text:
Mortal Kombat 10 is in development and will be released alongside next film adaptation
Final Fantasy XIV: Realm Reborn, Trials Fusion, Beyond: Two Souls, more added to PS Store
Tales of Zestiria, Tales of Xillia 2 US release announced by Namco Bandai
Hyper Light Drifter Hands-On Preview: Like Playing a Dream
The PAXpocalypse List: The Best of PAX East 2014
Weekly Warp-Up: Post-PAX East 2014 Edition
New Releases: Dark Souls II PC, Lego The Hobbit Wii U, Trials Fusion PC, More
Daily Scoop: April 18, 2014 – South Jersey Geek Fest
Tales of Hearts R will be released for Vita in North America this year
First PS4 trailer of MLB 14: The Show slides home
Most Recent: Xbox One
When we last checked in with Sony, the consolemaker was crowing that the PlayStation 4 had reached worldwide sales of over six million systems sold. That was in early March. And now, as of April 6, the company has confirmed they’ve sold more than seven million consoles across the globe.
“The response from the global gaming community for PS4 has been overwhelming and we are truly humbled that gamers are selecting PS4 as their next generation console of choice,” said Andrew House, President and CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment. “The PS4 journey has just begun, and although we are still facing difficulties keeping up with the strong demand worldwide, we remain steadfast in our commitment to meet the needs of our customers, and surpassing the wildest expectations of gamers by delivering new user experiences that inspire and engage. We look forward to unveiling many of these experiences to our fans in the coming months.”
So what about the Xbox One? Microsoft previously announced they sold over three million consoles in 2013. Today (via Xbox Wire), they revealed that their worldwide next-generation total currently sits at over five million. However, that number represents the total number of Xbox One consoles the company has shipped to stores, and not how many have been purchased by gamers.
And just to make sure we cover all the bases, Nintendo has sold 5.86 million Wii U consoles since the system’s launch in late 2012. That figure is current as of December 31, 2013 and will be revised during a financial report on May 7.
PAX East 2014 was a different type of show than in years past. Some big publishers, such as Nintendo, skipped the show completely, while others, like Microsoft, only brought a handful of unreleased games. This shift in the show floor allowed the indies to take center stage, and the majority of our PAX East 2014 PAXpocalypse List reflects this year’s status quo. But that’s not to say the big publishers skipped PAX East 2014 altogether. Towering displays from 2K, Bethesda, and Ubisoft dominated the exhibition hall map, and we definitely had some fun with a few games that will demand your time during this Summer and Fall.
So if we were cut off from the outside and trapped within the walls of PAX East 2014, which games would we return to over and over again? Well… (more…)
Sports! Sports! Sports! This week’s Xbox Live Game Store update celebrates everyone’s love of sports with two new titles: Trials Fusion and 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil.
Trials Fusion brings RedLynx’s “platform-racing” concept to the Xbox One for the first time (though the game is also available on the Xbox 360). A Trials Fusion Season Pass is also available for sale and it will give players access to six downloadable expansions that will be released between now and May 2015. Finally, the real World Cup may be a few months away, but EA’s tie-in game, 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil, can be purchased on the Xbox 360 now for $59.99.
More details about both games can be found after the break. (more…)
Hyper Light Drifter exploded on the Kickstarter scene back in September of last year, eventually destroying its goal of $27,000. By the time the campaign ended on October 12, it had amassed an impressive $645,158 from backers. The game looked incredible, and I kicked it the moment I saw it. I was wary, as I have been about games on Kickstarter for some time – it’s more common to be excited about a game and have it arrive, months (sometimes over a year) later, and be a disappointing mess. But after playing Hyper Light Drifter at PAX East, I can say with confidence that this is one game that’s going to live up to how amazing it looks. (more…)
When THQ went belly up a year ago, one of the most sought-after prizes was Evolve, a then-unannounced cooperative shooter from Turtle Rock. Ultimately, 2K Games paid more than $10 million to acquire the publishing rights to the project. As the publisher behind the popular Borderlands series, 2K knows a thing or two about cooperative shooters, and they saw something special in the new game from the team behind Left 4 Dead. That something special was “The Monster,” a player-controlled behemoth that the four-player co-op team has to hunt down. I recently had a chance to play Evolve at PAX East 2014, and it’s beginning to look like 2K’s $10 million was money well spent. (more…)
It blows my mind that Soda Drinker Pro is a real game and not some kind of insane April Fool’s joke. Unless it’s both. Whatever it is, Soda Drinker Pro is about to get more real as developer Will Brierly has announced that he plans to bring it to the Xbox One (with full Kinect support) in the very near future.
Soda Drinker Pro on the Xbox One will include the 100 original soda drinking simulations as well as 10 bonus levels exclusive to the Xbox One. Also on tap for the next-generation port is a “hyper-realistic simulation mode,” Achievements, and “other surprises.” One of those surprises is the inclusion of a “500% larger version” of Brierly’s previous game, Vivian Clark.
Brierly is bubbling over with excitement now that the news is official: “We are truly excited to have the opportunity to release Soda Drinker Pro for the Xbox One. We have been working hard to fine-tune the fluid dynamics, from the condensation on the cup to the carbonated bubbles that float up the straw, this is something we are so proud to release for the Xbox One!”
I admit, I don’t really get it. Perhaps Soda Drinker Pro is just an absurd entryway into the much more surreal Vivian Clark. But somebody must understand it, as Brierly posed with Soda Drinker Pro cosplayers who attended this past weekend’s PAX East convention.
Joystiq caught up with Nathan Vella, the President of Capybara Games, at PAX East 2014 and they managed to get him to talk about the release window of Super Time Force. According to Vella, the game will be submitted to Microsoft for certification soon and, because there’s no multiplayer mode and just a single Leaderboard, it should sail through rather quickly. So he expects the game to be available for the Xbox One and Xbox 360 sometime in “late May or early June.”
Super Time Force has suffered multiple delays over the last year, but Vella also said they were needed to create the kind of game players expected to play: “It was always cool, the original game jam game was cool, but what we’ve turned it into is what I think people expected when they saw the very first trailer.”


text:
Playboy-owned Honey Birdette, the upscale lingerie label, is targeting more UK stores with a focus on London. It wants to secure two new London sites, doubling its presence in the city, after UK sales surged in 2020.
High-end lingerie label Honey Birdette is to join Playboy owner’s PLBY Group portfolio with a purchase price of $333m. PLBY has big plans to expand the label and also has the deep pockets to make its ambitions a reality.
Playboy Enterprises is nearing a deal to acquire the parent company of sexual wellness chain Lovers as it seeks to grow its lifestyle brand following the shuttering of its eponymous magazine, sources said on Sunday.
The spring issue of the famous men's magazine will likely be the last print edition to be published, after appearing for 66 years at newsagents. The Playboy group announced the move after deciding to go online only.
In addition to stocking a range of Pacsun collaborations, the new stores will have a dedicated area for pop-up shops, workshops, panels, and more -- curated by brands and influencers on a bi-monthly basis.

domain: news


text:
April 18, 2013
A credit professional would have to be asleep at the switch to have missed the often negative news coverage about the struggles of Best Buy and JCPenney (JCP). The problems faced by the two companies and others like them make department stores and "big box" retailers part of an industry to watch. As such, creditors are going to need to be mindful of warning signs coming from these businesses and those down the line that rely on them.
JCP's business model, which featured a failed gamble on a campaign that ended faux discounting and coupons in favor of "real" pricing, and Best Buy's struggle to overcome powerhouse online retailers like Amazon and brick-and-mortar competitors like Walmart for market share are the source of their struggles. But an even bigger storm for retailers of this size and profile, as suggested by Bruce Nathan, Esq. of Lowenstein Sandler LLP, potentially looms in the not-too-distant future: rate hikes. Rock-bottom interest rates, and the economic malaise inspiring them, won't last forever. "If your business model is troubled and you have a lot of debt, that's going to be one big issue," said Nathan. "When interest rates go up, the debt has to be refinanced. But a lot of these retail businesses are also badly overleveraged."
And potential financial problems with such businesses could have a domino effect, as many of them serve as anchor stores designed to drive more foot traffic to other retailers in malls and shopping centers. Nathan noted that such a domino effect could also impact a commercial real estate sector that has already seen its share of hardships over the last half-decade. "You need to look for the warnings to be able to mitigate your risk," said Nathan. "You want to be able to anticipate a bankruptcy well before the filing. And there's so much more information out there now that wasn't 20 years ago."
- Brian Shappell, CBA, NACM staff writer
Catch Nathan in Bankruptcy Rumblings: Identifying and Mitigating Risk of a Financially Troubled Customer Headed toward Bankruptcy at Credit Congress on May 22. For more information on the event or to register, visit http://creditcongress.nacm.org/.
Make Better Credit Decisions with Industry Credit Groups
Credit groups are an effective management tool, allowing credit professionals of different companies servicing the same customer, regardless of industry or trade, to compare information on collection history and provide a forum for the exchange of data about the most recent payment practices. The purpose of exchanging information is to help group members separate fact from fiction, so competent and realistic credit decisions about a customer can be made.
Managed and operated by NACM Affiliates nationwide, credit groups:
- Provide unparalleled networking opportunities
- Assist in the exchange of credit information on common customers
- Facilitate the receipt and analysis of information to make unilateral credit decisions
- Provide a forum to discuss the latest developments on credit department procedures,
equipment and other credit management functions
- Support the discussion of account information and delinquent account reports
- Adhere to federal antitrust guidelines
Contact your local NACM Affiliate to learn more about NACM credit groups and to find the group for your industry.
A new report from the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) found that banks shouldn't fear financing trade transactions, as this type of business is inherently low risk. The ICC's findings build on a movement worldwide to exclude trade finance transactions from more stringent bank capital requirements, like those in the Basel III framework.
In its recently released Global Risksâ€“Trade Finance Report for 2013, the ICC relied on data from its trade register, an online database of over 15 million transactions provided by 21 banks. The trade finance transactions in the database reflect 60-65% of all global trade finance activity, which is worth about $2-2.5 trillion.
Of the 8.1 million short-term trade finance transactions analyzed by the ICC, data showed that there were fewer than 1,800 defaults among them, amounting to a .02% default rate. For comparison, the default rate for one-year, single A-rated corporate loans is greater than 0.6%, which is nearly 30 times higher than the trade finance default rate. Medium- and long-term trade finance products had a considerably higher default rate of 1.11%, but such financing arrangements are considerably more rare than short-term transactions, some of which only last for 30 days.
Overall, the report provides valuable empirical data for regulators charged with risk-weighting bank assets and stipulating how much capital a bank must hold in reserve for certain types of lending. "I hope that by focusing on the critical connections between default levels in trade finance and the shaping of new regulatory recommendations, decision-makers will be able to engage collectively in efforts to improve the global financial system's overall resilience," said Kah Chye Tan, chair of the ICC Banking Commission and global head of trade and working capital at Barclays.
Trade finance advocates have urged the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision to recognize the lack of risk in the trade finance world and rethink their current approach to establishing a capital requirement threshold for this reliable asset class. Certain portions of Basel III would require banks to hold as much capital in reserve for trade finance transactions as they would have to hold for much riskier forms of financing. This will make trade financing more expensive for the banks and could ultimately force many of them to exit the trade finance business entirely.
- Jacob Barron, CICP, NACM staff writer
FCIB Annual International Credit & Risk Management Summit in Prague
May 12-14, 2013
The Corinthia Hotel Prague, Prague, Czech Republic
Join us on May 12-14 at FCIB's Annual International Credit & Risk Management Summit to discover insight from distinguished speakers, participate in thought-provoking sessions and network with leading experts and your peers in an educational environment.
â€˘ Basel III and the Impact on Working Capital Requirements, Letters of Credit and Guarantees
â€˘ Different Security Methods across Europe and Best Practices
â€˘ Risk Awareness in Today's Global Trading Conditions
â€˘ Early Warning Signals: Keeping a Pulse on Your Counterparties
â€˘ The Effects of Global Instability on the Treasury Department
Click here now to register!
To view the entire program, click here.
We look forward to seeing you in Prague!
The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act was so vast a law that it was hard for many people to understand what it entailed. Broadly speaking, however, the goal was to modernize regulations on the financial services industry in order to prevent another economic crisis that motivated the bill's drafting and subsequent enactment.
Recently, however, the regulatory burden Dodd-Frank places on banks received a rash of criticism, particularly in a series of hearings hosted in the House Financial Services Committee's Subcommittee on Financial Institutions. According to witnesses, the law's "one-size-fits-all" approach to regulation, which imposes similar burdens on financial institutions regardless of their size or sophistication, has negatively affected the ability of community banks to serve their business customers.
"Historically, the cost of regulatory compliance as a share of operating expenses is two-and-a-half times greater for small banks than for large banks. It means more money spent on outside lawyers to manage the risk of compliance errors and greater risk of litigation," said Kenneth Burgess Jr., chairman of FirstCapital Bank in Texas. "All of these expenditures take away from resources that can be directly applied to serving the bank's community."
Burgess noted that regulations were increasing before Dodd-Frank, with more than 50 new rules implemented in the two years preceding its enactment. The law will add hundreds more rules, however, creating a significant challenge for any bank, but especially for community banks which nationwide have a median head count of only 39 employees.
"The more time and resources community bankers devote to compliance, the less time they have to work with their communities to drive innovation and economic growth," said Subcommittee Chair Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), noting that community banks provide 46% of the financial services industry's small denomination loans to farms and businesses. "These types of loans are often labor intensive and the strong relationships community bankers have with their clients allow them to provide tailored products."
- Jacob Barron, CICP, NACM staff writer
Be the First
Be among the first to take Financial Statement Analysis, Interpretation and Credit Risk Assessment, an updated version of, and replacement for, the Financial Statement Analysis 2 certificate session.
When: May 18-22
Why: It's the cornerstone of NACM's new Certified Credit and Risk Analyst (CCRA) designation!
Where: NACM's 117th Credit Congress & Exposition
The findings of a study released this week by a California-based risk analysis firm suggest that credit lending information is tracking in a positive direction for U.S. small businesses.
In this new study of U.S. bank risk managers commissioned by the Professional Risk Managers' International Association and conducted by FICO, 62% of respondents expected the supply of bank-related credit for small businesses to increase over the next six months. The optimistic view that approval rates for small business loans will remain stable or improve was also shared by 89% of respondents. Additionally, nearly 80% of those polled believe delinquency rates will remain steady or decrease over the next six months.
"In the past, the banking professionals we surveyed haven't been as optimistic about credit for small businesses as they have been for other types of lending," said FICO Chief Analytics Officer Andrew Jennings in the April 16 release. "The upbeat sentiment makes me think it's possible that we'll see small businesses picking up the pace of investing and hiring in the months ahead."
Inability to garner credit has not been the only or even most significant problem regarding small business lending levels. During the lackluster economic rebound, demand has simply been stunted. Though not mentioned by FICO, a factor in the hesitancy to borrow for investments and capital spending stems at least in part from business uncertainty driven by the gridlocked U.S. Congress and White House, which many see more as symbols of inaction and partisanship than as policymakers showing a clear path for what businesses can expect.
Still, the FICO study optimistically predicts a notable increase in demand for credit on the part of small businesses, certainly more than at any time during the past three years.
- Brian Shappell, CBA, NACM staff writer
UCC Filing Services: Full Service, Flat Fees
Put Yourself in the Best Possible Position to Get PaidNACM's UCC Filing Services determines the most effective type of filing for your business and assists you in writing the security agreement and collateral description. Then you're ready to file!
Start filing blanket and purchase money security interest filings, perfecting consignments and more, today! Contact Greg Powelson, director of NACM's Secured Transaction Services at email@example.com or call 410-919-8680.
Regulators have struggled with how to protect personal data in the Internet era. Doing so is no easy task, as laws must tread carefully to keep data safe without impeding its exchange in day-to-day commerce.
The European Union's most recent attempt to walk that line, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), is still being debated, but currently consists of vague proposals to create consistency for businesses and organizations processing personal data in more than one EU member state. Specifically, it would establish a new system of supervision for companies operating in the EU, one based on a single set of rules and a "one stop shop" provision that creates only one data protection authority (DPA) that would be responsible for regulating a company. Each company's DPA would be determined by where the company's "main establishment" is in the EU.
Even though the full extent of the proposal has yet to be fleshed out, its existing proposals and added administrative requirements have already drawn the ire of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. In a new report, titled the Economic Importance of Getting Data Protection Right, the Chamber and the European Center for International Political Economy (ECIPE) found that, in its current state, the GDPR could have a profoundly negative effect on EU gross domestic product, while undermining any potential benefits of the proposed EU-U.S. free trade agreement.
The report found that if services trade and cross-border data flows are seriously disrupted, EU GDP could fall from anywhere between 0.8-1.3%. EU services exports to the U.S. could drop by 6.7%, and as goods exports are highly dependent on the provision of services, with up to 30% of manufacturing input values coming from services, EU manufacturing exports could fall by up to 11%, depending on the industry. Taken together, these effects could eradicate any benefits born from a new EU-U.S. free trade agreement.
In its report, the Chamber admitted that potential positive effects from the GDPR's "one stop shop" proposal couldn't be predicted, but that consumption of goods and services in the EU would need to increase by 13% union-wide in order to overcome the provision's added administrative burden.
"In today's global economy, it is essential that our governments continue working together to enhance the compatibility of regulations and standards," said Adam Schlosser, senior manager of the Chamber's Center for Global Regulatory Cooperation. "When it comes to the Internet, this report underscores the importance of putting clear, compatible privacy regimes in place that safeguard consumers without unduly impeding the global information flows and data exchanges that fuel innovation."
Click here for a summary of the GDPR's provisions as originally proposed by the European Commission.
- Jacob Barron, CICP, NACM staff writer
Manual of Credit and Commercial Laws, Volume III: Construction Issuesâ€”Do You Have the Update?
New for 2013, language and state laws have been updated throughout the entire volume including:
- Chapter on Personal Property Liens
- Chapter on Trust Funds
- Chapters on Liens and Bonds
The entire volume has been updated to reflect the liens, bonds and trust funds applicable to the 21st century!
Watch for future updates of volumes I, II and IV.
Click here to purchase volume III and get more information about the wide array of resources available to today's credit professionals.
To view past eNews issues or to visit the NACM Archives, click here.


text:
Nouryon has signed a 10-year agreement with Metsä Fibre, part of Metsä Group. Under the long-term agreement, the Dutch company will provide Metsä Fibre with sodium chlorate for its new bioproduct mill in Kemi, Finland.
Metsä Group is investing 1.6 billion euros to build the mill which, once operational, will produce 1.5 million tons of softwood and hardwood pulp each year. As a key element of the partnership, Nouryon will invest in its Oulu production facility in Finland by expanding its production capacity and upgrading the facility to manufacture sodium chlorate with renewable energy.
“We are very pleased to become a partner to Metsä Fibre as it embarks on this historically significant investment,” said Antonio Carlos Francisco, Vice President Renewable Fibers at Nouryon. “Nouryon is a leading global supplier of sodium chlorate, a highly versatile and essential solution. This partnership will require a high level of integration and collaboration, which is where Nouryon excels. Working with a customer that is a pioneer in the sustainable forest industry also reinforces our strong commitment to sustainability,” said Francisco.
“At Metsä Fibre, we want to be sustainable in all our activities, every single day. To achieve this, we ensure that our products and supply chain comply with the highest sustainability standards, at every step, from forest to finished product. Developing an extended partnership with Nouryon provides us with a responsible and sustainable procurement source of sodium chlorate. Nouryon’s sustainable production processes and its overall commitment to sustainability complies with our sustainability and responsibility principles and requirements,” said Jaakko Anttila, Senior Vice President, Pulp Production, Metsä Fibre.
“This agreement is a great example of a win-win collaboration that benefits society and the environment,” said Johan Landfors, Executive Vice President and President, Technology Solutions and Europe at Nouryon. “Our world-class application know-how, optimized supply chain and global logistics solutions provide our customers with a significant operational advantage. Our strategy is to continue expanding in the renewable fibers market, which is an important part of the packaging and tissue markets, by delivering essential specialty chemicals solutions that our customers, such as Metsä Fibre, clearly need.”


text:
Aramis and Designer Fragrances, a division of The Estée Lauder Companies Inc., has announced the executive appointment of Stéphane de la Faverie to the newly created position of global senior vice president and general manager of the Aramis brand.
German drugstore owner Erwin Mueller's move to further raise his stake in Douglas comes as no surprise to the fragrance-to-jewellery retailer, its chief executive said in response to statements by Mueller.
International Flavors & Fragrances has just announced that it plans to invest over $100 million in Greater Asia over the next three years. The investment will be allocated to two new manufacturing facilities located in Guangzhou (China) and Singapore.
After its exit in 2009, Versace has decided to return to the Japanese market, where F/W 2011 collections will be sold at luxury department stores in Tokyo and Osaka. This re-entry will be led by Hiroshi Saito, the newly appointed CEO of Versace Japan.
Fragrance company Inter Parfums SA and British luxury company Burberry have extended by one year certain terms of their fragrance license. According to Inter Parfums's CEO, the two companies currently have a range of projects under development.
Inter Parfums SA has just signed a 15-year exclusive worldwide license agreement with Boucheron to create, produce and distribute perfumes and auxiliary products under the Boucheron brand. Development of a new fragrance is planned for 2012.


text:
Hyderabad, Jan (IANS) Hyderabad's popular annual trade fair 'Numaish' has been cancelled in view of the curbs imposed by the Telangana government to check the spread of Covid-19.
The 45-day-long Numaish began on January 1 but was shut the very next day as authorities announced that they are suspending it till January 10.
After a review of the situation, the authorities have decided to cancel the fair.
Hyderabad Police Commissioner C.V. Anand issued orders for cancellation of the event in view of the orders issued by the government banning public gatherings.
On the night of January 2, authorities had ordered closure of Numaish, a day after it was inaugurated by Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan and state Home Minister Mahmood Ali.
Hundreds of visitors were at the fair when officials stopped the ticket bookings and ordered all those who were in Exhibition Grounds to leave immediately.
About 10,000 people visited the exhibition from Sunday afternoon till night when authorities ordered the All India Industrial Exhibition Society (AIIES) to close it.
The AIIES, which has been organising the fair for 80 years, had put in place various measures to adhere to Covid-19 safety rules like compulsory wearing of masks, maintaining social distance and vaccination of all stall owners.
The organisers had allotted 1,600 stalls to traders and various business organisations from different parts of the country to sell their products at the fair.
The exhibition could not be held last year due to Covid-19 situation. This was only the third time in its history that it could not be held.
Numaish-e-Masnuaat-e-Mulki or Numaish in short made a humble beginning in 1938 as an event to promote locally-produced goods.
The fair begins on January 1 every year and continues for 45 days. Traders from various parts of the country set up their stalls during the exhibition, which is visited by 45,000 people every day. Over 20 lakh visitors had visited the exhibition in 2019.


text:
According to the information has been released by General Department of Customs about import-export activities of FDI enterprises, it showed that FDI enterprises are going to rule exporting field.
General Department of Customs has issued a document to request provincial Customs Departments to strengthen the work of inspection, pre-clearance and post clearance audit for the aluminium profile item imported ...
VCN - Following the Noi Bai International Airport, the Aviation National Single Window at Tan Son Nhat International Airport is expected to be implemented by June, 2017.
According to the announcement of the Import – Export Duty Department, INDOVINA Bank will expand payment via electronic method with Customs authorities
In order to set up a transparent and convenient environment for clearance, General Department of Customs coordinated with World Customs Organization (WCO) to build up Improvement plan for customer service ...
General Department of Customs has requested the provincial Customs Departments to strengthen the inspection and supervision activities for the items named “Senegal rosewood”
In order to complete draft of Amended Circular, supplement Circular 38/2015/TT-BTC, General Department of Customs will hold a seminar to collect suggestions.
VCN - The total import-export turnover reached more than $US 91.21 billion, up by 19.9%, corresponding to an increase of nearly $ US15.16 billion against the same quarter in 2016.
The General Department of Customs is planning to build 18 basic Customs professional manuals in 2017, in order to guide specific operations for Customs officers to perform at the respective ...
The General Department of Customs has issued a guidance for Customs Departments in provinces on entrusting for temporary import of automobiles of people who enjoy privileges and immunities in Vietnam
The General Department of Customs has requested to strictly implement on taking samples, analysis, inspection, physical inspection and quality certification of imported steel
VCN - The implementation of the National Window (NSW), specialized inspection and trade facilitation will be strengthened to propagate through mass media and many other diversified forms.
Implementing Government Resolutions on Continuing Business Support and Improving Competitiveness, the Customs Department of Ho Chi Minh City has developed the Action Plan "Business community and Customs are reliable partners ...
When implementing Customs procedure for import – export enterprises, Customs officer do not request enterprises to present any proof of payment.
The total export turnover of the country reached $US 27.429 billion, increase by 15.8 % over the same period in 2016


text:
Sainsbury’s has launched its first-ever Easter ordering service for key lines of meat, fish and poultry.
The service allows shoppers to pre-order products from a brochure in-store and collect in 526 participating stores ahead of Easter Sunday (8 April). Lines include an easy-carve Welsh new season whole leg of lamb, an oak-smoked gammon and a By Sainsbury’s Scottish salmon side dressed with prawns and asparagus.
Sainsbury’s is also offering desserts through the service, such as baked blueberry and vanilla cheesecake.
The retailer decided to launch the Easter service following the success of its Christmas order-and-collect service.


text:
Most New Jerseyans support a change to the state’s marijuana laws, but the Garden State isn’t totally sold on becoming a green state.
According to a new Fairleigh Dickinson University poll, about 68 percent of New Jerseyans are in favor of some kind of changes to the state’s marijuana laws.
But only 42 percent support complete weed legalization, while 26 percent instead favor decriminalization of the drug, turning a criminal charge of marijuana possession into a traffic ticket.
Another 27 percent of New Jerseyans don’t want any change, calling to keep medical marijuana legal and recreational marijuana illegal.
“When given choices, opinion is clearly divided,” said Fairleigh Dickinson University poll director Krista Jenkins said. “Anyone who expected legalization to happen quickly and easily might reconsider given these findings.”
Opinion is generally divided among party, gender, age and political lines: The most likely people to support legalization are young male Democrats. An older Republican woman is most likely to oppose legal weed.
Though Fairleigh Dickinson has polled the state on legal weed in years past, this was the first time the options went beyond “yes” or “no.” In 2014, 41 percent said they favored legalization. That number grew to 49 percent in 2015.
About 57 percent said they had tried marijuana in the past, but only 75 percent of respondents said they planned on purchasing legal weed.
“As more and more local governments come forward to oppose legalizing pot, this poll sends a clear message to Governor Murphy and state legislators that the majority New Jerseyans do not want Big Marijuana to profit at the expense of their communities and families,” said Kevin Sabet, founder of New Jersey Responsible Approaches to Marijuana Policy, a coalition that opposes legalization.
Eight states have already legalized recreational marijuana — with a ninth, Vermont, on the way — while another 13 states have decriminalized weed in some form.
Murphy made marijuana legalization a tent pole of his successful gubernatorial platform. He has pledged to sign a legalization bill within his first 100 days in office and has already signed an executive order expanding the state’s medical marijuana program.
If all goes according to plan, cannabis industry experts expect the first retail weed stores to open in January 2020, though medical marijuana dispensaries could begin selling recreational pot earlier. Watch a video at the top of the page about the New Jersey Cannabis Symposium, a gathering of advocates and entrepreneurs looking to break into the weed business.
According to the poll, opinion is sharply divided when it comes to the location of retail marijuana stores. About 49 percent said they would favor a store opening near their home, while 43 percent would oppose it.
Murphy has repeatedly cited social justice concerns as the driver behind marijuana legalization: Although studies have shown that black and white people smoke marijuana at about the same rate, blacks are arrested at nearly four times the rate of whites.
Current drafts of legalization bills in the Legislature would allow those with a prior marijuana possession conviction to apply for expungement, an option that 69 percent of voters favor.
About 65 percent support modifying sentences for inmates currently in prison for the violations.
“If pot is legalized, the public thinks the fair thing to do is forgive those who have found themselves on the wrong side of the law,” Jenkins said. “They would not enforce an old standard under a new law.”


text:
Taiwan-based LCD company AU Optronics (AUO) has become the seventh-largest company by profit in the DIGITIMES ASC 100 ranking.
5G penetration and accelerated digital transformation boost the growth of semiconductor and tech product companies. Global decarbonization and car sales recovery benefits the automotive industry, especially their EV businesses. The 2022 Asia Supply Chain 100 (ASC 100) Ranking reveals megatrends in the tech sector.
According to DIGITIMES Asia Supply Chain 100 (ASC 100) list, tech companies in the "semiconductor" and "electronic components" sectors account for eight out of the top 10 businesses with the highest profit margin in 2021.
Sharp ranks 43rd on the 2022 edition of DIGITIMES Asia Supply Chain 100 (ASC 100), with a revenue of US$22.79 billion. Although its revenue lags behind the likes of Sony, LG Electronics, Panasonic, and Midea, with an annual growth of 715.5%, Sharp's profit ranks among the top. Sharp is also the only brand company in the ASC 100 top 50 led by a Taiwanese.
AU Optronics (AUO) and Innolux have dismissed rumors about a potential merger of the two display giants.
Rajesh Exports, a major gold trading company in India without prior experience in electronic manufacturing, is looking to invest in the manufacturing of EV battery cells and AMOLED display.
China-based display panel makers and LG Display (LGD) have been under operational pressure along with consecutive drops in LCD panel price for longer than three quarters, and are placing hope on growing demand for high-end panels including OLED ones, according to industry sources.
LED driver IC design house Macroblock expects to post a double-digit sequential revenue increase with high gross margin in the second quarter of 2022, driven by robust demand for high-end niche-market applications.
E Ink Holdings (EIH) aims to have electronic paper (e-paper) replace paper by seeking more applications to various surfaces such as those of tables, walls and automobiles, according to company chairman and CEO Johnson Lee.
LED chipmaker Everlight Electronics expects shipments of its miniLED backlight units (BLU) for automotive displays to rise in the second half of 2022, when its Taiwan production capacity for the offering will be expanded sharply, according to industry sources.
Taiwan-based lead frame makers are expected to see business opportunities from China-based vendors' adoption of POB (package-on-board) miniLED backlighting for LCD TVs, according to industry sources.


text:
Sky Pegasus has launched a design and web development company for cryptocurrency projects. Focusing on Branding, NFTS, and Web Development, the company will also start to make Web3 applications for clients.
In a move to bring better customer service, Sky Pegasus has launched their world’s first loyalty rewards program. This is the first of its kind in crypto and will be a great benefit to all clients. The new rewards system will give special perks and discounts upon each purchase.
CEO and founder of Sky Pegasus, Leo S., had this to say about the launch:
“We are committed to providing our customers with excellent service and value. Our new loyalty rewards program is just one way we are demonstrating our commitment to them.”
He went on to say that he believes the new program will be a huge success and thanked all customers.
Book services like websites, NFTS, and more on the go
Sky Pegasus is launching its new mobile app in early June which will make it easier for customers to book services such as websites, NFTS, and more. The app will be available on both IOS and Android platforms and will include a variety of features that weren’t available on the company’s website.
Customers will be able to view examples of previous work, book appointments, and receive updates on their order status directly through the app.
In addition, the app will also provide a customer support chat feature in case they have any questions or need help with booking. Sky Pegasus says it is is committed to providing excellent customer service, and this new mobile app is already ahead of the game.


text:
Amazon is diving head-first into the world of generative AI, with CEO Andy Jassy expressing enthusiasm for the technology's potential to revolutionize user experience and slash costs. Every team within the tech giant, including its entertainment branch, is currently involved in several generative AI initiatives.
Amazon's widespread embrace of generative AI
In an ambitious move, Amazon's CEO, Andy Jassy, has confirmed that every team within the company is engaged in developing generative AI applications. This initiative spans across various sectors, including its entertainment business, AWS, advertising, and Amazon's devices business. Jassy's comments underscore the tech giant's commitment to leveraging generative AI to revolutionize customer experience and bring in operational efficiency.
Generative AI: A game-changer for Amazon
Generative AI, a type of artificial intelligence technology capable of creating fresh text, images, videos, or synthetic data based on vast data sets, has emerged as a key investment area for Amazon. At the heart of Amazon's operations, generative AI represents a significant focus for the company as it seeks to drive innovation and stay ahead of the curve in the rapidly evolving tech landscape.
Amazon CodeWhisperer: Harnessing AI for productivity
Amazon CodeWhisperer, an AI-driven coding companion, stands out among the company's generative AI projects. This initiative is designed to suggest suitable code to developers as they work, effectively enhancing their productivity. The project is already showing promising results, further attesting to the potential of generative AI in reshaping work processes and boosting efficiency.
The use of generative AI has come under the scanner lately, particularly in the entertainment industry. Recent strikes by Writers Guild of America (WGA) and the Screen Actors Guild‐American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) have highlighted the contentious nature of this technology. The unions are demanding specific guarantees from studios, including Amazon Studios, to limit the use of AI in productions. This signals a broader debate around the ethical use of generative AI and the need to strike a balance between technological advancement and individual rights.


text:
To help support local small businesses, The City of Calgary is joining the ShopHERE powered by Google program, with a goal of getting up to 90 businesses online this year.
As part of The City's funding support towards ShopHERE, MBA students will be creating online storefronts for small businesses and artists.
"Many Calgary small businesses took a hit during the COVID-19 pandemic, and several more are still unsure about how they will recover," said Mayor Naheed Nenshi. "As we navigate our reopening, we are focused on the ways we can continue to support businesses. Getting online could help Calgary's small businesses and artists be more resilient in the future."
ShopHERE powered by Google, which started in Toronto, helps independent businesses and artists build a digital presence and minimize the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In May, Google Canada announced a $1 million investment to enable Digital Main Street to expand the program to municipalities across the country, offering more businesses the opportunity to build their own online store.
Because the opportunities afforded by the digital economy are still limited if people don't have the right skills, Google's investment will also help more small businesses receive the digital skills training needed to participate in the digital economy.
The City of Calgary is piloting the program in Calgary to see if there is uptake from local small businesses and artists. The City will be helping up to 90 businesses and artists get online, putting a call out through the Business Improvement Areas (BIAs) for submissions, as well as via City social channels for those interested. Applicants will be chosen on a first come, first served basis.
"Throughout the pandemic, we have worked hard to support Calgary businesses by asking and hearing first-hand what they need from The City of Calgary," said Sonya Sharp, Leader of the Business and Local Economy team. "We were excited to offer a pilot to help businesses and artists continue their service despite the restrictions needed to help Calgary through this pandemic. It's a big step in exploring e-commerce as a way for businesses to stay open through these challenging times."
Overall, the program provides businesses with over 17 hours of hands-on support from students to allow them to sell their products and services online including set up, training and launching their online business.
"We've been focused on helping Canadian businesses of all sizes to unlock the prosperity of the internet," said Sabrina Geremia, VP and Country Manager, Google Canada. "Our $1 million investment will go towards expanding the ShopHERE program nationally, so we can help small businesses across Canada navigate the challenges ahead."


text:
The ridesharing giant admitted it “had no way” to fix an invoice issue that could expose Australian businesses to corruption.
A “flaw” in carpool giant Uber’s billing system exposes Australian businesses to embezzlement as well as costly fines and penalties, tax experts have warned.
In complaints seen by NCA NewsWire, the multibillion-dollar international company “has no way” to change bills after paying the discounted promotional rates.
When the rideshare company offers discounted trips, they accurately charge the amount promised to the passenger, but the lower fare is not shown on the invoice.
For example, if a customer catches a $ 20 Uber for business purposes and a 20% discount is applied, the passenger has to pay $ 16, but the bill says they paid the full amount.
RELATED: Queensland Bans School Banking Program
This gives workers the opportunity to rip off their employers while exposing companies to an audit by the Australian Tax Office because their actual and taxable expenses are not aligned, said Ben Johnston, director of Johnston Advisory.
“An employer can ask for a bank statement or a credit card statement to prove the cost of the transaction, so for cases like this it’s a problem because the tax bill doesn’t match the expense,” he said. he told NCA NewsWire.
“But generally, employee expenses are simply calculated based on the tax bill provided by the employee.
“So it’s not just a tax issue, it creates a problem where employees could knowingly ask for more reimbursement than they’re actually entitled to.”
A 10% discount on a $ 20 ride is just a difference of $ 2, but the ridesharing company has become such a ubiquitous form of transportation for professionals that the amount charged versus the amount charged could represent a substantial amount of money.
“You might think it’s only $ 2 a shot, but if you do it with 20 employees and it’s done daily or weekly in a business, you’re talking about thousands upon thousands of dollars that people might be deliberately embezzling. their refunds, ”Mr. Johnston mentioned.
H&R Block’s tax communications director Mark Chapman agreed, saying the gap between what is billed and what is billed creates a loophole for opportunistic rorting.
“Because the passenger has a bill for $ 20 but only paid $ 18, at first glance the passenger could claim $ 20 and the bill would justify it,” he said. “Nothing proves the contrary, and in this sense the passenger benefits from an additional reduction.
“If you have a business that uses Uber on a regular basis for all of its employees, that difference on each fare is growing rapidly. “
Complaints to Uber by NCA NewsWire reveal that the company has been alerted to the problem and its responses show that it is aware of the flaw.
In a response, the tech giant said it was unable to change bills for the reduced rates.
“Please understand that our invoices will always show the original rate without the promotion being applied to it, and we have no way to manually edit an invoice,” Uber said in response to a complaint.
Mr Johnston said it was a puzzling response from a company of Uber’s size and scale to a mistake that could have costly and damaging repercussions for customers.
“It’s a bit of a flaw of a tech company that prides itself on innovative technology… that it can’t change the back-end billing system seems a little silly on its own,” he said. .
Uber declined to comment on the matter to NCA NewsWire, but denied that the issue was an issue with the way the company was charging customers discounted rates.


text:
With Lanvin’s highly-anticipated collection for H&M just two weeks away from launching, here’s a little taster of what to expect to whet your fashion appetite. Expect typically feminine designs in […]
Post Tagged with: "Collaborations"
Derek Lam‘s being saying for a while now that he wants to produce a lower-priced clothing line, and it seems he’s got his wish – the designer’s just announced he’s […]
It wasn’t all that long ago news hit that Olivier Theyskens would be designing a capsule collection for Theory, but fast-forward to today, after a brief preview at last month’s […]


text:
- Sports Betting
- NJ Sports Betting
- PA Sports Betting
- Indiana Sports Betting
- US Betting
- LSR Podcast
A year and a half ago, Vulcun was a fantasy esports site with a lot of upside and investment money rolling in. Now, it’s not even going...
Daily MVP, a daily fantasy sports site and mobile app, announced its decision to move away from paid-entry contests to a free-to-play model.
Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban is making an investment in the daily fantasy sports analytics platform Fantasy Labs, with an eye on eSports.
Daily fantasy eSports website Vulcun has announced it will no longer be taking real-money entries.
Daily fantasy sports site FanDuel is entering the fantasy eSports market with the acquisition of AlphaDraft.
How big is the market for daily fantasy eSports? We review the research surrounding the size and potential of the market for real-money fantasy eSports.
DraftKings is launching a fantasy eSports product, the first foray for a major traditional fantasy sports site into the video game industry.
Cyberattacks are affecting the world of daily fantasy eSports, as Vulcun is suspending its fantasy offering based on Call of Duty contests.
Daily fantasy eSports site AlphaDraft announced three new partnerships intended to increase its ability to provide content alongside its contest offerings.
AlphaDraft continues to keep pace with Vulcun in the daily fantasy eSports space, launching contests based on the popular online card game, Hearthstone.


text:
Apple awarded patent that could stop texting in theaters. Maybe. Odd.
On one hand, this is a pretty radical concept. Preventing people form texting in theaters! Huzzah! On the other hand, what about emergency calls from your loved ones? There is that weird line between being helpfully connected, and hopelessly inundated with the data stream.
Apple — yes, the makers of the very same devices that irritate us to no end in the theater — has just won a patent for geo-fencing technology that could stop people from using their iPhones in the theater.
The patent was originally filed in 2008, but just received approval today. It covers“[a]pparatus and methods for changing one or more functional or operational aspects of a wireless device, such as upon the occurrence of a certain event.” In plain English, that means Apple could change your settings automatically based on where you are. There are plenty of potentially useful applications for this feature — classrooms and airplanes come to mind — but blocking cell phone use in theaters is one obvious possibility.
The patent would allow Apple to introduce an iPhone feature that would dim your iPhone’s display, disable its calling and texting functions, silence its ringtone, or turn off its camera the second you walked into a theater. Interestingly, Peter predicted this very possibility last year when the Sun reported on a patent for a technology that could shut down video during live events. As he noted then, Apple could conceivably fine-tune the feature so your phone doesn’t simply turn off. For example, Apple could design it so that even in movie-theater-lockdown mode, you’d still be able to make emergency calls or check the time.


text:
Our favourite celebrities and hairstylists are touting the 'micro bob' as the latest and greatest incarnation of the bob and Khloe Kardashian is making a serious case for it.
"2020 sees the bob reinvented and leaning towards a more classic finish with super sharp lines and blunt edges, which nicely complements the current softer tones we are noticing in hair colour at the moment," says Krysia West, Aveda's Cutting Professional and Colour Ambassador.
Jack Hirst, Senior stylist at SALON64, says the style is perfect for anyone seeking a dramatic change; something the Kardashians are no stranger. "This style is uber on trend with all the ear cuff jewellery we are seeing now and this cut looks incredible with one side tucked behind the ear," he said. "It's a great excuse for girls who want to chop all their damaged hair off but couldn’t relate to anyone younger with that length."


text:
The couture collections are currently taking place in Paris, and adding some Hollywood sparkle to the front row was actress Tracee Ellis Ross. The Black-ish star works with stylist Karla Welch and has conquered the red carpet in many elevated ensembles. For the upcoming red carpet season—Emmy nominations are revealed on July 12!—Ross took in the Chanel haute couture show (she donned a twinkling silver stunner for last year’s ceremony) to get some inspiration.
Following the show and infused with energy, Ross also stepped out in the French fashion house’s signature bouclé for the Vogue Paris Foundation gala dinner. Above, Ross shares snaps from her Paris adventures.


text:
Last year, the workforce of about 2,000 employees produced just over 50,000 vans, a significant increase over 2014 and a feat last achieved in 2008. Ludwigsfelde plays an important role in the global production network of Mercedes-Benz Vans. It is Mercedes-Benz' third-largest van plant in the world and the only plant in Europe for the open versions of the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter. In addition, the plant plays a leading role in the network with respect to innovative production systems.
At present, Mercedes-Benz Vans is making the Ludwigsfelde Plant fit for the future and is setting the course for the production of the next Sprinter generation. The business unit will invest € 150 million into the plant by the end of the decade, € 50 million of which was invested in 2016 alone.
Please note that the statements are only available in German.


text:
Hetrick-Martin Institute is the oldest and largest organization of its kind in the U.S., reaching more than 2,000 LGBTQIA+ youth each year.
Posts tagged with "armon hayes"
Polaris Slingshot – Never Disappoints
The highly stylized Polaris Slingshot now boasts a 2.0-liter inline-four-cylinder engine model, delivering 203 HP and 144 lb-ft of torque.
NYFW – Most Talked About
New York Fashion Week’s most impressionable activations.
GENE NOBLE × SOB’s NYC
Singer-songwriter Gene Noble takes center stage in New York’s SOB’s in light of the release of his new project, Feel A Way.
PAY IT FORWARD
During these tough economic times, we’ve decided to focus on practical, affordable gifts.
What is brand identity and why is important?
What is brand identity? It might seem like a simple question, but it’s actually quite complex.
HARLEM’S FASHION ROW
Harlem’s Fashion Row (HFR) announced today that the highly anticipated 15th Anniversary Fashion Show & Style Awards will open New York Fashion Week on September 6 in partnership with LVMH in North America.
SPOTLIGHT: MUGZY MCFLY
Fashion Designer × Stylist New York designer and entrepreneur Jevaughn Williams, known as Mugzy McFly, is the co-founder and director of Signed By McFly. McFly has made the Bronx his inspiration. Last June, he was interviewed by us and told us about his passion for fashion and explained what kind of design he creates for […]
360 MAG: a no-nonsense conversation
Follow 360 MAG podcast on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Vaughn Lowery, Javier Pedroza, Armon Hayes, and LaJune Grant.
Monroe Alise is an actress, LGBTQIA+ advocate, model and comedienne.


text:
Today, Google announced that their Google I/O 2023 conference will be held on Wednesday, May 10, 2023. Be the first to learn about Google’s latest developer solutions, products, and technology.
Join developers and tech enthusiasts from around the world for livestreamed announcements and launches!
Google I/O is open to everyone online. Register and create your developer profile.
This is one of my favorite conferences as I learn so much from it. Hope to virtually see you there!
Below is a video recap of last year’s conference:


text:
Celebrity parents Halle Berry and Olivier Martinez have called it quits after two years of marriage. The former couple announced the news this afternoon, confirming the split and say they’re focused on raising their son together.
Babyrazzi.com is a website that focuses on the entertainment and lifestyle needs of today's family.Babyrazzi offers work-safe and family-friendly insight into the latest celebrity gossip, paparazzi photos, and up-to-the minute pop culture news with a targeted focus on celebrity babies, pregnancies, and all things family and relationships. We also offer product review and important product recall information. The INO blog family includes Babyrazzi.com, ImNotObsessed.com, and LadyandtheBlog.com.


text:
“It’s just a miracle I got Wilma back”
A man from the UK found the bag of dog food he’d ordered from Amazon awaiting him . . . and his miniature schnauzer puppy gone. He emailed Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos and was delighted to have his puppy returned to him.
Businessman Richard Guttfield noticed that Wilma, his black miniature schnauzer puppy, went missing after an Amazon driver dropped off a bag of dog food to his United Kingdom residence in Marsworth, Buckinghamshire.
In the end, it took an email to Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos to get the pup back home.
“My puppy went missing after an Amazon delivery and after an email to Jeff (Bezos)… we had someone who was amazing who tracked the driver and found our dog and brought her home,” he told CNBC.
Amazon delivery drivers don’t work directly for the company, instead they’re hired through a variety of independent contractors. Still, Amazon said it would investigate the incident and that this driver would no longer make deliveries.
. . . . [Guttfield] stressed that “It’s just a miracle I got Wilma back.”
I remember when Amazon just sold books, so I found the following segment about Amazon’s success interesting and thought I’d share it:DONATE
Donations tax deductible
to the full extent allowed by law.


text: The recent article about the owners of a proposed methadone clinic (“Clinic sues to locate in city“) suing under the Americans with Disabilities Act is ridiculous. First of all, they are not disabled, their problem was self induced, just like alcoholics. With all the government programs out there, why should taxpayers be responsible for people who cannot take self control of themselves? The big concern is the location where they want to put their clinic. A shopping center? Just what everyone needs, a drug clinic with druggies and such hanging around where decent people shop at decent businesses. Put your drug clinic somewhere where decent people don’t have to be around it.


text:
Patent wars, regulation and legislation increasingly matter to the tech sector.
Articles about Legal
In 3D printing, guns aren't the only tricky issues cropping up. The same types of legal and intellectual property issues that have haunted music and movies are about to get a lot broader.
The House of Lords has approved a long overdue copyright 'exception', making it legal to copy content for personal use.
Intellectual property is actually an overlooked hotspot given Twitter received nearly 10,000 copyright takedown requests for the micro-blogging site and subsidiary Vine.
The internet's regulatory authority says country-specific web domains cannot be seized in court proceedings as it sought to quash an effort to recover assets in terrorism-related lawsuits.
Chinese media believe Microsoft was raided as a result of withdrawing support for Windows XP.
TechRepublic's Instant Messaging Policy covers the use of instant messaging software and services by employees. It can help you establish both guidelines for proper use of instant messaging and...
Attachmate fights hard at interlocutory hearing against the Commonwealth of Australia to avoid database disclosure in copyright battle.
The Apple-Beats deal is expected to close during the current quarter, ending mid-September.
Fast-forwarding from a disappointing IPO in 2012 to the present, Facebook has made it up to shareholders and then some.
The tech giant plans to offer restitution for those affected by the 2011 PSN hack in free games, subsidies and cash payouts.
Google, Microsoft, and Yahoo are meeting data protection officials in Brussels to discuss how best to handle right to be forgotten requests.
EBay is facing a class action lawsuit over a security breach earlier this year which left customer data compromised.
Investors from failed Bitcoin exchange express anger following the first creditors meeting in Tokyo where questions remain unanswered over how US$500 million worth of the digital currency went missing.
Has the iPad and iPhone maker deliberately flouted Californian labor laws?
In an ironic twist, Apple and Samsung, bitter patent foes, find themselves on the same side of a battle against Enterprise Systems Technologies, a patent troll.


text:
One of today's more vexing security challenges is how to defend against a distributed denial of service attack (DDoS), where hackers install "zombie" code on hundreds or thousands of Internet-attached computers and use them to flood a single Web site with bogus requests. Cs3, Inc., which has been working on the problem since 1999, has come out with a product intended to stop such attacks from their point of origin - the "zombie" computers.
Cs3's Reverse Firewall is one part of the company's strategy to wipe out DDoS attacks. The product works by adhering to a "fair use" policy, where no one network segment is allowed to commandeer an inordinate amount of available bandwidth, says Dr. K. Narayanaswamy, co-founder and CTO of Cs3, based in Los Angeles.
In a typical two-way TCP/IP conversation, such as between a Web browser and server, one computer sends a request to another, then waits for an acknowledgment of that request before continuing. Computers infected with zombie code, however, just continually send a flood of requests to a Web server, never waiting for acknowledgement. If the server gets hammered with enough of these requests, it gets overwhelmed and is effectively blocked from servicing legitimate requests.https://o1.qnsr.com/log/p.gif?;n=203;c=204660766;s=9477;x=7936;f=201812281312070;u=j;z=TIMESTAMP;a=20392931;e=i"A typical attacker is like someone ringing your doorbell and walking away," Narayanaswamy says. "They are just flooding the network with requests but never bother to look for the answers."
Given that behavior, the clients that are launching the attacks chew up large amounts of bandwidth on the networks to which they are attached. Cs3's Reverse Firewall sits at the edge of a network, between a router and the Internet connection, and can detect when a given subnet is generating more than its fair share of traffic - or what Cs3 calls "unexpected packets." It will then throttle back the amount of packets it allows that segment to pass, allowing legitimate traffic from other segments equal access to the Internet link.
That gets to the value proposition for enterprises and ISPs in installing the Reverse Firewall: improving availability for their own users. Each Reverse Firewall, which runs on a Linux machine, can attach to five subnetworks in addition to the Internet. That means the product can isolate from the rest of the network a single subnet generating massive numbers of bogus packets.
"We're not asking customers to do this for the good of the Internet, but for their own good," Dr. Narayanaswamy says. "We are selling it as a damage control device to individual ISPs, universities and corporations."
The Reverse Firewall can also be effective in defending against worms such as Code Red and Nimda, which rely on port scanning, another form of unexpected traffic. "You have to allow everybody to do port scanning, but not at the rate that Nimda and Code Red were doing," he says.
There are other companies that have announced products in recent months that purport to defend against DDoS attacks, including Arbor Networks, Asta Networks, Captus Networks and Mazu Networks. But each of these companies' products is designed to filter in-bound traffic, not outbound traffic that is the initial cause of such attacks.
Cs3 likewise offers products that focus on in-bound traffic. The company has developed a packet-tagging protocol that allows routers and firewalls to detect where packets are coming from, much like a postmark on a letter. In that fashion, a router can detect when there are too many packets coming from the same area and throttle them back.
The company is in discussions with major router vendors to include its technology in their products, with the idea being to spread it throughout the Internet.
While that's a tall order, Dr. Narayanaswamy notes that if a large ISP buys in to the idea it will make a huge difference, because as soon as traffic representing a DDoS attack enters their network they will be able to recognize it and choke it off.
In the meantime, the Reverse Firewall is available now. It costs $3,995.


text:
The number of Moldovan tourists will pass 200 thousand with ID travel
The number of tourists arriving from Moldova is expected to rise above 200 thousand people in the period of travel between Turkey and Moldova starting today. The number of tourists from Moldova to Turkey rose to 194 thousand people last year, 13.25 percent increase.
Between Turkey and Moldova, the period of travel with identity begins today. The positive reflection of the number of tourists between the two countries is expected to increase the number of tourists travelling, especially from Moldova.
194 thousand Moldovan tourists arrived in Turkey last year and the 40 thousand of these tourists came from visiting Istanbul. This year, the number of tourists coming to Turkey from Moldova is expected to pass the 200 thousand by the influence of travel. Turkey, 140 thousand in 2016, 171 thousand Moldovan came in 2017. There are three flights every day between Chisinau and Istanbul, which is an hour flight time. As of today, citizens who will enter Moldova with the identity of the people in every 180 days without a visa can remain without exceeding 90 day.


text:
NikeLab Released The White HyperAdapt 1.0 In Limited Quantity
When the Nike HyperAdapt 1.0 was first unveiled to the public, Nike promised that the all-white pair with the gum soles would be issued to friends and family of the brand only, landing in the hands of select athletes such as Odell Beckham Jr., Kyrie Irving, and more. As it turns out, NikeLab in NYC released an incredibly limited run of the shoes without any notice. It is also rumored that NikeLab in Chicago dropped them in limited numbers as well.
Nike also has plans of releasing the original black and silver/black colorways on Thursday, April 20th via The Draw.


text:
You can expect nothing short of utter sexiness where the Kardashians are involved, and Caitlyn Jenner's Christmas outfit at the 2015 Kardashian Christmas Eve Bash certainly delivered. As People reported, Caitlyn Jenner showed up at the annual, heavily star-studded holiday party in a killer black dress with a thigh-high slit. Long-sleeved but with a plunging neckline and a daring hem, Jenner looked impeccably stylish with her coordinating black and white clutch and intimidatingly high stilettos.
While the look might not be exactly what the majority of us put together to celebrate Christmas Eve with our families, it seems like it was just the ticket when gearing up for the holidays in the Kardashian household. The bash they threw was obviously wild. According to People, "The party, held at Kris’ sumptuous Calabasas home, also featured the first post-birth appearance from Kim Kardashian West, a photobomb from Drake, and a Santa decked out in head-to-toe crushed white velvet (this is a Kardashian party, after all)."
I don't know about you, but none of my mom's holiday parties would attract the likes of Drake. I suppose if a house is decked out in a forest of Christmas trees and guests in Gucci and Balmain, the usual Christmas-sweater-and-sweatpants combo needs to be upgraded.
Jenner had previously mentioned that Kris' Christmas shindigs are one of her most anticipated affairs of the holiday season. She told People, “Probably the biggest tradition I have along with the rest of the family, is Kris — for the last 30 years — her Christmas Eve party is over the top spectacular.”
And over the top spectacular it was. If they've been doing it for the past 30 years, then they definitely have the bash down to a science. With Kris and Kylie wearing heavily-beaded and sequined dresses that were high on the intricate scale (with Kylie's being a gifted Balmain dress) and Khloé walking around barefoot with a silvery, plunging neckline jumpsuit, Caitlyn probably knew she had to bring her A-game. And it's not like the lady has to try too hard: She already has a history of wearing knock-out designer outfits, usually skewed towards a darker palette, just like at the Christmas party.
And if you want to recreate Jenner's bombshell-esque look — whether for the upcoming New Year's festivities or next year's holiday season (hey, some of us like to plan ahead) — here's how to get the look. Get ready for some major thigh game.
Scratch that. This look is basically perfect for any semi-formal affair, whether it's the holiday season or not.
Images: Courtesy Brands


text:
How Technology Helps Amazon Shorten Training Times for New Hires
Amazon is ready for the holiday shopping spree: Besides seeking to grow its workforce with 120,000 temporary workers (an increase of 40%) at its US warehouse, the online retail giant is also using technology to reduce the training time needed for these new hires.
According to the Wall Street Journal, Amazon has built 26 new warehouses this year alone, which brings its worldwide total to 149. Its latest facilities incorporate the most automated use of screens, robots, scanners and other technology to get the new hires up to speed, according to John Olsen, Amazon’s vice president of worldwide human resource operations.
The retail giant targets an increase of 27% in holiday sales, or roughly $45.5 billion. To achieve that, it needs staff to fulfil orders in time. “Though worker training is a year-round challenge for Amazon, one of its priorities for the fourth quarter is as follows: “what technology can set an employee up as efficiently and as safely as possible?” Olsen said.
Amazon’s new hires get hands-on training as early as their first day on the job, which compares to conventional warehouses, where new employees spend their first few days in the classroom, hence giving Amazon an important advantage: efficiency.
“Employee turnover becomes a little less of a problem when the learning curve is short,” said Brian Devine, senior vice president at logistics staffing firm ProLogistix.
The newest warehouses are filled with robots and require a higher head count than typical Amazon facilities, because it allows them to process more orders. For example, in DuPont, Washington, a large yellow robot arm moves pallets of items to the second story of the facility, while orange, pallet-sized robots carry shelves full of products to stations where workers can reach them.
Then workers can see on screens what the desired item looks like and where it is located, so everything should move fast.
You can read more about Amazon’s new technology on the WSJ website.


text:
The 10-year journey to Payday 3 is finally almost over, and the developers are holding an open beta this weekend to stress test the servers before the official launch. Running from September 8 to September 11, the beta is open to all players on Steam and Xbox Series S|X.
It follows on from an earlier beta last month which was designed to make sure that the servers functioned as intended. This latest one aims to ensure there is capacity to minimize or, ideally, completely avoid potential log-in and connection issues, like those that plagued Diablo IV on its release earlier this year, when the game launches in full on September 21.
While this open beta should give players a good idea of what to expect from Payday 3, it is not necessarily representative of the final game. The content is based on a build from April this year and includes only a small portion of what the full release will offer. That includes four playable characters and a single heist mission. Progress will be capped to Infamy Level 22 and Weapon Level 8, and it’s worth noting that progress will not carry over to the final version. However, all difficulty levels will be playable.
You will be able to access the beta once it’s live by requesting access via the game’s Steam page or through the previews section of the Xbox Insider Hub on console.
In addition to the open beta, developer Starbreeze has also revealed that two additional characters — Pearl and Joy — will be playable at the launch of Payday 3 alongside the familiar faces of Dallas, Hoxton, Wolf, and Chains.
It also provided a roadmap to the first year of post-launch support, which includes four major pieces of DLC: Syntax Error (winter 2023), Boys in Blue (spring 2024), The Land of the Free (summer 2024), and Fear and Greed (autumn 2024). While the specifics haven’t been fully outlined, these expansions will include seasonal events; new playable characters, enemies, and weapons; an Unreal Engine 5 upgrade; quality of life improvements; and more.
Payday 3 will launch on September 21 on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series S|X. It will also be available via Xbox Game Pass and GeForce Now.


text:
People are now worried about the unbearable price increase of daily commodities. It can be said that the thought of adulterated food, giving chemicals as a result has been left behind. As a result, the campaign against food adulteration is not very visible. It is not a new phenomenon that during the month of Ramadan the demand for many food products increases, so does the trend of adulteration or application of chemicals. As we can see in case of pineapple cultivation in Madhupur of Tangail. There have been allegations of excessive application of chemicals against the farmers.
It is very sad and disappointing to hear such allegations against the farmer. The traditional moral position of the farmers towards the soil, life and people, where did it survive? But in this country where everything is collapsing, why should the farmers stay behind! Due to which demand increases in the month of Ramadan, they are ripening the Jaldugi pineapple by applying chemicals before the season to catch its market. But after about three months, this pineapple is supposed to come to the market.


text:
The recent turnaround continues for craft-beer pioneer Boston Beer, which this week reported a third quarter 2018 net revenue of $306.9 million. That’s an increase of $59.8 million or 24.2% over the third quarter of 2017.
The big gain was mainly due to an increase in shipments of 23.5%. The company also reported that its depletions growth increased to 18% in the third quarter, up from 12% in the second quarter and 8% in the first.
“Our depletions growth in the third quarter was the result of increases in our Truly Spiked & Sparkling, Twisted Tea and Angry Orchard brands that were only partially offset by decreases in our Samuel Adams brand,” says Dave Burwick, the company’s new president and CEO (above, right). “I’d like to note, however, that the Samuel Adams seasonal program has returned to growth this year.”
Truly Spiked & Sparkling has grown “beyond our expectations,” Burwick adds, while Twisted Tea is growing “both distribution and velocity, while generating consistent double-digit volume growth.” Angry Orchard, he believes, has benefitted from the launch of Angry Orchard Rosé in early 2018.
“Our plans for 2019 include investments in our new Samuel Adams advertising campaign and the second year of our successful 2018 innovations, which include Angry Orchard Rosé, Truly Berry Variety Pack, Truly Wild Berry, Sam’76 and Samuel Adams New England IPA,” Burwick says.
Jim Koch, chairman and founder (above, left), pointed to the new Sam Adams marketing as a potential growth driver. “During the quarter, we introduced a new Samuel Adams advertising campaign and continued to work hard on our Samuel Adams brand messaging, which communicates our artisanal care in the brewing of Samuel Adams Boston Lager,” he says.


text:
National Starch Food Innovation has introduced a range of natural,
grain-based ingredients, which it claims maintain the positive
attributes of traditional flours while expanding and improving the
ways they can be used in packaged...
In a new study red cabbage was seen to reduce the build-up of
certain plaques in the brain that could cause Alzheimer's disease,
the most common form of dementia that costs the UK an estimated £15
billion (€ 22 billion) every...
Almost two thirds of American adults consider themselves healthy
eaters, and almost half say they try to follow some type of
health-conscious diet, incorporating 'healthy' foods into their
daily meals and snacks, says a...
Overweight children kept on a "nutritious" diet and
encouraged to exercise during a two-week period showed a dramatic
reduction in cholesterol and insulin levels, according to a study
presented last week at the American...
The issue over the use of carbon monoxide additives in meat
continues to simmer in the US, with an industry body claiming that
the potential food scare is a myth created by consumer groups and
companies acting out of self-interest.


text:
A rising budget-conscious mindset mixed with swelling reverence for the country's war history made for a sober half-day of Anzac Day shopping.
Major retailers took out advertisements promoting Anzac Day bargains, but Newmarket Business Association chief executive Ashley Church said shops would be lucky to get even normal mid-week levels of trade.
"People do treat Anzac Day as a sombre event, and give it the respect - whereas Christmas [has become] just a commercial activity," Mr Church said.
"Even with Easter, people look at it as an opportunity to trade, but on Anzac Day there's not as much determination to push the boundary."
At Westfield in the CBD, shopper Margaret Woag bought a jersey from The Warehouse - one of the retailers promoting Anzac Day bargains.
But shopping was not the day's focus. "We went to church this morning, we sang the anthem. I was just a bit cold," she said.
Others said they were out for supplies, not the special bargains of the national holiday.
Mr Church said the day's trading was also emblematic of a wider Anzac trend since the global economic crash in 2007.
Both New Zealanders and Australians had become more value-focused shoppers.
"After 2007 there was quite a radical change in the ethos of Kiwis and Australians. There was an emphasis on excesses before, but that became more charity and community focused.
"I don't think it's just about saving money. The psyche of the nation as shoppers [is] that the values before 2007 perhaps weren't all that [desirable]."
Newmarket had once promoted itself as the high-end, haute couture fashion capital and thrived. After 2007, the same promotions began to come across as pretentious.
In the past two years, the business district broadened its focus beyond the high-end and trade has recovered, with more sales of lesser value.
A Nielsen consumer research survey, released this week, also found increased bargain-hunting.
Two-thirds of New Zealand shoppers said they now looked for price promotions at supermarkets.
The Restaurant Association said there were price wars among businesses in some parts of the country as customers became more price-driven.
Retailers Association chief executive John Albertson said a different type of consumer had emerged who was keen to live within their means.
"I don't think we are ever going to go back to things as they were. I think the consumer has changed forever," he said this week.


text:
Bitcoin Tax India - Bitcoin Predictions For The Week Bitcoin Tax India How To Make Money With Bitcoin 2017 Bitcoin Armory Not Sending.
While the general acceptability of bitcoins in India is pretty low, it is not unusual to find savvy businesses accepting bitcoins as consideration for the sale of goods and services.It is evident the Indian tax authority would like to collect such capital gains tax.
A notice was sent out to investors last month regarding this particular development.
Bitcoin under the scanner as India's tax - Quartz
Bitcoin Regulation India - Bitcoin is growing in India and the top trading platforms in India such as Zebpay, Coinsecure, Unocoin, and Bitxoxo have seen fantastic.
Revenue tax on Bitcoin & its legality in India - BITTABI
Bitcoin Tax In India - cryptocurrencyezguide.com
Income tax lens on bitcoin exchanges across six cities
Bitcoin Exchanges To Be Taxed In India Under GST ? TaxThere is also a need of clarity on the treatment of bitcoin returns whiling filing income tax returns.
How to Buy Bitcoins in India: A Quick Start GuideSridhar is just one among many in India rushing to sell their bitcoin holdings.
Income tax on Bitcoin amp its legality in India In this article we cover the following topics What is bitcoin Where does bitcoin come from or how is it generatedMay.
Bitcoin Prices Fall as India Considers 18% Crypto Tax
The men behind India's first Bitcoin exchange | Business
Taxation of Bitcoin in India Taxation of transactions where consideration is paid in Bitcoins.We make it super easy to securely buy, use and accept bitcoin, following KYC-AML guidelines.
However, they will not start this until RBI gives a clean chit to the coin which it had warned against recently.
BitcoinTaxes :: Calculate Bitcoin Taxes for Capital Gains
Tax On Bitcoin in India| 18% GST on Bitcoin in IndiaHis tax adviser is now trying to figure out whether this will be taxed, and at what tax rate.State of the Bitcoin nation - India. In light of the recent exuberant bitcoin price surge, the tax authority believes that many bitcoin traders are not reporting.
Bitcoin Exchanges in India Under the Scrutiny of IncomeTax investigators raid the offices of nine bitcoin exchanges across India, including in Delhi, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Kochi and Gurugram.We will tell you how to do that, use Bitcoin wallets and the best Bitcoin trading platforms in India.
India's Tax on Cryptocurrency | What are the Main PointsBitcoins have to be mined, which is recorded in the blockchain,.In what amounts to a major clampdown down on bitcoin and other. sponsorship of terrorism and tax evasion.India is considering applying a tax to cryptocurrency trading in a move which could mark a step towards its legitimacy in the country.
BitcoinRates: Compare Bitcoin Rates In All Indian
Long-term capital gains (LTCG) tax will be applicable if one has had bitcoins for more than three years.Reports claim this 18% tax is being examined by the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs.
NEW DELHI: Accusations of tax evasion and police corruption, a kidnapper who was kidnapped, a fugitive politician, and billions in bitcoin lost.


text:
Andrew Geoghegan appoints former Cartier employee as Sales Director
February 2015 – Fine Jewellery brand, Andrew Geoghegan (AG), has announced the appointment of Catherine Strangward as Sales Director for the business.
Catherine comes from an exceptional jewellery-focused background – having successfully represented Cartier in the UK and Ireland for the past 20 years.
The appointment of Strangward is just the start of strong developments at AG in 2015 – with the brand set to reveal a luxury rebrand in coming months.
Owner, designer and Managing Director, Andrew Geoghegan, has his sights set firmly on the future – commenting that this appointment early in 2015 is just the tip of the iceberg for his growing, award-winning business:
“2015 is set to be a fantastic year and appointing Catherine is the first and most important step in realising the brand’s potential. Catherine will primarily ensure the business is focusing on established retail partners and making sure they are given our full support. There is also a small group of new accounts that we will be aiming to partner with and Catherine will be instrumental in achieving this.”


text:
Bank of Maharashtra today announced the launch of MahaSecure, a digital banking app enabling internet banking facilities for both retail and corporate customers. Based on REL-ID – a digital security platform from Uniken, the app will protect internet banking users from sophisticated online attacks while providing consistent user experience across multiple digital channels.
Bank of Maharashtra’s initiative to launch the banking app is aimed at ensuring complete safety and trust in internet banking to all the customers as there is no dependency on any hardware token or SMS. The launch also underlines the fact that the bank intends to offer greater customer convenience through alternative delivery channels such as the internet banking while ensuring comprehensive security.
Mr. Narender Kabra, GM, Bank of Maharashtra said, “As we focus on growth and start reaching out to more customers, we realize that our customer profile is changing. Traditional customer relationships are getting converted into digital relationships as more and more customers are switching to internet banking. In this scenario, it was important for us to assure our customers of complete safety as they access banking services online.”
MahaSecure is based on REL-ID -a next generation digital security platform developed by Uniken Inc.


text:
Elon Musk is the richest man in the world, but do you know how much he gets paid as the CEO of Tesla?
It may be hard to believe, but Tesla approved a $56 billion salary or compensation package for Elon Musk in 2018.
But now an American court has decided to invalidate Elon Musk’s $56 billion package as too much.
It should be noted that Elon Musk will be compensated according to the increase in Tesla’s market value under this 2018 package.
With this compensation of more than 50 billion dollars, Elon Musk is considered to be the highest paid CEO in the world, who was paid more than 10 billion dollars in 2021, which means that he will receive close to 1 billion dollars per month from Tesla. are meeting
In 2018, Richard Tornetta, a Tesla investor, filed a lawsuit against this package in a Delaware court, saying that Elon Musk created his own salary plan, which violates the law.
He said board members had deliberately withheld key details from shareholders in order to approve the pay deal.
Now the court said in its decision that the Tesla board improperly prepared Elon Musk’s package.
The court said that the plaintiff should work with Elon Musk’s legal team to ensure the execution of the verdict.
Elon Musk may appeal to the Delaware Supreme Court against this decision.
According to the judge, Elon Musk’s legal team failed to prove that such high compensation was necessary to keep Elon Musk at Tesla.
He said that seeing Elon Musk’s superstar status, the Tesla board did not question whether the package was necessary to keep Elon Musk at Tesla and achieve its goals.
The plaintiff argued that the board should have offered a lower remuneration package or selected another chief executive.
He said that Elon Musk should have worked as Tesla’s full-time chief executive, but Tesla allowed him to work on other projects such as X (Twitter).
Note that Elon Musk does not receive a monthly salary from Tesla and this package is subject to the company’s financial growth.
Under this package, Elon Musk can buy Tesla shares at discounted prices and he cannot sell the company’s shares for 5 years.
If the court ruling against Apple is upheld, the Tesla board will have to propose a new compensation package for Elon Musk.
Interestingly, the court decision has come after Elon Musk had demanded 25 percent of Tesla’s shares in the past few days to strengthen his control over the company.
Elon Musk sold a number of Tesla shares to buy the X and currently owns 13 percent of the company.


text:
For the next few days, Samsung is practically giving away their new smart home hub, the SmartThings Station—if you’re quick enough to catch it. For $1, a limited number of people can snag one each day, starting at about noon ET through Sept. 17.
Smart home hubs are the next big thing in smart home tech, allowing you to manage all of your devices, regardless of manufacturer, through one control. Usually, that’s an app like Google Home, Apple Homekit, Alexa, or Smartthings. But we’re starting to see physical manifestations of these apps so you have a place in your house where you can physically affect all your smart home devices.
The Samsung SmartThings Station is exactly that: a plug-and-play device you can plant anywhere in your home to control lights, alarms, speakers, and anything else running through your SmartThings app.
As hubs go, the Station is less tech-looking than others like the Apple HomePod, Google Nest Hub, or the Echo Show. It also acts as a charging station, and in some cases, it can track down your earbuds (if they’re part of the Samsung solar system; otherwise you’ll have to wait until Matter has a real presence). Speaking of which, the Station supports Matter and Threads, so it’s forward looking.
The Station is normally $60 retail, so while this is a good deal, it isn’t out of reach if you miss the sale. That said, if you’re already tied into SmartThings or have a Samsung phone, washing machine, earbuds, or lights, a charging pad that also allows you to track down your phone or keep the dryer running might make sense. For everyone else, you can run the devices that run through SmartThings, and eventually, devices that are Matter or Threads enabled.
To get the deal, go here starting at about noon ET to watch a product video and claim a promo code. If you get an “invalid code” message at checkout, that means all $1 promos codes have been redeemed for the day, but you can try again every day through Sept. 17.
This is part of an event called Discover Samsung, which features a number of other legitimately worthwhile sales, so it’s worth taking a quick look. For example, Buds Pro 2 are almost 50% off right now, and there are some impressive sales on Samsung appliances, too.


text:
Bugatti is preparing an electric car worth less than $ 1 millionNovember 18, 2019
Bugatti Automobiles aims to expand its appeal by adding a Chiron supercar worth 2.5 million euros (2.7 million dollars) with a slightly more affordable alternative.
The potential second model will be a grand tour or crossover with an electric drive, which can accommodate up to four people and will cost from 500,000 to 1 million euros.
Bugatti CEO Stephan Winkelmann said the French automaker is negotiating with the parent company Volkswagen Group for investments.
“The industry is fundamentally changing, and we need to consider what are the opportunities for developing Bugatti as a brand in the future,” Winkelmann said.
Winkelmann, who previously ran the VW Group Lamborghini brand, is trying to make the Bugatti viable enough to potentially survive outside the German automotive group and prevent the risk of re-folding.
Bugatti has long been considered a prime example of the engineering wastefulness of the VW Group. It was revived under the former chairman Ferdinand Piech in 1998, after the brand virtually disappeared in the 1950s.
An elite nameplate offers limited opportunities for the exchange of spare parts and technologies. Due to the high development costs and small volumes, the Veyron – the first Bugatti model running VW – was considered one of the largest companies losing money in the automotive industry.
Winkelmann said that at present Bugatti is “making decent money” and that now the brand should justify itself with business arguments, and not just engineering achievements.
Bugatti has limited the Chiron production cycle to just 500 cars, and less than 100 of them are still waiting in line. The company currently produces about 100 custom-tuned cars per year, including the $ 8.8 million Centodieci, based on the Chiron.
Ferrari, whose value has more than tripled since its public listing, has become the brainchild of a potential independent luxury car brand and has sparked interest in potential side effects from the VW Group.
VW Group CEO Herbert Diess is pushing upscale brands to increase profits and last year outlined a plan to unify Bugatti into the so-called super-premium group, which includes Bentley and Lamborghini.
- Hamilton broke Schumacher’s “eternal” record, setting a historic achievement
- Drag racing: new Audi RS3 vs old Mitsubishi Evo 8
- The network has an image of the updated Nissan Rogue Sport
- Hypercar Mercedes-AMG One will receive more than 1200 horsepower
- US enthusiasts have made a unique car out of a GMC Sierra pickup


text:
Rita Ora: the new face of Roberto Cavalli
Speculation of Rita Ora being the new face of Italian label Roberto Cavalli became a reality this week as pictures of the recently single pop singer got fashionistas all over the world talking. Rita, who looks hotter than ever in the new campaign, has been snapped for the A/W 14-15 collection, revealing her body in a saucy-style shoot.
After previously modelling for the likes of DKNY and adidas, Rita has taken a step on the glamorous side for this new campaign, which tries to “bring to mind the irresistible appeal of a first date”. Photographer Francesco Carrozzini took the pictures, which convey the seduction of the iconic Marilyn Monroe in a modern day presence. Cavalli chose to portray Rita as a current version of the style icon to give his new work a “pin-up” feel.
Bold prints are featured throughout the collection, which are scattered with precious jewels to enhance the beautiful colours used. The Roberto Cavalli “it” bag is also featured in the images, amongst Rita’s naked body, making it even more desirable. Featuring studs and chain straps, it is the statement bag of next season.
Keep your eyes peeled here to get your hands on the collection.


text:
Just when you thought it was safe to eat at Chipotle, reports have surfaced via Twitter of at least two food poisoning incidents in Manhattan. Business Insider reports that word of the unconfirmed illnesses sent the chain's stock tumbling by as much as 3.5 percent this morning.
Early this morning, author Eric Van Lustbader tweeted that his editor wound up in the ER after eating at a Chipotle in Manhattan; in a followup tweet in response to a user going by the handle @stocktraderMD, he claimed doctors believed the illness stemmed from unsanitary food handling.
This Chipotle thing is still ongoing. My editor ended up in urgent care after being deathly ill all night from eating at Chipotle's.— Eric Van Lustbader (@EVanLustbader) July 7, 2016
@stocktraderMD She. Was sent to the ER, spent 7hrs there. Bacteria found. Drs surmise from unsan food handling. In UC to get 2 liters fluid— Eric Van Lustbader (@EVanLustbader) July 7, 2016
Then, another user chimed in to say he, too, had gotten ill after eating at a Manhattan Chipotle:
Reached for comment, Chipotle spokesperson Chris Arnold said via email, "We are aware of the post made on Twitter, however there have been no reports of illnesses at any of our New York restaurants. Moreover, we have excellent health department scores throughout the city, and we continue to have the highest standards of food safety in our restaurants."
As Business Insider points out, "The [falling stock price] shows just how susceptible Chipotle currently is to concerns about food safety."
While the chain has been doing its damnedest to make headlines for more positive reasons these days — launching a new rewards program, a new menu item (the ill-advised chorizo), and a new ad masquerading as a Pixar-esque short film — the fact remains that lingering food safety concerns are still keeping many away from Chipotle. The company's E. coli and norovirus woes that began last fall sickened dozens of people and resulted in a major sales decline; last month, Chipotle stock hit its lowest point in three years.


text:
Sony showed off its new flagship tablet -- the
10-inch Xperia Tablet Z -- at Mobile World Congress today, claiming
it is the world's thinnest design for a slate computer.
At 6.9mm deep, its certainly slim compared to the iPad's 9.4mm, the Google Nexus 10's 8.9mm and the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1's 8.6mm. It's actually slimmer even
than the iPad mini, which measures 7.2mm in depth.
It's light too, at 495g (compared to the iPad, Nexus and Tab's
662g, 603g and 565g respectively). However its screen, while decent
at 1,920x1,280 pixels, is a notch under the iPad's 2,048x1,536 and,
until we get to test battery life, we're holding our breath over
whether the reduction in thickness hasn't also resulted in a
reduction of performance.
Inside the specs are exciting: a quad-core Snapdragon S4 CPU
running at 1.5GHz, 2GB of RAM, an eight-megapixel rear camera, a
two-megapixel front-facing camera, NFC and it's also dust and water
resistant. Two wireless options will be available: one with 4G LTE
and Wi-Fi, and one with just Wi-Fi.
When the Xperia Tablet Z launches in Q2 in the UK, it will
feature Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean), but Sony confirmed to Wired.co.uk
that an upgrade to Android 4.2 will be available post-launch.
Pricing will be announced later in the year.