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Every corner of the country, and possibly even the world, has been impacted by the labor shortages and supply chain snarls created by the COVID-19 pandemic. Michigan is not alone. Unfortunately, many small businesses are feeling the pinch even more than larger corporations. This means some changes are in the works for small businesses, like marijuana dispensaries throughout the state.
Most Michigan dispensaries are small businesses. Like so many others, they are struggling with the same types of problems businesses of every kind are facing in the current economy. A recent Moody on the Market article discusses the extent of the problems small businesses face that include the following:
- Increasing labor costs.
- High turnover rates.
- Social distancing costs.
- High absenteeism.
- Supply chain disruptions.
These issues do not even include things like customer confidence or the struggle of finding new ways to get products into the hands of their customers, such as offering contactless delivery or other options to customers. Dispensaries also have the added burden of working within the confines of laws and regulations surrounding the marijuana industry in Michigan.
On the downside, the supply chain issue doesn't appear to be correcting itself. The problem has only been exacerbated by mandates, crowded ports, and labor shortages at every step of the supply chain from the port handlers who offload goods from container ships to train thefts, truck driver shortages, distribution hub labor shortages, and consumer-facing labor shortages.
It's not all a problem of people being ill from coronavirus. Many people have decided not to return to the labor force or are finding higher-paying jobs forcing small businesses, those with lower profit margins, to begin with, to pay more for the labor in their businesses. This is a great thing for workers, at first glance. The unfortunate reality, though, is that it is driving the prices of goods, especially those sold by small businesses that can ill afford to absorb increasing labor costs, higher.
Unfortunately, that's just labor costs at the retail end of the supply chain. That doesn't even cover rising costs related to labor on the distribution side, rising fuel costs on the transportation side, rising costs for managing the technology that drives the supply chain in our high-tech world, and so many other costs that make it difficult for small dispensaries to compete with larger corporate interests, even in the world of marijuana dispensaries.
The bottom line is that workers are needed in every facet of the business of supplying CBD, medical marijuana, and recreational marijuana to the masses. The one area where things are good for Michigan dispensaries is that much of the marijuana being distributed is not shipped from other countries. The truck driver shortage continues to impact the supply chain struggles with companies paying up to $150,000 per year for first-year drivers and the federal government initiating a program to allow drivers between the ages of 18 and 20 to drive large trucks in order to mitigate the crisis. This is unprecedented for drivers who cross state lines where the minimum age has previously been 21.
What does this mean for Michigan marijuana dispensaries?
Ultimately, it means the future is uncertain for many small and struggling marijuana dispensaries. That is why it is a good idea to use Weedmaps to find Michigan marijuana dispensaries that may be able to meet local demand for CBD and marijuana products you can count on.
The supply chain problems appear monumental to the casual observer faced with empty supermarket shelves, higher prices at the checkout, and wages that aren't keeping pace with the demands of everyday life. Those looking for work can find well-paying jobs in the supply chain field at every stage of the game (with entry-level jobs paying well over $20 per hour with many companies).
Opportunities abound when it comes to seasoned supply chain management staff as companies of all sizes seek to gain an edge over competitors by having their supplies on the shelves. Even small businesses are upping their supply chain games by investing in significant technology to help keep the goods flowing across the country and across the state of Michigan.
While it is unlikely that the state of Michigan will run out of marijuana in the year ahead, there may be times when it is less available than others due to the supply chain disruptions that are affecting every industry in the country. That is why you want to keep an eye on your options when it comes to finding reputable dispensaries in your city and throughout the state. The more options available to you, the less likely it is you'll have a problem finding the supply you need for your medicinal marijuana needs and more.
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Continuing on with Fatal1ty branded products aimed at hardcore gamers, OCZ has just unveiled a new line of power supplies that use high quality components to ensure stability whilst also carrying an 80+ efficiency level.
You can click to their respective product pages via the above links and further information can be obtained within the official PR here folks.
(Sunnyvale, Calif. November 25, 2008) - OCZ Technology Group, Inc., a worldwide leader in innovative, ultra high performance and high reliability memory and components, today revealed the first power supply models under the Fatal1ty series, offering gamers stable and efficient power for their mainstream or high-end rigs. OCZ is dedicated to delivering premium power solutions, and the Fatal1ty series options are the first step to creating an exceptional gaming system for the unique power and cabling requirements of today's gamer.
Further Reading: Read and find more Cases, Cooling & PSU news at our Cases, Cooling & PSU news index page.

domain: news


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The European Commission is about to make a lot of publishers very happy (paywall).
Sweeping online-privacy regulations went into effect in the EU last year that gave users more control over their data. But the new rules, which required websites to get user permission to ”access” devices, also appeared to make anti-ad blockers illegal, according to some privacy activists. Online publishers use anti-ad-blocking software to track whether visitors are blocking digital ads and thwart them from doing so. Privacy activists reportedly argued (paywall) that this constitutes “access” and therefore violated the EU’s digital policy.
The European Union’s governing body is now saying that’s not the case. To clear up any confusion, it announced a proposed reform of the law on Jan. 10 that would make it clear websites don’t need consent to detect ad blockers on users’ devices. As the Commission wrote in a press release”
Users have the freedom to install software on their devices that disables the display of advertisement. At the same time, the Commission is aware that “free” content on the internet is often funded by advertising revenue. Therefore, the proposal allows website providers to check if the end-user’s device is able to receive their content, including advertising, without obtaining the end-user’s consent. If a website provider notes that not all content can be received by the end-user, it is up to the website provider to respond appropriately, for example by asking end-users if they use an ad-blocker and would be willing to switch it off for the respective website.
In other words, if users have the right to block ads—a major revenue stream for many websites—publishers should, in turn, be allowed to ban users from blocking ads. Some sites, including Wired, Business Insider, and the German tabloid Bild, already do this, and there are companies, like Sourcepoint and PageFair that help digital publishers implement these anti-ad-blocking measures.
If a user visits these sites while using an ad blocker, they’re normally confronted with a message overlay that says something like, “We’ve noticed you’re using an ad blocker. To keep reading, turn off your ad blocker, or subscribe to our ad-free service.”
Wired, which implemented this practice last February, said at the time that 20% of traffic to Wired.com came from users who were blocking ads. The New York Times reported in 2015 that 77 million people in Europe (paywall) used ad-blocking software, citing data from PageFair and Adobe. And eMarketer estimated that 70 million US internet users—or about a quarter of all internet users in the country—would use technology to block online ads in 2016.
The phenomenon is estimated to cost digital publishers $27 billion by 2020, according to Juniper Research.


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When Quibi launched more than a month ago (on April 6), the executives at the streaming platform recognized that it was a big risk to do so during a global pandemic, but with everyone staying home, a new streaming option seemed like a decent idea. And the first week saw almost 2 million downloads of the new app on mobile devices, pointing to the fact that maybe Quibi could be a viable new streaming competitor. Now, a month later, things are looking a bit more grim.
Speaking to Deadline, Meg Whitman, CEO of Quibi, talked about the new numbers and how the launch of the streaming service has come in “slightly below expectations.” According to Quibi, a month after launch, the app has only been downloaded 3.5 million times, with only 1.3 million active users. Not great when you consider that roughly half of the downloads came in the first 7 days. The reason for the slow launch of the streaming service? Well, Whitman thinks that the pandemic forcing people to stay inside has made the “on-the-go” streaming service less useful.
“We were designed for a different use case, no question about it,” Whitman said. “But we’re pretty pleased about where we are. As the country begins to open, that will be helpful to the use case.”
For those that haven’t downloaded the streaming service, Quibi is a mobile-only service that provides “quick bites” of content (chunks of 7 to 10 minutes in length) of TV series aimed at people that have short spurts of time when they’d normally want to watch something.
Quibi executive Jeffrey Katzenberg took a much more blunt attitude to the launch of the streaming service. Instead of giving the diplomatic answer that still sounds hopeful, he’s much more upfront about the disappointment, as well as the cause of the low numbers.
“Is it the avalanche of people that we wanted and were going for out of launch? The answer is no,” Katzenberg said (via NY Times). “It’s not up to what we wanted. It’s not close to what we wanted.”
He added that he blames “everything that has gone wrong” with the launch on the COVID-19 pandemic.
Now that reality has set in, Whitman and the folks at Quibi are being more realistic about their projections for the first year of business. Originally, they expected to have roughly 7 million subscribers by the end of the first year, but that is likely not going to be met. But the platform is still charging ahead with its plan to release two new shows a week until Thanksgiving.
“I’m feeling very confident in what we’re doing,” Whitman said. “We now have a chance to hone in on what we’re doing.”
She added, “We’re learning something new every day.”


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Myanmar’s clothing workers who have lost their jobs due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic have now received more than MMK4bn (US$2.9bn) in payments through the EU-funded Myan Ku (Quick Assistance) Fund.
Between 1 May and 3 August, halfway through the initiative, Myan Ku has distributed emergency cash payments to laid-off and suspended workers, reaching 45,061 payments.
For the full story, see the September 2020 edition of Textiles South East Asia. Not a subscriber? Sign up HERE


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Video game maker Nintendo has gone wireless to promote the newest installment in the popular “Legend of Zelda'' video game series.
Youth-targeted communications firm Bolt Inc. yesterday began a wireless advertising campaign to hype “The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask.''
The campaign is targeted at males age 15 to 20, a demographic that makes up 40 percent of Bolt's 3.7 million-member base.
Bolt said it would deliver text-based messages to users through AT&T Wireless Services, Sprint PCS and Verizon partner networks.
It is Bolt's first interactive wireless advertising effort.


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LACASSINE, LA –Bayou Rum Distillery, the largest private rum distillery in the U.S., was recently honored with a 2016 Louey Award from the Louisiana Travel Promotion Association (LTPA). The Louisiana-based distillery was named Attraction of the Year, solidifying its position as a premier travel destination in the Gulf South.
“We started the distillery so that tourists and fans could see firsthand how we make Bayou Rum and we chose our location just off of I-10 so that they’d have no trouble finding us,” said Trey Litel, president of Bayou Rum. “This recognition is a credit to the phenomenal team who work hard every day to provide what we believe is the best visitor experience in our industry.
In addition to a state-of-the-art distillery, the 36,000 square-foot Bayou Rum property in Lacassine, Louisiana features a visitor center and gallery celebrating the state’s historic role as a sugar cane producer and rum distiller, a 109-year-old farmhouse, a tasting bar and a gift shop.
“Bayou Rum ties in the history of growing sugar cane in Louisiana, along with a stellar, free tour that includes a tasting of their award-winning rum. With their location along Interstate 10, it is another great attraction the Jeff Davis Tourist Commission and the Lake Charles/Southwest Louisiana Convention & Visitors Bureau promote that adds to the specialty craft spirit market,” said Shelley Johnson, executive director of the Lake Charles/Southwest Louisiana Convention & Visitors Bureau.
Founded in 2011 by brothers Tim and Trey Litel, alongside longtime friend Skip Cortese, Bayou Rum is handcrafted in traditional copper pot stills using fresh Louisiana sugarcane. The award-winning flavor has been recognized 72 times in tasting competitions across the globe. In January of 2016, New York-based Stoli Group USA became the exclusive national distributor of the award-winning Bayou Rum and its family of America’s Rum.
The LTPA is dedicated to leading and strengthening Louisiana’s vibrant tourism industry, and the annual Louey Awards acknowledge individuals and organizations that have made outstanding contributions to the state’s tourism business.
“It is our privilege to honor those in Louisiana’s tourism industry who work diligently every day to showcase our great culture to the rest of the world,” said Darienne Mobley, LTPA co-executive director. “Their work attracted 28.7 million visitors to Louisiana in 2014 and resulted in $11.2 billion in visitor spending, stimulating the economy of the entire state.”
For more information and to make a tour reservation, visit www.bayourum.com/distillery.


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Lowe’s plans to stop selling pesticides linked to the massive decline of honeybees around the world. The home improvement chain announced on Thursday that it would phase out products containing neonic pesticides over the next four years. In recent years, billions of bees have died from a condition known as colony collapse disorder (CCD) and neonicotinoids have been linked in multiple studies to the deaths of birds, bees and other animals. Lowe’s announcement comes after the EPA said last week that it would stop issuing new permits to use the pesticides. On Wednesday, a report from an influential European scientific council warned that neonicotinoids were more harmful to the environment than previously thought.


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Gaming is good for you
For the very first time, researchers are seriously investigating what exactly gaming can do for you. Scientists, therapists and sociologists alike are discovering that gaming can change you for the better!! With 1.6 gamers to every U.S. household, the case for video games deserves some serious consideration.
Here is a look at some remarkable gaming goodness:


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NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The state comptroller says the Nashville Electric Service has paid about $17 million to two vendors since 2005 that did not go through the proper bidding process.
A critical audit released Thursday said the electric utility is required to seek competitive bids from approved vendors, but a manufacturer and a distributor were paid more than $13 million and more than $4 million respectively in an exclusive arrangement.
The Tennessean (http://tnne.ws/VDwXge ) reports the audit also found improper use of a credit card, issues with procurement cards and reporting of travel expenses, as well as non-disclosure of a conflict of interest and hospitality packages with Gaylord Entertainment.
District Attorney General Torry Johnson said in a statement that while policies were violated and oversight was lacking, there was no evidence of criminal behavior.
Information from: The Tennessean, http://www.tennessean.com


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Silanna Semiconductor has extended its Power Density Hero design tool to cover high efficiency, single chip USB port power supply for multi-port fast chargers. Engineers can now use the Power Density Hero online configuration tool to accelerate the design of multi-port chargers based on Silanna’s SZPL3002A. The device is claimed to be the world’s first […]
The post Design tool extends to single chip USB port power supplies appeared first on Softei.com – Global Electronics Industry News.
Softei.com – Global Electronics Industry News


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Residents in certain cities around Oklahoma can now reap the benefits of Google Express. Google Express is an eCommerce retail platform that allows customers to order items from well-known stores, such as Barnes & Noble, Costco and Kohls, which are then quickly delivered to their home.
Google Express will expand service to Oklahoma City, Edmond and Norman on July 1. “We think of this as being part of our ongoing mission to connect customers with the retailers and brands they love,” said Brian Elliot, general manager of Google Express.
Google Express is one more addition to Oklahoma’s growing eCommerce market.


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It’s on Xbox One
I remember using VLC back in 2001 after I heard about it from a friend (in tandem with the still prevalent Winamp): man, how time flies. The incredible media player that you’ve probably used at least once in your life because it’s ahead of the curve is still around and thriving, having made the move to several non-PC platforms in recent years like mobile devices, Apple TV and Xbox One.
Speaking to VentureBeat, Jean-Baptiste Kempf revealed that VLC had reached three billion downloads to date and will continue to push HDR support as much as they can via the AV1 format, and further support VR videos.
As far as gaming devices go, Kempf says that in addition to their already existing Xbox app they’re also interested in releasing VLC for the Switch, Roku devices and the PS4. As VentureBeat points out these aren’t a top priority given that only 12 people actually contribute to the VLC project, but it’s something they’re thinking about.
Yes to more prolific open source options!


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APPLETON, Wis. — This city of 70,000 has actually five McDonald’s companies, three Pizza Huts, four Starbucks shops — and 19 payday loan stores, brightly lighted storefronts with titles like EZ income and look Into dollars that supply two-week loans without loan investigations.
A year ago she owed nearly $1,300 to four of those shops, and had been having to pay about $600 monthly in finances rates by yourself. “I imagined I was browsing have to use another task to be worthwhile the interest,” Ms. Truckey claimed.
Consequently she read about a brand new nonprofit course handled regarding a Goodwill thrift shop, one of many hundred lower-cost payday loan online items that are increasingly being experimented with by debt unions throughout the place. She got a payday loan, at 1 / 2 the financing charge, but additionally something more: assist changing all her two-week payday debts, which charged the same as over 500 % annual curiosity, to a one-year money at 18.9 percentage, providing the monthly premiums to a manageable $129. A few bucks from each repayment get into a savings account, the initial she’s got had in many years.
“i’ve almost $100 in economy,” explained Ms. Truckey, who earns $9.50 an hour or so as a supermarket meats clerk.
“I’m in a cushty situation for the first time in numerous years.”
The product, GoodMoney, a cooperation between Goodwill and Prospera depository financial institution, is actually a response to an industry which has been criticise by lawmakers and customers recommends as predatory but with attained as many as one out of 20 North americans.
“Our target is always to change behavior, to interrupt the bicycle of financial obligation,” explained Ken Eiden, president of Prospera, that is additionally a movie director at Goodwill.
For Ms. Truckey, in terms of a lot of payday individuals, the debts began as a stopgap. After shedding their task in 2002 she pilfered $500 from a payday shop, which billed $22 per 14 days for $100 obtained, and also the same in principle as 572 % annual focus. Once the money came expected in two weeks, she could pay precisely the $110 finance price, so she rolling the borrowed funds over, creating another financing bill.
Before long she got one minute financing, from another stock, and consequently two additional, which she rolling above every 2 weeks, growing the sourcing cost of the money. Even with she realized a full-time tasks, she believed, “I found myselfn’t able to pay out my power company bill promptly or my more costs prompt, because half my personal income was going to finance expenses.”
At GoodMoney, tellers promote consumers to merge his or her debts in lower-interest phase funding, also to use more depository financial institution companies like automated economy. If customers cannot payback a home loan after going they in twice, capable have the loan interest-free by studying at a totally free credit therapies appointment with a nonprofit program.
But alternate pay day loans have also attracted criticism from some customers recommends, whom talk about the programming are too like for-profit payday advance loan, particularly if the two demand the principal for paid back in 2 months. At GoodMoney, for example, debtors pay $9.90 for one hundred dollars the two obtain, which translates to a yearly speed of 252 percentage.
Which can be about half the speed which is available from business payday financial institutions, but “it’s however alike personal debt trap,” believed Uriah King, an insurance policy associate right at the core for important loaning, a not-for-profit advocacy party this is certainly essential of payday loaning. Despite the presence of the bottom financial costs, Mr. master stated, many consumers need to move the money over.
In accordance with Prospera, 62 percent of GoodMoney users won fewer than the medium of seven personal loans towards 12-month time period finished July. The average consumer at GoodMoney grabbed four funding.
Payday loan stores, which hardly existed fifteen years previously, today outnumber most fast-food businesses. Generally a client borrows a few hundred funds in exchange for a, postdated to another payday, made out during the quantity of the primary plus a fee of fifteen dollars to $22 per $100 obtained.
Lending laws and regulations in 12 says, contains nyc, prohibit or gravely regulate pay check loaning.
But while experts, most notably some lawmakers, dub the businesses predatory financial institutions that hold applicants in ever-deeper series of credit, customers group on their easy, short term finance, granted without any assets assessments.
Madison, with a people of 5.6 million, enjoys about 450 payday loan sites. In 2005, these people created 1.7 million financial products, condition regulators declare, for a maximum of above $625 million. Individuals paid $138 million in fees, putting some yearly monthly interest 521 per cent, reported by an analysis through the middle for accountable financing.
GoodMoney arose from cases like Ms. Truckey’s, believed Bob Pedersen, president of Goodwill sectors of North main Wisconsin, gives business to low-income group. Some time ago, Mr. Pedersen claimed, the business noticed that both the clients and its particular staff members happened to be being affected by payday loans.
Several of Goodwill’s manager, Mr. Pedersen said, initially compared giving cash loans, even at decreased fees. installment loans company in Arkansas But Mr. Eiden, Prospera’s chairman, stated that “a significant users assumed these were a savior.”
From the $9.90 that GoodMoney expense per $100 borrowed, practically fifty percent goes to authorship switched off worst financial products, Mr. Eiden mentioned, plus the rest to database services and admin expense.
Since Summer 2005, the computer program made greater than 5,600 payday advance loans, a negligible reduction in Wisconsin’s pay day loan organization.
Dan and Julie McGrath cannot claim if the course could have served these people. Three years ago they accepted a $150 pay day loan to follow Mrs. McGrath’s girl to an out-of-area tennis online game. In a short time that were there financial products at five payday vendors, and several $2,000 monthly, about two-thirds of Mr. McGrath’s earnings, was going to financing rates.
On a recent evening, the pair huddled outside a weathered 22-foot truck on assets possessed by Mrs. McGrath’s mother 90 minutes away within the Michigan surround. Given that the lovers dropped their property, it has been recently their house. It has no hot tap water or functioning lavatory. In animated, these people quit custody of Mrs. McGrath’s teenage young ones.
Recalling just how the lending products had accumulated, Mr. McGrath, a 41-year-old service auto mechanic, mentioned: “We planning, ‘O.K., we’re able to understand this an individual over below and pay off these other people.’ Nonetheless it never works out. I’d have to have some wheels for your vehicle: straight back you’re going.”
“We marketed items away our personal house only to eat,” he added.
The McGraths now have the help of a credit consultant, who has assisted all of them combine their payday credit.
A payday solution like GoodMoney might have assisted, they state. Or it would have just been one more way to obtain obligations.
“People really need to realize just what it can do for you personally,” Mrs. McGrath said. “This is what it may do in order to one.”


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Telstra, a major Australian telecommunications company, has been sued by the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) for allegedly downgrading the broadband upload speed for customers. The said incident took place between October and November 2020. The issue was that the company didn't inform them about the downgrade in speed to the customers, and neither lowered the charges. According to Reuters, ACCC has taken Telstra to the Federal Court because of this.
As per the report, over 9000 residential customers were affected by the said incident. The customers who were allegedly affected by the issue were the ones who took the company's cheaper broadband offering between May 2017 and October 2020. Telstra offered 2500 impacted customers A$90 credit after the error was acknowledged in early 2021. However, more than 6300 customers are yet to be informed of the same. Now ACCC is trying to get compensation to the customers who were impacted and not informed later.
Telstra has a presence spanning over 20 countries. The company says that in Australia, it offers retail mobile services to over 18.8 million customers, fixed standalone voice services to 960,000 subscribers, and 3.8 million retail fixed bundles. Note that the subscriber data has been pulled from Telstra's website and might not be the latest.


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Get ready, metamates — JPMorgan has become the first bank to join the metaverse.
launched the virtual bank — complete with a roaming tiger and of course a photo of CEO Jamie Dimon — alongside a report detailing opportunities in the virtual worlds.
Already, they note, the average price of a parcel of virtual land has jumped to $12,000 in December from $6,000 last June. Some $54 billion is spent on virtual goods, 60 billion messages are sent daily on Roblox
and the market cap for non-fungible tokens is $41 billion.
JPMorgan says its role will be as financial intermediary.
“The success of building and scaling in the metaverse is dependent on having a robust and flexible financial ecosystem that will allow users to seamlessly connect between the physical and virtual worlds. Our approach to payments and financial infrastructure will allow that interoperability to grow,” said the report co-authored by Christine Moy, the global head of Liink, crypto and metaverse, and Adit Gadgil, head of e-commerce and technology, media and telecommunications.
As for the virtual JPMorgan, located in the environment called Decentraland, at the moment it’s just a place to see marketing materials. This particular author couldn’t even move his character up the stairs.


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RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Lumber Liquidators said Wednesday that its first-quarter net income nearly doubled as the hardwood flooring retailer's sales rose during the start of the important spring home improvement season. Lower costs increased its profit margins.
Its shares rose nearly 13 percent in midday trading as the results beat Wall Street estimates and the company raised its full-year outlook.
The Toano, Va., company reported earnings of $15.8 million, or 57 cents per share, for the quarter ended March 31, up from $8.2 million, or 29 cents per share, a year ago.
Revenue rose more than 22 percent to $230.4 million as the number of customers at its more than 290 stores in North America grew and its average sale increased.
Analysts polled by FactSet expected earnings of 41 cents per share on $215.2 million in revenue. Its shares increased $8.97, or 12.7 percent, to $79.46 in midday trading Wednesday after reaching an all-time high of $80.70 earlier in the day.
Revenue at stores open at least a year increased more than 15 percent. That comparison is a key gauge of a retailer's health because it excludes recently opened or closed stores.
CEO Robert M. Lynch said in a conference call with investors that the company's value proposition is reaching more consumers as the company has increased how often it runs ads and how widely they are seen.
Lumber Liquidators Holdings Inc. saw its gross margin— the percentage of each dollar of sales that a retailer keeps — increase to 40.4 percent from 37.3 percent last year. Selling, general and administrative expenses fell to 29.3 percent of net sales.
The company said it now expects its full-year 2013 earnings in a range of between $2.10 and $2.35 per share, up from the previous range of $1.90 and $2.15 per share. It anticipates net sales for the full year in the range of $913 million to $942 million on higher same-store sales.
It opened five new stores during the quarter and plans to open a total of 25 to 35 new stores during this year.
Michael Felberbaum can be reached at http://www.twitter.com/MLFelberbaum.
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Willie Nelson's nine-hole golf course in Briarcliff is up for sale and the asking price is $3 million, according to a local real estate website.
Pope Francis, the first Jesuit pontiff who won hearts and headlines with his humility and common touch, was named Time magazine's Person of the Year for 2013.
When Dawn Erin decided to seek health coverage for the first time in two decades, she was prepared for the red-tape run-around.
Most of the crowd that poured into Austin City Hall on Tuesday night was disappointed with the Parks and Recreation Department's decision to approve a smaller off leash area at Auditorium Shores.
The cold weather tends to bring a bump in cold and flu cases in Central Texas which has a lot of people reaching for over-the-counter drugs. Doctors say to use caution though when picking out those medicines.
Mack Brown's attorney and the university's new athletics director say the Texas coach has not resigned, denying a report that Brown was ready to step down after 16 seasons with the Longhorns.


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Like a string of dominos, Pattaya’s economy began to collapse when the bars closed, throwing go-go bars and hostesses out of work. They stopped buying makeup and stripper heels, leaving street vendors broke. Then they moved out of town, nearly bankrupting landlords.
“Meena” is a hostess in a Soi 6 bar who, when the bar wasn’t shut down, catered to the few men who wandered in and more lonely boys overseas sending tips and rude comments on YouTube live streams.
Now the doors are closed, the camera is off and Meena has 1,000 baht left to her name. She said May 3 she doesn’t know what she’s going to do. Maybe she’ll borrow cash from friends who still have some.
Meena fit the demographic of the customer for “Prasit”, who rides around town selling war paint and clothing to bargirls. But the few women left in town need neither and, on a good day, Prasit earns 200 baht.
After gasoline and expenses, there’s nothing left.
Pattaya Business & Tourism Association President Boonanan Pattanasin said earlier that 90 percent of Pattaya hotels are closed and nightlife is dead. The government, he complained, shut down Pattaya’s economy, but has offered nothing to help businesses and people survive.


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Legislation that would permanently establish the state Outdoor Recreation Industry Office (OREC) as a staple of the governor's permanent Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT) passed a key committee hurdle.
House Bill (HB) 1191 was referred by the House Energy and Environment Committee to the Appropriations Committee on Thursday.
The bill was proposed by state Reps. Barbara McLachlan, D-Durango, and Matt Soper, R-Delta, with the intention to support the long-term establishment of the office for the benefit of Colorado's powerhouse outdoor recreation industry.
"The outdoor industry accounts for 10 percent of Colorado's economy, with $37 billion in consumer spending, creating more than 511,000 jobs," McLachlan wrote in the Pagosa Springs Sun. "I am running a bill with Rep. Matt Soper and Sens. Don Coram and Tammy Story to make the office an official part of the state's [OEDIT], coordinating the hundreds of moving parts of this growing industry throughout the state."
Tourism bureaus and outdoor industry groups across the state have endorsed the bill's concept. This includes the Pikes Peak Outdoor Recreation Alliance, the Colorado Springs Independent reported.
"This new office has proven itself and we have seen major accomplishments, such as the Outdoor Retailer shows relocating to Denver, outdoor businesses such as VF Corp moving their headquarters here, the launching of Outdoors RX, new outdoor industry degree programs creating a workforce pipeline for the industry, and so much more," an alliance letter states. "Colorado's outdoor industry needs leadership and support from the state to grow this vital sector and address challenges that threaten it."
Former Gov. John Hickenlooper authorized the first iteration of OREC through appointment, but for authorization through the state legislature. HB 1191 would formalize the office.


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British sporting icon David Beckham has joined Jaguar as a brand ambassador. He'll be marketing the car in a series of print and TV adverts for China.
Bob Grace, Jaguar Land Rover China Managing Director, said:
"We are absolutely thrilled that David will be an ambassador for Jaguar in China. David Beckham is a Briton whose achievements mean he has global popularity and he is someone who embodies contemporary British style and sophistication.
"He is a truly modern, British individual with a genuine passion for design, innovation, performance and driving.”
David’s role will initially see him feature alongside the new Jaguar F-TYPE Coupé. The former footballer said:
"It’s an honour to support a brand with such an amazing heritage and I look forward to being part of Jaguar’s exciting future in China.”
The company said Beckham's role would see him feature in many Jaguar campaigns in the coming years including adverts for the Jaguar XJ, a saloon manufactured at the company's factory in Castle Bromwich in Solihull.
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Two women, who were passengers in the car, suffered minor injuries and were taken to hospital for treatment.
It comes after officers last week renewed their appeal on the 20th anniversary of Michael Pritchard's death.
The OVO Energy Women's Tour race brought a £1.75 million boost to Northamptonshire's economy this summer.


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To make it easier to find new accounts and people to follow, Twitter is today reintroducing the Connect tab in its apps. This is not the first time that Twitter is adding a Connect tab to the microblogging service though.
We have some great apps for you today that are discounted for a short duration in the App Store, including Knots 3D, Hold 50 sec and others. Some deals may expire quickly — even on the same day of this post. If there is a discounted app that you like, grab it while it is still on sale.
A report from DigiTimes claims that Apple has increased the chip orders of the iPhone SE to its vendors in the second quarter of 2016. The company has revised its original order from 3.5-4 million to more than 5 million units.
James Park, co-founder and chief executive of Fitbit, believes Apple has the wrong approach to wearables with the Apple Watch. Park has also revealed how his company’s latest devices were inspired by the iPhone 4s and its seamless Bluetooth syncing.
The Indian government has rejected Apple’s request to import and sell refurbished iPhones in the country. This is the second time in as many years that the government has turned down the Cupertino’s company request to sell refurbished products .
Tim Cook Says ‘Great Innovation in the Pipeline’, Talks about Apple Watch, China, and More on CNBC’s Mad Money
In an interview with CNBC’s Mad Money host Jim Cramer, Apple CEO talked about future innovations in the iPhone and Apple Watch, China, the Android-to-iPhone switching rate, and more.
We have some great apps for you today that are discounted for a short duration in the App Store, including MacJournal, Jet Ball Arkanoid and others. Some deals may expire quickly — even on the same day of this post. If there is a discounted app that you like, grab it while it is still on sale.
It’s been just about a year since Apple’s CEO, Tim Cook, spoke with CNBC’s Jim Cramer, so apparently it’s been about time.


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The China Post staff
Analog Devices Inc. announced yesterday their new Eagle chipset series, the industry’s smallest ADSL client chipset and the first two-chip solution for ADSL (Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line) customer premise equipment (CPE). According to the company, Eagle chipsets will be mass produced starting in July and will be fabbed by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Ltd. According to the company, reducing the physical size and the total number of chips lowers the power consumption and the manufacturing cost for CPE manufacturers.
Analog Devices, based in Norwood, Massachusetts, is one of the leading designers of chipsets in the world. According to company statements, Analog Devices designed over 75 percent of the chipset solutions currently in use and serves over 90 leading companies around the world. Vic Jayasimha, director of marketing for the company said that Analog Devices and Alcatel, its closest competitor, together control roughly 80 percent of the international chipset market. According to Jayasimha, Analog Devices is planning to beat out its rival in coming months. “We expect to close the market on Alcatel later this year,” he said. Jayasimha said that the company is actively marketing the chipsets to Taiwan customers. “We have at least 5 major companies in Taiwan who are committed to using our chipsets,” he explained. Analog Devices grew by nearly 80 percent in 2000 but the company’s CEO, Jerry Fishman, said that it would be unrealistic to expect that sort of growth to continue. Speaking recently at the Banc of America Technology Week Conference in San Francisco Fishman said that the company expects to grow at roughly 35 percent per year over the long term and would reach sales of US$5 billion by 2003. Analog Devices’ business prospects could well be affected by the slowdown in the international PC and wireless device markets.
Nevertheless Jason Tsai, president for Taiwan operations, expressed optimism saying that he expects the worldwide market to pick up in June of this year.


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Umm…remind me, what’s vegewarian again? It’s enjoying plenty of sustainable, local, and delicious vegetarian foods, with meat dishes only once in a while. As summer climbs towards its peak hot weather, hefty eggplants and tomatoes make a natural partnership in savory dishes like this one. Using the blender, the sauce takes little effort, and […]
Lady’s Fingers – a poetic name for a day-to-day vegetable, also known as okra. Maybe the lovely pale yellow flower sheds a little poetry over the seed pod that grows out of its heart, and which we eat as a vegetable. In the Middle East, we call it bameeyah.
Pablo Picasso once said, “The purpose of art is washing the dust of daily life off our souls.” So, it’s off to the art galleries all you in Abu Dhabi: your meteorological agencies are warning of epic dust storms ahead.
HungerStation.com in Saudi Arabia is a new online platform where customers can order food from a lengthening list of restaurants for delivery right to their doorstep. Wildly successful, the service has experienced a 500% increase in daily traffic since their launch last November, and is signing on new food chains at an impressive clip.
Artificial sweeteners may have some complicated side-effects or contra-indications for people with existing health effects. But artificial sweeteners could help people beyond losing weight, cavity prevention and reducing blood sugar: a new study from Israel has found that mannitol, widely used in chewing gum, could slow down the effects of Parksinson’s disease.
A corporate natural foods store in the United States has captured a photograph of what their shelves would look like if bee populations completely collapse. Whole Foods teamed up with the Xerces Society, a wildlife conservation group, to illustrate just how important bees are to our food supply in the hopes of raising greater awareness.
Thirty-three people are dead from MERS, a coronavirus that the World Health Organization (WHO) is calling a “threat to the entire world”. MERS, for Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, is a newly discovered virus that causes severe respiratory infection.
America’s bumbling fictional super spy Maxwell Smart had a good point when he would say of the villain, “If only he had used his evil genius for niceness.” We’ve heard far too many tragic stories of drones being used as weapons of war. Wouldn’t it be nice if someone figured out how to beat this […]
Water scarcity combined with desertification makes for a scary combination in the Middle East, but The Sahara Forest Project (SFP) is pioneering a promising solution: greenhouses that use saltwater to grow food in the middle of the desert.
Some health friendly tips for the female reproductive organs.
A new study adds to a small body of research, through which a picture is emerging: colorectal cancer, commonly known as colon cancer, strikes younger people in Egypt far more frequently than it does in Europe or the US, making it much more lethal and socially destructive.
BPA is a hormonally active chemical found in everything from cash register receipts to soup and beverage cans to plastic wrap and bottles. Will good news for conscious consumers in California mean lifestyle changes for people in the Middle East?
Wouldn’t it be great if recipes for high-energy, healthy snacks required no cooking or baking? Well, I’ll let you in on a little secret: date squares are made with neither a stove nor an oven. The lesson I’ve learned after watching this video demo: Never underestimate the power of a food processor.
A condition of child blindness called retinitis pigmentosis afflicts about one in every 3000 births. A new treatment pulled out of a Sinai lake is now an orange algae powder pill: it can quadruple the vision improvement in some people, finds new research from Israel. Algae in its various forms and colors is not only […]
Give a microscopic vegetable the right conditions of sunshine and water, and you can home-farm what some say is the world’s most nutritious food: spirulina.
It is hard to find a house anywhere in the world that doesn’t have sugar in the pantry, but in Egypt, molasses is the number one sweet treat. This is particularly true of Upper Egypt (the southern half of the country), the site of many sugar cane plantations.
Now that the sun is out in full force, and you’ve tried this recipe for sugar wax, it’s time to up the ante and make a paraban-free, organic, and skin-nourishing sunscreen. (Update on July 24, 2020: The Wall Street Journal reports that chemicals in our sunscreen may be building up in our bodies faster than […]
With the hot days, the desire to spend time cooking in the kitchen dwindles, although the desire to eat remains. This past salad recipe works for hot summer days.
Wearing full body clothing might not be the thing for everyone in the Middle East: but cover up the very young – especially those with light skin. Middle East sun exposure in the young leads to higher rates of skin cancer later in life.
A business man in the Gaza Strip has found a lucrative way of satisfying the urge for KFC by smuggling it through underground tunnels. It may be four hours cold, with a side of soggy chips, but for Gazans it is a taste of freedom.
The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) recently issued a report calling for wider uptake of insect for food and feed.
Green Prophet’s editor Karin plucks mulberry leaves from her backyard and serves them to her family. Long ago, mulberry trees were planted all over the Middle East to feed silkworms. The cottage silk industries have died out, but many ancient mulberry trees remain. Strolling with Karin in her garden recently in Jaffa, I remarked that […]
The food industry is anything but shaky around the world these days, from meat glue to horse meat in “beef” burgers. Who are we to trust? The latest scandal is fake olive found in Israel, including organic varieties. Watch out for it anywhere. We sum up where to buy, and what to avoid. Some are […]
Health experts have long advocated drinking tea instead of coffee, and the Middle East is awash in both, but modern food technology is heating up health concerns over this ancient brew.
Summer’s arrival brings out all kinds of fruit to simmer up into jam – including tomatoes. Tomatoes as jam? Yes, indeed, and delicious it is, too. I love to make up small batches of tomato jam when lots of different tomato varieties appear in the markets. In the full swing of summer’s harvest, when prices […]


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The bitcoin community cheered Tesla TSLA +0.9% billionaire Elon Musk’s headfirst dive into crypto this year.
Musk sent the bitcoin price sharply higher when Tesla’s surprise bet on bitcoin was announced in February but his outlandish Twitter TWTR +0.4% persona and growing support for ethereum and the meme-based dogecoin has since antagonized bitcoiners
Now, Twitter chief executive Jack Dorsey, a long-time bitcoin-backer, has revealed it’s “only a matter of time” before either Twitter or its fledgling decentralized social network project Bluesky integrates bitcoin payments—and has replaced Elon Musk as bitcoin’s new billionaire champion.
“Only a matter of time,” Dorsey, who also leads payments company Square, replied to a bitcoin fan account on Twitter who asked him to “build [the bitcoin lightning network] into BlueSky or Twitter.”
The lightning network allows bitcoin to be sent via a payment protocol built on top of the bitcoin blockchain and is designed to help the network scale, reduce fees and speed up transactions. Interest in the lightning network has been given a boost this month by news El Salvador will use it to facilitate bitcoin spending online and in-person now bitcoin is its official currency along with the U.S. dollar.
Dorsey, who told a packed crowd at the Bitcoin 2021 conference in Miami last week that if he “were not at Square SQ +5% or Twitter, [he] would be working on bitcoin,” has since been on the offensive for bitcoin.
“If you believe bitcoin doesn’t ultimately shift power from banks and corporations (the ones you fight!) back to the people globally, you’re right, [it’s] useless,” Dorsey responded via Twitter to influential U.S. senator Elizabeth Warren who called for a “crackdown on environmentally wasteful cryptocurrencies” that use energy to solve “useless, complicated math problems.”
Dorsey, who has eschewed so-called altcoins like ethereum and Musk’s pet project dogecoin in favor of bitcoin, last year added some 8,000 bitcoin, at the time worth $170 million, to Square’s corporate treasury.
Dorsey has repeatedly endorsed bitcoin over recent years, going as far as to claim bitcoin has the potential to become the world’s sole currency by 2030 in a 2018 interview with the Times of London newspaper, and has assumed the role of bitcoin’s booster-in-chief that Tesla’s Elon Musk has apparently abandoned.
Last week, Musk appeared to further distance himself from bitcoin after rolling back Tesla’s bitcoin support due to environmental concerns in May and posting a string of somewhat satirical dogecoin memes.
“I pretty much agree with Vitalik,” Musk posted to Twitter, replying to a wide-ranging YouTube interview with the ethereum cofounder Vitalik Buterin by AI researcher and podcaster Lex Fridman.
In the interview with ethereum’s de facto leader, Fridman asked whether it would be possible to upgrade dogecoin to “beat bitcoin hands down,” as Musk has previously suggested—with Buterin saying: “If doge wants to somehow bridge to ethereum and then people can trade doge thousands of times a second … that would be amazing.”
Amazon is the Disney World of online shopping; You practically need a tour guide to help you navigate the extensive attractions across every category. That’s why we compiled a list of products to check out this Prime Day. The e-tailer hasn’t revealed which price tags will get a rollback, but according to our editors, these are the products you don’t want to miss—you know—in case they go on sale. The two-day shopping event officially kicks off on June 21. With deals on over 2 million products, it’s a good idea to set your shopping intentions early.
“Some might say that having an Amazon Echo in virtually every room is overkill, but I love being able to control my lights, get the news and ask Jimmy Fallon to tell me a joke from anywhere. The new 4th generation Amazon Echo is the best model yet and has a fresh new spherical design. I’m looking forward to nabbing one or two when they inevitably go on sale (Amazon always discounts its smart speakers on Prime Day.)”
“I want to get an ice cream maker for summer, so I’m really hoping this Cuisinart one goes on sale for Prime Day. I used to make ice cream with my grandma when I was little and it was always such a fun summer activity, so I’d love to bring it back this year. And this machine seems super easy to use, you just pour in the ingredients and switch it on—no hardcore stirring necessary.”
“I’ve had the older model of this juicer (which I love) for about six years, so I’m hoping to upgrade to this one at a discount on Prime Day. Not only is the chute wide enough to fit whole apples—something that can’t be said for most masticating juicers—it also has special filters that you can use to make smoothies and sorbets with frozen fruit as the only ingredient.”
“I’d love to get a bread maker on Prime Day this year. Throughout quarantine, I’ve been making bread the old-fashioned way— kneading by hand— letting it rise in a proofing basket, and then baking in the oven. However, now that summer’s approaching, I need an alternative to turning on the oven, especially if the weather is 90+ degrees. Although it’s mini, it’s still a mighty machine that bakes one-pound loaves of bread along with other delicious treats including cookies and pasta dough—all under two hours from start to finish.”
“I’ve been meaning to upgrade my old TV stand that’s starting to show its gray hairs a bit, but I wanted something that’s truly unique as the centerpiece of my home entertainment setup. My friend showed me his fireplace-bearing TV stand with its clean lines and elegant outward look, and I plan to absolutely steal his swag if it happens to get another big discount for Amazon Prime Day. The model I want is big enough to hold a 70” TV, and I especially like how roomy the cable feeders in the back are to ensure you can route everything you need to the rear. Best of all, the centerpiece is a faux fireplace that gives off fake customizable flames and real heat up to 81 degrees.
“I love my Dyson V8 Absolute, but I’m ready to take my everyday cleaning routine to a whole new level with iRobot’s spiffy Brava Jet i6, which I’m hoping is on major sale this Prime Day. Not only does it tackle messes on all types of surfaces, but it also doubles up as a mop. (Take that sticky kitchen floor!) All I have to do is map out the route and sit back while my Roomba does all the hard work.”
When there’s confirmation of reasonable (~50%) clean energy usage by miners with positive future trend, Tesla will resume allowing bitcoin transactions,” Musk posted to Twitter, replying to a Cointelegraph piece that reported Magda Wierzycka, the chief executive of South Africa financial services company Sygnia, “criticize[d] Elon Musk for [an] alleged bitcoin pump and dump.”
“This is inaccurate. Tesla only sold ~10% of holdings to confirm BTC could be liquidated easily without moving market,” Musk said. In February this year, Tesla revealed it had bought $1.5 billion of bitcoin and continues to hold most of it on its balance sheet.
Estimates for what percentage of renewable energy is currently powering the bitcoin network are inconsistent. A recent report estimated renewably-generated electricity made up almost 40% of energy consumed by the bitcoin network, however, a previous study put the figure at just over 70%, largely due to the abundance of hydro-electric generators in Southwest China and Scandinavia—both major bitcoin mining hubs.
The bitcoin price jumped by around 5%, climbing toward $40,000 per bitcoin, following Musk’s confirmation Tesla plans to eventually resume its bitcoin support.
Bitcoin crashed from its peak of around $65,000 in April, with its sell-off exacerbated in May by Musk pulling the plug on Tesla customers using bitcoin for purchases, citing the bitcoin network’s eye-watering energy demands that have spiked in the last few months.
“Cryptocurrency is a good idea on many levels and we believe it has a promising future, but this cannot come at great cost to the environment,” Musk announced in May, sending shockwaves through bitcoin and cryptocurrency markets.
So-called bitcoin miners are rewarded with newly minted coins for securing the bitcoin network and validating transactions, something that requires a huge amount of computer processing power—thought to be more than the whole country of Finland, according to some calculations.
“[The North American bitcoin miners] committed to publish current and planned renewable usage & to ask miners [worldwide] to do so,” Musk posted to Twitter at the time, adding he thought the development was “potentially promising.”
In the meantime, Musk has lent considerable support to dogecoin, a meme-based cryptocurrency originally created as a “joke,” calling for developers to submit upgrade ideas and agreeing that a suggestion dogecoin could be used via the ethereum blockchain is “amazing.”


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Rockstar Games has grown its stable of studios further with the acquisition of Mad Doc Software.
Massachusetts-based Mad Doc recently worked on the 360 port of Bully: The Scholarship Edition for Rockstar. The studio was established in 1999, by Dr Ian Lane Davis – the studio previously developed the likes of Star Trek: Legacy and Empire Earth II.
Mad Doc has a particular focus on AI and networking technologies and its proprietary Mad3D Game Engine and Mad AI middleware haas been available for licensing. In a statement about the acquisition, Rockstar singled out the firm’s technical expertise as a key motivation for the purchase.
"The team at Mad Doc Software is extremely talented," said Sam Houser, founder of Rockstar Games. "Bringing them within the Rockstar Games family will enhance our core technology and further support our commitment to creating progressive and innovative gaming experiences."
Davis added: "To be a part of Rockstar Games is an amazing opportunity for everyone here
"We’re eager to bring our expertise to bear in the character-driven, open-world stories that make Rockstar Games titles so uniquely compelling."
In the announcement Rockstar-owner Take Two added that the studio would be renamed to Rockstar New England.
Rockstar owns studios in Edinburgh, Leeds, London, San Diego, Vancouver and Toronto; its coporate HQ is in New York.


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Hurricane Harvey makes a landfall, and faith is put to test. Thousands of homes and streets go under water, many people are stranded, death toll increases, and Carla's emotion is somewhat ... See full summary »
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To meet surging demand for heterogeneous chips, TSMC is expected to adopt a more agile mode of cooperation with OSATs. TSMC's majr foundry competitor Samsung Electronics has announced plans to build a new fab in the US state of Texas. Samsung is eyeing orders from major US chip vendors. China first-tier lithium battery makers have refrained from raising prices this year, but they are now looking to raise prices by 20% next year.
TSMC outsources part of CoWoS packaging production to OSATs: TSMC has outsourced part of its chip-on-wafer-on-substrate (CoWoS) packaging to OSATs including Advanced Semiconductor Engineering (ASE), Siliconware Precision Industries (SPIL) and Amkor, particularly for low-volume customized products, according to industry sources.
New Samsung fab in Texas to eye orders from major US vendors: Samsung Electronics has disclosed plans to set up an advanced wafer fab in Texas. The new fab that will be equipped with advanced process manufacturing equipment and facilities will be striving to win advanced chip orders from AMD and other US chip vendors, according to industry sources.
China lithium battery makers to raise contract quotes in 2022: China's first-tier lithium battery makers will raise contract quotes by 20% next year, according to industry sources.


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China’s’ social credit system is now been powered by blockchain technology so all the data sharing of social credit-scored across provinces is possible thanks to the Remin Chain. Let’s find out more in the Blockchain news today.
Remin Chain is a permissioned blockchain product from Hangzhou’s Hyperchain Technology. Now, China’s Social credit system is getting an upgrade thanks to this amazing technology. The system is now siloed along the provincial borders which means the data will not be transferred when someone moves from province-to-province.
The monitoring arm of china’s Social credit system is now getting an upgrade with blockchain technology that will allow it to share the data across platforms and provinces using blockchain technology. According to a report from the state-run media, Remin Chain will be integrated into the People’s Daily Online Public Opinion Monitoring Center as the government apparatus responsible for monitoring and analyzing every comment made by the 900 million citizens. The center is run by the People’s Daily arm of the Communist Party.
China’s social credit system is complicated. On one hand, it looks like the “Big Brother” model. On the other hand, is attaches a real ID to everyone’s online handle so that social media users with a history of “problematic” behavior can be identified and then dealt with. There hasn’t been a social credit scoring system yet that ties online comments to the credit-bureau which dictates the ability of people to access real financial credit. The system is now run at the provincial level on separate platforms that are created by different tech companies. The provinces track everything from payment history, parking tickets, and local infractions along with other online comments which are a way of generating scores.
Remin China’s Super ID system will curb this as the platform proposes to break down the silos and provide a national system for tracking social credit. The company proposes to use the data to enhance the ability of small and medium-sized enterprises which are ignored by lenders in order to create trust and access credit at a lower rate. Enterprise software researchers believe that by using the blockchain technology to build bridges across data silos will unlock more value and increase the data quality overall. However. Blockchain was also effective for the communist party to increase the efficiency of its surveillance power.
DC Forecasts is a leader in many crypto news categories, striving for the highest journalistic standards and abiding by a strict set of editorial policies. If you are interested to offer your expertise or contribute to our news website, feel free to contact us at [email protected]


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You decided to do your part for the environment and buy a shiny new electrified Nissan Leaf. You’re cruising down the highway, amazed at how quiet the car is, then, something out of the ordinary happens. You run out of juice. Now what do you do without your 200 Amp, 240 Volt charging station near by?
Range anxiety could become more of an issue than many may think, for companies selling the EVs, they believe it is something to take into consideration. This is why the Japan Automobile Federation hopes to eliminate much of those fears that keep many people skeptical and wary of EVs. If my Leaf will only run for 75-130 miles on a charge, what’s going to happen next? We’re used to gas stations being positioned on nearly every street corner, so we can expect our gas to be there. But with EVs under the $50k mark, we’re not going to get the range of say a Tesla Roadster (250 miles). Although most people do not commute more than 33.4 miles a day, on average. So why all the anxiety? Perhaps its those road trips, the off time when we’d like to just take off and go for a while. With that in mind, Nissan is running a trial in Japan where roadside service vehicles carry an EV charger with them. Nissan built the prototype service truck which will charge EV drivers who don’t have enough juice to get home. The trial started in Kanagawa Prefecture this week, which uses a Nissan Leaf as its governor’s official car. JAF will deploy the roadside service vehicle with the charger from its Kanagawa branch office. In December 2010, JAF conducted roadside assistance training for EVs using a Nissan Leaf at the Nissan Education Center for its staff from throughout Japan. They also initiated practical roadside service training across Japan using other EVs beside the Leaf. Will it come to the US? Only time and stranded EV drivers will tell.


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AHDRA Headquarters is pleased to announce that Rush Racing Products has just announced that they will continue their support of the 2012 AHDRA Screamin’ Eagle Championship Series. It’s great to have Rush back on board for 2012 as the “Official Exhaust of AHDRA” plus sponsoring three classes – Pro Fuel, Pro Gas and Super Eliminator.
AHDRA President Craig Tharpe stated, “We are pleased to have the folks at Rush Racing Products continue their support of our organization. It represents the perfect scenario of how sponsorship is supposed to work. Rush’s involvement with AHDRA has allowed them to expand their reach and increase sales of their innovative products. We can’t say enough about how good it is to work with Terry, Lou, Adam, Jeremy, Katfish and the whole Rush team.” We look forward to many years of growth for both of our organizations throughout this relationship.
To find out more about the products available from Rush Racing Products, visit them online at www.epiflex.com.


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by Dan Holland
When Lee and Kristen Metcalf earned culinary arts management degrees a number of years ago, they both dreamed of one day opening up their own business. The dream became a reality when the couple opened a Bubakoo’s Burritos location on Oct. 6 at 4101 E. Royalton Rd.
Customer response has been overwhelming so far, according to Kristen.
“The response has been great, and I’m so thankful that people have been patient, as we’ve had lines out the door at times,” she said. “Everyone seems to love it, and we already have a lot of regulars. We hope to eventually open more than just this one location; we hope to open several more in the area.”
The location, which is the 91st Bubakoo’s Burritos to open nationwide, is the first in Northeast Ohio. Ample interior space, a location near I-77 and an existing outdoor patio were the top selling points in choosing the location for the couple, who live in Stow with their three children, ages 6, 8 and 10.
“Northeast Ohio has a hometown feel to it,” said Kristen. “In driving through Broadview Heights, it felt a lot like Stow, and it isn’t that far for us; right off the highway. We have people coming from all over greater Cleveland just because it’s so easy to get to. The location sold us.”
The new business counts more than 20 employees and is always looking to add more, she said.
“We really have a great crew here,” said Kristen. “Most of them have been here since day one; right after they completed training with corporate. They’ve all put in so many hours, and they’ve been great, but we can always use more.”
Best-selling menu items include the crispy chicken bacon sriracha ranch quesadilla, the Nashville hot burrito and the hibachi steak and shrimp burrito. Other popular choices include chicken wings, the burritodilla and fried Oreos.
The menu options, service, and atmosphere are what make the business a popular choice, according to Kristen. Patrons can choose to dine in, utilize a quick pick-up counter service for online orders or use a number of popular food delivery services.
“It’s great food in a great environment,” she said. “When you walk in, it changes your day. Even if you’re having your worst day ever, you just have to smile when you walk in here – It can be a day changer and mood booster.”
The vibe and feel of the coastal New Jersey-based franchise carries through to all locations, said Kristen.
“Whenever you walk into a Bubakoo’s, it should look and feel like the last one you were in,” she said. “We have the Bubakoo’s TVs playing all the time with X-sports showing, along with the surf and skate graphics. It’s a vibe, and that’s what we stress to our employees; that we’re here to have fun. It’s all about being together and making some great food.”


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With omicron infection rates falling and mask mandates expiring across the country, many companies are attempting to reestablish a sense of pre-pandemic normalcy by reopening offices and bringing employees back to stay. But while firms return to business as usual, the nation’s biggest companies may never again return to business travel as usual. According to the Global Business Travel Association, spending on corporate travel amounts to a third of what it was before 2020.
For example, the consultancy giant McKinsey was famous for sending its employees on globe-trotting excursions to broker deals and provide corporate guidance. In fact, in 2019 the company spent more than $265 million on U.S.-booked flights alone. After enduring years of the pandemic, however, McKinsey slashed its travel budget by 25 percent. The company intends to focus on its team-building and collaboration efforts at home, emphasizing that returning to the office will make this goal much easier to accomplish.
Concern for the climate may also be having an effect on executives’ travel plans. Many corporations have signed pledges to reduce their carbon footprints, with corporate travel accounting for a large portion of their carbon dioxide emissions. As a result, companies may keep their private jets curbed far more frequently than in the past, although experts admit that some business trips can never be fully eliminated. Outside of these essential excursions, however, the overall outlook on business travel is so bleak that air carriers have started to notice. “Airlines are planning for a future in which there are fewer business travelers,” said Jay Sorensen, CEO of the consultancy company IdeaWorks.
- Why are corporations spending less on business travel than before the pandemic?
- Do you think companies like McKinsey could have trouble attracting top-level talent with reduced business travel budgets? Why or why not?


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MINNEAPOLIS -- A room full of middle school students is buzzing with activity. Students are gathered around laptops working on their websites.
"Some of them are creating content, so they're designing their own clothes. A lot of kids want to be designers when they grow up," said Brad von Bank, co-founder of Reve Academy.
Von Bank and Kristin Pardue created the non-profit to help students in north Minneapolis learn digital marketing skills. It's a natural extension of the duo's pro-profit business, Reve, which helps companies develop an online presence and marketing plan.
"On a professional side, we understood there was a need for more digital talent," explained von Bank. He and Pardue decided the best way to find that talent was to develop it themselves.
"That would help the Twin Cities because we'd have more talent, local-grown talent, and it would also help the kids who don't always necessarily see this as a pathway," said von Bank.
"My website is based off my book I've been writing for a year," said 8th grader Asante Samuels, who wants to give her audience an interactive way to experience her fantasy novel. In a two-week summer workshop, students are encouraged to dream, build a website around that vision and then present it to professionals in the same manner they might pitch a marketing plan in the working world.
Along the way, students learn about website development, search engine optimization, and digital marketing. Reve has partnerships with several schools in north Minneapolis to use that curriculum to reach more students.
"So they're doing the same curriculum over a longer period of time as an after-school enrichment," said co-founder Pardue, who says this fall, Reve Academy willhelp some of its more advanced student launch a website development business that will work with community partners who need but can't afford traditional professional services.
Reve Academy is workingto bring its program into more schools, training teacherswho will present the curriculum that can open doors forstudents interested in digital careers.
Jaime Scherle, who trains those teachers for Reve Academy, sees it as a natural fit."Schools have computers but they use them for things like powerpoints and writing papers and this takes it to a whole new level."


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Forbes’ recent article showing the growth of CX in the past year highlights how CX is a top priority and most-talked about in business today.
87% leaders tag CX as their growth Engine more than any other area of focus, while the U.S. CX industry is projected to grow 15% annually from 2021 to 2028.
In a customer-centric service, CX is always the primary concern for a business. High-quality experiences require addressing every pain point before, during, and after a transaction.
Your CX strategy defines the journey the customer has had with you, how quick and efficient your responses are, and how easily you were able to resolve the problem.
An omnichannel approach is vital to a good CX journey, promoting customer loyalty.
Learn more about what Premier BPO’s CX strategy looks like by visiting our web page.


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Amazon, of course, has its own first-party ad network, where it can still control frequency capping and ad targeting, and some advertisers see its new policies as another way to reinforce its growing advertising business.
The IP addresses of viewers on IMDb TV and Twitch are potentially valuable commodities, too, because they could provide a way to covertly develop consumer profiles that have a good chance of matching up with Amazon shoppers and Amazon Prime members. That’s the type of data that Amazon would like to have a strong hand controlling.
“Amazon is not going to want someone to pull down an IP address to map it back to an Amazon profile, to a piece of personal information, that would be huge breach of privacy,” says one major advertising agency executive, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Amazon declined to comment for this story but it pointed to its advertising policies that outline its developer and data rules. On Fire TV, which is the broader Amazon CTV software ecosystem, Amazon has had policies for years about limiting the exposure of IP addresses from third-party apps. Amazon encourages developers and media companies on Fire TV to use its Amazon Advertising ID as opposed to other data like IP addresses.
“Under our Appstore Advertising ID Policy, third-party apps that collect information about users’ behaviors in order to display interest-based ads must use the Amazon Advertising ID,” Amazon said. “No other identifier or tracking method (e.g., Android ID or IP address) may be used. Customers can reset their Advertising ID or use the interest-based ads setting on their device to manage their advertising preferences.”
The Amazon Advertising ID is a unique code for each viewer generated by Amazon Fire software.
“If you collect information about a user’s behavior to display interest-based ads, or to generate analytics, you must use the Advertising ID,” Amazon says in its policies.
Amazon’s steps are in line with the privacy movement taking hold in the internet advertising industry. Companies that have thrived through unfettered access to data, like being able to peek into people’s IP addresses to follow their web histories and serve targeted ads, are finding it more difficult to do business.
Amazon’s ad revenue reached $8 billion in the second quarter, growing 87% year over year. Connected TV is an increasingly important pillar in that ad business, as Amazon runs Fire TV, Prime Video, IMDb TV and Twitch. The Fire TV ecosystem is a complex one, where Amazon operates its own apps and distributes apps from major media companies. Amazon also has lucrative sports deals like one to exclusively stream Thursday Night Football starting in 2022. And just this month, Amazon’s TV portfolio expanded with the release of its first Fire TV set—so it became an original manufacturer of TVs and not just a software partner to other manufacturers.
The changes are considered a win for privacy, but they could also give big tech platforms even more of an advantage since they still have access to data that is now being denied to other players. “It would strengthen Amazon’s own walled garden,” says Nirish Parsad, practice lead, privacy, identity and martech at Tinuiti, a performance marketing agency.
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The Recreation Vehicle Industry Association commissioned an Economic Impact Study on the RV industry, released on June 7, 2016. The study found that the RV industry contributes about $49.7 billion in economic output or 0.28 percent of the Gross Domestic Product. Through its production and distribution linkages, the industry impacts firms in 426 of the 440 sectors of the United States economy.
Nationwide, the industry is responsible for 216,170 jobs, both directly and inderectly, creating an economic impact of $37.5 billion. The full study results, along with each individual state and congressional district's economic impact is available on the website by clicking here .
Mon Jul 24, 2017
Gander Outdoors wants customer help restocking shelves after the nationwide liquidation sale.
It’s not the first time CEO Marcus Lemonis has invited the general public to shape Gander’s new brand. Last month, Lemonis awarded $100,000 to a Colorado-based graphic designer for his winning logo design after a six-week search.
Gander Mountain filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protections in Minnesota court on March 10, indicating its intention to shutter 32 stores in 11 states and liquidate more than $500 million worth of assets, according to a story by Guns.com.
Camping World, the nation’s largest recreational vehicle dealer, led the investor group that bought out $390 million worth of Gander Mountain assets, including its Overtons boating business, during an April 28 auction. Lemonis said a separate liquidation company bought the store inventory currently on sale across the country.


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What to expect from companies announcing results week commencing 14 January 2019.
Companies reporting w/c 14 January
The Share Centre gives its thoughts on what to expect from companies announcing results week commencing 14 January 2019.
Boohoo (Q3 2019 Sales and Revenue Release)
The profit warning from online clothing retailer Asos in December came as a surprise to many and focused the market’s attention on a part of the retail sector that many investors assumed was still performing well. Its peer Boohoo saw its shares caught up in the sector-wide drop which followed. However the company which has grown sales and profits steadily over the past four years, reassured the market by putting out a brief statement stating its trading had remained strong with record sales in the Black Friday period and overall trading "comfortably in line with market expectations". This update covers the third quarter and investors will be looking closely at sales and any signs of discounting.
We currently list Boohoo as a BUY
Persimmon (Q4 2018 Sales and Revenue Release)
The media focus will now shift to the group's performance rather than its previous CEO's pay packet. The shares have been lifted at the start of 2019 as peer Taylor Wimpey reported a relatively positive update for the year ending 2018 while the outlook for 2019 remained resilient despite the political and macro-economic backdrop. Investors will hope that Persimmon will report similar numbers but they will also be on the lookout for comments on the potential impact of Brexit and whether the costs of labour and materials are heading higher.
We currently list Persimmon as a HOLD
Tullow Oil (Q4 2018 Sales and Revenue Release)
In this trading update the firm should give an indication that 2018 will have been their best in terms of revenues since the collapse in the price of oil in 2014 as oil prices slowly recover. Investors will hope that there weren't any operational issues in the final period of 2018 and that production will come in at between 89,300 and 93,300 barrel of oil equivalent. They will expect an update on the new exploration projects in Africa and South America.
We currently list Tullow Oil as a BUY
Associated British Foods (Q1 2019 Earnings Release)
While the market will naturally take an interest in any comments on the troubled sugar business, the main focus for investors in this update will be the performance of Primark. That is mainly due to concerns about the strength of retail sector at present, as demonstrated by Next’s recent 9.2% drop in high street sales in the run up to Christmas, and the fact that in December ABF said trading at Primark had been challenging. Investors will be interested to hear if ABF still expects an increase in Primark's profit this year and whether overall earnings are expected to remain flat despite another expected fall in sugar prices.
We currently list Associated British Foods as a HOLD
Whitbread (Q3 2019 Earnings Release)
This third quarter trading update will be mostly of interest for comments on the performance of low-cost hotel chain Premier Inn, both in the UK and in key overseas markets such as Germany. Investors will look specifically at room occupancy levels and whether there has been any significant change to the expansion plans outlined at the interim results in October. The past year for Whitbread has of course been dominated by the sale of the Costa Coffee chain for £3.9bn to Coca Cola and the company recently confirmed that most of the proceeds will go into the share buyback scheme due to start after this update. Details of how the rest will be used are due to be announced on 13 February.
We currently list Whitbread as a HOLD
Other companies reporting this day include: The Sage Group (Q1 2019 Sales and Revenue Release) - HOLD
Rio Tinto (Q4 2018 Sales and Revenue Release)
Investors will be hoping for an update on the company’s outlook for the year ahead, along with any further news on planned expansion projects, allied to capital expenditure. The group’s focus remains on extracting iron ore so this will be an area to concentrate on. Cost control has been increasingly important for large mining groups enabling them to return increasing amounts of cash to shareholders. Last time the group reported an increase in iron ore, bauxite and copper production.
We currently list Rio Tinto as a BUY
Announcements for the w/c 14 January 2019:
16 Jan 2019, UK Consumer Price Index
The previous month's rate of price increases moderated to 2.3% as the cost of transport, food, beverages and leisure slowed down. For December there are some expectations that it could head a little lower still as the fall in oil prices since the summer highs feed through to the pumps.
18 Jan 2019, UK Retail Sales for December
This set of retail sales figures is a crucial indicator of the health of the UK consumer and the wellbeing of the high street. The November figures showed a bounce on the previous month, chiefly as a result of a strong Black Friday sales period. However, this could turn out to be to the detriment of December trading as a number of consumers could have brought their seasonal shopping forward into November. The trading updates we have had from our major retailers have given a mixed picture for Christmas, with online still gaining over the high street while food and groceries show a better picture than for general merchandise.
All information given including prices, yields and our opinion is correct at the time of publication. Our opinions on investments can change at any time and for our latest view please go to www.share.com. To understand how our Investment research team arrive at their views please read our Investment Research Policy.


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Acer R11 convertible touchscreen #Chromebook announced at IFA 2015in New Releases
Today Acer announced the R11 Chromebook. We have all the specs and release date info!
Shown off today at IFA 2015, Europe’s largest consumer electronics convention, the R11 features a 360° hinge, 10-point IPS touchscreen. This is Acer’s first convertible Chromebook, and only the second convertible on the market, the first being the ASUS Chromebook Flip. The R11’s major advantages over the Flip is the new Intel Braswell CPU and USB 3.0.
Acer Chromebook R11 specifications and release date
Comments are closed.


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Samsung Galaxy K Zoom: A Head-scratching Hybrid
Does the Galaxy K Zoom prove there’s still life in Samsung’s smartphone-camera niche? Not really. Samsung conducted an experiment last year with the Galaxy S4 Zoom, which merged its flagship smartphone with a point-and-shoot digital camera. The results were perplexing….


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Google is now rolling out the Chrome 88 globally with a new and more secure password protection feature. This new feature will allow users to check, identify, and fix weak passwords and enable them to control their saved passwords. According to Google, Chrome 88 with its new features will be available in all regions of the world in the coming weeks. This new update will keep getting new features throughout 2021.
The Google Chrome password manager is already saving a credentials of users for multiple platforms if the password is weak. While, this new update will enable users to quickly check, identify, and fix weak passwords from the Chrome Settings. So, users will be able to fix multiple weak passwords in one place.
Chrome 88 Comes with Secure Password Protection Feature
Ali Sarraf, Product Manager, Chrome posted in a blog, “Passwords help protect our online information, which is why it’s never been more important to keep them safe. But when we’re juggling dozens (if not hundreds!) of passwords across various websites—from shopping, to entertainment to personal finance—it feels like there’s always a new account to set up or manage. While it’s definitely a best practice to have a strong, unique password for each account, it can be really difficult to remember them all—that’s why we have a password manager in Chrome to back you up.”
In order to check passwords in Chrome 88, users will need to click on their profile image and then click the “key” icon. Other than that, users will also be able to type chrome://settings/passwords in the address bar. From there they can click check Password and the Chrome will start searching for weak passwords.
Once done, then users will be able to change weak passwords easily. Currently, the company is rolling out the update on desktop and iOS but Google says that soon the Chrome’s Android app will also be getting this new update.
Recommended Reading: Google Calendar is Coming with Offline Viewing Mode


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By Ben Hollom
Rumours that Yahoo was buying blogging website Tumblr broke out a few days ago but it looks as if these have been confirmed. According to the Wall Street Journal, which quoted ´people familiar with the matter´, Yahoo´s board has agreed to buy Tumblr for $1.1 billion (£720 million).
Tumblr was founded by David Karp six years ago and has since then become a favourite platform for bloggers, primarily younger ones, who have been using it for posting blogs and images. After the acquisition, Tumblr will still continue to operate as an independent business, sources cited by the news source explained.
The move seems to follow Yahoo´s new CEO Marissa Mayer´s plan for making the brand more appealing to young consumers. The Wall Street Journal commented that buying a social media platform with a developed user-base and high ratings among millions of users could help Yahoo to achieve its goal. In March, Tumblr had 117 million unique users worldwide, compared to 58 million 12 months earlier, according to data from comScore.
Over the course of its existence, Tumblr has mostly focused on building on its user-base and its chief executive, David Karp, has not regarded the issue of earning money very seriously, which is a common pattern of behaviour of start-up Internet companies, experts commented. While previously Karp was heard saying he was against advertising, Tumblr welcomed advertisers for the first time last year. The company´s financial results pointed to a modest revenue of $13 million (£8.5 million) in 2012.


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Kerry Group recovering from pandemic with profits up 13%
Company also reports revenue in first half of this year has increased by 4.9% to €3.6bn
Kerry Group increased trading profit increased by 13 per cent to €357 million in the first half of the year.
Kerry Group increased trading profit increased by 13 per cent to €357 million in the first half of the year as the company recovered from the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, its interim results show.
The results, which were published on Friday, show group trading profit margin increased by 70 basis points to 10 per cent, primarily due to the recovery of operating leverage given the impact of Covid-19 in the prior year.
It said revenue in the period increased by 4.9 per cent to €3.6 billion, reflecting a volume increase of 9 per cent.
There was also increased pricing of 0.5 per cent, an adverse transaction currency impact of 0.1 per cent, an adverse translation currency impact of 5.4 per cent, and contribution from acquisitions of 0.9 per cent.
Constant currency adjusted earnings per share increased by 24.1 per cent to 152 cent. Basic earnings per share increased to 128.2 cent from 120.4 cent during the same period last year.
The interim dividend of 28.5 cent per share reflects an increase of 10 per cent from the prior year interim dividend. The group achieved free cash flow of €222 million, up from €107 million in 2020, representing cash conversion of 83 per cent in the period.
Kerry Group chief executive Edmond Scanlon said there was progress to be seen across several markets
“We are pleased with overall performance in the period, reflecting continued strong growth in our retail channel, with good progression and momentum in foodservice while lapping lower prior year levels,” he said.
“The Americas had good overall volume growth, Europe delivered an excellent relative performance, while growth in Asia Pacific/Middle East/Africa remained strong despite challenging conditions in some local markets.
“A number of our end use markets had strong category development in the period, with Beverage in particular achieving excellent growth.”
Mr Scanlon pointed to some “notable strategic developments” this year as the group continued to evolve its portfolio.
“We announced the acquisition of Niacet, which enhances our leadership position in the fast growing food protection and preservation market, while we also reached agreement for the sale of our Consumer Foods’ Meats and Meals business,” he said.
“These transactions will further enhance Kerry’s position as a market-leading taste and nutrition company.
“Our performance through the period gives us continued confidence in our full year outlook, while recognising the inherent uncertainty that will remain in many regions through the remainder of the year.
“Our earnings guidance range has been updated as a result, and we have also reflected the expected impact from portfolio developments.”
More to follow.


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Despite not having been announced yet, there is no doubt that Rockstar Games is working on Grand Theft Auto 6 following the release on Red Dead Redemption 2 on consoles and PC. A report shared last week suggested that the game will be smaller than the previous entry at launch, but it seems like this may not be the case, according to a new report that has surfaced online recently.
Chris Liberty shared in a fresh livestream, as reported on Reddit, that it is not true that Grand Theft Auto 6 is still early in development, as the game has been in pre-production since 2014. The fact that the game is actually past the early-development phase was also suggested last week by another well-known insider. Additionally, Chris Liberty confirmed that Grand Theft Auto 6 is going to feature a huge map and not a moderately-sized one as suggested in last week's report.
The livestream is sadly only available in French as of now, but more information is going to be made available in English in the near future. You can find a full recording below.
While Chris Liberty doesn't provide any information on his sources, he has proven in the past to be extremely reliable, as he revealed that Dan Houser was leaving Rockstar games before an official announcement was made, so there's a very high chance that the information he has provided regarding GTA 6 is legit.
Grand Theft Auto 6 has yet to be officially announced, but if the game entered pre-production in 2014, there's a good chance that it may release within the next couple of years, given the usual development cycle for Rockstar Games open-world titles. We will keep you updated on the game as soon as more come in on it, so stay tuned for all the latest news.


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Traffic Backed Up Due To Discount-Seeking Shoppers
Significant traffic has backed up portions of Fairmount Avenue on Friday morning as discount-seeking shoppers have flooded to Sam’s Club.
The Ellicott Police Department said it has brought in an additional officer to assist with traffic near the wholesale store at 720 Fairmount Ave. The location reopened today after it was announced Thursday it would close Jan. 26.
More than 60 Sam’s Club across the country will be shuttered, the Arkansas-based company said.
“I would say motorists should avoid Fairmount Avenue if they don’t plan on shopping at Sam’s Club,” said Det. Kevin Pierce of the Ellicott Police Department.


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New Delhi: Around 3,500 exporters are under government's lens whose customs records are not matching with their income tax returns. While another three per cent traders are under the radar due to a discrepancy in goods and services tax (GST) filings. The Central Board of Indirect Tax and Customs (CBIC) on Monday, had issued instructions seeking checks on refund of integrated GST paid to the exporters. This step is aimed at curbing the misuse by exporters and unlikely to impact genuine players, cited ToI.
The national publication quoted a tax official as saying, "We are not opening every consignment or stopping refunds, but there has to be some check on those who are misusing the trust reposed in them. Traders who have clean transactions have nothing to fear and will not face any hardship."
An officer explained that there are around 12 lakh registered exporters and importers with nearly 1.5 lakh being active. Of that, 3,500 are under scrutiny for possible wrongdoing.
A financial triangulation has helped the tax authorities to identify those evading taxes by matching their GST database with information available with the income tax and customs departments. But now, the revenue department has decided to focus on data-mapping to identify the wrong-doers without resorting to search and seizure operations kind of intrusive methods.
The analysis of CBIC shows that this problem may be concentrated with small exporters, specifically individuals or partnership firms, especially those with few consignments going out. During the last fiscal, for instance, 85 per cent of the entities who imported goods into the country had less than 24 bills of entry with nearly 60 per cent importing less than five consignments annually. The tax authorities' data revealed that around 60 per cent of the active players were individuals and firms.


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NATDA Sees Uptick in Trailer Show Interest After Nashville Announces Lift of COVID Restrictions
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – After reports began to circulate that Nashville would be lifting its COVID restrictions as of May 14, the North American Trailer Dealers Association (NATDA) witnessed a considerable increase in NATDA Trailer Show interest.
On April 27, reports began to surface from news sources such as The Tennessean that "Nashville Health Officials intend to lift all coronavirus restrictions on businesses and gatherings on May 14" (Kelman, 2021). In the day after the announcement, NATDA’s website, natda.org, saw a 48% increase in Users and a 64% increase in pageviews. Additionally, hotel reservations at NATDA’s official hotel partners for the show also increased, indicating a strong willingness to travel for NATDA members.
"It’s clear that trailer dealers are excited about the possibility of traveling to Nashville for the 2021 NATDA Trailer Show," said NATDA Vice President Amy Ackerman. "We’re pleased to see that the city’s hard work at curbing the effects of COVID-19 have paid off and we’re looking forward to having a show in its entirety this year."
The 2021 NATDA Trailer Show will take place at Nashville’s Music City Center from September 1-3, 2021. Trailer and truck dealers interested in attending the 2021 NATDA Trailer Show are encouraged to visit natda.org/tradeshow to register today.
To learn more about the NATDA or the NATDA Trailer Show, please visit natda.org.
NATDA (North American Trailer Dealers Association) serves the light and medium-duty trailer industry by connecting dealers, manufacturers and suppliers together through a host of beneficial and educational platforms. From printed publications like its bi-monthly magazine and annual buyer’s guide to the annual NATDA Trailer Show, NATDA’s promotional outlets result in abundant networking opportunities with high-quality, industry-specific contacts.
About the NATDA Trailer Show
One of the most-sought-after shows in the trailer industry, the NATDA Trailer Show, formerly the NATDA Trade Show & Convention, has become the one-stop-shop for light and medium-duty trailer industry professionals for over a decade. Trailer categories including ATV, boat, car hauler, cargo, concession, dump, enclosed, fifth wheel, flat bed, gooseneck, heavy equipment, heavy utility, horse, livestock, living quarter, motorsports, overland, race, RV/toy hauler, snowmobile, tilt, towable RV, truck bed and utility are all represented.