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South Burlington Kmart to close
The Kmart store in South Burlington will close to the public in mid-January, Sears Holdings executives announced on Wednesday.
The store's closure is part of a cost-cutting measure, said Howard Riefs, director of corporate communications for the company.
Sears Holdings, a Hoffman Estates, Illinois corporation, owns the retail stores Sears and Kmart.
The company hopes to migrate the shopping activity of people who previously shopped in the Shelburne Road store to alternative channels, including other Kmart and Sears stores and online, Riefs wrote in an email.
"As a result, we hope to retain a portion of the sales previously associated with these stores by nurturing and maintaining our relationships with the members that shopped these locations," he said.
The Shelburne Road location is the only local store impacted. Another Kmart store is located in Rutland.
The store's 66 employees will receive severance packages and have the opportunity to apply for open positions at area Sears or Kmart stores.
The store will begin a liquidation sale on Oct. 25 and will remain open until mid-January.
Riefs said customers with layaway contracts at the store can choose to pay off the contract early or transfer their layaway contract to a neighboring store or online.
"We are communicating with our layaway customers as they come in weekly to make their payments," he said. "We truly apologize for any customer inconvenience."
The closing comes several weeks after numerous residents complained about overnight parking in the Kmart parking lot.
The Kmart building and parking lot is privately owned and leased by Hannaford Bros. Co., headquartered in Maine. Long-term parking is against store policy, but tractor trailers, vehicles and boats have been left in the parking lot for extended periods of time.
The issues has drawn the ire of neighbors and prompted noise complaints to South Burlington, and neighbors have said the parking lot has made them feeling uneasy.
Contact Haley Dover at 660-1850 or firstname.lastname@example.org. Follow Haley on Twitter at www.twitter.com/HaleyRDover.


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Elon Musk isn’t the only one getting rich from Tesla.
Its Seoul-based battery supplier, LG Chem, has posted its own sales records with its energy solutions company, according to its recently released financial statements.
LG Chem, also known as LG Chemical, is South Korea’s largest chemical company.
“Sales increased by 25% compared to the previous quarter due to growing sales of EVs following global environment-friendly policies especially in Europe and China, and the large-scale ESS project in North America,” the company stated.
In the second quarter, revenues for the entire company, which includes a petrocheical division, climbed by 3.1 percent. The operating profit rose 177.7 percent compared to the previous quarter.
Like Tesla, LG Chem’s stock price has shot upward, enriching its investors.
LG Chem stock has been on a tear on the Korea Exchange over the past month.
LG Chem stock has been on a tear on the Korea Exchange over

domain: news


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Plans to allow pensioners to sell their annuity have been shelved by the government.
The Treasury announced today that the secondary annuity market would not be going ahead in April 2017 as planned, saying that the amount of consumer protection needed would have stifled the market.
An annuity is a financial product that you get at retirement; essentially, you hand over your pension savings and you’re guaranteed a regular income until you die. Before the 2015 pension freedoms, nearly everyone bought an annuity, and they were virtually impossible to sell. The previous government believed that some people – particularly those with a short lifespan – could have benefited from selling their annuity to get a cash lump sum instead.
Not enough annuity buyers
The Treasury announcement outlined fears that there wouldn’t have been enough buyers competing for people’s annuities, had the secondary market plan gone ahead.
Simon Kirby, economic secretary to the Treasury, said: ‘Allowing consumers to sell on their annuity income was always dependent on balancing the creation of an effective market with making sure consumers are properly protected.
‘It has become clear that we cannot guarantee consumers will get good value for money in a market that is likely to be small and limited. Pursuing this policy in these circumstances would put consumers at risk – this is something that I am not prepared to do.’
Find out more: annuities explained – see how these products work
Selling an annuity
Currently, if you sell your annuity income you’ll pay a penalty tax charge between 55% and 70% – making the prospect effectively useless.
In April 2017, this penalty was due to be removed for both existing annuitants and those buying an annuity in the future. This would have brought annuities in line with other products, following the introduction of the 2015 pension freedoms.
However, there were many unanswered questions about how much of their original investment that sellers would get back and whether fees would devour the annuity’s cash value.
The government had previously estimated that only 5% of people who currently hold an annuity would take advantage of this reform.
Vickie Sheriff, director of campaigns and communications at Which?, said: ‘The decision to cancel these plans will be disappointing for those who wanted to take advantage of the new pension freedoms. However, Which? raised concerns that some people might not get a good deal, so it would have been wrong to move forward without assurances that consumers could get value for money and have the necessary protections.’
- Our guide explains the income options for your pension under the 2015 rules
- Plan for life after work with our pensions and retirement hub
- Your pension query answered by calling the Which? Money Helpline


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Amazon will offer a 10 percent discount on HDFC Bank credit and debit cards during the upcoming sale.
You can find your way to this smartphone for multiple reasons, the biggest being 6,000 mAh battery.
Samsung Galaxy M31 houses a 6,000 mAh battery that supports 15 W fast charging technology.
Samsung Galaxy M31 with 64 MP quad camera, 6,000 mAh battery launched in India at a price of Rs 14,999
Galaxy M31 comes with a 6.4-inch waterdrop Super AMOLED display and a 32 MP front camera.
The Galaxy M31 will house a 6,000 mAh battery and sAMOLED waterdrop notch display.


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Sprint Talks Profits (Or Lack Thereof), Impact From The iPhone 4S
With the arrival of the iPhone 4S, Sprint finally got what it’s been wanting for years: a piece of the Apple smartphone pie. How’s that working out for the carrier, just what did it end up costing, and how’s Sprint network handling the new users? Sprint just revealed its third quarter figures, while commenting on the state of the iPhone, giving us a few answers.
Before we knew Apple wouldn’t be releasing an iPhone 5 this year, we got news of a reportedly $20B deal Sprint had made with Apple to guarantee certain iPhone sales of the course of the next four years, supposedly in exchange for an iPhone 5 exclusive. Even without the iPhone 5 bit playing-out, Sprint revealed it’s still on the hook for something like $15.5B, but it’s more than happy to be paying that figure, expecting iPhone users to still turn the company a profit.
Even with iPhone subsidies costing Sprint much more per-phone than any Android or WP7 handsets, that should be offset by income from service contracts. Part of the reason why Sprint expects to clear so much off this user group is that it reports iPhone data use as falling substantially short of Android’s figures. We were worried that iPhones on unlimited plans might cripple Sprint’s network, but apparently they’re far from being bandwidth hogs.
As far as third-quarter subscriber figures go (which are too early to reflect iPhone sales), Sprint took on about as many new subscribers as Verizon did, with about 1.3 million, and churn is down a bit from this time last year. Sprint’s still reporting quarterly losses in the range of $300 million, but that’s a just a third of the Q3 2010 figure.


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By catering to the global hunger for EVs and its domestic economic growth, Indonesia risks destroying its own environment.
Indonesia is one of the world’s top producers of battery minerals and the first global producer of nickel, an essential component to produce lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries. That places the country at the core of the electric vehicle (EV) revolution.
Home to 25% of the world’s nickel resources, Indonesia also has rich resources of cobalt and copper, other essential minerals for battery production. Based on its assets, the country is developing its own EV industry and has plans to become a global EV battery production hub.
Under President Joko Widodo’s administration, Indonesia is set to begin EV domestic production by 2021 or 2022 with the goal of exporting 200,000 EVs by 2025, or about 20% of the estimated total of exported cars. Continue Reading →


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- Changing room voyeur faces compulsory treatment at sex clinic after pleading guilty to spying on Chinese women athletes in Leeds sports centre.
- Walcott’s accomplishments presents some good news for a country desperately in need of some.
First Lady Michelle Obama Teases Olympic Gold Medalist Gabby Douglas on 'Tonight' Show For Eating McDonald'sMichelle Obama teased U.S. Olympic gold medalist, Gabby Douglas during her appearance on the Jay leno Show, for eating fast food from McDonald's.
- Women are still judged and evaluated primarily on their looks.
- Rumors about a black Samsung Galaxy S3 gathered pace last week. And now, a new report Monday apparently confirmed that the black-colored Galaxy S3 is indeed going to be a reality sooner than later. UK retailer MobileFun has listed the smartphone for pre-orders at a price of £499.95 (around $785).
Victoria Beckham's Olympics Performance Was Posh Indeed, But Was Her Label Gold Medal-Worthy? [PHOTO]Victoria Beckham's performance with the Spice Girls at Sunday night's closing ceremony of the London Olympics had fans across the globe raving. But her fashion label's appearance in the exclusive British Fashion Hall of Fame portion of the show was another matter.
- Oscar Pistorius, Michael Phelps and Usain Bolt helped make the 2012 Olympics one of the most memorable games in history. Here is a list of the best moments from London.
Windows Phone 8 Release Date Could Come In September Near Rumored iPhone 5 Unveil; Reasons It Will Launch Next MonthMicrosoft’s upcoming Windows Phone 8 is likely to see a release date this fall, as manufacturers Nokia and HTC have been ramping up production of smartphones based on this platform, DigiTimes has reported.
- The Spice Girls and One Direction performed at the closing ceremony of the 2012 London Olympics. Here are videos of their performances on Sunday.
Olympics 2012 Closing Ceremony Pictures: The Who, One Direction Among Performers In London At End of Games [PHOTOS]British musicians The Who, One Direction and the Spice Girls highlighted the 2012 Olympic closing ceremony. Here are some pictures from the last night in London.
Spice Girls Olympics Closing Ceremony Fashion: Sartorial Choices Are An Updated Blast From The Past [PHOTOS]One cannot talk about the highly-awaited Spice Girls reunion show at the London Olympics without discussing the fashion worn by the beloved members: Melanie Chisholm (Sporty), Emma Bunton (Baby), Melanie Brown (Scary), Victoria Beckham (Posh) and Geri Halliwell (Ginger), each known for their wild styles and signature looks. Here's a roundup of what each of the ladies wore and a slideshow of photos.
- A tribal leader and his son in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula were shot dead Monday by militants, two days after Bedouin tribal chiefs extended cooperation to the Egyptian security forces to restore normalcy in the lawless border region along Gaza and Israel.
- The U.S. won a total of 104 medals -- the most of any country at the London Summer Olympics -- including 46 gold, 29 silver and 29 bronze. China was second, with 88 medals, while Great Britain was third, with 65. The games ended Sunday.
Closing Ceremony London Olympics 2012: The Not-So-Famous And Famous Faces Who Made A Mark At The Grand Finale (PHOTOS)As the Olympic stadia venue is cleaned to host the next big sporting event in London, here are a few images that capture the spirit of the closing ceremony.
Olympic Closing Ceremony: George Michael, Spice Girls, John Lennon, And Others Close Out The London Games [PHOTOS]Singer George Michael -- aided and abetted by Fatboy Slim, Russell Brand, and the Spice Girls, among a host of British musical icons -- helped put the spectacle in the spectacular closing ceremony at the London 2012 Olympic Games on Sunday. Check out some of the best photos of the event.
- Kevin Durant and LeBron James were on their game on Sunday against Spain.


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Johnson City commissioners were offered a peculiar proposition from Development Services Director Preston Mitchell for Monday’s agenda overview meeting. Mitchell said that an undisclosed automobile heating factor producer is inquisitive about quickly finding its meeting line in the former BedInABox web page at 220 E. Millard St., bringing with it more or less one hundred jobs.
“That’s 100 human beings eating, buying, and spending time downtown that doesn’t exist. That’s a home run,” City Manager Pete Peterson advised commissioners. But without an assurance, it’ll even make the flow, and the employer first desires to see commissioners rezone the 65,000-rectangular-foot website online from a B-3, or Supporting Central Business District, to an I-1, or Light Industrial District. “This would be a more or less three-to-four-12 months operation,” Mitchell stated.
“In the intervening time, they’re also purchasing another large website out within the (Washington County) Industrial Park, where they’d construct a larger facility, and they’d genuinely do complete-blown manufacturing, warehousing, meeting, and distribution from that large facility three to 4 years later,” Mitchell said Alicia Summers, vice president of commercial improvement for the Northeast Tennessee Regional Economic Partnership, has been working with the employer at the deal.
However, according to Mitchell, Summers signed a non-disclosure settlement, or NDA, that legally prevents her from revealing the business enterprise’s name or different details about the pass. Considering NETREP’s involvement, economic development incentives may also be a part of the negotiations. In 2013, BedInABox proprietor Bill Bradley renovated the previous Giant Foods warehouse to accommodate his online mattress business before shifting in. In the final 18 months, Mitchell stated BedInABox relocated its enterprise to North Carolina. However, Bradley still kept ownership of the assets.
“The cause BedInABox was able to pass into this facility once they did in 2013 was due to the fact they met a completely strange little interpretation of the B-3 zoning ordinance. And that is, you can do the hand-crafted assembly. … But, that hand-made assembly is needed to have a few forms of retail or storefront issue to it,” Mitchell stated. To meet that storefront zoning requirement, Mitchellsaidd BedInABox operated a showroom. Following Mitchell’s presentation, Vice Mayor Joe Wise, without delay, asked, “So if we rezone it, they’re coming?
Not always, as Mitchell stated, the company is likewise buying different properties in different cities. “They’re searching at other homes. On more than one activity, we have attempted to get them to offer us an LOI (Letter of Intent) or something extra than only a, ‘You’re considered one of our cities we’re purchasing,'” Mitchell stated. “What they want to ensure are their entitlements. And if the entitlements are in an area that night (March eight, the day after the 0.33 studying of the rezoning request), we know we’d receive the award, but there may be no guarantee.”
The Johnson City, Regional Planning Commission, voted 7-2 all through its Feb. 12 assembly to propose the rezoning request’s approval. The planning department’s personnel also recommend a license, even though the utilization technically conflicts with the town’s future land use plan for the downtown enterprise. “Staff recommendation is to approve based on the reality that this is an opportunity to reuse a current mild business facility. If this were new construction, our recommendation would be to deny it because of the brand-new advent of that sort of facility. But the constructing is already here,” Mitchell stated.
If, for anything cause, the business enterprise does not relocate there, Mitchell stated the rezoning could stay in the area until the proprietor, Planning Commission or City Commission requests it to be changed back. The rezoning request will be on the City Commission’s schedule for Thursday’s 6 p.M. Assembly at City Hall.


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Posted October. 22, 2008 03:01,
Koreans prefer large sedans with bigger engine, according to the results of a survey released yesterday.
The Korea Transport Institute studied 986,000 passenger cars registered last year, and found that the average engine was 2.113 liters, 21 percent higher than the European average of 1.744.
Among major European countries, the average engine size last year was 1.777 liters in the United Kingdom; 1,680 in France; 1,863 in Germany; 1,558 in Italy; and 1,970 in Luxembourg.
The proportion of large sedans among newly registered cars in Korea last year was 56 percent. The figure was much higher than those of the United Kingdom (13 percent); France (11 percent); Germany (22 percent); and Italy (9.6 percent).
The share of compact cars with engines less than one liter in Korea dropped to 48 percent from 157,000 units in 1998 to 82,000 last year. The number of small sedans with one to 1.5 liter engines fell from 62,000 to 43,000 over the same period.
The number of mid-sized sedans (1.5 to two liters), however, jumped 140 percent from 218,000 to 303,000. That of large sedans with engines two liters or bigger grew 430 percent from 132,000 to 558,000 over the period.
The rapid growth of mid-and large passenger cars was not only due to higher per capita income in Korea, but also due to changes in laws and regulations, the institute said.
The consumption tax for large sedans dropped from 40 percent of the price of a vehicle in 1977 to 10 percent. In the early 2000s, taxes on diesel were lower than those on gasoline, resulting in an increase in the number of leisure vehicles with larger engines.


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South Korean tech giant Samsung is all set to launch the 5G variant of its Galaxy A22 smartphone on July 23. The company shared the launch date on its Twitter handle.
“Gear up for lag-free, real-time gaming on 5G. 11 bands 5G network support of #GalaxyA225G will guarantee uninterrupted 5G access. Just two days to go. Stay tuned #Samsung,” the South Korean tech giant tweet, indicating the launch of its latest smartphone.
All you need to know about the Samsung Galaxy A22 5G
According to the leaked details, two variants of Samsung Galaxy A22 5G are expected to appear on the launch date. While the 6GB+128GB variant of the device is likely to be priced at Rs 19,999, the 8GB+128GB version of the smartphone is said to cost Rs 21,999.
Samsung has already launched Galaxy A22 5G in Europe. The South Korean tech giant is expected to launch the same variant in the Indian market. The device features a 6.6-inch full HD+ display that promises to offer a 90Hz of refresh rate. The smartphone runs on an octa-core MediaTek processor, which comes coupled with 6GB/8GB RAM.
The handset offers 128GB expandable internal storage (MicroSD Card). Samsung Galaxy A22 5G also gets Android 11 as its operating system.
The phone has a triple rear camera setup that includes a 48MP primary sensor, a 5MP ultra-wide lens, and a 2MP depth sensor. For selfies and video calls, the phone offers an 8MP camera at its front. The smartphone borrows power from a 5000mAh battery with 15W fast charging support.


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French President Nicolas Sarkozy has asked a Paris court for an injunction to stop sales of a voodoo doll made in his image.
The doll's maker, K&B Publishers, has a hit on its hands and has turned down a request to voluntarily withdraw the doll from sale.
The doll with Sarkozy's face comes with a voodoo kit, including pins to stick into the figure.
Friday, October 24, 2008
Sarkozy displeased with voodoo doll
So much so, in fact, that he's trying to get an injunction against its sale:


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The developer of the MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5 trading platforms MetaQuotes, announced its new MQL5 Channels product, a messaging app for traders and brokers.
The company said the messenger offers users a communication platform where they can chat with traders from across the globe, create personalised news channels, and study fundamental and technical analysis.
The messaging app, which is available on the App Store and Google Play, was developed with the fintech industry in mind, MetaQuotes said in its press release.
Various market participants and trader-focused groups online already use apps such as Discord and Telegram for subscription services where customers can interact. Much like those other apps, the MQL5 Channels Product allows users to subscribe to trading channels, follow market updates or create a channel and promote their expertise.
However, MetaQuotes distinguished its offering by stating that it is primarily aimed at assisting MetaTrader 5 trading platform users by creating corporate chats, supporting communities, and optimizing trading-related communications.
MetaQuotes also emphasised that the company “sticks to high-security requirements” to assure the secure exchange of confidential data via the app, which is also said to be able to deliver messages even with a poor internet connection.
In September 2022, Apple removed MetaQuotes’ MT4 and MT5 trading platforms from its App Store due to non-compliance with guidelines. While there were no specific reasons for the removal provided, many speculated online that it was due to the rising number of frauds executed through the MT4 and MT5 apps.


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Google Disclosed the revenue share of their Adsense program
In the past, Google, a company who's informal company motto is "Don't be evil," has been conspicuously tight-lipped
when it came to disclosing how much AdSense revenue it shares with its publishers.
This lack of transparency has led to some criticism of the search engine company. Such complaints over Google's
business conduct come at the same time as pressure from the Italian government, which recently launched an antitrust
investigation arising from allegations of gouging from a local newspaper against Google. Perhaps in an attempt to
restore some of its squeaky clean image, Google recently disclosed its revenue shares for AdSense for content and
Adsense for search.
AdSense for content is Google's most popular advertising platform and consists of contextually-based advertising units
that are displayed along with content published on third-party websites. Advertisers can bid competitively on this ad
space through the AdWords Pay-Per-Click
(PPC) program. When users click on the ads, the advertiser is billed a certain amount per click. According to the
recently disclosed information, 68 percent of this revenue goes to the publisher who hosted the site where the ad
appeared whereas the remaining portion goes to Google. For example, if a blog owner generates $100 worth of AdSense
revenue, he or she would receive $68 while Google would pocket $32. Meanwhile, publishers receive 51 percent of the
revenues from AdSense for search, a service which places a customized search box on the publisher's website and
displays ads next to the search results.
Google states that it invests its share of ad revenues towards improving the technology and paying for operation costs.
Google is continually working towards providing more relevant ads and attracting more advertisers, according to its blog.
Google's motives for a move towards more transparency have been a topic of heavy discussion throughout the media and
within industry circles. Many point towards the increased interest that the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has shown
in online marketing, which came to head recently in its ruling that bloggers and affiliate marketers must disclose
their relationships with the products they are endorsing.
Since then, and in light of the recent government actions against Google and online advertisers and Internet marketers,
Google has called for greater self regulation of the industry. As regulators across the globe begin scrutinizing the
online marketing and search industries more closely, we may see even more companies transitioning towards greater transparency.
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People claiming tax credits are being warned about scam or “phishing” emails from fraudsters in the run-up to the 31 July deadline for renewing claims.
In May this year, the number of phishing emails recorded was 11,219 - 131% higher than the same month a year earlier, HMRC said.
HMRC said it closed 1,740 illegal sites in 2013, most originating in Turkey, Spain and Bulgaria. Phishing emails also came from the UK and USA.
Phishing emails often promise money back and, if the recipient clicks on a link, they are taken to a fake replica of the HMRC website. They are then asked to provide credit or debit card details or other sensitive information such as passwords. The fraudsters then try to take money from their account.
They often ask for the recipient’s name, address, date of birth, bank account number, sort code, credit card details, national insurance number, passwords and mother’s maiden name.
In addition to money being stolen from victims’ bank accounts, their personal details can be sold to criminal gangs, leading to possible identify theft.
Nick Lodge, director general of benefits and credits at HMRC, said: “HMRC will never ask people to disclose personal or payment information by email. We are committed to claimants’ online security but the methods fraudsters use to get information are constantly changing, so people need to be alert.”
HMRC is asking people to be wary of e-mails with attachments which might contain viruses designed to steal personal or financial information, and not to open them.
One scam is contained in an email circulated from [email protected] telling recipients about a 2013 tax refund report. The email appears to have been issued by “Tax Credit Office Preston”, but it is a scam. It includes an attachment that contains a virus. Recipients are urged not to respond and to delete it immediately.


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The Impacts of Coronavirus on the Global Economy The coronavirus has infected nearly 40,000 people killing over 900 of its infected patients.
The first signs of the virus was in 2003, when SARS emerged in China, killing hundreds of people and sparking panic that sent a chill through the global economy. Now, the current virus could potentially be more damaging and problematic for the economy and its consumers especially in China, producing 16% of the total global output. “The outbreak has the potential to cause severe economic and market dislocation. But the scale of the impact will ultimately be determined by how the virus spreads and evolves, which is almost impossible to predict, as well as how governments respond,” said Neil Shearing, group chief economist at Capital Economics.
Globalization has encouraged companies to build supply chains that cut across national borders, making economies much more interconnected. The major central banks have used up much of the ammunition they would typically deploy to fight economic downturns since the 2008 financial crisis, and global debt levels have never been higher. Rising nationalism may make it harder to coordinate a worldwide response if that’s required. The virus is currently impacting supply chains and disrupting companies. Car plants across China have been ordered to remain closed, preventing global automakers Volkswagen (VLKAF), Toyota (TM), Daimler (DDAIF), General Motors (GM), Renault (RNLSY), Honda (HMC) and Hyundai (HYMTF) from resuming operations in the world’s largest car market. The outbreak in China will slash production by about 15% in the first quarter. Luxury good markers are also impacted by consumers who spend big bucks inside China and consumers worldwide. British brand Burberry (BBRYF) has closed 24 of its 64 stores in mainland China, and its chief executive warned Friday that the virus is causing a “material negative effect on luxury demand.” Economists say the current level of disruption is manageable. If the number of new coronavirus cases begins to slow, and China’s factories reopen soon, the result will be a large hit to the Chinese economy in the first quarter and a dent in global growth. If the virus continues to spread, however, the economic damage will increase rapidly.
This is significant in many ways, especially since the virus is impacting the global economy which is huge because that affects everyone not just the infected. This could potentially increase the motive to find solutions faster to combat the disease. China is hoping the United States will step in to help control the infectious disease.


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Dr. Dre is producing music for a new Grand Theft Auto game, long-time collaborator and fellow rapper Snoop Dogg has suggested.
In an interview with Rolling Stone, Snoop said he was contributing to some of the music Dre is making for the upcoming project.
“I do know he’s in the studio,” Snoop said of Dre. “I do know he’s making great fucking music. And some of his music is connected to the GTA game that’s coming out.
“So I think that that will be the way that his music will be released, through the GTA video game.”
It’s unclear if Snoop was referring to a brand-new, unannounced game, or to updates for an ongoing project like Grand Theft Auto Online.
A representative for Grand Theft Auto maker Rockstar Games declined to comment on Snoop’s claims when contacted by Rolling Stone.
Grand Theft Auto 6 could still be four years away from release and feature an expanding map set in Vice City, reliable industry insider Tom Henderson claimed in July. His claims were backed up by well-informed Bloomberg journalist Jason Schreier, as well as VGC’s own sources.
Rockstar announced last week that its Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – Definitive Edition remasters will launch digitally on November 11, 2021, ahead of a physical release the following month.
The company recently delayed the next-gen versions of GTA V from their previously planned November 2021 release date to early next year.


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VisitBritain predicts ‘a slow recovery’ for domestic tourism spending, estimated to reach £51.4 billion this year, just over half of the £91.6 billion in 2019.
Last year saw about two-thirds of the value wiped off the domestic tourism industry amid the pandemic, representing a £58 billion loss to the economy.
Its forecast for inbound tourism spending in the UK this year is £6.2 billion, less than a quarter of the £28.4 billion in 2019.
In the annual review of VisitBritain/VisitEngland, chief executive Sally Balcombe said the industry had been “thriving” in 2019, but tourism was “one of the first and hardest hit sectors by the Covid-19 pandemic”.
The tourism agency’s strategy for 2021 is to drive “immediate tourism recovery through building back visitor spend as quickly as possible and supporting the industry”.
“As we see the green shoots of recovery with the roadmap for coming out of lockdown and a successful vaccination programme, we want to ensure we build on the lessons we have learnt during the pandemic,” she said in the review.
Lord McLoughlin, chairman of the British Tourist Authority, said: “After a year of digital connection and missed experiences, we cannot underestimate the immense social value that our industry will impart over the coming months. It will be key to reviving the spirits of the nation.
“We know that there is plenty of pent-up demand from people around the world to get travelling again.”


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Despite its short life, Uber has already faced waves of fraudulent activity. In 2015, hackers broke into and sold wads of Uber accounts on the dark web, and at around the same time scammers in China used modified smartphones to place fake Uber bookings.
More recently, English-speaking fraudsters have also allegedly been spoofing Uber rides, pretending to be both a driver and customer, and tricking the company out of cash in the process. “Despite the security concerns with hacked accounts and lackluster security that are have plagued Uber for most of the past year surprisingly, more and more people are joining,” one scamming guide reads.Read more
Uber's troublesome history with customer privacy issues took another hit, in the form of a lawsuit over allegations that Uber's employees spied on celebrities and former romantic partners.
Ward Spangenberg, a former forensic investigator for Uber, is suing the company for wrongful termination, age discrimination and defamation, according to court documents. Spangenberg alleges that sensitive information collected by Uber was widely available to employees, who then used it to "track high profile politiciains, celebrities and even personal acquaintances of Uber employees."Read more
Imagine you’re on your way to a therapy appointment in a downtown high-rise. You hail an Uber and enter a nearby coffee shop as your destination so you can grab a snack before the appointment. In the car, you scroll through Instagram and check your email.
You get out, buy your coffee, and walk around the corner to your therapist’s office. If you installed the latest app update, Uber has been tracking your location the entire time. The app update changes the way Uber collects location data from its users. Previously, Uber only collected location information while a user had the app open – now, Uber asks users to always share their location with the ride-hailing company.Read more
The FBI has proposed keeping its database of fingerprints, iris scans and photographs exempt from privacy laws, prompting companies like Lyft and Uber to join advocacy groups in saying they are “deeply concerned” about the proposed change.
The bureau wants to shield its massive biometric database, called the Next Generation Identification (NGI), from Privacy Act rules that require a person to be notified if they are in a government system, as well as rules that let people ensure that the information the government is holding about them is accurate. The FBI’s proposal was first published in early May.Read more
Uber accidentally exposed the personal data of hundreds of its drivers last night, revealing social security numbers, pictures of driver licenses, vehicle registration numbers, and other information.
Drivers registered with the ridesharing company first noticed the leak and dedicated Uber message boards. One driver said that he was presented with thousands of confidential documents from other drivers when he tried to upload a document of his own, saying that he saw "a lot of taxi certification forms and livery drivers licenses" in addition to "W-9 forms with Social Security numbers for taxi cab companies."Read more
Uber is off to a rocky start in China. The company threatened to punish any of its drivers that took part in protests against the taxi app, a large number of trips in the country are false trips concocted by drivers looking to make some easy yuan on Uber's dime.
Now, it looks like Chinese fraudsters are using hacked Uber accounts to take free trips. In May, thousands of Uber accounts were for sale on the dark web, for as little as $1 each. In August, the price of hacked accounts dropped to just 40 cents. Those accounts were accessed by hackers because Uber customers had used the same password in their taxi app as one for another service.Read more
Uber has hired two top vehicle security researchers, high-profile additions that come as the ride-hailing service ramps up its work on technology for self-driving cars.
Charlie Miller and Chris Valasek have resigned from their jobs and will join Uber next week. Miller and Valasek won wide attention this month after demonstrating that they could hack into a moving Jeep. An Uber spokeswoman said Miller and Valasek will work with the company's top security officers to continue building out a world-class safety and security program at Uber. Uber envisions autonomous cars that could someday replace its hundreds of thousands of contract drivers.Read more
One dollar could buy you a stolen password to an Uber account and free car rides around town. Vendors on dark net sites are offering active Uber username and login details for $1.
Motherboard said it was able to verify that some of the accounts were still in use by Uber members and that, in one case, a previously hacked Amazon password was likely used to get into an Uber account because the passwords were the same. The company said it investigated the issue, and found no evidence of a breach. In May 2014, the company suffered a security breach that affected thousands of Uber's current and former drivers.Read more
A senior executive at Uber suggested that the company should consider hiring a team of opposition researchers to dig up dirt on its critics in the media — and specifically to spread details of the personal life of a female journalist who has criticized the company.
After that a senior editor complained of blackmail by the manager of the company as he threatened to use her personal data to track the location of the girl. Top executive outlined the notion of spending “a million dollars” to hire four top opposition researchers and four journalists. Senior editor was repeatedly told that she had been blackmailed by Uber workers.Read more


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LG is once again shifting its tablet strategy -- announcing that it is pulling the plug on its Android 2.2 tablet plans to hold out for Android 3.0. Unlike current releases of the Android OS, the upcoming Android 3.0 is designed with tablets in mind....
LG on Monday said that it won't release a Google Android tablet this year, but instead it would wait for a future iteration of the OS, according to a Reuters report. Earlier this year LG announced plans to join the tablet bandwagon, and abandoned a t...
Although sales of Apple's iPad haven't panicked PC makers yet, trends by tablet owners may give laptop manufacturers some sleepless nights next year, a market research analyst said today.
Mellmo Inc. Monday will expand its Roambi line of online apps to allow iPad and iPhone users another way to present complex business intelligence via interactive charts and graphs.
Hardware and software enhancements could transform future smartphones into full-fledged gaming consoles or even weather stations, attendees at a processor conference said this week.
Earlier in the week, we bought you the ultimate Apple sin: an iPad running Windows 95. This time around, a hacker going by the handle "Hexxeh" managed to run Google's new Chromium operating system on his iPad, thus creating the ChromePad.
BlackBerry-maker Research In Motion wants to put the new OS found on its upcoming PlayBook tablet on its phones as well, according to an IntoMobile report. The move is not expected to happen any time soon though, more likely a couple of BlackBerry ge...
As expected, RIM unveiled it's upcoming tablet device at the BlackBerry Developer Conference taking place this week in San Francisco. The tablet -- dubbed the PlayBook as opposed to the rumored 'BlackPad' -- won't be available until early 2011, but h...
Starting early next month, Microsoft Security Essentials, Redmond's anti-malware service for Windows PCs, will be free for small businesses to install on up to 10 PCs.
When it comes to iOS downgrading, most people talk about reverting to an older version of the operating system, like going from iOS 4 back to 3.2. The guy who posted this video to YouTube clearly has an entirely different definition.
RIM unveiled its new PlayBook in San Francisco Monday to mixed reviews and several unanswered questions.
When I'm on the road, there are few tools in my arsenal that I value more than video chat. But as much as I love it for boosting communication with colleagues during the day and saying goodnight to my kids at bedtime, managing the current mess of dis...
Research in Motion's tablet is not the BlackPad, but the BlackBerry PlayBook, a 7-inch rival to Apple's iPad and Samsung's Galaxy Tab. The tablet will ship "early 2011" according to RIM and sports some impressive specs including support for dual-proc...
Writing applications for devices like tablets and smartphones could become more challenging as CPUs and hardware accelerators are added to mobile chips, experts agreed at a processor conference on Monday.
Sharp plans an aggressive foray into the tablet market this December--well, sort of.
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The tables have turned on bitcoin doomsayers. This according to Elizabeth Stark, co-founder of Lightning Labs in a conversation with Yahoo Finance The Final Round. ...
The tables have turned on bitcoin doomsayers. This according to Elizabeth Stark, co-founder of Lightning Labs in a conversation with Yahoo Finance The Final Round.
In a turn of events, cryptocurrencies have begun to steal the show again away from blockchain. It’s a far cry from the San Francisco startup’s earlier days when Lightning decided to remove “bitcoin” from its marketing resources because at the time blockchain was king.
“Now, I feel like we’ve entered into a ‘bitcoin, not blockchain’ world, where people understand the value of cryptocurrency technology and what these can bring,” said Stark to Yahoo, pointing to proof-of-work and public/private key cryptography that “make bitcoin special.”
Stark reflected on the rise of blockchain before seemingly at the cost of bitcoin, the latter of which had become taboo in financial services. Lightning at the time was developing bitcoin software, and Stark and other developers knew that the banking industry’s decision to shun bitcoin was misinformed.
Other blockchain veterans have previously pointed out that “blockchain doesn’t exist without bitcoin” because of the miner-fueled network.
Stark and Lightning were vindicated with the rise in the market capitalization not only of bitcoin but all the leading cryptocurrencies at year-end 2017. While the prices have since pulled back, that’s actually not such a bad thing when you’re a developer in the bitcoin space. “Big price spikes aren’t good for us technical folks that are developing,” said Stark, adding she “wants things to be calm.”
Lightning is behind the Lightning Network software, which is in beta format. It sits atop Bitcoin to deliver faster transactions and more of them. Lightning Network can also be accessed via mobile.
You hear a lot about the use cases for bitcoin being a store of value and for payments, the latter of which has been problematic amid lengthy and costly transactions. But the Lightning Network looks to solve that by facilitating transactions off the blockchain between the buyer and seller instead of relying on the volunteers to verify each transaction. But it’s still close enough to the blockchain if it’s needed. It opens the door to more possibilities for bitcoin and micropayments, as the Yahoo panel suggested.
Stark provided a glimpse into the roadmap for the Lightning Network, including “many thousands of transactions per second and maybe someday even millions per second,” which dwarfs the capabilities of Visa. No wonder Visa executives feel threatened by bitcoin. Especially considering it remains early innings for bitcoin.
“Bitcoin is a marathon, not a sprint. People wanted it to be a sprint,” said Stark.
Featured image from Flickr/PICNIC Network.


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The most important annual event on the industry calendar in North America, the New York Society of Cosmetic Chemists (NYSCC) Suppliers’ Day, returns to New York from 2nd-3rd May 2023 and NATRUE will participate in this year’s show.
The NYSCC Supplier’s Day attracts thousands of the leading players in the maker and has become the showcase for the latest innovations, on top of being an excellent networking opportunity! For the time being, more than 7,800 attendees have been registered, including formulators, chemists, researchers and marketing experts among others.
NATRUE at the show
On 2nd May 2023 from 12:00 to 2:30 pm EDT, Dr Mark Smith, NATRUE Director General, will participate in a panel discussion entitled: “Natural ingredients, more tech and science needed: a discussion with experts.” Moderated by Giorgio Dell’Acqua, Advisor of NYSCC, and co-sponsored from HPC Today, Dr Smith and other industry experts will talk about what defines natural. The session will insight into how the global community seeks to provide you with the answers, nuances, and understanding related to natural ingredients.
During the two-day event NATRUE will have the opportunity to meet leading manufacturers, suppliers and distributors of raw materials and ingredients from all around the world and communicate the diverse work of the association.
Dedicated to the advancement of cosmetic science, the Society strives to increase and disseminate scientific information through meetings and publications. By promoting research in cosmetic science and industry, and by setting high ethical, professional and educational standard, the NYSCC tries to reach their goal of improving the qualifications of cosmetic scientist. Currently, the association has almost 1400 members.
Save the date: 2-3 May 2023, New York
You can find more information here.


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Consumers quick to uninstall apps when push notifications are not relevant, interesting
Push notifications in apps are a great way to keep consumers up-to-date and engaged but, according to new research conducted by the Direct Marketing Association in the UK, they need to be relevant and interesting or risk alienating users.
Most mobile users in the UK have enabled push notifications in apps, found the DMA in its survey of 1,000 consumers. However, 31% have not citing objections to the idea of being pushed messages (30%) or not knowing what push notifications were (21%).
The three most popular push notifications consumers enable are for sales promotions (34%), new products (26%) and location-based offers (26%). Notifications from supermarket apps (22%) and music/radio apps (22%) were the most-welcomed followed by movies/TV (20%), online retailers (20%) and price comparison sites (19%).
While the majority who have enabled push notifications are happy to receive information and updates the DMA notes that "it is a fine balance" when it comes to keeping consumers engaged. Over three-quarters (78%) of those surveyed said that if they were not happy with the material being received by push notifications they would immediately uninstall the app, or disable push notifications.
"For those brands with apps, push notifications are now an important tool in the customer communications box, but it's still isolated from many companies' comms strategy and planning," said Douglas McDonald, member of the DMA Mobile and Connected Marketing Council. "It's time to make it part of the planned customer journeys alongside email and other methods."
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In October 2012, A123 Systems filed for bankruptcy, citing poor sales of electric and extended range electric vehicles, its prime target market. Now, it’s time to switch targets, if not technologically speaking, then regionally.
A123 Systems, an advanced-technology battery developer, was simply ahead of its time, before the electric-vehicle boom, as well as too specialized, focusing only on electrified vehicles. A123’s customers included, among others, Fisker Automotive, General Motors, and SAIC Motor Corporation, in China. Chinese auto parts company Wanxiang Group, won the bidding to take over A123 Systems assets, which didn’t go over well with potential American Investors.
It’s been just about a year since the takeover, and a new CEO has been named to carry the company forward. A123 Systems‘ automotive division’s former head, Jason Forcier, has been named CEO. Seeing as its former customers have either moved on or failed, A123 needs to look to greener pastures. For example, General Motors is having its batteries, for the Chevy Spark, made by LG Chem, in Michigan, and Fisker Automotive has stopped production
has declared bankruptcy . Even though A123’s new CEO, executives, and manufacturing will still be in Livonia, Michigan, its new market will be in China.
Wanxiang Group, who bought A123 Systems assets at quite a bargain, will keep production here in the United States, and has investment interests in quite a few American companies. Unfortunately, the market in the United States is tight, so where better to look than economically-booming China, especially since China has such great incentives for electric-vehicle manufacturers?
UPDATE: Previously, I mentioned that Fisker Automotive had declared bankruptcy. After reading a report on Energy.gov, which stated, “Despite Fisker Automotive’s bankruptcy setback, the DOE loan portfolio remains very strong…” Fisker did hire a bankruptcy and restructuring firm, Kirkland & Ellis LLP, earlier this year, but didn’t declare bankruptcy. The Department of Energy loan has since gone to auction but, since the government shutdown, there has been no new information regarding the status of the auction and whether Fisker Automotive gets a second chance.
Image © A123 Systems
jerrykroll I guess I was getting ahead of myself. I had gathered from this statement from Energy.gov that the bankruptcy was a done deal:”Despite Fisker Automotive’s bankruptcy setback, the DOE loan portfolio remains very strong — and is playing a crucial role in helping America’s auto industry thrive, innovate and compete.” http://energy.gov/articles/update-fisker-automotive-and-energy-department-s-loan-portfolio
They did hire a bankruptcy and restructuring firm, in April, but didn’t file for bankruptcy.I guess they’re looking for second chance judging from the auction of their DOE Loan on October 7. Since the government shutdown, there hasn’t been any news from DOE regarding the auction.
Where did this author hear that Fisker Automotive has “declared bankruptcy”? Is he making things up or does he have some mysterious inside source for this information?


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The administration has announced an antitrust reform package that would destroy the fabric of our merger laws. The driving force behind this move appears to be frustration with the record-shattering foreign trade deficits created by the policies of this administration during the past five years. But economic problems do not disappear simply because one day a group of officials decides to shift the blame from failed fiscal and trade policies to the antitrust laws.
Allowing more anticompetitive mergers at home will not depress the value of the dollar in Europe or raise the minimum wage in Taiwan; it will only rob American companies of their competitive vitality and consumers of their selection of choice of goods and services at the lowest prices.
Why the administration persists in taking a "flight" rather than "fight" response to competitive challenges from abroad is unclear. The faltering automobile industry of the late 1970s took a different approach: Instead of seeking a waiver of the antitrust laws, as the administration would now suggest, it decided to meet world competition head-on with better products and more efficient production methods. What is really needed at this juncture is a vigilant trade plan that will reduce imbalance and open up foreign barriers to American goods.
Before officials go any further in serving up antitrust reform as a palliative for American trade ills, we should look at the record:
First, antitrust policy should take into account the realities of world markets, and not just domestic competitive conditions. But, for at least a decade or more, courts and the antitrust enforcement agencies have done precisely that. This is a non-issue and should be put to rest.
Second, we have just come through the largest and most sustained merger and takeover wave in American history. It is therefore difficult to understand the administration's argument that existing merger law is overly stringent for domestic companies. One is hard-pressed to find many "efficiency-enhancing" combinations that failed to pass antitrust muster at either the Department of Justice or the Federal Trade Commission. Ironically, the product of perhaps the most controversial merger of this administration, LTV-Republic -- which was first rejected by the Justice Department as anticompetitive but then restructured and later approved -- is now fighting for its very survival. Rather than stimulating a more efficient operation and higher profits, LTV Steel's problems are dragging down its once prosperous and freewheeling parent. There is also good reason to believe that the current corporate preoccupation with takeovers is actually undercutting our competitive performance, wasting precious resources that are sorely needed in the international competitive battle.
Third, allowing major companies in an already concentrated industry (such as steel) to merge has always troubled those concerned with promoting a competitive climate over the long run. Some who are now advocating immunity for all mergers in "distressed industries" need to stand back and consider what the industrial landscape may look like five or 10 years from now under such a scheme. Do we really want 10 or 20 of our domestic industries to resemble the defense industry, with its four or five entrenched companies? Today, that industry presents a textbook case of how competitive lassitude sets in once a substantial number of economic players are eliminated from the marketplace.
Despite the federal government's prosecution of the defense industry for price gouging, fraudulent accounting practices and substandard workmanship, these same companies still receive new defense work simply because the United States no longer can turn to other competitors: They were all swallowed up in acquisitions during the 1970s.
The deaths of small and medium-sized companies -- the companies that are the key catalysts for innovation in any industry -- have led to a sluggish corporate bureaucracy that even threatens the president's dearly prized Star Wars technology. As a Defense Department panel of computer experts looking into the Strategic Defense Initiative recently concluded, the defense industry, in its present concentrated state, is a "culture that resists change and takes only naive risks." Do we really want consumers, like the federal government, to be given less and less choice in their selection of goods and services as a result of further anticompetitive consolidations?
Fourth, attempting to weaken merger law under the guise of "export relief" is the intellectual equivalent of saying that we should accept less competition for consumers at home in order to subsidize the exports of a few suppliers. This thesis fails to explain precisely how the antitrust statutes can be the prime culprit of all our trade problems when these same laws were in effect during a period when America achieved a positive trade balance (in 1975) as when the United States racked up record trade deficits (since 1982).
Even more questionable is the linkage of merger "reform" with the current state of certain distressed domestic industries (textiles, shoes, steel). While these industries may face the most severe competition from abroad, they will be the least likely beneficiaries of alleged merger efficiencies, since their operations are not significantly tied to research and development and capital expenditures. If anything, more combinations among these labor-intensive companies will lead only to more plant closings and layoffs.
Fifth, those who now intone the proposition that scuttling existing merger law will bring antitrust into the '80s need to be asked: Which '80s, the 1980s or the 1880s? The thrust of the administration's proposals was all heard on the floor of the House and Senate in 1888-1890 when the Sherman Act was debated. The economic Darwinists opposed the new concept of preserving competition. Drawing on the notion of survival of the fittest, they held that efficiency was always found in fewer and larger economic combinations, and therefore the giant "trusts" were no threat to the American economic system. Congress in 1890 rejected these arguments, as it did those of the Populists, who said big was always bad.
The antitrust laws embody this nation's commitment to a distinctively American economic bill of rights -- that all should have the opportunity to take their chances in an open, free-moving economy. Until those seeking a relaxation of the merger laws can convincingly demonstrate that antitrust reform is truly directed at "sharpening the rules of competition" rather than dispensing with a set of rules that some would prefer not to observe, I believe that the merger laws will survive this assault and take us into the '90s -- the 1990s.


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JAY-Z’s Roc Nation buys several newspaper ads highlighting Black businesses
“Roc Nation is committed to supporting Black entrepreneurs, their dreams and companies,” the ads read.
JAY-Z’s Roc Nation has chosen to highlight Black-owned businesses throughout America by listing them in full-page newspapers ads.
“This ad has been created to bring attention to Black-owned businesses. Historically, Black people have been murdered for owning, thriving and being successful. To that, we say never again,” the ads read. “Power is in Black voices. Power is in Black actions. Power is in Black wallets. Roc Nation is committed to supporting Black entrepreneurs, their dreams and companies. We challenge everyone to do the same.”
The ads, which were taken out in Houston, San Francisco, Detroit and Washington D.C., provided dozens of Black-owned businesses for people to support. Among those listed were eateries, beauty shops, gyms, flower shops, clothing stores, auto shops, plumbing companies, electrician companies and more.
This isn’t the first time that the 4:44 MC has used newspaper spreads to bring awareness to something important to him. Last month, JAY’s Team Roc took out full-page ads across the nation to show support for the ongoing George Floyd protests. The ads also included an excerpt from a 1965 speech Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. gave in Alabama during the marches from Selma to Montgomery.
“A man dies when he refuses to stand up for that which is right. A man dies when he refuses to stand up for justice. A man dies when he refuses to take a stand for that which is true,” the speech reads.
“So, we’re going to stand up amid horses,” the speech continued. “We’re going to stand up right here, amid the belly-clubs. We’re going to stand up right here amid police dogs, if they have them. We’re going to stand up amid tear gas! We’re going to stand up amid anything they can muster up, letting the world know that we are determined to be free!”
Check out the ads Roc Nation took out to support Black businesses below.
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Bethel Music, the worship ministry of Redding, CA-based Bethel Church, launched its first-ever studio album, Tides, to unprecedented international acclaim. Released Sept. 3, the album became the biggest retail debut ever for Bethel Music, selling nearly 15,000 copies.
Hitting as high as No. 7 in the U.S. and No. 10 in Canada on the overall iTunes® Album charts, Tides further sold more than 10,000 singles, including 4,000 copies of the Jenn Johnson led “Chasing You” one of the most downloaded digital Christian singles this week.
Over the last four years, Bethel Music has grown from being a local church music ministry to becoming a global outreach featuring a cadre of songwriters and worship leaders, a half-dozen CDs, chart-topping songs, and both online and on-campus worship schools.


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If the standard Q3 is too demure for you, then perhaps the Q3 Sportback will capture your heart. Details below…
The new Q3 is due to arrive in South Africa in August 2019 but Audi has now revealed the... Read More
Spy shots of the all-new Audi RS Q3 Sportback have emerged of the newcomer testing. Here's what we know so far.
Picture credit: S. Baldauf/SB-Medien
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The tech industry is abuzz with the progress of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Blockchain technology. Although these two innovations may appear to be unrelated, they can offer immense advantages when employed together. Currently, research trends in AI are toward integrating AI into blockchain-based networks. In this article, we will explore some of the benefits AI can bring to blockchain-based networks.
The integration of AI into blockchain technology brings with it a suite of high-security benefits. Blockchain is already seen as a highly secure form of technology, yet the integration of AI makes it more secure. The Pattern Matching capacities of AI models can timelessly monitor and detect any suspicious behavior on the blockchain, making it significantly harder for cyber criminals to access confidential data. Several start-ups such as AnChain. AI, were established to provide AI-based monitoring tools for blockchain-based distributed applications.
An additional advantage of incorporating AI into blockchain technology is elevated scalability. As many sectors are migrating to the blockchain, the volumes of transactions on the network can become staggering. AI can be employed to help manage and process these transactions more effectively, allowing the blockchain to handle a larger population of users by dynamically scaling the resources per requirement in the network.
Also, AI makes the process of smart contract exchange accurate. Smart contracts are legitimate agreements in the form of lines of code that are exchanged between the user and the Blockchain service provider. AI can ensure the authenticity of these agreements between both parties without depending on third party’s services to verify the exchange.
To wrap up, AI and blockchain technology are two powerful frameworks that can be utilized hand in hand to create a robust, cost-effective, secure, and user-friendly experience. As the number of corporations embracing blockchain technology increases, the probability of observing various applications of AI in the blockchain space grows. Also, the more AI can aid the blockchain, the more blockchain can help with AI, they can both enhance their technology environment by supporting each other.
Disclaimer: The article is not intended to provide any investment advice on the company/companies mentioned in it.


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Forsway announced phase II of its co-funded ARTES Core Competitiveness development project Satellite Assisted 5G for vehicles with European Space Agency to develop a complete hybrid satellite hub for connected vehicles.
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Forsway targets connected vehicles in European Space Agency ‘’Satellite Assisted 5G for vehicles’’ ARTES Core Competitiveness co-funded development project
Forsway today announced Phase II of its co-funded ARTES Core Competitiveness development project Satellite Assisted 5G for vehicles with European Space Agency to develop a complete hybrid satellite hub for connected vehicles. Using the benchmark “network-of-networks”, Cloud-Native approach, a main aspect of the project is the integration of Forsway Xtend Hub with the 5G/NFV architecture (Network Function Virtualization).
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Trials of new mail delivery patterns which will see the end of the second post will begin later this month after an agreement was reached with the postal workers' union, it was announced today.
Postal group Consignia said pilot schemes will begin in 14 areas of the UK from the third week of July, lasting around two months.
Residential customers in the trial areas will get a single delivery between 9am and lunchtime, while businesses will receive their post between 7am and 9am.
A national roll out of the programme will start in the autumn and will be completed a year later.
Single deliveries will ultimately save £350m a year. The agreement has been described as a "major step forward" in the renewal plan.
Chairman Allan Leighton said workers had been telling him to get on with the changes as soon as possible.
The second post accounts for just 4pc of total mail but takes up 20pc of the cost of all deliveries.
The 14 offices where the pilot schemes will be held include Llanelli, Crawley in Sussex; Bow in east London and Edinburgh.


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- An armed gangster.


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Amazon bans three Chinese brands from bribing customers
- Tram Ho
According to the announcement, Amazon banned electronics company Sunvalley from selling RAVPower power banks, Taotronic headsets and VAVA cameras from June 16. This suspension comes after Amazon discovered that a seller offered to give a gift card to a customer to write a good review after purchasing a product. This is a familiar practice in the Chinese e-commerce world, but Amazon sees it as abusing the review system.
Guangdong SACA Precision Manufacturing, the parent company of Sunvalley, said that the company has hired a lawyer to communicate, actively coordinate and appeal to Amazon so that sales can be restored on the floor. Recently, Amazon also made a similar decision with Chinese merchants for violating regulations on fake customer reviews, including an online store backed by ByteDance (TikTok’s parent company).
The three banned brands listed above sell a wide range of consumer electronics. Affected products account for about a third of Sunvalley’s sales on Amazon since early 2020. Several of the company’s other brands are not affected by the ban.
Sunvalley runs six different brands, from electronics to home appliances. Revenue from Amazon in 2020 reached 4.5 billion yuan ($697 million). Amazon has zero tolerance for violations, including asking friends to leave reviews or enticing users to write positive reviews with rewards. The company affirms that the policy applies to all sellers, regardless of size or territory.
Manufacturer Aukey was among the merchants previously banned by Amazon. The Shenzhen company reaped more than three-quarters of its revenue from Amazon in the first quarter of 2018 and 2019. Total Aukey sales in 2018 were 5.1 billion yuan. Mpow, Patozon’s Amazon online store – which is backed by ByteDance and Xiaomi – was also banned. In the first half of 2020, Patozon set a record of 2 billion yuan in export sales.
In recent years, more and more Chinese merchants have turned to major e-commerce platforms such as eBay and Amazon to reach new customers. According to a report by consulting firm MarketPlace Pulse, they accounted for 75% of new merchants on Amazon in January. The percentage of Chinese merchants selling on Amazon increased from 28% in 2019 to 63% in 2021.
According to SCMP
Source : Genk


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The FINANCIAL — Global Imaging Systems (GIS), A Xerox Company, has acquired G-Five, Inc., a Carolinas-based multi-brand solutions dealer that provides office equipment and print services in North and South Carolina.
The acquisition of G-Five, GIS’ third office technology dealer purchase in 2017, is the latest example of how Xerox is expanding its indirect sales channel with a focus on multi-brand dealers.
G-Five serves large metropolitan areas in the Carolinas such as Greenville and Charlotte, offering strong growth potential in the $20 billion multi-brand reseller space. These locations will become satellite sales offices to Carolina Office Systems, a GIS company covering Raleigh, Greensboro, Columbia and Charleston.
“The addition of G-Five expands Xerox’s footprint into new markets in the Carolinas, providing access to new customers and revenue streams,” said Michael Pietrunti, senior vice president, acquisitions, GIS. “The combination of Xerox technology and services in the hands of a very dynamic team of G-Five employees will deliver many new customer engagement opportunities.”
G-Five president Gary Gerack said, “We’re confident that GIS is the best decision for G-Five’s long-time customers as Xerox has always shown a commitment to small and mid-size businesses like ours.”
Terms of the agreement were not disclosed, according to Xerox.


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As reported last week here on Neowin, ongoing protests have prompted the Egyptian government to cut off practically all communication in and out of the country. This has affected not only Internet access, but access...
A week of Windows 10 news, Apple allegations and Sony's week of hell
Nest Learning Thermostat: The Next Generation, review
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Latest deals in the Steam Holiday Sale 2014
Steam Holiday Sale 2014


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EVERY July, John Lyman 3d of Middlefield sprays most of his apple trees with Alar, a chemical that has been widely used in the apple industry for more than 20 years. But this year Mr. Lyman, who operates Lyman Orchards, does not know if he will use Alar, which is under review by the United States Environmental Protection Agency following studies linking it with cancer.
''At this point we're undecided, principally because of the adverse publicity,'' Mr. Lyman said. ''We don't believe it's dangerous.''
Mr. Lyman, like many other growers in the state, must decide in the next two weeks whether to use the controversial chemical - a decision made especially difficult for the lack of conclusive data on the substance's possible harmful effects.
John Rogers, who operates Rogers Orchards in Southington and is president of the Connecticut Pomological Society, an organization representing most of the state's approximately 110 fruit growers, said he believed many growers were undecided about whether to use Alar, despite its usefulness.
''It's sprayed on once, 60 to 70 days before harvest,'' he explained. ''It helps keeps apples on the tree; it increases firmness and storageability.''Continue reading the main story
The product is used especially on McIntosh apples, which tend to drop too early, he said.
Not using Alar, both men said, causes such difficulties as a compressed harvest season, too many apples reaching the market in a short time, storage problems and fewer bright-colored, better-grade apples.
Mr. Lyman estimated that not using Alar would cause 25 percent of his apples to drop early, and said that would would mean a loss of 10 to 15 percent in the money the crop would bring in.
Dealing with Alar ''is a very real concern to the whole industry,'' said David Kollas, a pomologist - a horticulturist specializing in fruit - for the University of Connecticut Extension Service. ''The status is that it's legal, but the concern is that public perception is unfavorable.''
Alar is the trade name for a chemical compound called daminozide manufactured by the Uniroyal Chemical Company Inc., which has offices in Middlebury and research laboratories in Bethany. The company has maintained that the product is safe, but Alar has been drawing public attention since last fall, when the Environmental Protection Agency announced its intent to ban it.
Early this year, however, the agency's Scientific Advisory Panel said there was insufficient evidence for banning Alar. The agency then told Uniroyal to conduct more tests on it and to instruct growers to use fewer pounds per acre; the substance is absorbed into the fruit and cannot be washed off.
The agency also set stricter standards for the amount of daminozide residue permitted in apples - 20 parts per million rather than 30 parts per million - and placed Alar under special review along with 17 other chemicals. The review process could take years, government officials acknowledge.
Last fall's announcement came at apple harvest time and caused considerable alarm among consumers. Roy Jeffrey of the UConn Extension Office for New London County recalled seeing apple stands in Connecticut and Massachusetts with signs assuring customers that the apples had not been sprayed with Alar. Major manufacturers of apple juice, applesauce and baby food announced they would not accept apples treated with Alar.
Apples that will be heated during processing (for applesauce, for instance) have elicited the most concern because daminozide, when heated, releases unsymmetrical dimethlhydrazine, known as UDMH and often cited as being carcinogenic in laboratory animals. UDMH is also released during digestion of apples and their products.
UDMH ''is really the driving issue,'' said Dr. Peter Galbraith, director of the health promotion office of the State Department of Health.
Kenneth Veit, chief of the marketing division of the State Department of Agriculture, said that only a small percentage of the 47 million pounds of apples grown annually in Connecticut go to processors.
Mr. Lyman, who said he sent 10 to 15 percent of his apples to processors, pointed out that growers might sell their best apples fresh, then send the lower-grade fruit to a processor. Orchard management is more difficult, he said, when growers must decide at the time of spraying what apples may eventually go to a processor.
Connecticut growers are also concerned, Mr. Lyman said, because last month the Massachusetts Department of Health set limits tighter than the Federal ones on heat-processed apple products sold there. Uniroyal and a group of apple processors are fighting that action in court.
Alar is a safe product, said Uniroyal officials.
''We already submitted studies'' showing that the substance is not cancer-producing, said Ronald Ames, technical manager for Alar at Uniroyal's Bethany laboratory. ''We're running further studies to show that it's safe.''
Health officials agree that ''over time, Alar should be phased out,'' said Dr. Galbraith. But, he said, ''it's clearly not a public threat now. We don't believe there's any reason to say, 'Don't eat applesauce or drink apple juice.' We agree that there's enough concern that we need to see more data.''
So far there have been ''a small number of studies, which unfortunately were not very well done,'' he said.
Mr. Lyman agreed that ''There should be more tests. We want to know what the situation is, just like everyone else.''
Not all growers have used Alar in the past. Mr. Veit said many growers either did not use it, or use less than the recommended amount, simply because of its expense.
John Bucklyn, who operates Clyde's Cider Mill in Old Mystic, noted that he often purchased apples from growers ''who don't do any spraying at all.'' The apples, he said, did not look very attractive, but were fine for cider.
Mr. Rogers said he and fellow growers who have been using Alar will be discussing, at Pomological Society meetings, what to do this year.
''I'd like some direction in terms of what other states, other growers' associations, are doing,'' he said.Continue reading the main story


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SRS Distribution acquired Exteriors Inc., a distributor of roofing, siding, windows and doors, and other complementary products. The terms of the deal were not publicly disclosed.
“We are pleased to welcome Samir [Rastoder] and his entire team to the SRS family. Exteriors is highly complementary to our existing footprint and grants access to a new market in Bowling Green,” SRS president and CEO Dan Tinker said in a prepared statement. “We plan to accelerate Exteriors’ growth through an expanded product portfolio, including a full line of residential and commercial roofing materials and accessories.”
Exteriors was founded in 2020 by Samir Rastoder and services central and southern Kentucky from its Bowling Green, Ky., location. According to SRS, Rastoder will continue to lead the Exteriors team to ensure continuity and consistency for customers, suppliers, and employees.
“We are thrilled to officially announce our partnership with SRS and are excited to see what we can accomplish together,” Rastoder said. “By joining forces with SRS, we will be able to further enhance service to our loyal customers while providing our team with exceptional benefits and future growth opportunities.”
McKinney, Texas-based SRS Distribution is a portfolio company of Leonard Green & Partners and Berkshire Partners. SRS operates a family of distinct local brands encompassing more than 700 locations across 44 states.


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Known as a "bamboo craft city in China", Zhenghe County has been actively promoting the development of bamboo industry with its 460,000 mu (about 30,667 hectares) bamboo forest. (Photos: Xinhua)
Today, there are about 220 enterprises with more than 50,000 people working in bamboo industries.
In 2019, the total output value of bamboo industry in the county reached 4.379 billion yuan (about 0.62 billion U.S. dollars), with export products output value 876 million yuan (about 124.57 million U.S. dollars).
Workers make bamboo products at a factory in Zhenghe County, southeast China's Fujian Province, on April 11, 2020.
A visitor takes photos of bamboo products at an exhibition center in Zhenghe County, southeast China's Fujian Province, on April 11, 2020.


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Origin and CapVest team up to purchase Batchelors
THE owner of Odlums Flour is teaming up with a private equity firm to buy the maker of Batchelors beans.
Origin Enterprises and private equity firm CapVest, which owns Dublin's Mater Private Hospital, are to buy Batchelors in a deal which will create a new company called Valeo Foods and allow Origin to spin off their consumer goods division.
Under the terms of the deal, Origin will take a 45pc stake in Valeo, with CapVest owning the majority stake in the company.
Batchelors and Origins consumer brands, which include Roma Pasta and Shamrock Foods as well as Odlums, will come under the new Valeo umbrella.
A spokesman for CapVest refused to comment on the terms of the deal although when Batchelors' current owners bought the company during the boom it was valued at €62m.
There has been no suggestion that any jobs will be affected following the deal.
"We have always liked the food sector as we believe it is fundamentally non-discretionary in terms of demand, while simultaneously offering real potential for consolidation and growth," said Peadar Kearney, the head of Origin foods and chief executive of Valeo.
CapVest is headed by the Cavan businessman Seamus Fitzpatrick and is thought to be in the market for further acquisitions.
The company is believed to have around €200m available for future deals.


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Henan Cunse Group Co. Ltd. Will Attend The 18th China International Metallurgical Industry Exhibition
The 18th China international metallurgical industry exhibition will be held in Beijing on May 16 to 19, 2018. The exhibition is held by the CISA and Metallurgical industry branch of CCPIT. With a history of almost 30 years Metal + Metallurgy is regarded as the largest exhibition in the equipment manufacturing industry in Asia and the second largest in the world. It's an exciting opportunity for Chinese and overseas elites to communicate and collaborate, as well as to enhance the brand value. Henan Cunse Group Co. Ltd. will attend this activity, continue to discuss and research with the industry experts.
Cunse Group has concentrated to the field of refractory for more than 25 years, attending this activity will be a good opportunity to expand the market and keep on moving. High quality refractory materials and new design refractory materials will be showed. Sincerely welcome the exhibitors coming to the booth, the detail information as follows:
Company name: Henan Cunse Group Co. Ltd.
Booth No. : W2L15.
Date: May 16 to 19, 2018.
Location: China International Exhibition Center (New Venue) Beijing


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MUMBAI: Kellogg India will be part of Global Snacking Co after the restructuring of the US-based multinational organisation into three independent public companies. Kellogg on Tuesday announced that the company was splitting into Global Snacking Co, North America Cereal Co and Plant Co.
Global Snacking Co, with about $11.4 billion in net sales, will be a leading company in snacks world over, international cereal and noodles.
Nearly 60% of its net sales come from global snacks, participating in growing categories and led by iconic brands including Pringles, Cheez-It, Pop-Tarts,Kellogg's Rice Krispies Treats, Nutri-Grain, and RXBAR.
In its announcement, Kellogg Company said North America Cereal Co, with about $2.4 billion in net sales, will be a leading cereal company in the US, Canada, and the Caribbean, with a portfolio of brands such as Kellogg's, Frosted Flakes, Froot Loops, Mini-Wheats, Special K, Raisin Bran, Rice Krispies, Corn Flakes, Kashi and Bear Naked.
The cereal business is significantly large in the AMEA region, which includes India, and the area will continue to operate in this category under Global Snacking Co, sources said. They added that there would not be any significant change following the split for India or AMEA, except the alignment with Global Snacking Co. An email sent to Kellogg did not elicit a response.


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Several hundred people are employed by the company in Dublin.
AIRBNB HAS CONFIRMED that almost 1,900 employees will lose their jobs as the company deals with the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.
About 25% of the company’s 7,500 employees will be let go.
Several hundred people are employed by the company in Dublin, but it is not yet clear if they are affected by the cuts.
There has been a marked increase in the number of rental properties available in Ireland and elsewhere as properties previously used for short-term letting via Airbnb came back on the market amid recent travel restrictions.
Airbnb co-founder and CEO Brian Chesky confirmed the job losses in a statement sent to staff members today. He said the company has been “hit hard”, with revenue this year forecasted to be less than half of what was made in 2019.
“We are collectively living through the most harrowing crisis of our lifetime, and as it began to unfold, global travel came to a standstill,” Chesky said in the statement.
He said the company has raised $2 billion (about €1.8 billion) in capital and “dramatically cut costs” in response to the crisis.
While these actions were necessary, it became clear that we would have to go further when we faced two hard truths: We don’t know exactly when travel will return. When travel does return, it will look different.
Chesky said he believes Airbnb “will fully recover”, but the changes it will undergo are “not temporary or short-lived”.
“We need to make more fundamental changes to Airbnb by reducing the size of our workforce around a more focused business strategy.
“Out of our 7,500 Airbnb employees, nearly 1,900 teammates will have to leave Airbnb, comprising around 25% of our company. Since we cannot afford to do everything that we used to, these cuts had to be mapped to a more focused business.”
Clarity for employees
Cheesky said employees in the US and Canada will receive “immediate clarity” about their positions, and affected staff members in other countries will be contacted “as soon as possible”.
“We have employees in 24 countries, and the time it will take to provide clarity will vary based on local laws and practices,” he added.
The company said employees in the US who are let go will receive 14 weeks of base pay, plus one additional week for every year they worked at Airbnb.
Outside the US, all employees will receive at least 14 weeks of pay, “plus tenure increases consistent with their country-specific practices”.


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TVXQ’s Japanese agency, Avex, has been under a bit of heat lately due to the release of a 2011 calendar featuring Jaejoong, Yuchun, and Junsu. The agency already declared that they would be halting all of JYJ’s activities for now, thus making fans wonder why their products are still being sold, if that was the case.
Avex began selling two versions of the JYJ 2011 calendar through music site “Mumo“. Fans who have supported the trio’s promotions are criticizing Avex as having double standards and being hypocritical. TVXQ fancafes and other entertainment forums have been posting criticisms like, “They’re just trying to steal profit.”
In their defence, Avex announced that all these products were already scheduled in advance and would be released regardless of the halt in activities. Yet the clarification is falling on deaf ears. “We are unable to understand why Avex would sell their products when they are not allowing them to promote,” fans said, “Why are they tying down JYJ if they’re going to continue selling their products?”
Avex halted the trio’s Japanese promotions on the 16th, making it impossible for them to continue promoting until their lawsuit with SM Entertainment reaches a conclusion.
Please keep in mind:
DBSKnights is a place of love, not hate. Be respectful - bashing and hateful comments will not be tolerated. Please keep your conversation in English.
And most importantly have fun!
Donate to help DBSKnights provide free light sticks for TVXQ and JYJ concerts!


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A report released this week shows venture financing for startup companies founded by women is showing progress, but gender inequity continues.
Pitchbook, a financial data and software company based in Seattle, presented the report, “All In: Women in the VC (venture capital) Ecosystem,” before the All Raise VC Summit held Wednesday in Oakland, California.
According to the findings, VC investment in startups with at least one female founder reached $46 billion in 2018, representing almost 20% of total VC investment and more than doubling the total from the $21.9 billion in 2017.
Similarly, deal count reached a record high of 3,477 in 2018 and shows no signs of slowing in 2019, according to the report.
The key drivers of investment in startups with at least one female founder can be attributed to growing market awareness of gender inequity, an increase in mentorship networks and a rise in female general partners, the report said.


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Delish reports on wine water. "The drink plays on the 'near water' category that has everyone and their mother launching new seltzers, teas, and other lightly flavored bevs. This one mixes the smell and taste of wine with pure spring water."
The Wine Enthusiast explains wine blending. "The art of blending, to me, is to take individual pieces and make the sum of what you’re blending better than those individual pieces you started out with,” says Mike Macmorran, winemaker, of Mark Ryan Winery."
Bloomberg reports that there is such a thing as an Executive Wine MBA. “We couldn’t have launched Nine Suns winery without that,” she says. “Our business model grew out of a class I took on wine distribution.”
Sevenfity Daily explores cold climate hybrid grapes. "Some 10,000 planted vines are presently under evaluation as part of UMN’s grape breeding and enology project, which is supported by a full lab and research winery."
The Drinks Business reports that a scientist has discovered that storing wine on its side doesn't help. "The cork will never dry out with almost 100% humidity in the headspace, so it is a myth that you need to store a bottle on its side,” he said."


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HSN to offer designer exclusive
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — HSN announced that on Sept. 21 and 22 it will debut an exclusive collection from designer Adam Lippes.
Lippes Love ADAM collection will feature sleek button down blouses, modern wide-leg pants, printed dresses, fur-trimmed outerwear, embellished skirts and cropped jackets, HSN reported.
"We continue to reinforce HSN as a fashion destination by collaborating with engaging designers who have a unique point of view," said John Bosco, HSN's SVP apparel, accessories and jewelry. "Adam Lippes brings a fresh new perspective and will show our customers how to bridge the gap between what is fashionable and wearable."


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Amazon: sales surge but profits flat
Amazon saw sales rise 34% to $43.7 billion over the last three months. The e-commerce giant’s profits were, however, nearly flat as it pumped cash into the likes of streaming video, datacentres and warehouses.
Profits in the three months to the end of September were $256 million, up from $252 million in 2016. “In the last month alone, we’ve launched five new Alexa-enabled devices, introduced Alexa in India, announced integration with BMW, surpassed 25,000 skills, integrated Alexa with Sonos speakers, taught Alexa to distinguish between two voices, and more. Because Alexa’s brain is in the AWS cloud, her new abilities are available to all Echo customers, not just those who buy a new device,” says Jeff Bezos, Amazon Founder and CEO. “And it’s working — customers have purchased tens of millions of Alexa-enabled devices, given Echo devices over 100,000 five-star reviews, and active customers are up more than 5x since the same time last year. With thousands of developers and hardware makers building new Alexa skills and devices, the Alexa experience will continue to get even better.”
See also: Amazon Prime juggernaut keeps rolling on
Whole Foods, which Amazon acquired earlier this year, brought in $1.3 billion in sales in the quarter. Excluding the retailer, sales increased 29%. They were up 35% overall in North America, which accounts for the bulk of Amazon's business, and they increased 29% in its international division. Amazon also said that it continues to look at ways to expand its physical presence. Amazon Books, for instance, opened bookstores in Bellevue, WA, San Jose, CA, Los Angeles, CA, and a second location in New York. There are now 12 bookstores across the US with more planned, including Walnut Creek, CA, Washington, D.C., and Austin, TX.