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Thursday, November 02, 2006
Few stocks has been more disappointing over he last few years than Coke. After the death of Robert Goizeuta in 1997, the company elevated a series of men to CEO whom the troops refused to follow. The absence of a strong leader for this most multinational of all US companies caused the unthinkable to happen: the company whose brand was thought to be so powerful that an idiot could run it, buckled under ill-conceived new products, frequent quality issues, and internal struggles that bordered on mutiny. Nowhere has the disappointment been more visceral than between the company and old-line Wall Street analysts. In short, Wall Street believes that Coke has managed to tarnish the single most recognized brand on the planet. Bloomberg research shows that few of the largest Wall Street firms have "buy" recommendations on the company, even though Coke's business appears to have turned. Our Dividend Valuation Model (DVM) is suggesting that the old-line analysts might be judging the company from the rear view mirror. If Coke's prospects have turned, as I believe they have, then we should have plenty of fresh money pouring into the stock over the next few years as Wall Street is forced to admit that Coke is, indeed, The Real Thing -- again The chart below shows that the correlation between Coke and its DVM is not high. But, interestingly, it does show that the market has a history of mispricing Coke in regular patterns. ...............Coke Dividend Valuation Model............... Think of the green bars as "value" steps, or intrinsic value. For the 7 years from 1986 through 1993, Coke's market price (blue line) consistently sold below its intrinsic value. Beginning in 1995, things changed and under valuation was replaced with over valuation, as Coke appeared to be climbing a stairway to heaven. By 1998, with Coke levitating 40% above its DVM, there was no shortage of buy recommendations by Wall Street analysts. Coke's downtrend over the last 7 years has been caused by a combination of a normal correction back to its intrinsic value, and its own abysmal performance. Two years ago, Coke finally appeared to correct their leadership problem by promoting Irishman Neville Isdell to CEO. By most accounts, he has the support of Coke employees and bottlers. In recent quarters, sales and earnings have bottomed and begun to firm. Recently, the company reported much better than expected earnings, which push the stock higher. I noticed that the consensus ranking by Wall Street analysts did not budge with the good news on earnings. They still rank the stock as an average performer for the coming year. With the stock undervalued and big cap blue chip stocks back in favor, to ignore the progress that Coke has made is shortsighted. Besides seven years is a long time for Wall Street to hold a grudge. Look for Coke to begin a long slow climb as more and more Wall Street types forgive the company for past missteps and admit that there is no such thing as an idiot proof company. The Dividend Valuation Model says we are in the first year of an upturn. I wonder if that means, we can count on 6 more years of price gains? Stay tuned. This blog is for information purposes only. Do not make buy and sell decisions based on what I have said here. Clients, Employees, and Principals of Donaldson Capital Management may own shares of Coke.
Labels: Company Discussion


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"Shocking" number of luxury condos for sale on MLS
The number of $1 million-plus condos for sale in Toronto has reached such “shocking” levels, it would take about 20 months to sell them all given current demand, more than four times what it would take to clear the current inventory of more conventional condos.
What’s even more worrisome is those numbers don’t include “shadow inventory,” which could easily exceed the number of high-end condos that were listed for sale on the Multiple Listing Service as of the end of June, says Toronto realtor Andrew la Fleur who did the math recently on behalf of an investor.
That shadow inventory includes units that have yet to sell in five-star hotel projects like the Trump International Hotel & Tower, Ritz-Carlton, Shangri-La and Four Seasons, all of which have hit the market in the last two years.
Also part of that great unknown are pricey penthouses still sitting empty in dozens of newer condo projects, especially in the downtown core: Developers don’t like to dump too many of their unsold units on the publicly accessible MLS system all at once, for fear it can make the project look bad and undercut prices.
In the first six months of this year, there were 145 condos listed on MLS for $1 million or more, says la Fleur, who was shocked by the numbers when he started delving into the high-end market recently on behalf of an investor who wanted to know if they stood to make more money buying one pricey property or two or three cheaper condos.
Only 42 of those $1-million plus units actually sold, an average of seven per month, says la Fleur. That equates, in key real estate market terms, into a 20-month supply. It was even higher, 25 months, in tony Yorkville, much to la Fleur’s surprise.
That’s more than four times the three to five-month supply of more conventional condos that were for sale in the first six months of 2013.
“It’s very crowded out there,” says la Fleur, who found prices have remained flat, or even slumped, for folks who bought into many of the five-star hotel projects before they were built.
He believes it could be at least three years, and perhaps as much as a decade, before investors in that sector really start to see gains.
While prices have indeed been flat, there hasn’t been the slump many had expected now that all those five-star offerings are up and open, says Shaun Hildebrand, senior vice president of condo research firm Urbanation.
“When you look at the numbers and relate them to the rest of the market, it would suggest that there is a glut, a drastic oversupply,” of $1 million-plus condos, says Hildebrand. “But this is a very niche segment of the market. It really needs to be looked at in isolation.”
In fact, months of supply in Yorkville has always run about twice that of the conventional condo market and it’s just going to take time for all these new units to find buyers, he added.
“This is a new market to Toronto, it’s still in its infancy.”
Wealthy buyers are still looking at Toronto, says Ross McCredie, chief executive officer of luxury realtor Sotheby’s International who sold his $2 million condo in the Four Seasons last spring to a Hong Kong buyer.
“There are a lot of people actually purchasing higher-end condos with cash as investment vehicles that they can rent out because the vacancy rate is so low in Toronto,” says McCredie. “That’s a key indicator. It shows that on a long-term basis, those condos are going to prove out.”
In fact, dozens of condos in the Ritz, Shangri-La and Four Seasons are already being rented out, either by choice or because investors couldn’t find buyers. Rents are running more than $3 to more than $5 per square foot.
That translates into a mere $6,000 a month for a 1,600 square foot unit at the Ritz.

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The Scottish government has renewed calls for a new .scot internet domain to be established.
The International Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) will be accepting applications for new top level internet domains starting in January next year.
The not-for-profit Dot Scot Registry is behind the push for a new Scottish top level domain and has the backing from the Inverness Chamber of Commerce.
"It would give us a local identity over the internet," said chamber chief executive Stewart Nicol told the BBC.
The Scottish government has sought support from the UK government which has responsibility for internet governance.


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eBay has now temporarily suspended all transactions to Russian addresses according to a statement referenced by a number of NBC affiliated news organizations today. eBay has not issued this statement on its website.
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“As a result of service interruptions by payment vendors and major shipping carriers, we have temporarily suspended all transactions involving Russian addresses and transactions involving Ukraine addresses may experience delays,” the eBay statement read.
“We will continue to evaluate and make necessary changes to our policies and service availability as this situation evolves and hope for a rapid, lasting, and diplomatic solution to this crisis.”
In addition, the company is warning sellers about listing items that support the aggression unleashed by autocratic Russian President Vladimir Putin on Ukraine. eBay apparently already has removed Putin-related items “that are not clearly anti-Putin.”
“We have a strict policy against items that promote or glorify hatred or violence to ensure our platform remains a safe, trusted and inclusive environment for our global community of sellers and buyers,” eBay warned in this statement.
“Consequently, merchandise that may indicate support of Vladimir Putin is prohibited on eBay. We will continue to allow historical or education related books and materials.”
Previously, eBay had suspended shipments using its Global Shipping Program to Russia and Ukraine but sellers could still offer items on the marketplace to be shipped to either country if they could find a carrier to deliver them.
Just to reiterate, today’s statement does not prohibit eBay sellers to sell to customers in Ukraine, but it will be up to the seller to find a shipping solution that is still operational.
The Ukraine Postal service is currently asking global postal operators to send items to neighboring EU countries from where it will pick up the mail and deliver it where possible.
See more here about shipping to Ukraine. Private parcel couriers like UPS and FedEx have suspended operations in Ukraine as well as shipments to Russia already.
As far as shipments to Russia, on Friday, USPS became the last major US-based parcel carrier to stop accepting parcels destined to Russia, effectively making it impossible to ship items to Russia from the US.
Also on Friday, the US Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) issued new restrictions on Luxury Goods to all end users in Russia. These restrictions likewise affected Russian and Belarusian oligarchs and malign actors located worldwide.
It’s possible that today’s full stop on transactions to Russia was in response to these events on Friday by USPS and BIS. However, eBay’s suspension of all transactions to Russia appears to be a global policy affecting sellers on all its global marketplaces.
eBay Supports Ukraine
In addition, on Friday, Andrea Stairs, eBay CMO & VP, Seller Community, North America, issued a statement on behalf of eBay in support of Ukraine.
“We know our sellers worldwide are resilient and continue to run their business through natural disasters, pandemics, and events beyond their control— including the current situation in Ukraine. In support of our Ukrainian sellers, we are waiving their seller fees. We are also protecting them and sellers who ship to Ukraine from late shipment penalties, feedback, and other account penalties. For all the latest information on how we are protecting sellers, please visit our dedicated community page.”
“We are supporting the humanitarian efforts in Ukraine by raising funds for The American Red Cross, Nova Ukraine, and Save the Children. Buyers can support these relief organizations through Give at Checkout, while sellers can support by donating a portion of their proceeds from specific items. eBay will match up to $250,000 in customer donations through the end of March. In addition, eBay will be matching all employee donations at a 2:1 ratio.
“We stand with Ukraine and thank everyone who is working to support those impacted by the crisis in that country.”
Similar opportunities for eBay buyers to support humanitarian efforts in Ukraine will also be available at checkout on the UK, Candian and Australian eBay marketplaces.
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Data Talk: Maryland’s First Month of Adult-Use Earns a Staggering $87 Million
Maryland’s recreational sales began in July, generating an astonishing $87 million in the first month across 109 licensed dispensaries. The state is projected to surpass markets like New Jersey, New York, New Mexico, and Connecticut, potentially reaching $700-800 million in sales in its first year. Prices through the LeafLink platform have seen a significant surge, with flower prices climbing from under $1,000 to over $3,000 per pound between April and July. Retailers are working to meet the rising demand. The state plans to issue 925 new licenses by year-end, including 300 retail licenses, 175 cultivators, 200 processors, 200 delivery-only microbusinesses, and 50 consumption lounges, which will lead to exponential growth in wholesale sales, anticipated to exceed $500 million in 2024.
Author: Ben Burstein
“With prices and sales soaring, the state could hit $700 million to $800 million in sales in its first year surpassing markets like New Jersey, New York, New Mexico, and Connecticut”
What are we seeing from retail sales?
The first full month of adult-use sales more than doubled typical medical sales over the past year to $87 million. We expect sales to continue climbing as more retailers are approved for dual licenses and new licenses are issued towards year-end.
Which product categories are shining?
The top performing product in Maryland this year is flower, accounting for 54% of wholesale sales, 16 percentage points above the national average of total sales. Edibles are the second most popular form factor at 16% of sales, in line with country averages. Cartridges and concentrates make up 24% of sales, below the national average of 36%, likely due to Maryland brand’s medical focus for most of the year.
How is the Maryland market structured?
Maryland is a capped license market with 109 retail, 22 cultivation, and 28 processor licenses available in the market today. License holders are limited to no more than one grow license, one processor license, and four stores. 300 retail, 175 cultivation, 200 processing, 200 delivery-only microbusiness, and 50 consumption lounge licenses will be issued by Jan ‘24, split across standard and micro-licenses. Medical licenses holders are able to enter the legal market by paying a conversion fee of 10% of gross income from growers and processors (with a $2m cap) and 8% of gross revenue for dispensaries with the same cap, with a $100,000 minimum conversion price. Sales tax will be capped at 9%.
How is pricing fluctuating?
Given the state’s recent adult-use launch, prices have surged, with aggregated flower pricing rising from under $1,000/lb in the middle of April to over $3,000/lb at the beginning of July as retailers try to keep up with new legal demand. Currently limited former-medical only capacity is not enough to meet demand, more than doubling branded wholesale prices and nearly tripling bulk prices. Strong foot traffic post-adult use launch and a market average basket size of ~$90, near the top of all states, signals healthy retail dynamics with good pricing power.
Who are the top names operating in Maryland?
Today Maryland is primarily serviced by 6 manufacturers (Curio, MariMed, GTI, Curaleaf, TerrAscend, and Trulieve), each with the full allotment of attached stores. The five multi-state operators and Curio all own the largest canopies in the state, each with over 100k sq ft. The remainder of the market is split across independent retailers, smaller cultivators, and small manufacturing facilities primarily white-labeling out-of-state brands. One key provision of the new legal market is the requirement for at least 25% of shelf space in dispensaries to be reserved for products from social equity licenses. It typically takes 18-24 months for new cultivation facilities to come online. Given licensing for independent growers will start this year, new cultivation capacity should begin entering the market in 2H24/1H25.
What hurdles are being faced in Maryland?
Like every other operator in the industry, Maryland’s retailers have been negatively impacted by compliance-focused restrictions on accessing debit rails. The ability to transact outside of cash is essential for cannabis businesses to reach higher basket sizes, lower violent crime rates, and lower transaction costs. LeafLink offers two non-cash payment options, a lowest-cost-in-the-industry ACH rail and industry-leading invoice factoring product, to cannabis businesses to enable a safer, more-compliant industry.
Overall, Maryland’s adult-use started off incredibly strong. It’s a clear indicator that the steps and strategy taken to launch in the state were effective and something to take note of. It is also a clear indicator that the cannabis industry, while facing many challenges, continues to grow and exceed expectations.
About Ben Burstein
Ben Burstein is LeafLink’s Strategist, helping manage industry research, mergers & acquisitions, and strategic partnerships for the company. He’s been featured as an industry expert both on-air (ABC, FOX, NPR) and through digital channels (Forbes, Cannabis Business Times, MJBizDaily, St. Louis Business Journal). Prior to LeafLink, he worked at Citi Equity Research and Tuatara Capital. Ben is a graduate of the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.


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‘Windows by Design’ was launched at an event hosted by Peroni, at which Harper’s BAZAAR editor Edwina McCann also announced the winner of the 2011 Peroni Young Designer Award: Daniela-Stephanie Puglisi.
‘Windows by Design’ was launched at an event hosted by Peroni, at Melbourne’s ALTO.
Melbourne’s fashion industry turned to mark the official launch with a cocktail party at ALTO in the prestigious GPO Building.
A total of 12 retailers, including David Jones, Gorman, Scanlan & Theodore and Euroluce, have offered their prime space for these spectacular installations, which will be on-show throughout March. Partnered with a designer, artist or collector, each unique window has been curated by Alex Zabotto-Bentley and inspired by Nastro Azzurro, (Italian for Blue Ribbon.)
Official beer of L’Oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival, Peroni proudly promotes Australian fashion and design. The brand has successfully taken its involvement beyond the festival and into the streets with ‘Windows By Design.’
Young Desinger winner Daniela Stephanie Puglisi (left), Marco Seminaroti and Edwina McCann
“Peroni has long had an affiliation with style and we are constantly looking for new ways to support fashion, design and emerging talent,” said Richard Oppy, group marketing manager International Beers at Carlton United Brewers.
A series of events in surrounding bars, known as Peroni Pitt Stops, will ensure there is a hub of activity around each participating retailer.
Winner of the third Peroni Young Designer Award Daniela-Stephanie Puglisi took home $10,000 in prize money and a beautiful Antonio Berardi Vligia bag valued at $2,125. Puglisi now promises to be a one to watch. Previous winners of the Award include Johnny Schembri, runner up in Project Runway Australia 2011 and creator of the By Johnny women’s label.
For more information on Windows By Design, its collaborators and events click here.


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Elegance and Style came to the fore at the weekend at the unveiling of a designer handbag, by TPS Luxury in honour of Hajia Ireti Kingibe.
The event was the 5th anniversary of TPS Luxury a brand and brainchild of Princess ‘Debo Odutola that prides itself as the connoisseur of elegance.
Princess Odutola in her opening remarks, said TPS Luxury came into existence on the 14th of July, 2013, with a vision to take ethnic look to a more sophisticated height and in order to celebrate the Nigerian made products, TPS Luxury have named the bags after Nigerian women who have excelled in public and private practices.
She went on further to say that the day was specially earmarked celebrate a woman who is helping to grow the Brand buy buying the handbags and introducing other high end customers to the TPS Brand and so the occasion called for creating a specific style and design, naming it after Hajia Ireti Kingibe.
Reacting to this gesture, hajia Ireti Kingibe said “the truth is that Princess’s bags can hold their own anywhere in the world because each time I am carrying her bag, I feel that I am carrying more not less of what other international brands offer, nobody can promote you better than you can promote yourself so if we as Nigerians do not appreciate our own talent how do we expect other people to appreciate us” she said.
The HIK (Hajia Ireti Kingibe) design comes in embossed genuine leather, mixed with African Print and Silk fabric, quilted and stitched meticulously. It is punctuated by the Luxe Rose Gold hardware and a chain tote strap wrapped with scarf.
The event held at the Pearl Garden Chinese Restaurant, Victoria Island, Lagos.


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iPad gift offers window for learning at Cowbridge Comprehensive
Cowbridge Comprehensive School students have taken delivery of a brand new iPad as part of a local business’ scheme to invest in IT for schools.
Securahome, which has showrooms in Ewenny Garden Centre Bridgend and Gorseinon, Swansea, is giving away iPads to schools across Wales as part of its 20th anniversary celebrations.
The iPad was presented to assistant head Jonathan Ling, who explained the how tablet computers are used to aid learning in the school.
“iPads are used across the curriculum, for subjects from English through to Chemistry,” he said. “We have subject specific, educational apps on them as well as books for children to read in the iLibrary, teachers also use them to write their subject blogs, so this donation will get good use!”
Securahome, which specialises in the installation of orangeries, conservatories, windows and doors, launched the scheme to mark its two-decades of business.
The company’s MD Jason Jenkins said: “We’ve had a large number of referrals and recommendations from customers over our 20 years in business and so wanted to give something back to say ‘thank you’.
“As a father I know how important and useful IT is for learning, so donating iPads to schools seemed to be a natural way of giving something back to the community that has supported us so well.”
Under the scheme, customers who are making an enquiry or referral can nominate a school to receive an iPad. Each month, Securahome will hold a draw of the names submitted, with the winner receiving an iPad.
Mr Ling added: “We are very pleased to be supporting this scheme, it is good to see a local business invest in the community in this way.”
The scheme was also commended by Gowerton AM and Minister for Science, Enterprise and Transport Edwina Hart at its launch earlier this month.
Mrs Hart said: “Good companies accept their corporate social responsibility, and it’s wonderful to see someone who has built a successful business from scratch take this seriously and give something back to the community.”
Pictured are Securahome sales and marketing manager Nigel Hocking (far left) presenting an iPad to assistant head Jonathan Ling and pupils at Cowbridge Comprehensive School.


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Data breaches at retailers aren't going away but there are ways consumers can protect themselves from future heists of their payment card information.» Read More
Chrysler is recalling up to 792,300 older Jeep SUVs worldwide because the ignition switches could cause engine stalling.
Forget stocks, forget gold, because there is one commodity Dennis Gartman says every investor needs to own: aluminum.
Several states will once again offer sales tax holidays during the critical back-to-school shopping period.
If you want to at eat at chef Ludo Lefebvre's California restaurant, Trois Mec, there are a couple of things you should know.
As McDonald's discussed another tough quarter with analysts, it singled out the shaky situation in Russia as part of its recent problems.
Analysts are concerned the label has reached its saturation point in North America on high inventories.
A former grocery store chain president has asked his family company to reinstate employees who were fired for protesting his termination.
Wawona Packing says no illnesses have been reported from a listeria scare of some of its produce, and the nationwide recall is a precaution.
Investors are buying up America's farmland through real estate trusts like Farmland Partners to cash in on rising food prices. NYT reports.
Airlines will likely still fly over hot spots as they try to balance flight times, fuel burn and other variables, NBC reports.
Irwin Simon, Hain Celestial CEO, discuss the company's acquisition of the remaining interest in Hain Pure Protein.
Odds are the person driving with the top down is a wealthy baby boomer who probably has a bachelor's degree, or perhaps even a master's or doctorate.
Comcast reported quarterly earnings that beat analysts' expectations on Tuesday.
If you're wondering who is hitting the corporate tab most, look no further than the finance world.
Anthony DiClemente, Nomura Securities, breaks down Netflix's second quarter results and shares his outlook on the company.
Tougher sanctions on Russia could hit revenues at Swatch Group, but the impact is likely to be short term, the company's CEO told CNBC.
After days of outrage over the handling of the Flight MH17 crash site in Ukraine, European ministers meet to discuss further sanctions against Russia.
For years, Chick-fil-A's cow mascots have urged Americans to "eat mor chikin," and the message appears to be working.
Fast-casual chain Chipotle Mexican Grill's net income and revenue easily beat Wall Street's expectations on Monday.
The reputation of the ugly American tourist is getting a revival in one seaside Irish village.


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(File photo: China Daily)
THIMPHU, Dec. 3 (Xinhua) -- Bhutan received 71,417 international visitors last year, the highest number of visitors since 2012, according to Bhutan Tourism Monitor 2017 report.
The international tourists arrival in 2017 contributed revenue earning of 79 million U.S. dollars, which is also the highest since 2012, according to the report released by Bhutan Tourism Council Sunday.
According to the report, a total of 254,704 tourists visited Bhutan in 2017, an increase of 21.5 percent over 2016. The international tourists arrivals grew by 13.8 percent as compared with 2016, while arrivals from the regional market, including India and Bangladesh, grew by 25 percent.
Tourism officials said Bhutan continues to be an attractive destination and was awarded destination's earth award at the International Tourismus-Borse Berlin, Germany.
While India continues to be the main source market of tourists in terms of regional visitors, for the international segment the United States, Britain, Germany, China, Japan, Singapore and Thailand continue to be Bhutan's consistent market sources.
Religious festivals such as Tshechus remained among the highest attractions of Bhutan, according to the report.


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HOUSTON (CN) – A federal judge handed down a 21-year sentence to a Texan who made and passed off $500,000 in counterfeit money to businesses.
Synaca Thomas, 35, of Cypress, a Houston suburb, pleaded guilty in January to conspiracy to make and possess counterfeit U.S. currency, as well as illegal possession of a firearm by a felon.
Thomas’ wife, 26-year-old Brittany Jordan, also pleaded guilty previously to conspiracy to make counterfeit U.S. currency and one count of passing counterfeit currency.
“Thomas and Jordan admitted they conspired to make counterfeit United States currency between January 2009 and January 2011,” prosecutors said in a statement. “Thomas and Jordan obtained genuine $5 bills that they reprinted as counterfeit $100 bills. During the course of the conspiracy, Thomas and Jordan made and passed approximately $500,000 in counterfeit currency to Houston area retailers including grocery and computer stores and tanning salons.”
An extensive criminal history compounded the charges against Thomas at sentencing, prosecutors said, noting that the defendant had also used M&M’s packaging to attempt smuggling contraband into his detention center.
U.S. District Judge Keith Ellison sentenced Thomas to 60 months for the conspiracy charge, plus 82 and 120 months on the counterfeiting and firearms charges, all to run consecutively, prosecutors said.
Jordan is out on bond pending her sentencing hearing.


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The preparation, management and distribution of advertising files is a well-oiled machine in advanced broadcast TV markets like the UK, and the non-broadcaster world of digital video has a lot of catching up to do. Peach has arrived with a large spanner and tool bag, ready to take on this plumbing job. The results should be less hassle, less wasted time and effort, and lower costs for everyone in the digital video advertising ecosystem.
Broadcasters will see their revenue share of the AVOD OTT market fall from 33% in 2018 to 26% in 2023, according to Ovum analyst Matthew Bailey. Presenting at Videoscape Europe last week, Bailey also predicted that connected TVs will drive most new AVOD revenue growth in the coming years.
Speaking at Videoscape Europe last week, the head of Channel 4’s digital service All 4, Richard Davidson-Houston, outlined ten common mistakes made by broadcasters when running VOD services – including impatience and over-confidence – and offered a number of ways to avoid them.
Channel 4 is in a public beta with its ad-free, subscription version of the All 4 streaming service, while ITV has offered this model since 2013 . At Videoscape Europe last week, the broadcasters revealed details of how free and paid co-exist, and what drives previously free viewers to the subscription tier. Both companies are open to the possibility of more flexible payment options in future.
The number of online video subscriptions in the US will near the 300 million mark by the end of 2023 thanks to the entrance of major new players Disney, WarnerMedia and Apple, according to IHS Markit research presented at Videoscape Europe.
Global over-the-top TV revenue will more than double between 2018 and 2024, while pay TV revenues peaked in 2016 and will decline 11% over the same period, according to Digital TV Research.
Cybersecurity is emerging as a key industry theme, and at ANGA COM this week media owners and network operators were told to proactively manage threats – something that requires security audits, better device testing and staff training. The HBO and Sony data and content hacks grabbed headlines, but nobody hears about the 67,000 thwarted DoS attacks and 15,000 malware attacks that were recorded by one telco in one month recently.
Global OTT revenue will almost double by 2023 as the advent of 5G mobile connectivity gives rise to new streaming service bundles, according to PwC’s Global Entertainment and Media Outlook 2019–2023 report.
The RDK Lab Accelerator is a reference integration that can be used for testing and development but also for commercial launches. It combines an ARRIS UHD IP set-top box and the Metrological App Store, giving operators access to a wide range of onboarded streaming apps. This configuration enables launches that take less than six months, and multiple customers will deploy this year, including a telco.
In this week's Inside Video Tech, Vecima Networks' Senior Vice President of Product and Marketing, Ryan Nicometo, discusses the company's evolution, its acquisition of video software company Concurrent Technology last year and competition in the video-tech space.


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US to review baby formula standards to prevent bacterial infections
WASHINGTON D.C.: As part of its strategy to prevent bacterial infections, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said it will review guidance and standards covering the manufacturing of infant formulas.
The regulator will also decide on the establishment of a dedicated group of investigators and re-assigning staff across two of its divisions to better support regulatory oversight of baby formulas.
The Food and Drug Administration's statement follows a major shortage of baby formula earlier this year, which was caused by a shutdown at Abbott's Michigan plant after reports of infection by the bacteria, cronobacter sakazakii.
The plant's shutdown and the recall of the company's infant formula products following reports of four cases and two deaths made a supply shortage worse.
Its plant re-started production in July.


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Friend joined Weber Shandwick as managing director of its consumer practice in 2010 and has since been responsible for growing the division’s client list and profile.
Previously, Friend was head of consumer PR at Sainsbury’s and, before that, she was head of the UK consumer operation at Hill & Knowlton.
The latest promotion for Friend comes a year after she was promoted to chair of Weber Shandwick's EMEA Consumer practice
Friend will continue to report to Colin Byrne, chief executive of Weber Shandwick's UK and EMEA offices.
Byrne said: "Rachel has been a close colleague and a real change agent with our firm for some years. I look forward to working with her in her new role to take Weber Shandwick in London, one of the most important PR markets in the world, to its next stage of evolution, growth and continued success."


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News tagged ‘SIM’
Apple has just come up with the idea that could help the company make the life of its market rivals more complicated. In particular, the tech giant has suggested a new simpler royalty structure for streaming music services that will be more expensive for Spotify and suchlike services.
New image showing how the next-generation iPhone 7 may look like in Silver, Gold, Space Gray and Rose Gold has been posted on the Internet earlier today. The photo depicting the back panels in the aforementioned colors has been shared by an Apple news website macitynet.it. To be honest, the rear shells highlighted below are pretty similar to all previous leaks. They give us a look at the redesigned antenna bands and a new larger rear camera cutout. Unfortunately, from this angle we can’t see whether there is a headphone jack embedded into the parts.
A firm called Somaltus, LLC has accused Apple of infringing on its 2010 patent describing advanced battery technologies. Somaltus is the same firm that filed identical lawsuits against other major vendors, namely, Samsung, Sony, Asus, Lenovo, and Toshiba.
A couple of new photos have recently appeared on the Chinese social network Weibo. The images depict the rumored EarPods with a Lightning connector instead of the standard headphone jack used in the iPhone 6s and earlier models. In case you don’t know, Apple is expected to ditch the 3.5 port in favour of using the multi-purpose Lightning port in the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus.
New interesting and rather controversial images have been posted online by the French website Nowhereelse.fr earlier today. The photos show the back panel from the alleged iPhone 7 Plus or Pro that features something similar to the cutouts for the Smart Connector. Apart from that, one can see an opening for the rumored dual lens camera and new antenna bands. In general, the leaked panel is similar to the iPhone 7 rear shells we have seen before, but is obviously larger. Whether the panel features a headphone jack is unknown, but possibly not.
A new high-resolution photo showing the alleged iPhone 7 back panel has recently appeared on the Internet. The leaked image lets us take a closer look at the redesigned antenna bands and larger camera cutout. To be honest, the photo is similar if not identical to all previous photos we have seen over the last couple of weeks, but it lacks the certification information and the iPhone branding, which appear only on those components that enter the actual production.
Apple has agreed to pay a firm called Mirror World Technologies, which is a Network-1 subsidiary, $25 million to settle the lawsuit and license the patents that describe a system that is capable of storing the files in a kind of chronologically ordered layout. Apple uses a similar system in Time Machine and Cover Flow and this infringes on the 1999 patent granted.
A new alleged iPhone 7 photo has been recently spotted on the Internet. This time the image was posted on the website called techtastic.nl that has been correct in the past. The latest photo is quite similar to all previous leaks and shows a redesigned and slightly larger camera as well as new antenna bands. The handset depicted below apparently lacks the headphone jack, however, because of the poor quality of the photo we can’t be totally sure the 3.5mm connector is indeed missing. In general, the photograph goes in line with all current rumors and reports from reliable insiders.
A well-known designer Martin Hajek has recently created a new iPhone 7 concept that is based on the latest rumors about the upcoming device. In particular, the concept shows a new ‘Space Black’ color option, the rumored Force Touch Home button integrated in the front panel and new EarPods with a Lightning connector instead of the outdated headphone jack. You can take a look at the images below.
Two new images have recently appeared on the Chinese social network Weibo that once again prove Apple may be planning to ditch the headphone jack from the next-generation iPhone. The photos show something similar to the EarPods, but with the Lightning connector instead of the standard headphone jack. You can take a look at the leaked images below.
As you know, Apple is expected to release a new iPhone called presumably the iPhone 7 later this year. If you can’t wait to see and most importantly buy the device, you can turn your iPhone 6s (and even the iPhone 6) into the rumored iPhone 7 using 10 simple steps and some tools.
Below you can take a look at the ultimate tutorial on making the iPhone 7 with your own hands. The video was posted on the YouTube channel Peripatetic Pandas.
Follow these 10 easy steps to upgrade your boring, out-dated iPhone 6s to a brand new iPhone 7.
What do you think about the video? Have you already turned your old iPhone into a new one?
Leave your comments below this post.
According to the latest report from reliable insiders, the next-generation MacBook Pro that may be announced later this summer and that is expected to feature a new OLED panel instead of function keys could also get a power button with Touch ID fingerprint sensor. The new button then may be used for securing Apple Pay transactions on the web, purchasing content on the App Store, and unlocking the laptop.
The widely-rumored iPhone 7 may get a brand new Home button, reliable insiders believe. According to the latest report from 9to5Mac reporters, Apple may replace the standard button with the one supporting Force Touch and providing haptic feedback. In addition to this, there will be no deep blue iPhone finish. It appears that this color was confused with a much darker gray option called presumably ‘Space Black’ that will debut this fall to match a similar Apple Watch colorway.
It is Sunday today, which means it’s high time I told you about the most interesting articles and rumors of the last seven days.
Several posts this week deal with the recently announced iOS 10 and new betas of iOS 9.3.3 and OS X 10.11.6 El Capitan. However, most of the articles tell us about the next-gen iPhone and possible specs of the device including a dual camera, no headphone jack and 256GB storage option. There are also some new leaked images of the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus back panels.
Several new images showing the alleged casing for the iPhone 7 have been recently shared by a French website Nowhereelse. There is no headphone jack on the leaked panel, moreover, one can see the dual speaker system for stereo audio playback. These photos go in line with previous rumors and reports from reputable experts and have been reportedly shared by supply chain insiders.


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Canadian Solar Inc. (NASDAQ:CSIQ), one of the world’s largest solar power companies, today announced that the company will participate in the 2015 Intersolar-North America conference and expo July 14-16 atMoscone Convention Center in Booth #7311. Canadian Solar’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Shawn Qu, will speak on “Solar Beyond 2016: Cost, Technologies, and Geography” during The Future of PV/Executive Panel (Wednesday, July 15 from 11:15 am-1:00 pm) at the Intercontinental Hotel.
At the show, Canadian Solar will showcase its latest product portfolio. Among the products that will be shown include: the Diamond double-glass, frameless module; the three-phase string inverters; and several off-grid portable solutions.
More than 18,000 professional and 550 solar and energy storage exhibitors are expected at this year’s Intersolar Exhibition in Moscone West Hall. The exhibit hall is open Tuesday, July 14 from 10 am to 5 pm; Wednesday, July 15 from 10 am to 5 pm; and Thursday, July 16 from 10 am to 4 pm. (Original Source)
Shares of Canadian Solar closed last Friday at $25.83. CSIQ has a 1-year high of $41.12 and a 1-year low of $18.68. The stock’s 50-day moving average is $30.90 and its 200-day moving average is $30.53.
On the ratings front, Canadian Solar has been the subject of a number of recent research reports. In a report issued on June 16, Nomura analyst Nitin Kumar reiterated a Buy rating on CSIQ, with a price target of $46, which implies an upside of 78.1% from current levels. Separately, on June 1, FBR’s Aditya Satghare reiterated a Buy rating on the stock and has a price target of $45.
According to TipRanks.com, which ranks over 7,500 financial analysts and bloggers to gauge the performance of their past recommendations, Nitin Kumar and Aditya Satghare have a total average return of 51.5% and -7.7% respectively. Kumar has a success rate of 44.0% and is ranked #128 out of 3694 analysts, while Satghare has a success rate of 47.4% and is ranked #3335.
Canadian Solar Inc is a solar power company. The Company designs, develops and manufactures solar wafers, cells and solar power products.


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The chief executive of supermarket and hardware wholesaler Metcash hopes customers who switched to its retailers during the COVID-19 crisis would remain loyal and believes the pandemic would provide enduring positives.
Jeff Adams told The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald a number of shoppers had changed their shopping habits to favour independent supermarkets and hardware stores during the pandemic.
"It's very difficult to change people's shopping behaviours, but an event like COVID may have changed them," he said. "So, to then change them back is equally as difficult."
"You would think out of that, customers would stick."
On Monday, Metcash revealed its full-year accounts, posting a 2 per cent rise in revenue to $14.9 billion and underlying profit after tax of $209.7 million, broadly in line with analyst expectations.
A $237.4 million impairment from the loss of the 7-Eleven supply contract drove the $3 billion retailer to a statutory loss of $45.9 million, although it said overall earnings would have improved by $12 million if not for the loss of a separate contract with Drakes supermarkets and the impact of onerous leases.
Metcash supplies IGA, Mitre 10, Home Timber & Hardware and Cellarbrations bottle shops, all of which were beneficiaries of a coronavirus-driven bump in sales.
The company's supermarkets division reported underlying sales growth for the first time in eight years.
Supermarket wholesale sales, excluding tobacco and the Drakes contract, increased 6.3 per cent, and total food sales grew 3.5 per cent to $9.1 billion for the year. In the second half of the financial year, sales grew 8 per cent as customers preferred the more remotely located independents over major supermarkets in larger shopping centres.
Costs were higher, however, with food margins dipping 0.2 per cent. Mr Adams said the business had incurred extra costs as it added extra capacity in its supply network during the panic buying peak.
With Victoria reporting a steady increase in cases over the last week, concerns are mounting over a potential second wave of COVID-19 infections. Mr Adams said he had spoken to the state teams overseeing the stores in Melbourne's outbreak areas, but said he was not overly concerned about a fresh bout of panic buying.
"Obviously, we'd all be concerned about [a second wave], but from a business perspective we're prepared, we've got plans in place, and it did come about we think that we'd be in a good position," he said.
Despite a 1.8 per cent jump in sales across the second half of the year, Metcash's hardware division reported a 1.3 per cent decline in sales for the full-year, down to $2.08 billion. Liquor sales also declined, down 0.3 per cent to $3.68 billion.
Metcash's full-year runs from May to April, making it one of the first large companies to report its full-year results following the COVID-19 crisis. However, the results do not reflect the continued jump in sales through May, which the company said had been very strong.
For the first seven weeks of the 2021 financial year, supermarket sales ex-tobacco and Drakes spiked 16.7 per cent, hardware sales grew 9.4 per cent and liquor sales were up 5.5 per cent.
"Honestly, we thought it would drop off after we got through that spike, but it never did. So there's clearly been a change in behaviour," Mr Adams said.
Metcash also revealed it was in the final stage of negotiations with national tools retailer Total Tools to acquire 70 per cent of the business for $57 million. Total Tools operates 81 stores across the country and reported $555 million in revenue for the 2019 calendar year.
The acquisition, which is subject to regulatory approval, will look to further strengthen Metcash's position in the hardware market. Metcash maintains an option to acquire the remaining 30 per cent of the business in the next three years.
Metcash shares rose 1.1 per cent to $2.86 after dropping earlier in the day. Citi analyst Bryan Raymond said the trading update for the last two months was strong and company appeared to be winning share in the grocery market. However, the earnings decline was a downside.
"Metcash is delivering strong sales growth but is yet to see this translate to meaningful earnings growth," he said. "We expect the trading update and Total Tools acquisition would drive modest earnings upgrades for the 2020-21 financial year."
Metcash will pay a final dividend of 6.5¢ on August 5, marking a full-year payout of 12.5¢.


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China 'firmly opposes' US Senate's yuan bill
Updated: 2011-10-04 10:13
BEIJING - China on Tuesday expressed firm opposition to the US Senate's bill on the Chinese yuan, after it voted to allow a debate on the so-called "currency manipulation" bill.
Such a move "seriously violates rules of the World Trade Organization and obstructs China-US trade ties," Foreign Ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu said in a statement.
China urges certain US Senators to "rationally understand Sino-US trade cooperation, which is mutually beneficial in nature, and stop pressuring China through domestic law-making," he said.
The bill "will further escalate the exchange rate issue by adopting protectionist measures with an excuse of 'currency imbalance,'" he said.
"China-US economic and trade cooperation, which has brought concrete interests of Chinese and American peoples, has a protruding feature of mutual benefits and win-win results and thus has become an important foundation and driving force of Sino-US ties," Ma said.
Statistics indicate that China and the US are each's second largest trading partners, and China is the fastest-growing export market.
"It is widely understood that the exchange rate of the renminbi, the Chinese currency, is not the cause of the Sino-US trade imbalance," Ma pointed out.
The yuan has appreciated 7 percent against the US dollar since June 2010, when the central bank announced further yuan exchange rate formation mechanisms. China will continue to institute a managed floating exchange rate system.
China calls on the United States to abandon protectionism or politicizing economic issues so as to create favorable environment for the growth of bilateral economic and trade ties, he said.
The US Senate voted Monday (local time) to allow a debate on the bill that addresses so-called "currency manipulation" by China amid strong opposition from China and US business groups.
The 79-19 vote opened a week-long debate on the bill, the last procedure before it is to be finally voted on the Senate floor. And for the bill to become law, it would still have to clear the House of Representatives and then be signed by President Barack Obama.
The Currency Exchange Rate Oversight Reform Act of 2011 is sponsored by Senators Charles Schumer, Sherrod Brown and other Democrat and Republican lawmakers.
Some US senators have violated internationally accepted regulations by allowing a debate that seeks duties on Chinese imports, said Shen Danyang, a spokesman for the Ministry of Commerce, on Tuesday.
The spokesman said the yuan exchange rate was not to blame for China-US trade imbalance. It is unfair to use a controversial bill on so-called "currency manipulation" by China to transfer the US internal contradictions.
China has been striving to achieve a trade balance in recent years. In the first half of 2011, the proportion of trade surplus in the country's gross domestic product had dropped to 1.4 percent, which was within the internationally recognized rational range, he said.
Shen pointed out that the US limit of high-tech product exports to China was a major reason of the imbalance, adding that the global economy is in a sensitive period and needs a stable international monetary environment.
The People's Bank of China, the country's central bank, on Tuesday expressed its "deep regret" about the US Senate's currency bill that pushes China to let the yuan appreciate further.
The central bank said the bill may seriously affect China's currency reform and could result in a trade war between the two economies.
There are a variety of reasons for the global trade imbalance. The differences in investment and trade structures, savings and consumer behavior, roles on the global industrial chain and the unreasonable international monetary system may be more important reasons for the trade imbalance between China and the United States, it said in a statement posted on its website.
The bill will not help resolve US domestic problems such as insufficient savings, a high trade deficit and high unemployment rate, the statement said.
The US Senate took up China's currency issue at a time when US unemployment is hovering above 9 percent, and both Republican and Democratic parties are gearing up for next year's presidential election, which is expected to be dominated by unemployment and economic issues.
Critics argue that figures from the past 20 years show no link between China's exchange rate and the US unemployment rate. Although the yuan has appreciated against the dollar by over 25 percent since 2005, the US unemployment rate has nevertheless risen from about 7 percent to over 9 percent.


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A sales assistant for John Lewis in Nottingham is urging people in the city to apply for temporary sales jobs at the store in the run up to Christmas.
Lucy Taylor joined as a temp in Christmas 2012 and is now a full-time worker. She says you never know where a temporary job will lead.
“Joining as a Christmas temp meant I learnt so much in such a small space of time within a busy and fast-paced working environment. When a permanent position became available, I jumped at the chance.”_
The firm are also looking for temporary workers in Tamworth. Positions will be advertised here.
More top news
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Forecasts predict that this Halloween could be the hottest yet. Here's some of our region's best festive outdoor events.


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Even with some problems on the Chinese stock exchange recently, the Asian market remains the fastest growing in the worlds and offers a lot of potential for trade. PC and video game trading with Asian region still remains highly unexplored for western traders. Many wholesalers and distributors concentrate on western markets since they have the knowledge and experience in these markets, plus the regulatory environment is more advanced and supportive to business than in Asian countries. This makes is easier to trade in the familiar markets rather than try to explore and find new markets, and yet since the western markets are very competitive and are mostly saturated by huge number of players, the profit margins are usually pushed down, and it is increasingly difficult to make decent profits.
Asian markets on the other hand, although more challenging than the western markets, may offer high rewards to those business, which try to expand their trade beyond traditional and well known markets of Europe and America and trade on Asian markets , especially in China, Japan, and South Korea.
A 2015 report by NewZoo indicates that China has the highest revenue from gaming in the world totaling to $22.23 billion, with the USA coming a close second at $21.96 billion.
A specific thing about the Chinese market, however, is that it has its own ecosystem of games. Take for example the results from a study conducted by SuperDataResearch. The second and third most profitable games on PC are Crossfire and Dungeon Fighter Online – titles that are little known in the West but have each managed to make more than a billion dollars in revenue. The number one title, League of Legends, is a big hit in China, and this explains why the game has managed to bring in a whopping $1.6 billion in global profits for 2015.
Then there is Japan and South Korea. The previously mentioned study by NewZoo shows that Japan and South Korea are the number three and four markets when it comes to gaming revenues –with $12.3 billion and $4 billion revenues respectively.
Unlike china, many Japanese and the South Korean game makers, develop games not only for local consumption but they also reach out to the West with their games.
Japan is a veteran when it comes to video gaming, with Nintendo being responsible for the revival and modernization of gaming in America back in the 90’s. In addition to Nintendo, many modern publishers, are based, or have started in Japan, including, Konami, Bandai Namco, Koei Tecmo, Sega, Square Enix, and others. And let’s not forget that Sony is a Japanese company too!
South Korea, has been developing high-quality MMORPGs for the longest time now. Blade and Soul is the most recent high-profile port to make it to Europe and North America, with other notable entries like Tera and Maple Story coming from the country.
Culture, politics and spending power are three very big hurdles when it comes to penetrating the gaming markets of these Asian countries.
While American and European players will be willing to spend more on their games, Chinese gamers on a whole don’t spend as much. Profits are derived from the sheer number of players paying a little over time than players paying a large amount up front.
Culture and politics in all three countries make it difficult to bring games to these countries as well. The majority of gamers in Japan and South Korea seek very different things in their games, from differences in aesthetic choices to the concept of combat itself.
China, on the other hand, won’t accept games that run counter to the norms imposed by its government. Gaming publishers won’t even be able to sell established franchises in the country without going through a Chinese publisher to serve as the middleman.
The Asian markets matter in the world of gaming, from boosting profits to bringing new games to the market. Doing business in these countries, however, requires a bit more thought and planning than setting up shop in American and European markets.


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Kraft just launched a new Twitter contest called “Send Noods.” That’s spelled NOODS, like noodles, and it plays off the much more common request to “send nudes” as in nude pictures.
— Kraft Macaroni & Cheese (@kraftmacncheese) October 6, 2020
If you tweet the #SendNoods hashtag to Kraft, you can win the chance to send a free box of mac and cheese to a friend or family member. But do it fast, because they’re only giving away 7,000 boxes and lots of people love sending nudes.
Photo Credit: Kraft via Twitter


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Having just launched its hugely succesful Wii console the firm has already upped sales targets for the machine, with global sales targets raised from 17 million to 21 million, whilst the firm is aiming to sell six million Wii hardware units by the end of the financial year.
Despite the shortage of space on the Nurnberg fair site, Nintendo will have a major presence in the 500 square-metre Paris hall in CCN West.
Dr. Bernd Fakesch, general manager of Nintendo Germany explained the firm's decision to return: “Our new home console Wii, which has been on the market since December 2006, is intended more for people beyond the classic video game target groups, such as older adults. The International Toy Fair is also increasingly aiming at these people in 2007. Nintendo’s presence in Nurnberg therefore fits in perfectly with our strategy, which is aimed at extending the market.”
Ernst Kick, ceo of Spielwarenmesse, says Nintendo’s decision is longterm confirmation of the concept of the International Toy Fair: “The participation of such an innovative company makes it clear that we have touched the pulse of the times with our arrangement of the contents of the International Toy Fair and the special Toy Generations show in hall 9. The Nintendo commitment opens up an exceptional opportunity for the national and international toy trade to successfully develop new target groups with an attractive range of products. We assume that the trade will recognize and specifically seize this chance.”


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So as to open the fair calendar in 2006, the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce is going to participate in Khartoum International Fair, in Sudan, for the first time.
"This is a country with great potential, especially in the areas of construction and agricultural machinery," stated the president of the Arab Brazilian Chamber, Antonio Sarkis Jr.
The fair, which will take place between February 01 and 10, is a multisector event. According to the secretary general of the Arab Brazilian Chamber, Michel Alaby, the fair represents an opportunity for Brazilian businessmen to learn about the Sudanese market.
"Sudan is a country that has conditions for significant growth due to production of oil," he said.
According to Alaby, who participated in an Arab-European business forum in Sudan in November, the Arab country’s oil exports are around 500,000 barrels a day, but the country government estimates that they may rise as high as 2 million barrels a day in 2008. "The Sudanese economy grew 9% due to oil," he said.
The Arab Brazilian Chamber is going to have an institutional stand at the fair which, however, may be used by Brazilian businessmen interested in learning more about the market.
"Brazilian businessmen may use the stand as a base for exploration of the fair and the Sudanese market and as a site for business meetings," explained the organization’s operations coordinator, Rodrigo Solano, who will be participating in the event.
The Sudanese are especially interested in Brazilian products like powdered milk, maize, soy protein, tractors, trucks, jeeps, construction material, medical and hospital equipment, among others. According to Alaby, Sudan lacks a series of products and services.
Export to the Arabs
One of the Brazilian companies that have already confirmed presence in the fair in Sudan is Plasvale, from the southern Brazilian state of Santa Catarina, a maker of plastic household utensils, among them pots for use in microwave ovens, buckets, trays and litter baskets, among others.
"We are going to learn about the country, to prospect the market and to seek partnerships," stated the company trader, Pablo Zettermann da Fontoura.
According to him, the Plasvale target this year is to enter the Arab market. "The fair in Sudan will be the route of entry into the region," stated Fontoura, who was hired so as to prospect markets in Africa and the Middle East. Last year, company representatives visited Houseware and Homestyle, a household utensil fair in Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates.
"Brazilian exports to the Arab countries are growing constantly, and that is why we are interested in entering these countries," stated Fontoura. The plans for this year include participation in Algiers International Fair, and to visit fairs in Egypt, Morocco, Libya and Saudi Arabia.
"I believe that our product will have good acceptance on these markets, even with the strong competition with Chinese products, as we have a similar price and greater quality," he said.
China is currently one of the main competitors for Brazilian products on the Arab market. This is due to the lower cost of labor in China and to the fact that the country has an aggressive export policy.
Plasvale produces over 300 kinds of products and exports to around 40 countries. The organization has a monthly production of 500 tons, being 10% turned to the foreign market. "We want to increase exports by 30% this year and are betting on the Arab market so as to reach this," stated Fontoura.
The Arab country is located in the northeast of Africa and has an area of around 2.5 million square kilometers. Sudan is the largest country in Africa and has a population of 34.3 million inhabitants. Apart from the natural resources in the country, there is growing foreign participation in infrastructure, reconstruction and development projects. It is among the Arab countries that receive the greatest investment.
From January to November 2005, Brazilian exports to Sudan grew 27.8%. Sales to the country generated US$ 61.5 million. Among the main products shipped are highway tractors, sugar, tobacco, agricultural machinery and vehicles.
Imports by Brazil totaled US$ 70,500 in the first 11 months of 2005, a drop of 62.3% when compared to the same period in 2004. Gum Arabic and dried fruit were the main products imported.
Companies interested in participation in the fair should contact the Arab Brazilian Chamber.
Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce
Tel: (+55 11) 3283-4066
Fax: (+55 11) 3288-8110
Anba – www.anba.com.br


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Kodak to exit consumer photography, while tech giants gang-up to buy patents
Kodak has announced it will sell its Personalized Imaging and Document Imaging business units, to focus on 'commercial, packaging and functional printing solutions and enterprise services,' ending Kodak's role as a consumer-facing photographic company. The Personalized Imaging business includes print kiosks and consumer film, while the Document Imaging business includes scanners and commercial document management. In the meantime, the company stresses that products and support will be available and both businesses will be sold as going concerns.
Meanwhile the Wall Street Journal has reported that many of the world's biggest technology companies, including Samsung, Apple and Google, have formed a consortium to bid for Kodak's digital imaging patents. Kodak was hoping the sale of its patents would raise over $2.2bn which would help the remains of the company emerge from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The newspaper reports that the consortium is looking to pay as little as $500m for the patents which cover Kodak's many fundamental inventions in the digital field.
Kodak will continue to make film for the movie industry, along with its 'Specialist Film' division, which makes large-format films for aerial and industrial photography. It will also continue to run its Consumer Inkjet division as one of its last public-facing businesses.
Kodak Takes Next Steps toward Successful Emergence
ROCHESTER, N.Y.--BUSINESS WIRE--Eastman Kodak Company today outlined its next steps toward a successful emergence from Chapter 11 reorganization as a company primarily focused on commercial, packaging and functional printing solutions and enterprise services. Accordingly, the company has initiated sale processes for its market-leading Personalized Imaging and Document Imaging businesses.
“In addition, we continue our initiatives to reduce our cost structure and streamline our operating models in an effort to return the company to profitability.”
Kodak believes that the sale of these assets, as well as continued cost-reduction initiatives, curtailment of its legacy liabilities, and the monetization of the company’s digital imaging patent portfolio, will be significant milestones toward completing the company’s reorganization and emergence from Chapter 11 during 2013.
“The initiation of a process to sell the Personalized Imaging and Document Imaging businesses is an important step in our company’s reorganization to focus our business on the commercial markets and enable Kodak to accelerate its momentum toward emergence,” said Antonio M. Perez, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. “In addition, we continue our initiatives to reduce our cost structure and streamline our operating models in an effort to return the company to profitability.”
“We are reshaping Kodak. We continue to rebalance our company toward commercial, packaging and functional printing – in which we have the broadest portfolio solutions – and enterprise services. These businesses have substantial long-term growth prospects worldwide and are core to the future of Kodak. We are confident that our competitive advantages in materials science and deposition technologies, as well as our know-how in digital imaging, will enable us to capitalize on those opportunities and extend our leadership in key growth markets.”
Kodak noted that in addition to the commercial, packaging and functional printing and enterprise services businesses, it also continues to own and operate the Consumer Inkjet, Entertainment Imaging, Commercial Film and Specialty Chemicals businesses, given the company’s expertise, capabilities and strong customer relationships in these markets, as well as their combined cash-generating capability.
The Personalized Imaging business consists of Retail Systems Solutions (RSS), Paper & Output Systems (P&OS) and Event Imaging Solutions (EIS). RSS is the worldwide leader in retail print solutions with a global footprint of 105,000 KODAK Picture Kiosks; P&OS includes the broadest portfolio of traditional photographic paper and still camera film products; and EIS provides souvenir photo products at theme parks and other venues. The Document Imaging business provides a leading and comprehensive portfolio of scanners, capture software and services to enterprise customers.
“Personalized Imaging and Document Imaging are valuable businesses that enjoy leading market positions as a result of superior products and service offerings. We remain steadfast in our commitment to our customers, and we will work to ensure that they continue to receive the exceptional levels of quality and service they have come to expect from Kodak. Customers remain the top priority of all our businesses – those we intend to sell and those that will remain part of Kodak,” Perez said.
Kodak said it would move forward as quickly as possible and has targeted completing these transactions in the first half of 2013. Lazard is adviser to Kodak in the sale process.
In accordance with its prior announcement, the company is continuing discussions with parties with respect to the potential sale of its digital imaging patent portfolio. The company reiterates that it has made no decision to sell the portfolio and Kodak may, in consultation with creditors, retain the portfolio as an alternative source of recovery for creditors.
“As we move forward with the Chapter 11 process, we are focused on delivering the highest value to our creditors so that we can emerge as a sustainable, profitable company that continues to meet the needs of our customers,” Perez concluded.
Aug 19, 2015
Aug 18, 2015
Aug 18, 2015
Royal Family expresses concerns over alarming measures used by paparazzi seeking photos of Prince George
Aug 15, 2015
|Big Steaming Pile by WhistlerOne|
from Product Shoot: Coffee
|AU4_6418_BB-35 by DaveInHouston|
LEE has released a new series of Reverse ND filters that are most opaque in the middle and become progressively clearer towards the top. This makes them ideal for capturing scenes where the sun is close to the horizon.
A former New York Times photographer is suing both the newspaper and its photography director Michele McNally for over $500,000 for age discrimination and unfair classification as a freelancer for nearly a decade.
"CPS Platinum members will now enjoy next-day service, with equipment serviced and shipped the business day after an estimate is approved. For repairs that will take longer, Canon will offer next-day loaner equipment."
Irix is introducing a new filter system called the Irix Edge 100. The ultra-light, ultra-thin system is build specifically for wide angle lenses like Irix's own 15mm F2.4.
After conducting a series of safety tests, the FAA is recommending that all airlines ban cameras and other electronics with Lithium Ion batteries from checked baggage. The agency believe the risk of a catastrophic fire and explosion is too great.
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Adobe gave the audience at MAX a sneak peek at some exciting new technology its developing. It's called Adobe Cloak: a highly capable Content Aware Fill-like feature for video editors.
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The patent details a flipping rear LCD screen so large, Canon has had to hide the rear dial and several buttons underneath.
We've added a selection of extra images to our Nikon D850 gallery. As part of the process of rounding off the review we made sure a number of us had shot the camera in a variety of situations, we've added those shots to the gallery to give a broad cross section of how the camera performs.
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Lightroom is hogging the spotlight at Adobe MAX, but Photoshop CC got some substantial improvements as well. Find out what's new in the latest version of Photoshop CC.
The aptly-named 'Nude' app automatically detects NSFW images on your iPhone, moves them to a protected vault and deletes the original files in the camera roll and on iCloud.
The Zeiss Milvus family of manual-focus full-frame lenses just gained a new member. Meet the Zeiss Milvus 24mm F1.4: a fast, rugged new lens designed primarily for landscape and architecture photography.
Lightroom has built a brand new Lightroom CC from the ground up to be faster, easier to use, and cloud-based. The application formerly known as Lightroom CC will continue to exist, and will go by "Lightroom Classic CC."
Google Research did a deep dive on the Pixel 2 smartphone's background-blurring portrait mode that uses neural networking and dual-pixel technology instead of a dual-camera setup.
With the arrival of the PowerShot G1 X III, there are now seven Canon cameras built around the 24MP Dual Pixel sensor and Digic 7 processor. We take a look at the differences and what might prompt you to choose one over the others.
Meet the HP ZBook x2. The so-called 'world's most powerful and first detachable PC workstation,' it was built with creative professionals in mind, and is being debuted at Adobe MAX.
PDN sat down with Ahmed Fakhr, director of photography at RollingStone.com, to talk about how the famed publication is adapting to the changing photo and video needs of the modern era and how he 'evaluates the skills of potential contributors.'
Kudos to Canon. Earlier today, the camera giant announced that it had produced its 90 millionth EOS camera and 130 millionth EF-series lens.


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Retailers turn to Europe as African challenges bite
When Brait agreed to pay about $1.2bn for UK fashion chain New Look last month, South African billionaire Christo Wiese’s investment company took a leaf from an increasingly popular book.
Amid a lack of acquisition opportunities on its home continent, Brait followed the likes of retailers The Foschini Group (TFG) and Spar in bypassing the potential of Africa’s growing middle class and targeting European consumers instead.
"They’re buying established businesses with established brands, distribution channels and shops, and this in a market that’s showing recovery," said Byron Lotter, a money manager at Johannesburg-based Vestact, which oversees about R2.3bn of assets. "Expansion into Africa is slower and a lot more difficult."
While sub-Saharan Africa has long-term potential, a shortage of retail locations and high transportation costs are among factors limiting expansion opportunities in that region, according to Guy Hayward, CEO of Walmart’s South African unit, Massmart. That’s preventing companies taking full advantage of middle-class households — those consuming $15 to $115 a day — that Standard Bank estimates will grow to 40-million by 2030 from 15-million now.
South African retailers have spent at least $1.5bn buying European companies this year, while Steinhoff International Holdings’ $5.3bn takeover of Cape Town-based clothes retailer Pepkor Holdings will see the furniture seller expand into markets such as Poland and the Czech Republic as well as Australia. Steinhoff, the JSE’s biggest furniture company with a market capitalisation of about R260bn, plans to list on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange this year to increase exposure to investors in Europe.
South African shopping chains have been struggling to grow sales at home as unemployment of more than 26%, power shortages and rising inflation stifles consumer spending. In contrast, the UK, for example, is experiencing falling joblessness and had deflation of 0.1% in April.
Ronnie Stein, chief financial officer of Cape Town-based TFG, said in late May the fashion chain was growing as fast as it could in the rest of Africa — yet that was not quickly enough to meet the company’s goals. TFG’s shares have increased 17% this year, compared with a 12% gain by the FTSE/JSE Africa General Retailers index.
TFG plans to have 375 stores in its Rest of Africa region by 2020, compared with its 148 now, yet also agreed to buy UK clothing chain Phase Eight for £140m in January.
"If we found the same opportunity in SA, we would have done it," Mr Stein said, referring to Phase Eight. "We are not slowing Africa growth at all, but we’ve now got the opportunity to grow in the rest of the world as well."
South African retailers expanding in Europe also benefit from diversifying their sources of revenue beyond the rand, according to Mr Stein. The currency has weakened about 17% against the dollar in the past year, and is trading close to a 14-year low.
Woolworths closed its three stores in Nigeria in 2013 because of high rental costs, duties and difficulties transporting goods. Seeing faster growth through the purchase of stores in established markets, the seller of organic foods and clothing brands such as Country Road bought David Jones, Australia’s oldest department-store chain, for $2bn last year.
Mr Price will open its first test store in Australia in the second half of the new fiscal year ending March next year, it said earlier this month.
"The prize in Africa is as big as ever, but it’s probably harder and further away," Massmart’s Mr Hayward said.


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As reported by Bloomberg, PayPal Chief Executive Officer Dan Schulman isn’t notably assured in the way forward for cryptocurrency. While talking on the Economic Club of New York in Manhattan, he had this to say:
Regulations must be sorted out and a complete variety of different issues. It’s an experiment proper now that could be very unclear which route it is going to go.
This might come as a shock to some, as simply this week a patent submitting surfaced wherein the corporate seemed to be taken with bringing in cryptocurrency transactions sooner slightly than later. As it seems, that patent was truly filed 18 months in the past and doesn’t precisely mirror the corporate’s present pursuits.
Jason Deleeuw, an analyst at Piper Jaffray, famous:
The timing of the patent software vs. more moderen public commentary by PayPal means that any near-term options by PayPal to make crypto service provider funds scalable might have been de-prioritized. Still, PayPal has mentioned crypto property have long-term benefit and will finally see ubiquity and acceptance as an on a regular basis type of cost.
The latter portion of Jaffray’s remark corresponds with a PayPal spokesperson’s declare that the corporate is “taken with any applied sciences, processes or functions which have the potential to allow of our mission of monetary inclusion.”
As is commonly the case when a monetary figure is bearish on cryptocurrency, Schulman continues to be in love with the blockchain. He instructed the Economic Club of New York in Manhattan that blockchain expertise has a a lot stronger future than cryptocurrencies — which he sees as “only one software.”
On the opposite hand, PayPal’s Chief Financial Officer, John Rainey, not too long ago acknowledged his perception that cryptocurrency will in the future be a preferred type of cost, claiming that “sooner or later there’s very excessive probability” of Bitcoin and different cryptocurrencies reaching mainstream adoption.
According to a spokesperson for PayPal, the corporate at present has a workforce investigating methods wherein they will incorporate blockchain expertise.
What do you consider PayPal’s obvious disinterest in cryptocurrency and fondness for blockchain expertise? Do you assume cryptocurrencies will sometime obtain mainstream adoption? Let us know within the feedback under!
Images courtesy of Shutterstock
The submit PayPal CEO: Cryptocurrency ‘an Experiment’, Not Interested At This Time appeared first on Bitcoinist.com.


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Mastercard Launches Priceless Maldives
Mastercard launched its exclusive Priceless program in the Maldives. The launch event was attended by Maldives’ Minister of Tourism and other key officials from the Ministry, senior representatives from hotels, resorts, tour operators and other industry stakeholders alongside the Mastercard leadership team.
The Maldives is the latest destination in South Asia to join Mastercard’s coveted Priceless program. Priceless is a carefully curated list of exclusive experiences on offer to Mastercard cardholders around the world. As time is the most precious resource, Priceless strives to provide cardholders with the opportunity to have meaningful moments with the people closest to them. The program is expected to bolster Maldives’ tourism industry by showcasing the unique and authentic experiences that the destination offers to a global audience.
“Behind the success of Mastercard’s global Priceless program is the belief that experiences are more important than material things. Mastercard is delighted to add Maldives to the growing Priceless program that currently has over 40 destinations. Mastercard appreciates the valued collaboration with the Government of Maldives, which has offered its expertise at a pivotal time when tourism is back on a growth trajectory,” said Sandun Hapugoda, Country Manager, Sri Lanka & Maldives, Mastercard.
“With tourism contributing to 47% of our economy, we actively support initiatives that seek to strengthen this industry,” said Dr. Abdulla Mausoom, Minister of Tourism, Republic of Maldives. “The Government of Maldives highly appreciates Mastercard’s decision to bring the global Priceless program to our shores, and we are confident about giving discerning travellers an unforgettable experience.”
In order to appeal to the tastes of today’s global travellers, Mastercard’s Priceless program has carefully curated five initial experiences across atolls with unique geographies and offerings. As the program progresses, many more experiences will be added to this exciting list. Travelers can catch thrilling waves at Sultan surf break, paddle board among magnificent mantas or fish for tuna with the traditional pole and line method. To connect with nature, a nature walk followed by a spiritual mud bath is available on the southern island of Fuvahmulah. Or experience complete solitude during an overnight camping trip to an uninhabited island.
Mastercard’s presence in the Maldives goes beyond Priceless, as the company is actively working with the government and other stakeholders to support the country’s economy. Mastercard’s efforts in Maldives are focussed on financial inclusion, digital innovation, and tourism promotion. It is expected that the launch of Priceless Maldives will open avenues for other mutually beneficial opportunities.


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May 1, 2014 Giving away the Android operating system has almost been too successful for Google.
Apr 21, 2014 Commissary prices have some wondering if stocking generics is a solution.
Apr 11, 2014 A "kill switch" on smart phones would prevent thefts and possibly save billions of dollars.
Mar 27, 2014 After the failure of their music app, Twitter tries to get back in the game.
Mar 3, 2014 Tech companies have begun to team up with car manufacturers to figure out how to get smart phones into our vehicles.
Feb 25, 2014 The Army may end up at its smallest level since 1940.
Feb 11, 2014 The Taiwanese phone maker considers new moves after a disappointing earnings report.
Feb 4, 2014 When incentives to recruit new soldiers turns to fraud.
Feb 3, 2014 The new iPhone app seeks to streamline the experience of reading Facebook.


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Friday, 5 November 2010
Online penny auction site Bidibot.com has expanded its offering with UB.com the latest poker room to sign up and offer free poker chips and tournament credits.
UB.com joins the likes of Victory Poker, PokerStars, GCasino, 888poker.com and Betfair at Bidibot, where bidders can pick up massive bargains at ridiculously cheap prices. $25 and $50 packages often go for just a few dollars. Quality gadgets like iPads, iPhones and Nintendo Wii consoles are also on offer as packages to top class poker tournaments. A package for the recent EPT London went for just $2.53 with a GUKPT package worth over £1,000 auctioned for just $3.18. Backgammon and gaming fans can also get in on the action with DiceArena.com also joining the Bidibot stable.Bidibot CEO and runner-up in the first World Series of Poker Europe Main Event John Tabatabai said, “We're sure customers will always find something at Bidibot, and at a bargain price. It’s a great opportunity for our customers to get free credits to play at Ultimate Bet poker and Dice Arena games.” At Bidibot.com, players bid on auctions of gaming credits. They can place as many bids as they like until the auction is over. Auctions start at $1.00. Each bid in the auction is set at a fixed price of $0.01 and every time a bid is placed, thirty seconds is added to the countdown timer. When the timer hits zero, the last person to bid wins the auction item. Keep up to date with all the news from the poker world by following us on Twitter and Facebook.
The sixth annual edition of Grosvenor Casinos’ Goliath tournament series may have begun last week but players are being advised that there is still time to qualify for seats into its prestigious £120 buy-in main event.
Land-based and online gaming products innovator Scientific Games Corporation is set to run its second annual Shuffle Master Classic event next month offering one lucky poker player the chance to walk away with $100,000 in cash.
Land-based casino operator Estoril Sol has been awarded the first online gaming license for Portugal and has teamed up with platform provider Gaming1 to launch the new EstorilSolCasinos.pt domain.
With 5,000 expected entries, £250,000 guaranteed in prizes and only £120 to play, its no wonder Coventry is the place to be between July 30 and August 7.
Punta Cana Poker Classic 2016.
Intertops Poker and Juicy Stakes four.
Vamshi Vandanapu wins in Coventry.
Multitude of main event qualifiers.
Poker’s unassuming killer steps back into the limelight.
Meet one of UK poker's rising stars.
We talk to WSOP bracelet winner.
By Paul Oresteen.
Just keep smiling...
By Adam Slutsky
Pushing the envelope for a new poker generation.
Jeff KImber on fish.
So says Dara O'Kearney.
Dara O'Kearney looks at game thoery.
Dara O'K on bounty tournaments.
Rob Yong calls for competition.
A critical eye on the poker world.
Nick Wealthall on unconscious decision making.
Structure changes don't suit recreationals.
Features | Strategy | Interviews | Reviews | News | Profiles | Pages | British Poker Awards
© 2015 BluffEurope.com


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Ford Motor Co. needs to do some retooling at its F-150 production plants in Kansas City and Dearborn, Mich., in order to produce the newly designed 2015 model, leading to significant down time.
During an earnings conference call, Ford CEO Alan Mulally said the company scheduled two weeks of idle time for the F-150 side of the Kansas City Assembly Plant this year. The plant will see "additional" downtime in 2015. Ford also plans to idle its Dearborn Plant for 11 weeks this year.
The 2015 Ford F-150 is about 700 pounds lighter than the previous model. It utilizes modern materials such as military-grade aluminum, which requires different production processes, especially for welding, joining, metal preparation and finishing.
Given that the F-150 is the most popular selling vehicle in the world, Ford executives said the company will be "maxing out" production prior to the idle time, to ensure it maintains enough supply to meet demand during the retooling process.
PHOTO GALLERY: Ford calls new F-150 'tough and smart'
The Kansas City Plant already runs three shifts, after adding a third shift in August 2013, so it's unclear exactly how much more production Ford could possibly get out of the plant. That seems to put the onus on getting more production out of the Dearborn plant.
Figuring out the right numbers of vehicles to produce prior to the idle time is crucial, because having too much inventory will lead to a need to dump products on the market at huge discounts. Not producing enough would create a shortage, creating incentive for customers to consider buying competitors' vehicles.


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A pleasing response.
ILVE has been a sponsor of the national Good Food and Wine Show (GF&WS) for six consecutive years but for the first time, Eurolinx put the spotlight on its Artusi appliances.
“The Artusi outdoor range – barbecues, refrigerators and sinks – performs well but we want to get the name out there,” marketing manager, Daniel Bertuccio told Appliance Retailer. “We will be introducing a new wok burner later this year to complete the range that offers matching aesthetics in black. Matte black and stainless steel variants are under consideration.
“Consumers want their appliances to be stylish without compromising on performance and for their outdoor alfresco area to complement their indoor kitchen.”
Daniel Bertuccio and Tristan Peters from Eurolinx with the Artusi outdoor range
ILVE wine fridges were also on display at the stand. The Princess Cruises Theatre, where local chefs and restauranteurs performed live cooking demonstrations, was presented by ILVE.
KitchenAid also made its debut at this year’s GF&WS, having historically been involved in the Cake Bake and Sweets Show.
An opportunity to showcase its iconic stand mixers, wide array of attachments and the new Bake Assist microwave oven, marketing director, Filiz Bensan said the brand wanted to connect back to the ‘foodie’ consumer and a greater variety of customers – not just bakers.
“The show provides a great format. At both the Melbourne and Sydney instalments, the response was exceptionally positive and we were pleasantly surprised,” she told Appliance Retailer.
“We are fortunate that the KitchenAid brand resonates really well with customers. Our stand attracted consumers to our attachments display, including those who already own them and those looking at their next attachment purchase. They were eager to ask questions and interact with the product, in particular the spiralizer and vegetable cutter, as they are both very unique.”
KitchenAid was also host to a Culinary Academy with hands-on cooking demonstrations presented by Sammy from My Kitchen Rules Season 2.
Shriro had its Everdure by Heston Blumenthal barbecues on display as chefs from the Fat Duck Group plated up complimentary dishes to attendees. “We received a lot of interest from consumers who had a look at the range then lined up for food cooked on the barbecues,” communications manager, Sandra Cal told Appliance Retailer. “We are really pleased with the positive feedback.”


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Rykoff-Sexton Inc. reported a fiscal fourth-quarter loss of $22.8 million, or $1.53 a share, compared with a profit of $2.4 million, or 16 cents a share, a year earlier.
The latest results included a non-cash pretax charge of $29.7 million for an accounting change. Income also was reduced by $9.8 million due to a restructuring to facilitate its recent takeover of U.S. Foodservice Inc. and a drop in gross profit margins.
The Lisle-based food-service giant said sales in the quarter, ended April 27, rose 14 percent, to a record $474.8 million from $416.3 million in the year-earlier period.
For the fiscal year, Rykoff-Sexton lost $16.8 million. or $1.12 a share, compared with a $32.9 million profit, or $2.24 a share, in fiscal 1995. Annual revenues increased 14 percent, to $1.79 billion from $1.57 billion.
Looking ahead, Rykoff-Sexton said it expects to take $60 million to $70 million in takeover-related charges for such things as closing duplicate facilities.
Rykoff said it will take the charges in the current two-month period prior to the start of its newly adopted fiscal year. It changed its fiscal year to end June 30 to conform with industry practice.


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Helicopter flights to the Isles of Scilly will cease from the end of October. British International Helicopters says it cannot afford to run the route which has been going for 49 years. It blames the delay on selling the heliport at Penzance to raise funds.
The route has run for 49 years so this is an extremely sad announcement for BIH, its employees and its customers - in fact the whole of West Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. Unfortunately we had no alternative
The company will honour all customer flights booked up until 31 October 2012. Anyone with a flight booked after 1 November will be given a full refund. The closure of the heliport will affect employees and the company has entered a formal redundancy consultation process.
More top news
A couple from Exeter have been banned from owning dogs for 10 years after failing to properly treat their pet's skin condition.
We've been rounding up some of your Christmas light displays. Take a look at this festive bunch.
Visit Cornwall has revealed the 20 top images shared via its Instagram account. Have a look at some of the beautiful photographs:


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CA Technologies' latest earnings report had some good news for investors but some not-so-good news for employees.
Revenue and net income rose in its fiscal first quarter, but the company plans to cut up to 500 jobs, the Islandia-based software company announced Wednesday after the stock markets closed.
CA's revenue rose 9 percent to $1.16 billion in the three-month period that ended June 30, compared with $1.07 billion a year ago. Net income rose 11 percent to $241 million, from $217 million a year ago. Earnings per share rose 12 percent from 42 cents to 47 cents.
"We've had a solid start to the fiscal year 2012," Bill McCracken, CA's chief executive, said.
But he also said revenue overseas didn't rise as fast as expected. International sales rose 8 percent to $447 million but were down 2 percent when accounting for currency changes. By contrast, the North America revenue rose 9 percent to $716 million when accounting for currency changes.
The company's products include information technology-management software for mainframes and virtual and cloud computing. The latter delivers services over the Internet.
The company declined to say how many jobs it plans to cut on Long Island in the second quarter. CA employs 1,600 people on the Island, part of its 13,400 staff worldwide.
"This action is a continuation of the work the company has been doing to optimize its business by reallocating resources from nonstrategic areas to growth technologies and regions, and divesting nonstrategic areas of the business," McCracken said.
CA plans to take a $35 million to $45 million charge in its second quarter in connection with the planned reductions.
One area CA considers key to new business is cloud computing. McCracken said the company would announce some new cloud products next week. During the quarter CA announced that it was acquiring TKO Inc., a Texas cloud-computing company, for $330 million in cash. On the other hand, it sold off its Internet security business during the quarter.


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February 9, 2012
Artwork created by Baldwin High School students are displayed in a corner of the Lumberyard Arts Center gallery. An opening of the show will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday at the Lumberyard. The show will include a duct tape fashion from high school students.
Stories this photo appears in:
Opening to be from 6 to 8 p.m. Freday


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Jack in the Box is feeling the pinch of higher potato prices, the company said in its earnings call Thursday. Retail potato prices stood at around 73 cents per pound last month, up 4.3% compared to April 2017, according to federal data.
Quickserve chains are adjusting to consumers' new eating habits and catering to growing demand for snacks that can be eaten any time of day. Fazoli's has created a snacking menu centered around the chain's breadsticks in an effort to drive traffic during non-peak hours, said CEO Carl Howard.
Korean American steakhouse Cote quickly became a surprise hit after Simon Kim opened the New York City restaurant last year, with the goal of making "red meat sexy again." Instead of the large cuts served at traditional steakhouses, Cote's Korean barbecue menu features smaller pieces of dry-aged beef.
Students in Mason City, Iowa, will have access to free transportation to free-meal sites this summer. Mason City Public Schools also is expanding the number of food sites to help increase participation.
More vegetarian options could be on a New York middle school's lunch menu under recommendations made by student council members. A survey revealed that about 86% of students who are vegetarians said there are not enough options for them in the school cafeteria.
An unused courtyard at an Indiana school is being converted into an on-campus garden. Immacolata Varacalli, director of lunch services, says he hopes that produce from the school garden eventually can be used to prepare meals.
Food tracking apps are making it easier to identify allergies and intolerances, writes dietetic intern Julia Werth. Apps are available to help people with allergies analyze restaurant menus to identify foods safe to eat, and new tools allow self-testing of foods at restaurants and social gatherings, Werth says.
Traditional Italian cuisine never pairs cheese with seafood, but chefs are finding that the right types of cheese can complement fish, shrimp and more. "You don't want to use a cheese that will overpower the seafood, rather, it should complement and even elevate the flavor," said Red Lobster Chef Dustin Hilinski.
Korean food researcher and consultant Jong-sook Park is an expert in the category of classic Korean sauces known as jangs. At her culinary laboratory in Seongnam, South Korea, she creates fermented sauces using ancient techniques that she has refined so that they are simpler for companies and home cooks to replicate.
Bartenders are using activated charcoal to give cocktails a dose of dark color as well as an earthy flavor and velvety texture. "We are inspired by making drinks visually appealing without putting anything artificial in, so activated charcoal attracted me for that reason," said Needell Matteliano, bar director at New York's Clay restaurant.