric vehicles and there will be a level-playing field for all players,” added Jamali.
He added that the auto sector was the largest manufacturing industry which was plunged into a deep crisis during the Covid-19 lockdowns.


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A precautionary recall has been issued for H-E-B Spinach Spring Mix Bagged Salad, as well as several deli items, over possible contamination concerns.
The grocery items are sold at H-E-B stores statewide, including those in the Bellaire area.
The recall came after possible contamination was identified in the products, which are produced for H-E-B by Taylor Farms.
No details on the nature of the contamination have been released.
Winell Herron, the grocery chain’s vice president of public affairs and diversity, said the recall was issued out of an abundance of caution and to ensure the safety of customers.
“H-E-B is committed to the highest standards of food safety for our customers,” Herron said. “We want to take every precaution necessary to ensure the integrity and quality of the products sold in our stores.”
No reports of illnesses have been received because of the potentially contaminated products.
The recalled items include:
- H-E-B Spinach Spring Mix Bagged Salad 0-41220-19752-1 5-oz.
- Chicken Ranch Salad 62440
- Small Chicken Ranch Salad 62441
- Large Garden Salad 62442
- Small Garden Salad 62443
- Large Chef Salad 62444
- Small Chef Salad 62445
- Large Garden Salad w/Rotisserie Chicken Salad 62449
- Garden Salad with Roasted Turkey 62450
- Cobb Salad 62451
Customers can return the recalled products to any H-E-B or Central Market store for a full refund.
Customers with concerns or questions can contact H-E-B Customer Relations at 210-938-8357 or 1-800-432-3113.


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Is Your DJI Drone Spying On You And Invading Your Personal Privacy?
Is your DJI drone or UAV spying on your personal privacy? Spoiler Alert: Yes. Yes it is! Owning a drone is a lot of fun! But are you aware of the massive personal privacy and spying risks? They are insane and over the top! Is your drone is spying on you? Oh heck yeah! And […]
DonutGate: The BatS**t Crazy Story Behind Tim Hortons Massive Privacy Violation
The Canadian government recently exposed Goliath donut franchise “Tim Hortons” for massive violations of consumer privacy. Investigators found that the app was tracking users, minute by minute of every day, collecting data and behaviors even when the app was closed and not being used. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7I7myQ6Uoc&t=5s The app spied on customers, tracking and watching them at […]
8 Ways Social Media Networks Can Rob You of Your Privacy
Privacy is a grey area for social media and social networks. Especially if you use your real name or enjoy expressing yourself without social filters. Most people are blindsided and surprised when they see how much private and personal data social media platforms can harvest and collect. Facebook sees over 500 billion likes every day […]


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(Bloomberg)—Fair warning to parents: Amazon.com Inc. has just announced plans to let your teenagers use your account to shop.
Kids age 13 to 17 can now create their own login and account on the Amazon app, allowing them to shop or stream content under digital parental supervision.
If the parents are Prime members, teens can have individual access to most of the same benefits including movies, gaming via Twitch and free two-day shipping, Amazon said in a statement Wednesday. Amazon is No. 1 in the Internet Retailer 2017 Top 500.
Parents get a text or email and approve each order their children want to make, or they can set pre-approved spending limits for more autonomy.
The announcement from Seattle-based Amazon comes at a particularly tough time for physical retailers catering to teens. As more commerce moves online, foot traffic at malls has declined significantly, and the “mall rat”—those teenagers who spend all their free time (and presumably their allowance)—is becoming a relic of the past.
Traditional retailers like Abercrombie & Fitch Co. (No. 61), Express Inc. (No. 102) and Urban Outfitters Inc. (No. 40), have had trouble attracting teen shoppers, who tend to have fickle tastes and are notoriously unpredictable.
By essentially establishing an online allowance, Amazon has found a way to rope in the next generation of consumers.Favorite


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NEW YORK — The mind behind Sally Hansen Miracle Gel and various other Coty products is retiring. Coty on Wednesday announced the departure of chief scientific officer Ralph Macchio, who has been with the company for 25 years and is set to depart on June 30.
Ralph has been an amazing R&D leader in the beauty industry and retires after a truly distinguished career,” Coty CEO Camillo Pane said. “He has developed many iconic products over the years, pioneered radical and breakthrough technologies and authored numerous patents. These include our highly successful Sally Hansen Miracle Gel, one of the biggest nail successes in beauty, having won 34 awards, and Rimmel Lash Accelerator Mascara, proven to help grow lashes, to name just two.”
Coty said that Macchio’s retirement had been planned for a couple years, but that he had agreed to postpone it until after the company’s merger and integration with Procter and Gamble’s beauty business. After his departure, the research and development department team will report to Pane.
“My many thanks, and those of our Board and Executive Committee members, and all his colleagues at Coty go to Ralph for his leadership, commitment, drive and passion for our business, and for the expertise he has brought. We wish him a great retirement,” Pane said.


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Earlier in the week, “I Can’t Internet” published my article “Will tablets replace laptops and netbooks?” Essentially, my answer was no, but there are certain niche industries where it makes sense to move to tablets.
K-12 schools spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on textbooks. Some charge rentals fees for students, but many urban schools lend textbooks to students and never get back the money they lose when their students’ dogs invariably eat their textbooks.
Kno has a possible solution: a tablet that displays textbooks. The initial cost is pretty high with the Kno single screen costing $599 and the awesome-looking dual screen that opens like a book costing $899. But the textbooks cost significantly less, meaning schools will eventually save more in the long run. Of course, seeing as how schools can barely afford to pay teachers right now, it is doubtful if they would be willing to make the initial investment.


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Firm claims 50% market share in ecommerce payments on the back of scaling ops and LazyPay launch.
In a circular issued on October 21, NPCI, which manages the instant payment railroad, limited the daily UPI transactions from each account to 10, from 20 previously.
The company also said it was registering more than 1 billion monthly sessions by users logging into the application for payments and money transfers.
The report says in India, Mexico and Nigeria, the annual growth rates of internet use were between 4-6% from 2012 to 2015, whereas the growth rates have been much slower in developed economies, except for Japan, as the markets have already reached near saturation.
RBI Governor Urjit Patel along with Deputy Governor R Gandhi and other senior functionaries appeared before Parliament's Public Accounts Committee (PAC) for oral evidence on 'Review of Monetary Policy'.
The bus ticket booking segment is valued at Rs. 20,000 crores in India and online transactions contribute nearly 15% to this segment. Much of the growth is because of the booking through mobile apps.
Although India’s Internet user base is second to only China’s, only 14% shop online, compared with 30-35% in Brazil and Russia and 55% in China, according to a report.
The study points out that in the next three years, an additional 200 million Indians will access the Internet, led by smartphone users.
Apart from saving credit card information, billing and shipping details of the customer, Snapdeal’s yet-to-be-named payment gateway will also incorporate analytics relating to the buyers’ specific choices, allowing them to complete transactions in a few quick steps. The company has about 20,000 sellers transacting on its marketplace offering about 500 product categories.
Editor's Picks ›
Fashion brand Mufti to open bigger stores; aims to double revenue / Snacking startup Samosa Singh raise Rs 17 cr in Series A funding / H&M collaborates with Sabyasachi to launch new collection / Adani Wilmar to recycle 100% of plastics used by it in 3 years / Trends to watch out for in the e-commerce sector 2020 / Reliance Retail Q3 pre-tax profit up 62% to Rs 2,727cr / Amazon plans to create a million jobs in India by 2025 / 5 trends that will shape offline retail in 2020 / Mars Wrigley India appoints Kalpesh Parmar as new GM / Rajeev Bakshi joins Ola Foods in advisory role


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Lego is Going Green
Lego is ranked number five of the best reputed corporate brands on a global ranking according to the annual Global RepTrak 100. The company is up in reputation from number nine in 2014 and number 10 in 2013. And in North America, Lego is ranked number one in corporate reputation.
It's not hard to imagine the popularity given Lego's reach of nearly 100 million children. CEO Jorgen Vig Knudstorp has hopes to still reach many more children as he believes there is a positive influence from playing with the bricks for development and learning. In 2014, Lego saw sales increase by 15%, no doubt in part to the hugely successful Lego Movie.
Lego is conscious of the impact the plastic bricks have on the environment. "We have already taken important steps to reduce our carbon footprint and leave a positive impact on the planet by reducing the packaging size, by introducing FSC certified packaging and through our investment in an offshore wind farm. Now we are accelerating our focus on materials," said Jorgen Vig Knudstorp. This focused effort on creating more ecologically sound bricks has also increased jobs in their region as they research new materials that are sustainable for the long term future.
Outset Media doesn't have nearly the same impact on the environment as Lego. However, we also believe that even small companies can have a big impact based on their manufacturing decisions. Many years ago, Outset brought a big part of its production back to North America from China. In an effort to reduce our carbon footprint and support the North American economy, we chose to produce all of our Cobble Hill jigsaw puzzles in the United States and a majority of our board games and card games. Some of our games that require plastic parts are still being manufactured in China, however our Product Sourcing Manager is actively researching local alternatives. We hope to one day say that all of our board games and card games are made in North America.
In the meanwhile, we hope that children and adults continue to share their love of play! Instead of throwing out a board game or toy, recycle it at a thrift store or give it to a friend.


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NEW YORK – Bakkt, Intercontinental Exchange’s bitcoin futures trading platform, may be seeking a New York crypto license.
// STAY UP TO DATE – FOLLOW BLOCKCHAIN DAILY ON TWITTER: @BLCKCHAINDAILY
According to Bloomberg, Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) is turning to the New York Department of Financial Services (NYDFS) to receive a license after being postponed for five months.
The delays have been placed on cynicism from the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), the regulatory body in charge of bitcoin futures.
The CFTC apprehensive take is due to how clients’ tokens will be stored and whether investors have enough safeguards against theft and manipulation.
ICE is hoping a regulatory stamp of approval from the NYDFS will conciliate the CFTC.
However, even with a state license, ICE will still need an endorsement by the CFTC on the Bakkt project.
Spokesmen for ICE and the CFTC declined to comment.
Bakkt hopes to solve two main problems they believe is holding bitcoin back from mainstream adoption; Institutional investors entering the sector, as well as, enabling “consumers and institutions to buy, sell, store and spend digital assets on a seamless global network.”
The project was initially slated for launch in November, but regulatory hurdles have plagued the platform since.
Bakkt CEO Kelly Loeffler stated the company is continuing to work with the CFTC, but they’re “not yet able to provide a launch date.”
“While we’re not yet able to provide a launch date, we’re making solid progress in bringing the first physical delivery price discovery contracts for Bitcoin to the U.S., where price formation will occur in federally regulated, transparent markets,” Loeffler said in a Medium post on March 29.


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Keeping in mind the impact of policy reforms like RERA, GST and note ban, the realty market is on a recovery path and the housing sales are anticipated to rise in 2019. Basis a source, a space of 200 million sq. ft will be added in 2019 across all the segments including housing, office, retail and logistics; and at the end of the year, the real estate stock in India will reach 3.7 trillion sq ft.
Technology, demand-supply dynamics, improved ease of doing business rankings will drive India’s real estate market in 2019. The residential market is on the path of recovery and the post impact of the policy reforms of 2017 such as demonetisation, RERA (Real Estate Regulatory Authority) and GST (Goods & Services Tax) have been well absorbed by the sector and is bringing about significant growth in all the segments of the sector.
Mr. Pradeep Aggarwal, Founder and Chairman, Signature Global elaborates, “The Indian Real Estate sector is on a path of recovery post the impact of demonetisation, GST and RERA and now, with the decision of adding 200 million sq. ft across all the segments will encourage the builders for new launches and will thereby boost the realty market.”


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First quarter 2012
Stable first quarter
During the first quarter of 2012, the Volvo Group’s sales development continued to be strong. Net sales rose by 10% to SEK 78.8 billion and was the highest so far for a first quarter. The operating income of SEK 6.2 billion was on par with the year-earlier period, adjusted for the nonrecurring items that impacted the first quarter of both this year and last year. The 7.9% operating margin was somewhat lower than in 2011, and was primarily the result of a changed market mix.
- Olof Persson, President and CEO -


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If you are invested in Sugar Industry you may want to read the following:
PRICES FALL FOR SUGAR & COFFEE
By CHRISTIAN BERTHELSEN
Wall Street Journal
Feb. 23, 2015 4:41 p.m. ET
Sugar and coffee prices got a jolt Monday when forecasts for rain in Brazil hyped expectations of a robust crop, adding to fears of abundant supplies in the market.
Contracts for both crops have been on a months long slide—in sugar’s case, because of concerns about a global glut of supply, and in coffee’s because the market is coming off a more-than-four-year high set last autumn. But on Monday, the contracts came under pressure for the same reason—expectations of rains in Brazil, the world’s top producer of both crops.
Meteorlogix said light showers and normal temperatures were expected this week in Brazil’s coffee-growing regions and “episodes of showers and thundershowers and cooler temperatures last week eased stress on developing” sugar cane and coffee crops. Brazil supplies about one-third of the world’s coffee and 40% of its sugar.
Arabica coffee for the most actively traded May contract fell 3% to settle at a one-year low of $1.4825 a pound on the ICE Futures U.S. exchange. Raw sugar prices fell 1.3% to 14.13 cents a pound, its lowest closing price in five months.
“The weather conditions in Brazil are fantastic right now. The drought ideas about coffee trees being permanently damaged were so overblown,” said James Cordier, president of OptionSellers.com in Tampa, Fla. “Growing conditions are excellent, and the price is showing just that.”
Last year, parts of Brazil suffered the worst drought in decades. The severe dry weather crimped production of arabica, a type of coffee prized for its mild flavor, and raised worries about prolonged damage to the trees.
Lower coffee prices haven’t yet trickled down to consumers. Chris Narayanan, head of agriculture commodities research at Société Générale in New York, said major commercial market participants such as roasters have been buying at low prices and hedging future price risks. However, “they tend to react quicker when prices are rising than when they are falling,” Mr. Narayanan said.
Another factor weighing on both markets is weakness in the Brazilian real. The dollar has gained 7.3% against the real this month, including 0.3% on Monday. A falling real incentivizes exports, further adding to global supplies. And for sugar, the market is continuing to feel ripple effects from a decision announced last week by India’s government to subsidize sugar exports.
“There is a huge amount of cane available to produce more sugar,” said Michael McDougall, a senior vice president at brokerage Newedge.
In other markets, cocoa prices notched their 14th consecutive session gain, ending above $3,000 a ton for the first time in four months. Cocoa touched a one-year low in January amid concern about weak demand and oversupply after Ivory Coast, the world’s top producer, grew a record crop last year.
Cocoa for May, the most actively traded contract, rose 0.7% to $3,001 a ton. The May cotton contract eased 0.7% to settle at 64.20 cents a pound, and frozen, concentrated orange juice for May fell 3.6% to settle at $1.26 a pound, a three-month low for the most actively traded contract.
Write to Christian Berthelsen at firstname.lastname@example.org


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On 22 March the largest ship ever to have entered in our beautiful Boka Bay will sail into the port of Kotor. That will be the cruiser “MSC Divina” owned by MSC Cruises, one of the most luxury ship lines in the worlds.
Total share of travel and tourism industry in Montenegro GDP will amount to 14.1 per cent, according to the new estimations of the World Travel & Tourism Council, which brings Montenegro to the first place on the list with 184 countries.
It is expected that the share of tourism and connected activities in GDP will grow in the following 10-year period.
Kerzner International Holdings Limited, a leading international entrepreneur and resort, casinos and luxury hotels operator in various destinations which operates through their branch offices, entered into a contract with Triangle Investment and Development Limited, for the construction and management of the new One&Only resort in Kumbor, Montenegro in the Bay of Tivat.
A couple of days ago a press conference of the working group of the Calypso program implemented jointly by the Tourism Organization of Serbia, the “Danube Competence Center” and National tourism Organization of Montenegro was held in the hotel “Ramada” for the promotion of the project “Holiday4all”.
This Festival has exceeded expectations – next year we’ll have the Euro Cup. Three days after the competitors had left Vučje and well as the participants and numerous guests, organizer of the Second International Snowboard Festival and hip hop SNOWBOARD EXTREME SESSION, the Ski Resort “Vučje” can announce with great pleasure that this event has exceeded all expectations.
During the international tourism fair “ITB 2013” in Berlin, which is one of the most visited and most significant tourism fairs in the world, Minister of Tourism and Sustainable Development Branimir Gvozdenović, Director of NTO of Montenegro Saša Radović and Ambassador of Montenegro to Germany Vera Joličić Kuliš, had a meeting with the leading German medi
Awards for the first class service in 2012 were granted to the tourist settlement “Slovenska plaža” and hotels “The Queen of Montenegro” and “Otrant” at a gala dinner held in the medieval castle “Detenice” near Prague within the fair “Holiday World” and traditional gathering of agencies and partners in tourism.
MSC cruisers of the third generation, MSC Divina and MSC Fantasia, over 330 meters long, will be moored in the operational part of the Port of Kotor as of the next year. JSC Luka Kotor announces that this company has extended its Cooperation Agreement with Mediterranean Shipping Company MSC.


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Netflix Tests Discounted Subscription Plans in India
Netflix is testing discounted plans in India for some long-term subscribers. The plans are only available to selected new subscribers and not existing ones.
While signing up, new users may be offered a 20% discount on a three-month subscription, a 30% discount on a six-month term and a 50% discount on a 12-month contract. These will be available only in India. Netflix currently offers mobile, basic, standard and premium plans in India.
“We believe that our members may value the flexibility that comes from being able to pay for a few months at once,” a Netflix spokesperson said. “This is a test and we will only introduce it more broadly if people find it useful.”
Netflix chief executive Reed Hastings was in India last week, where he revealed that the streamer is investing $400 million in Indian content in 2019 and 2020. Since its launch in April, Indian animated kids show “Mighty Little Bheem” has been watched by 27 million households worldwide, including in Latin America, Australia, Hastings said.
India has a fiercely competitive OTT market with more than 30 popular services. Dominant players include Disney’s Hotstar, Amazon Prime Video, Zee5, Alt Balaji, MX Player, Eros Now, Viacom18’s Voot and Sony Liv. A recent PwC report projects the Indian OTT market value to reach $1.6 billion by 2023.
Popular on Variety
- Amazon Prime Video has greenlit an untitled, unscripted dance show to be executive produced and featuring power couple Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Nick Jonas. The show is inspired by the Indian pre-wedding tradition known as ‘sangeet’ where the families of the betrothed participate in an evening of song and dance. Casting for the series is currently underway and filming will take place in 2020. Amazon Studios, Dan Cutforth and Jane Lipsitz’s Alfred Street Industries, Chopra Jonas’ Purple Pebble Pictures, and Jonas’ Image 32 are producing.
Source: Read Full Article


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Clothing firm has growth all sewn up thanks to loan fund
A Belfast clothing company has joined the list of 12 firms which have secured money from a fund set up to lend £50m over the next five years.
Aria Clothing will use the money from the Growth Loan Fund, which is backed by both Invest NI and private sector group Northern Ireland Local Government Officers' Superannuation Committee (NILGOSC), to grow its export business.
The firm designs ladies' fashion for the UK, Irish and European markets and the investment could also lead to the creation of a number of new local jobs in the coming months, according to managing director Seamus Mullan
"We are constantly investing in design and innovation to deliver market-leading ladies' fashion and, having undertaken in-depth market research, are confident that our product could sell well in new markets further afield than where we are currently trading.
"With such great potential to increase our levels of export to foreign markets, we approached WhiteRock Capital Partners to apply for a loan from the Growth Loan Fund to support this strategy. The funding we have secured will enable us to take the next step in our export journey and, due to anticipated increase in demand for our product as a result, could lead to the creation of up to five new jobs in Northern Ireland in the short-term."
WhiteRock Capital Partners was set up by Braveheart Investment Group and consortium partners NEL Fund Managers and Clarendon Fund Managers to manage the Growth Loan Fund in Northern Ireland.
Paul Millar, Chief Investment Officer of WhiteRock Capital Partners LLP said: "Aria is an excellent candidate for support from the Growth Loan Fund, having delivered strong results in a very challenging market, continued to grow its top line through innovation and product development and demonstrated strong ambition for further growth.
"WhiteRock Capital Partners welcomes applications from similar ambitious SMEs in Northern Ireland who are seeking to grow."
Brookvent, a ventilation systems manufacturer in Dunmurry, was the first company to be awarded funding by the Growth Loan Fund.
In September it received £425,000 but it's not known how much Aria Clothing has borrowed.


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International award reflects success of sustainability curriculum workshops
30 Sep 2021 By Kateri Hartman | University Communication
Sustainability curriculum development workshops guide University of Nebraska–Lincoln professors in incorporating sustainability concepts into their courses, and the work is now garnering awards.
The workshops, run by the Chancellor’s Environment, Sustainability and Resilience Commission, help professors develop sustainability-related curriculum through the lens of their respective fields. The workshops contribute to university goals for improved sustainability and promote a sustainable future by educating future leaders, exemplified by Jennifer Johnson Jorgensen’s award-winning module.
“Our students are the next leaders of the textiles, apparel and retail industries,” said Johnson Jorgensen, assistant professor in the Department of Textiles, Merchandising and Fashion Design. “They are the ones who are going to be guiding their companies toward a more sustainable future.”
The United Nations Alliance for Sustainable Fashion states that the clothing and textile industry is responsible for an estimated 2-8% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions.
“I personally feel that if we are going to make a dent in sustainability and really change the course that we’re on, the textiles, apparel and retail industries have to take responsibility for their large impact,” Johnson Jorgensen said.
She believes that industry change can be accelerated by her students and incorporates sustainability into many of her courses. When she learned about the sustainability curriculum development workshops, she saw the opportunity to develop a robust, peer-reviewed module for her International Textile and Apparel Sourcing course.
“We talked about sustainability quite a bit in that course, but I felt like there needed to be a real focus on a project that helped students think through what they would propose to a retail company if they had the opportunity,” Johnson Jorgensen said.
In the seven-week Sustainability in Sourcing and Retail module, Johnson Jorgensen’s students researched a problem, and proposed and presented a solution for a company they’d like to work for. The project prepared students for real-life situations in which they may present similar ideas in a company’s boardroom. The module also included data analysis, critical thinking and studying current sustainability initiatives in companies.
The curriculum development workshops gave Johnson Jorgensen feedback, support and collaboration from faculty members of many disciplines.
“I loved being a part of that group because I did get great feedback, and I felt like hearing everybody else’s perspective on what they were doing in their courses was really beneficial to help me figure out exactly what I was going to do within the sustainability module,” she said.
After a double-blind peer review process, Johnson Jorgensen’s module earned the Nancy Rutherford Teaching Innovation Award from the International Textile and Apparel Association, which is one of the most respected organizations in her field.
Johnson Jorgensen will continue to incorporate sustainability into her courses and will adapt her lessons as industry standards evolve. Her experience is a good example of the value that the sustainability curriculum development workshops provide to participants.
The primary goal for the workshops is for professors to bring together ideas and concepts on sustainability and resilience to develop an educational module or unit to incorporate into one of their courses.
“Sustainability education is really about using our resources more efficiently or effectively so that there’s something for the future and we reduce our impact on our current environment,” said David Gosselin, who developed and leads the workshops.
The workshops cover a variety of concepts including professional competencies, defining sustainability from a discipline’s standpoint, assessment, peer review, experiential learning and analyzing real-world data.
“I think the workshops are pretty effective, and it has certainly been demonstrated by Jennifer Johnson Jorgensen’s success,” Gosselin said.
Instructors who choose to partake in the workshops are providing their students with the opportunity to increase their knowledge of the concept of sustainability in the context of their discipline.
As students are the future leaders, integrating sustainability into curricula is important “for our own long-term survival,” Gosselin said.
Twelve instructors, including Johnson Jorgensen and representatives from engineering, agronomy and education, took part in the inaugural sustainability curriculum development workshops during the 2019-20 academic year. Another 10 attended a condensed session in spring 2021. The commission hopes to continue the workshops annually during the spring semester with groups of 12-15 educators, laying the foundation for a more sustainable future and contributing to improving the university’s STARS rating, a program run by the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education.
“Higher education produces leaders, and we need leaders who are familiar with these sustainability practices. It’s the key to the future,” Gosselin said.
The sustainability curriculum development workshops are part of many initiatives led by Gosselin, co-chair of the Chancellor’s Environment, Sustainability and Resilience Commission. He is also the director of the Environmental Studies program and the UNL Sustainability Initiative.
The sustainability commission, established in 2008, re-commissioned in 2019 and formulated the university’s Environment, Sustainability and Resilience Master Plan. The plan outlines sustainability goals for the university, which contribute to pursuing one of the university’s Grand Challenges, which is Climate Resilience.
From the top-down organizational goals to bottom-up individual efforts, these and other initiatives contribute to building a campus that upholds sustainability education and action for a brighter future.
“It’s all about developing a community of people who are involved in improving the culture of sustainability and resilience at UNL,” Gosselin said.
College of Education and Human Sciences
Textiles, Merchandising & Fashion Design


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In total, there are 25 games listed in the promotion, each of which costs £3. This Gameloft deal also includes the newly released Fast Five the Movie: Official Game, as well as less recent titles like Starcraft clone Starfront: Collision HD and Modern Combat 2: Black Pegasus.
Gameloft rarely misses a chance to hold a garage sale on its back catalogue, and it has already cut some of the prices of its games on iPad and iPhone for Thanksgiving. It would make sense to run a similar promotion on Android, too, then.
That said, Android users aren’t quite seeing the same level of generosity from the French firm as their iPhone counterparts, with the aforementioned iOS Black Friday promotion offering savings on a whopping 20 of the publisher’s most popular titles.


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SINGAPORE (THE BUSINESS TIMES) - About a quarter of organisations in Singapore plan to introduce or continue with salary freezes in 2021, a tad fewer than the 30 per cent that paused wage increments this year.
As for pay cuts, about 3 per cent of employers said they intend to implement them next year, compared with the 29 per cent who made salary reductions this year.
However, most employers are taking a wait-and-see approach, as they continue to tread with caution on salary increments while navigating the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.
That's according to findings released on Thursday from Mercer's annual Total Remuneration Survey, which polled 992 companies across 16 industries in Singapore this year.
The overall salary increase projected for 2021 in Singapore will soften slightly to 3.5 per cent, compared to 3.6 per cent this year, the study found.
"Businesses remain cautiously optimistic about the future and are considering more holistic talent strategies to energise their employees in the new shape of work," Mercer chief executive officer for Singapore Peta Latimer said, adding that some are rolling out additional incentives, for instance.
"Leaders are also looking ahead to attract and retain talent required to accelerate business digitalisation," Ms Latimer noted.
Salaries for the banking and finance sector as well as the high-tech sector are expected to increase at a stable rate in the year ahead.
The logistics and consumer goods industries will likely see slightly bigger increments of 3.3 per cent and 3.5 per cent respectively, compared to the increases of 3.1 per cent and 3.4 per cent this year.
This "correlates with a shift in consumer purchasing behaviours to online", said Mercer career products leader for Singapore, Kulapalee Tobing.
In contrast, wage growth is expected to slow in the life sciences, real estate, chemicals and lifestyle retail sectors next year. Employees in lifestyle retail may experience the sharpest dip in increments, with salaries rising 2.9 per cent in 2021 compared to the 3.3 per cent increase in 2020.
Ms Tobing noted that the prediction of a smaller salary growth in the lifestyle retail industry was also unsurprising, given the shift to online purchasing behaviours, lower discretionary spending capacities and reduced leisure activity due to the pandemic.
This year, base salaries at the management and executive levels inched up by 2 per cent and 1.2 per cent respectively from 2019. That's a much slower growth than last year's 6.8 per cent boost for management and 7.1 per cent jump for executives.
Employers are also facing intensifying competition for talent to support the digitalisation of their businesses.
The most in-demand are data scientists, IT solution architects, business intelligence analysts and cybersecurity engineers, Mercer's poll found.
Roles that support digitalisation efforts will attract salary premiums, especially at senior and specialist levels, compared to the general market.
For example, specialists who have capabilities in cybersecurity incident-response analysis are expected to receive wages that are 33 per cent higher than the median annual base salary, while specialists in robotic process automation will get a 30 per cent premium over the median level.
Meanwhile, many companies in Singapore are focusing on bumping up incentives and benefits to employees as well as redesigning the work experience.
About three in 10 of respondents said they are looking to add or expand telemedicine or digital care to their health programmes next year.
Half of the employers surveyed indicated that they will provide or reimburse remote-working expenses such as Internet bills, laptops and mobile phones. They are also considering giving more flexibility for onsite and remote working.
A growing number of Singapore banks - which are among the largest employers in the country - will make flexible work arrangements a permanent fixture for their staff, The Business Times reported this week.
DBS announced a slew of new practices for its 29,000-strong workforce, including the option to work remotely up to 40 per cent of the time and a formal job-sharing scheme. UOB will institute a two-day work-from-home policy, while Maybank Singapore has plans to adopt a hybrid working model.


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Sep 5, 2015 12:39 PM by News Staff
Oroville Sheriff’s deputies captured the man suspected of breaking into an Oroville thrift store early Monday morning
Randy Lee Houk, 25, is in custody suspected of burglarizing the Almost Perfect Thrift Store while apparently having no idea there was camera on him.
The owner of the store told Action News Now the suspect made off with some merchandise and cash.
Before the suspect broke the glass front door to gain entry at about 1:15 a.m., an outside camera captured some unusual behavior. The man can be seen getting under a vehicle while wearing a hat, but he emerges from under the car about 10 minutes later without the hat, and wearing a wig.
Once inside the store, the suspect heads straight to the register, where he found a key to the store safe.
Owner Rori Summers say the man took about $1,100 cash and approximately $3,000 in merchandise from the store, while an accomplice stood lookout for the break-ins hour and forty-five minute duration.
Summers says he actually spotted the alleged burglar at the Oroville Walmart Monday afternoon. She said the man was trying to activate a cell phone that had been taken from the store, and was able to get away before police arrived.
Houk has been charged with burglary and is being held at the Butte County Jail on $50,000 bail. His first hearing will be held Tuesday.
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Kawasaki has been teasing us with the ZX-25R for the past couple of months now. Just last week, its power figures were finally revealed — or rather unintentionally leaked by Akrapovič who has been working on producing an aftermarket exhaust system for Kawasaki’s little screamer. Kawasaki Indonesia has finally announced that they would be revealing the machine on July 10, 2020.
The Kawasaki ZX-25R is a high-revving 250 cc bike that’s been causing so much excitement to the loyal fans of Kawasaki’s Ninja sportbike lineup. Of course, horsepower speed junkies would rather be disappointed with the power figures of Kawasaki’s quarter-liter bike, however, the ZX-25R is not aimed at this particular market. Rather, it is aimed at buyers in countries where 250s are considered big-bore bikes and larger displacement machines would face regulatory restrictions or punitive insurance costs which is common in most Southeast Asian countries. Millions of riders from these markets still want a high-performance bike despite all the restrictions. Thus, Kawasaki gives us the ZX-25R, a small motorcycle with an engine that you can easily pit against 400 cc bikes, including Kawasaki’s very own Ninja 400.
Unlike Kawasaki’s other 250 cc budget offerings like the Z250 or Ninja 250 which use a parallel-twin powerplant, the ZX-25R has a liquid-cooled inline four-cylinder motor. It can rev all the way up to 17,000 RPM producing around 45 hp and 20.8 Nm of torque — if the previous leaks can be relied upon.
Brands like Sniper, Yoshimura, and Akrapovič have been on the running with producing aftermarket parts for the ZX-25R seeing a lot of potential of the bike gaining a loyal following. The motorcycle has supposed to be launched earlier this year at around April but the launch date was postponed due to the health and safety concerns brought about by the COVID-19 global pandemic. While we haven’t heard any official word yet from Kawasaki Philippines if they plan to bring in the ZX-25R into the country, we would love to see it in their showrooms, or on the road.


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One of the most notable providers in the cryptocurrency market announced that they’ve launched their latest product, which is branded as Borrow. Provided through Blockchain.com, it’ll enable for investors and traders to receive an influx of stablecoins under the USD-Denomination. These stablecoins are borrowed against the trader’s respective cryptocurrency assets, with Blockchain.com being the 1st to ever provide a service of this magnitude. It should be noted that their popularity jumped tenfold after releasing an institutional lend desk, with profits exceeding $120 million through November 2019.
The Chief Executive Officer & Co-Founder of Blockchain.com, Peter Smith, spoke to news outlets during their official announcement. He expressed: “Institutional and retail investors have the same financial goals, which is to grow wealth and manage risks – but the tools at their disposal are vastly different. With our suite of trading products through Borrow, retail users can trade like the big guys without selling the crypto they’ve stockpiled or leaving their Wallet.”
Those requiring informative data regarding Borrow were given insight during the announcement. It’s known that consumers are now provided the capability to borrow USD-Digital Stablecoins by wagering it against their respective Bitcoins, with this service being available throughout 175+ countries worldwide. Once collateral is posted through their respective accounts, the loan will be dosed out to their Blockchain.com wallets. These loans must be paid back through convenient options, which include numerous cryptocurrencies operated within these 175+ countries.
When it applies to the Blockchain.com Wallet, it’s received expansive upgrades that enable for consumers to have increased control with their cryptocurrencies and how their engaged. This included new forms of payment, which extend to the Turkish Lira and British Pound. It even extends to additional APIs for traders using algorithmic strategies. Blockchain.com has also confirmed during their announcement that new asset offerings will be provided in the coming months.


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PRIDE 2022: Out Magazine, The Advocate acquired by new LGBTQ+ owners
Thirty years after its first issue hit the newsstands, Out Magazine has a new owner.
This week, Pride Media — the parent company of the glossy LGBTQ lifestyle magazine and its sister publications, including The Advocate — was officially acquired by Equal Entertainment, known as the largest LGBTQ+ owned and operated media company in the United States.
The new company will now be known as Equal Pride with plans to expand the audience with women and people of color. Headquartered in New York, the leadership will also publish Out Traveler, Plus and the Pride digital brand.
“Our combined company will be the premier home for LGBTQ+ people — and increasingly women and people of color creators, storytellers, journalists, and businesspeople who want to have an impact through their work with …
More on: www.nydailynews.com


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TAIWAN - After a study by Chinaï¿½ï¿½s Consumers Foundation revealed that more than 60 percent of convenience store food contains "excessive levels of sodium," some convenience stores in Taiwan have committed to providing healthier meal options with less sodium and fewer calories, The China Post reports.
The Foundation gathered nearly three-dozen meal box samples from various stores, with nearly half exceeding safe sodium levels.
Convenience store meal boxes have become a major source of food for Taiwanese wage earners. Deep-fried meat, marinated products and brine-cured items are some of the more popular dishes that are heated onsite for a quick take-home meal.
Subsequent to the report, executives at 7-Eleven, FamilyMart Hi-Life and OK promised to develop lighter meals.


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11-12-2019 | 06:02:41
The economic growth of a country depends on its agricultural practices. The worldwide population has been rapidly increasing along with the demand for food and it’s consumption.
11-11-2019 | 13:58:00
China has commenced a new training program in Madagascar with the goal of achieving productivity increases in agriculture and aquaculture programs across the island.
11-11-2019 | 13:31:44
Researchers from the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Kenya and Nematology Research Unit of Ghent University, Belgium carried out the first-ever structured survey on nematology in sub-Saharan Africa.
11-11-2019 | 13:26:00
The Government of Zimbabwe has suspended with immediate effect the importation of livestock and related products from South Africa.
11-11-2019 | 13:21:00
Dangote Industries Limited and the Government of Togo have concluded an agreement to develop and transform Togolese phosphate into phosphate fertilizers for the West African sub-region.
11-11-2019 | 10:36:00
Kenya has signed an agreement with China that will allow it to export agricultural products to China.
11-09-2019 | 17:22:00
Since 2012, African Bamboo has built a vertically integrated supply chain from 10,000ha of natural bamboo forest in Ethiopia.
11-08-2019 | 11:56:23
Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development Minister Thoko Didiza has welcomed the signing of the Poultry Sector Master Plan.
11-08-2019 | 07:12:40
The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, IITA GoSeed, a unit of the IITA Business Incubation Platform (BIP), has launched the first e-commerce website in Nigeria.
11-08-2019 | 07:09:00
As temperatures hit record highs globally, significant African populations are at increasing risk from lack of cooling access according to Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL) report.
11-08-2019 | 07:05:00
The Inter African Coffee Organisation has partnered with CABI and the International Coffee Organization (ICO) to launch the US$950 million ‘Africa Coffee Facility’ (ACF) to boost Africa’s coffee industry.
11-07-2019 | 10:50:49
To help predict and mitigate these challenges, a team of interdisciplinary scholars will study the linkages and interactions between urban food security and rural agricultural production.
11-07-2019 | 08:00:00
The African Union (AU) - European Union (EU) partnership officially launched the Pan African Network for economic Analysis of Policies, to reinforce the stability of the agriculture and food sectors in Africa.
11-07-2019 | 07:18:43
Nestlé and its regional partners have joined forces to launch the Regional Alliance for Youth in sub-Saharan Africa to promote employability for young people.
11-07-2019 | 07:16:26
The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, IITA, Rwanda, together with partners, has launched a digital Application which will serve more than 5,000 farmers across the country.


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CANADA: Danier Leather chooses Fujitsu for new store systems
Retailer Danier Leather has employed Fujitsu Transaction Solutions to install new IT systems across its 97 stores in Canada.
The five-week installation programme included new POS and customer relationship management software, allowing the company to better understand its customers' purchasing habits.
"We were impressed with Fujitsu's rapid, smooth and professional execution of this rollout, especially considering the size of the project and the international scope," said Phil Cutter, chief information officer at Danier Leather.
Designer, manufacturer and retailer Danier Leather said Bryan Tatoff will rejoin the company today (8 January) as its senior VP, CFO and secretary....
Fujitsu Transaction Solutions has announced that it will provide technology services and support for Danier Leather's Chinese office....
Leather and suede clothing and accessories firm Danier Leather has posted a yearly total and same-store sales decrease of 11% to $148.35m....
Leather and suede clothing specialist Danier Leather is looking for a new CFO after announcing the impending departure of senior VP Bryan Tatoff....
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The U.S. Federal Communications Commission's vote Thursday to shift long-time telephone subsidies to broadband deployment generated praise in the telecom industry, but other groups questioned the move.
Facebook downplayed an alleged vulnerability in its social-networking site that could allow a hacker to send a potentially malicious file to anyone on Facebook.
China's largest search engine Baidu reported that net profit in the third quarter was up 80 percent year-on-year, as the company saw strong growth in website traffic, and benefited from improvements made to its online ad services.
Google+ usage has increased in October compared with last month, but the social networking site couldn't sustain a dramatic one-week surge that took place after it became publicly available on Sept. 20, according to Experian Hitwise.
When cloud computing service provider Nimbula hires employees for its South Africa development office, the Mountain View, California, company turns to social networking, not recruiters, to find workers. The company also uses video conferencing to con...
The U.S. Federal Communications Commission has voted to overhaul a decades-old system of telephone subsidies in rural areas, with the funding refocused on broadband deployment.
Google, which had until now sought coupons and special offers directly from merchants for its Offers service, will now also aggregate and market offerings from other online daily deal providers.
SAP on Thursday announced a version of Business One, its ERP (enterprise resource planning) suite for small companies, as it revs up the marketing strategy behind its Business ByDesign on-demand suite.
A security penetration tester discovered a major flaw in Facebook that could allow a person to send anyone on the social-networking site malicious applications.
Google's work to integrate its Google+ social networking site broadly with its other services could raise red flags for users who want to closely guard their privacy.
OpenLogic is launching a platform-as-a-service offering that aims to give users the flexibility that many developers like about infrastructure-as-a-service without the work.
Research In Motion faces a possible class action lawsuit over recent outages in its BlackBerry services earlier this month, and a trademark infringement complaint for its use of the BBX name for its upcoming platform for its tablets and smartphones.
A new bill introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives would allow law enforcement officials to shut down websites that enable or facilitate copyright infringement, leading some digital rights groups to suggest that YouTube, Twitter and online ne...
Attachmate's Suse division has announced plans to offer software based on the OpenStack platform for enterprises to build private clouds.
Chinese authorities have started to detain Internet users for allegedly spreading online rumors, in its latest measure to control the country's social media sites.
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The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) has denied rumors of an imminent increase in the pump price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol, to N700 per litre nationwide.
In an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday, June 30, Dele Tajudeen, the Chairman of IPMAN South-west Zone, dismissed the reports and urged Nigerians not to engage in panic buying.
Addressing the public, Tajudeen stated, “I want to disabuse the mind of the people that they should not panic about it, there is no cause for alarm, we are in control, and there is nothing like that. So, people should be rest assured that there is no way they can buy petrol more than the price it is being sold now.”
He clarified that the prices announced by the NNPC retail limited, which has advantages over independent and major marketers, were not specific to independent marketers.
Tajudeen emphasized that the speculations circulating in the media were baseless and assured the masses that the price would not reach N700 per litre.
Tajudeen further explained that the price differential was due to transportation costs, varying with different locations. Within Lagos metropolis, the price should not exceed N515 to N520 per litre, while in Ogun State, it would range from N500 to N520. While the NNPC sets a price, independent marketers source their products from various suppliers, including private depots, and adjust their selling prices accordingly.
Kanyi Daily advises the public to remain calm and disregard the rumors, as IPMAN has affirmed that the current petrol prices remain unchanged. Stay connected for further updates on this developing story.


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Last week was officially the day when Google’s new mobile-friendly algorithm went into effect. The Media are referring to this as “mobilegeddon”, but we at Comprend consider these changes as a coming of age story – rather than the end of the world. It marks an important paradigm shift and reinforces the significance of mobile devices in today’s digital world.
When Google says something is important, people listen. And now the influential search engine is telling us that it’s high time to prioritise mobile-friendly sites. With the latest algorithm, Google will favour responsive websites by boosting their search rankings on smartphones and tablets, while those that are not responsive, will be downgraded in Google’s mobile search results or not shown at all if the search originates from a mobile device.
If this leaves you feeling anxious that your site will be penalised, you’re not alone. Our experts are here to help shed some light on the topic.
It’s important to remember that this isn’t doom and gloom; Google makes these changes with the user in mind. Reading articles where you have to pinch and zoom to read text does not make for a good user experience. Think of how frustrating it is when you try to click links that are too close together on a mobile device. Making your site responsive means improving the viewer’s experience, which is something all websites should prioritise.
What you can do:
Mobile prioritisation should not come as a surprise to those working in the digital arena. It’s a basic requirement in today’s landscape and Google’s changes signify that mobile is coming into it’s own. It is important to alter our perceptions and realise that a site can’t be user-friendly unless it is mobile-friendly.
Google’s new pecking order shows how quickly the times have changed; both in terms of how users access information and what/how information is deemed relevant. One of Google’s most important measurements has always been if a site contains relevant information against a user’s query. However, now information must not only be relevant, but also suitable for the device used.
Here are a few things to keep in mind:
It’s impossible to predict how much of a shakeup Google’s new algorithm will cause. Some organisations will notice no change, and some will see their sites drop out of the search rankings altogether. The impact will naturally depend on just how much mobile traffic you receive.
The good news for Web Managers is that these changes provide an unassailable piece of ammunition towards building a business case for the adoption of responsive design.


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Piracy is an issue that is troubling many content publishers worldwide, but the responses to copyright infringement differ from company to company. A great example of how not to stop piracy was made by the the producers of the new Anime series Fractale last week.
In an attempt to stop the illicit distribution of the series, the American anime distributor Funimation was ordered by Fractale’s production company to stop the online broadcast of the series on Hulu. The producers wanted Funimation to get rid of all pirated copies online before the broadcast could continue.
An interesting take on how piracy should be dealt with, and arguably one of the worst things a company can do to stop illicit copies from appearing online. Since the broadcast ban was limited to the US but not Europe, it only created an increased demand for pirated copies, while it did little to stop illegal copies from showing up online.
If there’s one thing that TV-distributors should have learned from stpiracy over the years, it would be that making content unavailable to a certain region actually drives the demand for pirated copies.
Just before the second episode of Fractale was due to be released this week, the show’s producers finally gave the green light for the online broadcast to go ahead in the US. They probably realized their mistake, because pirated copies where still easy to find. Both Fractale episodes are now available to US viewers on Hulu, and the storm appeared to be over.
However, after being involved in this Fractale anti-piracy failure last week, Funimation made headlines in the anime community again yesterday, as the company announced lawsuits against 1337 BitTorrent users. Although the number of defendants reveals some sense of humor, the lawsuits are a serious business.
Funimation has sued the 1337 alleged BitTorrent users for downloading episode 481 of One Piece, and is probably looking to settle with the defendants as soon as they are named. The company is represented by lawyer Evan Stone who also filed suits for various adult entertainment companies last year.
In possibly another inside joke aside from picking 1337 defendants, One Piece is a show about “Straw Hat Luffy” and his crew named the Straw Hat Pirates.
The complaint specifically mentions the BitTorrent sites isohunt.com, kickasstorrents.com and nyaatorrents.org as potentially playing a role in the sharing process. Funimation is requesting that the defendants pay damages and destroy all the works they’ve downloaded using BitTorrent.
The above actions are quite unique in the anime community where, more than in most other entertainment industries, most publishers have been quite lenient towards file-sharers. Aside from the negative PR and the potential settlements that will result from the lawsuit, it is however doubtful that it will do much to stop shows from being shared.