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By John Edwards
As the largest bicycle supplier in the United States and maker of some of the world’s best known models, there was no hiding from Wal-Mart’s RFID edict.
And even though Pacific Cycle had no experience with RFID and Ed Matthews, the Wisconsin company’s director of information systems, possessed only a passing knowledge of the technology, all that had to change—fast. “I was both intrigued to be able to use this emerging technology as well as a little upset that we were being forced into something,” Matthews says. “Wal-Mart is our largest customer, so that definitely pushed things to the forefront.”
Matthews quickly began identifying appropriate technologies and vendors and laying the groundwork for a pilot program 18 months before the January 2005 deadline. He started with Class 1, 64-bit, 915 MHz Squiggle tags from Alien Technology and MP9320 UHF long-range readers from SAMSys Technologies. The tags were embedded in a 4-inch by 6-inch Moore Wallace label and printed by R4Mplus thermal printers from Zebra Technologies. The tags were applied manually. A UCC128 barcode was printed on the label so that it can be scanned in case it becomes impossible to read the tag. The pilot project got underway in March 2004, just nine months after Wal-Mart’s announcement.
Working out the bugs
Matthews admits that RFID presents a steep learning curve. “Our biggest challenge has been trying to get the tags read,” Matthews says. The project was complicated by the fact that bicycles contain a large amount of metal and are packaged using high-density foam, both of which tend to interfere with RF reception. At first, directional Yagi antennas were used to read tags from up to 20 feet away as the products moved through the shipping dock doors. But what sounded good in concept proved to be unacceptable in the real world, since even slight misalignments in package positions caused read rates to drop through the floor.
Omnidirectional hemi antennas were brought in to fix the problem, but the changeover led to a different kind of trouble. The readers started detecting tags on accompanying shipping docks, throwing the entire system in confusion. A spate of faulty tags created additional problems.
After much tinkering, Matthews switched to Class 0+ AR400 readers and tags from Matrics, a company since acquired by Symbol Technologies. The changeover also required buying new Zebra R110xi III plus thermal printers.
The new technology solved the problems. “With the Class 1 technology we were only getting 70% read rates on the case level through the portal and with Class 0+ we are getting 99%-plus,” he says. Tag failures through the printer have also decreased, dropping “from around 20% to 10% when we first changed over to Class 0+, and now [they] are around 2%,” says Matthews, who attributes the problems with the Class 1 tags to “a combination of the antenna design on the tag, the reader performance and the physics of our products.”
Things ran much more smoothly on the pilot program’s software side. Matthews enlisted the help of systems integrator Peak Technologies to connect the new RFID technology into the company’s existing SAP R/3 enterprise resource planning software.
The pilot test concluded in September 2004, when the company took the system live. The company is already working on an RFID test project with Target. “Target is not quite as strong [on RFID] as Wal-Mart at this point, but we have been required to go live in June with one of their distribution centers in the Dallas area,” Matthews says.
More than meeting a mandate
By providing better product tracking, RFID helps Pacific Cycle and its retail partners like Toys “R” Us, Sports Authority, and independent dealers gain better inventory control. “It’s knowing what’s sitting in the back room and what’s on the retail floor,” says Matthew. “If somebody buys [a bicycle], we can replenish it.” There have been other benefits, too. By eliminating the need for manual barcode scanning, the system has led to better utilization of warehouse employees. It has also helped Pacific Cycle reduce the costs associated with shipping the wrong products or failing to ship products on time.
Yet there’s still plenty of room for improvement. Matthews is particularly concerned about the technology’s price. “The tags themselves cost us about 35 cents apiece,” he says. It also costs the company about 25 cents to place a tag on each package. “So for every bike that goes out the door, it’s costing us about 60 cents.”
Total RFID costs of $2 million may be recovered in two to three years. Matthews says he believes that ROI will be achieved through less idle inventory, better warehouse management, fewer retailer chargebacks and lower equipment costs as RFID prices come down. “We clearly see that this is a long-term project, and that this is where things are headed.”
This article originally appeared in the Premiere issue of RFID Operations.


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Cannabis was legalized just over two years ago in Canada, so how is it going?
When Canada legalized recreational marijuana back in October 2018, no one knew for sure what would happen. There were strong expectations that the recreational cannabis market would boom, but the reality 2 years after legalization has exceeded expectations for the most part, especially for CBD in particular.
Nobody knew how popular CBD would become after legalization, but a recent report by the Canadian Health Food Association has made CBD's impact clear. According to CHFA, the Canadian CBD market is worth close to CAD $2 billion, and it has yet to see its peak.
It goes without saying that CBD has some serious potential. This snapshot of how the cannabis and CBD market has changed over the past 2 years in Canada gives all the insight you need to see where CBD is heading in the future based on its progress so far.
There's Been Steady Growth Among Adults CBD Users
The first point to be made on CBD's growth is that adults are the main users and there are very few reports on underage CBD users (which isn't the case for cannabis products containing THC). This is mostly because CBD isn't an illicit drug-of-choice for young people since it doesn't create a high – it's strictly used for its medicinal qualities.
When you take a look at the numbers, it's clear that there's an upward projection of CBD users for specific age groups, and even specific genders. The stats show that females between the ages of 35 to 44 are the most likely to use CBD-oil products on the reg. For men, it's the 45+ age group that frequents CBD the most while younger men are much less likely to use CBD.
CBD Is Being Used for a Wider Range of Applications
Over the past two years, another thing has become very obvious; there's no one use for CBD, and there's a very wide range of applications that attracts people to CBD products. Before legalization, it was most commonly used to calm the nerves, but now, CBD oil is used for much more than just anxiety and stress relief.
In 2020 and beyond, CBD oils have been used for everything from pain treatment to neuroprotection and brain health for the future, it's even being used for anti-acne. All of these applications come down to the fact that CBD is highly anti-inflammatory, and inflammation is the root cause of many health issues.
Alberta Has the Biggest Cannabis/CBD Retail Market
By 2024, the legal cannabis market in Alberta is expected to reach $940 million, which is a large percentage of the Canadian market as a whole. There are a few reasons for this, but a big one is that Alberta residents use more cannabis products (CBD included) than the national average.
On top of that, the provincial government of Alberta is extremely liberal, especially on the topic of cannabis products like CBD oils. Alberta believes that it's better to be more liberal about things in order to enhance the market growth.
Because of the higher percentage of cannabis/CBD users in Alberta and the more liberal government approach, this province is expected to be a leader in national sales growth, accounting for a 16% boost in sales numbers across Canada between the years of 2018 and 2024.
The Medical CBD Market Has Leveled Off
Although there hasn't been a decline in the medical CBD market, there's definitely been a leveling off and a plateau since legalization. This isn't surprising considering the fact that it's now easier to access CBD oils without a medical license or prescription.
In the past, CBD users could only access CBD oils through medical means, but that's all changed since October 2018. Now, it's possible to find CBD oils in legal dispensaries across Canada, and it's even easy to access through online dispensaries who ship CBD products right to your doorstep.
So while more people are accessing CBD in Canada, less of them are accessing it with medical licensing.
Canada and the US Are Partnering Up
It's no surprise that Canadian CBD companies are building American partners; the US CBD market is the largest in the world, accounting for a huge percentage of global CBD users. It was only a matter of time before big names like Aurora made deals with American companies.
Earlier this year, Aurora entered the US market and agreed to buy U.S.-based CBD company Reliva. This benefits both sides of the partnership, giving Aurora a strong foothold in the American CBD market.
All In All, Legalization Has Been a Success
As of right now, the CBD market in Canada is worth about $2 billion CAD. That number is steadily growing and is projected to reach about $2.5 billion CAD by 2023. The majority of sales are taking place online.
According to leading comparison website cbdoilguide.ca, searches for "CBD oil near me" are common but most Canadians eventually buy online. The competition online continues to grow resulting in more choices and deeper discounts for cannabis users in Canada.
So while cannabis sales aren't as stellar as expected, it's safe to say that legalization was a big success for CBD, at least when you take a look at CBD sales and the upward market trends that have been happening over the past 2 years.
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News Stories Showing 21-40 of 44 results found
Microsoft reveals 'critical' flaw July 24, 2003 The software giant issues another passel of warnings about security holes, including a "critical" flaw that affects most Windows PCs.
Attack code targets new IE hole September 15, 2006 Code that exploits a serious, yet-to-be-patched hole in Microsoft's Web browser has been posted on the Net.
Sun tries again with consumer-flavored Java May 8, 2007 The server and software company comes full circle with Java, releasing a scripting language to ease desktop and device Java development.Video: Sun launches JavaFX
Microsoft shakes up security fray June 7, 2006 Debut of company's OneCare product has started a new security software race where consumers are likely to be winners. Chart: Comparing PC care packages
Sponsored matches for "Web browser"


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- Wal-Mart has lost one-third of its value this year while Amazon.Com has more than doubled its.
- Wal-Mart’s pay raise has increased spending, and employment, among lower-income workers
- Wal-Mart has $15 billion in operating cash flow per quarter to chase Amazon technology.
During 2015 the Bentonville, AR based retailer has lost nearly one-third of its value, 31.5% of it. This has taken its market cap from $246 billion down to $188 billion. Meanwhile Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN), worth less than $150 billion at the start of the year, has blown by it, rising by 112% to $309 billion.
This despite the fact that Wal-Mart brings in more revenue each quarter, $120 billion most recently, than Amazon will this year, even by the most optimistic estimates. This is also despite the fact that Wal-Mart is the second-largest e-commerce company, and that its Wal-Mart Labs has brought forward many technology innovations including an open source system called OneOps, designed to halt cloud lock-in, like that found by users of Amazon Web Services.
What really hacked-off analysts about Wal-Mart was CEO Doug McMillon’s announcement last month that it will double-down on those tech investments and spurn profit for the next two years, something Amazon did for a decade. "Wal-Mart thinks it is Amazon and it is totally not" ran one headline.
No, Wal-Mart is not Amazon. But it’s not IBM either.
- Wal-Mart has plenty of cash flow with which to chase Amazon, $15 billion of operating cash flow last quarter alone, more than double what Amazon generates.
- Wal-Mart has already begun a transition toward smaller stores, called Neighborhood Markets, to tap urban markets it previously did not reach.
- Wal-Mart has over 6,200 stores worldwide, which if activated as delivery points could give Amazon a run for its money at low cost.
Perhaps more important is McMillon’s decision, announced in February, to start raising line workers’ pay. Given that Wal-Mart has 1.4 million employees in the U.S., and its move was countered by other large retail employers, this has produced a powerful stimulus to the U.S. economy, with many of the 268,000 private sector workers hired last month brought in specifically to serve the needs of low-wage earners, who now have more money in their pockets.
Right now Wal-Mart is dirt cheap. It sells at less than 42% of its annual sales, which is far less than its rivals. The company has a very low debt-to-assets ratio of 25%, which is not going to change. It has a plan, and the assets to act on it. And it has economic change in its favor – minimum-wage workers don’t buy from Amazon.com or even Costco (NASDAQ:COST) – they buy from Dollar General (NYSE:DG) and Wal-Mart.
What this tells me is that Wal-Mart could offer a very present surprise in its Christmas quarter, attracting new buyers of the stock, and could then be on its way to a very profitable transition.


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Scottish Power boosts customer base
SCOTTISH Power signed up 100,000 new household energy customers in the three months to end-December, taking it past the four million mark for the first time.
Such growth, which suggests annualised increases of around 10%, follows sharp criticism of market leaders Centrica/British Gas, the German-owned duo of Powergen and Innogy/npower and French-owned EDF Energy (formerly London Electricity) over their customer service and price rises.
The four million landmark was achieved as the group, which is also heavily involved in the US power market, reported underlying pre-tax profits up 2% at £258m in its third quarter to end-December. That gives pre-tax profits of £651m for the nine months, up 10%.
The quarterly dividend is cut, after last year's sale of Southern Water, from 7.177p to 4.75p.
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ASOS is being widely praised on Twitter for using a plus-size model to show off its latest swimwear.
The online fashion retailer has launched a video showing London model Vivian Eyo-Ephraim donning a yellow ASOS Curve bikini.
"I've never, ever seen an ad like this before. I’ve never worn a bikini before because of my body type. This makes me think about trying it. Pretty cool," one person tweeted after seeing the video.
"I think this is the first time I have ever looked at a bikini model and thought 'maybe I could wear one too'," tweeted another.
The video is a brilliant example of the fashion industry listening and responding to the body-positive movement as it reclaims terms like "bikini body" or "beach body." In the past, these phrases were often used, wrongly, to equate attractiveness and desirability with only very slim female bodies.
Check out a selection of reactions to the video below.
You see how many people posted about the new black, plus size, outrageously fucking buff model on ASOS? Representation matters and this is why diversity is so important.— Grace ? (@GraceFVictory) March 29, 2018
"To have the public respond in such a positive way to one of my first jobs is so unbelievable," model Vivian Eyo-Ephraim told Insider.
"It just highlights now more than ever that we want to see a wider representation of women and men on the high street and we are going to champion the brands that listen to us."
Eye-Ephraim also posted on Instagram to thank people for their overwhelmingly positive feedback to the campaign.
ASOS has made great strides towards body positivity and inclusivity in recent years, and has long been a trailblazer for plus-size fashion. Last year, it stopped airbrushing its swimwear models. Then earlier this month, it started showing its clothes on models of different sizes, reflecting the fact its customers are different sizes, too.
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Uber to accept bitcoin in future
Dara Khosrowshahi, CEO of Uber told CNBC today that his company may start accepting bitcoin and other cryptos as a form of payment for riders.
“Just like we accept all kinds of local currency we are going to look at cryptocurrency and or Bitcoin in terms of currency to transact. That’s good for business, that’s good for our riders and our eaters,”
However, unlike Tesla, Uber is not going to risk its cash and cash equivalents by speculating in bitcoin investments via holding them on their balance sheet.
“It was a conversation that happened that has been quickly dismissed. We’re going to keep our cash safe. We’re not in the speculation business.”
What remains to be seen is how Uber will convert their bitcoin payments into cash and how quickly they will do this. Bitcoin, known for its violent price movements could either increase Uber’s value of bitcoin held after a ride or quickly decrease it depending on the day.
Moreover, it would seem as if Uber would need to hire a bitcoin trader to quickly exit their position in bitcoin if there is a mass adoption of customers transacting with this new internet currency.
Despite the transactional headache issue one thing is certain, bitcoin is going more mainstream after the Tesla investment. With more individuals, corporations and entities using the cryptocurrency, trading volumes will increase, resulting in a higher price and more likely potential the currency of the internet is here to stay.


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This summer the games industry is doing its best to fill the gaping void left behind by E3’s shambling zombie corpse. We have the Geoff Keighly led Summer Game Fest, which we’re lovingly referring to as “Keigh3” but Microsoft is also doing its thing with an upcoming Xbox & Bethesda Games Showcase.
Basically, in lieu of E3, Microsoft is doing a presentation regardless — at much the same time, around the same date. This event, we suspect, will be something of an E3 conference in disguise. We’ll see footage of upcoming major titles from Microsoft and Bethesda, alongside some major announcements for upcoming video games.


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Huawei's Px lineup has followed the same design formula for some time now: a contrasting bar on top of the back, a clean front with minimal side bezels, and so on. But according to the latest leak from @evleaks, Huawei may be going in a completely different direction looks-wise for the upcoming P20. The design is rather... Apple-inspired.
A report from last week by Android Authority claimed that the P20 might have a variant with a whopping three rear cameras, and a pretty telling announcement photo from Huawei substantiated that rumor. However, the phone pictured only has two. Huawei has opted to ditch the traditionally-larger top bezel for a nearly bezel-less look, save for the notch that will no doubt bother many. But hey, you've gotta follow whichever trends are hot, right? The side bezels look to be about the same size as the top one, though the bottom one is still noticeable. Within the bottom bezel is a fingerprint sensor, which looks a bit ungainly on a phone that also has software navigation keys.
This isn't the first time we're seeing the notch.
The back looks mildly iPhone X-inspired as well, with a vertically-mounted duo of cameras and a back made entirely of what appears to be glass. The text on the bottom left says "Shirley," which is a codename that Huawei has been using for one variant of the P20. But the reasoning behind the text below the flash saying "BYOCA" instead of the traditional "LEICA" is a little less clear, especially since the "SUMMARIT" (one of Leica's ranges of lenses) text is intact with no modification. The phone also looks to be running Android Oreo based on the Easter egg prominently displayed on the screen; anything less would be embarrassing.
The P20 is slated to be launched on March 27th in Paris, so we'll be learning more about the device(s) in just over a month. But given the way that the tech world moves, we wouldn't be surprised to see more info leaked before then.
- Evan Blass (Twitter)


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No surprise here: Our grocery shopping habits have changed. To track just how we've adapted to a new routine, Instacart pulled some data to see what shopping behaviors defined us this past year.
Video of the Day
"According to a new Instacart survey of 2,038 U.S. adults conducted recently online by The Harris Poll, nearly half of all Americans (48%) say that they ordered groceries online during the pandemic," the report emphasizes.
One of the most interesting conclusions is that people are shopping more during the week now. The company saw a 32% increase in orders placed from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Overall, more shoppers in 2020 opted for mid-week shopping rather than saving the task for the weekend (compared to 2019).
When it comes to precisely what items were the most popular, sanitation products were (of course) high on the list. In that category, "Purell" had the highest increase in search volume, followed by "hand sanitizer" and "disinfectant spray."
And remember those days when everyone was making bread? The search volume for "yeast" went way up, and so did "flour" and "charcoal." Proof that many shoppers were experimenting with their kitchen tools at home.
There were plenty of at-home libations, too. "Canned or pre-mixed cocktail sales grew by 127%" the company states. Specialty beers saw a 96% increase and spiked seltzers saw a 131% increase.
What will 2021 look like? We're not sure, but that reminds us we should stock up on a drink or two. See the full report here.


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Domino’s has launched a new brand platform promoting its pizza as the ultimate takeaway meal.
Created by VCCP, “We got this” shows Claire and her flatmates as they decide what fast food to order.
Things take a turn, however, when a future version of one of the people arrives covered in cement and urges the group to order Domino’s, which can be tracked “from store to door”.
Launched on Friday (27 November) alongside print, digital and in-store activity, the work was created by David Masterman. Media is handled by Arena.
Domino’s has also fabricated the website for a Madagascan halloumi pop-up, which is referenced in the ad and offers customers 35% off when they spend £40 or more.
“We can’t wait to bring ‘We got this’ to the masses, we’ve listened intently to our customers and know that reliability is one of the things they love about us, so in a year like no other, it feels apt to bring this truth to life across all our customer touchpoints,” Rebecca Rose, head of marketing at Domino’s UK & ROI, said.
“Claire’s story is one we can all relate to and a solid reminder that when you want something done properly, call on Domino’s because ‘We got this’.”
The campaign is a departure from “The official food of everything”, which has been Domino’s brand platform since VCCP’s first work for the brand in 2017.
David Masterman, creative director at VCCP, added: “We’ve all been on the receiving end of a late takeaway, a cold takeaway, or a just-plain-wrong takeaway and it ain’t pretty.
“Playing takeaway roulette has certainly led to some unpleasant scenes in our house."


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The web can move faster than you may think — and those with a stake in online publishing and marketing need to recognize this before they fall behind in the speed game.
Titled the Accelerated Mobile Page Project or AMP for short, the open-source initiative helps publishers create mobile-optimized content so that information loads instantly.
Last year, Google and a number of publishers and technology companies, including The Washington Post, Vox and BuzzFeed, signed on to AMP with the goal of improving mobile web browsing.
According to AMP, several seconds is several seconds too long. People don’t wait for slow pages to load, and that means publishers lose engagement and money by the second.
Data shows speed thrills — and even kings of e-commerce like Amazon, eBay, Netflix and Wal-Mart will lose customers unless they boost their web page load times, according to a report from Radware, a company that focuses on application and security solutions. Last year, the company analyzed the 100 highest-traffic, e-commerce sites, which include Etsy, Best Buy, IKEA and video game seller Steam, and found it often takes more than the three seconds Radware recommends for the home pages of the sites analyzed to load.
AMP preaches faster load times and lower data usage than non-AMP pages. The project cites research from SOASTA — a technology company that provides services to test websites and web applications — that shows bounce rates go as high as 58 percent for web pages that take nearly 10 seconds to load.
Ideally, more publishers and platforms will integrate AMP pages to build an overall faster mobile Web experience. A demo of AMP in Google Search is available here on a mobile device.
A Google search for news on the President, for instance, triggers the carousel, which calls up news articles right away. Users can browse other articles by swiping left and right, without going back to the search results.
Users can distinguish AMP pages with the green lightning bolt icon on the bottom.
In January, Google Analytics announced its feature of measuring AMP pages.
The initial technical specification published on GitHub on Oct. 7 with more features being added over time.
Because AMP is open-source, any content creator can use AMP pages. ChartBeat and WordPress are among other early adopters, in addition to giants like Twitter and Google.
AMP says the HTML is built “entirely out of existing web technologies,” so it should not require extra work to develop for publishers.
AMP promises flexibility and support for a range of ad formats, including working with paywalls and subscriptions. Sustainable Ad Practices is in the works to guide best practices around AMP pages, its Website added.
One thing to note: Third parties can crawl, index and cache AMP pages.
According to the Google News Team, AMP is set to launch in Google Search as early as later this month.
To prepare for the launch, Google recommends:
- Create AMP HTML pages.
- Check if your pages validate in Search Console.
- Find out whether your third-party CMS providers support AMP.
Have a tip to share with our editorial team? Drop us a line:


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Police investigating 4 Paws Pet Parlor break-in
SYLVESTER, Ga. (WALB) - Police in Sylvester are looking for a burglar who broke into a pet shop but didn’t steal anything.
Camera footage inside 4 Paws Pet Parlor shows a man rummaging through the store on Sunday. He’s looking for something but apparently didn’t find what he was looking for.
“Oh, yeah, we’re just, wondering you know, we’re still trying to figure out why he would come here and why he touched money and didn’t take it, that’s a real good question,” said Jennifer Story.
Story is now seeking alternative security measures after the man broke through a wooden door to get inside her store.
“We are looking into putting brick up instead of having the windows boarded up in the back, we’re looking into bricking them in. So where someone can’t ply off all that wood and come through. And other than that, having our guns and gear. That’s the only thing we can do to make ourselves stay safe,” said Story.
The detective on the case says officers will scope the area outside of normal business hours to ensure safety.
“We will provide as much aid as required. That goes back to the extra patrols in the area for when the businesses are closed. Especially our downtown businesses. Little business check cards where officers will get out and actually go off foot and check each door shake the door and leave his business card behind,” said Daniel Mothershed.
Sylvester police say this town has not seen an uptick in break-ins for local businesses, unlike other areas in South West Georgia.
Copyright 2022 WALB. All rights reserved.


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The establishment media reporting President Trump’s economic battle with China is warning of massive new costs for American consumers.
Tariffs, after all, are paid by American consumers who buy Chinese products, reporters have needled White House officials into confirming.
But one columnist, admitting he is “no fan of the president,” has had enough of the “partisan, inaccurate drivel.”
Marketwatch columnist Brett Arends writes: “Yes, tariffs are ‘costs. But they do not somehow destroy our money. They do not take our hard-earned dollars and burn them in a big pile. Tariffs are simply federal taxes. That’s it. The extra costs paid by importers, and consumers, goes to Uncle Sam, to distribute as he sees fit, including, for example, on Obamacare subsidies.”
He went on: “It wasn’t long ago the media [were] complaining because Trump was cutting taxes. Now it’s complaining he’s raising them. Confused? Me too. And the amounts involved are trivial. Chicken feed.”
But now there’s even more ammunition for those who support Trump’s insistence on a fair trade relationship between the U.S. and China.
A study by the Coalition for a Prosperous America found that a potential 25 percent across-the-board tariff on all imports from China would deliver “significant, sustained benefits for the U.S. economy.”
It would create 1.36 million additional jobs and an additional $232 billion to GDP over five years, the study concluded.
“China’s rise has come at the expense of U.S. jobs and manufacturing,” said CPA Chairman Dan DiMicco. “This new research demonstrates just how much the United States stands to gain from reclaiming our manufacturing base. Blind adherence to free trade clearly hasn’t worked, and boosting domestic production should now be our top priority.”
The organization’s chief economist, Jeff Ferry, and senior economist, Steven Byers, built a “detailed model of U.S. trade with China to examine the effects of the imposition of a permanent, across-the-board 25 percent tariff on U.S. imports from China,” CPA said.
“The model showed that a 25 percent tariff boosted annual growth in U.S. gross domestic product each year in the five-year projection, contributing 0.2 percent of additional GDP growth in 2023 and 2024. Overall, this ‘permanent across-the-board 25 percent tariff’ (PATB-25) would add $232 billion to total GDP by 2024, equivalent to a $700 bonus for every American.”
As a result of such a tariff, some production would be moved back from China to the United States or to lower-cost third countries.
“Overall, this would stimulate both U.S. consumption and production, adding 365,000 manufacturing jobs. By 2024, $69 billion worth of annual production would have migrated from China to the United States,” the organization said.
“Our model demonstrates that across-the-board U.S. tariffs on Chinese imports stimulate the U.S. economy, increase U.S. production and jobs, and lead to a reduction in U.S. import costs over time,” Ferry explained.
“The model provides additional evidence that decoupling the U.S. economy from China and its predatory trade and subsidy practices will make the U.S. economy stronger, with more production, investment, and jobs.”
The research suggested inflation rising “only marginally, and never by more than two-tenths of a percentage point.”
That’s because while Chinese imports would be more expensive, there would be much less of it because production would move to the U.S. or other countries.
The study concludes there’s bad news for China.
“Model results indicate that $3.23 billion of production will leave China in the first year, and by 2024, $297.4 billion will have left. To the extent production migrates from China to lower-cost countries, U.S. import prices will trend lower. In total, these factors lower the average trade-weighted cost of imports by 4.6 percent after five years. This decrease in the cost of imports stimulates growth in the domestic economy,” the study said.
It noted that while some production costs are higher in the U.S. than in China, there are other factors.
“Locating production in the U.S. offers … lower transportation costs, more logistical flexibility, and closer connectedness to consumer markets, distributors, and senior management.”
And there’s a side benefit: “The boost to U.S. national security is significant, though outside the scope of this purely economic model. Decoupling from China reduces our dependence on an unfriendly nation which is a military, industrial, and geopolitical rival.”
MarketWatch’s Arends said the “hysteria” over the tariffs Trump is using to press China to level the international field of trade is motivated by “a political agenda.”
He argues the financial cost “is peanuts” and charged that most of what media reports include is “misleading or a downright lie.”
Arends wrote that if Trump slapped 25 percent taxes on all Chinese imports, it would amount to only $135 billion, a tiny part of the GDP of $20.5 trillion.
“The tariffs are simply a means to an end. The president is trying to get China to start buying more of our stuff. He knows the so-called Middle Kingdom, which now has the second-biggest economy in the world, responds to incentives more than to nice words. These tariffs give China an incentive to open up.”
“Just posturing,” he said.


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- Details about Google's future version of Android, called Android "Q", have emerged.
- A video with a leaked, early version of Q shows some major changes for privacy controls, as well as a new " dark mode" option.
- It's still early days for Android Q, and anything can change between now and its official release.
The newest version of Google's mobile operating system, Android Pie, is just beginning to make its way onto devices this year, after being limited to Google's Pixel device following its August launch.
On Thursday, however, Android enthusiast forum XDA-Developers got a hold of an early build of Google's upcoming version of Android, called Android "Q."
Given that this is still early build, there aren't very many changes that are worthy of note so far. Except for two.
Google is making big changes to the way you control your privacy on Android Q. And it's introducing the option to enable an operating-system-wide dark mode.
Dark mode makes it more comfortable to use your device in dark settings. And it helps save battery life on devices with OLED displays, which includes pretty much every premium flagship Android smartphone in recent memory.
Of course, this is an early build of Android Q and that means anything can change between now and when Google releases it, probably later this year.
Check out the two biggest changes coming in Android Q:
Switching the majority of elements on the Android operating system — and any operating system, app, or website — to a darker color theme can't come soon enough. Not only is it more comfortable on the eyes when you're in a darker setting, but it also helps with battery life on devices that use OLED displays. It's something that Google realized and presented during its recent developers' conference.


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With Christmas around the corner, there was some trepidation among Saturday shoppers at the Eaton Centre.
But a keen desire to return to normal was also a sentiment shared by many.
tap here to see other videos from our team.
“Well, a little paranoid,” said Maria Malandrino. “But happy that things are going somewhat back to normality.”
Her nervousness walking among so many people at the mall was “because of the new variant. But I’m glad we are out and about.”
The crowd at the mall was manageable, Malandrino said, while on her way out of the downtown Toronto mall with her daughter Jessica.
But getting there on the TTC was daunting.
“We took the subway to come here. There were a lot of people on the subway. You couldn’t sit,” she said. “That’s why we are taking an Uber now because the subway was really packed.”
Ontario on Saturday logged 1,053 new cases and added eight deaths to the overall tally.
There were 284 people hospitalized with COVID-19 — down slightly from the previous day — including 160 people who are in intensive care units.
The emerging Omicron variant has sparked concern among the global scientific community who are in a race to determine how virulent and infectious it is — and how susceptible it is to existing vaccines.
Malandrino shares that worry.
“If someone is in an aisle, I will take the next aisle just to avoid them,” she said.
Her daughter Jessica does not share the same concern about wading through crowds during a potential new phase of the pandemic.
“It’s great to get back,” she said while holding a bag of newly purchased workout clothes.
Some entrances at the Eaton Centre have signs showing capacity limited to just more than 23,000.
“I love it. It’s nice to see people getting around,” said Armand, who drove in from Mississauga with his girlfriend Natalia. “We are sort of enjoying life as best we can.”
Both said they are double-vaccinated, although Armand wore a face shield as he strolled through the mall.
“I’m not wearing a mask. I honestly have not worn a mask since COVID started,” he said.
“I think it’s good,” he added. “As long as we all respect each other as far as distance is concerned.”
Added Natalia: “I do not worry about the COVID. I got the shot.”
Canadians plan holiday shopping with a vengeance and in-person
Canadians feel stressed-out, financially stretched for holidays: Survey
Their trip to the mall was less about doing actual shopping, and more about seeing a place they had not visited in years.
“People are obedient. I think people are now getting wiser,” Natalia said.
“We would like to keep everything going. We need our economy to go and not to stop.”


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BAKU, Azerbaijan, Jan. 26
By Tamilla Mammadova – Trend:
The Export Price Index (XPI) increased by 0.6 percent in December 2020 compared to the previous month in Georgia, Trend reports citing the Georgian National Statistics Office (Geostat).
There was a 0.6 percent increase in the prices of manufactured products.
Compared to December 2019 the XPI increased by 13.5 percent. In the mentioned period prices increased for manufactured products by 9.4 percent and for products from mining and quarrying by 41.9 percent.
The Import Price Index (MPI) increased by 0.9 percent over the previous month, while compared to December 2019 the index increased by 10.9 percent.
Compared to December 2019 the prices were 12.7 percent higher for manufactured products, while for products from mining and quarrying a price decrease of 7.3 percent was registered. With regard to electricity, gas, steam, and air conditioning, the prices were 10.9 percent lower.
The external merchandise trade (excluding non-declared trade) of Georgia amounted to $11.34 billion in 2020, 14.8 percent lower year-on-year.
The exports equaled $3.34 billion (12 percent lower), while the imports stood at $8 billion (15.9 percent lower). The negative trade balance was $4.66 billion in 2020 and its share in external trade turnover constituted 41.1 percent.
Follow the author on Twitter: @Mila61979356


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Five arrested in outer Delhi for stealing goods worth ₹2.5 crore from godowns
The burglaries were committed in the past seven months. The men had rented a godown to store the stolen goods and used a rented truck to move the goods, said the police.Updated: Nov 27, 2017 16:01 IST
The Delhi Police Crime Branch on Saturday arrested five men for allegedly burgling goods worth nearly ₹2.5 crore from industrial units and warehouses, in outer Delhi’s Samaypur Badli.
The burglaries were committed in the past seven months. The men had rented a godown to store the stolen goods and used a rented truck to move the goods, said the police.
The arrested men included the alleged mastermind Ravi Mandal and his accomplices Ram Vilas and Mansoor, the police added. The three are accused of lifting anything they could lay their hands on – from industrial polymers to grains, to even betel nuts, the police added.
Two others Anwar and Dinesh Goel – have been arrested for buying the stolen articles and selling it at their shops at prices cheaper than market rate.
DCP crime (headquarters) Joy Tirkey said a team of Crime Branch’s Special Operations Squad had a tip-off about a gang of burglars coming near Siraspur Gurdwara in Nangal Puna area of outer Delhi on Saturday afternoon. Around 4.30pm, when Mandal, Vilas, Mansoor and Anwar reached, the police arrested them.
Goel was arrested from his shop later on Saturday after the arrested men revealed his role.
Tirkey said with their arrests, at least nine cases of burglary, all registered in Samaypur Badli, have been solved. All these burglaries were reported between May and November this year.
“All of them had previous criminal involvements too and were arrested. After coming out on bail in February, the three men re-grouped and started committing the burglaries. They first did a recce of the properties when no security guards were present, and then struck later by breaking locks,” said Tirkey.
Hired truck, rented godown
Mandal and his accomplices used a canter truck to carry the stolen articles. They even hired labourers claiming that the goods that they were loading and unloading at nights belonged to Mandal and his accomplices, informed Tirkey.
“Mandal and Anwar had rented a godown in Siraspur. The stolen goods would be kept in the godown till the time it was disposed off,” Tirkey added.
Goods worth ₹15 lakh and the truck used by them have been recovered, said Tirkey.
Theft victim to alleged thief
Investigators added that Mandal had migrated from Bihar in search of work. He had first set up a small fruit cart which was stolen few days after he started the business. “He told us he started burgling because he could not find any other job for a living. He then took up theft, roped in Mansoor and Vilas, who, too have come from Bihar,” said Tirkey.
First Published: Nov 27, 2017 16:00 IST


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The port of Klaipeda in Lithuania has reported a record cargo turnover. Instead of its predicted reduction of 35%, it grew 57% in 2022, writes Delfi.
Having lost Belarusian potash fertilizers last year due to sanctions, the port of Klaipeda managed to reorient itself and attract new cargo flows. Now the task is to hold these positions in 2023.
Behind the success was the inclusion of the port into additional sea routes and a 100% discount on tonnage dues for ships carrying cargo for distribution. The end of last year saw the record 1 million TEU (standardized containers) exceeded.
Belarusian state propaganda predicted almost total bankruptcy of the Klaipeda port due to Belarus' refusal to transit potash fertilizers through it. Aliaksandr Lukashenka made similar statements. Belarusian state propagandists currenetly remain silent.


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23 Feb Canny investors are pouring cash into rare whisky as they look for big returns
CANNY investors are turning to whisky as they look for big returns on their cash.
The value of top-quality Scotch is rocketing while global stock markets fall.
The Rare Whisky Apex 1000, which follows auction prices of rare bottles, showed a 14 per cent increase last year while the value of the UK’s blue chip companies shrunk by 1.3 per cent.
Limited edition malts, commemorative bottles and whisky from closed-down
distilleries are being snapped up as an investment.
Almost £10million worth of collectable bottles were sold in the UK last year.
Expert Andy Simpson, of independent valuers Rare Whisky 101, said more amateur traders are taking a punt on Scotch.
“Scotch is in such high demand that anything that’s ‘aged’ is disappearing from the market because it’s so rare. Anything over 25 years old is considered getting on in today’s market.Andy Simpson, a whisky expert and trader
“Balvenie released two 50-year-olds last year and they were £26,500 per bottle. Ten years ago they might have been about £200.”


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Oct 26, 2012
People on the Move
JERSEY CITY, N.J. -- Supporting its recently announced long-term growth plans, The Kroger Co. has promoted Michael L. Ellis to senior vice president, Retail Divisions, overseeing the c-store group, in addition to five supermarket divisions.
Ellis has been president of the company's Fred Meyer division, based in Portland, Ore., since 2006. Since joining Fred Meyer at age 16, Ellis has held a number of leadership positions in the company, including vice president of Fred Meyer's food group and group vice president for grocery, drug, general merchandise, pharmacy & advertising for The Kroger Co.
Kroger also named Marnette Perry as its new senior vice president, Strategic Initiatives and Operations. She will lead several strategic initiatives, including efforts to reach value-conscious customers. In her previous role, she was responsible for eight supermarket divisions.
In other people news:
Colonial Coffee Roasters
Bryson brings over 40 years of experience in the convenience and retail store industry. He was employed as vice president of Flash Foods, Waycross, Ga., and retired in March 2012 after 30 years of service.
E.A. Sween/Deli Express
Prior to joining EA Sween, Gempko spent much of his career in the wholesale business as vice president of sales for Eby Brown and director of sales for Grocery Supply.
Royal Dutch Shell
Van Beurden, a Dutch national and currently Shell's executive vice president Chemicals, joined Shell in 1983 and has held various engineering, plant management and operations and commercial roles in the Netherlands, Africa, Malaysia, UK and the USA.
VP Racing Fuels, Inc.
Rugg began his automotive career at the NAPA Distribution Center in Kent, Wash., where he progressed through several positions before being promoted to assistant sales manager and eventually, operations manager for NAPA's Distribution Center in Houston.
Yemington started his career with Intel Corp., where he worked for 15 years in a series of sales and marketing capacities. There, he supported the developing business of a variety of Intel's original equipment manufacturer customers, including Compaq, Dell, Gateway, Lenovo, Motorola, Panasonic, Samsung and Sony.
Advantage Sales and Marketing, LLC
After beginning her career with the J.M. Smucker Co., Domier joined ASM in 1990. She quickly rose through the company's ranks, holding a variety of executive-level positions in sales, marketing, and operations.
570 Lake Cook Rd, Suite 310
Deerfield IL 60015
Convenience Store News
CSNews Supplier Guide
CSNews for the Single Store Owner
Private Label ⇒ Store Brands
Independent Grocer Network
The Gourmet Retailer
Directory of Convenience Stores
Hispanic Retail 360
|© 2013 Stagnito Media. All rights reserved.|


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Locals make deals with the Dragons
By Charlotte Helston
Frank Deiter's son serves up the 100 per cent pure, locally made apple juice from the Mobile Juice Factory to the Dragons.
Image Credit: Mobile Juice Factory
October 12, 2013 - 8:40 AM
VERNON - They braved the Dragon’s Den, and they left victorious.
Mark Hanson, of Armstrong, and Frank Deiter, of Vernon, scored some major business opportunities during their appearances on CBC’s the Dragon’s Den.
Their clips—filmed back in March and April—aired Wednesday night. The two contestants spoke about their products earlier in the week, but their lips were sealed about what happened in the Dragon’s Den.
Those who caught the episode now know that both entrepreneurs accepted deals on the spot. Hanson, who was pitching a waste compactor called the BinPak, accepted an investment offer of $150,000 from two Dragons in exchange for a nine per cent share of the business.
After sampling Deiter’s fresh apple juice—pressed in his Mobile Juice Factory—the Dragons practically had a food fight over who got to invest in it. The product helps farmers use up apples not fit for market due to bruises or blemishes, and creates another healthy, local product.
Deiter accepted an offer of $300,000 for a 50 per cent share of the company.
If you missed the episode, you can catch it again this Sunday at 9 p.m. or check it out online.
To contact the reporter for this story, email Charlotte Helston at firstname.lastname@example.org, call (250)309-5230 or tweet @charhelston.
News from © InfoTel News Ltd, 2013


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Wasn't today their meeting with the FDA?!?! I wonder if there's a leak?!?! wink; wink;
Market "looking foward to Chunky Monkey's question on Friday" Mania
As always, IMO!
Sentiment: Strong Buy
MDXG Parker just issued a press release. FDA will consider mdxg data and get back to them. Meanwhile, OSIR Mills met with FDA and settled in 3 days. PF knows.
Did OSIR put up a defense with FDA like MDXG? That's a nonprovoking question. MDXG is claiming "new" data submitted to FDA today. Not sure if Mills presented any new data or agreed with FDA for a prompt resolution.


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Ever since we became dependent on our social media, online e-commerce, and the plethora of apps on our mobile devices, our lives are almost entirely driven by our data. These tools can improve consumer access to information and make shopping, from within the apps, much faster and easier. However, this sense of convenience has also made our personal information more widely available. It allows marketers to target our behaviors based on this data. These e-commerce sites and applications can collect and share personal data to an extent not previously possible. One might be surprised to learn that the data collected could include names, nicknames, addresses, passport numbers, social security numbers, and geolocation data, employment, and physical and behavioral characteristics.
When this data becomes susceptible to breaches, cyberattacks, and unauthorized sharing, we should be concerned as to what degree data is protected, and why isn’t our personal data completely secured? How does one know what types of personal data, and how much of our personal data it is out there, and being shared? On a daily basis, businesses profit from our personal information, and there should be some limitations on how they can use or share this data. Additionally, customers should have greater control within an app or directly within an online transaction to define our data preference.
If businesses desire to profit from our personal information, they should follow regulations to ensure that customers’ data is being protected with extensive measures. These measures may present themselves as a bill or law passed within a state government, but there is no single data protection legislation in the US. Instead, a jumble of hundreds of laws enacted on both the federal and state levels.
California recently passed a bill to give its residents more control over their personal information. The California Consumer Protection Act went into effect on January 1, 2020. This Act granted Californians several fundamental rights: to know what personal information is being collected about them, to access this information, to know whether it is sold and to whom, to ask that their data be deleted, to refuse to allow that it keeps being sold, to receive equal service and price even if they have exercised the previous request to opt-out.
One example that put the CCPA to test is Hanna Andersson, a children’s clothing store and online retailer who notified their customers in January 2020 that hackers had scrapped various customer data from September 16, 2019 to November 11, 2019. Shortly after the announcement from Hanna Anderson to their customers, a class action complaint filed by Krista Gill and Doug Summerfield accused both Salesforce and Hanna Anderson of “failure to exercise reasonable care in securing and safeguarding their customers’ sensitive personal information, including customer names, payment card numbers, payment card expiration dates, and payment card security codes.”
This complaint was only one of many in relation to attacks on an e-commerce platform, additionally it was also the second attack recently to happen to Salesforce Commerce Cloud Unit. It was reported that the defendants could have prevented this type of data breach as similar attacks on e-commerce platforms are common. The retailer and e-commerce platform failed to adopt more secure technology and neglected to safeguard customer data. Thus, hackers can install malware that is undetected for close to two months which can allow them to access personal user data, as explained in this case.
Even with the new regulations on data privacy, consumers are willing to trade off sharing their data in exchange for the experience. Most consumers have no issues with providing their data, and thus businesses only need to refocus on how they treat targeted marketing. Those most affected are the third-party vendors that rely on the exchange of data to grow their business. Third-party vendors will struggle as the data inventories begin to dwindle and marketers may become weary, but third-party data’s downfall is not necessarily bad for business. The “dirty-data” has always been questionable as it comes from unknown, questionable sources.
The CCPA may lead to reduced access to third-party data and puts pressure on companies to improve their collection of first-party data acquisition channels. However, many businesses may be surprised that when they scrap the dirty old data, what remains is more accurate, secure data that will ultimately improve their marketing campaigns.
- Crowl, Jonathan. “How the CCPA Will Change Marketing (and Why It’s a Good Thing)” Jebbit, Jebbit, 14 September 2019, https://www.jebbit.com/blog/how-the-ccpa-will-change-marketing-and-why-its-a-good-thing
- Leprince-Ringuet, Daphne. “What is the CCPA? Everything you need to know about the California Consumer Privacy Act right now.” ZDNet, CBS Interactive, 20 December 2019, https://www.zdnet.com/article/california-consumer-privacy-act-everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-ccpa/
- “2019 Consumer Data Privacy Legislation.” National Conference of State Legislatures, 3 January 2020, https://www.ncsl.org/research/telecommunications-and-information-technology/consumer-data-privacy.aspx
- Errick, Kristen. “Salesforce and Hanna Andersson Face Second Suit Over Data Breach.” Law Street Media, 6 March 2020, https://lawstreetmedia.com/tech/salesforce-and-hanna-andersson-face-second-suit-over-data-breach/#:~:text=Hanna%20Andersson%20is%20a%20children’s,to%20scrape%20various%20customer%20data.
- Lazzarotti, Joseph J. and Gavejian, Jason C. “CCPA Data Breach Class Action Litigation Begins.” Jackson Lewis P.C., 6 February 2020, https://www.workplaceprivacyreport.com/2020/02/articles/california-consumer-privacy-act/ccpa-data-breach-class-action-litigation-begins/
- Images by Joel Koch


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Instructions in an image for enabling Xbox One backward compatibility are actually fake and cause the console to become unusable with a never-ending boot loop.
Sony is having deals this Black Friday, including a $20 discount on PlayStation Plus one year membership, which comes with many benefits such as access to Instant Game Collection.
Many Xbox One users had received a ban that restricted some of their Xbox Live privileges last weekend due to excessive profanity. Has Microsoft monitored their private Skype calls?
At Game Byline, we are going to show you a whole new side of the video game world with coverage on what’s happening in the video game industry. If you enjoy what we display so far, then why not be a part of this growing community today?
A new feature is in the works for Steam right now that allows you to enable a unique user interface that will let you use Steam on your TV with ease.
Nine months after its announcement by Capcom, the fifth official game of the Ace Attorney series makes another appearance, showing us more about what the game will bring to the table.
Finally, after nine months of silence, Rockstar Games publishes three screenshots for their upcoming game, GTA V.
A long-awaited sequel as a real platform release, a mobile phone release, or an entirely different game: which one of these will a countdown from Square Enix lead us to?


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It’s quite astounding how much power Porsche manages to extract from the 911. The latest Turbo, for example, squeezes 540 horsepower (580 in S spec) out of a 3.8-liter six-cylinder engine and into a package barely any bigger than a Golf.
It’s hard to fathom, then, that the 911 Turbo wouldn’t be enough for some. But there’s one in every bunch. And they can turn to TechArt.
The Porsche tuner has just released its new take on the 911 Turbo Cabrio, and it packs a mighty punch. The new GTstreet R Cabriolet boasts 720 horsepower – almost as much as a Ferrari F12 Berlinetta, but from half as many cylinders, little more than half the displacement, and into a much smaller footprint.
That’s why TechArt says it’ll hit 62 in 2.7 seconds (down from 2.9), 124 mph in 8.5 (instead of 9.9), and top out at 211 (instead of 205). Impressive, but there’s more to it than straight-line speed.
TechArt has also fitted the GTstreet R cab with an active aero kit (punctuated by that giant rear wing) to increase downforce, reduce lift, and improve cooling to the water and oil coolers. It’s also replaced key body panels (like the front fenders and hood) with carbon fiber, fitted 20-inch forged alloys to an active coilover suspension (complete with nose lift feature), upgraded the exhaust system, and re-trimmed the interior in leather and Alcantara.
It’s the culmination of 30 years of experience in tuning Porsches, and is bound to blow the doors of just about anything else on the road.


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Bhima, Indian jewellery chain is planning to set up five to six outlets in UAE as it is planning to enter UAE’s intensely competitive marketplace. The first is likely to be set up in Dubai, says a report.
Bhima has its traditional strengths in the southern Indian states of Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. The company is looking at sourcing the inventory for Dubai stores not just from India but from Italian and other design selections as well.
The report further adds that it was last year that another Indian jewellery chain, Kalyan, made a entry into the UAE through one of the biggest promotional blitz seen in this market. At the time, it was reckoned there would be an onrush of other jewellery chains as well after the Indian government put in requirements such as a mandatory 20 per cent quota on exports and kept import duty on bullion at a steep 10 per cent. (The 20 per cent export requirement was subsequently scrapped late last year.)


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Earlier this year, Sadie Frost and Frances Dove began a collaboration with upcycled En Shalla charity bags. The bags are recycled food bags which would originally have carried rice, couscous, flour and other commodity foods.
Following designs from Sadie’s yoga brand, Frost London, the bags have been embroidered by women in Marrakech. The profit raised from them will go towards providing education to women and children in the surrounding villages.
The launch was due to take place earlier this month at Press on Regent’s Park Road.
As this couldn’t happen, there will be a live Instagram interview on Thursday 30 April at 5pm on @onthehill_mag where On The Hill’s editor Maggie Chambers will be in conversation with Sadie Frost, Frances Dove and Melanie Press.
Bags can be bought from Press online at www.pressprimrosehill.com


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Not long before the presentation of the new top of the range 2021 Korean: the heir to the Galaxy S20 will be presented and immediately put on sale.
For Samsung Galaxy S21 there would be news on the horizon regarding its launch date. According to some leaked information on the web, you won't have to wait long to get your hands on the new smartphone from the South Korean company, since the debut is scheduled for early next year.
To reveal the information on the successor to the Samsung Galaxy S20 was a well-known leaker, Jon Prosser, known for having unveiled in the past many information on Apple products well before the official communications. This time, however, the information would touch the new Samsung product that, according to the words of Prosser, would arrive at least a month earlier than we had become accustomed in the past the company, traditionally used to the debut of its models in February. For the S2 series, therefore, we could already expect an early launch and an opening of the bookings that would bring the first specimens in the houses already around the middle of the following month.
Samsung Galaxy S21, the release date
The words of Prosser were clear on all the stages that await the smartphone: the announcement is scheduled for January 14. Samsung Galaxy S21 will instead arrive in pre-order after a few days, namely on January 29, to be subsequently ready for shipment starting from the next 15 days.
Samsung Galaxy S21, one of the three models of the large family
Always according to the tweet, Samsung Galaxy S21 will not be the only specimen of the S2 family. In fact, in addition to the device will peep in physical and digital stores also two other models, called Galaxy S21 Plus and Galaxy S21 Ultra.
Samsung Galaxy S21, what we know so far
In addition to the key dates of the roadmap, of Samsung Galaxy S21 we already know some interesting information about the design. From the information leaked in recent weeks, it was learned that the smartphone will have three cameras on the back side, a flat screen with a slot for the front camera. The SoC will be the Exynos 2100 designed and manufactured by Samsung itself, will obviously be compatible with 5G and, according to the first benchmarks on pre-production samples, should have performance not inferior to the Qualcomm Snapdragon 875.
The color variants are also not a mystery. Previews promise as many as six different shades for Galaxy S21, most likely available in Black, White, Grey, Silver, Purple and Pink. For Galaxy S21 Plus, however, the colors will be Black and Silver. Three alternatives, however, would be provided for the model Galaxy S21 Ultra: Black, Silver and Purple.
The last information, at least for the moment, is that relating to the countries of production. According to the data, the new S2 family smartphones should come from South Korea, Brazil, Indonesia and Vietnam.


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By Anne D'Innocenzio, AP Retail Writer
NEW YORK (AP) — A monthly poll showed consumers' confidence took a surprisingly sharp fall in February amid rising job worries. The decline ends three straight months of improvement and raises concerns about the economic recovery.
The Conference Board said Tuesday its Consumer Confidence Index fell almost 11 points to 46 in February, down from a revised 56.5 in January. Analysts were expecting only a slight decrease to 55.
The increasing pessimism is a big blow to hopes that consumer spending will power an economic recovery. Economists watch the confidence numbers closely because consumer spending accounts for about 70 percent of U.S. economic activity.
The February reading is a long way from what's considered healthy: A reading above 90 means the economy is on solid footing. Above 100 signals strong growth.
The news sent stocks lower, overshadowing retailer reports that showed stronger holiday profits. The Dow Jones industrial average falling 74.29 points to 10,309.09 by midmorning.
One gauge, measuring consumers' assessment of current conditions, dropped to 19.4 from 25.2, the lowest level since 1983. The other barometer, which measures their outlook over the next six months and had been rising since October 2009, fell to 63.8 from 77.3.
The overall Consumer Confidence Index hit a historic low of 25.3 in February 2009 but then enjoyed a three-month climb to 54.8 in May, fueled by signs the economy might be stabilizing. Since then, it has been mired in a narrow range, dropping as low as 47, as rising unemployment took a toll, before climbing again for a three-month stretch.
February's reading is well below the 61.4 figure in September 2008, when the financial crisis intensified with the collapse of Lehman Brothers. The index has had an average reading of 95.6 since the Conference Board starting tracking the figures in 1967.
"The combination of earnings and job anxieties is likely to continue to curb spending," Lynn Franco, director of The Conference Board Consumer Research Center, said in a statement.
The downbeat report on confidence was released amid encouraging news about the housing market. According to a key housing index, also released Tuesday, home prices rose for the seventh straight month in December, a sign of price stability as the U.S. housing market continues its bumpy road to recovery.
The Standard & Poor's/Case-Shiller 20-city home price index rose 0.3 percent from November to December, to a seasonally adjusted reading of 145.87. The index was off 3.1 percent from December last year, nearly matching analysts' estimates that it would fall by 3.2 percent.
But a solid job market is critical to consumers' boosting their spending and the overall of health of the economy.
The overall economy expanded at an annual rate of 5.7 percent in the fourth quarter, but only about one-fourth of that growth came from consumers. That marked the second quarterly increase in a row after four quarter of decreases. But continued high unemployment could lead consumers to further cut their spending, and that could dampen economic growth.\
Many economists expect new jobs to be created in coming months. Unemployment fell to 9.7 percent in January from 10 percent in December, and employers shed 20,000 jobs. But they still worry that joblessness will climb back up by next summer as unemployed people who abandoned job searches start trying again.
The results, based on a sample of 5,000 U.S. households with cutoff date was Feb. 17, showed consumers' assessment of current job opportunities and job prospects over the next six months eroded.
Those saying that jobs are "hard to get" rose to 47.7 percent from 46.5 percent, while those saying jobs are "plentiful" decreased to 3.6 percent from 4.4 percent.
As for the outlook for the job market, the share of consumers expecting fewer jobs increased to 24.6 percent from 18.9 percent. Those anticipating more jobs will become available in the months ahead declined to 13.4 percent from 15.8 percent. The proportion of consumers expecting an increase in their incomes dropped to 9.5 percent from 11.0 percent.
Traditionally, jobs don't improve a recovery in consumer spending and confidence. But Gary Thayer, chief economist at Wells Fargo Advisors, believes that this time around, big improvements in jobs, confidence and spending will be "marching together."
"I think shoppers are going to wait until things get better," he said.
Copyright 2010 Associated Press.


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The world of tennis has always had a serious affair with fashion and style both on and off the court. During the upcoming edition of the tournament that attracts the biggest names from the world of sports, business, films and politics, Marks & Spencer, will host a glamorous fashion evening showcasing their on-trend stylish and fashionable pieces.
Legendary player, Vijay Amritraj will play the master of ceremonies, setting the mood of the evening with his charming personality. The runway will be set ablaze by India's leading models, as they adorn Marks & Spencer's exclusive collection and create magic on the ramp. And taking a break from making that perfect serve or smashing back a volley, a number of ATP players will hit the runway showcasing M&S' stylish range of merchandise.
The fashion extravaganza will be hosted at The Park Hotel, Chennai on Sunday, 30th December 2012 with an exclusive invite list for the event.
Venu Nair, Managing Director, Marks & Spencer India said "We're absolutely delighted to be the 'Official Fashion Show Partner' of the Aircel Chennai Open 2013. We're looking forward to showcase our latest stylish and innovative fashion collection to tennis fans across India. This will be a perfect way to kick off 2013, an exciting year for M&S India."
Commenting about the partnership, Mr. Ashu Jindal, COO, IMG Reliance said, "We are pleased to have Marks & Spencer on board as the 'Official Fashion Show Partner'. Their uncompromising attitude towards creating stylish and high quality products has made them one of the most iconic brands in the international market."
The 18th edition of Aircel Chennai Open has one of the strongest playing fields ever, featuring an impressive line-up of tennis players including top 20 players Tomas Berdych, Janko Tipsarevic, Marin Cilic and Stanislas Wawrinka among others. Both Indian and International participants will compete for the coveted title.
Marks and Spencer
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‘There is huge demand in the Indian lingerie market for non-wired styles.’
InvestKonsult Sweden AB
Investkonsult Sweden AB has been buying and selling second-hand textile...
Larry L Kinn
Larry L Kinn, Senior Vice President - Operations Americas of Suominen...
Coating at a fibre level is a practice not usually seen in the...
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Occasions Elegance Wear
It is believed that by early 19th century, Varanasi weavers had moved away ...
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Apparel/Garments | On 21st Oct 2016


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For the third time LVMH group will host Les Journées Particulières. Over the space of a weekend 40 Fashion Houses in France and across Europe will be opened to the public, upon previous registration to give a behind the scene look of what goes into the excellent craftsmanship at some of the most symbolic fashion houses.
In the forms of guided tours visitors will be able to witness centuries old craftsmanship, talks and more. Les Journées Particulières will take place from the 20th to the 22nd of May 2016 and most registrations are already open.
images via LVMH


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The security through obscurity that Mac users have enjoyed for years is finally starting to crumble and even Apple is owning up to it. They recently put out a support advisory last month in which they recommended that Mac user start running anti-virus software on their machines. It’s long been a gloating point for Mac users that anti-virus software was unnecessary on their systems, but as Apple’s market share increases it’s getting a point where there’s a profit motive for malware authors to start writing for the Mac platform and some of them already are.
Still there’s a resistance to the idea that the Mac may be vulnerable to the same sorts of malicious software that Windows users are and that prompted Graham Cluley to ask in a blog entry Do you really need anti-virus on your Apple Mac?
It started with just a small pebble being dropped into a pond. Apple updated one of its support advisories on 21 November, informing its customers that they are recommended to run anti-virus software.
Most people would never have noticed this announcement. I didn’t at first. I only heard about it when I saw the guys from Intego mention it on their Apple security blog on 25 November. A couple of days later, recovering from a bout of man-flu, I blogged about a new piece of Apple malware and mentioned in passing that Apple were now recommending their customers run anti-virus software.
Today, however, that small pebble dropped by Apple has turned into a tidalwave of commentary – and we’re seeing lots of news stories about Apple urging Mac users to protect themselves with anti-virus.
So, do you really need anti-virus on your Apple Mac?
From there he goes on to list seven facts and the comes to the following conclusion:
So, back to my original question, do you really need anti-virus on your Apple Mac?
The answer is yes.
It’s worth noting that Mr. Cluley works for Sophos, a company that produces anti-virus, anti-spam, firewall software packages for both big and small businesses, so it’s possible he may have a conflict of interest in promoting anti-virus software on the Mac. The fact that Apple has recommended the practice and that Mr. Cluley has been active in anti-virus research for some time prior to joining Sophos should help balance that out. That and the seven facts he lists make a pretty good argument.
The threat for Apple users is still relatively small compared to what Windows users face, but if Apple continues to gain market share then it won’t take long for it to grow. Of course the best defense is being educated about the threats, but for a lot of people that’s a commitment they don’t seem to be able to make.


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The Samsung Galaxy S24 and Galaxy S24+ are expected to continue featuring the 50-megapixel Samsung GN3 sensor as their primary camera.
- Samsung Galaxy S24 series is expected to go official in January next year
- Samung Might will revamp the main camera on the Galaxy S25 models
- Galaxy S24 is expected to run on an Exynos 2400 SoC
While the Samsung Galaxy S24 series has yet to be officially announced, early rumors about its successor, the Galaxy S25 series, have surfaced. According to a reputable tipster, the 2025 Galaxy S series phones are anticipated to incorporate new camera hardware. The standard Galaxy S25 and Galaxy S25+, as per the tip, are likely to abandon Samsung’s ISOCELL sensors in favor of a Sony image sensor. Samsung has consistently utilized the ISOCELL GN3 sensor in recent flagship smartphones, including the Galaxy S23 series.
Renowned tipster Revegnus (@Tech_Reve) asserted that Samsung intends to transition from ISOCELL sensors to Sony image sensors for the primary camera in the rumored Galaxy S25 and Galaxy S25+. If this speculation proves accurate, it would mark a significant shift for the brand, which has traditionally employed in-house ISOCELL sensors for the main cameras of its high-end smartphones, such as the Galaxy S23, Galaxy S23+, Galaxy Z Fold 4, and Galaxy Z Fold 5. The Galaxy S23 and Galaxy S23+, for instance, purportedly utilize the ISOCELL GN3 50-megapixel sensor.
Conversely, the upcoming Galaxy S24 and Galaxy S24+ are expected to maintain the existing 50-megapixel Samsung GN3 sensor as their primary camera, complemented by a 12-megapixel ultra-wide camera and a 10-megapixel telephoto unit with up to 3x optical zoom.
A recent leak has shed light on the specifications of the Galaxy S24+. It is anticipated to feature a customized Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC paired with 12GB of RAM. The standard model is expected to run on an Exynos 2400 SoC paired with 8GB of RAM. The Galaxy S24 is rumored to sport a 6.2-inch full-HD+ screen with a 120Hz refresh rate, while the Galaxy S24+ may come with a 6.7-inch QHD+ display boasting a 120Hz screen.
Additionally, leaked information suggests that the vanilla Galaxy S24 will house a 4,000mAh battery with support for super-fast charging, while the Galaxy S24+ is rumored to feature a 4,900mAh battery with super-fast charging 2.0 support.


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Dame Janet Suzman tells Co-op to ‘leave Belsize alone’
Oscar nominated actress backs campaign to stop supermarket opening
24 September, 2018 — By Tom Foot
Janet Suzman believes the Co-op is not behaving cooperatively
OSCAR nominated actress Janet Suzman has hit out at “utterly depressing” plans for a supermarket chain opening in Belsize Village.
Ms Suzman DBE said the Co-op’s plan to open a store in the former XO restaurant in Belsize Lane would be “tough on established shops”.
She said: “Go away, Co-op, find a nice high street or some other lonely corner where you could serve a purpose, and leave Belsize alone.”
Ms Suzman, who lives in Hampstead, has backed previous campaigns to stop Tesco and Sainsbury’s opening in NW3.
She added: “There are only two villages left in the Hampstead area and Belsize is one of them. How utterly depressing to have a large conglomerate branch thunder its way into a close interdependent little community and think that is a co-operative thing to do.
“It’s going to be tough on the small established shops already serving the needs of the Village and most likely put them out of business. What a rubbish way to find your profits – on the back of the ruination of others. And the trucks clogging up that narrow street? And all the unnecessary booze they’ll stock. What for?”
The campaign to block the Co-op opening in Belsize Park has been criticised as “snobbery” by NW3 residents who say shopping in “the village” is too expensive.
The New Journal revealed last week that Co-op has applied to open another branch in the former Marine Ices building in Haverstock Hill, Chalk Farm.
The company – which says it had a branch in every postcode in the country – said in a statement: “We believe that a new Co-op store on Belsize Lane would enhance shopping options for local people, providing a wide selection of fresh, healthy foods and meal ideas as well as creating a number of full and part-time jobs which would be targeted at people living in the immediate vicinity. The Co-op is a proud community retailer and would also provide members and customers with the opportunity to raise funds for local groups and organisations through its highly regarded Membership Scheme.”
Ms Suzman played many roles for the Royal Shakespeare Company and was nominated for best actress at the Oscars for her Empress Alexandra in the film Nicholas and Alexandra (1972). She is a niece of Helen Suzman, the South African politician and anti-apartheid campaigner.


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The Intel-powered Windows 10 phone that was due to be released in 2016 isn't happening, according to Windows Central, which cited anonymous sources "familiar with Microsoft's plan." Now, rumor has it that a Microsoft Surface phone is in the works.
Microsoft released its latest Windows 10 Mobile preview build for testers this week as the release date of the Lumia 950 and 950XL, which will run on the OS, inches ever closer. Whether the company is wrapping up its preparations and readying a full release remains unclear, though some think this version could be the final product.
Microsoft is set to unveil the Surface Pro 4, new smartphones and other hardware at a launch event in October, according to a new report.
Nokia was testing Lumia smartphones running Google's Android mobile operating system "well before" discussions that led to Microsoft agreeing to purchase the company's struggling mobile phones business for $7.2 billion, The New York Times reports.
Nokia promised its newest Windows Phone 8 operating system update will reach all Lumia smartphones by the end of this month.
Nokia released an updated version of its Music streaming service for Microsoft's Windows Phone 8, adding concert notifications and new release alerts.
Nokia is rolling out a Windows Phone 8 operating system update that extends camera features introduced this spring in its Lumia 925 smartphone to other devices within the Lumia portfolio.
Nokia released a new app for Microsoft's Windows Phone operating system that allows users to upload videos directly to Google's YouTube. While the actual app is a relatively minor item in the overall mobile marketplace, it serves to highlight the increasingly complex web of alliances and rivalries that has grown out of the intense competition in the mobile industry among the world's largest technology companies.
Nokia's disappointing second-quarter financial results indicate that consumers are "content" with a mobile ecosystem dominated by Google's Android and Apple's iOS, according to an investor note released by Needham & Company Analyst Charlie Wolf.
Nokia Chief Executive Officer Stephen Elop threw an iPhone across a TV studio during a recent interview with a Finnish journalist, a move that could symbolize its decision to tether its fortunes to the Windows Phone operating system.


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WASHINGTON — Vee Tyre & Rubber Co. Ltd. is recalling a limited number of Tri-Ace-branded Pioneer A/T III light-truck tires due to a manufacturing issue that could result in a sidewall separation.
The recall involves 1,782 of the tires, in sizes LT245/70R17 and LT235/85R16, that were produced at Vee's factory in Samutskorn, Thailand, between Dec. 2, 2018, and March 31, 2019.
According to a Safety Recall Notice published by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the position of the steel belt in some of the tires in the line appears to have deviated from specification for the tire. The condition could lead to the subject tires overheating, resulting in a separation at upper sidewall and tread and air loss.
Vee Tyre said it will notify and reimburse owners the cost of the tires, along with any service fees. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed Feb. 21. Owners may contact Vee Tyre customer service at 212-564-7575.
The NHTSA recall notice does not mention whether there have been any accidents or injuries related to the tires being recalled.


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Rebel Wilson wears pieces from her upcoming plus-size fashion line with Torrid Fashions for an interview with Extra TV on October 27, 2015, in Los Angeles. (Credit: Michael Wright / WENN)
The “Pitch Perfect” star has tied up with Torrid Fashions for a new line of plus-size clothing called “Rebel for Torrid” that launches worldwide on November 1.
“I’m a creative person. I create characters, scripts, jokes, music… so I thought, why not clothes?” said Wilson in a press release.
“I’ve never really felt like there’s a brand out there in the plus size world that is creating cool stuff, that fits well and is good quality yet affordable,” she added. “It’s really only been in the last few years that I’ve seen companies try.”
Rebel Wilson fake smooches Mario Lopez after promoting her new clothing line on “Extra TV” (Credit: Michael Wright / WENN)
“I’ve been loving designing the clothes for my capsule collection,” said Wilson. “I’ve been putting my unique style and personal loves into the clothing and literally can’t wait for the collection to launch!”
The comedian promoted her new line of clothing on “Extra TV” with Mario Lopez on October 27. She then fulfilled practically every woman’s dream by planting a big kiss on Mario.
Rebel Wilson and Mario Lopez laugh around together on the “Extra TV” set (Credit: Michael Wright / WENN)
Of course, it was just a faux smooch for the cameras.
Rebel Wilson wears a star-printed Torrid ensemble on the set of “Extra TV” (Credit: Michael Wright / WENN)
Rebel wore a star-patterned white t-shirt, a pencil skirt, and black kitten heels for the interview.
All of the pieces from her ensemble are from her own upcoming collection with Torrid. Operating since April 2001, the American women’s retail chain offers plus-size clothing and accessories for women sizes 10-30.
Rebel Wilson’s feet in Torrid black kitten heels (Credit: Michael Wright / WENN)
Marc Jacobs Mouse Kitten Heel Pumps, $650


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With Netflix's initiative on venturing more into the gaming industry, the streaming platform has now launched Netflix Games for their mobile Android app with no additional cost.
Gamingbolt reports that Netflix launched five mobile games yesterday for their mobile Android app users, namely Stranger Things: 1984 (BonusXP), Stranger Things 3: The Game (BonusXP), Shooting Hoops (Frosty Pop), Card Blast (Amuzo & Rogue Games), and Teeter Up (Frosty Pop).
All of these can also be played both online and offline.
Netflix Games Now Available For Android
Netflix also expressed their plans to create more games moving forward, A part of their official statement reads as:
"Whether you’re craving a casual game you can start from scratch or an immersive experience that lets you dig deeper into your favorite stories, we want to begin to build a library of games that offers something for everyone. We’re in the early days of creating a great gaming experience, and we’re excited to take you on this journey with us."
The company's interest in venturing into the gaming industry was already seen when they partnered with Riot Games to create the League of Legends-based series Arcane which will premiere this Saturday, November 6th. Netflix also recently acquired Night School Studio who were responsible for creating the 2016 mystery adventure game Oxenfree.
Netflix Games List (November 2021)
Below is a list of all games available for Netflix subscribers. We'll update this list should more be made available:
- Stranger Things: 1984
- Stranger Things 3: The Game
- Card Blast
- Teeter Up
- Shooting Hoops


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In the scramble to create cutting edge VR experiences, MGM and Fox have announced new partnerships to take their IPs into the virtual world.
MGM and Fox to Develop VR Experiences
The LA Times reports that MGM have invested in virtual reality gaming start-up Survios. Survios has raised funding totaling $50 million over two separate rounds led by Lux Capital and MGM respectively.
Meanwhile The Fox Innovation Lab at Twentieth Century Fox has teamed up with Felix & Paul Studios to develop, direct and produce virtual reality experiences for Fox properties. Details of the first experience are expected to be announced early next year.
VR Attractions Underway
In July Lionsgate announced an immersive centre in China which is likely to feature VR experiences. The attraction in Novotown in Hengqin, Zhuhai is being developed in partnership with the Lai Sun Group subsidiary Lai Fung Holdings and will be operated by Village Roadshow Theme Parks.
Sony have created an immersive experience which launched in Asia in December. Road to Racoon City ties in with the release in cinemas of Resident Evil: The Final Chapter in late December.
In Japan, video arcades are experimenting with VR experiences to survive.
Virtual Reality experiences without studio IP are already entering the market successfully. Zero Latency, creators of the V Play Reality experience at Main Event Orlando, have recently raised $7million funding to expand their attractions in the US and Japan.
Image: Survios Raw Data


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The upcoming affordable OnePlus phone goes by a couple of names. First being referred to as the OnePlus 8 Lite, the phone was then called the OnePlus Z followed by the OnePlus Nord 5G. Irrespective of what the brand ends up calling the phone, we now have a new certification from TUV Rheinland that reveals that the phone will support 30W fast charging. Also Read - OnePlus, Xiaomi products continue to sell out despite trending anti-China sentiments
The OnePlus Z was also spotted with model number AC2003 and apparently will be available in various countries across the globe as mentioned in a report by GSMarena. Further, a second certification by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) reveals that the device will bear the AC2001 model number in India. Also Read - OnePlus 8 series: The company is looking for testers to kick start its Closed Beta testing program
Watch: Adobe Photoshop Camera app first look
OnePlus Z / OnePlus Nord expected specifications
As per previous reports, the OnePlus Z is expected to feature a 6.55-inch Super AMOLED display with a 90Hz refresh rate panel and an in-display fingerprint scanner. On the back of the phone is a quad-camera setup including a 64-megapixel main sensor along with an auxiliary ultrawide, depth, and macro cameras. Also Read - New affordable OnePlus TV will feature 93% DCI-P3, Dolby Vision certification
Under the hood, the OnePlus Z is expected to feature the Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G chipset paired with up to 12GB RAM and 128GB storage. The phone could feature a 4,300mAh battery and could come with Android 10 with OxygenOS on top. Pricing is rumored to be around the Rs 25,000 range.
While there is no exact date yet for a launch, we can expect the OnePlus Z / OnePlus Nord to launch around some time next month. We should hear more about the phone as we head closer to an imminent launch date.
In other news, OnePlus seems to be gearing to kick-start its Closed Beta testing program for its latest flagship smartphone lineup. As part of the preparation to start the program, the company has just put out a call inviting potential testers with OnePlus 8 Pro and 8 devices. It plans to start testing new features, concepts, in addition to other experiments to gather first-hand feedback for the OnePlus 8 series.


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- Published on Thursday, 12 January 2012 17:15
Cargo turnover at the Freeport of Riga has exceeded the records of previous years and it now totals more than 34.07 million tons, an increase of 11.8% over the previous year. As a reminder – in 2010, the Port of Riga handled 30.47 million tons of cargo.
Freeport of Riga Chairman of the Board Andris Ameriks points out: “Already after seeing the performance of the last year’s first quarter, when the volume of the cargo handled by the port exceeded the year-on-year volume by 7.5%, we realised that overall this will be a successful year for the port. Although based on the activity, contracts and annual goals of the port’s companies one could expect the volume of the cargo handled during the previous year to be more, the total result for the year surprised us in a positive way. I believe that it would not have been possible for the port’s companies to achieve these results without a targeted strategy carried out by the Freeport of Riga Authority. We are led by the principle that we should set our goals first, which may even seem utopian in the beginning, and then look for every possibility to achieve these goals. Not so long ago, in 2010, the 30 million ton margin was exceeded for the first time in the port’s history, and, within a year, we have already increased this amount by 4 million tons. In fact, such outcome is only logical, as the investments made in recent years in the construction of deep-water wharfs, deepening of shipping routes, reconstruction of access roads and other infrastructure objects have made the Port of Riga even more competitive, more attractive to new investors and convenient for owners of large ships. Of course, not everything has gone as smoothly as we would like. It is most unfortunate that, for reasons outside the control of the Freeport of Riga Authority, the realisation of the ambitious Krievu island project has not yet begun. That would open new opportunities and further enhance the competitiveness of the port, which in turn would bring in profits to the state economy. Let me remind you that from every ton of cargo reloaded at the Port of Riga, 10 lats flow into the Latvian economy, so this year the Port of Riga’s contribution to the Latvian economy was about 340 million lats.”
The highest increase – 15%, occurred in the liquid cargo segment. Overall, 7.52 million tons of petroleum products were reloaded in 2011 at the Port of Riga, which is practically one million tons more than in 2010 (6.53 million t). It should be noted that, in 2010, relative to the year 2009, the increase in the petroleum products group was only 0.2%. Liquefied gas only represents a small share of the total cargo volume, but even this cargo group experienced a positive development by +24%.
Like the rest of the world, the objectives of the Port of Riga are aimed at increasing the share of containerised cargo. The increase of this type of cargo, which is part of the general cargo segment, has seen a substantial over the past two years. In 2009, 1.86 million tons of containerised cargo was processed. In 2010 it was 2.65 million tons, but in 2011, it was already more than 3.15 million cargo of this kind. The numbers show that 19% more cargo has already been handled in 2011 compared to 2010.
The Roll On/Roll Off cargo group of the general cargo segment experienced a volume decline of 19.5% compared to the year 2010. The volumes of timber and other general cargo also decreased by 8.8%, but that did not leave a significant impact on the port’s total turnover.
About two-thirds, or 19.97 million tons of cargo of the total workload of the port were related to the bulk cargo segment. Of this amount, the most important part was coal, the reloading volume of which reached 13.49 million tons in 2011. It should be noted that, in 2011, after the fall in turnover in 2010, this cargo group practically reached the level of 2009. A significant increase occurred in reloading of fertilizers – by 24.5% in 2011, exceeding the margin of 1.7 million. Positive dynamics were also observed in the grain and grain products group (+35%). The amount of ferroalloy had almost doubled. There was a significant increase in the shipment of construction materials (+54%), sugar, scrap metal and other bulk cargos segment group. The amount of sawn timber shipped was down by 15.1%, as was the amount of various metals (-20%), wood chips (-13.8%), ore (-17.0%) and peat. Despite the fact that the volume of several cargo groups had decreased, the overall bulk cargo volume in 2011 was 14.5% higher than in 2010.
Carriage of passengers has been playing an increasing role in the operation of the Port of Riga, the dynamics of which over the last three years can be characterized as stable. In 2009 691.5 thousand passengers were transported. In 2010 there were 764 thousand passengers, but in 2011 there were already 839.7 thousand passengers. The average statistics show that the number of passengers per year is increasing by 9 to 10 per cent (the increase in 2011 was 9.9%). Cruise passengers are important, too. Last year there were 127 thousand cruise passengers, which is 8.5% more than in 2010.


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AutoGuide News Blog
The AutoGuide News Blog is your source for breaking stories from the auto industry. Delivering news immediately, the AutoGuide Blog is constantly updated with the latest information, photos and video from manufacturers, auto shows, the aftermarket and professional racing.
Tech Tuesday No. 1: Visiting QNX Headquarters
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Welcome to Tech Tuesday, our new series that explains and exposes the high tech features in today’s new cars. For our inaugural post, we’re not just looking at what technology is in cars today; instead we’re looking ahead to the future of in-car infotainment systems.
Try almost any modern infotainment system. Most feel like they’re a decade behind today’s gadgets in terms of touch-screen responsiveness and resolution. So why don’t cars offer us technology on par with smartphones and tablets? Continue Reading…


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The Securities and Exchange Commission has served Tesla with a subpoena after CEO Elon Musk tweeted that he was considering taking the company private and that he had the necessary funding lined up, according to reports from The New York Times and other outlets published Wednesday.
Shares of Tesla were down 3 percent in afternoon trading, though they moved only a fraction of 1 percent following the Times article.
Representatives of Tesla and the SEC declined to comment to the Times.
Musk publicly floated the possibility of taking the company private in a tweet that sent shares seesawing and company leadership scrambling. His statement that he had the "funding secured" came under particular scrutiny, as it may have violated an SEC rule that essentially stipulates public statements made by company executives must be true.
Musk explained earlier this week that the Saudi Arabia sovereign wealth fund had expressed interest in taking Tesla private. The Saudi fund declined to comment to CNBC.
Fox Business Network's Charles Gasparino also reported the SEC subpoena on Wednesday, a few hours ahead of the Times and Journal reports, adding to Tesla's losses for the day.


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It has been quite a long period of time that Apple release the latest generation of iPods. However it seems like Apple does not ditch the great idea from its great founding father! This time, someone noticed that the Apple iTunes now features iPod Shuffle, iPod Nano coated with new colour! Does this means that Apple is planning the release of the new iTunes?
All 3 ipods were refreshed with a new look and colours on the latest iTunes version 12 available to public right now. It was highly spectaculated that Apple could be releasing new generation of iPod on the upcoming 14 of June?
If Apple is planning to release a new generation of iPod, hopefully that the latest iPod will comes with a specification upgrade as the last iPod released is almost 3 years ago!