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Downtown Mexican restaurant opening bigger location up the street
Los Cabos, a Mexican restaurant in downtown Milford, is doing well enough that the owners are opening new larger quarters just up River Street. They plan to keep the original eatery open for the time being, but said they will close it at some point.
The Planning and Zoning Board (P&Z) at its Sept. 6 meeting unanimously approved a site plan review allowing Yessica Trujillo and Daniel Wilhelm to open a restaurant at 9-11 River Street. Altama LLC owns the property. The restaurant is moving into space formerly occupied by Villa Gourmet, which closed Aug. 25, 2015.
Commenting on the plan, Planning and Zoning Board member Jim Quish said, “I wish you the best success.”
Trujillo told the board that the 1,900-square-foot restaurant will have 49 seats. This is considerably larger than the 320-square-foot current location, which has no indoor seating. For the time being, she said the smaller location will remain open.
“We do plan to leave the other tiny corner location at some point,” Trujillo said. “But for now both locations will be there.”
“With paint, we have turned this place into Mexico,” said Trujillo.
Los Cabos Snacks & Go opened in Milford last year, serving Mexican cuisine in downtown Milford, and after about six weeks the eatery was already getting positive reviews.
Patricia G. had this to say on Yelp: “It offers fresh tacos and empanadas for a great price. There is no indoor seating area so you can either carry-out or dine in their small sidewalk seating area. Everything is made to order and the empanadas were homemade.”
Danny Wilhelm, who owns Los Cabos with his wife, Yessica, said the couple looked around Milford with family for a place to open up the restaurant, and were pleased to find the downtown location at 35 River Street.
“We love Milford and we’re residents of Milford our whole lives, so what better place than downtown?” Wilhelm said.
The menu includes breakfast items like Huevos a la Mexican; wraps, including egg and cheese; breakfast burritos, plus lunch and dinnertime staples like tacos, tortas, fajitas, quesadillas, frozen drinks and more
City Planner David B. Sulkis said the new restaurant cannot sell alcohol because the space is too small. He said the board needed to find parking adequacy, which he said is a “fairly standard practice” in downtown Milford. Twenty-six parking spaces are required. The board granted that parking adequacy, meaning that there is sufficient parking for the restaurant in downtown Milford.
Wilhelm told the board they are thinking about allowing people to bring their own beer and wine.
The little storefront where Los Cabos is now and will remain temporarily as the new location gets underway has been home to several businesses over the years.
According to Priscilla Lynn, executive director of the Downtown Milford Business Association, it originally was a shoe repair shop, then it became an ice cream and hot dog venue, then Brats on a Bun, offering all types of bratwurst, and now Los Cabos.
“I believe Los Cabos works because it is owner-operated by a family; their fare is reasonably priced and deliciously/freshly prepared; and the owner/manager and his wife represent the younger generation of professionals/small business owners with the energy, enthusiasm and willpower to stick to their plan and growth goals,” Lynn said.
“Seeing the younger professional, small business owner invest in downtown, to me, represents that downtown is alive, growing and thriving,” she said, adding that downtown Milford is ‘emerging as a dining and entertainment mecca.’”
Not only will there be more space at the new location, the menu will expand too.
“The new location will be a lot more,” Trujillo said in an email. “We have so many ideas and we really have to thank the community for it. And slowly new and big things will be added to our menu. This is huge for us. As Milford residents this is monumental.”
(Editor Jill Dion contributed to this article.)


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The world's top car-makers descended on China in force on April 20 for the eight-day Beijing Auto Show 2008, which is expected to attract up to 600,000 prospective buyers. Top manufacturers are hoping to cash in on China's booming market which rose by 20% to 1.85 million vehicles in the first quarter of 2008 as sales around the world slumped, organizers said.
Nearly 900 cars will be on display at this year's show with car-makers rolling out their newest models, including environmentally friendly hybrid and electric vehicles.
Big-name companies like General Motors, Volkswagen, Ford and BMW have announced new plans to expand facilities in China to meet growing demand and further localise production.
General Motors is aiming to raise its China sales by 50% over the next three years with new products to feed increasing private demand, GM China group president Kevin Wale said. The automaker will continue to invest one billion dollars annually in product development, advanced technologies and capacity expansion in China. GM plans to launch its first hybrid model, the Buick LaCrosse, in China before the Beijing Olympics in August, and the hybrid Cadillac Escalade in the first half of 2009, said Wale. The company sold a record 1.03 million vehicles in China last year, up 18.5% from 2006, leading the local market for the third consecutive year.
Volkswagen China CEO Winfried Vahland said it hopes to reclaim its place as China's market leader by breaking the one million sales-mark this year. Volkswagen, which entered China as the first foreign car-maker here in 1985, moved 910,500 vehicles in the country last year, up 28%.
Meanwhile, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Bentley, Lamborghini, Ferrari, Maserati, Aston Martin, Porsche and Rolls-Royce were all exhibiting in the hopes of capturing a slice of China's growing luxury car market.
Analysts forecast that both China's auto output and sales will continue to expand at double-digit rates in 2008 to 10 million vehicles as the economy grows rapidly.
Copyright Agence France-Presse, 2008

domain: news


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FET a leading supplier of laboratory and pilot melt spinning systems is looking forward to 2023 with a record order book. The company’s newly opened Fibre Development Centre features over £1.5 million investment in customer laboratory systems that will further enable fiber trials and product R&D. 3 new polymer types were developed with clients in 2022 and several more are lined up in 2023, which is expected to bring the total of different polymer types to more than 40 in multifilament, monofilament and nonwovens formats.
Fibre Extrusion Technology Ltd. (FET), Leeds/UK, will be exhibiting at 2 major exhibitions in 2023: Index 23, the world’s leading nonwovens show at Geneva/Switzerland in April; and ITMA, Milan/Italy, the world’s largest international textile and garment technology exhibition in June.
Prestigious new projects during 2022 included a multifilament melt spinning line for Senbis Polymer Innovations, Emmen/Netherlands, enabling the development of textile fibers from recycled polymers or biopolymers; a FET-200Lab wet spinning system at the University of Manchester/UK which will play a major part in advanced materials research in collaboration with the renowned Henry Royce Institute; and a FET-103 monofilament line for Rheon Labs, London/UK, to help develop a hyper viscoelastic fiber which displays high strain-rate sensitive properties.


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“As part of these efforts, the European Commission is working on a number of digital rules aimed at making it easier for European companies to stand toe-to-toe with their international rivals. Its efforts include plans to overhaul the region’s data protection laws, copyright legislation and sales tax regime so that digital companies from Portugal to Poland can become pan-European businesses that can compete with the likes of Alibaba of China.”
via Tough Talk From European Commissioner About U.S. Tech Companies – NYTimes.com.
It’s unfortunate that the EU seeks to use regulation as its principal mechanism for competing with U.S. technology companies. This approach will only hobble U.S. companies’ ability to deliver innovative goods to EU consumers. It will not foster job creation or otherwise improve its economy. Job creation requires prudent fiscal policy, capital spending, and investment in the workforce (e.g., education, training). Data protection law should not be used as an economic weapon. It should be focused on protecting human rights (as defined by the EU) of EU citizens. I worry that Europe is in danger of losing sight of the importance of jobs to its citizens.


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Google forged new partnerships to integrate its Android Pay into the mobile apps of various banks, aiming to make things more convenient.
Android Pay is Google's answer to Apple Pay and other such mobile payment solutions and it has been gradually improving its offering. With the latest move, Google has now teamed up with five banks to integrate Android Pay into their own apps, thus eliminating the need to use the official Android Pay app separately.
For now, the integration will be available with the mobile banking apps of USAA, Bank of America, Discover, Bank of New Zealand, and mBank. More banks will surely join the fray in the future, but this nonetheless marks a major milestone as it is the first time that Android Pay is available within other mobile banking apps.
Android Pay Integration With Mobile Banking Apps
Customers of the aforementioned banks that have teamed up with Google can use the banks's mobile app to easily add cards to Android Pay with just one click. Once the setup is complete, customers will be able to use their smartphone to tap and pay at a slew of stores that support it, as well as various apps and on the web, wherever the Android Pay button is available.
Thanks to the new partnerships, Google now allows users to enjoy the perks of its mobile payment solution even if they don't have the Android Pay app downloaded. This makes things easier and more convenient, as users can simply manage their cards and choices on their phone without having to install multiple apps to handle their finances.
"This latest collaboration with banks expands Android Pay's capabilities as an open platform, and moves us closer toward our goal of empowering mobile payments everywhere," says Google. "We're continuing to integrate with additional mobile banking apps, so look for updates from your bank about this new feature."
Android Pay Adoption
The integration may vary depending on each bank's mobile app, but overall it aims to facilitate adding cards to Android Pay from the banking app itself. Users are not the only ones to benefit from this move, however. With this integration, Android Pay can now reach a wider audience, as people who don't have Android Pay installed could notice the new option in the banking app they regularly use. This could spark their interest to try out Android Pay for the first time and, if all goes well, continue using it in the future.
Boosting Android Pay adoption is essential as Google is competing against Apple Pay, which so far has proved to be more popular. Apple Pay has seen impressive growth year-over-year and although Android Pay and Samsung Pay have been growing as well, they don't quite match up yet. This new Android Pay integration could go a long way toward increasing its reach and adoption.
Lastly, Google points out that the Android Pay integration with banking apps works even if users don't have the standalone Android Pay app installed. At the same time, it's worth highlighting that while users can manage their bank card choices through the app of their bank, it's limited to the cards pertaining to the particular bank. For instance, you can't delete a Bank of America card from the Discover app, as you'd have to do it from the Bank of America app.


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TWO new hotels at Liverpool's Kings Dock have been given the go-ahead.
The three-star-plus Jurys Inn and smaller Staybridge boutique hotel were backed by councillors yesterday.
The L-shaped hotels, which will contain 442 bedrooms, conference suites and shops, were approved by Liverpool's planning committee.
They are a key part of the #148m Kings Waterfront development, which includes a 9,000-seater concert arena.
Tony Stevens, speaking for developer McAller & Rushe, said: "The hotels will be the first set of buildings you come to when you arrive at Kings Dock from the city."


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August 29, 2012
Oneida and Anchor Hocking Merge Under the EveryWare Global Umbrella
Foodservice customers that use Oneida and Anchor Hocking products will now find these two brands going to market under the newly unified company EveryWare Global. Despite operating as one company, EveryWare Global will maintain the Oneida and Anchor Hocking brand names in the foodservice marketplace.
Thibert Becomes President of TriMark United East
Joseph Thibert is the new president of TriMark United East, a foodservice equipment and supplies dealership based in South Attleboro, Mass. Prior to the hiring of Thibert, Jerry Hyman served a dual role of president of TriMark United East and president and CEO of TriMark U.S.A., the dealership’s parent company. Hyman continues as president and chief executive officer of TriMark U.S.A.
This Week in Foodservice: Inc.’s List of the Fastest Growing U.S. Companies Includes 27 Foodservice Businesses
While the housing market continues to be an anchor in the U.S. economy, Inc. Magazine recognizes a handful of foodservice operators for their rapid growth in recent years.
Garbanzo Mediterranean Grill Promotes Bafundo
Fast-casual Mediterranean concept Garbanzo Mediterranean Grill promoted Bob Bafundo to vice president of company and franchise operations from director of franchise development and operations.
Demand More Ice for the Price. Join the Movement and learn more at www.icecoldtruth.com.
CHG Bolsters Regional Sales Team
Component Hardware Group hired Michael Tuman as a business development manager. In his new role, Tuman assumes responsibility for accounts in the mid-Atlantic and Northeast for all CHG brands.
C-Store Sales Increase in Second Quarter
While consumer visits to convenience stores were essentially flat in the second quarter of 2012, sales did increase 5.9 percent compared to the same timeframe in 2011, according to data released by NPD Group, a market research firm. During the second quarter, 2.2 billion consumers visited a c-store.
Free FE&S Cross Contamination Webcast
Please join us on Tuesday, September 25, 2012 at 1:00 pm CDT for a free webcast entitled Eliminating the Hazards of Cross Contamination. Experts will share best practices and their experiences in helping foodservice operators reduce potential risks.
Private Equity Buys Benihana
In a deal valued at $295 million, the Private Equity Group of Angelo, Gordon & Co. has acquired Benihana Inc. As a result, Benhihana will no longer be listed on the NASDAQ exchange.
Chain Operating Report
One casual dining chain adds better-for-you menu options, while several others look to expand their reach both domestically and abroad in this week’s Chain Operating Report.


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WHEN Kate McLoughlin joined the family business McLoughlins Craft Butchers two years ago, her father told her that just because things had been done a certain way in the past, that did not mean they were right.
Part of her job was to find fresh ideas to help the 50-year-old, third-generation business survive the next half-century.
McLoughlins started with a butcher shop in Ballyfermot. Eight years ago it began wholesaling to eateries, including Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud. Today, wholesale accounts for 70% of turnover of a business which employs 25 staff.
“When you are an employee, you typically have colleagues you can vent with,” said McLoughlin, a 26-year-old DIT business graduate. “I found myself out here in an industrial estate in Clondalkin, not knowing anyone else…


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Specialist market research firm, LightCounting has released its latest Optical Communications Market Forecast Report which highlights, amongst other key findings, that the loud was a key driver for the optical communications market last year, and, predicts that it is likely to be so again in 2018.
According to the March 2018 Quarterly Market Update by Lightcounting, 2017 was a record year for revenues in the optical components industry.
Aggregate 2017 revenues of public optical components, said the specialist market research firm, totalled $8.266 billion for 2017, 8 per cent higher than reported for 2016 ($7.639 billion). The transceiver-only figure provided by the survey data is $5.482 billion for 2017, which is half-a point higher than 2016 ($5.451 billion). For transceivers alone, said the company, 2017 was a still a record, but by an insignificant amount.
Will silicon photonics live up to its promises? Pauline Rigby investigates
According to the latest report – Market for Optics in China – by LightCounting, the last decade has seen China exhibit a greater impact on the global optical communications industry than any other nation.
The market for active optical cables (AOC) and embedded optical modules (EOM) is set to experience unprecedented growth, according to the latest report from specialist market research and consulting company, LightCounting.
Now in its tenth edition, the study has forecast a likely rise of 33 per cent in unit shipments by 2021, in comparison with the company’s research a year ago. In spite of this, however, the revenue forecast for 2021 has only risen very slightly as prices erode.
Lower than anticipated demand from the telecom segment has interrupted the steady growth that the optical components market has enjoyed in recent years, according to market research firm LightCounting in the semi-annual update to its Optical Components Market Forecast.
The optics market will enjoy robust growth in 2017 even though many network operators are cutting capital expenditure, according to market research firm LightCounting, which has just issued an update to its Optical Communication Market Forecast.
As data demand ramps ever higher, researchers are looking to innovative amplifier designs to help transport a broader light spectrum through optical fibres, finds Andy Extance
Duncan Ellis shares his views about the increased focus on automation from network operators, and how the physical layer has so far stubbornly resisted the move
Switching off copper networks where fibre has been deployed is the end game, so why are so few operators doing it, wonders Pauline Rigby
With demand for fibre to the premises increasing, Keely Portway looks at the role training plays in ensuring installation skills remain available to meet this growing demand


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IBM deepens move into computer defense
IBM on Monday moved deeper into defending business computers with a new service aimed at thwarting hackers before they do damage.
"The need for security to become part of our strategy has been natural," IBM vice president of security strategy Marc van Zadelhoff told AFP.
The century-old business technology titan made a priority of defending computer networks about two years ago, unifying resources from more than a dozen security firms it acquired.
IBM's computer security unit has been "growing like gangbusters," according to van Zadelhoff.
According to industry tracker IDC, IBM significantly outpaced overall computer protection company market growth and last year was the third largest seller of cyber defense software.
IBM on Monday ramped up its offerings with a Threat Protection System and a Critical Data Protection Program.
The average cost of a hack to a business has risen 15 percent to $6.2 million including lost revenue and productivity, according to Ponemon findings released by IBM.
The Critical Data Protection program uses an array of techniques to safeguard the data equivalent of a company's "crown jewels," according to van Zadelhoff.
IBM has tapped into intelligence about threats and hacker tactics from computer networks it cares for around the world.
Defensive technics go beyond maintaining watch-lists for known malicious codes to identifying when applications in networks act unusually and then pouncing to see whether hacker mischief is the cause.
"Traditional methods of prevention have often failed, leaving many to believe detection is the only way forward," IBM security systems general manager Brendan Hannigan said in a release.
"You must be able to prevent exploitations of known and unknown vulnerabilities."
© 2014 AFP


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Gorbel Expands in New York State
HENRIETTA, NY—Gorbel Inc., a manufacturer of cranes, ergonomic lifting equipment and fall protection equipment, is expanding its manufacturing operations to a new facility here.
Gorbel has manufacturing locations in New York, Alabama, Arizona and China, plus a sales office in Michigan. Expanding to Henrietta will increase the company’s manufacturing capability within New York and add roughly 60 new jobs to the area by the end of 2020.
The company is looking to hire welders, mechanical assemblers, electrical technicians, quality technicians, and other general production support workers.
“Our expansion into Henrietta demonstrates Gorbel’s commitment to growing manufacturing jobs in the region,” says Tyler Brown, vice president of operations at Gorbel.
“I was very happy to learn that Gorbel will be moving into [a vacant manufacturing facility in Henrietta], and more importantly, adding 60 new, high-quality manufacturing jobs…with the possibility of more in the future,” says Stephen L. Schultz, Henrietta town supervisor. “The town has been working with developers…to try to encourage reuse of existing facilities so it is great to see this opportunity come to fruition. Gorbel’s success and upward trajectory will have a strong positive benefit to…the greater community as a whole.”
Gorbel was founded in 1977 by David Reh, a graduate Clarkson University in Potsdam, NY. In 1990, Gorbel outgrew a small location in Fairport, NY, and moved to its current headquarters in Victor, NY, outside of Rochester. Brian Reh, David Reh’s son, took over the company as president in 2004, and president and CEO in 2010. In 2019, Brian Reh transitioned into the role of CEO, and David Pritchard became the president and COO.


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Nuro Now Operates Autonomous Delivery Services In California
Autonomous delivery startup Nuro is allowed to launch commercial driverless services on public roads in California — the first company to clear this hurdle — after receiving a permit from the state’s Department of Motor Vehicles.
Nuro, which was founded in June 2016 by Google alums Dave Ferguson and Jiajun Zhu, plans to start commercial delivery operations early next year. The so-called Autonomous Vehicle Deployment permit will allow Nuro to operate commercial services — meaning it can charge for delivery — in San Mateo and Santa Clara counties. The intention is to start with its autonomous Toyota Prius vehicles in one city and one partner in the early part of 2021, Nuro’s chief legal and policy officer David Estrada said. The company will eventually transition to its purpose-built R2 delivery bots for its commercial service as well as add more partners and expand geographically.
While Nuro wouldn’t name the partner or city, it’s worth noting that the company is headquartered in Mountain View and has previously expressed a desire to start operations close to its main office.
“Issuing the first deployment permit is a significant milestone in the evolution of autonomous vehicles in California,” DMV Director Steve Gordon said in a press release issued Wednesday. “We will continue to keep the safety of the motoring public in mind as this technology develops.”
The deployment permit grants Nuro permission to use a fleet of light-duty driverless vehicles for a commercial delivery service on surface streets within designated parts of Santa Clara and San Mateo counties, which includes the cities of Atherton, East Palo Alto, Los Altos Hills, Los Altos, Menlo Park, Mountain View, Palo Alto, Sunnyvale and Woodside, according to the DMV. The vehicles have a maximum speed of 25 mph and are only approved to operate in fair weather conditions on streets with a speed limit of no more than 35 mph.
The announcement caps a milestone year for Nuro, which earlier Wednesday announced it had acquired self-driving trucks startup Ike. Nuro also raised another $500 million, which pushed its post-money valuation to $5 billion, and secured some key state and federal regulatory victories.
Disclosure: This article may contain affiliate links. This means that we may earn a certain fee for any purchases made through the link without any extra cost to you.


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HP beats first quarter revenue estimates thanks to shocking growth in its PC business
Rumors of Hewlett-Packard's death are greatly exaggerated. The company is doing pretty well as it continues to try to execute a difficult turnaround and distance itself from past mistakes
HP's (NYSE: HPQ) first-quarter earnings beat analysts estimates, coming in at $1.4 billion, or 74 cents a share, on revenue of $28.2 billion. Excluding some items, its earnings were higher still, with non-GAAP revenue coming in at 90 cents a share.
Analysts were expecting non-GAAP earnings of 84 cents a share on revenue of $27.2 billion.
That's still a year-over-year decline of 1 percent. But it's something to be celebrated at a company that a little while ago was looking at multiple quarters of consecutive decline. An earnings beat shows that HP has stemmed the bleeding, and it bodes well for CEO Meg Whitman's prediction that things will stabilize for the storied Silicon Valley computing company this year.
The company also raised its projections for 2014 modestly, predicting non-GAAP earnings of $3.60 to $3.75.
The big surprise out of the earnings had to be HP's Personal Systems unit. While consumer sales continued to fall, dropping by about 3 percent, the division saw a big 8 percent jump in enterprise sales, leading to an overall revenue increase of 4 percent. That's a big deal, because HP's PC unit has been such a dog in recent years that executives at the company have repeatedly debated selling it. If Whitman can turn around Personal Systems, that's a positive sign for the company as a whole.
Jon Xavier is the technology reporter at the Silicon Valley Business Journal.
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The NSFW ad shows two couples having sex: One is vegan, while the other eats meat.
The meat-eaters' session ends quickly, but the vegans carry on as the male meat-eater gets dressed, leaves the apartment and is probably killed by what looks like a fridge falling on him from a great height.
The ad ends with the caption: “Last longer. Go vegan.”
Watch it here. Another warning: NSFW!
"Sleeping with someone who eats meat?" a video caption asks. "There may be more than one disappointment in store. Eating the saturated fat and cholesterol in meat can increase the risk of developing, , and , and these can be dangerous to your love life."
"Why? Because they're all common causes of erectile dysfunction. Plant-based foods keep blood flowing to all the body's organs. The key to a hot love life and to lasting longer in the bedroom is to start with delicious vegan meals in the kitchen."
Super Bowl ads are watched by people of all ages, so it is unsurprising that TV execs at CBS would not allow the video to be shown.
Business Insider has contacted CBS for comment. We'll update this article once we hear back.
Some critics are cynical about whether PETA ever even had plans for the ad to be aired at all.
Dabitch Wäppling wrote on AdLand: "What this really means is PETA never had $4.5 million dollars to pay for the airtime with, and instead are going the cheap route with a press release, some sex scenes, and the hopes that you'll share this with all your friends."
But a spokesperson for PETA told The Telegraph: "We did try to submit the ad last fall but we didn't get a response from the executives at CBS."
The ad has certainly amassed lots of attention, generating more than 2.5 million views on YouTube.
PETA has a long history of controversial advertising that gets banned. And its theme that vegetarians have better sex is nothing new either:
This one called "Milk Gone Wild" is incredibly weird:
PETA's Valentine's Day ad from 2012, "Boyfriend Went Vegan and Knocked the Bottom Out of Me," went even further. It faced massive criticism for appearing to mock domestic violence.


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The sub-brand of Xiaomi is coming with a new gaming phone named Poco M3 Pro 5G. The smartphone is going to be launched today at 8:00 PM on May 19, via a live-streamed event for the global market. The Poco M3 Pro 5G is an upgraded model of the Poco M3 with all-new features like MediaTek Dimensity 700 SoC showed by the company. It has a huge 5,000mAh battery with a 6.5-inch full-HD+ display which supports a 90Hz refresh rate and a DynamicSwitch feature. Which is beneficial for gaming like PUBG Mobile, Battlegrounds Mobile India, Call OF Duty mobile, and Fortnite Mobile. The DynamicSwitch helps you to change the refresh rate according to your display content. Which will extend your battery life.
The latest gaming smartphone Poco M3 Pro 5G may be priced at $149 (approximately Rs. 11,000) for the global market and Rs. 10,999 for the Indian market.
The company will show all the specifications and the price table for both the global and the Indian market in the live event at 8 pm today, 19 May 2021.
According to some leaks, this phone comes in three colour options Black, Blue, and Yellow.
The teased video shows some specifications of the new gaming phone Poco M3 Pro 5G with a 6.5-inch full-HD+ display that also supports a 90Hz refresh rate and a DynamicSwitch feature. As to the company reports, the DynamicSwitch will arrant the refresh rate of the display according to the usage of and the content running on the phone. It is confirmed that this phone will carry a MediaTek Dimensity 700 SoC chipset.
Poco M3 Pro 5G has an AI triple rear camera setup at the back with a 48-megapixel primary sensor. The company confirms a 5,000mAh massive battery pack with an 18W fast charging technology. The Poco M3 Pro 5G is just 8.92mm thin and 190 grams in weight. The leaks hint at a side-mounted fingerprint sensor for security. And for the selfie camera is offered with a hole-punch cutout in the display.
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ESSEX Police is continuing to urge people to review their online safety settings following 4,500 card and online frauds in Essex in six months.
The figures were identified by the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau (NFIB) who carried out a fraud review of the county between April and September 2018.
The total loss to the victims, either businesses or individuals, was around £6.5million.
The figures show that that age range likely to fall victim of fraud is between 30 and 49 and the age range less like is under 19.
Detective Chief Inspector Lee Morton, head of Essex’s fraud team, said: “Fraudsters continue to use the anonymity of the internet to trick people and businesses into handing over their hard earned money for their own financial gain.
“While they may use some sophisticated tactics, there are also some very simple steps you can take to deter them.
“In an age where more and more people are using hand held technology, be it on the train going home from work or waiting in a shopping queue, it’s vital to evaluate your online behaviour.
“These steps may help you avoid clicking on a fake advert on social media, it may prevent fraudsters gaining access to your personal details and it may stop you buying a product that doesn’t exist. We need your help to detect and disrupt criminals.”
We are now issuing the following advice to help you keep safe:
Do not give any personal information to organisations or people before verifying they are genuine;
Do not click on phishing emails. Banks and other financial organisations will not ask you to click on a link to confirm details;
Use a spam filter. If you detect a phishing email, mark the message as spam and delete it;
Never respond to an email from an unknown source and take care not to click any embedded links;
Look out for poor spellings and emails containing vague terms, this may be a scam;
Install up-to-date anti-virus software and a firewall on your computer and ensure your browser is set to the highest level of security notification and monitoring to prevent malware issues and computer crimes;
Be extremely wary of post, phone calls or emails offering you business deals out of the blue. If an offer seems too good to be true, it probably is.
For more advice please visit https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/report_fraud.
If you have been a victim or know someone who has been a victim of fraud please call 101, report it online by visiting https://www.essex.police.uk/do-it-online/ or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.


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Ford is reportedly set to wrap up most of its independent operations in India following a deal with the domestic automobile major Mahindra & Mahindra to form a joint venture (JV) in the country.
A pact between the two carmakers to set up the JV will be signed next week, reported Reuters. While Ford will hold 49 per cent stake in the new entity, Mahindra & Mahindra will get 51 per cent stake.
At present, Ford has a manufacturing facility each in Chennai (Tamil Nadu) and Sanand (Gujarat). According to the report, the deal will see the carmaker transferring a major part of its assets, including the two facilities, and employees in India to the JV. However, Ford will keep possession of the engine plant at Sanand that mainly focusses on exports.
Ford sells vehicles like Figo, Freestyle, Aspire, EcoSport, Endeavour and Mustang in India. The carmaker's products are best known for their powerful engines, good riding experience, value for money and safety features. The new entity will not only manufacture and sell Ford cars in India but also export them.
When asked about the veracity of the deal, Ford said: "Forging partnership for the future, we remain engaged with Mahindra to develop avenues of strategic cooperation that help us achieve commercial, manufacturing and business efficiencies."
In April 2019, Mahindra Group and Ford had signed an agreement to jointly develop a midsize SUV that would be introduced in India as well as emerging markets. Built on a Mahindra product platform, the vehicle would feature an engine from the domestic auto major.
Mahindra and Ford had announced a strategic alliance in September 2017. This was followed by a declaration regarding powertrain sharing and connected car solutions in October 2018.
"Ford remains committed to growing its customer base in India and will continue to make in India, for India and the world," the carmaker said.
"We have a strong brand, customer and dealer network in India. Using this as a foundation, we are working to expand our presence and product portfolio. We are confident that our success in India will enable us to unlock value in other emerging markets, as well," Ford added.


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U.S. stocks opened steady Friday as the oil companies are starting to report their quarterly results. As expected, it's a tough quarter for energy as oil prices have plummeted. Exxon Mobil (XOM) said revenue and profit slid as oil prices tumbled but results came in above Wall Street expectations. However, the United States's largest oil company had to cut spending to get there. Things are hard enough at Chevron (CVX) that it's cutting jobs. Not surprisingly, the CEO says the 3rd quarter earnings were down substantially from a year ago. As a result of lower oil prices, Chevron will cut back on capital investment and exploration and will cut 6,000 to 7,000 jobs as a result. Starbucks (SBUX) is seeing success with its new menu items and its expansion of digital ordering and payment capabilities. It saw profits higher but the expenses of rolling out the digital offerings did eat into the bottom line.
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ComiXology has passed 180 Million Downloads. Goodness me!
ComiXology has cruised past 180 million downloads. Just think about that. I wish I was some sort of financial wizard, so I could draw a correlation between this announcement and perhaps saving the comics industry. But I ain’t, so I’m just going to nod my head and imagine this is all excellent news.
Amid the flurry of news coming out of Comic-Con International in San Diego, digital-comics distributor comiXology announced this morning it has surpassed 180 million downloads worldwide. That’s just about nine months after the company hit the 100-million mark.
It’s been a year of growth for comiXology, which opened a Paris branch in January, leading to distribution agreements with French publishers Delcourt, Glénat and a dozen others. And just this week, the company announced a partnership with North American manga publisher Seven Seas.
However, it hasn’t all been about signing deals, as comiXology also launched the comiXology Submit self-publishing platform, as well as subscription and bundle features.
Of course, the company also stumbled a couple of times this year, with response to a promotion offering 700 free Marvel comics bringing down the comiXology servers in March, leaving customers without access to digital titles they’d already purchased, and the not-so-merry mix-up surrounding the rejection of Saga #12 due to graphic content.
But 80 million downloads in slightly more than nine months certainly indicates that comiXology’s business strategy is working. Now, these figures include both paid and free, but to offer a little more context, comiXology began 2012 with just about 50 million downloads.
“We are laser-focused on taking the comics experience further for both devoted fans and new readers, and we are thrilled to continue to provide our customers a truly diverse library of comic book content,” CEO and co-founder David Steinberger said in a statement. “At comiXology, we see the world through the eyes of comic fans, and it is our ‘reader first’ philosophy that motivates us to continue to improve the mobile reading experience, as well as introduce exciting new content every day – it guides everything we do.”
Jesus Christ. 80-million downloads in nine months? The company is taking off. Not fooling around! And now I don’t want to take total credit for their success, but at least 10 of those downloads are mine.


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When the Xiaomi Redmi 3S Prime goes on sale on August 9 on Flipkart and Mi.com, there will be some big changes being brought in by the Çhinese startup. For instance, these will be first phones from Xiaomi that are fully made in India. While this will be a big boost for the Narendra Modi government’s Make in India initiative, this will also mean the start of a new era for Xiaomi and Mi Fans in India.
Since the company is no longer dependent on China for its supplies, it will be able to offer much more units for sale in India. Manu Jain, India head of Xiaomi, said the phones will be available without a flash sale for the first time. And this is because they are more confident about being able to match supply and demand with the Redmi 3S Prime.
With the Xiaomi Redmi Note 3, launched earlier this year, Jain claimed they were able to sell 6,00,000 units in just 60 days. With the new Redmi 3S and Redmi 3S Prime, Xiaomi is offering more units for sale. Another interesting aspect about the new phone is that this version is manufactured only in India. Since these new versions come directly from the Xiaomi factory in Sri City, Andhra Pradesh, where it is manufactured in partnership with Foxconn, they will have the Band 5 support which is not available in China.
Xiaomi 3S is similar to Redmi Note 3 where design goes, and has the same metal unibody as the more expensive and bigger phone. Xiaomi is touting battery as the USP of Redmi 3S and 3S Prime, calling it a dependable smartphone with two days of battery life thanks to the 4,100mAh battery.
Othe specifications of the Redmi 3S Prime are: 5-inch HD display (720 p), Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 processor, 3GB RAM and 32GB storage space (expandable microSD slot with 128GB as limit). It has a 13 MP primary camera with a 5MP front camera. Xiaomi Redmi 3S has 2GB RAM+ 16GB storage, compared to the Prime version.
Both phones are dual-SIM smartphones with VoLTE 4G support. Redmi 3S does not have a fingerprint scanner on the back, like the Prime version. The phones runs MIUI 7 based on Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow, and will come in Gold, Grey and Silver colour options.


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Calorie Postings on Restaurant Menus: Friend or Foe?
Many restaurants are now posting calorie information right on the menu. This is thanks in part to the Patient Protection and Affordable Health Care Act. Passed in 2010, the Affordable Care Act requires all restaurants with 20 or more locations to post calorie information on menus, menu boards and display tags, and to provide additional nutrition information upon request.
Unfortunately, posting calorie information does not ensure healthy food choices. A recent study published by the Journal of Consumer Research reported that, when restaurants organized menus by calorie content, consumers chose higher-calorie options. Why? Researchers proposed that consumers tend to associate lower-calorie or healthier options with poor taste quality and choose higher calorie options instead. Interestingly, the study also showed no difference in food choices if higher and lower calorie items were intermixed.
So what does this mean for consumers? According to Christina Rollins, registered dietitian at Memorial Medical Center and spokesperson for the Illinois Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, you may be missing out on tasty, lower-calorie options.
“You should think twice before making choices at restaurants,” Rollins said. “Evaluate the menu items carefully and consider the pros and cons of your choices.”
Before ordering, Rollins recommends considering the following:
- Flavor profile — savory or sweet?
- Texture — crispy or smooth?
- Portion size — sensible portion or could it feed a family of four?
- Nutrient density — does it come with a side of steamed veggies or is it topped with bacon cheddar fries?
- Calorie content — does it meet my calorie need for one meal or three days’ worth of meals?
With or without calorie information, restaurant food can be part of a healthy diet. Considering nutritional information can be helpful in making healthy food choices, but it can also lead to some not-so-healthy selections. When it comes to calories and taste, Rollins said, more doesn’t always mean better.


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Is sweet potato juice the next big ‘healthy’ sweetener?
Image: Business Wire
A United States company has launched a new sweetener made from sweet potato, pitching it as a “clean label” replacement for high fructose corn syrup and honey.
Released by Carolina Innovative Food Ingredients (CIFI), the company says its ‘Carolina Sweet’ sweetener “embraces the health halo surrounding sweet potato”.
CIFI state testing results show the sweetener has higher levels of calcium, iron, magnesium and potassium than other natural sweeteners.
“As today’s consumers are seeking healthier options, product developers are in need of reliable ingredients to meet that demand. Carolina Sweet satisfies both parties,” said John Kimber, CIFI Chief Operating Officer.
CIFI was established with the main aim of producing new products using sweet potatoes from North Carolina, “America’s sweet potato country”.
Making the most of the sweet potato health trend
According to NPR, in 2015, the United States grew more sweet potatoes than it did in any year since World War II. Fad diets that label sweet potato as a “super food” have been attributed to the increasing popular of the vegetable.
Sweet potatoes have also become a popular health food in Australia with Nielsen reporting that for the 12 months ended 14 May 2016, the sweet potato category in Australia increased 21 per cent on the prior 12 months. This was seven times higher than the total vegetable growth rate.
Close to seven in 10 Australian households purchased sweet potatoes within the measured 12-month period, an increase of 436, 000 more households on the prior 12-months.
- Will low-calorie sweeteners now look like meringues?
- Pepsi US to bring back aspartame as sweetener
- Academic review finds evidence of bias in artificial sweetener research
The recent acquisition of the Dollar Shave Club by Unilever may signal a new era in business models.
More Australians are deciding to follow a vegetarian diet says a new report from Roy Morgan Research...
Coles, Food innovation Australia (FIAL) and the Victorian Government are running a free industry bri...
Tasmanian salmon company, Tassal, has publically addressed questions raised by ABC’s Four Corners re...
Bakers Delight is set for change with its original founders stepping down from the CEO role after 37...
Global wine production has sunk to its lowest level in 60 years according to the latest figures rele...
The push for wild Tasmanian deer to be hunted for the commercial food and restaurant trade is gainin...
MORE than half the dollars spent on packaged alcohol go through the Woolworths Group.


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GadgetHerald.com: US-giant Apple is known for producing the highest quality products in the world, but in recent times it is facing some serious quality issues. After the release of the iPhone 5, the fans of the device have complained of scratches, dents and scuffs along the sides and the back of the device.
A poll has mentioned that about 35% of the new iPhone 5 users have reported at least some minor damage right when the box is opened. Some 10% of the users have said that the damage occurred to their phone shortly after beginning use.
So critics say that the conclusion is that the iPhone 5 might need a protective case.


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You and Me Coffee and Tea opens Williamsburg location
Williamsburg now has a new coffee house, which will be familiar to several area residents.
You and Me Coffee and Tea, which is located along Main Street in Corbin, opened a second location Friday morning in Williamsburg.
Andy Salmons, majority owner of You and Me Coffee and Tea, and co-owner D.J. Allen, opened the shop in one of the two storefronts adjacent to the old Lane Theater.
“We actually decided to do a coffee shop in Williamsburg three years ago,” Salmons noted. “I have had the lease on the other part of the Lane Theater for a long time now. We kind of sat on it for a while, while we tried to figure out how we were going to do the project.”
About nine months ago, Salmons and Allen began to do serious work on the space, but ran into various delays with contractors and so forth.
When the hair salon in the other storefront adjacent to the Lane Theater left, Salmons decided to set up shop temporarily in that space until his permanent location was completed.
“We decided to rent that temporarily and do a pop-up shop so we can already start serving the people of Williamsburg,” Salmons said Friday morning. “If today is any indication, it is going to be awesome, we are going to be really excited.”
By 10:30 a.m. Friday, Salmons said the Williamsburg location had three times the traffic that his Corbin location normally has at that point in the day.
Salmons thinks that having the University of the Cumberlands just up the street will be a big plus for business.
“If today is any indication, that is going to be a big piece of our business. We are really excited to serve coffee to college students,” Salmons said. “Right now we are coming up on finals week so it is a really good opportunity for us to supply them with a little bit of caffeine to push them through testing week.”
Salmons said that he doesn’t have an estimate yet on when his permanent location will open, but hopes it will be completed by late winter.
Once the permanent site is completed, Salmons said that it would seat about 30 people.
“We are going to have our food menu that we have in Corbin, our lunch menu and our brunch menu,” Salmons said about the permanent location.
The current shop will be open Monday – Friday from 7 a.m. – 7 p.m. On Saturday and Sunday, it will be open from 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.
The hours will likely be expanded once the permanent location opens.
“When we are over there, our hours will probably look like our hours in Corbin,” Salmons added.


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DALLAS — Snack cakes, pies, mini-doughnuts, breakfast pastries and other packaged bakery items have been added to 7-Eleven’s 7-Select store-brand lineup.
Forty additional 7-Select items, including frozen pizza and appetizers, nuts, cookies and sandwich crackers, will be introduced before year's end, spokeswoman Margaret Chabris told SN. The line currently includes 225 items.
“We work with Daymon Worldwide to help source manufacturers for these house brands,” she said. “It’s done a great job with the fast rollouts we’ve had over the last year.”
Participating locations will incite trial of the newest single-serve treats by discounting them to 99 cents through the end of the year. Beginning in 2010, items will retail for $1.19 each, with the 10-ounce bags of mini-doughnuts selling for $1.99.
The 15 new sweets were pitted against national brands in taste tests and preferred, on average, 3-to-1 over national-brand equivalents, according to 7-Eleven.
“Our goal was to match or improve on the taste and quality of the baked goods by the national brands,” said Joe Hermes, 7-Eleven senior product director for bakery and produce, in a statement. “If you can do that and save a customer money, they’re more likely to become loyal to that product.”
Currently under development are 7-Select seasonal snack cakes, slated for release in 2010.
Read More of Today's Headlines


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Turn that frown upside down. That’s the message from JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon, who believes the nation is entering the best economic growth phase it has seen since the 1940s.
Despite all kinds of economic malaise, he is pushing an optimistic forecast where even rising interest rates will be no problem. “We’re going to have the best growth we’ve ever had, this year, I think since maybe sometime after the Great Depression,” Dimon said on CNBC, speaking from a health care conference the bank sponsored. “Next year will be pretty good, too.”
In December, consumer confidence dove, down 12.5% from the year before, according to the University of Michigan sentiment index. Rising inflation—the new Consumer Price Index (CPI), released Wednesday, hit 7%, the highest level since 1982—has disheartened many. So has the rampant spread of the Omicron variant, with new cases running well over an average 500,000 daily in the US, the largest tally thus far in the pandemic.
But to Dimon, the solid condition of US households’ finances will prevail and restore people’s sense of comfort, with the economy rising as a result. “The consumer balance sheet has never been in better shape: They’re spending 25% more today than pre-COVID,” he said. “Their debt-service ratio is better than it’s been since we’ve been keeping records for 50 years.”
That said, the stock market might not tag along with this core economic strength, Dimon warned. More ups and downs lie ahead, he cautioned. “The market is different,” he said. “We’re kind of expecting that the market will have a lot of volatility this year as rates go up and people kind of redo projections.”
Dimon also expressed optimism that the Federal Reserve actions will pull back today’s robust inflation, without damaging economic growth. “If we’re lucky, the Fed can slow things down and we’ll have what they call a ‘soft landing,’” he said. The Fed’s policymaking body’s members last month predicted three quarter-point increases in the benchmark fed funds rate. But Goldman Sachs and Deutsche Bank economists have forecasted that it will be four.
“It’s possible that inflation is worse than they think, and they raise rates more than people think,” Dimon said. “I personally would be surprised if it’s just four increases.”


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Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Business Week, picking up a story from the Associated Press, reports that a bankruptcy judge has approved a settlement in the Iridium case, reducing Motorola's liability from $4 billion to zero. According to The Register, Iridium was and is a mobile phone system based on connecting cell phones directly to satellites. Motorola made cell phones for Iridium's network of satellites. Iridium filed for bankruptcy in 2001, and its creditors sought recovery from Motorola on a number of claims, including breach of contract. The Register described the original damages estimate as a "whacking great sum." Love those Brits! The Register also suggests that the real cause of Iridium's bankruptcy has less to do with Motorola than with the extraordinarily high cost of making phone calls using satellite technology, which is also somewhat antiquated at this point.
This week, Judge James M. Peck approved a settlement agreement between Motorola and the creditors, according to which Motorola will pay nothing.


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Understanding Your Estimated Tax Payments:
The Supreme Court on Thursday standardized taxing rules for traditional retailers and online transactions, ruling that states and localities may collect sales taxes on all purchases over the internet.
Christine Benz: Hi, I'm Christine Benz for Morningstar.com. Losing a spouse is a sad life event, of course, and it can also bring financial challenges. Joining me to discuss key priorities for new widows is Nancy Coutu. She is a principal with Money Managers Limited in the Chicago suburbs.
Nancy, thank you so much for being here.
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) expands the first-year depreciation deductions for vehicles used more than 50% for business purposes. Here's what small business owners need to know to take advantage.
Forget floor seats to a Lakers game or front-row Beyoncé tickets on another company’s dime. Under the new tax law, businesses can’t deduct most entertainment expenses anymore.
As the April 17th deadline has come and gone, refunds are beginning to be disbursed by the IRS. During this time, sophisticated phone scams are targeting taxpayers. According to a study conducted by the Treasury Inspector General, over $23 million dollars have been paid by over 4,000 victims as a result of tax scams. Earlier this year, the IRS released their 2018 “Dirty Dozen” which include a list of the most common tax scams that can affect taxpayers. Among the list are phone scams. Here is a little background on how these type of fraudulent calls work: Scammers often alter caller ID numbers, known as spoofing, to make it seem the IRS or another agency is calling. They make demands and try to scare the victim into making immediate payments. Each year scammers are working to improve their antics. In order to protect yourself from fictitious phone calls or messages, here are some tips:
Do you own residential or commercial rental real estate? The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) brings several important changes that owners of rental properties should understand.


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Verizon Communications Inc. said Monday it expects earnings in 2006 to improve as the year wears on, with adjusted first-quarter earnings, excluding items, in the range of 57 cents to 59 cents per share.
Analysts, on average, are looking for earnings of 62 cents per share, according to a poll by Thomson Financial. The analyst estimates reflect stock option expenses.
Quarterly earnings are "expected to ramp up in the second half of the year," thanks to expected strengthening of its Verizon Business, merger-related savings, as well as the company's wireless performance and improving revenue in its wireline business, Verizon said.
For the full year, the Manhattan-based telecommunications company expects earnings to be similar to 2005's level of $2.56 per share, before one-time items such as integration costs with MCI Inc., which the company bought in January. Analysts, on average, are looking for earnings of $2.55 per share.
At an investor conference in Florida, Doreen Toben, chief financial officer, also said Verizon plans to repurchase $1 billion in shares in 2006, paid for by existing cash and ongoing cash flow from operations.
Ms. Toben said in a statement that the company is "rapidly executing" its integration of MCI, and that Verizon continues to plan for competing the divestiture of its information services unit by the end of the year.


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Laboratory testing of 92 French wines from across the country found pesticide traces in every bottle, including those made from organically-grown grapes, consumer organization UFC-Que Choisir reported.
An estimated crowd of 5,846 filled Riverbend Park in Palisade on Saturday for the annual Colorado Mountain Winefest presented by First National Bank of the Rockies, setting a new 22-year attendance high.
Rainfall on Friday and Saturday did little to dampen the spirits of local grape growers, who are still pleased with this year's unusually early harvest. The rain brought harvest, which is already into the cabernet sauvignon phase, to a "screeching halt," said Volker Eisele of Eisele Vineyards.
Thirty-five Master of Wine and Master Sommelier students participated in Master Napa Valley, a multiday education immersion program about the wine region, hosted by the Napa Valley Vintners nonprofit trade association.
Early signs at Bordeaux estates including Chateau d'Yquem and Cos d'Estournel point to a good quality 2013 harvest for Bordeaux's dry white wines and Sauternes, but producers need the sun to stick around.
What is it about wine writing that seems to bring out the bodice ripper in some wine writers? And why do certain words or phrases that no one ever seems to use in the real world somehow seem to creep their way into way too many wine reviews?
Today, Italian varieties of wine grapes are grown throughout the Pacific Northwest, particularly in Washington's Columbia Valley. Among the most popular is sangiovese, the noble grape of Tuscany. But winemakers also enjoy working with such red varieties as dolcetto, nebbiolo, primitivo, zinfandel and barbera.
Brimming winery tanks from the record 2012 crop are moderating pricing surplus winegrape tonnage and excess wine for what is thought to be another sizable crop this year, according to experts at a major annual gathering in Napa on Tuesday of the industry's financial decision-makers.
The New Zealand wine industry has used the America's Cup to help raise the profile of its wine in its second largest export market. New Zealand Winegrowers global marketing director Chris Yorke said the opportunity to leverage off Team New Zealand's presence in San Francisco had been too good to ignore.
The improvement in quality of wines from Chile, while maintaining value prices over the last ten years has been truly remarkable. I highlight a few below but read about all 13 on my Top 50 Value Wines list.
The so-called Monsanto Protection Act is set to expire, and will not be included in a bill designed to avert a government shutdown, according to a statement Tuesday from the press office of Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.).


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It has putted up for sale over 1 million of its innovative hands-free Kinect gaming methods in the first 10 days while open, placing it on path to hit its goal of 5 million sales by the last part of the year, Microsoft Corporation said.
The biggest world software company is on tenterhooks the Kinect will facilitate refresh sales of its Xbox game console this holiday shopping season and counter opposing motion-based gaming systems from Nintendo Co, which builds the Wii, and Sony Corp, which initiates its Move product two months before.
Don Mattrick, head of game unit of Microsoft, said in a telephone interview that “It’s a burly launch and customers love it.”
The Kinect, a sensing gadget you bung into the Xbox which permits you to play games just by touching your body and talking commands — is valued at $150 for a separate unit and $300 bundled with a 4 gigabyte Xbox console.
Last November 4, 2010 it went on sale in U.S. stores, even though a lot of clientele had ordered ahead units, probable sourcing a spike in before time sales. Microsoft is eager sales will continue sizzling as the day following Thanksgiving, one of the largest shopping days of the year, identified as ‘Black Friday’ this coming November 26.
In the United States, more than 30,000 U.S. stores are selling Kinect, as well as branches of Wal-Mart Stores Inc, Target Corp, Best Buy Co, GameStop Corp and online at Amazon.com. In Europe, it went on sale last November 10 and is suitable to go on sale in Asia on November 18.
Eventually, Microsoft is in suspense the innovative technology will facilitate expand the position of its Xbox 360, which has sold 45 million units, and bring in an idea that is anticipated to trait in forms of electronics and computers in the subsequently few years.
Microsoft shares were trading unmoved after hours, subsequent to closing behind 7 cents at $26.20 on Nasdaq.


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Brex Co-Founder & CEO Henrique Dubugras speaks onstage throughout TechCrunch Disrupt San Francisco 2019 at Moscone Conference Heart on October 02, 2019 in San Francisco, California.
Steve Jennings | Getty Photos
Brex, the Silicon Valley lender to start-ups, is dropping tens of 1000’s of small enterprise clients to concentrate on greater venture-backed shoppers, in response to co-founder Henrique Dubugras.
The corporate started informing customers this week that they’ve till Aug. 15 to withdraw funds from on-line accounts and discover new suppliers, Dubugras instructed CNBC on Friday in a Zoom interview. Axios reported the change Thursday.
The transfer is the newest signal of a sea change occurring amongst start-ups as an abrupt shift in market situations is forcing a brand new self-discipline on firms that beforehand centered purely on progress. The shift started late final yr, when the shares of high-flying publicly traded fintech gamers comparable to PayPal started to break down.
Dubugras mentioned that he and his co-founder Pedro Franceschi made the choice in December as their start-up clients grew to become more and more demanding. Plunging valuations for public firms quickly bled over into the personal realm, hammering valuations for pre-IPO firms and forcing corporations to concentrate on profitability.
That meant that a few of Brex’s greatest clients started to request options to assist them management bills and rent cheaper worldwide employees, Dubugras mentioned.
On the similar time, the standard brick-and-mortar small companies, together with retailers and eating places, that Brex started including in a 2019 growth flooded assist strains, leading to worse service for the start-ups they valued extra, he mentioned.
“We bought to a state of affairs the place we realized that if we did not select one, we’d do a poor job for each” teams of shoppers, he mentioned. “So we determined to concentrate on our core buyer which might be the start-ups which might be rising.”
The preliminary information of the announcement induced mass confusion amongst Brex clients, spurring Franceschi to tweet concerning the transfer, Dubugras mentioned.
Brex is holding onto shoppers which have secured institutional backing of any sort, together with from accelerator applications, angel traders or Internet 3.0 tokens, he mentioned. They’re additionally retaining conventional firms that Brex deems midmarket in dimension, which have “extra monetary historical past so we will underwrite them for our bank card,” Dubugras mentioned.
The shift is the newest learning moment for the 2 younger co-founders, Stanford College dropouts who took Silicon Valley by storm once they created Brex in 2017. The corporate was one of many quickest to succeed in unicorn standing and was final valued at $12.3 billion.
The pair mistakenly thought that increasing providers to extra conventional small companies can be a easy transfer. As an alternative, the wants of the 2 cohorts had been totally different, requiring a distinct set of merchandise, he mentioned.
“We constructed Brex with 20 individuals, so we thought, why cannot we simply construct a distinct Brex with one other 20 individuals?” Dubugras mentioned. “I discovered that focus is extraordinarily necessary; that is undoubtedly a lesson I’ll take with me eternally.”
Whereas enterprise leaders have been warning of an impending recession in latest weeks, the choice wasn’t primarily based on concern that small companies would default on company playing cards, the co-founder mentioned. That is as a result of most small companies needed to repay their playing cards each day, leaving little threat Brex would not get repaid, he mentioned.
“It is horrible. It is the worst final result for us, too,” Dubugras mentioned. “We invested a lot cash in buying these clients, serving them, constructing the model, all these items.”


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Local nonprofit Shifting Gears is putting on its annual Bellingham Bike Swap at Boundary Bay Brewery’s alley and beer garden Sunday, May 7.
The Bellingham Bike Swap offers community members an opportunity to purchase used bikes and gear at a lower cost than sale price, making the joys and benefits of biking a little more affordable, according to an April 4 press release.
“The Bellingham Bike Swap is a space for community members to sell, shop, and simply share in the greatness of the Bellingham outdoor community,” the release says.
Shifting Gears is a women-led, women-directed nonprofit in Bellingham, WA, creating welcoming recreation opportunities that encourage confidence, wellness, growth and joy for all women. It started putting on the bike swap in 2018, and, according to the release, 25 percent of each sale will assist with the funding the nonprofits biking and hiking programs.
Boundary Bay Brewery is at located 1107 Railroad Avenue in Bellingham.
The swap is open 1-5 p.m. May 7 for community members looking for deals. Individuals looking to sell gear can drop off items 7-10 a.m. Sunday, and sellers can pick up their checks and unsold gear 6-8 p.m.
For more information, visit letsshiftgears.com.


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The developer of Assetto Corsa has provided an update on the current status of the console release for it’s latest DLC pack. Kunos Simulazioni’s “70th Anniversary Ferrari Pack” adds a selection of the marque’s finest models and arrived on PCast month. According to a post on the official AC forums, console players may not be too far behind.
The team has submitted the Ferrari-centric DLC to the approval process for both PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. As with all releases on console, the new content must pass through criteria set by each manufacturer. Once Sony or Microsoft are happy with the new update, it can then be deployed to the version in question. On the back of this, 505 Games has also stated that a release date will be set once the results of the submission comes through.
Players will gain access to six new Ferraris in the anniversary pack. Classics like the 250 GTO are also joined by the 2017 812 Superfast. If you’re a big fan of classic Formula 1 cars, the Ferrari F2004 is also here. The full list of included cars are listed below:
- 1962 250 GTO
- 1967 330 P/4
- 1967 312/67
- 1984 288 GTO
- 2004 F2004
- 2017 812 Superfast
In terms of updates, the console versions of Assetto Corsa have just about caught up. Life for Xbox and PS4 players was initially tough as the long-awaited Porsche packs started to arrive on PC during the release window. It would be quite a few months before those on console got to drive cars from the motoring icon, but waiting time between updates have lessened over time. Xbox players had a slightly worse time still, as V1.14 was delayed by months compared to PS4.
Now that the console updates are seemingly being tackled in a unified process, we hope Kunos can keep up with updates across the platforms. The recent announcement of the Bonus DLC pack ensures that AC certainly isn’t done adding content for its dedicated fanbase.


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Investor demand for the retail business of Reliance Industries Ltd. is so strong that Carlyle Group Inc. and SoftBank Group Corp are among those who have been put on the waiting list, according to people familiar with the matter.
Carlyle and SoftBank recently expressed interest in Mukesh Ambani’s investment in Reliance Retail Ventures Ltd, with people stating that those not to be identified are private. People said that Reliance Industries has asked the two companies to wait on the sideline as the group is already in advanced talks with other financial investors.
Mr. Ambani is supporting his digital services business, which has done a business of $ 20 billion in recent months, as it seeks funding for Reliance Retail. Jio Platforms Ltd. Silver Lake Partners, an investor in the US, agreed to chip in $ 1 billion last week. Bloomberg News reported that other Jio investors, including private equity funds KKR & Co and L Catterton, are also considering investing.
Mubadala Investment Company of Abu Dhabi, a Jio investor, weighs in at about $ 750 million in Reliance Retail. The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund are also planning investments.
The strong response from financial investors of Jio means that others are not enough. Reliance Industries plans to sell about 10% stake in Reliance Retail to financial investors and nearly all of its $ 5.7 billion shares have been raised, people said.
Largest allocation Amazon.com Inc. Is reserved for, Bloomberg News reported last week. Mr. Ambani is offering to sell a $ 20 billion stake in the retail business to a US tech giant, which could be as high as a 40 percent stake. According to data compiled by Bloomberg, a deal, if successful, would be the largest for India as well as Amazon.
People said that potential investors including Carlyle and SoftBank should still join hands in Reliance Retail shares. People said that the talks are continuing and may still be delayed or separated.
Representatives from Reliance, Carlyle, Softbank, ADIA and Mubadala declined to comment, while PIF representatives did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Mr. Ambani has identified technology and retail as far-future sectors from energy businesses inherited from his father, who died in 2002. Retail is the next front for the 63-year-old Indian tycoon, whose ambitions include home-grown e-commerce giants like China’s Alibaba Group Holding Ltd.
This year, shares of Reliance Industries have gained about 54 percent, taking the market value of the company to about $ 207 billion.


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You’ll be surprised to see who, or what, Instagram’s newest fashion influencer is
- Instagram’s newest fashion influencer, Lil Miquela, is 19, based in LA, and a computer hologram. The uber cool outfits that grace her outfit of the day, are designed by top brands — from haute couture to street wear — and are superimposed on her. Miquela isn’t the first virtual influencer to make waves in fashion — she’s preceded by the alternative band Gorillaz and Japanese holographic pop star Hatsune Miku.
• Instagram is expanding its hold in the e-commerce space. This week, the app began testing video ads that double as product catalogues, enabling users to purchase products without leaving the app. Birchbox and Revolve were among the first brands to try the new ad format.
- Snapchat has rolled out some significant changes this week with custom lenses, a new live format, and an entirely new app layout.
- The new app layout has been met with some consumer criticism, despite Snapchat’s intent for re-hauling it for a better user experience.
- The live feature brings Snapchat into a competitive live-streaming business that’s already occupied by rivals including Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Twitter. It’s only available for broadcast partners at this time, so keep an eye out on NBC this weekend as they’re testing it out at the Winter Olympics
- Snapchat’s Do Not Disturb and updated fonts also quietly rolled out a few weeks ago. By tapping and holding on a person or group, it lets consumers mute notifications from them so you don’t get constantly alerted but also don’t have to block them or leave the group.
- According to AdAge, organic content from brands on Facebook is “a waste of everyone’s time” as virtually no one will see it anymore. Brands need to make the switch from quantity to quality and create “thumb-stopping” content that’s helpful, relevant, meaningful, and personalized. With this strategy, ad dollars can be allocated to almost every Facebook post, ensuring the right audiences see it.
Our DTU is a weekly snapshot of all digital trends, innovations and interesting things that are happening to keep you in the know.


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The Taliban takeover of Afghanistan has fueled a surge in the use of cryptocurrency as Afghans grasp for ways to cope with a deepening financial crisis, market analysts and local traders say, a trend that may offer hope for an ailing economy, but that poses concerns for Western security officials.
The appeal of cryptocurrency grew as Afghans saw it as a safe place for their funds and as digital-currency transactions continued in the wake of the Taliban’s seizure, while Western governments, banks and money-service businesses cut off access to other forms of finance, local traders say. The cryptocurrency option has provided a small but critical financial lifeline amid a cash crunch in an economy racked by political crisis.
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THE IMPACT OF TARIFFS & DUTIES ON TODAY’S ECONOMY
This year has been, to say the least, an eventful year for taxpayers across all industries. The passage of the Tax Cuts & Jobs Act (“TCJA”) in December 2017 provided opportunities for businesses and individuals to augment or modify their existing tax profiles. Taxpayers have had their hands full implementing the changes brought about by the TCJA, including the reduction in the top overall corporate tax rate of 35% to a flat rate of 21%, and the 20% qualified business income deduction, along with enhanced tax depreciation benefits and interest expense deduction limitations.
However, in addition to the income tax impact associated with the provisions of the TCJA, businesses and their owners have been recently forced to consider the short-term and long-term implications of the potential increase in tariffs and duties on goods imported to the United States. Furthermore, actions taken by foreign jurisdictions to alter the tariffs and duties placed on goods exported from the U.S. must also be considered.
The Future of Tariffs and Duties
Tariffs and duties are basically an additional tax placed on goods imported into a particular country. While planned increases in tariffs and duties surrounding steel and aluminum imported into the U.S. have received much of the attention from the press in recent months, these additional taxes are imposed on a number of different goods. The importer of record typically pays the tariff, with the end-user of the imported good generally impacted by an increase in cost. Be it a manufacturer or a construction company purchasing materials from overseas vendors or an individual buying the latest electronic gadget, the increase in costs is likely to wind up with the end-user.
The U.S. federal government has sought to close the perceived competitive disadvantage due to relatively low-level tariffs and duties imposed on domestic imports, in comparison to the tariffs and duties imposed on goods exported to foreign jurisdictions. In recent years, there has been momentum surrounding a change from the worldwide taxation system presently in place in the U.S. to a territorial taxation system which limits the income subject to tax to that which is earned within its borders. While the border adjusted taxation system, which essentially taxes imports while exempting tax on exports, never came to fruition, a series of increased tariffs and duties were imposed (or planned to be imposed) on certain goods imported into the U.S. beginning in January 2018.
Impact on the Economy
While the needle is still moving in terms of where the import and export tariffs and duties will ultimately land, the global economy is clearly impacted. From a U.S. perspective, proponents of the tariff system argue that the economy benefits from the taxation of imports, as the increased duties that foreign exporters would face provides a competitive advantage for domestic providers who are not subject to similar fees. Opponents of the system argue that a tariff and duty system limits competition, as purchasers have a smaller supply of vendors to choose from. Irrespective of where you stand on this spectrum, one can certainly envision a future state of increased costs borne by the end-users and/or consumers of these goods. Additionally, the trade agreements in place between countries throughout the world have received expanded scrutiny, as the governmental agencies look to renegotiate current tariff and duty policies in place to avoid an increase in the scope and amount of these costs.
Since the idea of an increase in domestic tariffs and duties was first introduced, there has been a lot of political banter as nations across the globe have sought to negotiate or re-negotiate trade agreements to stem the tide of higher costs to do business worldwide. With the threat of large increases to the tariff and duty system as a backdrop, we have seen the recent replacement of the North American Free Trade Agreement (“NAFTA”) with the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (“USMCA”), signaling a significant shift in some of the trade policies and provisions shaping the global economy. While the USMCA is still awaiting ratification by the three countries and thus will not go into effect until early 2020, this agreement could be a precursor to renegotiated agreements with and between other countries. As the U.S. government, along with their foreign counterparts, weigh the consequences of trade agreements vs. tariffs and duties, the situation bears watching, as taxpayers across all industries will certainly be impacted.
Stephen J. Ehrenberg, CPA, MBT is a Director at Sax LLP and a member of the firm’s Manufacturing and Distribution Practice, providing 19 years of industry expertise in the areas of corporate, pass-through and individual tax compliance and consulting, as well as accounting for income taxes. He can be reached at [email protected].


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Nashville-Davidson, Tennessee 2021-07-30 07:30:00 –
Nashville (WSMV)-Get ready for a tax-exempt weekend here in Tennessee.
A sales tax holiday is currently underway in the state. Whether you need to go back to school to shop or stock up on your fridge, there are two unique sales tax holidays this weekend.
One is about clothing, school supplies and computers, and the other is about food.
From today to Sunday, general apparel under $ 100 is tax exempt. This includes the purchase of shirts, trousers, socks and shoes.
However, it does not include items priced above $ 100.
School supplies and art supplies under $ 100 are tax-free, and computers, laptops, and tablets under $ 1,500 are part of the vacation.
From today to next Thursday, food, ingredients and prepared foods are also tax exempt. It is defined as a liquid, concentrated, solid, lyophilized, dried, or dehydrated substance.
Alcohol, tobacco and candies are not included. Cooked foods include foods that are sold in a heated state, foods that are sold as a mixture of two or more ingredients, or foods that are sold with tableware.
“I think it’s great, especially during this pandemic, it’s very difficult for people and I think it helps people who suffer from hunger, so I think it helps a lot of people,” said Samaria Reach of Nashville. rice field.
Currently, there is a one-year sales tax holiday for guns, safes, and safety devices. It starts on July 1st and lasts until June next year.
WSMV.com I’m with you on the go! Get the latest news updates and videos, 4WARN weather forecasts, weather radar, special research reports, sports headlines and more from News4 Nashville.
Copyright 2020 WSMV (Meredith Corporation). all rights reserved.
Tax-free weekend kicks off in Tennessee, here’s where you can save some cash | News Source link Tax-free weekend kicks off in Tennessee, here’s where you can save some cash | News


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“The existing FTP 2015-2020, which is valid up to September 30, 2021 is extended up to March 31, 2022,” the directorate general of foreign trade (DGFT) said in a notification.
On March 31, 2020, the government had extended FTP (2015-20) for one year till March 31, 2021, amid the coronavirus outbreak and the lockdown.
The policy provides guidelines for enhancing exports to push economic growth and create jobs and incentives under different schemes such as Duty Free Import Authorisation (DFIA) and Export Promotion Capital Goods (EPCG).
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Samsung Galaxy M32 5G Launch This is the company’s most powerful mid-range 5G smartphone. 12 5G bands have been given in Samsung Galaxy. Along with this, the company has given the support of the operating system in the phone for 2 years. The phone has been introduced in two storage variants.
Samsung has launched the new 5G smartphone of the M series Galaxy M32 5G in India. This is the company’s most powerful mid-range 5G smartphone. 12 5G bands have been given in Samsung Galaxy. Along with this, the company has given the support of the operating system in the phone for 2 years. The phone has been introduced in two storage variants. Also, the phone comes in two color options Slate Black and Sky Blue.
Galaxy M32 5G Prices & Offers
The Samsung Galaxy M32 5G smartphone has been introduced in 6GB + 128GB and 8GB + 128GB storage options. The phone’s 6GB + 128GB storage variant costs Rs 20,999. Whereas 8GB + 128GB storage variant will come for Rs 22,999. The sale of the phone will start on September 2 at 12 noon. The phone will get a discount of Rs 2,000 on purchase with ICICI credit card. Also, the phone can be purchased on EMI option.
Specifications of Samsung Galaxy M32 5G Smartphone
The Samsung Galaxy M32 5G smartphone will get a 6.5-inch HD + Infinity-V display. The phone comes in a premium and sleek design. It has 1TB of expandable storage support. Also the phone comes with Know Security. Dimension 720 processor support has been given in the phone. The phone will work on Android 11 based One UI 3.1. The 48MP quad camera setup has been given in the Galaxy M32 5G smartphone. Its main camera will be 48MP.
With massive 5000mAh battery and in-box 15W USB-C fast charger, Galaxy M32 5G will help you sail through your tasks without worry. The phone delivers up to 106 hours of music playback, 36 hours of talk time, 19 hours of internet usage time and 20 hours of video playback on a single charge.
Apart from this, 8MP 120 degree ultra wide angle lens, 5MP macro lens and 2MP live focus have been supported. Whereas a 13MP camera has been given for selfie in the front. For power backup, the Galaxy M32 5G smartphone has a 5000mAh battery, which has been supported by 15W fast charging.
Connectivity options include 5G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and GPS. The Galaxy M32 5G also comes with a side-mounted fingerprint scanner. It is backed by a 5,000mAh battery that supports 15W fast charging. It measures 164.2×76.1×9.1mm, and the company is touting Dolby Atmos support on wired and Bluetooth headsets.


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The Microsoft announcement put the software giant on the map as a legitimate tablet competitor in its own right with the innovative Surface design.
But it also disrupted Microsoft’s traditional role as a neutral software supplier and supporter of various hardware vendors. By announcing plans to compete directly with its partners, Microsoft may have hurt its chances to count on their full support. In fact, a report out today claims HP is so miffed by the Surface announcement that it’s abandoned plans to produce a Windows RT tablet based on the ARM chip architecture.
According to the tech news site SemiAccurate, HP has dropped plans to make a Windows RT tablet and other Microsoft partners are having second thoughts as well.
(UPDATE: Bloomberg confirmed today that HP has cancelled plans to offer a Windows RT tablet and will focus on developing x86 Windows 8 tablets instead. “The decision to go with x86 was influenced by input from our customers,” an HP spokewoman said in an email to Bloomberg. “The robust and established ecosystem of x86 applications provides the best customer experience at this time and in the immediate future.” In an email to TabTimes, an HP spokesperson also added that: “HP continues to look at using ARM processors in business and consumer products. However, our first Win 8 tablet will be on the x86 platform focused on the business market.")
While the Surface prototype was lauded for innovative features like its Touch Cover keyboard, the SemiAccurate article charges Microsoft with “industrial espionage” for using what it knew about the designs its hardware partners were working on while never revealing it planned to make its own tablet.
To be clear, the article doesn’t speficy the Touch Cover keyboard or kickstand idea was a ripoff, there’s just a vague charge that “Microsoft did their own device that paid homage to those OEMs most innovative features …. and was designed knowing exactly what their weaknesses were.”
The SemiAccurate article claims a number of Microsoft’s partners are now more inclined to partner with Google due to the Surface and to avoid Microsoft’s licensing fees for Windows.
But Surface could spur interest in Windows 8 tablets
Some analysts have also made the argument that it was smart for Microsoft to develop Surface because it wasn’t seeing enough hardware innovation by its partners ahead of Windows 8‘s release this fall. Microsoft is counting on slick new Windows 8 tablets to generate extra buzz when Windows 8 is finally ready for release.
Microsoft is also limiting Surface’s distribution to its own Microsoft stores and online.
Furthermore, Digitimes, quoted Acer founder Stan Shih earlier this month as saying Microsoft is using Surface to spur interest in Windows 8 tablets, but has no intention of supporting the brand long term.


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New discount store opens in Niles Charter Township
Published 5:37 pm Thursday, March 23, 2023
NILES CHARTER TOWNSHIP — A new business is bringing bargain items to the Niles community.
Niles resident Donna Tolley recently opened Mrs. Bell’s Bargains at 1040 Bell Rd. in Bell Plaza, Niles. Open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, the store offers items like housewares, seasonal items, toys, cleaning supplies, décor, basic apparel, health and beauty products and more at discounted prices.
Tolley, who is also the manager of Riverfront Park Campground, started Mrs. Bell’s Bargains last November with her sister and sister-in-law as a way to offer discounted items to community members trying to make ends meet.
“I’m a person who’s always liked to help others,” she said. “My mom raised five kids on her own working three jobs, so obviously budgeting was always a purpose in our lives and with price changes, COVID and everything, I’ve always helped to pay it forward. Why not get a bargain? Why not help the world do this?”
Tolley travels across the region purchasing large pallets of merchandise from liquidation warehouses and auctions and sells the items individually at discounted prices.
“It’s a challenge,” she said. “It’s a lot of research and a lot of work. You’ve got to be devoted to it. But when it comes to all of us out in the world, we deserve it…This is what I do and this is what I enjoy. Niles doesn’t have anything like this, so we brought it here.”
Originally conducting business from her home using Facebook Live videos to promote, Tolley said interest in her products soared to the point where she decided to pursue opening a storefront. Tolley continues to create Facebook Live videos through the “Mrs. Bells Bargains” group on Facebook.
“It was a huge hit,” she said. “It got so overwhelming and big that I had to turn it into this.”
The Mrs. Bell’s Bargains storefront opened its doors at the beginning of March and Tolley said the response has been positive.
“They love it,” she said. “They love coming in here seeing the cheap prices and stuff and are grateful for it because of how the world is right now.”
The business also provides Tolley the flexibility to spend time with her son, who has special needs.
“It feels good that I’m doing this for my family,” she said. “I still get to have time with my son. I don’t have to place him anywhere; he’s with me as his caretaker and so it’s a win-win for everybody.”
While the work is often challenging, Tolley enjoys being able to help those in need.
“I feel good because when I walk out of here every day, somebody has also walked out of here saving money,” she said. “The economy right now, with all the big adjustments and people losing their homes and they shouldn’t have to. If people can get stuff here that I can help them with, they can put that other money that they would spend at Target or whatever toward paying house bills and stuff and that’s how a lot of them look at it. That’s called paying it forward and it’s done in many ways.”


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Son Je-Ho and ZHENA’s manhwa series, Eleceed, is about to reach its 250th chapter milestone. Since its debut in 2018, the series has been releasing a new chapter every week, captivating readers with its suspenseful plot, fantastical elements, and dramatic twists. The story centers around a young boy named Jinho who gains supernatural powers after being involved in a mysterious accident.
As of now, the latest chapter of Eleceed, Chapter 242, is set to be released soon. Fans are eagerly anticipating the continuation of the story, hoping to find out what happens next. While there are no official spoilers available yet, readers can expect the same level of excitement and intrigue that has made Eleceed such a popular series.
For those who haven’t yet caught up with the series, there are several places where you can read Eleceed online. Websites like Webtoon and Tapas offer free access to the latest chapters, making it easy for fans to stay up-to-date with the story. Additionally, physical copies of the series can be purchased through various retailers.
Overall, Eleceed has become a beloved series among fans of manhwa and manga alike. With its engaging plot, well-developed characters, and stunning artwork, it’s no wonder that readers are eagerly awaiting the release of Chapter 242 and beyond.


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In the spring of 1992, Perot Systems Corp. was soaring. Not only was the computer-services company basking in the glow of its flamboyant founder's political success but it had also landed three long-term contracts worth $1.2 billion. There was even talk of going public in 1994.
But just as Ross Perot's political fortunes have sagged, so have those of his five-year-old company. Faced with intense competition from much larger rivals, Perot Systems is struggling to find its niche. It hasn't won a big contract in more than a year, and no major announcements are in the offing. In its zeal to win new business, the company concedes it sometimes promised more than it could deliver, prompting at least one customer to sue. The initial public offering has been delayed, and some of Perot Systems' founders have left. "We're at a pivot point," says Ross Reeves, a founder who has stayed.
UNREALISTIC. The company is overhauling both its strategy and its gungho culture. Chairman and CEO Morton H. Meyerson--who was brought in by Ross Perot in June, 1992--has shifted the emphasis from the cutthroat outsourcing business, which involves taking over a company's computer operations, to higher-margin consulting services. And he is moving to modify the former can-do approach--of promising customers anything to get business and then putting unrealistic pressures on employees to get the work done. That tactic has tended to burn people out. One victim: President J. Patrick Horner, who Meyerson says left in December after working in overdrive for many years. Horner won't talk about his decision to leave.
Meyerson is now in charge of the overhaul. "We did not bring in as much new business as we would have liked to in 1993," he says. Worse, some existing customers are far from happy. Take Macklanburg-Duncan Co., a maker of construction materials in Oklahoma City. CEO Michael S. Samis says Perot Systems promised in 1990 it could redo its computer operation--converting from a mainframe to a network of personal computers--in two years. Ross Perot himself telephoned, promising to stand behind the deal, says Samis. He quotes Perot as saying: "If anything goes wrong, call me, and I'll make it right."
But when it came time to switch to the PCs, the entire system shut down. The $4 million project is still not complete, and that experience nearly put the company out of business, says Samis. He is suing Perot Systems for unspecified damages, claiming negligence and breach of contract. A Perot spokesman says the company met the requirement of the contract.
All this leaves Perot Systems far from its founders' goal of recreating Electronic Data Systems Corp., the outfit Perot launched in 1962 and sold to General Motors Corp. in 1984 for $2.6 billion. Perot Systems went after the main businesses of EDS: outsourcing and systems integration--linking different brands of computers into a single system. But even a Ross Perot startup is no match for $8.5 billion EDS. "The trouble is that EDS is better at being EDS than Perot is," says one rival.
Indeed, with only $290 million in revenues in 1993, Perot Systems remains a pygmy among giants. In addition to EDS, both IBM and Digital Equipment Corp. are pushing services such as outsourcing to make up for their plummeting hardware margins. In November, IBM snatched a $415 million contract with Southern Pacific Lines that Perot had been counting on. Big Blue, explains Southern Pacific Vice-President Thomas J. Matthews, simply had more experience with railroads.
Perot is facing its own margin problems. It has large startup costs for long-term contracts, including those with Britain's East Midlands Electricity, Volkswagen of America, and Europcar, a rental agency based in Paris. To clinch the Europcar deal, Perot agreed to accept payment based on a percentage of Europcar's revenues. But problems with software delayed startup of the reservation and customer-tracking system, and the European recession could take a toll on Perot's take. All in all, says Michael Urfirer, a managing director at First Boston Corp.: "I don't think they're making much money." Perot declines to disclose earnings.
And while a phone call from Ross Perot once helped seal a deal, the high-profile founder is looking more like a detriment lately--at least in Mexico, where his crusade against the North American Free Trade Agreement has made him persona non grata. Perot Systems talked with Multibanco Mercantil Probursa early last year about millions of dollars' worth of potential business. But Ross Perot's description of Mexico as a peasant-filled backwater angered the bank's board, and the talks quickly broke down. In November, Perot Systems withdrew its bid for a job at Volkswagen de M xico. Even though the company had Volkswagen's U.S. business, it says the potential deal in Mexico didn't appear profitable enough. Neither VW nor Multibanco would discuss its dealings with Perot.
SMOOTHER EDGES. Now, Meyerson is focusing on issues closer to home. He has set up an advisory board of academics and business leaders to help him keep track of changing markets. He's also trying to change the company's culture to emphasize teamwork over individual decision-making. And to smooth his troops' rough edges, Meyerson has launched an Intellectual Fitness Center, where employees can study history, art, and foreign languages. "The company was so performance-oriented that we overlooked the human side of the equation," he says.
Meyerson describes 1993 as a year of consolidation--absorbing big wins such as Europcar and East Midlands. He also admits that, in the company's zeal to win new business, it may have promised too much to customers and asked too much of employees. "We are coming out of the tunnel," says Meyerson. "1994 will be a building year, and 1995 will be a breakout year." Perot Systems expects to sign a small-but-important deal soon with Rocky Mountain Health Care Center, which would give it a foothold in the burgeoning medical arena.
Meyerson is looking outside the U.S. for new business. Returning from a swing around Europe and Asia, he says only that he'll take Perot to places where rivals aren't. But that doesn't mean Meyerson is giving up on the U.S. market, where he's still looking for a big showcase contract. Whether it's a high-profile job such as Southern Pacific or a collection of small assignments that would help build the company's reputation, Ross Perot's upstart needs new business. Otherwise, it won't pose a threat to EDS--or anyone else.
PEROT'S MISSED OPPORTUNITIES SOUTHERN PACIFIC LINES A $450
million contract was expected to be Perot's showcase in the U.S. But IBM snagged the deal in November.
PROBURSA Negotiations began with the Mexican bank in early 1993. They ended, however, after it became clear that Ross Perot's anti-NAFTA views made the company a hard sell.
VOLKSWAGEN DE MEXICO With Volkswagen's U.S. business already
in hand, Perot had hoped to win VW's Mexican business, too. But Perot dropped out of the bidding,
saying the contracts wouldn't be