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Anheuser-Busch InBev NV on Wednesday said it had formally agreed to buy SABMiller PLC for £69.8 billion ($105.5 billion), a deal that creates a brewing behemoth that will sell roughly one in three beers world-wide.
As part of that deal, SABMiller has agreed to sell its 58% share in the MillerCoors LLC joint venture to its partner, Molson Coors Brewing Co., which holds the remaining stake, as well as the Miller portfolio outside the U.S. for $12 billion. The divestiture, which is contingent on the completion of AB InBev’s acquisition of SABMiller, would catapult Molson into the position of the No. 2 brewer in the U.S., with a 25% market share second only to AB InBev’s 45% share.
The sale of MillerCoors—which sells brands including Miller Lite, Miller High Life and Blue Moon—was widely expected, and is seen as necessary for AB InBev to gain U.S. regulatory approval to buy SABMiller.
AB InBev plans to seek to have its shares listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange soon after Wednesday’s announcement. The combined company’s ordinary shares will be listed in Brussels, Johannesburg and Mexico. The American depositary shares will be listed in New York.
AB InBev said it expects to achieve at least $1.4 billion in pretax cost savings a year by the end of the fourth year after the deal is completed.
“By pooling our resources we would build one of the world’s leading consumer-products companies,” said AB InBev Chief Executive Carlos Brito. “Our joint portfolio of complementary global and local brands would provide more choices for beer drinkers in new and existing markets around the world.”
A tie-up between the two beer companies, if it gets the green light from regulators, would bring AB InBev brands such as Budweiser, Corona and Stella Artois together with SABMiller’s Grolsch and Peroni, and give the combined company a major presence in the U.S., China, Europe, Africa and Latin America. Together, AB InBev and SABMiller sell more than 30% of the world’s beer.
Exane BNP Paribas analyst Eamonn Ferry has said the combined company would be the world’s largest consumer staples by earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization and the third largest by sales, behind Procter & Gamble Co. and Nestlé SA. He estimates 2016 sales of $58 billion and Ebitda of $23 billion, including synergies.
The formal offer by AB InBev comes after weeks of back and forth between the two companies. SABMiller’s board announced Oct. 13 that it had agreed in principle to unanimously recommend to its shareholders AB InBev’s proposal to pay £44 a share to buy the London-based brewer, marking a 50% premium to its share price on Sept. 14, the day before media speculation about a potential deal emerged.
For 41.6% of stock, AB InBev is offering a partial-share alternative, essentially a combination of cash and unlisted stock, translating into a lower per-share price of £41.85. The alternative was designed to appeal to SABMiller’s largest shareholders, cigarette giant Altria Group Inc., which has a 27% stake in the brewer, and the BevCo Ltd. investment vehicle of Colombia’s Santo Domingo family, which holds a 14% stake.
Altria expects to get a 10.5% stake in the combined company and the Santo Domingo family would receive about a 6% stake, providing no other shareholders elect for the partial-share alternative. Altria said it would also receive $2.5 billion in cash and get two seats on the new company’s board, allowing it to continue to use the so-called equity accounting practices that have helped it to record profits from its beer interest on its income statements. The Santo Domingo family is expected receive one seat on the new company’s board.
SABMiller’s shares were up 2.7% in morning trading in London, while AB InBev pared early gains in Brussels to trade up just 0.2%.
AB InBev didn’t detail how it plans to gain regulatory approval in China, where analysts have said the deal could run into trouble with regulators. SABMiller’s joint venture with China Resources Enterprise Ltd. controls 23% of the market, according to Euromonitor, and produces the top-selling Snow brand. AB InBev had a 14% market share in China last year.
Molson Coors CEO Mark Hunter on Wednesday described the deal to buy the remainder of MillerCoors as “a game-changing opportunity for Molson Coors.” MillerCoors last year generated $7.85 billion in sales, nearly double Molson Coors’s net sales of $4.15 billion.
Molson Coors on Wednesday said it plans to fund the acquisition of the rest of Miller Coors and the Miller international business through cash on hand and proceeds from new debt and equity.
Despite the acquisition, Molson will have an uphill battle to retain customers. MillerCoors last week reported lower profit and revenue as beer drinkers spurned its low-cost brands, such as Milwaukee’s Best and Keystone Light, flocking to craft brews and cocktails.
Still, taking complete control of MillerCoors would allow Molson to cut costs from the joint venture by eliminating breweries along the U.S.-Canadian border, reducing staff and improving procurement, according to analysts.
Meanwhile, the Miller family of brands internationally—which includes Miller High Life, Miller Lite and Miller Genuine Draft—are particularly valuable to Molson in Canada, where its agreement with SABMiller to sell Miller brands recently came to an end, costing it more than $60 million in sales.
Molson Coors said the deal would add about $4.7 billion in incremental revenue and is expected to boost cash earnings by more than 25% in the first full year of operations before taking into account the benefits of cost synergies, which Molson estimates are at least $200 million a year after the fourth full year of the deal closing.
Source: Wall Street Journal
Schumacher will replace Alan Jope, who announced his decision to retire last September, less than a year after a failed attempt by Unilever to buy GlaxoSmithKline’s consumer healthcare business and just months after activist investor Nelson Peltz joined the company’s board.
Globally, plant-based ice creams have doubled their share of the market over the last five years, according to Tetra Pack. Pea protein and coconut milk are leading the way, but Tetra Pak cites data showing that oat-based ice cream launches have doubled in the previous year.
A myriad of so-called eco-labels are being rolled out across various F&B products, but with no gold standard or strict rules governing precisely what the logos mean and what methodology is behind them, concerns are growing that they will confuse consumers and ultimately be counterproductive.


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By Yusupha M Jarjusey
The above subject is of great concern to me over the years and I am glad that you allow me space in your widely read news paper to publish this article.
It is true that the Gambia has what is called Consumer Protection Association of the Gambia (CPAG) which according to World Consumers’ Association (WCA) website, was created in July 2004 as the first Consumer organization at national level and dedicated to promote and safeguard the interest and rights of Gambian Consumers. This association is also expected to be responsive to the needs and welfare of consumers in the country.
It is also true that there is the Gambia Consumer Protection Act, 2014, the aim of which is to protect consumers from unfair and misleading market conducts. The government of the Gambia also in recent years established the Gambia Competitive and Consumer Protection Commission (GCCPC) whose main functions according to the Gambia Consumer Protection ACT (2014) and In addition to its functions under the Competition Act are among other things to:
Ø establish a directorate responsible for consumer protection;
Ø conduct investigations into consumer complaints;
Ø appoint officers who shall receive and process complaints for submission to the Tribunals;
Ø advocate and facilitate the mainstreaming of consumer protection issues in national policies and programmes;
Ø formulate policy and legislative proposals in respect of consumer welfare issues;
Ø undertake consumer education and information programmes;
Ø conduct or commission research on consumer protection issues;
Ø sensitize and provide advice to consumers on their rights and duties under this Act;
Ø provide information on any dangerous goods and services that might harm consumers to the competent authorities for appropriate action;
Ø Provide funding for the functioning of the Tribunals.
The question is how far the above institutions and polices have gone in actually making life easier and better for the consumers in the Gambia with the volatile and mostly inflationary situation of prices and poor quality of goods and services at the detriment of final consumers in the Gambia.
In any case, my focus in this article will be on the performance of the existing Consumer Protection Association of the Gambia (CPAG) since 2004. According to my observation and analysis, this Association has been very dormant to the extent that you hardly felt their existence in the Gambia. The only time they are active is during the International Consumer Association day celebration, which is usually marked by match pass with no meaningful slogan to attract attention. This makes me wonder whether their existence is of any significant value to the people who really require their support. The Consumer Protection Association of the Gambia (CPAG) in a nutshell, is supposed to ensure that the above Act and Commission’s mandate are implemented to the fullest for the benefit of the citizenry.
Let me say that consumer Associations world over are doing wonderful works that impact the life of a common man in the street in such a remarkable way that they are well know and very much appreciated. Those associations are very active and effectively engage the government and other institutions like GCCPC through advocacy, dialogue and awareness creation against profiteering and other forms of ungodly attitudes and behaviours towards consumers in those countries. Those evil attitudes are in fact more common in countries like the Gambia where silence culture is the order of the day. Gambians will therefore be willing and ready to support such initiatives if their activities are made known to them and will very much appreciate their efforts for a better Gambia especially in this new dispensation.
It is indeed high time to condemn some of the illegal and irresponsible behaviours that are potentially creating havoc on our people. I recalled on the 10th of June 2016 when The Point Newspaper editorial published a story from a Guinean Researcher and Medical doctor called Gaeoussou Fadiga who blamed the rise in kidney failure in Africa on the use of expired drugs from Europe. It was also reported in the same article that 42% of pharmaceutical drugs eliminated from the European market in 2012 were sold in Africa according to Fadiga. In fact in the Gambia here, there is a popular notion among some health workers that expired drugs can be used for up to six months after their expiration dates as they remain viable.
The electrical shops in the Gambia are selling different types and brands of electric wires in the market and some of them are described as British or Chinese products. What are we doing about the safety of the consumers especially in the wake of current destructive fire outbreaks due to poor electrical installations at our homes and at public places like markets? The price of cement for example has just increased by 27.65% from January to February (D235.00 to D300.00) with no official explanation.
Our Gambian markets today are full of substandard products both food and non-food items with very poor quality standards that are affecting our health and wellbeing. These products expose people to high risk and eventually cost individual’s huge amounts of money when they become victims of circumstances and had no choice but to restore to normalcy. These are unfortunate but sad realities of the life we continue to live in this part of the world and indeed unfortunate that nobody is there to speak for consumers in the Gambia when their fundamental rights are violated and resources wasted. There is indeed, serious dissatisfaction among consumers all over the country but sadly, no formal platform or forum exist to lunch complains. The Consumer Association must therefore, be able to at least create that environment to ensure the basic protection of consumers to enjoy the first principle of procurement called Best Value for Money (BVM) and most importantly enjoy healthy life.
In brief, I would like to highlight some of the achievements made by a consumer association in Zimbabwe. The Consumer Council of Zimbabwe (CCZ) carries out regular price surveys, which enables it to monitor price trends of commodities. From these findings, a family of six baskets for a low income urban earner is produced. They also act as watchdog and represent consumers by influencing government to enact laws that protect them, thus creating a platform for fair trading practices. Consumer education is one of the core competencies of the CCZ. The organization goes out to educate consumers on their rights and responsibilities through lectures, articles and advice in the print and electronic media, discussions, workshops, seminars to enable consumers to make informed decisions in the market place. The CCZ handles a diversity of complaints between consumers and service providers and by so doing acts as an arbitrator between disputing parties. It also assists consumers to get redress whenever they are prejudiced in trade. In areas where it cannot help, the organization refers the cases to the Small Claims Court or lawyers or any such other places where consumers can be assisted.
The Government of the Gambia may put in place policies and mechanisms to ensure the basic rights of it citizens are protected. However, merely formulating polices without full implementation to serve the intended purpose render them useless. Therefore, having a Consumer Protection Act (2014) in place is indeed a laudable initiative but certainly not good enough without its full implementation as that failure cost the government even more in terms of health care provision, low productively and ultimately impact our GDP. There is therefore the need to effectively implement food safety standards and other standards for other goods imported into the country to ensure protection and welfare of the people.
The Gambia Consumer Competitive Protection Commission (GCCPC) should also be more effective and proactive in the discharge of the responsibilities they are empowered to execute as stated above. Promoting fair competition is indeed a very important element and principle of procurement but ultimately most serve the interest of the consumers.
In my next article, I will draw my lenses closer to the market to indentify the specific products and suppliers that we need to focus on for the health and wellbeing of the Gambian people.

domain: news


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Ye’s fashion never stops. On Friday (January 7), the rapper formerly known as Kanye West announced that he is expanding his partnership with The Gap to include a new YZY line produced in collaboration with fashion house Balenciaga. West posted what appeared to be the contract for the deal, signed by all three parties on December 29, 2021, along with the caption “Yeezy x Gap x Balenciaga 👀👀👀.”
At press time, this document is the only post on Ye’s official Instagram. An official announcement from Yeezy Gap ignited the partnership in a press release that reads: “Ye pioneers innovative new exploration in the Yeezy Gap Universe. Yeezy Gap designed by Balenciaga. The debut of its kind showcases Ye’s unrivaled vision bringing together the most influential designer of his generation, Demna, with iconic American brand, Gap. ”
The release – which teases that the line will be available globally in 2022 alongside other new Yeezy Gap products – promises that the new three-head collab will continue Ye’s commitment to “bringing… creativity comes to the fore and brings his vision of ergonomic design to everyone. ”
West and Balenciaga creative director Demna – also a co-founder of high-fashion line Vetements – previously collaborated on the rapper’s massive 2021 Donda listening events in Atlanta and Chicago, for which the fashion mogul served as creative director and merchandise designer. In an interview with Vogue In announcing the deal, Ye said, “Partnering with Gap and Demna, the creative director of Balenciaga, is a vision come true, to deliver great products to everyone every time.”
Ye’s 10-year contract with Gap has so far produced a $200 line of down jackets made of recycled nylon and sells out instantly and a $90 hoodie selection with six color. Talking to Vogue, Demna promises that the new line will match Gap’s reputation as a place that provides everyday basics for everyone. “This is a very different challenge. I’ve always appreciated Gap’s pragmatism and accessibility,” he said. “I share some of the same things in my creative language. This project allows me to join forces [with Ye] to create utilitarian fashion for everyone… there is a certain urban minimalism and poetry in our aesthetic, [and] There is also a desire to push boundaries. ”
Vogue reported that the first drop is expected in June, the second drop later in the year.
See notice below.
https://www.billboard.com/music/rb-hip-hop/kanye-west-yeezy-gap-engineered-by-balenciaga-1235016525/ Kanye West collaborates with Balenciaga on New Gap Line – Billboard


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China Says US Can't use Pressure to Force Trade Deal
BEIJING—The United States cannot use pressure to force a trade deal on China, a senior Chinese official and trade negotiator said on Sunday, refusing to be drawn on whether the leaders of the two countries would meet at the G20 summit to bash out an agreement.
Trade tensions rose sharply last month after President Donald Trump’s administration accused China of having “reneged” on its previous promises to make structural changes to its economic practices. Washington later slapped additional tariffs of up to 25 percent on $200 billion of Chinese goods, prompting Beijing to retaliate.
“If the U.S. side wants to use extreme pressure, to escalate the trade friction, to force China to submit and make concessions, this is absolutely impossible,” says Chinese Vice Commerce Minister Wang Shouwen, who has been part of China’s negotiating team. “Nothing is agreed until everything is agreed.”
Shouwen says the U.S. had made “unreasonably high” demands and insisted on adding “demands relating to China’s sovereign rights” to the countries’ agreement. The raising of tariffs escalated tensions and severely frustrated the talks, he added.
His comments were echoed by Chinese Defense Minister Wei Fenghe at a defense forum in Singapore on Sunday. "If the U.S. wants to talk, we will keep the door open. If they want a fight, we will fight till the end,” Fenghe said.
Trump has said he will meet President Xi Jinping at the G20 summit in Osaka at the end of the month, though China has not confirmed the meeting.
Shouwen says U.S. officials overestimate the trade deficit between the two countries, and that China should not be blamed for a decline in U.S. manufacturing jobs. The U.S. goods and services deficit with China is closer to $150 billion and not the $410 billion quoted by U.S. officials, he said, adding that China’s processing trade with the United States should not be included in deficit calculations.


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Several refreshed Tesla Model X electric vehicles have been spotted in the delivery area of the company’s Fremont plant in California on September 29.
The flyover video shared by Sawyer Merritt fuels expectations that full-scale production of the Model X Plaid and Model X Long Range could start this quarter. That’s especially because these new crossovers were spotted in a lot that Tesla generally uses for shipping to delivery centers. As a result, approval for deliveries shouldn’t be too far off.
For now, it is unclear where these vehicles are headed, but the fact they were spotted proves that Tesla is making progress with the rollout of the refreshed Model X. Looking closer at the electric crossovers featured in the video, they are covered with protective wraps, which means they are not likely to be release candidates.
When Tesla unveiled the refreshed Model S and Model X earlier this year, it planned to start production of the sedan first, followed by customer deliveries, and then focus on the Model X in the third quarter.
Obviously, things didn’t go as planned as Q3 just ended and no reports of buyers taking delivery of their refreshed Model X crossovers have surfaced so far. Tesla’s current target is to start Model X Plaid deliveries by January to February next year, which means volume production should begin sometime during the fourth quarter 2021.
Needless to say, when Tesla finally starts producing refreshed Model X units for customers, it will have a long backlog of orders seeing as it hasn’t built a Model X in almost a year.
For US buyers who place new orders for the flagship electric crossover now, Tesla estimates delivery in May–June 2022 for both the Model X Plaid and Model X Long Range. The previous delivery timelines for new orders were March–April 2022.
The refreshed Model X Plaid is expected to be the first to reach customers with an MSRP of $119,990 before options and incentives. This variant will go from zero to 60 mph (96 km/h) in just 2.5 seconds thanks to the new tri-motor powertrain and is expected to get an EPA range of 340 miles (547 km).
As for the Model X Long Range, it will come with a dual motor powertrain and 360 miles on a single charge for a $99,990 starting price.
Check out these stories on the refreshed Tesla Model X


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HoloLens gets a lot of publicity but Microsoft is also working on complementary projects that will ensure a robust ecosystem for the future of VR and AR. Check out one those projects here.
Vlad DudauNews Editor Neowin LLC
- Forum Name:
- Vlad Dudau
- Bucharest, Romania
- 27 September 2012
- Forum Posts:
I started writing about PCs after destroying a few of them and learning what everything does. Moved on to phones, tablets and everything else. Been doing this professionally since 2009. In other news the Lumia 930 is currently my favorite phone and Microsoft is the most exciting company in tech..at least this week.
Latest by Vlad DudauView All
In case you haven't checked for updates in a while now might be a good time to get all your apps up to par. Microsoft is getting ready for the launch of the Windows 10 Fall Update and Mobile versions.
Microsoft fans may be eager to get their hands on the Surface Book, but UK folks seem to be out of luck. According to company reps, the laptop won't go on sale there until the first half of next year.
Macs might seem like a safer alternative than PCs when it comes to digital attacks. But researchers have proven that's not actually the case when they created a firmware worm that infects Macs.
After months of rumors and speculation, Nokia has finally revealed that it has sold its mapping and location service, HERE, to a consortium of German auto-makers including BMW and Audi.
A new, credible rumor is going around claiming that Acer, Microsoft's long-time partner, will unveil as many as four new handsets this fall. All of them will supposedly be running Window 10 Mobile.
Microsoft's Phil Spencer confirmed that the 'Xbox parity clause' is a thing of the past. The company now prefers to work alongside indie devs to make their games better, no matter when they launch.
We've known that Microsoft was working on porting Windows 10 Mobile to some Android devices, but it looks like many more Xiaomi owners will get to try this out in the coming weeks.
Qualcomm has developed new technology that will finally allow devices with metal housings to be wirelessly charged. Until now phones and tablets like that couldn't use wireless charging technology.
Though we've seen the cancelled Lumia McLaren device before, this is the first time that we get to see it on video. Also seen is the device's gimmicky 3D touch navigation system.
According to a recent interview with Phil Spencer, the head of Xbox, all the cable box functionality that's part of the Xbox One is of secondary importance for the console and its users.
Intel has been having some trouble with Moore's Law recently, but the company has pushed memory research into overdrive. They're now announcing a major breakthrough that could change everything.
Motorola is holding an event today where the company is expected to unveil new phones, including the new Moto G. Unfortunately, all of the device's info has already leaked, which you can see here.
After rumors that an iPhone 6C was in the works reached their peak, analysts have now started claiming the exact opposite. According to the latest report, Apple won't be releasing such a device.
Though the Twitter app on Windows hasn't been updated in a very long time that's about to change. New screenshots show the app is getting a redesign just in time for the Windows 10 launch.


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Boluda Maritime Terminals, a subsidiary of shipping company Boluda Corporación Marítima, has obtained the concession of the container terminal in the port of Arrecife in Lanzarote.
As informed, the Board of Directors of the Port Authority of Las Palmas has granted Boluda the concession of the container terminal on Monday, 20 December.
“For years, the investment plans of Boluda Maritime Terminals have targeted the Canary Islands, a geographically strategic area for Boluda Corporación Marítima. After this award, Boluda Maritime Terminals already has a presence in all ports, under the umbrella of State Ports in the Canary Islands: Las Palmas, Tenerife, La Palma, Fuerteventura and now Lanzarote”, the company’s statement reads.
The Valencian shipping group stated that the new concession marks the end of a monopoly conditioning the operation and prices of the shipping companies that operate at the only container terminal in the Arrecife port which is managed by Gesport Lanzarote.
The terminal will operate ships of the Boluda Lines shipping company which is expected to improve the competitiveness and allow Boluda to link synergies with its logistics chain.
The company hopes that the joint management of operations and control in the maritime transport logistics chain will offer improved services with the Canary archipelago as well as lower prices for the end customers.
In the company-related news, Boluda’s subsidiary Boluda Towage Europe took delivery of two new low-emission harbour tugs as a part of the company’s drive to reduce emissions in harbour operations in Europe.
At the time, Boluda said it would take these two units into service in the Port of Zeebrugge as part of the extended concession for towage services.
Source: Offshore Energy


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Retailers say proposals to put VAT on the sale of static caravans will be disastrous to the region's tourism industry. The Government's own calculations suggest that demand will fall by thirty per cent.
Holiday park owners say customers won't buy at the increased price and that will have a knock on effect on the wider economy. Our business correspondent Seth Conway reports.
More top news
With 45 youngsters currently in care across the region, a South West charity has begun an appeal urging families to adopt older children.
Plymouth Conservative MP Johnny Mercer says Britain should take in more refugees - despite David Cameron saying this was not the answer.
The manager of a cheese factory in Somerset - due to stop production next month - says he's still hoping a last minute buyer will step in.


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I just posted the article Prices for CD-Recordable discs continue to rise in 4Q.
DigiTimes reports that prices for CD-Recordable media will continue to rise in the fourth
quarter of this year. Three major optical storage disc makers in Taiwan,
Ritek, CMC Magnetics…
Read the full article here: [http://www.cdfreaks.com/news/6806-Prices-for-CD-Recordable-discs-continue-to-rise-in-4Q.html](http://www.cdfreaks.com/news/6806-Prices-for-CD-Recordable-discs-continue-to-rise-in-4Q.html) Feel free to add your comments below. Please note that the reactions from the complete site will be synched below.


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Over the weekend, it was reported that cyber criminals had stolen up to $1 billion from banks. Kaspersky Labs discovered that the attacks date back two years and that as many as 100 banks may have been affected, along with e-payment systems and other organizations across 30 countries. Commenting on this, Martin Lee, cyber-crime manager at Alert Logic, says:
Are You kidding me? This has been happening for two years? How cn we learn from these attacks?
Read more of our comments regarding this Banking Breach
Anthem is just the latest victim, Sony slightly before them, in a growing series of hacks against brand name organizations including Target, UPS and Home Depot. These events underscore the damaging consequences of the unintended release of corporate information, as well as the negative impact on employees, partners and ultimately, customers.
Data Security is required for businesses today; not just the Fortune 500, but also for small businesses. The data you have stored locally, in emails or on a device somewhere, how safe is it? Do you know if it is truly secured? What details could you provide the FBI or local authorities if you received the dreaded call "...you have a breach..."? Have you asked yourself; "how secure is the data I am entrusted with?"
My wife recently receieved an email from her company regarding the Anthem breach which has motivated me to write this article. But before I talk about this latest breach and how it may affect you; let's but this breach into perspective -- beacuse it is NOT like any of the other breaches (e.g. Target, Global Payment, Verizon, etc).
Associated Press reports:
Detroit says a recent computer security breach affected files that contained personal identifying information of a large number of city employees.


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Since Android’s creation, our mission has been to bring the power of computing to everyone. As a global operating system, Android has grown to more than 2 billion active devices around the world, with more users in India than the U.S.
To make sure billions more people can get access to computing, it’s important that entry-level devices are fully functioning smartphones that can browse the web and use apps. At Google I/O this year, we gave an early look at a project we called “Android Go” to make this possible. We’re excited to announce that this software experience—Android Oreo (Go edition)—is ready, and launching as a part of the Android 8.1 release tomorrow.
Android Oreo devices with 512MB to 1GB of memory will come with the all the Go optimizations. This Android Oreo (Go edition) experience is made up of three key components:
Operating System: Performance and storage improvements to the OS with data management features and security benefits built-in.
Google Apps: A new set of Google apps, designed to be lighter and relevant to the unique needs of people who are coming online for the first time.
Google Play Store: A tuned version of the Google Play Store that allows you to download any app, but also highlights the apps designed to work best on your device.
Go big with faster performance, more storage, data management, and security
We enhanced Android Oreo (Go edition) for speed and reliability on entry-level devices, which means the average app is now 15 percent faster on devices running Android Oreo (Go edition). There are many of these kinds of optimizations—and they really add up. If all entry level Android devices launched apps 15 percent faster, that would save the world a cumulative one million hours of time—every day!
It’s common for entry level devices to have very little storage space available once you account for the size of the OS and the preinstalled apps. This can be frustrating for people who want more space for their music, apps, and photos. So, we’ve optimized Android Oreo (Go edition) and enhanced our preinstalled Google apps to take up 50 percent less space. The net result is that we’ve doubled the amount of available storage on entry-level devices.
Devices running Android Oreo (Go edition) also come with Google’s data saver features turned on by default. For example, Data Saver in Chrome saves the average user more than 600MB of data per year. You can also manage which apps can use background data with our built-in data saver feature, giving you more control over how your data is used.
Android Oreo is the most secure version of Android yet, so when you buy an Android Oreo (Go edition) device, you’ll be getting all the same security features. And of course all devices with Android Oreo (Go edition) get Google Play Protect built-in. Google Play Protect continuously works to keep your device, data and apps safe. It scans your app installs, even when you’re offline, no matter where you downloaded them from.
Go with Google
We’ve redesigned many of our popular Google apps to address local needs. Preinstalled on Android Oreo (Go edition) devices, this set of optimized apps includes Google Go, Google Assistant Go, YouTube Go, Google Maps Go, Gmail Go, Gboard, Google Play, Chrome, and the new Files Go app by Google.
With our new and reimagined Google apps, we’ve focused on making them not only smaller, but smooth and fast too. For example, Google Go—a new app to find the information you want—optimizes data by up to 40 percent, weighs less than 5MB in size, and makes it faster to find popular and trending information with a simple, tappable interface. And with the Google Assistant for Android (Go edition), you can quickly send messages, make calls, set alarms, and more with your voice and a single touch of the screen.
Our storage-saving features extend beyond the OS to a new file-management app by Google—Files Go—which helps you clean up space and stay organized. Whether it’s recommendations for removing spam, duplicate images or unused apps from your phone, Files Go is the perfect complement to the storage-maximizing features of Android Oreo (Go edition).
In the Play Store, you can download any app, and we’ve also created a new section that recommends popular apps that are tuned to run well on entry-level devices.
We’ve have been thrilled to see that many of our partners are using our building for billions guidelines to either optimize their existing app or create a new app to run well on entry-level devices, in the hopes of bringing their experiences to billions of new smartphone users.
Ready. Set. Go.
With the launch of Android Oreo (Go edition) in Android 8.1, partners will soon be able to ship this new release on their entry-level devices around the world. We can’t wait for our partners’ devices to hit shelves in the coming months.
And if you’re a developer, let's build for the next billion together.


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MORE than 100 jobs are under threat at a Merseyside meat packing factory.
It is understood that unions and bosses are in consultation over 102 jobs at Tranfoods in Birkenhead.
A decline in orders has forced the business to make the cutbacks, which could impact on more than a third of the 280- strong workforce.
Ralph Danby, the managing director, said it was “deeply regrettable” such a large number may have to go but said the firm, which is part of the Parkam Food Group, was doing everything it could to keep as many employees as possible on the payroll.
He added: “We have stopped bringing in agency workers and their roles will be offered to existing staff members whose jobs are under threat.”
He also said if the market picked up again those who are laid off would be first in the queue to get their jobs back.
He added: “We’ve got some great people here and we’ve always recognised that.
“At the moment, we've got to do what we’re doing for the needs of the business, but we want to take the business forward.
“If we are successful in doing that, then we want them to come back to us.” Tranfoods prepares and packs cooked meats, the majority of which is beef, for deli counters and supermarket shelves.
Documents seen by the ECHO show how the firm has lost business to major supermarket chains and will be forced to lose the night shift and weekend work.
Unions and bosses are considering proposals for a five day week, two-shifts-per-day business model.
Employees are to be “scored” according to their skill levels, with those who get the lowest scores put on an “at risk” register.
Mr Danby said: “We have lost some of our business, and have not been as successful as we would have hoped in trying to replace that business.
“We cannot afford to let Tranfoods continue in its current form, the business is quite poorly at the moment.
“Things haven’t been easy.
“These potential losses are a great cause of concern to us all.”
Unite the Union are leading the negotiations with management.
The union said several options had been considered and discussions were under way about the five day, two shifts per day model.
Franny Joyce, Unite’s Regional Industrial Organiser, said: “I can confirm we are in ongoing discussions with the management of Tranfoods over plans to restructure the business.”


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The Promise of Mesh Businesses: For all the hype around social media, some of the most interesting new businesses don’t use sharing just for commercial messages and customer service but as a core part of their businesses. Think of Netflix, Zipcar and other “mesh businesses” chronicled by Lisa Gansky. One interesting new entrant into the shar-and-share-alike model is Artsicle, a service that lets people rent art for a month. That allows people to have a $5,000 painting for a month at $50. This is an exciting area because it fits perfectly with an era that seems destined to be less about consumption and more about finding new ways to fit a consumer economy to a time when resources are more scarce. Inc
Web Publishers Looking East: It’s comforting to think that somewhere out there in the world has figured out the dilemma publishers face in converting to digital business models. Paywalls are the holy grail. That’s why it would be a lovely story if the answer to publisher problems could be found in Slovakia, where publishers banded together to charge for content. It’s been a success, as Ad Age tells it. But the lessons here are few. For one, U.S. publishers trying such a stunt would quickly run afould of anti-competitive practices and price-fixing laws. For another, Slovakia is a tiny, tiny market — home to just 2.5 million Web users. It’s easy to create scarcity, the real holy grail of traditional publishing models, in a tiny market like that. Not so easy in a market the size of the U.S., which has 214 million Internet users. Ad Age
Hulu’s Dance Card: Hulu’s suitors are the big unknown. Kara Swisher at All Things D has details on Hulu’s exploration of a sale. She reports Hulu has already met with Microsoft, while other meetings are lined up with Yahoo, Verizon, AT&T, Amazon and, of course, Google. It’s an interesting cast of characters. If Swisher’s report is accurate, it’s pretty clear Hulu wants a sale. The question is which partner will be palatable to Hulu owners Comcast, Disney, Comcast and Providence Equity Partners. It’s particularly sticky since Hulu is apparently pitching itself as a cable threat. I’m not sure Comcast would be so crazy about that. All Things D
Twitter at $7B?: At this point, there’s hardly a number for a hot Internet company that would cause people to bat an eye. Twitter is reported by the WSJ raising hundreds of millions in financial backing at a valuation of $7 billion. Who know what figures are used to jusitify this. The company is forecast by eMarketer to produce just $150 million in revenue this year. WSJ
Publishers say the competition is steeper than expected for event sponsorship dollars this year
Selling events was harder than expected for some publishers in Q2, but having a niche helped win some of the coveted sponsorship dollars.
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BuzzFeed and Ingenio are hoping giving their chatbots a unique voice and tone will differentiate their AI products but others are prioritizing utility over entertainment.
Media Briefing: Publisher execs fear lack of visibility for Q3, but feel steady year over year
Publisher execs share how Q2 shook out for their businesses as they brace for an equally murky second half.
SponsoredWhat the measurement and currency discussion really means to TV advertisers
Ali Mack, head of TV and agency, Experian Major streaming video providers have recently made headlines by adopting new currencies for ad measurement, threatening Nielsen’s long-standing TV ratings monopoly. NBCUniversal, for example, has certified iSpot and VideoAmp as currencies for advanced audiences and formed the Joint Industry Committee with Paramount, TelevisaUnivision and Warner Bros. Discovery. […]
Digiday+ Research: Nearly two-thirds of publishers think they will lose when the third-party cookie dies
Publishers have been busy prepping for the end of the third-party cookie, but that doesn't mean they think they'll come out on top in the post-cookie era. In fact, publishers count themselves among those who stand to lose from the end of the cookie.
As AI spreads across the marketing landscape, data’s role will be key to success or danger
There’s a growing awareness of the risks inherent in AI's ultra-powerful potential, but whether enough steps are being taken to mitigate them remains a huge question mark.


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On 31st December 2019, it’s safe to assume not many people in the UK had heard of “coronavirus” or COVID-19, but on this date China alerted the World Health Organisation of several cases of unusual pneumonia caused by an unknown virus, in Wuhan, a port city of 11 million people in the central Hubei province of China. By 7th January 2020, the virus was identified as belonging to the coronavirus family. The following weeks saw rapidly increasing reports of confirmed cases of the infection in China and multiple cases across the globe. As of 27th February, there was over 82,000 confirmed cases of the infection.1
While these figures are spread over 60 countries and mainly concentrated in China, here in the UK, 13,525 people have been tested, of which 13,485 were confirmed negative and 40 positive (correct at time of publish 03/03/20).2 The effects of this outbreak are also taking their toll on UK industry, as recently reported by Industry Analyst John Griffin for IBIS World. The UK economy’s highly globalised and market-orientated nature put it at risk as trade with China, the UK’s second largest trading partner outside of the EU, becomes strained.
(Update – As of 10th March there are over 110,000 global cases over 110 countries, with 373 in the UK).
Some of the facts:
“According to HMRC trade data, China accounted for 6.4% of total UK exports in 2019, and 8.6% of total imports. According to the Observatory of Economic Complexity, the main product exported to China is motor vehicles, while car parts manufactured in China account for approximately 1% of imports from China. This has led UK car manufacturers to express concerns regarding the fallout of the outbreak, with Jaguar Land Rover warning it could run out of car parts at its British factories in March, while the company’s chief executive also added that it is currently making no sales in China, which usually accounts for 14.3% of exports in the Motor Vehicle Manufacturing industry. Meanwhile, yellow digger maker JCB has announced cuts to production and working hours, with more than 25% of its component suppliers in China closed as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak.”
Other effected industries:
“Several other major firms are dependent on a supply chain that includes China, and the UK’s accountancy regulator has urged firms with close trading links to China to report the full extent of the risks caused by the virus. UK-based luxury brand Burberry Group has expressed concerns over sales dipping in mainland China, with the company forced to close 24 of its 64 stores in the country as a result of the outbreak. Meanwhile, London-based bank HSBC, which relies on Asian markets for most of its profit, stated that it would have to set aside up to £460 million to cover additional costs to deal with disruption caused by the outbreak. Anglo-Swedish drug maker AstraZeneca has also warned of the unfavourable impact of the outbreak, with China currently the fastest growing region for the company. Possibly the best indicator of the global impact of the COVID-19 outbreak is Apple, with the tech giant warning that disruption in China, which accounts for one-sixth of its global revenue, will lead to the company falling short of revenue forecasts.” 3
Exports and imports by industry:
IBIS World recently ran the figures from their extensive research database to show which industries in the UK export and import (as a percentage) the most goods, products and materials to/from China, and therefore more likely to struggle with the knock-on effects of coronavirus.
Top 10 industries by percentage of exports
Top 10 industries by percentage of imports
“Although the overall scale of the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak remains uncertain, the spread of the virus is expected to continue to dominate global markets and news in the near-term. Avoiding a global pandemic is expected to be key to containing the effects of the virus; however, in the short term companies are expected to have to divert supply chains away from China and continue to adjust sales forecasts in line with plunging demand from Chinese consumers.” 3
Visit nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/ and gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-information-for-the-public to learn more about the current advice regarding coronavirus.
Image – freepik.com


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Overcapacity and the growth of online shopping could eventually result in a "crash of sorts" among lower- and midtier shopping malls, Mark Cohen, former CEO of Sears Canada, told CNBC on Tuesday.
"I don't think it's going to be abrupt," he said on "Squawk on the Street." "But ... the most popular malls will prevail, and the B and C malls won't."
Asked about an op-ed in USA Today on the impending extinction of shopping malls across the U.S., Cohen said there were too many malls, which themselves had too many stores.
The op-ed cited one prediction that 10 percent of enclosed malls could fail before 2022, while those catering to affluent shoppers should continue to do well.
(Read more: Storms walloped retailers; shoppers stayed home)
Cohen, now a professor at Columbia Business School, added that the Internet was a major driver of the trend.
"More and more customers are buying more and more products more and more often from the comfort and privacy of their own home," he said.
Overall, Cohen said, the holiday shopping season has put stress on retailers, with heavy price-cutting conditioning consumers to be bargain hunters both online and off. Further, the looming possibility of higher interest rates may damage retailers' ability to offload inventory.
(Read more: The one word that may save retailers this Christmas)
"This is the most promotional holiday season I've ever seen," he said. "It's not just the short season but the weakness of the business starting into the second quarter, going right into the fourth quarter."
—By CNBC's Jeff Morganteen. Follow him on Twitter at @jmorganteen and get the latest stories from "Squawk on the Street."


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1. Bringing contactless payment technology to timepieces and fitness trackers, seven global watch brands have partnered with bPay, the wearable tech solution from Barclays Bank.
2. With its ‘Expedited Virtual Currency Transaction System’, PayPal’s aiming to make it easier for people to pay for goods with cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin.
3. Find out how PepsiCo is using machine learning and predictive analytics to track emerging trends and inform new product development, working with tech startup Black Swan.
4. First introduced to the US in 2017, Instagram’s shopping interface is now expanding to the UK, allowing retailers to sell straight through the social network.
5. Quartz argues that “retail’s artificial intelligence bet is all wrong” — the focus should be on people, not apps.


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Hi, again fellow Mi Fans! It’s been a long time since my last contribution to this blog. I return writing this time covering the latest news on Xiaomi’s latest moves, innovations, and products.
In June 21st, Xiaomi’s super cool CEO Lei Jun announced a joint collaboration between Xiaomi and Meitu. This partnership produces a new line up called Mi CC series.
This move is not too surprising considering the company took over Meitu brand last year.
Lei Jun explains through its Weibo post about the meaning of CC. Many Mi Fans are wondering the meaning of CC.
What is Mi CC anyway?
Mi CC is another product by Xiaomi in partnership with Meitu. Currently, there will be two devices available: Mi CC 9 and Mi CC 9e. Its render even leaks online prior to its official release.
Mi CC expects better camera performance thanks to Meitu’s expertise in the camera technology. Combining such a spec with Xiaomi’s expertise in delivering tempting phone specifications at a very affordable price will result in adorable Android devices.
Lei Jun also explains the real meaning of CC. He explicated that CC means Colorful & Creative. CC can also represent the developer team behind it which is the Chic & Cool 90 team. The team is said comprising of young people from Xiaomi and Meitu’s R&D division.
Its first product line up which is Mi CC 9 also inherits its own meaning. The number 9 represents company’s age which is 9 years.
Focusing on young people around the world, Mi CC 9 and Mi CC 9e will be available globally after its initial release in China.
We are not quite sure whether Mi CC 9 (and CC 9e) will sell under company’s parent brand or another sub-brand just like Redmi.
Lei Jun also hinted that Mi CC9 will be the best affordable Android device focusing on mobile camera performance regardless of what chipset powering under the hood. That alone has made us already too excited to anticipate its coming.
The device will boast a new aesthetics concept of “Xiaomi X Meitu AI Aesthetics Lab”. The concept incorporates AI photography technology produced by advanced camera hardware and the beauty technology of AI software.
Expected Mi 9 CC Specifications
Some of Mi 9CC specifications have been leaked whilst it’s not official yet. In-display fingerprint scanner, 48MP main camera, triple-camera setup, stunning AMOLED display, and Snapdragon 730 SoC are suggested to sit under the Mi CC 9 hood.
Could that be true?
Let’s find out together within coming weeks.
Stay tuned with us for further updates on Xiaomi’s latest news.


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There’s a Good Reason Partnering with Drake Didn’t Move CGC Stock
InvestorPlace - Stock Market News, Stock Advice & Trading Tips
Canopy Growth (NYSE:CGC) recently announced a partnership with well known Canadian rapper Drake, but it’s unlikely to do much for CGC stock.
The two will be launching a joint venture called More Life Growth Company, and the licensed cannabis producer will be based in Drake’s home town of Toronto. While CGC stock popped initially on the news, it ended up closing at $19.08 for a 1.75% loss on the day.
It appears that even the star power of Canada’s best-known rapper and Toronto Raptors superfan is unable to lift Canopy Growth stock out of its nine-month slump.
CGC Stock and Drake
There are three things the average person probably knows about Drake. First, the Canadian rapper is an international music superstar and actor. Second, Drake is a highly visible Toronto Raptors superfan. And third, these days he’s apparently dating Kylie Jenner.
However, Drake is also an accomplished entrepreneur who has been involved in launching his own record label, whiskey and restaurant. His latest venture was announced on Thursday. Drake and Canopy Growth — two “Canadian icons” as described in the press release — are partnering on a Toronto-based cannabis producer called the More Life Growth Company. Drake will own 60% of the company with CGC taking a 40% share.
Already licensed to produce cannabis, the facility will see production and maintenance run by Canopy Growth, which will also retain rights for product distribution. Drake will be a big part of promotion and marketing. Canopy’s CEO had this to say about the venture:
“When we first began talks with Drake we were extremely inspired by and aligned with his vision to bring best-in-class cannabis products to the world. Drake’s perspective as a culture leader and entrepreneur combined with Canopy Growth’s breadth of cannabis knowledge will allow our new company to bring an unmatched cannabis experience to global markets.”
Global cannabis markets may have a different reaction, but the stock market wasn’t impressed by the news, handing CGC stock a 1.75% loss.
Will Edibles Finally Boost CGC Stock?
Switching gears from Drake, CGC stock investors have been looking to edibles to be the next wave of growth for the company. Canada legalized cannabis edibles in October (although the first product isn’t expected to be on retailer shelves until December), and this market could tap another $2 billion in sales in the Canadian market.
Cannabis edibles appeal to those who don’t want to smoke marijuana, and they also offer the opportunity for producers to offer higher-margin products — like gourmet cannabis-infused chocolates. CGC has gone so far as to buy a former Hershey (NYSE:HSY) factory in Ontario to do just that.
There is a potential snag here though, as pointed out in the Globe and Mail out by Michael Armstrong, associate professor at Brock University’s Goodman School of Business. He notes that cannabis producers such as CannTrust (NYSE:CTST) have had trouble complying with basic production regulations — rules that are very clear cut. Cannabis edibles are another matter:
“Cannabis is a complex substance that neither scientists nor marketers fully understand. That makes successful product design very challenging. How should cannabis drinks taste or lotions smell? What’s the best mix of the cannabinoids tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) for each market segment? … if firms such as CannTrust, Agrima and Bonify apparently can’t handle simple process conformance, how can investors believe they’ll succeed at complex designs of consumer products?”
CGC hasn’t run afoul of Canadian regulations the way CannTrust has, but the company has had its own problems — including the ouster of its founder and Co-CEO this summer.
Will it get cannabis edibles right? Or will the launch of edibles be another extended ramp up, with Canadian consumers failing to take the expected leap and investors growing increasingly impatient?
We should start to get a sense of how edibles play out in the Canadian market in the next month or two. In the meantime, Canopy Growth is expected to report Q2 earnings next week. And even though CGC stock didn’t get any traction on the initial news, there’s always the possibility that promotion by Drake might eventually pay off.
As of this writing, Brad Moon did not hold a position in any of the aforementioned securities.
More From InvestorPlace
- 2 Toxic Pot Stocks You Should Avoid
- 7 Stocks to Sell Before They Roll Over
- 5 Beaten-Up Stocks to Buy That Could Be Saved By An Acquisition
- 4 Startup Stocks Getting Smashed
The post There’s a Good Reason Partnering with Drake Didn’t Move CGC Stock appeared first on InvestorPlace.


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Internode has discounted the price of its 3G modems as a result of the strong Australian dollar.
Called NodeMobile Data, Internode was a late entrant in the wireless market when it launched the wireless Internet service back in April, but said it wanted to ensure quality of the product before releasing it to the public.
The company is cutting the price of its residential E160E 3G and professional E1762 HSDPA/HSUPA modems by $50 for customers who do not wish to commit to a two-year contract. In a statement, Internode product manager, Jim Kellett, said the price reduction reflected the improved strength of the Australian dollar since NodeMobile’s launch. He added that the ISP has experienced great uptake of the service and expected the discount to accelerate its adoption.
Internode has also unveiled a Panorama 3G antenna designed to boost signal reception for NodeMobile customers.
The E160E 3G and E1762 HSDPA/HSUPA modems are priced at $99 and $149 respectively or $50 on a 24-month contract. The Panorama 3G antenna can be purchased for $29.95.


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UK: Milk merger good for the industry, says NFU
The proposed merger of co-ops Scottish Milk and Axis is good news for dairy farmers and for the dairy industry as a whole, says the NFU . NFU Milk and Dairy Produce Chairman Terrig Morgan said: "We have been saying for a long time that in order to be successful, dairy farmers and their milk selling groups must aim to develop and grow to the benefit of their members.
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The cheeky reality star shared a saucy snap to Twitter, showing herself admiring a new Louis Vuitton purchase while sitting in nothing but a pair of knickers. As we all do when we've just bought something we love.
She protected her modesty with a small black card.
The 24-year-old's caption read: "#WCW fashionably with the LV my treat had to have the new limited LV #SelfMade." Is she calling herself her own Woman Crush Wednesday?!
There have been rumours that Farrah's preparing to jet to our shores for an appearance on the new series of Celebrity Big Brother, which starts next week on Channel 5. It has a UK versus USA theme and Farrah's name has popped up as a possible contestant...
Hmm. As always, neither Farrah nor CBB bosess are saying anything, but her UK management did hint on Twitter that the starlet will be planning a trip to the UK very soon. Whether it's for CBB or something else hasn't been confirmed.
Intrigue Management tweeted: "Is the UK ready for reality TV royalty @F1abraham to hit our shores? We think it's time for a visit soon! #london."
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text: The International Monetary Fund will use its spring meeting of global finance ministers and central bankers to "bring people together" and defuse trade tensions, said David Lipton, the agency's No. 2 official, on Wednesday. "There are joint interests in globalization enduring," Lipton said at a conference sponsored by the Bretton Woods Committee. It would be ironic for trade tensions to derail the global recovery because the trade sector has helped the global economy recover from the financial crisis. It is understandable for the U.S. to raise concerns about trade practices that are unfair, but the Trump administration should refrain from setting up barriers, and focus on broad, cooperative approaches, he said. The U.S. should realize that concerns about China's trade practices are shared around the world, Lipton said.


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An Asian-owned beauty supply store that sells Black hair care products, but disrespects Black patrons is apparently still banking on Black dollars.
Changseok Jun, owner of Anna & Jun’s Beauty Supply in Tulsa, Oklahoma, was arrested for brutally punching a Black woman in the face a few weeks back.
The incident went viral online and the blatant disrespect had many outraged and calling for justice.
Apparently “justice” to some means 50% off.
Details + video below… Continue Reading…
A popular beauty blogger is blasting Snapchat after she discovered a filter that looked eerily familiar. Continue Reading…
Several un-retouched photos of Beyonce have been circulating on line lately that are said to be from her 2013 L’Oreal ad campaign.
The pictures show ‘Queen B’ with less than “flawless” skin, some acne and even a wrinkle or two (or three).
While many claim that the pics ‘prove’ Beyonce is less than perfect, all I think it proves is that she’s human and her photos are photoshopped just like the rest of y’all.
More photos of Beyonce’s flawless flaws below… Continue Reading…


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A fire event resulting from a lit cigarette on the balcony of an apartment building affected 12 interior units of the three-story, 24-unit building. The affected units incurred extensive roofing, electrical, HVAC, plumbing, and interior fire, water, and smoke damage. Target Solutions was recruited to perform full-service fire restoration services.
In late August of 2020 Hurricane Laura made landfall along the Gulf Coast. Two hotels on the Louisiana coast experienced significant damage to their roofing systems. Target Solutions was called in to mitigate the situation at each location.
In early August of 2017, a tropical depression moved across Mexico and developed into Hurricane Harvey. A large grocery store chain contacted Target requesting that we deploy equipment and personnel to begin shuttering stores in and around the Corpus Christi area. The Target team mobilized and sent out two 18-wheelers full of drying equipment, and 100 personnel over the next two days.
A fire event resulting from a nitrogen bottle falling into molten metal at a factory in Troy, Texas caused extensive damage to nearly half of the 142,000 square-foot manufacturing building. The estimated damage was $5 million. Target was contacted to assess the damage and begin necessary repairs.
A severe hail storm wreaked havoc on a community hospital. The storm brought 3-inch hail that blew out windows, causing water intrusion. The roof sustained extensive damage to approximately 70,000 sq. ft., resulting in leaks into the hospital rooms. Target Solutions mobilized and had dozens of employees on-site within the hour.
A spring hailstorm in the Waco area cause a local baptist church to replace the roofs of both the church and its daycare facility. The project was projected to take over 4 months, but Target completed the entire scope of work 30 days ahead of schedule. This project was awarded 2021 Sika Sarnafil Project of the Year.


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For the past 44 years, all of Boon Siew Honda Sdn Bhd's CKD motorcycles have been assembled at its factory located in the Mak Mandin Industrial zone in Seberang Perai. That older assembly plant has recently ceased operation, and all the manufacturing of Honda motorcycles are now handled at the newly-opened factory located at Batu Kawan in Simpang Ampat.
The new plant is about 5 times the size of the older factory, with about 44,000 square meters in building area, 237,000 square meters of site area and employing 1,100 associates.
In addition, the new factory is equipped with the most advanced technology - for its robotic painting process, Boon Siew Honda has utilised the world's first Twin-Gun, which is reputedly 3 times more efficient than previously. Using this co-friendly painting process, the amount of VOC emissions has also been reduced significantly.
Satoshi Okada, the managing director/CEO of Boon Siew Honda Sdn Bhd said: “The facility also deploys a highly-efficient production system with the use of advanced technologies such as solar photovoltaic, high-coating efficiency and an efficient electro-depositing coating line for volatile organic compounds.
“The new streamlined processes not only increase productivity but also contribute to greater energy savings and reduction of manpower and material wastage. The new factory has an annual capacity of 350,000 units. Previously, our CBU assembly process utilised different engine jigs for different models. However, the standardised jig from Japan can be applied to all models. This will definitely lead to a significant increase in the efficiency of the new factory.
"From 2012, the regulations of ECE will be implemented in Malaysia. As one of the many 2-wheel manufacturers in Malaysia, we are proud to be the only factory that fuly complies with the standards on our emission lab and test course. In the future, we want to further expand our business with this advanced technology," said Okada.
Also present at the opening ceremony were Oriental Holding Bhd chairman Datuk Seri Loh Cheng Yean, Honda Motor Co Ltd's president Takanobu Ito and its managing officer, Hiroshi Kobayahsi and International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed.
"The sale of motorcycles had increased by 10.7% to 547,553 units in 2012 while production went up by 9% to 543,088 units from 498,076 units in 2011. Honda's share of the domestic market is a very impressive 46%,” said Mustapa during the official launch of the plant, which started operations last month.
“New technologies will be introduced to achieve greater production efficiencies, including energy savings, reduction in manpower requirements and improved control over waste,” added Mustapa.
He said the National Automotive Policy would promote the development of energy-efficient vehicles as a niche, and will attract investments in high value-added manufacturing using the latest technologies, particularly for the production of energy-efficient vehicles.


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George Carlins nail supply store is taking on the largest nail store in the United States with a $2.8 billion plan to expand into the nail supply industry.
The retailer, founded in 2005, has a store in Tampa, Florida, which opened in 2017.
According to CNBC, Carlin has a long history of involvement in the nail industry, starting with the original Nail Nail and Nail Shop, which was established in 1975.
The store has a wide variety of nail products ranging from the most popular brands such as Jagger, Sally Hansen, Urban Decay, Sally Beauty and Urban Decay Naked, as well as new and emerging brands like Stila and Elomi.
According the company’s website, it is the largest supplier of nail polish in the country.
As the largest retailer of nail care products, Carlins has also taken on some of the largest brands in the industry.
According a report by the Wall Street Journal, the company recently purchased the popular Wet n Wild brand and plans to expand its nail supply network in the coming months.
“Our goal is to become a leader in the wholesale and retail nail supply market and will expand its reach and expand our operations to include the growing category of nail lacquer,” the company wrote on its website.
In its new move, Carls flagship store will move to an expanded location in Tampa.
The move will allow Carlin to focus on expanding his nail supply business, and create a greater presence in the local nail community.
“We are thrilled to have our new location in downtown Tampa with the best nail supply in the state,” said Carlin, who is also a former president of the National Association of Sole and Molar Suppliers.
“It’s a great location for our growing business, the nail store, and for our customers.”
The company’s new Tampa location is expected to open in 2018.
Carlin said that the new location will allow him to “continue to expand and expand my presence in Tampa.”
The move is part of a larger plan to diversify Carlins portfolio, according to the company.
The company said that it is currently seeking to expand the supply of its nail lacquers, nail polishes and nail polish removers.
The company has also launched a new line of nail brushes, and will begin manufacturing new brushes for its nail care business in the next few months.
In addition to expanding its nail store and nail supply businesses, Car Lin’s plans also include buying up some of its existing locations.
The largest nail supply retailer in the U.S. is currently headquartered in the Tampa area, according the company website.
The Tampa location, according its website, is a two-story building with a retail floor.
The Florida location, which will open in 2019, will feature a three-story, seven-story store.
A spokeswoman for Carlin declined to comment on the company plan to move into the retail nail market.


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Hornet Cutting Systems is excited to once again be a part of the excitement and incredible innovation happening in the industry at FABTECH 2018.
This year’s event is November 6-8 in Atlanta, Georgia. Visit Booth #B6021 to meet our team of cutting experts, and see the improved HORNET HD CNC plasma cutting machine in action.
We’re excited to unveil the improved HORNET HD, featuring the Hypertherm XPR300, improved strength, increased accuracy, bevel cutting capabilities, and more.
Stop by the booth to see cut samples, live cutting demonstrations, learn more about our machines and the impact they can make on your business, or just to say ‘Hello’
FABTECH 2018 Resources:


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Quanergy welcomes Gerald Becker as the new VP of Market Development & Alliances. Becker has a proven track record of helping high-growth companies define and capitalize on market opportunities. At Quanergy, he will lead the global alliance function, overseeing the identification, pursuit, and development of strategic channel partnerships in the security, smart city, and smart spaces markets.
An accomplished leader in sales and strategic partnerships
Gerald earned an MBA in Information System from the University of Redlands and a B.S. in Technical Management from DeVry University. His career of over 17 years has been focused on leading brand initiatives, business development, and creating strategic alliances with technology and channel partners at technology, physical security, and IoT companies. Gerald most recently served as Sr. Director of Sales & Business Development at AI and computer vision applications company SAFR by RealNetworks, where he played a pivotal role in driving new global strategic alliances & technology partnerships to drive revenue growth.
“I am excited to join the Quanergy team, said Gerald. “Quanergy has proven its market leadership in the LiDAR industry in various applications including security, smart city, smart spaces, and more. Its Flow Management solution, integrating AI perception SW with long-range 3D LiDAR sensors, sets the company apart from the rest of the market. The recent partnerships with premier technology partners and repeated business wins are strong testimonials of Quanergy leadership. I look forward to being part of the growth of the company and taking Quanergy to new heights.”
Gerald will report to Enzo Signore, CMO.


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The cable broadband provider, Virgin Media, is relaxing the traffic management restrictions on downloads for all customers at peak times.
This announcement follows the firm’s rollout of its latest technology, the DOCSIS 3.0 network.
From now on customers will be able to download more during the peak hours of 10am to 3pm.
Subscribers to the 10 Mb L package will be able to download up to 3 Gb, users of the 20 Mb XL service with get a massive 7 Gb limit, while customers who can get the 50 Mb service will still be able to download as much as they like.
Virgin Media says that it is able to do this because of the upgrading of the network.
In the latest quarterly results the company announced that its customer base has increased to 3.73 million.


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A proposed statewide ban on flavored e-cigarettes awaits a decision by the Michigan Supreme Court.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer ordered the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) to issue emergency rules banning online and retail sales of flavored e-cigarettes, in response to reports of an increase in vaping-related lung diseases. Michigan Court of Claims Judge Cynthia Stephens issued a statewide preliminary injunction against the ban on October 15.
The state regulators “undercut their own assertions of an emergency,” Stephens said in her order. “Despite the availability of the information, DHHS waited for eight months before declaring an emergency.”
Whitmer filed an appeal to the Michigan Supreme Court on October 25 to lift the injunction, which could be effective for six months. As of press time, the Supreme Court had not ruled on the state’s request.
Flavors are a common element of e-cigarettes and vaping devices. In a 2018 survey of nearly 70,000 American adult vapers, 83.2 percent of respondents reported using fruit-flavored vapes, and 72.3 percent said they used so-called dessert flavors.
‘Unsupported, Unjustified Attack’
Several requests for an injunction were filed by vape shop owners, among them Marc Slis, owner of 906 Vapor, a vape shop in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. After smoking for 41 years, the 55-year-old father of three wandered into a vape shop and became a former tobacco user. Slis went on to buy that vape shop, and he has helped an estimated thousand people quit smoking.
Government reports refute the reasoning behind Whitmer’s ban, says Slis.
“While Gov. Whitmer used the outbreak as a springboard, the recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report clearly indicates that flavors are not the driver of youth electronic cigarette use as claimed by the governor and the Michigan HHS,” Slis said.
“As a flavor ban had never been done in any other state, this ban is nothing more than a social experiment conducted on an entire state,” Slis said. “This order, in my opinion, also amounted to an unsupported, unjustified attack on both a lifesaving industry and a community of Michigan residents seeking to improve their health and their lives by using electronic cigarettes to quit smoking—the number one cause of death in Michigan, the United States, and the world.”
Lindsey Stroud ([email protected]) is a state government relations manager at The Heartland Institute.


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Adelaide Hills vineyard to test investor tastes
A prime, family-owned Adelaide Hills vineyard leased to one of the world’s largest winemakers is set to test investor tastes.
Warwick Estate Vineyard spans two properties in Birdwood, near the Barossa Valley, and produces grapes for Treasury Wine Estate – the company behind the Lindemans, Wolf Blass and Penfolds labels.
Currently owned by the Mattschoss family, the 139.45ha landholding is planted with more than 107ha of premium grapes, including sauvignon blanc, chardonnay, pinot noir, semillion, merlot and pinot gris.
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CBRE’s Phil Schell is marketing the properties on behalf of the family, and says the vineyard offered a solid entry into the Adelaide Hills wine region.
“Located next door to the internationally acclaimed Barossa Valley, this is a premium opportunity to secure a profitable operation with existing contracts in place to one of the world’s largest wine companies,” Schell says.
“Warwick Estate Vineyard is an established business that offers an attractive combination of lifestyle and commercial benefits in one of Australia’s most recognised wine producing regions.”
The properties have 416 megalitres of water entitlements, including ground water, surface water and a watercourse licence. A 250-megalitre dam has also been built on one of the properties.
The vineyards are for sale via expressions of interest, which close on October 25.


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We tend to think the tiger represents the animal kingdom, but in truth, a grasshopper is a truer statistical example of an animal. The handcrafted Hollywood film won’t go away, but if we want to see the future of motion pictures, we need to study the swarming food chain below — YouTube, indie films, TV serials and insect-scale lip-sync mashups — and not just the tiny apex of tigers. The bottom is where the action is, and where screen literacy originates.
April 11, 2009
September 9, 2008
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I managed to have a chat with Nicolas Loeillot some months back now for the magazine Designflux. We talked about his research in interactive and projected images in context with the real world. Many countries are far far behind in terms of implementing moving images in new spaces, getting messages out of the museum, the studio and off the net. So, whilst many seem lagging, Japan has not waisted time on taking the next step; introducing interactive screens for the general public.
Again, it is the commercial sector that has taken on the work however I do hope that this kind of development will be used for more than selling. This is surely an exciting time for designers working in this area. Creating moving images is one thing, making them interactive is another mind set – one that seems modeled for the moment, as in this example, on Internet site designs & interactions.
April 4, 2008
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“Surface turns an ordinary tabletop into a vibrant, dynamic surface that provides effortless interaction with all forms of digital content through natural gestures, touch and physical objects. Beginning at the end of this year, consumers will be able to interact with Surface in hotels, retail establishments, restaurants and public entertainment venues. ” Press release 30 May 2007.
One year on from Microsoft’s announcement, AT&T will be pushing their mobile sales with the help of the World’s first commercially available tangible table.
Research on Surface dates back to 2001 with Stevie Bathiche of Microsoft Hardware and Andy Wilson of Microsoft Research convincing Mr. Jobs to develop the project. A first prototype appeared in 2003, built using an Ikea table and a sheet of architect vellum.
Microsoft hail the beginning of a great future for this kind of technology, and indeed with the various announcements of multi touch screens of last year and the birth of the iphone, it would appear this is where the future for another breed of screens is taking us. What this will mean for motion designers is a completely new rethink about how they work with image & text. It will no longer be about animating content in a communicative way across the screen. The designers of the future will be developing new skills, and they already are.
Interaction design is becoming an increasingly popular choice at schools and colleges and students are all hard at work designing their own Ikea tangible prototypes. Some already having took their creations beyond simple prototype – Reactable is a successful example.
Motion design has just got a whole more interesting and I’ll be keeping a close eye on the evolution of the image as interface and how this perspective will change the way motion designers will create for the screens of the future.


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A fungus that has already caused more than $1 billion in damages to the coffee trade in Latin America is threatening to inflate the price of high-end coffee beans — and the United States is worried.
The U.S. Agency for International Development has announced a $5 million partnership with Texas A&M University’s World Coffee Research to combat the fungus, known as coffee rust, the Associated Press reports. The disease is especially damaging to the Arabica beans used in most specialty coffee in the U.S.
The new partnership brings the total USAID investment in the effort to reverse the effects of coffee rust to $14 million. “Fighting epidemics like coffee rust empower entrepreneurs and create sustainable livelihoods for families,” said USAID chief Raj Shah, “helping entire communities become self-sufficient.”
According to a statement from USAID on Sunday, the blight could reduce coffee production by 15 percent to 40 percent in the coming years. The agency called this outbreak “the worst in Latin American history,” estimating that it would affect the livelihoods of about 500,000 coffee farmers in the region. Causes of coffee rust vary, according to World Coffee Research, and include “climatic and pathological interactions” as well as farmers’ widespread use of rust-susceptible coffee plants.
But American involvement has less to do with keeping the price of lattes low and more to do with the potentially disastrous economic effects for Latin American countries. USAID is especially wary that the resulting food insecurity and poverty could leave coffee workers susceptible to the illegal drug trade and surrounding violence, especially in countries such as Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador.
It hasn’t been a good year for coffee production so far. A recent drought in Brazil has resulted in higher prices and decreased production of Arabica beans. Ric Rhinehart of the Specialty Coffee Association of America told AP that smaller coffee companies have already seen the effects of the decrease in supply, noting that some varieties of coffee may become very pricey or disappear altogether.
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"Even if House Republicans manage to get enough members of their party on board with the latest version of their health care bill, they will face another battle in the Senate: whether the bill complies with the chamber’s arcane ... Byrd rule, which stipulates all provisions in a reconciliation bill must affect federal spending and revenues in a way that is not merely incidental." Democrats should have the advantage in that fight, "unless the Senate pulls another 'nuclear option.'”
The House has passed a one-week spending bill that will avert a government shutdown which was set to begin at midnight. Lawmakers now have an extra week to come to a longer agreement which is expected to fund the government through the end of the fiscal year in September. The legislation now goes to the Senate, where it is expected to pass before President Trump signs it.
President Trump’s portrayal of an effort to funnel more Medicaid dollars to Puerto Rico as a "bailout" is complicating negotiations over a continuing resolution on the budget. "House Democrats are now requiring such assistance as a condition for supporting the continuing resolution," a position that the GOP leadership is amenable to. "But Mr. Trump’s apparent skepticism aligns him with conservative House Republicans inclined to view its request as a bailout, leaving the deal a narrow path to passage in Congress."
Democrats in the House are threatening to shut down the government if Republicans expedite a vote on a bill to repeal and replace Obamacare, said Democratic House Whip Steny Hoyer Thursday. Lawmakers have introduced a one-week spending bill to give themselves an extra week to reach a long-term funding deal, which seemed poised to pass easily. However, the White House is pressuring House Republicans to take a vote on their Obamacare replacement Friday to give Trump a legislative victory, though it is still not clear that they have the necessary votes to pass the health care bill. This could go down to the wire.


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By Maria Martinez
Italy's economy grew in the second quarter on the back of a gradual easing of pandemic restrictions.
The eurozone's third-biggest economy grew 2.7% on quarter, following a revised figure of 0.2% growth in the first quarter, the Italian statistics agency Istat said Friday in a first estimate for the period. Economists polled by The Wall Street Journal had forecast a 1.3% expansion.
The Italian economy grew 17.3% on year in the second quarter, Istat said. This was more than the 15.6% expansion forecast by economists polled by The Wall Street Journal.
The Italian release follows the publication of the first estimates of second-quarter gross domestic product in France and Spain, which posted 0.9% and 2.8% growth, respectively.
Write to Maria Martinez at email@example.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires


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Florida Looks At A Winter Without Canadians
The coronavirus pandemic continues to rip across the U.S. killing many and infecting hundreds of thousands of people each week. It's also upending part-time residencies between Florida and Canada.
NOEL KING, HOST:
In Florida, it's the time of year for snowbirds. Those are people who move south when the weather turns cold. But with the pandemic, something is missing in Florida this year, Canadians. Here's NPR's Greg Allen.
GREG ALLEN, BYLINE: Every year for the past decade, Julia Hayes and her husband have closed up their home in Mount Albert, north of Toronto, and driven south to their vacation getaway in Cape Coral on Florida's Gulf Coast - but not this year. Because of the coronavirus, they're staying in Canada and not happy about it.
JULIA HAYES: You're up here. And you're under, like, loads and loads of snow. And it's not safe to go out and walk. And you certainly can't swim. It's a much healthier lifestyle when we go down to Florida.
ALLEN: Land crossings between the U.S. and Canada have been closed since March, an effort by both countries to contain spread of the coronavirus. The closure means that tens of thousands of Canadians who usually drive south this time of year can't. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said recently his government wants Canadians to avoid all nonessential travel.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
PRIME MINISTER JUSTIN TRUDEAU: People can make their own decisions. But a travel advisory from the government of Canada to not travel outside the borders unless it's essential travel is about as strong as we can go.
ALLEN: For many Canadians, there's a bigger obstacle than the closed border keeping them home, it's health insurance. Travel insurance broker Martin Firestone says policies that cover COVID-19 are pricey. And some policies have limits as to how much they'll pay.
MARTIN FIRESTONE: I would say my business is down close to 75% right now from the traditional period that it used to be - very busy with people all leaving for upwards of 185 days, coming back, typically, in April.
ALLEN: In Florida, Canadians make up a significant part of the tourism-dependent economy. Fort Myers and Cape Coral are especially popular with visitors from Ontario. At the Upriver RV Resort in Fort Myers, co-owner Lynda Phillips says most of her Canadian customers, many of whom usually stay for the season, have cancelled.
LYNDA PHILLIPS: You know, it's definitely impacted the whole area. Hotel and motel stays are down and, you know, restaurants, as far as Canadian.
ALLEN: Phillips says she's seeing more guests than usual from other parts of the U.S. But they're short-term bookings that don't make up for the loss of her Canadian snowbirds. The border is closed until at least November 21. Prime Minister Trudeau has indicated the closure will likely be extended indefinitely. Because the border closure doesn't affect air travel, some Canadians are flying to Florida this year. But for those who insist on bringing their cars, Jeremy Rood recently came up with a workaround.
JEREMY ROOD: Actually, my parents were wanting to go to Florida. They decided a number of weeks ago that - you know what? - they've got their own place. They're going to go down there. They want to self-isolate, use their property. And I said, well, you know, that's not a problem. We can get you across the border by helicopter.
ALLEN: Rood is the charters manager for Great Lakes Helicopter in Cambridge, Ontario. A friend of his with a trucking company loaded his parents' car on a flatbed and delivered it just across the U.S. side of the border. Rood's parents picked it up and continued south to Florida. Rood has helped take more than a dozen other Canadians and their cars across the border since then. U.S. and Canadian customs officials say it's OK. And Rood says he's helping fill a basic Canadian need.
ROOD: People need to go where it's warm. I had a couple this morning tell me that studies show that if you go where it's warm, you'll last 10 more years. And they joked and said, well, we're in those extra 10 years right now, so we have to go.
ALLEN: Alarmed at the number of retirees traveling south, Canada recently posted an alert aimed at older travelers, asking them, once again, to choose to stay home this year to protect themselves, their family and others in their community.
Greg Allen, NPR News, Miami.
(SOUNDBITE OF THE ACORN'S "OUTAOUAIS TRILOGY: YER DOIN' IT. YER F---IN' DOIN' IT") Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
A previous version of this story misspelled the last name of Lynda Phelps.


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Up to 45 jobs at risk at building contractor Acheson & Glover
UP to 45 jobs could be at risk at Co Tyrone building contractor AG (Acheson & Glover) after the company announced plans to cease precast concrete manufacturing at its Magherafelt plant.
AG, which employs over 400 people across the UK, has announced it is entering into a formal 30-day consultation process in regard to a management proposal to consolidate precast manufacturing to one plant at Ballygawley by the end of 2018.
The decision follows a review of the precast business over a nine month period following an ongoing downturn in orders for its Hollowcore flooring and precast stairs as a result of uncertainty in the marketplace driven by Brexit.
Chief executive Raymond Acheson said AG's plants at Ballygawley and Magherafelt have been running at 60 per cent capacity for some time and believes anticipated demand would be better served by running one factory to its full capacity.
“We simply cannot afford to continue to run the business with factories operating at 60 per cent capacity and therefore the company needs to take action now," he said
"It is vital for the wider business that we control our costs and restructure, so we can adapt to market conditions and capitalise on increased demand for other products. Our people are the very heart of our business so the proposal to consolidate precast manufacturing at Ballygawley has only been made after lengthy consideration. We fully understand how difficult this will be for our colleagues and we want to assure everyone potentially impacted that we will do our very best to support them through this process."
Mr Acheson said the downtown in demand is directly linked to major UK building projects being axed or delayed since the Brexit referendum and the ongoing lack of local government, which he states is holding back capital investment in Northern Ireland.
Up to 45 positions may be affected by the consolidation, but operating an increased production team at Ballygawley could create 10 new roles at the company. The firm also anticipates around five new jobs being created in other parts of the AG group as sales for non-precast products continue to rise. It is hoped as many of these positions as possible will be filled by staff currently based at Magherafelt.
Mr Acheson added that demand for AG's paving, building, and drainage products was encouraging and the proposals on the table are aimed at future-proofing the business.
“We want to assure our wider staff, customers, suppliers and other external stakeholders that the rest of the business is performing well. These proposals are all about strengthening our precast division and helping it adapt to market conditions. We see a healthy future for the precast business that will include new roles at our Ballygawley facility and an announcement in the coming weeks of our new precast managing director.”


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If you’re in the business of selling products and services, a content and loyal customer is gold. However, as technology-enhanced, real-time communication grows, a dissatisfied customer is a ticking time-bomb that can do significant damage to your reputation. .
Transformation is on everyone’s lips in 2016 but, unfortunately, it’s for the wrong reasons. Recent headline-grabbing stories of unprecedented racial tension have revealed a greater need to intensify efforts to achieve real transformation in South Africa.


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Every year, as many as 13 million tonnes of plastic leak into our oceans, according to UN Environment. That’s a truckload every minute. For several years, the Swiss watch company Oris has wanted to change things, thanks to its Change for the Better mission, by raising funds and raising awareness, with the support of the most innovative ocean conservation agencies in the world. Today, this independent watch brand is achieving climate neutrality: a certification awarded by independent experts at ClimatePartner who help companies take action for the climate.
To mark the start of this new chapter, Oris is introducing the Aquis Date Upcycle, a version of our high-performance diver’s watch with a colourful dial made of recycled PET plastic. The Aquis Date Upcycle is available with either a 41.5 mm or 36.5 mm case, both with recycled ocean-plastic dials. Each watch will be unique because the plastic recycling process produces random patterns, meaning no two dials will be the same. Both have a stainless steel case and a uni-directional rotating diver’s bezel with a scratch-resistant grey ceramic insert. They also have a stainless steel bracelet with a clasp extension system, crown protectors, a screw-down crown and a Swiss Made automatic mechanical movement. Every watch comes in our grey presentation box made from sustainable and recyclable paper – one of our many recent developments that fed into our climate neutral status. These are not limited edition watches, as Oris will continue to produce them as long as there is demand.
As well as to show how plastic can be recycled and then upcycled to become a piece of luxury watchmaking art, the vision behind the watch is to encourage people all over the world to take part in clean-up days. Oris, together with its global network of partners and suppliers, has been taking part in World Cleanup Day for a number of years. This year,new partner of Oris #tide has produced special Oris ’Cleanup Bags’ made from recycled oceanplastic to collect trash in. Collecting trash, like education, is a collective responsibility and essential if we are to conserve our oceans for future generations. The Cleanup Bag represents the start of an exciting new partnership with #tide, a specialist plastic recycling company based in Switzerland that uses an innovative production method to turn 100 per cent ocean-bound plastic into a new premium raw material. #tide is committed to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and has saved 15 million PET plastic bottles from entering the ocean.


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December 4, 2006, - 6:54 pm
By Debbie Schlussel
Why is Wal-Mart still selling Nazi Death’s Head Battalion T-Shirts?
In November, Rick of liberal website Bent Corner reported that he saw Nazi Death’s Head Battalion T-Shirts on sale at his local Wal-Mart. I wrote about it. Later that day, I got an e-mail from Marshall Manson, one of Wal-Mart’s paid PR flacks, claiming that the retail giant would “immediately” remove all Nazi Death’s Head T-shirts from all Wal-Mart stores, but that it “might take a day or two.”
Well, almost a full month later, guess what? Wal-Mart is still selling the T-shirts. Reader Rob reports:
Subject: Nazi SS Death’s Head Battalion skull T shirt
The local Wal Mart in Clarksville Indiana is still selling these and has a decent supply of them too!
Not so sure how great they are doing with this so called recall?
Wal-Mart Supercenter Store #1476
1351 Veterans Parkway
Clarksville, IN 47129
Why is it so important that Wal-Mart stop selling these T-shirts? The Nazi SS division, Death’s Head Battalion (“Totenkopf”), which included such evil men as Johann Leprich, murdered millions of Jews and non-Jews, many of them after pro-longed torture and rape. The Death’s Head Battalion skull and bones is now frequently worn by Neo-Nazis.
WHY is Wal-Mart still selling Nazi T-shirts when they’ve had almost a month notice and promised to “immediately” remove them from the shelves? Maybe it’s the same reason that after Wal-Mart got caught by ICE (Immigration & Customs Enforcement) forcing janitorial contractors to hire illegal aliens, they got caught again with illegal alien contractors building a store in Pennsylvania.
Wal-Mart feels it can get away with it. And apparently it has. We wonder if there were KKK T-shirts–no, make that anti-Islam T-shirts–if they’d still be selling at Wal-Mart.
Don’t count on it. Wal-Mart may have put the “Merry Christmas” back in their stores. But the retailer still hasn’t removed the Nazi Ts.
Remember as you do your holiday shopping that Wal-Mart is now the official outfitter of neo-Nazis, who’ve been flocking to the stores to buy the T-Shirts.
Shame on you, Wal-Mart.
Tags: (812) 284-9926, Battalion Emblem, Battalion T-Shirts, Christmas, Debbie Schlussel Why, head, Indiana, Johann Leprich, Ku Klux Klan, Marshall Manson, Pennsylvania, retail giant, SS Death's Head Battalion, Supercenter Store, Wal-Mart, Wal-Mart stores


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Wireless emerged as the one bright spot at this year's shrunken and lightly attended Comdex/Fall 2002 trade show, with both wireless LAN and enterprise satellite data vendors reporting their best year in a long time in terms of booth traffic and solid sales leads.
Brian Grimm, a spokesman for the Wi-Fi Alliance, said Comdex 2002 was "the best year ever" for the industry association and for members who exhibited -- even better than the Comdex 2000 show at the tail end of the tech industry stock boom. Grimm said vendors exhibiting in the Wi-Fi Alliance area of the convention center this year recorded more than 2,000 "quality" sales leads.
That popularity reflects the explosive growth in WLAN products and sales. The Wi-Fi Alliance has certified 142 new products during the past quarter, according to Dennis Eaton, chairman of the industry group. That is 40 percent more products than the alliance certified in the previous quarter and now puts the number of certified WLAN products at 509. The majority of those products operate under the 802.11b standard, which provides raw data throughputs of 11M bit/sec. in the 2.4-GHz band.
Dataquest, a unit of Gartner, predicts that WLAN shipments will hit 15.5 million units (both access points and clients) and almost double to 26.5 million units next year. Dataquest forecast that by the end of next year, close to 50 percent of all PCs used by mobile professionals will come equipped with WLAN hardware. That compares with only 9 percent in 2000.
Satellite data vendors also attracted a large pool of quality buyers, according to Jon Haugan, president of OptiStreams. OptiStreams is a valued-added reseller for high-speed data services over the satellite systems operated by Hughes Electronics.
Haugan said that in terms of traffic and quality buyers, this was his best Comdex in a decade. "The quality [of potential customers] is the highest I have ever seen," Haugan said. "These are high-quality decision-makers."
OptiStreams provides satellite data services to remote offices of large enterprises, as well as high-speed Internet connections to small and medium-size businesses in remote locations.