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Is something rotten in Denmark? The Scandinavian country on Europe’s mainland looks to be conducting an internal analysis of the taxes that it gets from Google, a top multinational tech firm with an outsized portion of market cap in America’s equities market.
Coincidentally, maybe, American officials are looking at Google and other top tech firms right now for antitrust behavior and possible tax evasion.
However, it’s in Europe that some of these giants are getting dinged by assertive tax analysts who are suggesting these companies are paying their fair share.
Denmark is reviewing several tax years to look at Google’s tax position, according to U.S. News reports and others in this morning’s finance sector.
All of this doesn’t come entirely out of the blue – weeks ago, we reported on Ireland’s revisiting of the taxes that Apple pays in that country. At the time, it was suggested that Ireland is one of a number of tax havens for U.S. companies trying to hide massive profits in order to avoid paying Uncle Sam domestically.
Furthermore, a study in December by British party Fair Tax Mark showed that Google, Apple and other FAANG companies based in the United States were likely to be underpaying on their profits internationally.
“The research, published Monday, analyzed their 10-K filings, which are financial forms submitted by businesses to the U.S. government,” wrote Chloe Taylor at CNBC Dec. 2.
“(the study) looked at tax provisions — the amount companies set aside in their financial reports to pay taxes — and compared those to the amounts that were actually handed over to the government, referred to as cash taxes. Over the decade, the gap between the Silicon Six’s provisions and the taxes they actually paid reached $100.2 billion, researchers found.”
Strangely enough, Google’s repeated response to these critiques is that it pays 80% of its taxes in the U.S.
However, if it’s not paying its fair share in the U.S., it doesn’t matter what percentage it pays domestically, and what percentage it pays abroad.
This past January, Google agreed to stop using a “licensing scheme” involving Bermuda and a Dutch holding company. That’s just one of the tangible markers used by observers like Fair Tax Mark to suggest that these companies really should be paying more. Look for continued fallout in the tech sector.


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An article on BusinessWeek mentions about the increasing cost of search engine marketing and the decreasing effectiveness of clicks generated from those clicks. According to DoubleClick Inc., the cost per click has increased 31% on average from a year ago. Smaller businesses are finding more competition from bigger companies trying to snatch consumers via search engine advertising.
Consumers are more likely to buy from a well known company like BestBuy and Walmart.com instead of their smaller rivals. Also the big companies can provide bigger discounts on products on their websites due to their volume and inventory, therefore, undercutting smaller players in the market. Buyers are also now better bargain hunters on the internet, and would buy from the big company sites.
The entry of bigger rivals and the increase in the CPC (cost per click) is forcing the smaller companies like BabyAge.com and medium retailers like Ice.com and eBags to scale back on search engine advertising. They are now trying to find niche publishers such as blogs.

domain: news


text: HCMC – Over 30% of households in Vietnam are grappling with the consequences of soaring prices of goods and services, according to data released by the General Statistics Office (GSO). In a report covering the first eight months of 2023, the data showed that 30.1% of households are experiencing the impact of rising costs, while another 5.3% are facing negative effects due to the pandemic. An additional 2% of households report adverse effects of the pandemic on pets and crops. The GSO conducted the survey to assess the impact of adverse events on households across the country. Another 22.9% of households attributed it to increased input costs for their business activities, while 21.9% others pointed to reduced prices for their products.


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Nashville and Indy Among the Finalists for Amazon’s Second Headquarters
Amazon has announced its short list of cities still in the running to host the company's second headquarters. Two of them are relatively close to the WBKR listening area!
Last year, Amazon announced plans for a second headquarters and received bids from 238 cities expressing the desire to host them. While the final decision is expected to be made sometime this year, Amazon has released a list of twenty cities still in the running. The two closest to Owensboro are Nashville and Indianapolis. The other cities still in contention are as follows--->
Montgomery County, Maryland
New York City
Amazon says that HQ2 will cost $5 billion dollars and could bring up to 50,000 jobs to the city chosen to house the facility.


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J. C. Penney Company, Inc. announced financial results for its first quarter ended May 3, 2014. For the first quarter, JC Penney reported net sales of $2.80 billion compared to $2.64 billion in the first quarter of 2013. Same store sales increased 6.2% and improved sequentially each month within the quarter.
The Company said that, going forward, it will simplify its same store sales calculation to better reflect year-over-year comparability. Certain items, such as sales return estimates and liquidation sales, will now be excluded from the Company's same store sales calculation.
Under this new methodology, comparable store sales in the first quarter rose 7.4 %, which includes online sales that grew 25.7 % over the same period last year. For the full year, the Company expects the new sales reporting methodology to have a 10 to 20 basis point impact.
Women's and Men's apparel, Home, and Fine Jewelry were the Company's top performing merchandise divisions in the quarter. Sephora inside JCPenney also continued its strong performance. Geographically, all regions delivered sales gains over the same period last year with the best performance in the western and central regions of the country.
For the first quarter, gross margin was 33.1 % of sales, compared to 30.8 % in the same quarter last year, representing a 230 basis point improvement. While better than last year, gross margin was negatively impacted by an increase in clearance sales as a percentage of total sales in February and March, as well as negative clearance margins. Gross margin improved sequentially throughout the quarter, and the clearance sales mix returned to historic levels by quarter end.
SG&A expenses for the quarter were down $69 million to approximately $1.01 billion or 36.0 % of sales, representing a 490 basis point improvement from last year. These savings were primarily driven by lower corporate support costs, advertising and improved credit income.
Operating income for the quarter was a loss of $247 million which represents a 49.2 % improvement over last year. For the first quarter, the Company incurred a net loss of $352 million or ($1.15) per share.
The Company also announced today that it has obtained a fully committed and underwritten $2.35 billion senior secured ABL credit facility to replace the Company's existing $1.85 billion ABL bank line, which matures in April 2016.
Due to favorable market conditions, the Company decided to pursue this new facility proactively to extend the maturity several years and enhance its liquidity position. This financing is expected to provide better pricing terms and is expected to add $500 million of incremental liquidity during peak seasonal needs. The Company expects to close the facility during the second quarter.


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Outdoor Research added Midwest Outdoor Sales to represent the brand in the Midwest territory — Missouri, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, and Nebraska.
“The Midwest Outdoor Sales team has a wealth of experience navigating the outdoor market in the Midwest and have the keen ability to bring the brand, its retail partners and consumers together in the marketplace,” said Michael O’Connell, senior sales manager for Outdoor Research.
Co-Owners Emily Rach and Jeff Reimann bring a combined 40 years of experience working in the outdoor industry representing Cascade Designs, Osprey, Yakima and Terramar Sports.
“We are honored to be working with Outdoor Research and look forward to growing this iconic brand with our retailers,” said Jeff Reimann.
Photo courtesy Outdoor Research


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The Indian economy cannot restart completely without ending lockdown restrictions, said former head of the erstwhile Planning Commission and noted economist Dr Montek Singh Ahluwalia.
Speaking to India Today TV News Director Rahul Kanwal during a session of the India Today E-Conclave Jumpstart India series, he said, "We seem to be beginning to get out of the lockdown in a phased sort of way. I think that's also the right thing to do."
"But remember, the red zones are the ones most affected; they are a small part of the geography, but they are about 60 per cent of the GDP."
"So, as long as the lockdown remains in place in the red zones, you really can't expect an economic revival," he said.
Montek Singh Ahluwalia said some of the restrictions in place are directly affecting supply-side constraints and stressed that those have to be removed first.
He further added that the country has to build a system to support "the incomes of the poor" who have been worst hit due to the extended lockdown, which has now crossed over 40 days.
Quoting CMIE data on rising unemployment, Ahluwalia said it shows a clear picture of how each sector has been affected. According to CMIE data, a large number of small traders have been affected due to the extended lockdown.
It may be noted that the unemployment rate has shot up to 23.5 per cent in April 2020 in the wake of economic disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.


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News Byte: Target Offers ID Theft Protection to Customers
Target offers privacy monitoring to all customers.
In the wake of its holiday data breach, Target is offering free credit monitoring and identity theft protection to all customers who shopped its U.S. stores, not just the estimated 70 million who were affected by scammers.
Customers can visit www.creditmonitoring.target.com to receive an activation code and obtain details on free services from ProtectMyID, an Experian service that helps individuals understand and keep track of their credit reports, as well as monitor for and resolve identity theft.
Customers who take advantage of the offer receive a complimentary copy of their credit report, daily credit monitoring, identity theft insurance (except where prohibited by law), and access to a fraud resolution agent. The offer is good for 12 months, after which customers will have the option to renew the service at their own expense, though free access to the agent will continue after expiration of the one-year period.
Earlier this week, Target released results of an internal investigation finding that some 70 million customers were affected by the breach and that, in addition to payment card data, some customers' names, phone numbers, and mailing and email addresses were obtained.


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Courtesy The Habit Burger Grill
A new burger joint set to open in Issaquah next week plans to give out free burgers Saturday in a pre-opening sneak peek — make that a sneak taste. The Habit Burger Grill will give out a free chargrilled burger, fries and a drink to the first 200 customers during each of two time slots on Saturday, June 2. The two time slots are 11:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m. and 5:30–7:30 p.m. No purchase is necessary. Just plan to line up early if you want to score a free meal!
If you can't make the free burger time slots Saturday, or don't want to wait in a long line, The Habit is hosting two fundraising events prior to its official opening where the public can get a advance taste of the burgers and accoutrements, and help support community organizations.
- On Sunday, June 3, 5:30–7:30 p.m., stop by The Habit and enjoy a burger while supporting Issaquah students. Regular menu items will be for sale and the restaurant plans to donate 100 percent of proceeds from this pre-opening time slot to the Issaquah Schools Foundation.
- On Tuesday, June 5, 11:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m., another pre-opening fundraiser will support YMCA Family Village. Visit for lunch and know that your purchase supports this community organization. The Habit will donate 100 percent of proceeds from this time slot to YMCA Family Village.
The Habit specializes in burgers grilled over an open flame, plus ahi tuna steak, portabella mushroom and chicken sandwiches. Sandwiches, salads and other menu items are made-to-order.
Starting with its official grand opening on Wednesday, June 6, The Habit will be open daily, 10:30 a.m.–10 p.m. Find it at 1676 9th Ave. N.E. in Issquah's Grand Ridge Plaza.
The Habit's Issaquah location will be the franchise's sixth location in Washington, joining outlets in Shoreline, Tukwila, Kent, Tacoma and Silverdale. The chain started in California in 1969.
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Uber taxi app takes on Canadian cab companies
App that connects drivers with those needing a ride 'a disruptive technology,' Uber Montreal executive says
The popular transportation app Uber is trying to reinvent how Canadians get from one place to another by connecting drivers with people looking for a ride and, in the process, disrupting a taxi industry that has been slow to adapt to new technology.
Since launching in 2010, Uber has expanded to over 100 cities around the world, including Montreal and Toronto. By the end of the year, it hopes to be in 170 locations.
But like most companies hoping to disrupt the status quo, Uber has faced some roadblocks.
"Uber is a technology company and a disruptive technology," Jean-Nicolas Guillemette, general manager of Uber Montreal said in an interview on The Lang & O'Leary Exchange. "When we enter a market, sometimes it creates some fear, or at least questions from regulators".
In Montreal, Uber met with cab companies and regulators in an attempt to allay some of those fears.
Pushback from cab companies and regulators in Vancouver and Calgary forced Uber to abandon expansion plans there. The service has been banned in New Orleans, Miami and Brussels, among other cities.
Meanwhile, users have lashed out against the app's "surge pricing," which in some cities boosts the cost of a ride based on demand.
Uber also operates much differently depending on the city. In Toronto and Montreal, the service uses only licensed drivers and relies on traditional fare meters.
Watch the full interview above.


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The Guildford university’s professor David Frohlich has won £1.17m funding from the Digital Economy programme to research and develop paper materials that would allow readers to “interact” with printed materials like Harry Potter portraits.
Digital Economy is part of Research Councils UK and supports research to realise the transformational impact of digital technologies on community life, cultural experiences, future society, and the economy.
The project, called “next generation paper”, will develop a new form of paper with hyperlinks to the web.
Readers will be able to obtain related information on nearby digital devices, just by turning a page or touching the surface of paper documents, photographs, posters or books.
The university says this could lead to documents “interacting” with their readers as they impart information – like the fictitious portraits in Harry Potter which are magically able to react to their viewers.
So yes, you could soon have a photo of Robert Pattinson hung on your wall that smiles at you when you enter the room.
The interactive documents, which are a hybrid of “print-and-digital” information, could have links to video clips, animations, sound recordings or music which play at the touch of a printed button.
These would appear on TVs, music players, smartphones, tablets and computers, with documents effectively paired with a device using the project technology.
People currently scan printed QR codes with a smartphone as an early method of linking paper and digital information.
But the project will go beyond this into full document recognition and even instrumentation of the paper itself with electronic sensors and chips .
Yep, this one's got us smiling like we've just completed our first year at Hogwarts.
Professor Frohlich, from the Digital World Research Centre, said: “We plan to give physical paper a whole new lease of digital life. Elements of interactive paper have been around in prototype form for some time, but we hope our research will help create a mass market next generation paper for the 21 century.
“The project will create new business opportunities for the digital economy that we will research in parallel with the technology.
"For example, publishers will be able to add value to print products and services by connecting them to digital material, while web companies will be able to use paper as a tangible interface to online information.”
Here at Get Surrey we're particularly excited for future editions of The Surrey Advertiser .
Keep up to date with the latest news from around the county via the free Get Surrey app.
You can set up your app to see all the latest news and events from your area, plus receive push notifications for breaking news.


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Wagons are mostly reserved for mid-size families, which don’t like high riding vehicles. They provide up to five seating positions and a large cargo capacity. Now, today’s trends point out a constant raise of crossover SUV demand, while the wagons are not standing too good at the moment. We like it, especially when they come in a pair with a respective engine. One of the kinds comes from Mercedes-AMG department. The amazing car brings a whopping performance already, but the refreshed 2019 Mercedes-AMG C63 Wagon promises to be, well, even zestier and here is why:
The wagon from AMD department is currently featuring a single 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8. The biturbo mill delivers from 469 hp to 503 hp, depending on which version you choose. The base 2019 model will probably stay unchanged. On the other hand, the full-fledged C63 S will get 12 additional ponies. Bearing in mind that the closest rival pumps out 450 horsepower, the topping 2019 Mercedes-AMG C63 S Wagon will with 515 horsepower definitely be the fastest wagon available.
Refresh and New Features
The amazing car will get a few exterior changes as well. The spotted prototype hides just the ends. The front end will feature a totally new design thanks to the Panamericana grille and new bumper. The testing vehicle doesn’t hide the headlights, but the carmaker could make some slight changes when the production model hits the dealerships. According to the latest reports, they will be slimmer, but that isn’t confirmed yet. The rear end will also get new lights and restyled bumper, but that’s pretty much everything.
Inside, the 2019 Mercedes-AMG C63 Wagon will feature plenty of changes, both styling and technology. The wagon will get a new 10.25-inch infotainment touchscreen, which has been introduced already inside of the GLC F-Cell. The carmaker will also add a 12.3-inch instrument cluster, fully-digital of course, while the COMAND infotainment should sport a new multifunction touchpad with handwriting recognition.
The refreshed AMG C63 Wagon will be introduced early next year at the 2018 Detroit Auto Show. The European version will have to wait until the Geneva Motor Show.


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The ability to manipulate genes once seemed like something out of science fiction. But now the first genetically modified animal is headed to U.S. supermarkets.
The development of this new GMO salmon began in 1989 when Atlantic salmon eggs were injected with genes from both Chinook salmon and ocean pout, an eel-like fish. This modification speeds up the growth cycle from three years to 18 months. The salmon are currently being raised at two facilities in Canada and Indiana. It is the first genetically engineered animal to be approved for sale, and the first U.S. harvest is expected in the fall of 2020.
The GMO salmon’s producers, AquaBounty Technologies, say bringing production closer to consumption reduces the carbon footprint of getting fish to market and solves problems plaguing the aquaculture industry, like ocean pollution and overfishing. With an increasing global population, some say biotech could be the key to sustainably increasing the amount of food the planet will need this century.
Opponents of GMO food have derisively called the salmon “Frankenfish,” and AquaBounty CEO Sylvia Wulf has embraced the name, saying it faces the same kind of pitchfork-wielding mob that Frankenstein’s monster suffered.
“Land-based aquaculture and biotechnology are going to be a part of the future,” Wulf said. “We blazed the trail and set up the process so others will be able to follow it.”
From Lab to the Market
The road to bringing GMO salmon to the U.S. wasn’t a smooth one, but it’s not the first food innovation to be the center of a long political battle. Take the case of margarine versus butter, for example. When margarine, with its recipe of sheep’s stomach, beef fat, and potassium salts, was first introduced, it was demonized by the dairy industry, outrageously taxed, and banned from being yellow. The current war on lab-grown protein launched by the cattle industry includes courtroom battles threatening to outlaw using the word “meat.”
AquaBounty has encountered similar battles since it first approached the FDA in 1995, when there were no rules in place to guide GMO animal products. The FDA decided it would regulate GMO foods the way new drugs are regulated — requiring testing for safety, toxicity, allergens, nutritional profile, protein content, fat content, minerals, hormone concentrations, and other lab work.
For AquaBounty, it was an arduous process that took more than a decade of lab work, followed by a string of assessments by other U.S. agencies. But it had its share of excitement, too, like when Greenpeace showed up on the roof of their Canadian facility with a helicopter and motorcade, wrapped the building in caution tape, and climbed on the roof to protest the operation — giving the overnight building manager the fright of his life.
In total, the process cost the company around $120 million and over three decades of work.
“It is the most analyzed fish product in the world,” said Garth Fletcher, the Canadian researcher who invented the salmon. “Once we submitted the data and (the FDA) reviewed it, it took a while for them to codify the way in which they are going to evaluate the technology.”
Paving the Way for Food Innovation
Genetically modified foods are expanding, with new products in development around the world such as dairy cows that don’t grow horns (and therefore don’t need to be painfully dehorned), pigs that are low-fat and excrete less polluting nitrogen, and chicken eggs that fight cancer. But the food tech space can expect a series of battles. The history of other food innovations and the current turf war over alternative meats show that regulatory bottlenecks can stifle food innovation, and public perception is hugely important.
Today, popular food fashions claim that “pure” and “natural” foods — with no additives or GMOs — are healthiest, even though the bulk of scientific data shows GMOs are safe for the consumer. As with most innovations, the old guard is focused on protecting its turf, and consumers are often caught in the middle.
As is the case with AI, autonomous vehicles, and other advanced technologies, the innovators who work in laboratories will have to participate in ethics conversations, develop the right language to use for the products they create, and play an active role in the development of effective regulations.
Innovation is also needed to develop better methods of testing foods quickly and thoroughly (so it doesn’t take 30 years to evaluate a single product), as well as producing data that helps consumers make sense of issues like the health, safety, and environmental impacts of high-tech foods.
Join Michael O’shea as he visits Aquabounty to get up close and personal with GMO Salmon.


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Edited by Amanda Gabriele on
New York City’s most legendary hotel The Plaza and perhaps its most famous resident Eloise are celebrating in a very special way this holiday season. Betsey Johnson has teamed with the hotel to decorate its Christmas tree and launch her first holiday pop-up shop, which opened yesterday, November 14.
Johnson’s original sketch of the Eloise tree.
“I absolutely loooove The Plaza, along with Eloise of course!” Betsey Johnson said. “I’ll be poppin’ in to light the Eloise tree and kick off my Betsey holiday pop-up shop, filled with my favorite stocking stuffers and more. There’s something for everybody! Pop in and say hi! XOX Betsey”
On November 28 at 5:00pm, The Plaza and Betsey Johnson will host a holiday-themed ‘Tree Lighting Tea’ in The Palm Court to kick off the holiday happenings throughout the hotel. Reservations are open to the public and can be made via phone at 212-546-5300 or email at firstname.lastname@example.org.
Questions about the Betsey Johnson tree or pop-up shop? Ask me on Twitter @CrystlMeatballs.


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4. The alternative analysis is that the shift we have seen over the past three years is the beginning of a long-term structural shift which will see energy prices materially lower in real terms in the next half century than in the last. Those who take this view believe, to put it very simply, that the likely growth in supply is stronger than the growth in demand.
5. ? The failure of a backup generator forced the evacuation of the Langone Medical Center, part of NYU hospital. About 200 patients had to be moved. Officials are investigating why the backup power failed.
6. In 2007, Apple released the first iPhone: a full touchscreen phone, complete with its own virtual keypad. To many, Apple had done something new, something never seen before. They had made the first touchscreen phone. But this was incorrect: Apple did not make the first touchscreen phone, nor was the touchscreen a new invention.
Developer activity is also at a fever pitch. According to the contributor graph at GitHub, the total number of contributions to bitcoin’s master code in November was the highest it had been since spring 2012. Bitcoin is also the 31st “most forked repository” on GitHub—”forks” are basically proposed or in-progress alterations to core code—out of more than 900,000. In other words, for developers, bitcoin is trending. The number of open jobs currently posted at bitcoin companies also underscores developer interest: it’s at 105, which is close to the all-time high in September of 137, according to Bitcoin Pulse, which monitors such trends.


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Halloween is still weeks away, but the holiday shopping season is in full swing.
The first Black Friday ad of the season has been leaked by the popular shopping website, … 80 more words
The Cultural Council of Palm Beach County announced this week that it is accepting applications for the 2016 Muse Awards.
The awards, which are given out every two years, honor individual and organizational excellence in art and culture throughout Palm Beach County. 210 more words
…and you weren’t there!
Facebook and Twitter deliver their (your) news feed content to their respective audiences in completely different and challenging ways. Although technically similar, it is important to understand how these feeds work when employing a strategy to maximize your content and audience reach. 1,137 more words


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Digital lenders have been protesting delays in getting operational licenses from the Central Bank of Kenya after being barred from Google Play store and lack of interest from funders that provide cash for onward lending.
An estimated 278 digital credit providers still await the CBK’s approval after filing applications with the banking regulator last year.
Out of 288 applicants, the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) only approved the operations of only 10 digital credit providers (DCPs).
All other unregulated DCPs that did not apply for licensing were ordered to desist from conducting digital credit business.
The regulator announced in March 2022 that all unregulated Digital Credit Providers apply for a license by September 17, 2022, due to concerns raised by the public about the predatory practices of digital lenders, among them, high costs, unethical debt collection practices, and the abuse of personal information.


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First launched in 2016, Strava’s Beacon feature shares your live location with a maximum of three nominated family members or friends and lets them see where you are until you finish your activity.
Previously it was only available to Strava Premium members, but Strava has announced that as of today it will be available for all Strava users.
But there is a catch. You have to be recording activities via its mobile app and you’ll still have to be a subscriber if you want to use Beacon via a connected device, such as a Garmin bike computer or smartwatch.
Strava says that the reason it is still a subscriber-only feature on cycling computers and other smart devices is due to the added complexity of supporting and integrating Beacon with these devices.
However, Strava also said the reason Beacon was previously only available to subscribers across all devices was the added costs of integration and sending SMS notifications to your nominated loved ones. Strava is now presumably absorbing the cost of these integrations and text messages or has worked around them.
Strava says that the app is a place for athletes to feel safe, and Beacon forms the backbone of its commitment to safety.
Strava CEO, Michael Horvath, says: “Strava is a place for anyone who sweats and we want to help every athlete feel safe doing their sport. To better support athletes’ safety and peace of mind, we’ve decided to make our live-location sharing feature Beacon accessible to everyone in our community, whether they subscribe to Strava or not. Starting today, any athlete in the world can use Beacon for free when they record an activity with our mobile app.”
Releasing Beacon to a greater number of users follows the brand’s recent attempts to bring more features to non-subscribers, such as its updated progress charts and local legend challenges, having previously taken some features away.
Do you use the Beacon feature or will you be using it now it’s available for non-subscribers? Let us know in the comments.


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Rumour has it that Apple will be removing the 3.5mm headphone jack in favour of a thinner design for its next iPhone (Probably called iPhone 7). But is that a sacrifice worth making?
We are in a age where technology is widespread and devices are becoming ever smarter and more integrated in our daily lives. With that said, everyone wants a thinner device which is light yet strong for which device manufacturers such as Apple, Samsung and others have to make certain sacrifices to achieve this goal. For instance, most flagship smartphones now have a sealed in battery and no capability for memory expansion, all in favour for a thinner and lighter design. But do people prefer lightness over something like a basic 3.5mm headphone jack? That is definitely a hard sacrifice to make.
Apple is known to make daring changes to its hardware, forcing people to adapt and embrace it. Examples include the loss of the floppy drive and optical drive in all Mac computers, change to the lightening port from the 30-pin connector and the most recent, a MacBook with just 1 USB-C port and a headphone jack, making the claim of Apple removing the headphone jack from the next iPhone that much more believable. In fact, Apple is known for ditching outdated technology faster than anyone else.
In most cases though, Apple got its prediction right as the industry followed suit. The loss of the optical drive enabled thinner, efficient and lighter Mac designs from the MacBooks to the Mac Pro, The lightening port enabled not only for thinner devices but also introduced the convenience of reversibility. Another famous prediction was Apple deciding not to support Flash on iOS which now is officially extinct with the shift towards HTML5.
While everyone complained about how Apple just made these sudden changes out of nowhere, it shows just how forward thinking Apple actually is.
So what is Apple’s alternative to the headphone jack? The lightning port or use of wireless technologies such as Bluetooth. This isn’t anything new. There already exists a small selection of headphones using Apple’s lightning port such as the Philips M2L/27 Fidelio Headphones with lighting connector.
The 3.5mm jack has been in existence since the 19th century when it was being used in telephone switchboards and while it is in widespread use today, it’s use will slowly decline when a company like Apple makes the change. Furthermore, the lightening port can support hi-res audio compared to the 3.5mm jack and it’s a digital form of connection compared to the analog form of the current headphone jack. Being a digital connection, the phone can precisely control the audio and can also be programmed to perform smart operations such as opening a specific app when the headphones are plugged in. It could also enable power to be transmitted to the headphones eliminating the use of batteries or extra cables for those extra features like active noise cancelling.
But there still is a major hurdle. The selection of lighting headphones is too small especially compared to the ones available for the 3.5mm headphone jack. The price is also pretty high. But its important to remember that Apple owns Beats Inc which means it could reflect the change to lightening connector across the Beats headphone lineup.
We can also expect for Apple to sell an over-priced adapter from 3.5mm jack to lightening for those who don’t want to make the switch. And remember there always is the wireless option.


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Leading property investment company LCP has acquired a parade of commercial units beneath a popular residential development in Birmingham city centre.
The acquisition of the eight units at Latitude, in Bromsgrove Street, Southside, expands the company’s property portfolio in the area – it already owns and manages The Arcadian, a popular leisure city centre venue, and B5 Southside, a retail parade on Hurst Street.
LCP acquired the units, which have a total of 13,647 sq ft space, for an undisclosed amount and follows the company’s commitment to continued growth in 2017. Last year, it invested £98 million investment in its commercial property portfolio and is looking to invest a further £200 million this year in both retail and industrial properties.
James Buchanan, LCP investment director, said: “Latitude is in an excellent location, just five minutes from Bullring, and this acquisition also enables us to build on our portfolio in Southside, which is a vibrant area of the city that is earmarked for some exciting redevelopments over the next few years.”
Tenants include Ian Henery Solicitors, Min Min Noodles, Pure Island Dry Cleaners, and Home Town China.


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Monday, April 9, 2012
Targeted health and wellness foods: What's inside
According to a May-June 2011 survey conducted by Packaged Facts—with a sample of 2,000 U.S. adults who in aggregate were Census representative on the primary demographic measures of gender, age bracket, race/ethnicity, geographic region, and the presence of children in the household— nearly two-thirds (63%) of U.S. grocery shoppers have purchased a food or beverage in the past year for the purpose of addressing one or more of 22 common health and wellness concerns.
In seeking to address such health concerns, shoppers are proactive about doing research to educate themselves about dietary nutrients. Just over half of targeted health and wellness product shoppers consider health, nutrition, and wellness websites to be among the most valuable sources of information — the type of information that contributes to the all-important health benefit reputation of a product. In fact, these shoppers consider the Internet to be significantly more useful than other types of media, including journals, magazines, newspapers, TV programming, and radio.


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We have some exciting news to share with you! We just launched the FIRST, LIVE, DAILY cooking show on Facebook, called “The Real Dish”
The Real Dish showcases quick, clean, affordable meals and leverages Facebook’s new live streaming capabilities. The purpose is to share that eating clean and healthy can be done easily, deliciously and affordably.
This is going to change how people interact with chefs and food entertainment forever. For the first time, they can ask questions and have them answered in the spot, even cook along. There’s no smoke and mirrors, it’s 100% live and real!
Building from the success of other live streaming services like Periscope and Meerkat, the launch of Facebook Live is boosting engagement rates through this native video content. We’re on trend with this growth and have seen a huge spike in engagement since launching “The Real Dish” on Facebook Live. Eat Cleaner’s Facebook reach is up 56%, page views up 114%, and page likes up by a whopping 354%. From the statistics, the audience is mostly women between the ages of 34 – 44, with 73% watching on their mobile devices. While other live streaming services are short-lived, Facebook’s live video feature saves the clip at the end, and can be viewed and shared over and over again.
The Real Dish is my daily interactive outlet to help families overcome their fear of cooking, by teaching them easy and delicious ways to prepare a meal in their own kitchen and to get the kids involved too. I’ve received an overwhelming amount of engagement since launching The Real Dish show including messages, comments and testimonials from everyday Mom’s (and Dad’s) who are looking to eat healthier and more affordably. Gone are the days of constantly eating out for dinner. Home is where the heart of cooking is!
The Real Dish is the first live daily cooking show on Facebook and is bringing the burgeoning home cooking trend to a whole new level – saving time, money and sanity. Ensure notifications are switched on and check out “The Real Dish” daily on @EatCleaner’s Facebook fan page.
Check out The Real Dish Teaser Video and come join the party every day at 4:30pm PST.
Please click here to download the official press release.


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In an effort to woo Amazon for its second headquarters, Visit Philadelphia joined a group of local organizations to develop a campaign.
For those in the magazine and catalog printing and publishing segments, the past year has been nothing short of dynamic.
Heret Packaging developed a unique approach to a traditional 12-month calendar. The Junglendar is a month-by-month freestanding calendar and was developed to showcase Heret's in-house production capabilities.
OK Go, a band known for its inventive music videos, used 567 printers and lots of paper to choreograph a mesmerizing dance.
Although many brand owners still want to hold physical prototypes in their hands, 3D prototyping is…
During Heidelberg’s Packaging Days, journalists traveled to the Netherlands and Belgium to visit two customers using the Speedmaster.
During last week’s Heidelberg Packaging Days event, Heidelberg’s Stephan Plenz led a session looking at the future of packaging.
The Heidelberg Primefire 106 hybrid press for the folding carton market was the star of the show during the Packaging Day event held from Nov. 8-9 in Wiesloch-Walldorf, Germany. Customers and journalists learned about the technology from both Heidelberg executives and users of the press.
“Stranger Things” was released on a streaming service, but Netflix has released the first season on DVD, with very cool packaging.
A recent packagePRINTING webinar offered advice for how to use creative means to attract a new generation of press operators.
A recent webinar discussed the future of printing, highlighting five trends that could lead a company to success.
New technology in offset printing offers opportunities to cut costs and makeready times and to increase quality control, ultimately winning over new customers and satisfying existing customers. But first you need to know what options are available.
Seeing mugs hanging on hooks in a store isn’t unusual, but David Shaw knew that when he saw his mugs in a store without the packaging, it was a mistake. Shaw is co-owner of The Unemployed Philosophers Guild, a purveyor of novelty gifts, including an array of heat-activated design and color-changing mugs.
In our new series, Apptitude, Ashley Roberts will take time in each episode to highlight some of the unique and innovative printing and finishing techniques being used in the commercial print and visual communications spaces. In this episode, we take a look at a piece of direct mail from Rochester, NY-based BCC Software that was developed and printed in-house by Shawmut Communications.
Digital embellishment capabilities can open the door to printed electronics and custom content.


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An app designed to help you find the purr-fect pet to adopt is now even easier to use just in time for NBC and Telemundo's annual Clear The Shelters initiative.
The WeRescue app, which has a dedicated tab for Clear The Shelters, allows users to search by zip code to find participating rescue organizations near you. That way, you can see listings for all of the animals available for adoption.
There's also a news feed feature in the app which now gives users the ability to upload pictures of their pets to share with the entire WeRescue community.
The WeRescue app can be downloaded for all iPhone and iPad devices running version iOS 15.0 and above here.
And new for 2023 — WeRescue is adding another service for would-be adopters: a WeRescue website that will launch Aug. 1, 2023 -- just in time for this year's Clear The Shelters campaign. You can search the WeRescue website for adoptable pets near your location -- and the site will be accessible to iOS and Android users alike. Starting Aug. 1, visit https://WeRescue.pet to search the web for your new furr-ever friends.
In addition, users of the app and the website will be able to see photos of other people's rescued fur babies, read their adoption stories and comment on them. It's a fun way to connect with other pet parents about the joys of animal adoption while also drumming up excitement about Clear The Shelters.
"The WeRescue app team is proud to support the Clear The Shelters event for the fourth year — working with dedicated rescue shelter volunteers, foster parents, and NBCUniversal Local staff across the country to find forever homes for these amazing pets," said WeRescue CEO Mark Wade. "There’s no greater joy than seeing a happy family walk out with a new rescue pet which they will love and cherish for years to come."


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Nokia recently announced that they were considering selling their HERE Maps business, and since then a number of companies are reported to be interested in purchasing Nokia’s mapping company.
Facebook recently confirmed that they were testing out HERE Maps on their mobile apps, there is a possibility that they could be interested in buying the Maps business from Nokia, although this has yet to be confirmed.
We also heard previously that Apple may also be interesting on getting their hands on Nokia’s Maps business and now according to a recent report, a number of German auto makers are also interested in the company.
According to a recent report by Reuters, Germany’s three major car makers, BMW AG, Audi AG and Daimler AG, who are normally rivals, are teaming up in a bid to buy HERE Maps.
The reason that the three companies are teaming up to try and get their hands on Nokia’s maps business, is because they are looking to prevent companies like Google, Facebook or Apple from getting their hands on a key technology that will be needed for self driving cars.
The three major German car makers are apparently in advanced talks with Nokia to buy their mapping business, how much the deal will end up being worth remains to be seen.
Image Credit BMW Blog
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Thursday, January 10, 2013
Inflection Point: Where Will 2013 Take Us?
Kathy Oneto | VP of Brand Strategy
Major events in 2012 laid the groundwork; we predict that 2013 will be a year defined by inflection points that will change how you do business. Learn about what is happening in our environment and with consumers and shoppers to shape the 2013 trends we expect to see. Kathy Oneto, Anthem Worldwide's Vice President of Brand Strategy, shares these insights in Inflection Point: Where Will 2013 Take Us?
## About the Presenter: ##
Kathy Oneto is Vice President of Brand Strategy at Anthem Worldwide, where she leads client and brand engagements across a range of industries from consumer packaged goods to retail to technology. Oneto frequently writes and speaks on the topic of women, including an extensive white paper, “Today’s Women: Newfound Power, Persistent Expectations,” and a featured address in 2012 at the M2W®: Marketing to Women conference. Oneto graduated from the University of Virginia with a B.S. in Commerce and has an MBA from UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business.


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New Mobile Online Casinos for Kiwis!!!
The online casino sector has undergone an intense amount of growth of late. Online gambling platforms have been here since the onset of different technological advancements. Consequently, in the past few years, the rapidly evolving technology has revolutionized the industry into a lucrative sector. More people involve themselves in the business as time goes. Besides, mobile apps, as well as virtual reality tournaments, are now dominating the industry of online gaming. Through it all, clients have been loyal. With that said, it is important to look at some of the technology trends that will propel the clients in the future.
New Research Highlights
Without dedicated research, there would be no medicine or the knowledge to save lives through science. Genealogists would not be in existence. Perhaps people would not be in a position to read articles or watch the news. Businesses would, therefore, be a matter of trial and error. That is why the Industry of Data Analytics decided to conduct a research study and establish the current state and future of iGaming. The result was a detailed composition of a report titled Global Online Casino Market. The research is divided by the game, the region as well as the access technology. The gaming verticals entail sports, slots, and card games, among others. Access technology involves the preference of laptops and desktops for playing games.
Disintegrating the Future of Desktops as Well as Mobile Gambling
In the gaming world, it has always been the case of prioritizing a desktop that registers high performance. This is an obvious selection since desktops have bigger screens with gigantic processing speeds as well as countless plugged-in power. Nevertheless, given the onset of various advances that carry a High Definition, there is a question of the type of device an individual chooses to utilize. This is true for casual gamers looking to indulge in uninterrupted gaming. One of the amazing findings is the rising growth rate of mobile gambling online. In the past, internet gaming was strictly exclusive to laptops. The birth of smartphones took almost a decade to catch on. That explains why in recent years there has been a shift in the number of desktop to mobile players.
Why People Go For Desktops
Certainly, desktops have an advantage when it comes to dealing with raw power as well as the processing speed. Moreover, they have better performance and elevated graphics capabilities to operate the latest as well as the most popular associated applications. This is one of the reasons why gamers prefer this machine. Besides, players do not have to worry about the internet and connection speeds.
Mobile Gaming Takes Over
In 2017, mobile gaming landed the first position beating the desktop variety. Currently, it is anticipated that both platforms will experience a tremendous rise in use over the coming few years. This is primarily for the mobile department. So far sports betting is considered one of the most popular forms of wagering in the industry of online gambling. Another reason to pick mobile gaming devices over any other is the fact that it is convenient and flexible.
More Articles to read:
Table of Contents


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TIMONIUM, Md. — Lidl will celebrate the grand opening of two new area supermarkets on December 9.
One store will be located at 15 E. Padonia Road in Timonium.
The other at 5722 Ritchie Highway in Brooklyn Park.
There will be a brief ribbon cutting in front of each between 7:15 and 7:40 am before doors officially open.
Both will have hours from 8 am to 9 pm 7-days a week.
“Bringing another location of a rapidly-growing global business like Lidl — and the jobs that they create — to our communities is exactly the progress we need to support our ongoing economic recovery amid the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski.
If you're in need of a grocery shopping, Lidl says the first 100 customers will receive a special gift card ranging from $5 to $100 each.
Earlier this year, Lidl opened three other markets in Baltimore County including in Perry Hall, Catonsville, and Reisterstown, with another one in Aberdeen.
The chain also recently opened a new 754,000 square foot distribution and logistics center in Cecil County.


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Pepsi has launched a new summer campaign featuring its brand ambassador Salman Khan.
An extension of Pepsi’s Har Ghoont Mein Swag campaign, the new film shows Salman Khan bonding with friends over a game of carrom on a hot summer day. At the same time, another friend is hooked on the phone talking to his girlfriend. Seeing this budding romance, Salman’s friend exclaims ‘Whattay ashiq’. Participating in the cheeky banter, Salman Khan says ‘Whattay Garmi’ and pulls out a chilled bottle of Pepsi, takes a swig and proclaims ‘Whattay refreshing!” with Swag.
PepsiCo India spokesperson said, “Pepsi has always been the choice of the Swag generation and with summers approaching, the brand is offering an even more refreshing proposition to consumers. We have received great feedback on the product and fuelled by this positive sentiment, we have launched a quirky 360-degree campaign to ensure that our consumers enjoy Pepsi like never before.”
Salman Khan said, “With Pepsi’s refreshment quotient increasing, it is a perfect drink to beat summers with Swag. I am confident everyone will enjoy the new TVC, which is full of quirkiness and is all about enjoying fun moments with a chilled Pepsi.”
The new Pepsi TVC will be amplified across TV, digital, outdoor, and social media with a 360-degree surround sound. Pepsi, which is now even more refreshing, is available in single and multiple PET serve packs across all modern and traditional retail outlets.


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According to a review of the study in the National Law Journal, published January 30, 2013, the FTC study examined data on debt buyers, and evaluated over 5,000 portfolios containing nearly 90 million consumer accounts with a face value of $143 billion. It is common practice for creditors to sell debt that they have not collected to debt buyers.
The FTC found that debt buyers try to collect about one million debts that consumers assert they don’t owe" and this is every year. The FTC wrote the "proper handling of this large number of disputed debts is a significant consumer protection concern."
Another "major concern" for the FTC is the conduct of some debt buyers in collecting, threatening to sue, or suing on debt that is time-barred. Currently, there are three pieces of federal legislation to protect consumers from invasive debt collectors. Those are the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, the Fair Credit Reporting Act and the Telephone Consumer Protection Act. Together, these statutes set out when debt collectors can contact debtors, how they can contact debtors and what action they can legally take against consumers who owe money.


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Official launch of 2015 Inas Global Games
The city of Guayaquil, Ecuador today officially marked the launch of the
2015 Inas Global Games – the worlds largest event for elite athletes with an intellectual disability.
Organising Committee President Juan Carlos Araujo spoke of the incredible opportunity that hosting the Games offers Ecuador and the South American region whilst Amaury Russo, President of Inas, predicted that this will be the best Global Games ever.
The 4th edition of the event is expected to attract 1000 athletes in 9 sports.


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Not registered yet?
Results for vice chair business council
Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw selected as one of US-India Business Council's vice-chair
Congratulations to Utah’s own @NKaddas of @Kaddas_Ent for being named the Vice Chair of the Small Business Council at the US Chamber of Commerce.
Read blog by Vice Chair of the President’s Advisory Council on Doing Business in Africa on why Africa matters and why the U.S. should bolster its trading relationships with African countries #PACDBIA


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This year marks the 50th Anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing, and while many watch brands have launched pieces nodding to this momentous moment in history, British designer Theo Fennell has celebrated the occasion with the creation of unique memorabilia.
Theo Fennell recalls watching the moon landing with his great-aunt Mary who was born in 1880 and had seen London with no cars at all and was now seeing men walking on the moon. Ever since it has remained a seminal moment for the British designer, so he wanted to mark the significant anniversary with special creations.
To celebrate the 50th anniversary, Theo Fennell has designed two models to be made entirely by hand and in minute detail by Simon Coldicott, his multi-award winning craftsman, who has worked for Fennell for over 35 years.
Both the models of the Apollo 11 Capsule and the Command Module Columbia have been crafted in sterling silver and fine 24ct gold.
The Lunar Module ‘Eagle’, the two-person craft used by Armstrong and Aldrin to descend to the Moon’s surface, is mounted on grey sandstone, emulating the moon’s surface, and has the footprints of the astronauts carved in perfect, tiny detail.
The Command Module, the only portion of the spacecraft to return to Earth, is mounted on a base made of rock crystal and sodalite, carved to represent the North Pacific Ocean where it landed.
The British designer says these two models will make great, original gifts, for any space or science fans.


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New research toolkit for the study of online risk
- Global Kids Online
Freely available online, the research toolkit aims to facilitate the gathering of global evidence on key issues related to children's online experiences, including cyberbullying. In this respect, it aims to critically evaluate the relationship between traditional forms of face-to-face peer aggression and online bullying and the boundaries between cyberbullying and other forms of online aggression.
Global Kids Online has also been working to expand the research evidence from middle- and low-income countries where children are now gaining internet access. A comparative research synthesis summarises country findings from Argentina, Serbia, South Africa and the Philippines, with latest research evidence from Brazil, Bulgaria and Montenegro also available.
You can sign up to receive research updates from Global Kids Online via email at www.globalkidsonline.net/contact.
- European Parliament
The European Parliament's Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs has recently published a study titled ‘Cyberbullying among young people'. The study provides an overview of the extent, scope and forms of cyberbullying in the EU, taking into account the age and gender of victims and perpetrators as well as the medium used.


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The Yahoo Messenger 2.0 iPhone app update was released Monday, adding support for video calls, voice calls, and multitasking. Video calling on the free app is supported on the iPhone 4 and iPhone 3GS and allow the user to initiate video chats to Yahoo Messenger users on other devices, including Macs or PCs.
Yahoo has enabled Messenger video calls on the iPhone to work over 3G, while recommending that video calls take place over Wi-Fi. By comparison, Apple's FaceTime currently works only on Wi-Fi, although Apple is working with cellular providers to allow the service over 3G.
Early user reviews of the new Yahoo Messenger app are mixed. Though the 2.0 version of the app has an average rating of 3 stars in the App Store, several users have reported problems with the video chat feature.
The update from Yahoo will challenge to Apple to roll out its FaceTime standard to even more devices. When Apple announced its FaceTime open standard for video chat alongside the iPhone 4, it promised that it would soon be available on tens of millions of devices. In September, a significant refresh of the iPod touch brought FaceTime to the device. The next-generation iPad is also expected to work with the video conferencing standard.
However, FaceTime is conspicuously absent on Windows PCs and Apple's Mac line of computers, most of which come with built-in webcams. in September, rumors arose that Apple had been working on building FaceTime compatibility into its iChat software.


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Uber has been told its self-driving cars are illegal – but it is refusing to take them off San Francisco’s roads.
The company started testing the vehicles this week, but the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) has said the firm must have a test permit.
Uber said it did not need one as they have a safety driver at the wheel, and is going to ignore the demand.
California’s attorney general – the state’s most senior government lawyer – said Uber must cease the driving immediately or face further action.
A spokeswoman for the attorney general’s office would not be drawn on what the specific action could be, but the next step would likely be a court order compelling Uber to carry out the demand.
Other companies testing autonomous technology in California, such as Google, have applied for and obtained the permit which costs $150 (£120) for 10 vehicles.
Additional vehicles can be added at a rate of $50 for each additional 10 vehicles.
“It is illegal for the company to operate its self- driving vehicles on public roads until it receives an autonomous vehicle testing permit,”
said Brian Soublet from the California DMV in a letter to Uber this week.
In a conference call with media on Friday, Uber’s vice-president of Advanced Technologies Anthony Levandowski said Uber had “respect” for officials, but that the regulations were irrelevant to its cars.
“You don’t need a belt and suspenders if you’re wearing a dress,” he told reporters.
In his view the permit only applies to cars that could operate
“without the active physical control or monitoring of a human operator”.
Uber’s cars need a human, he said – although the company still intends to refer to the vehicles as “self-driving cars”.
The Tesla defence
He went on to make a comparison with electric car company Tesla. Its cars come with a feature known as Autopilot which takes control of the vehicle and automatically keeps up with traffic and changes lanes.
Autopilot does not require a permit, and so Uber argued its cars should be treated the same way.
It requested clarification from the DMV on that issue specifically.
Uber said it planned to make disclosures about the performance of its cars, but did not specify how.
On Friday afternoon, a number of the cars were seen travelling around the city.
Earlier in the week one of the cars was filmed jumping a red light, an incident Uber blamed on human error.


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No need for any tax cut now: Bhargava
Maruti Suzuki on Thursday reported second-quarter profit inched up 1% ₹1,371.6 crore, helped by a near 10% increase in sales. Pointing to the improvement in sales, Chairman R.C. Bhargava asserted there was no immediate need for a reduction in tax rates for the auto sector. He also said he expected steady demand for vehicles at least till December.
However, he cautioned that any drop in urban income levels on account of the economic slowdown could impact demand.
“Compared with the second quarter of last year, Maruti has performed better because last year was the time when Maruti went down 16%, the industry went down 18% [in volumes]. If you take that as the base, then doing better than that is something which is quite unsurprising,” Mr. Bhargava said.
The country’s largest carmaker reported net sales increased 9.7% year-on-year in the July-September quarter to ₹17,689.3 crore. The company sold a total of 3,93,130 vehicles during the quarter, up 16.2% compared to the same period previous year.
To a query on a reduction in the Goods and Services Tax, he said that currently there wasn’t any lack of demand for cars and giving relief at this stage would be quite unnecessary. “Today, I’m selling everything I can produce. If the GST went down and demand increased by another 30%, I wouldn’t have cars to sell,” he said.
Mr. Bhargava added that the auto industry had done pretty well in the second quarter and no one had suffered because of lack of demand.
He, however, stressed, “In case demand actually falls off and it looks like that it’s not a temporary event but a sustained kind of falling off…that is when the government will need to consider what they need to do.”
He also said he didn’t see any demand slump till at least December.
“After that, the situation is hard to predict because the impact of the festival will be over. To a large extent, the impact of people wanting personal vehicles will be over. We don’t know what the urban income level will be and how much purchasing power will be left with the people in urban areas because the economic downturn is there. I don’t see that there can be any strong kind of urban demand coming. And not because people don’t want the car, but because they can’t afford the cars.”
He, however, added that given that monsoons and previous crops had been good, rural areas —which even today were contributing significantly to the growth of sales — sales would continue to grow substantially.
Source: Read Full Article


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Your daily selection of the hottest trending tech news!
According to The Next Web (This article and its images were originally posted on The Next Web November 23, 2018 at 05:36AM.)
Apple introduced three iPhones this year with a huge fanfare: the iPhone XS, the iPhone XS Max, and the iPhone XR. But two months after the launch, the company is trying to find new ways to fight the low demand for the new lineup. According to a report from the Wall Street Journal, it’s planning to revive the iPhone X.
The report states that some of Apple’s suppliers have resumed the iPhone X production, months after the Cupertino company stopped selling the device in its own stores. Additionally, Apple needs to buy a specific amount of OLED panels from Samsung to restart production of the iPhone X.
To see more posts like these; please subscribe to our newsletter. By entering a valid email, you’ll receive top trending reports delivered to your inbox.


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In what has come as a shock to many, TaylorMade have announced that they ill not be attending the PGA Merchandise Show for 2019. TaylorMade often creates hype around their attendance, showcasing new product with extravagant exhibitions at the event. During the 2017 show, TM even announced that Tiger Woods had signed on, so to state that they aren’t going to be in attendance next year may be cause for concern.
TaylorMade’s CEO, David Abeles had this to say in regards to the decision:
“After conversations with TaylorMade Professional Staff members and key leaders within the golf industry, we will be investing into growth initiatives that we believe will create even greater value for the game of golf. As a result of our additional spend, we have decided not to attend the 2019 PGA Merchandise Show.”
“While this may be disappointing to some, we hope that you appreciate our excitement to expand our partnership in new ways.”
This is a huge loss for the show but don’t fear, there will be plenty of products and exhibitions on offer for fans. Watch this space.


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The unregulated taxi-cab market has exploded over the last few years. The most prominent, Uber, has been since engulfed in controversy. Initially the controversy was over the legality of these unregulated app-based cab services. I remember the harsh penalties imposed on unlicensed cabbies driving university students home while I was a student, and while some municipalities have tried to stamp out these companies none have had any meaningful success.
As opposed to the people trying to earn a few dollars by shuttling intoxicated undergrads home companies such as Uber are protected as multi-billion dollar companies who can hide behind their apps and cater to a more affluent crowd than those in the unlicensed cab space. I’ll let the class implications of that one speak for itself.
While Uber is joined increasingly by competitors such as Lift it remains the frontrunner, but its status might soon be threatened by a number of internal scandals and public relations disasters.
The most extreme case is at least two incidents where Uber drivers have been accused of raping female passengers, one in Chicago and another in New Delhi. Uber has been blamed for improperly screening its drivers and given the nature of Uber’s service makes these crimes more possible compared to traditional cabs. As an app Uber has a great deal of personal information about its clients. At a private party Uber executives “joked” about using their data to embarrass journalists opposed to their business practices. This is the terrifying part of the privacy-less tech revolution - that someone might use it against us.
Couple with this that Uber’s employment strategies might cast the company in an even worse light. First Uber has been taking a greater share of its drivers’ revenue. According to a recent episode of “This is Only a Test”, the podcast of Tested.com, it was stated that Uber now charges drivers 35% of their fare. Worst still, Uber is aggressively marketing predatory loans, subprime loans to its drivers. Not long after news surfaced of a student loan program seemingly designed to fleece students/drivers. Uber seems to have quickly bridged the gap between feisty upstart and predatory corporation in record time.
Uber and its cohort proved that major innovation was and is desired in the taxi-cab market. However, Uber’s behaviour justifies the existence of these regulations. Clearly municipal governments should examine the pricing structures used by taxi companies to ensure greater flexibility in the market. On the other hand the immoral and unethical behaviour of Uber demonstrates that the state has a role in protecting its citizens as employees and customers.


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The 14,500 sq ft supermarket will create more than 100 full and part-time jobs.
However, social distancing restrictions due to the coronavirus pandemic meant opening day celebrations were markedly different to what might have been expected.
The new store will be playing its part to help restock local food banks thanks to weekly deliveries of essential items.
It will be operating its bakery, egg and fruit and veg packing site for an extra hour every day to make, prepare and pack food required to restock the food banks.
Morrisons will also be sending deliveries of canned foods and pasta for distribution to food banks by the store’s community champion, Marion McKenzie Long.
In addition, to make it easier for customers to donate to food banks in store, purchase limits on items will be raised to four items (from three) and some removed altogether.
The Amble store will create ‘local’ drop off points for customers to donate products to those in need and a donation hub will collect these additional products for their local food banks.
During this time of supporting local communities and feeding the nation, the new store will focus on delivering Morrisons core services and essentials for its Amble customers.
In the coming months, it will eventually offer a wide range of features including a coffee bar, garden shop, bakery counter and cake shop, takeaway salad bar, pizza counter, butcher counter, Nutmeg clothing and a selection of Free From products.
The store will also offer a Community Room providing a free meeting space for local groups such as new parents, charities, book clubs, craft groups and gaming communities. To book it, email [email protected].
The supermarket forms part of a wider plan to create Amble Retail Park on the southern gateway into the town.
The development will be complemented by a number of other national and local retailers, a petrol filling station and a drive thru coffee shop.


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Stocks rise, helped by home builders, Tiffany
NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks are edging higher after the government reported a strong uptick in construction permits last month.
The Dow Jones industrial average rose 16.1 points to 16,088.70. The Standard & Poor’s 500 index gained 2 points to 1,804.40 and the Nasdaq composite added 14.6 points to 4,009.20.
Trading is light in the holiday-shortened week.
The Commerce Department reported U.S. homebuilders planned to build apartments at the fastest pace in five years in October, a signal they believe rentals will heat up in coming months. Shares of homebuilders Pulte, Toll Brothers, and Lennar all rose.
Shares of Tiffany & Co. are up 8.4 percent on strong quarterly earnings. Profit at the luxury retailer climbed 50 percent in the third quarter thanks to strong sales in Asia.


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SemeaTech to Participate in 2019 AHR Expo
Update time：2019-01-09 12:21
SemeaTech, a leading manufacturing company of gas and radiation sensors, sensor modules and sensor networks, today announced its participation in 2019 AHR Expo held at Atlanta, USA from January 14 to 16. The AHR Expo is the world's largest HVACR event, attracting the most comprehensive gathering of industry professionals from around the globe each year.
During this event, SemeaTech will display its newly released Lead-Free Oxygen (O2) Sensor, Long-Life Ammonia (NH3) Sensor and Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Sensor. SemeaTech will also discuss with its potential users about the application of Photo Ionization Detection (PID) for Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) measuring based on its latest developed PID technology. Welcome to visit our booth #C5370 during the exhibition.


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ROAR. Our imaginary girlfriend Katy Perry has just become the first person to hit the 50 million follower mark on Twitter. She’s followed closely by the Biebs, at 49.2 million followers, and Barack Obama, at 41.2 million followers.
#H8rs will point out that a bunch of Katy’s followers are reportedly fake, spam or inactive accounts, but those people are probably just depressed that nobody retweeted their snarky Dark Horse Grammys joke.
On December 25th(ish) about 2,013 years ago, the Virgin Mary was safely delivered of a son. We mark his momentous birth by burying ourselves deeper and deeper into debt at the local shopping mall for six to eight weeks each year leading up to Christmas.
In January 1954, another religious icon was born–Oprah Winfrey. Like Jesus, she would grow to head her own international movement built on kindness, self acceptance and love (as well as frumpy mom makeovers and daytime TV ad sales).
Once a year, we celebrate these two icons in tandem. Yes, we’re talking about Oprah’s Favorite Things, an annual list with which Ms. Winfrey has gifted us since 2002. The compilation of material items serves as a rare glimpse into Ms. Winfrey’s psyche, and for that we plebes are grateful.
Remember in the early 2000s when Oprah popularized the Book Club among suburban matriarchs everywhere? Taking a cue from the media queen, your mom and her friends met monthly to laugh, cry, Eat, Pray, Love, and down Pinot Grigio.
If women sought escapism from their hectic lives through reading and meeting with friends at the turn of the millennium, it seems that this decade, they’re following Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg’s lead, seeking to buckle down and make office life work for them, if this Slate column is any indication.
VYou, the NYC-based video question and answer site that raised $3 million back in May 2011, will be shutting down its consumer-facing product next week. The company, which operates from an office in SoHo, sent out an email to users today announcing that they will no longer be able to upload videos starting April 3rd. By April 5th, the site will shut down completely.
Facebook chief executive officer Sheryl Sandberg is often thought of as the grown-up around the social media giant, attending to such mundane details as growing revenue and selling the company’s IPO to investors, allowing Mark Zuckerberg to maintain his pose as the company’s hacker-in-chief.
Between the Windows 8 sales that hit “well below” expectations, empty retail stores and the numerous YouTube videos featuring a sweaty Steve Ballmer trying to amp up a bored crowd at a product launch, it appears that any person or thing that touches Microsoft is destined for a mortifying moment or two. Even Oprah Winfrey, Queen of All Things Ever, is not immune to the challenges inherent to hawking a Microsoft product.
While you were clinging to your A/C unit over the weekend, Newark mayor and Twitter addict Cory Booker was ushering his new startup out of stealth mode. The company, called #waywire, is a media platform that combines original and syndicated videos with relevant user-generated content from young adults about what’s important to them and their perspective on issues in the news.
Wait, didn’t Al Gore have the same idea in 2005?
“Traditional news sources aren’t in any way talking to millennials,” Mr. Booker tells TechCrunch. Perhaps the site can start with whether any young adult actually wants to be labeled a “millenial”?
Vyou, the New York City-based Q&A platform, has a very familiar face on its new service: media mogul Oprah Winfrey. The former daytime diva is using Vyou’s video service to enrich the recently-rebooted Oprah’s Book Club 2.0.
Cheryl Strayed, author of Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail–the Eat Pray Love-ish hiking memoir that inspired Ms. Winfrey to relaunch her book club–also joined Vyou answer reader’s questions. Both women have been soliciting questions on Oprah.com and posted recorded video answers today.


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CHICAGO – January 20, 2011. Governor Pat Quinn today welcomed a delegation of Chinese government and business leaders to Illinois and announced that more than a dozen Illinois providers of soy products have entered into sales agreements with buyers from 24 Chinese companies.
“We are doing everything we can to ensure that Illinois remains a leader in the global marketplace. We are the transportation hub of the Midwest; we have the best farmland in the world; and we are committed to growing green technologies,” said Governor Quinn. “These important agreements with China will further grow our economy, and we will continue to show the world why Illinois is a premier place to do business.”
China is Illinois' third-largest export destination, and Illinois is among the top five states for agricultural export to China. Farmers and companies with operations in Illinois, including ADM, Bunge, Cargill, CHS, Columbia Grain Trading and Louis Drefyus, participated in the agreements with Chinese firms.
Governor Quinn was joined at today’s event by China's Vice Minister of Commerce Wang Chao, Danny Murphy, Chairman of American Soybean Association Trade Policy and International Affairs Committee and Treasurer of U.S. Soybean Export Council, entrepreneurs from China and the representatives of the Illinois Soybean Association.
“The Chinese government highly values and supports the Sino-U.S. business cooperation that aims at a win-win result, and it is the mission of the Chinese delegation to encourage more Chinese purchase from and Chinese investment in the United States,” said Vice Minister Wang.
Agriculture export to China from Illinois has increased each year since 2007, from $149 million to $552 million in 2009. Illinois' overall export to China in 2009 reached $2.47 billion. More than 30 Chinese companies have invested in Illinois, employing thousands of Illinois citizens.
“The Illinois Soybean Association is very pleased to have Governor Quinn be part of this signing ceremony with China, our number one customer of Illinois soybeans,” said Ron Moore, Illinois Soybean Association chairman. This is a testament to how the Governor recognizes the value and importance of Illinois soybean production, which ranks second in the U.S. with 466 million bushels harvested in 2010.”


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In its 'Statement on Developmental and Regulatory Policies' issued today, the RBI has announced setting up of ombudsman for digital transactions. "With the digital mode for financial transactions gaining traction in the country, there is an emerging need for a dedicated, cost-free and expeditious grievance redressal mechanism for strengthening consumer confidence in this channel. It has therefore been decided to implement an ‘Ombudsman Scheme for Digital Transactions’ covering services provided by entities falling under Reserve Bank’s regulatory jurisdiction. The scheme will be notified by the end of January 2019," it said.
Given the rapid adoption of digital payments across the country, the RBI in its Annual Report for 2017-18 had said it was considering a plan to establish a separate ombudsman to handle consumer complaints related to digital transactions.


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For 2023, cyber security news is essential in staying up-to-date on the latest developments concerning hackers on the prowl to breach the security of numerous online businesses and individuals alike. Understanding the risks associated with cyber criminals is the only ironclad method of preventing hackers from stealing your valuable information and assets.
Knowing the latest hacking techniques used by threat actors can help you protect yourself from becoming a victim of cyber crime. Thus, staying informed on cyber security news can be the difference between keeping even your bitcoins safe and not losing them to dark web hackers.
General Bytes, have cemented its brand as one of the leading manufacturers of Bitcoin ATMs. This has made it the main target for dark web hackers in the latest Bitcoin hacking news. The company recently revealed that hackers had stolen over $1.5 million worth of Bitcoin from its clients by exploiting a zero-day flaw found in the company’s administration platform for BATMs.
The Bitcoin ATMs produced by General Bytes enable users to buy or sell more than 40 cryptocurrencies.
Clients can remotely operate ATMs utilizing General Bytes’ cloud service or other independent management servers.
According to recent reports, the company revealed over the weekend that dark web hackers successfully deployed a Java application via its ATM’s master console. Accordingly, the hackers breached the ‘batm’ user rights by exploiting a zero-day vulnerability identified as BATM-4780.
Bitcoins have become the most popular form of digital currency, so it’s no surprise that hackers are always hunting easy targets to steal from.
Reports of hackers stealing Bitcoin from online wallets have skyrocketed since this digital currency has become even more valuable than the US dollar. With the tremendous rise in cryptocurrency theft, it’s increasingly important to protect your digital assets.
In 2022 and continuing into 2023, hackers have stolen large amounts of Bitcoin from unsuspecting users. This has had a major impact on the cybersecurity industry, with various companies and organizations taking precautionary measures to protect their customers. However, hackers have continually created new malicious software to infiltrate these cyber security measures. Cyber analysts have highlighted that their investigations show that the latest hacking techniques are becoming increasingly sophisticated and difficult to defend against. Therefore, it advised that Bitcoin investors must stay up-to-date on the latest cyber security measures, as this is essential for any organization looking to stay safe online.
According to reports, cyber criminals have stolen hundreds of millions of dollars worth of Bitcoin from exchanges and users over the last decade. And with cryptocurrency becoming increasingly attractive to cyber criminals due to its decentralized nature, if stolen, there is no recourse as digital currency is difficult to trace.
If you own Bitcoin or another form of cryptocurrency, you must protect your wallet from dark web hackers. To protect your cryptocurrency investments, use two-factor authentication and seek out platforms like Binance that offer a secure cryptocurrency wallet. Additionally, stay up-to-date on the latest hacking news so you can be aware of any potential threats that might arise.
The latest news on hacking and cyber security can provide valuable insights into this ever-evolving lucrative arena plagued by hackers. You must stay one step ahead of dark web criminals lurking in the shadows of the deep web.


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Business events scheduled for Tuesday
Commerce Department releases international trade data for September, 8:30 a.m.
WASHINGTON — Institute for Supply Management releases its service sector index for October, 10 a.m.
WASHINGTON — Labor Department releases job openings and labor turnover survey for September, 10 a.m.
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Updated: Nov 11, 2022
Following last year’s sale of RSA and the recent announcement to spinoff VMware, Dell Technologies inked a deal to sell its Boomi Integration Platform as a Service (iPaaS) to private equity firms Francisco Partners and TPG for $4B. After more than ten years under Dell’s guidance, Boomi achieved tremendous growth. The objective now is for the new leadership of Boomi to ensure it delivers on the promise to produce exponential growth. As a Boomi certified implementation partner, Boomi license reseller, and industry thought leader, RJ Reliance had followed the speculation surrounding this business deal for some time, readying our experts with the necessary intelligence surrounding digital transformation for integration and automation.
While Dell continues to execute impressive strategies to solidify its long-term success, there is now an emphasis surrounding the significance connectivity has on a business’s growth trajectory. This past year’s volatility and turmoil forced businesses to effectively maneuver through a gauntlet of indefinites, magnifying the importance of resilience and adaptability because, ready or not, change is a constant. RJ Reliance recognizes whether anticipated, unexpected, good, or bad, change is a catalyst for growth; resisting change stunts growth, and without growth, there is no resilience to adversity. For a business to solidify resilience with realized growth, immediate focus must be placed on the connectivity between its people, processes, and technology. Boomi secures the connectivity your business requires for long-term resilience and growth potential. As stated by Nehal Raj, Partner at TPG, “Software is eating the world. The average enterprise has 350 applications, and today, less than 30% of them actually talk to each other.” With a renewed importance on core competencies, Dell is reorganizing its priorities and fully understands the significance of the purposeful changes being executed as it relinquishes control of Boomi, intentionally ensuring its overall success.
In retrospect, Dell’s sale of Boomi is logical. There are significant fundamental differences in the core competencies between Dell’s computer hardware and an integration platform such as Boomi- coupled with the fact that Dell has accumulated a considerable amount of debt through numerous other business dealings. While Dell and Boomi are charting their respective future courses, both are preparing to mitigate any fallout from this change. Dell has indicated its plans to allocate the funds from the sale of Boomi to reduce its debt, and Francisco Partners and TPG intend to cultivate and accelerate Boomi’s next phase of growth. RJ Reliance will continue building world-class integration solutions for our clients utilizing Boomi’s robust technologies and eagerly anticipate the evolution that Boomi will experience during this new phase of transformative growth. Overall, this sale is seemingly as perfect for Boomi as it is for Dell. Rest assured, this deal is being done right for all parties involved, positioning Boomi to transcend expectations. Now is the time to reach out and discuss the numerous ways RJ Reliance’s integration services will allow your business to flourish!


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With the unveiling of the Nissan Z Proto concept car as a preview of the forthcoming production successor to the Fairlady line, the eventual production car “will come out in this form,” said Nissan chief product specialist Hiroshi Tamura according to a report from Best Car Web.
This indicates that the next production Fairlady will emerge almost identical to the Z Proto. On the other hand, another company representative suggested that the outcome is less definitive, for now at least. “It is too hasty to say the design is settled at this point,” a Nissan spokesperson said to The Drive in reference to Tamura’s comment.
The forthcoming sports car has been tipped to wear to 400Z badge in markets outside its native Japan, not for its engine displacement – it will likely be powered by a 3.0 litre twin-turbo V6 engine – but for its projected output figure of at least 400 PS and 500 Nm. Judging from the setup of the Z Proto show car, a six-speed manual with a rev-matching function will be the standard offering for the production car.
This will be a considerable set of gains over the 3.7 litre naturally aspirated V6 engine in the 370Z, which produced 332 hp and 366 Nm of torque, sent to the rear wheels through either a six-speed manual or a seven-speed automatic gearbox.
The Z Proto measures 4,382 mm long, 1,850 mm wide and 1,310 mm tall, and it is distinguished at the front by its dual curved LED DRLs which recall the rounded reflections on the headlamps of its 240Z ancestor, and the retro Z cues continue with a roofline that slopes back towards a squared rear end. Here, the rear lights are inspird by those of the 300ZX, while the yellow pearlescent paint also recalls the family connection.
For those who are seriously considering a purchase, Tamura also said that the production Fairlady Z will emerge at a ‘buyable price’, which should sound encouraging for those who are in the market to replace their 370Z. In Malaysia, the 370Z coupe arrived on the market in 2009 at RM354,000 before taxes and on-road costs. How affordable exactly will it be? Time will tell.
GALLERY: Nissan Z Proto concept
Source: Read Full Article


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"Appy's" the 30th team to qualify for this years's MIT semi-finalist round
Lebanese “Appy’s” has been selected as one of the semi-finalist teams for this year’s MIT Enterprise Forum Pan Arab Region Start-Up Competition for the Ideas Track.
Two architects, working in a creative field and having both an entrepreneurial spirit. “Rabih Khalifeh” and “Maya Moussallem” are a happily married couple who met 10 years ago at university,The synergy in their couple is translated into many projects they have worked on as a team or within a team, among others Appy's, the dehydrated crispy Lebanese apple chips.
The idea came up to Rabih after watching a report interviewing Lebanese farmers and showcasing the waste of a huge quantity of apples each year because the local market is saturated and the export of raw apples is experiencing a huge recession. “I remembered eating tasty apple chips abroad and thought it could be a great alternative new market for the apple trade and export sector”, explained Rabih.
The young couple decided to make the Lebanese apple chips idea real because they believed it was the right timing for such a concept that has a great social and economical impact on local community while being a rewarding business for them.
Problematic and Concept
The apple chips idea addresses a local problematic and a market need, for the apple trade sector is facing a severe recession lately because of lots of apples’ damage which engenders a great financial loss for the farmers. On the other hand, lots of people are drifting towards healthier eating habits. Apple chips is a healthy tasty snack introducing a new market for apples trade and therefore it’s an important support for Lebanese farmers and a booster for the agro-food industry in the country by supporting the Lebanese apple farmers through buying their products, enhancing the economy through the export of a Lebanese product to other countries, offering new job opportunities for the local community and displaying a new healthy, natural, non fat and tasty competitive product in the market.
Appy's will be available in supermarkets, schools, gyms, and even clubs under different flavors (natural, salt, cinnamon, caramel and chocolate) to suit the taste of all people looking for a healthier way of living and eating. Food nutritionists are already consulted to ensure the production of a healthy and tasty snack up to highest quality standards.
Advice for Entrepreneurs
“You have to believe that if all beautiful ideas become actually real, the world would be a better place!”
Find out more about Appy’s by:
Watching 1 minute video: here (Lebanese apple chips by Maya Moussallem)


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On June 13, at Apple’s Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) 2016, Apple announced that it is bringing the Apple Pay checkout option to websites, giving a second likelihood to retailers to spice up their on-line sales. Online procuring grew to become such a powerful development that a variety of shops across segments are closing their shops in 2016 and past at an outstanding pace. However, Apple has managed to build a cellular empire by leveraging a tightly-managed ecosystem, proprietary expertise and unique partnerships. The extra money and time spent here the extra loyal the shopper, and that is exactly what retailers need.
Traditionally, credit score and debit cards have been the two main ways to pay for the acquisition on-line. As Business Insider 12 points out, by 2020 the scale of the cell wallets market is expected to achieve $266 billion, whereas online B2C commerce is projected to hit $791 billion. At the tip of 2015, PayPal announced that its checkout answer One Touch reached 10 million opt-ins , which makes it a big competition to struggle for Apple Pay. MasterPass has its personal island of on-line retailers accepting the payment possibility , similar to different checkout options. Apple Pay has already made good progress in attracting retailers on that front.
However, even with its advantages, Apple Pay’s migration into e-commerce won’t be simple, because it brings Apple Pay into more direct competitors with PayPal and others. Apple Pay for the mobile web makes thumbprint checkout” obtainable on any retailer’s website. Regardless of skyrocketing m-commerce efficiency, desktops and laptops are nonetheless dominating as the devices used to research and full online purchases (95% use for research and ninety five% complete the purchase on desktops and laptops).
Well identified to most, Apple lately announced that Apple Pay is coming to the mobile … Read More


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We are very excited to announce that we now offer paperless billing for water bills! The city has partnered with a company that allows residents to register for personal bill-pay accounts. These personal accounts offer a wide range of personalized options such as:
- Paperless billing and due date reminders
- ACH payments and auto-pay
· One-time payment $1.95 & auto pay .50 cents
- Debit/Credit payments (3.25% fee)
- Text pay and text reminders
- Scheduled payments
Residents will also be able to view and pay their tax bills online. However, per the State of Michigan, it is unlawful to send tax bills via paperless billing. You may view your bill online, but a hard copy will still be sent to either you or your mortgage company.
There are several ways to sign up for this new service. You may email Chelsea Johnson or you may register for yourself when you pay your bill via the City of Gibraltar website portal. (firstname.lastname@example.org)
In addition, we are happy to announce that we will be launching a new website, which is currently scheduled to go live by the end of July. Our new web address will be www.cityofgibraltar.gov.


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Looking for an inexpensive SUV or crossover? Our editors picked their favorites that you can score secondhand for around $16,000 -- the average price of a used car. They range from hardcore off-roaders to sensible city slickers. We used NADA Guide pricing data, assumed 12,000 miles per year and selected "Clean Retail" values to keep things fair.
The Indian government is reportedly ready to push through Apple's application to set up retail shops in the country, one of the fastest-growing smartphone markets in the world.
Angela Ahrendts, Apple's vice president of retail and online stores, says the retention rate at Apple Stores has reached its highest level yet.
A new gadget eases the stress of long hours spent on foot and targets doctors, surgeons, hospitality workers and retail assistants.
Virtual reality springs up at the retail industry's marquee show, offering a glimpse of how we might shop in the future.
HTC's One A9 is just fine for a midrange device, but for its astonishingly high full retail price, you can buy much more powerful, better overall phones.
Shoppers want Cyber Monday bargains on Sunday evening, says retail giant Walmart, so it's moving its online sales schedule ahead accordingly.
Following a global push to power all its facilities with green energy, the iPhone maker's first retail store in Singapore will run entirely on solar energy.
The 12.9-inch tablet will be available for online orders Wednesday and in retail stores later in the week. How will it fare in a sluggish tablet market?
Shiny Surfaces, bright lights, an Answer Desk for all your Windows problems -- Microsoft is hoping its new flagship Australian store will become a consumer destination, not just a retail shopfront.


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Jeff Wyler Automotive Family recently launched a 100% online car buying solution to compete directly with disruptors like Carvana and Vroom. Kevin Frye, the Marketing Director at Jeff Wyler Automotive Family joins us now to discuss the solution, WylerComplete, and how dealers can beat these disruptors at their own game.
Frye says WylerComplete is the first of its kind in their market. His recent interview was exactly two weeks after the launch of the program, and he notes that under ten people had used it but that he expects it will “pick up steam over time.”
The use of the Internet during the car buying process has grown exponentially in the past few years, as groups such as Carvana and Vroom have begun offering fully online car buying direct-to-consumers. Frye indicates the team’s most considerable task for widening customer use of WylerComplete will be marketing and letting people know it’s available to them.
|Related: Should dealers consider a separate digital retailing brand for their used car business?|
Frye refers to online car buying as “a growing segment” and notes that Jeff Wyler Automotive Family is always trying to “stay ahead of the curve” and “innovate.” He adds, however, that user experience studies show there is still a large subset of consumers who prefer to see and test drive vehicles before signing off on a purchase.
Speaking on the topic of using the “agency model” and having consumers buy directly from OEMs, Frye remains adamant that he prefers the franchise model because dealers “provide such great value to [their] consumers.” He says state franchise associations and OEMs need to stay in constant communication to figure out what is best for the consumer.
Frye indicates WylerComplete has been well-received by the few customers who have used it to fully purchase vehicles online, providing an example of one review that states the customer was able to buy the car very quickly and therefore save time; while the dealership did the “heavy lifting.”
Online car buying eliminates the need for in-house paperwork, which Frye reports is the step that takes up the bulk of customers’ time when buying a car in the dealership.
Frye notes that WylerComplete is currently only offering pre-owned cars, as selling new vehicles via the platform “gets more complex.” OEMs, according to Frye, need to collaborate with franchises to find “preferred digital retailing solutions.”
Pressed about the ongoing issues with the current economic status of the US, Frye reports that showrooms have actually seen more consumers come in as interest rates rise, as there is the fear that they could get even higher. He notes, however, that sales are hovering around recession levels due to low inventory.
Frye says that to prepare for a possible recession, dealerships must analyze their financials to determine if those will “align with the demand.” Going back to the fundamentals, he asserts, is the way dealerships should proceed if they are questioning their businesses.
Seeing as demand has been so high in the past couple of years, Frye says dealers “haven’t had to work that hard,” and some have become “sloppy.” Finally, he adds that the difficulty of bringing in new employees has remained at about the same level, which includes the ongoing challenge of finding great service technicians.
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