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In the American economy, the success of a variety of sectors depends on the health of manufacturing industry. While this field took major hits during the recession, it has been making strides toward improvement that promise to have far-reaching effects on the entire business environment. In order for manufacturing leaders to ensure growth, they will need to adjust to the uptick in demands. As conditions get better, companies are likely to discover needs to hire more workers, schedule projects effectively and fulfill work orders in a timely manner. Manufacturing management software can play a key role in streamlining operations and making sure no unnecessary errors occur along the way. With traditional methods, it is possible for certain problems, such as accidental violations of manufacturing compliance standards, to slip by, resulting in costly litigation. Manufacturing software automates many operations so as to avoid these issues without draining workers' time.
Industry workers, analysts optimistic
One good sign for the economy is that manufacturing industry leaders are feeling confident about the coming year. According to PricewaterhouseCoopers' (PwC) Q1 2013 Manufacturing Barometer, in a poll of 58 senior executives at multinational industrial manufacturing firms, 55 percent of respondents feel optimistic about the outlook for the U.S. economy over the next 12 months. Additionally, 78 percent expect increases in revenue at their own companies, while only 5 percent predict declines.
Bobby Bono, U.S. industrial manufacturing leader for PwC?, noted that one of the emerging trends is that many manufacturing businesses are temporarily pulling back on growing their operations overseas.
"Instead, management teams are planning to spend more on research and development, new product launches and information technology as they focus on building market share and boosting revenues in a competitive domestic market," Bono stated.
Industry analysts are also predicting that 2013 will be a strong year for job creation. The Dalton Daily Citizen reported that at the Manufacturing Trends Luncheon, Gardner Carrick, vice president of strategic initiatives at the Manufacturing Institute, noted that about 50 percent of American companies are considering bringing some of their work back from foreign locations. He explained that this could create as many as 600,000 positions.
In order to realize potential gains, leaders in the manufacturing industry need to strive toward improving their processes. Through manufacturing software, they may be able to better their bottom lines while maximizing efficiency and accuracy.


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Sony is apparently looking to release more than 25 PlayStation 5 games under its PlayStation Studios brand. And “nearly half” of them will not be sequels or spinoffs, according to Wired’s interview with PlayStation Studio lead (and former Guerrilla Games managing director) Hermen Hulst.
That could theoretically be a lot more games than the four first-party Sony titles we already know about:
- Horizon Forbidden West (2021)
- Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart (June 2021)
- God of War: Ragnarok (2021)
- Gran Turismo 7 (2022)
Twenty-one additional games could be a huge shot in the arm for the PS5, especially considering how slowly exclusives are trickling out; Gran Turismo has already slipped to next year.
Sony also may not be completely on the…

domain: news


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Irked by the huge volume of overtime cargoes occupying valuable spaces in the port’s environs, the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has called for the immediate action of the cargoes.
The Managing Director of NPA, Hadiza Bala Usman, who made the call during the stakeholders’ interactive forum in Lagos, said all efforts to make the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) auction the cargoes have yielded no results and therefore, called for the swift intervention of the Ministry of Transportation.
Usman said the port terminals are filled to the brim with overtime cargoes, thereby constituting a huge challenge to ports operations.
“We currently have huge volumes of overtime cargoes in our ports terminals. The last time an auction was done was in early 2015. We have written severally to the NCS over these overtime cargoes.
“The Customs mentioned that they will need to pull the overtime cargoes from the port terminals to Ikorodu for auction, but we have told them that there is what is called ‘on-the-spot auction’.
“It is important for the Customs to go and auction them ‘on-the-spot’ because the port terminals are filled to the brim with overtime cargoes, and there are no more spaces for business. This constitutes a very huge challenge to our ports system and I will appeal to the Minister of Transportation to help prevail on the NCS over this,” she said.
Meanwhile, the NPA boss said it is very important for Nigeria to have a deep seaport, noting that the existing ports are river ports, with draft limitations.
She said with the absence of deep seaports, large vessels cannot berth at the nation’s ports because the depth of draft of about 17metres does not exist in Nigerian waterways.
“What we have in Nigeria is a maximum of 13metres, so very large vessels cannot come into our ports. Due to this, these very large vessels go to our neighbouring countries to berth, and then smaller vessels are brought in to offload them.
“I heard someone asking questions as to why we cannot dredge our ports further to accommodate these very large vessels. As we all know, our ports are river ports and their channels cannot be dredged further from 13 metres to 17 metres. The design and depths of our quays are within those limits of the 13 metres draft. What we need to do is to facilitate and conclude the deep seaports being proposed within a timely manner.
“That is what will bring our ports into a competitive state within the sub-region. Our ports are currently not competitive because the trend now is to bring in very large vessels in-view of the economy of scale. So, it’s not an issue of further dredging, it’s an issue of having deep seaports.”
Usman, however, noted that many of the cargoes diverted to neighbouring ports are those items that are banned or have high tariff in Nigeria.
“Items that are banned are typically diverted to our neighbouring countries and then, smuggled into Nigeria because it is difficult for anybody to bring in banned items through Nigeria’s ports,” she stated.


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Skoda Auto India News
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Skoda Auto forays into used car biz under 'Certified Pre-Owned' programme
Thu, Oct 08, 2020
Skoda Auto India on Wednesday announced its foray into the used car market with the launch of its 'Certified Pre-Owned' programme
#ShiftingGearsWithSwatiK: Škoda India has the target to sell 10,000 cars this year, says Zac Hollis, Director Sales & Marketing
Thu, Jul 16, 2020
We have a target to sell over 10,000 cars this year despite the lockdown, says Zac Hollis, Director Sales & Marketing, Škoda Auto India. During an exclusive interview with Swati Khandelwal, Zee Business, Zac Hollis said, we are preparing our business ready for India 2.0 project. The interview was live on Zee Business Facebook page yesterday
New Skoda Octavia Onyx LAUNCHED! What makes this car so different? Check prices, features, more
Thu, Oct 10, 2019
Czech automobile manufacturer Skoda has launched the Octavia Onyx at an introductory ex-showroom price of Rs 19.99 lakh, across all authorized Skoda Auto dealerships in the country, in three elegant paint schemes: the popular Candy White as well as the all-new Race Blue and Corrida Red.
Skoda RAPID Rider Limited Edition launched - Price, mileage, engine, features | All details here
Tue, Jul 16, 2019
Unveiling its new car, Skoda Auto India has introduced Rapid Rider. This car is Skoda Rapir Limited Edition. The car is available for purchase at ex-showroom price of Rs 6.99 lakhs nationwide.
Skoda to hike prices by up to Rs 35,000 from March
Wed, Feb 21, 2018
Skoda Auto sells a range of vehicles starting from mid-sized sedan Rapid priced with a starting price of Rs 8.32 lakh to SUV Kodiaq tagged at Rs 34.5 lakh.
Skoda to hike vehicle prices in India from January
Sat, Nov 25, 2017
The changing market conditions and various external economic factors are driving this price impact, Skoda Auto India said in a statement.
Skoda targets 25% sales growth in 2017 in India
Sun, Apr 30, 2017
When asked about the company's product launch plans, he said there would be two new models -- SUV Kodiaq and premium sedan Octavia RS


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NFL plans Play 60 spots for Thanksgiving Van Wagner hires Nelligan Sports trio The Lefton Report: Red Sox head start R&A refreshes British Open identity Guinness renews soccer tourney deal NHL teams go solar Omaha Steaks sees sizzle in reality show The Lefton Report: Data on tap IMG restyles European operations Daily fantasy goes big
SBJ/Aug. 19-25, 2013/Marketing and Sponsorship
Barbasol signs to sponsor PBA
Published August 19, 2013, Page 4
The sponsorship agreements arrive on the heels of television deals the PBA signed earlier this year with ESPN and CBS Sports Network, as well as an effort to have celebrity owners be part of each team in the eight-franchise PBA League. The PBA created the league last fall.
Geico sponsors the PBA’s New York franchise, the KingPins. The property expects to have presenting sponsors for the other franchises by Thanksgiving.
“What we’ve done is significantly reorient our value proposition and allow brands to participate directly in the narrative of our story instead of it just being around media units,” said Geoff Reiss, PBA chief executive.
Specific financial terms for the new deals were not disclosed, but they were generally pegged as “significant” six-figure deals.
The PBA has been represented in the market for the past year by Maine-based Shamrock Sports & Entertainment. Shamrock also worked with marketing research group Repucom to determine the value of Geico’s team deal this past season. Repucom determined the insurance carrier’s $200,000 buy for this past season conservatively delivered nearly twice that in marketing value.
“The product is much more aligned with pop culture and personalities now, and we’re now seeing the benefits,” said Brian Corcoran, Shamrock president and owner.


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While the merger of Disney and Fox might bring the X-Men and the Avengers together, it could also costs thousands of people their jobs, according to business analysts.
Even Donald Trump said that the historic deal, which saw Fox’s entertainment assets bought up for $52.4 billion by Disney, could be ‘great for jobs’.
On the announcement of the deal yesterday by Fox mogul Rupert Murdoch and Disney’s Bob Iger, Disney said that it expects ‘$2 billion in cost savings’ from ‘efficiencies realized through the combination of businesses’.
Experts believe such savings will likely come at the cost of jobs.
“There will be thousands of jobs lost,” BTIG analyst Rich Greenfield told CNN.
“It is hard to see how any meaningful job creation will come out of this.”
Professor Gene Del Vecchio, from USC’s Marshall School of Business, added to the Los Angeles Times: “Layoffs will happen, in all likelihood. They’re apt to be large. When you combine Disney with Fox, you get tremendous synergy.”
“There are a lot of people who don’t know anything, and that is creating great anxiety,” said one Fox employee to the newspaper.
Laura Martin, analyst at Needham & Co, added to CNN that Disney ‘will not need a lot of the corporate overhead, or two distribution arms in Italy’.
Bob Iger said on announcing the deal: “The acquisition of this stellar collection of businesses from 21st Century Fox reflects the increasing consumer demand for a rich diversity of entertainment experiences that are more compelling, accessible and convenient than ever before.
“We’re honoured and grateful that Rupert Murdoch has entrusted us with the future of businesses he spent a lifetime building, and we’re excited about this extraordinary opportunity to significantly increase our portfolio of well-loved franchises and branded content to greatly enhance our growing direct-to-consumer offerings.”
It’s thought that the merger will mean that Disney will control almost 40% of the $11 billion US annual box office takings.


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Industry researchers say the sales of PCs this year will decline for the first time ever. According to IHS and other industry forecasting companies, sales will decline by 1.2 percent. Not much you say, but that translates to millions of dollars.
According to researchers, the sperm counts of European and American men have been steadily falling over the last 50 years.
Scientists believe environmental factors are contributing this decline. Warm baths, nicotine and alcohol have always been sperm killers, but new threats such as the heat generated by a cell phone placed in a pocket or a notebook computer placed in the lap are also impacting s


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Sustainability is one of them
Booking.com shares seven travel trends for 2024
OTA Booking.com has shared its top seven trends for 2024, ahead of the end of year.
Booking.com has released research that indicates travel is a necessity for most in 2024, with almost three quarters (71%) of travellers feeling more alive than ever when they are on holiday, and 65% wanting to be more like their holiday self in their day-to-day life back home.
That’s because 66% also think they are the best version of themselves while on holiday.
The research commissioned by Booking.com looked at more than 27,000 travellers across 33 countries and territories, combining it with its insights to reveal seven predictions for travel in 2024.
It found that in 2024, travellers will feel more alive by creating their very own epic alter egos on holiday, with more than a third of UK tourists (32%) making up stories about their real life to people they meet on their travels.
These so called alter egos love the thrill of embodying a 2.0 version of themselves with over a half of UK travellers (56%) enjoying the anonymity of travel and the chance to recreate themselves.
32% said they would even pay to rent a nicer car than they drive at home and 51% of UK travellers stated they feel ‘main character energy’ on their travels.
The second trend that emerged from the research found that sweltering conditions are accelerating a rise in travellers chasing cooler climes to travel to.
42% reported that climate change will impact the way they plan their holiday in 2024, while more than two out of five UK travellers (43%) say that as temperatures soar close to home, they will use their holiday to cool down elsewhere.
The results also indicated that half of UK tourists are keen to book a surprise trip where everything down to the destination is unknown until arrival.
52% said they prefer to venture off the beaten path and a third seek to travel with strangers.
This shift in pattern is backed up by over half of UK travellers (56%) would like to have no plans set in stone prior to travelling in 2024 so they can go where the wind takes them, while two thirds of UK tourists (60%) prefer to travel with loose plans so they can change direction based on what feels good in the moment.
The travel industry is already responding fast with tech-enabled flexible services, giving travellers the option to cancel, change plans, and buy now, pay later at the press of a button. The explosion of AI, which has already seen the launch of Booking.com’s AI Trip planner, is going mainstream in 2024: 36% would trust AI to plan a trip for them, with a third of baby boomers (30%) and one in five (20%) of the silent generation finally surrendering to AI in order to assist their travels plans in the year ahead.
Food is said to play a huge part of travel in 2024 as well, with over a half of UK travellers (52%) more interested in learning about the origins of a destination’s ‘must-eat’ delicacies than they were in the past.
Almost four in five of UK tourists (78%) want to try indigenous cuisines in 2024, and heritage flavours are in the spotlight with travellers putting power in the hands of the under-represented.
It is said we can expect an increase in indigenous experiences that take travellers on trails that tell the story behind the food they serve.
Two in five of UK tourists (40%) wanting an immersive ‘phygital’ food experience enhanced by VR or AR, such as mood-altering lighting, paired fragrances and sensual soundscapes that enhance the traces of foodways past.
Plenty will also seek to recharge their batteries and reboot themselves in 2024 with 45% of travellers planning to leave kids at home for their holidays next year.
However, fuelled by the financial difficulties experienced by many at the moment, travellers in 2024 will employ money saving hacks to cut costs, yet level up holidays with ‘à la carte’ luxuries, scoring a rush from travelling like the rich – even if just for a moment in time.
In fact, 48% said they want insights and tips from AI when on holiday to upgrade experiences with suggested ancillaries and deals, all with a flick of their finger.
Additionally, more than a half (53%) of UK travellers plan to pick destinations in 2024 where the cost of living is less expensive than their hometown, while travelling closer to home is also a draw for some who will be searching for luxe-for-less copycat holidays to reduce costs in 2024 (43%).
46% of UK travellers will be willing to pay for day passes to use the amenities in a five-star hotel rather than actually staying there, with a similar number of parents (48%) planning to take their children out of school to travel outside of peak season to make their money stretch further in 2024.
Sustainability came in as one of the top trends with 48% looking for accommodation that has wow-factor sustainability innovation.
Almost a half of UK travellers (49%) want to see sustainability in action, while nearly two thirds (59%) want to see the outside brought indoors with green spaces and plants in accommodations on holiday.
In 2024, in exchange for contributing to conservation efforts, sustainable itineraries will give travellers exclusive access to the places that they are helping preserve, in the most mindful and responsible way.
A large number are interested in sustainable travel apps where they can unlock rewards (46%), such as experiences with locals in off-the-beaten-path areas (50%) or visiting remote locations that tourists otherwise have limited access to (44%).
Arjan Dijk, senior vice president and chief marketing officer of Booking.com, said: "Our 2024 travel predictions reflect the idea that travel is not a means to escape life, but instead a catalyst to live our best lives.
“From thrilling adventures in a new destination to feeling the pulse of a new culture and every experience in between, travel allows us to become the best version of ourselves.
“At Booking.com, it's our mission to make it easier for everyone to experience the world and we believe in the power of travel to inspire, transform, and enrich lives and we are committed to empowering extraordinary experiences that resonate with the heartbeat of each and every traveller in 2024 and beyond.”


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Blog: H&M posts weaker results on poor weather
Petah Marian | 24 June 2013
H&M Hennes & Mauritz has signalled its intention to continue sourcing in Bangladesh despite the recent apparel factory disasters. Investor relations manager Nils Vinge said that while China remains the most important sourcing country for the retailer, and that it does look at new markets, it is not jumping from one country to another.
The comments came as the company recorded an 11% drop in second quarter profit, which fell to SEK4.66bn (US$727.2m). Sales edged down 0.1% over the period to SEK31.64bn. The company blamed poor weather and negative currency exchange for the results.
Meanwhile, Tesco revealed that it has stopped taking clothing from one of its supplier factories in Bangladesh after a structural survey of the site revealed serious safety issues. The move comes after the retailer embarked upon structural surveys of all factories it sources from in the country following the collapse of the Rana Plaza building in Dhaka in April.
The supermarket operator said it has stopped using 15 factories in the past 12 months after they failed to take "sufficient action" in response to its concerns.
In more positive Bangladesh news, Fast Retailing revealed it would open its first stores in the country, in partnership with Grameen Group's Grameen Healthcare Trust, a social enterprise that helps to address issues related to poverty, public sanitation, education, gender issues and the environment.
Products will be produced in Bangladesh using locally sourced materials, providing practical items in a range of colours made from soft and synthetic fibres - made by locals, for locals.
The two stores will tailor their offer to the specific needs of Bangladeshi consumers, offering a range of 32 items for men, and ten for women, for between US$2.50-15.50.
In a move welcomed by NGOs, the US government has downgraded Uzbekistan in its Global Trafficking in Persons (GITP) report to tier III, the worst ranking available, for its use of forced and child labour to pick the country's cotton crop.
Human Rights Watch said that under the US Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act (TVPA), President Barack Obama must decide within 90 days whether to apply or waive the sanctions mandated for Tier III countries. The NGO called for the US government to impose sanctions on the country if it fails to invite the International Labour Organization (ILO) to monitor the situation ahead of this year's harvest.
US apparel group PVH expects growth to accelerate once teething problems with the integration of the Warnaco business are addressed.
Speaking at the company's annual shareholders meeting last week, chairman and CEO Emanuel Chirico said the recently enlarged group has faced challenges clearing excess inventory, and upgrading Warnaco's operating systems the same level as PVH, requiring investment in IT and design.
Finally, sportswear giant Nike has announced a significant restructuring of its leadership team following brand president Charlie Denson's decision to retire in January 2014. Denson will be replaced by Trevor Edwards, who is currently EVP of brand and category management.
The move triggered at least 12 new appointments across the leadership team.
Congratulations to Textured Jersey Lanka Plc, which has won top prize in the inaugural World Textile Awards sponsored by The Textile Institute. ...
Ongoing efforts to reverse a slump in sales at its namesake brand are to see US clothing retailer Gap Inc shutter 175 of its namesake stores in the US and axe 250 head office jobs....
Efforts to move forward on key pieces of US trade legislation intensified last week. A package of measures to renew the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) and extend the Haiti HELP/HOPE program...
The apparel sourcing landscape, with its increasingly complex supply chains and added pressure for faster speed and careful control of costs, continues to shift. But is garment production really movin...
- Gap and H&M back Myanmar path to labour reform
- Levi Strauss raises the bar on sustainability
- Nike reaffirms US production commitment
- H&M faces margin pressure on dollar impact
- Can technology shape a sustainable fashion future?
- Myanmar minimum wage set at US$3.2 per day
- Talks progressing on Myanmar minimum wage
- Fast Retailing supplier continues strike talks
- Far Eastern to invest $323m in Vietnam textile hub
- Hugo Boss in talks over supplier labour claims
- Global market review of lingerie - forecasts to 2020
- World Textile and Apparel Trade and Production Trends: The EU - May 2015
- Wool in the 21st Century: new prospects for a familiar fibre
- Apparel Retail: Top 5 Emerging Markets Industry Guide
- Myanmar's Garment Sector - Opportunities & Challenges in 2015


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February 18, 2014
PE Hub has featured partner Michael Akkawi’s brief of our report “Private Equity Markets in Canada: 2013 Breakdown, 2014 Outlook”, which provides a retrospective of the 2013 private equity environment as well as what may be in store for 2014. Below is an excerpt of the PE Hub article.
Torys LLP has released a new report that takes an in-depth look at current Canadian private equity deal-making trends.
In Private Equity Markets in Canada: 2013 Breakdown, 2014 Outlook, my Torys’ colleagues Guy Berman, Sophia Tolias and I found last year’s trends provided some key stage-setting dynamics for stronger market activity in 2014.
The data indicate that PE deal-making in Canada grew moderately last year, with volume now practically at the same level as seen in the pre-crisis market of 2007. Activity received a boost in the fourth quarter, when announced transactions hit their highest level since 2011.
To read the full article, click here.


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We believe this is a major milestone towards bringing our E-100 truck to market in the state that leads the country in the adoption of zero-emission and low-emission vehicles.
Cincinnati, OH (PRWEB) February 26, 2013
AMP ELECTRIC VEHICLES (OTCBB and OTCQB: AMPD), an electric drive motor vehicle manufacturer, announced today that its all-electric E-100 heavy-duty truck has been approved by the California Air Resources Board (CARB) as a zero-emission vehicle and is eligible for sale in California for the 2014 model year that began this January.
Steve Burns, CEO of AMP Electric Vehicles, Inc. said, “We are extremely pleased that our AMP E-100 truck and its battery-electric power train has been approved by CARB and can be sold in California. We believe this is a major milestone towards bringing our E-100 truck to market in the state that leads the country in the adoption of zero-emission and low-emission vehicles.”
“The AMP E-100 is capable of carrying 19,500 lbs. when fully loaded and attains a range of 100 miles on a full battery charge. Designed especially for the package delivery market, the E-100 sets a new standard in cost efficiency and performance for fleet operators,” added Martin Rucidlo. AMP president.
About AMP Holding Inc.
AMP is a plug-in electric drive motor vehicle manufacturer, founded in 2007 by entrepreneurs who have created several hi-tech companies. The AMP team is comprised of top automotive industry veterans and business executives. AMP is focused on the electrification of fleet vehicles, including medium-duty class 3-6 trucks and vans. Over the past several years, the company’s vehicle electrification technology has provided new solutions to America’s energy demands. For additional information visit http://www.ampelectricvehicles.com
Certain statements contained in this press release may constitute “forward-looking statements”. Forward-looking statements provide current expectations of future events based on certain assumptions and include any statement that does not directly relate to any historical or current fact. Actual results may differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements as a result of various important factors as disclosed in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission located at their website (http://www.sec.gov). In addition to these factors, actual future performance, outcomes, and results may differ materially because of more general factors including (without limitation) general industry and market conditions and growth rates, economic conditions, and governmental and public policy changes. The forward-looking statements included in this press release represent the Company’s views as of the date of this press release and these views could change. However, while the Company may elect to update these forward-looking statements at some point in the future, the Company specifically disclaims any obligation to do so. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing the Company’s views as of any date subsequent to the date of the press release.
SOURCE: AMP Holding Inc.
For Additional Information,
Daniel Zito: 513-300-5910: dan(dot)zito(at)ampelectricvehicles(dot)com


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iPad Grabs 58% of Tablet Shipments in 4Q 2011
Research firm Strategy Analytics today announced the results of its calculations of worldwide tablet shipments during the fourth quarter of 2011, revealing that Apple continues to hold a majority of the market as Android improves its standing on the strength of Amazon's Kindle Fire.
Peter King, Director at Strategy Analytics, said, “Global tablet shipments reached an all-time high of 26.8 million units in Q4 2011, surging 150 percent from 10.7 million in Q4 2010. Demand for tablets among consumer, business and education users remains strong. Apple shipped a robust 15.4 million iPads worldwide and maintained its strong market leadership with 58 percent share during the fourth quarter of 2011. Apple shrugged off the much-hyped threat from entry-level Android models this quarter.”
Despite strong growth in shipment share for Android, Apple's share is down less than four percentage points since the firm's estimates for the second quarter of last year. Android's other gains appear to have come at the expense of Microsoft and Research in Motion, which registered at 4.6% and 3.3% respectively during the second quarter.
The relevance of Strategy Analytics' numbers have been questioned in the past due to its counting of shipments rather than end sales to customers. With many early Android tablets seeing little interest from consumers, the firm's reports were seen as overstating Android's impact by counting Android tablets still sitting on store shelves while Apple was selling nearly every iPad it could make. It is unclear whether that dynamic has changed with the introduction of the Kindle Fire, which has reportedly seen fairly strong adoption and which may have lower channel inventory needs due to Amazon's heavy emphasis on distribution through its own website.


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The King Of Fighters XIII
According to Siliconera, Atlus has confirmed that SNK Playmore is working on a fix for troubled online multiplayer in The King of Fighters XIII. Meanwhile, if you’re an Xbox Live Gold subscriber, you can grab a demo ahead of its general release to Silver subs and the PlayStation Network on December 13.
The King Of Fighters XIII headlines
Loads of interesting shorts are below the break, whether you like RPGs or stabbing Templar’s in Italy.
Atlus has extended a helping hand to the fighter-failures among us, offering short video tutorials for its upcoming The King of Fighters XIII.
Rising Star Games has announced its line-up for Q4 and it includes release dates for King of Fighters XIII, Harvest Moon: Grand Bazaar, Rune Factory 3, and more.
Atlus has announced it has secured North American publishing rights for The King of Fighters XIII, the latest entry in the fighting franchise, for PS3 and Xbox 360.
The King Of Fighters XIII latest


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The Good Oodles of screen real estate make the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 terrific for videos, games, and reading; and its improved stylus aids productivity. A blazing quad-core processor, a great camera, and strong battery life round out the advantages of this Android 4.1 phone.
The Bad The huge display makes the Galaxy Note 2 unwieldy to carry, and hiccups in the S Pen stylus and apps can slow you down. The pricey Note 2 isn't a suitable tablet replacement across all categories.
The Bottom Line Samsung delivers a powerful, boundary-pushing device that gets a lot right. Yet its complicated features and high price raise questions about its purpose.
The ultimate anti-iPhone
You're probably wondering how good the massive, tabletlike Samsung Galaxy Note 2 is, and if the smartphone can fulfill important tablet functions.
You may also wonder if the Note 2's 5.5-inch screen makes it too unwieldy to hold and carry as an everyday device, and if its battery quickly drains in service to the monster screen. Can the quad-core processor keep up, and will it defeat the purpose if you never slide out the Note's digital pen?
My answers are mostly positive. Yes, the second Note is huge in the hand and awkward at times to hold, but I quickly grew used to it. In specs, it's Samsung's highest-end phone, with, a speedy quad-core processor, an extra-large battery, and an 8-megapixel camera.
Sprint says Verizon customers aren't very smart
Commentary: In a new ad, the carrier claims that staying with Verizon shows a lack of intelligence.
Apple puts the pressure on your selfies in new iPhone X ad
Commentary: In a new commercial, Apple suggests you'll create perfect portraits with its new phone. But will you?
All the phone news from CES 2018 in one place
The scandal, the intrigue, the devices and what it all means for the coming year.
LG V30 arrives at CES 2018 in 'Raspberry Rose'
The V30 dons a new vibrant pink shade at the annual tech show.
Tim Cook failed to sell me on iPhone, says Warren Buffett
Commentary: One of Apple's biggest shareholders says he's sticking with his Samsung flip phone.
Huawei CEO: Lack of US carrier support a big loss for you
Huawei addresses the controversy over a failed deal to have AT&T sell its flagship phone at its CES keynote.
Verizon-Huawei pact reportedly hit by political pressure
A possible deal to sell the Chinese phone maker's new Mate 10 Pro in the US isn't sitting well with some in Washington, DC, Android Police says.
Huawei's superhero in big US push: Wonder Woman's Gal Gadot
The Chinese phonemaker hopes star power will help it break into the US.
BlackBerry phones are surprisingly, amazingly, still a thing
Budget phone maker TCL, which licenses the BlackBerry name, says it plans to release at least two new keyboard phones this year.
Nope, AT&T isn't selling a Huawei phone
The Chinese phone maker was widely expected to announce its first big partnership with AT&T. That isn't the case.
Honor View 10, Honor 7X US-bound for under $500 and $200
Huawei's midrange Honor phones are classy and affordable. Time to get in on the action.
Is iPhone X best? Searching for Apple store staff who think so
Commentary: After visiting carrier stores where employees weren't iPhone X fans, it was time to go to Apple stores. It didn't go quite as I'd imagined.


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$2million plan to unlock WA’s wine tourism potential
A $2 million marketing campaign to boost international visits to Western Australia’s wine regions has received funding from the Australian Government and a network of WA Government and sector partners.
Wines of WA (WoWA) has secured $1 million in funding through the International Wine Tourism State Grants program - part of the Australian Government’s $50 million Export and Regional Wine Support Package - and $1 million in matching state funds through a consortium of state government agencies and tourism, agricultural and regional bodies.
WoWA’s collaborative wine tourism strategy aligns with the existing Western Australian Wine Industry Strategic Plan 2014–2024 that aims to double wine exports to $100 million by 2021.
Wine Australia Chief Executive Officer, Andreas Clark, said the WoWA application was approved by the Australian Government following assessment by an independent Expert Assessment Panel.
"The $5 million state grants program aims to maximise the wine sector’s impact on state economies – it’s about driving collaborative, strategic wine tourism initiatives that attract international visitors to our wine regions," he noted.
"WoWA is working with the Western Australian Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, Tourism WA and their counterparts in the wine, trade and agriculture sectors to cross promote WA’s fine wine, food and tourism destinations and experiences."
WoWA Chief Executive Officer, Larry Jorgensen said: "Our investment plan is built around four key areas – in-region and inter-region collaboration with key sector partners, wine tourism product development, a comprehensive suite of digital marketing tools and partnerships with tourism operators and agencies.
"The aim is to build on the strong brand of regional hotspots like Margaret River and create new wine tourism experiences in other regions to extend tourists’ spend and length of stay in WA," he said.


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Red Carpet Manicure launches light-activated nail treatments
HAUPPAUGE, N.Y. — Red Carpet Manicure, which manufactures an at-home LED gel manicure system, has officially unveiled its new nail, cuticle and hand treatments.
At a press event in New York City on Wednesday, the company highlighted the five-item collection, which is the first of its kind, DIY light-activated gel nail treatment to help nails become stronger and longer. The treatments are priced at $14.99 each.
“After spending the past year introducing consumers to our at-home LED gel polish system, we were asked by consumers to expand our technologies to address nail care,” stated Barry Shields, managing partner of Red Carpet Manicure. “As a brand, we truly listen to our consumers and constantly work to formulate the best nail science to care for our customers’ most valued accessories, their nails and hands.”
The new Nail Remedy, which is infused with botanicals and vitamins, applies like a base coat, and nails are stronger within seconds of curing in the Red Carpet Manicure LED light. There’s also the new Nail Recovery treatment, which is formulated to rejuvenate brittle, peeling nails. Also light activated, the treatment is infused with a concentration of berries and vitamins to encourage healthier natural nail growth. Both treatments can be used alone or as a base coat prior to applying standard nail color or LED gel nail polish.
To care for cuticles, there’s the new Cuticle Balm and Cuticle Elixir. The Cuticle Balm rehydrates dry and cracked nail beds, while the Cuticle Elixir is a serum designed to soothe tender, damaged cuticles.
Also new is the Youth Crème for hands, cuticles and nails. The Youth Crème is ideal for use after each manicure and pedicure.
In addition to developing the new treatments, Red Carpet Manicure has also launched an LED light with a USB port for the ultimate convenience. And as part of its growing line of LED gel polishes, the European and Designer collections became available as of March. Crystal Gems, Nail Glitz Designer Nail Glitters and Professional Nail Appliqués round out the brand’s array of 2013 new products.
Target profits decline in first quarter, but company sees strong omnichannel sales growth
MINNEAPOLIS — Colder weather and more conservative shoppers contributed to a drop in Target Corp.’s first-quarter 2013 profits, but the company’s underlying business remains healthy, executives said Wednesday morning in a conference call with investors.
"While we are not satisfied with this quarter’s performance, we remain highly confident in our strategy," president, chairman and CEO Gregg Steinhafel said during the call.
Despite lower sales in seasonal and weather-sensitive categories, comps in such categories as health, personal care and consumables were strongest, experiencing single-digit growth.
The company’s has made significant investments in its mobile and online business, which Steinhafel said is "rapidly becoming the key platform for digital commerce across all retail." For target, digital sales have been growing in the "high teens," while the company has seen triple-digit mobile-channel sales.
That includes Cartwheel, an app launched under partnership with Facebook that Target is beta testing. The app allows users to find offers on products by browsing the system or looking at friends’ activities and add up to 10 to a favorites list, being able to purchase the item once a red check appears in the corner of the offer card and print a special barcode from their desktop computers or use their mobile devices in-store to access it. During the call, EVP merchandising and supply chain Kathryn Tesija said thousands of users had signed up for Cartwheel in the first week.
The company has also continued testing its same-day delivery services with Google and eBay, which started in the San Francisco area earlier this year.
Most recently, Target has been testing an online movie- and TV-streaming service called Target Ticket, and the company announced the opening of a San Francisco Office that will allow it to tap Silicon Valley talent to develop new omnichannel products.
In terms of new stores, Target plans to open 20 more in Canada later in the quarter, for a total of 124 stores by the end of the year. It also opened six new U.S. stores in the first quarter, including its sixth small-format City Target location, in Los Angeles. Tiseja said that while it was too early to draw any lessons from the Canadian stores, it had applied some ideas from the City Target stores in Canada, as both tend to be located in relatively dense urban areas.
The mass-merchandise retailer reported U.S. sales of $16.6 billion, a 0.5% increase over last year’s $16.5 billion, while comps declined by 0.6%. The chain’s new Canadian segment’s first 24 stores registered sales of $86 million. Profit for the quarter was $498 million, down from $697 million last year.
Safeway Foundation partners with actress Marcia Cross in prostate cancer PSA
LOS ANGELES and NEW YORK — The Safeway Foundation and Stand Up To Cancer, a program of the Entertainment Industry Foundation, have teamed up to develop a print, radio and digital public service announcement featuring actress and SU2C Ambassador Marcia Cross. The PSA is designed to increase awareness for the fight against prostate cancer.
Prostate cancer is the second-leading cause of cancer death for men in the United States, and currently affects more than two million American men. One-in-six men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime.
Debuting this June, the public service campaign coincides with Safeway’s annual in-store Prostate Cancer Awareness fundraiser, providing customers with multiple opportunities to give at more than 1,400 Safeway stores across the United States. The public service campaign will continue through the month, which includes the national observance of Father’s Day on Sunday, June 16.
At the center of the public service campaign is a limited edition, reusable shopping bag, embossed with the words, "It starts with a wish; it can end with a cure." The bag will be available for purchase at all Safeway banner stores, including Vons, Pavilions, Tom Thumb, Randalls, Dominick’s and Carrs stores, as well as online at safewayfoundation.org. Proceeds will support accelerated prostate cancer research. Additionally, Safeway shoppers will have a chance to make a separate donation at check-out.
Emmy Award and Golden Globe nominee Marcia Cross is best known for her roles on the award-winning series "Desperate Housewives" and the original "Melrose Place."
"I’ve seen too many men in my life affected by cancer," Cross said. "I am proud to be a part of the effort to support important cancer research that can save lives. My hope is that we can help increase survivorship among men affected by prostate cancer."
"We are thrilled to collaborate with our friends at Stand Up To Cancer and Marcia Cross to further increase awareness of prostate cancer," said Larree Renda, chair of The Safeway Foundation. "Stand Up To Cancer’s scientists are taking cancer research to the next level, and we are committed to helping them in their effort to make meaningful advances in patient care."
The collaborative campaign represents a continued dedication to prostate cancer research and awareness for both The Safeway Foundation and SU2C.
The Safeway Foundation’s donation to SU2C helps fund two Dream Teams focused on prostate cancer. The first team’s project, titled "Precision Therapy for Advanced Prostate Cancer," is led by Arul M. Chinnaiyan, M.D., Ph.D., S.P., Hicks endowed professor of pathology and professor of urology at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, and Charles L. Sawyers, M.D., chairman of the Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. The second Dream Team project, titled "Targeting Adaptive Pathways in Metastatic Treatment-Resistant Prostate Cancer," is led by Eric J. Small, M.D., professor of medicine and urology and chief of the division of hematology and oncology at the University of California, San Francisco, and Owen N. Witte, M.D., distinguished professor of microbiology, immunology and molecular genetics at the University of California, Los Angeles, and distinguished professor of molecular and medical pharmacology at UCLA’s David Geffen School of Medicine. In total, these two teams have 109 scientists at 22 institutions.
To date, Safeway and The Safeway Foundation have raised $84.5 million for the Prostate Cancer Foundation, the world’s largest philanthropic source of support for prostate cancer research. Those donations, provided by Safeway’s generous customers, have helped fund 1,600 prostate cancer research projects, providing hope for treatment and cures.
Since 2008, the Prostate Cancer Foundation has funded nearly 100 cancer investigators (in 7 countries and 44 cancer centers) whose innovative research ideas are accelerating discovery and progress.
New advances in early detection funded by The Safeway Foundation include a urine test to detect a unique piece of DNA found only in prostate cancer cells that can now be detected. This test has the potential to catch prostate cancer many years earlier than it has typically been detected in the past. Together with a PSA test and a checkup, it will help doctors determine who has prostate cancer and thus prevent patients from undergoing unnecessary biopsies.
"We’re profoundly grateful to Marcia Cross and The Safeway Foundation for helping us spur more important conversations about prostate cancer, and for making it so easy for the public to support research that will lead to newer, more effective therapies," said Lisa Paulsen, co-founder of Stand Up To Cancer and CEO of the Entertainment Industry Foundation.
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COLONIE, N.Y. (NEWS10) — Stewart’s Shops is opening a new location at 2005 Central Avenue in Colonie. The store officially opens on December 7 and a grand opening ribbon cutting will be held on December 16 at 10 a.m.
On the day of the ribbon cutting, there will be all-day specials including 99-cent single scoop ice cream cones, 99-cent hot coffee and tea, 99-cent Stewart’s sodas and refreshers, 99-cent hot dogs, two for $3 pizza slices, $2 off whole pizzas, $7 whole subs, and 10 cents off all gas.
You can also enter to win a $100 Stewart’s Money Card. This will be Stewart’s sixth shop in the Colonie area and the 40th shop in Albany County.
Customers are encouraged to donate to Stewart’s Holiday Match. From now to Christmas, Stewart’s is matching customers’ donations to help benefit children’s organizations.


text: The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is considering investing in halal food production and rice milling in Cambodia, visiting UAE Minister of Foreign Trade Sheikha Lubna Bint Khalid Al Qasimi said here on Tuesday. Speaking in a meeting with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen at the Peace Palace, Sheikha Lubna said her visit was to seek Cambodia's potential for investment. The UAE minister, who also held a talk with her Cambodian counterpart Cham Prasidh on Monday, said Dubai will prepare specific plans to investment in Cambodia in halal food production and rice milling, and the products will be exported to her country. Sheikha Lubna said her delegation will come back to Cambodia again in May next year with the specific investment plans. Trade volume between the UAE and Cambodia stood at 89 million U. S. dollars last year, up 121 percent year-on-year. While giving his full support for Dubai's investment plans, Hun Sen expressed the belief that the trade volume would be growing fast in the future with continuous improvements in bilateral relations. The premier said Cambodia is rich in raw materials for halal food production, adding that the project will create jobs for the Muslim community in the country. On the rice side, he said the country produced some 8.25 million tons of paddy rice last year, but it is short of sophisticated post-harvesting technologies to process rice for exports.


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Angry social media users are calling for customers to boycott Hobby Lobby after photos surfaced online showing a pro-Trump display at one of the chain’s locations. The hashtag #BoycottHobbyLobby started trending on Twitter with many voicing their displeasure with the crafts store.
The boycott efforts began picking up steam on Twitter on Sunday. A now-viral photo shared by user Kari Brekke shows a display of decorative letters rearranged to read “USA Vote Trump.” Brekke posted the photo earlier this week with the caption, “In a Hobby Lobby.”
While Brekke’s image went viral, she explains that she did not take the photo. She pulled the snap from a public post shared in a national Facebook group for the Lincoln Project then posted it on her own channels. The Lincoln Project is dedicated to preventing Donald Trump’s reelection, Business Insider reports.
Brekke later explained why she shared the post. “I’m not a fan of Hobby Lobby. I would never shop there,” Brekke said. “I’m a Democrat. I hate the company.”
Twitter Calls for Hobby Lobby Boycott
Shortly after the photo began circulating on Twitter, many called for a boycott of the retail store.
Hobby Lobby is no stranger to conflict. In 2014, the crafts company won a case in the Supreme Court allowing them to deny access to their employees to birth control, USA Today reports. The company argued that birth control conflicts with religious beliefs.
More recently, the chain reportedly went against health guidelines in keeping some of its stores open despite shelter-in-place orders. At the time, David Green, the CEO and founder of Hobby Lobby, sent a letter to all employees. The letter was dated March 19.
“While we do not know for certain what the future holds, or how long this disruption will last, we can all rest in knowing that God is in control,” Green wrote, according to the Christian Post. “To help ensure our company remains strong and prepared to prosper once again when this passes, we may all have to ‘tighten our belts’ over the near future.”
[H/T USA Today]


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President Barack Obama dropped by the Washington Auto Show on Tuesday afternoon, sitting in a handful of cars, reminiscing about his rides from before his days as president and – once again – beaming about the product coming out of Detroit and the turnaround in the American auto industry.
Eighteen Fords, Chevys and Chryslers were lined up for the chief executive to take in during a quick, 20-minue run through the annual auto show. Auto executives showed him around, vehicle by vehicle, explaining each.
He popped into a Ford Fusion plug-in, saying, “If you live in the city, you never have to fill up with this.” He got into a blue Ford Shelby GT 500 with a black racing stripe after being told it goes up to 200 miles per hour, saying, “this is what I needed in high school.”
“Not that anybody ever has to drive that fast”, the president noted.
Obama checked out a red Jeep Grand Cherokee with Dodge president andCEO Reid Bigland and recalled that the first new vehicle he ever bought was a Jeep. He looked at a Chevy Volt, lauded some high-mileage Ford vehicles and stepped up into red Chevy Silverado, declaring it “a classic.”
Also showing him cars were Sharif Marakby, director of electrification programs and engineering for Ford Motor Co, and Ed Welburn, vice president of global design for General Motors.
Obama stopped after to tout the industry, which his administration helped save by pumping taxpayers’ dollars into General Motors and Chrysler in 2009. Both have seen an upswing in sales and profits, and GM is back on top in worldwide sales.
“It is testimony to the outstanding work that’s being done by workers, by American workers,” Obama said after looking at the cars and trucks. He added, “The American auto industry is back.”
Expect to hear a lot of that going forward. The rescue of GM and Chrysler was unpopular in a lot of places but, unlike some parts of the president’s plans to stimulate the economy, it is one where he can point to sales, job hires and profits as suggestive of a measure of success.
The highlight from the quick tour, though, may have been when Obama got into a black Corvette.
“I had a friend,” he said, remembering a buddy who had driven one. “He let me drive it one time. One time.”


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The U.S. House of Representatives may soon vote on a historic measure to end federal prohibition on cannabis. Ironically, just as the public and political leaders realize the folly of prohibiting cannabis, we are rushing toward a new prohibition with many of the same pitfalls.
Prohibiting nicotine vapor is unjustified by all the science so far, which shows health risks are low. Worse, prohibition would prove tragic for smokers, who will be deterred from quitting their deadly habit, Michelle Minton wrote for insidesources.com.
When e-cigarettes entered the U.S. market in 2007, opponents argued there was limited evidence about product hazards. That implied opponents would relent if and when scientific evidence could establish e-cigarettes’ relative safety. Yet, as evidence mounted, incontrovertibly proving vaporized nicotine was much safer than smoking, efforts to prohibit vaping have only amplified.
It should have been good news when research literature established nicotine vaping as a more effective for smoking cessation than traditional nicotine replacement therapies. It should have been good news that e-cigarettes didn’t prove a “gateway” for youth smoking that, in fact, youth smoking is at an all-time low.
And it should have been good news that research failed to link nicotine vaping with significant negative health outcomes, even for those who never smoked. Smokers who switch to vaping actually show rapid improvements in heart and lung health and reduced risk of smoking-related cancers.
Thus, converting smokers to vapers could save millions of lives.
But for opponents of e-cigarettes, this evidence isn’t enough. They demand proof that e-cigarettes are 100 percent harmless, an impossible benchmark for any product. The evidence on cannabis is not conclusive, either. For example, there is limited data on how THC impacts cardiovascular health or how cannabis use in adolescence affects future development.
But that didn’t stop the public and lawmakers from supporting efforts to decriminalize or legalize the drug. Rightly so. Science has a hard time identifying small effects. Thus, after decades of research and centuries of use, of the failure to establish significant harms from cannabis use indicates the harms are marginal.
That is, cannabis as typically used poses minimal risks for most people, though risks might be greater for certain subgroups or atypical use.
Conversely, harms caused by prohibition are large and apparent. Not only did prohibition fail to stop people from using cannabis, it spawned a dangerous illicit market, cost billions in enforcement, fomented distrust of law enforcement, devastated communities, and ruined countless lives. Against these costs, concluding that it’s better to give adults access to a legal, regulated market, is obvious.
That is the conclusion we should have reached for non-combustible nicotine. After more than a decade of intense research, science has yet to link nicotine vaping to any major negative health effects. Many studies claim to have identified potential risks of vaping, but there are an equal or greater number of studies with opposite conclusions.
What this tells us is the risks of nicotine vaping are likely marginal. And, as with cannabis, there are clear benefits to use of nicotine vapor in terms of health and recreation.
Conversely, attempts to ban, restrict and heavily tax vapor products have and will continue to inflict a great deal of harm. Banning flavors, restricting sales, and heavily taxing products pushes consumers toward illicit dealers, knockoff products and more dangerous substances. Such policies also drive people back to smoking.
Yet opposition to these products has grown more extreme and widespread. Contrary to opponents’ rhetoric, their opposition has nothing to do with science and everything to do with morality. Cannabis use is no longer deemed socially unacceptable. But nicotine, thanks to its association with smoking, has only become more stigmatized and no amount of proof will change the minds of those morally opposed to its use.
Anti-vaping activists will continue to pursue bans and outright prohibition of these products, no matter how safe the science says they are or how many people will die as a result.
Michelle Minton is a senior fellow with the Competitive Enterprise Institute. She wrote this for InsideSources.com.


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The search giant’s powers that be have already confirmed the “creative” reboot of the emerging market Nexus counterpart project, although a precise timeline is somewhat up in the air.
The recent announcement of the surprisingly well-endowed Lava Pixel V1 in India seemed to suggest the Android One roster was headed for a major overhaul. But as it turns out, the diversification trend won’t favor upper mid-range hardware.
Quite on the contrary, as Rajan Anandan, the Vice President and Managing Director of Google’s South East Asian and Indian division, just told the Financial Times a sub-$50 “sweet spot” in pricing is the next goal.
Translated in local currency, that’s around 3,000 Rupees, but Anandan says an Rs. 2,000 (USD 30) tag is also attainable. With certain sacrifices, obviously, chiefly from the manufacturers of the actual second-wave Android One phones.
As they did when kicking off the program, Google will likely enforce a strict set of minimum specification requirements, which OEMs need to comply with to score swift software updates directly from the source.
Unfortunately, these new prerequisites are shrouded in mystery at the moment, as are the names of companies willing to obey them. You have to assume the expectation bar will be considerably lowered from the $80 – $100 range, but profits may still be an issue for whoever joins in.
A slew of budget-centric Asian markets, including Indonesia, Bangladesh and the Philippines, remain the project’s focal point, but above all, Google wants to take over India. The long-term objective is to bring a billion Indians online in 10 years, which will “make a huge difference to the global internet economy.”
You see, it’s not about making money today off entry-level phones, it’s about getting the world hooked on Mountain View’s rich portfolio of digital services. Online search, maps, e-mail, cloud storage, video streaming, you name it.
More on Android One’s expansion in a few weeks.


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What will it look like when Minnesota's economy begins to open?
Mike Frattallone estimates his Ace Hardware stores were among the first Minnesota businesses to put a plastic screen between customers and cashiers, before Governor Tim Walz ordered non-critical businesses to close and Minnesotans to stay at home.
Since then, those protection screens have gotten more elaborate.
"We have a lot of hockey fans working in the stores, and they've taken to calling it the 'penalty box' because the plastic is almost on all sides now," Frattallone said Wednesday. "I'll tell you what, though, when you're in there you feel pretty darn safe compared to just being out there."
The "penalty box" is the kind of adaptation local business leaders are looking for as they lobby the governor to re-open sectors of the economy that have been shuttered as part of the state's effort to curb the spread of COVID-19, which has killed more than 47,000 Americans.
It's one thing to re-open a business, another to make employees and customers feel safe there.
"There is a psychological component that goes into what used to be considered normal," said Charlie Weaver, executive director of Minnesota Business Partnership.
Weaver's group is one of several working with the governor on a plan to reopen Minnesota's economy and what business will look like as the country continues to fight the spread of a virus that, as of Thursday, had killed 200 Minnesotans.
Some of that came to fruition on Thursday, when Walz issued an executive order allowing about 20,000 businesses employing as many as 100,000 Minnesotans to open as soon as Monday.
That order included several conditions businesses must meet — from workplace distancing to monitoring employee health — many of which businesses currently open already are following.
"Business will change, at least for the foreseeable future. We have to adapt to that to be viable," said Doug Loon, president of the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce.
Exactly how is something the governor and business leaders have been addressing. Simply announcing that laid-off workers can return to work won't do much if employees and consumers don't feel safe.
"Without consumer confidence, our economy will never reach its full potential," Loon added. "Without that, we will not be operating at full capacity or full employment."
Minnesota will have the benefit of watching a handful of other states start loosening restrictions. Georgia, for instance, will allow businesses such as hair salons, tattoo parlors and gyms to open on Friday. Even President Trump, the most conspicuous proponent of quickly reopening the economy, called that "too soon" for a state whose rate of confirmed infection is climbing.
Those businesses remain closed in Minnesota, but with another 4.4 million Americans filing for unemployment last week, bringing the total to 26 million since early March, there is a growing push nationwide to allow some businesses to operate under conditions that appear to be working elsewhere.
By applying the best practices of businesses that never closed, Weaver said, business leaders believe Minnesota can begin opening its economy in "baby steps."
"The business community is pretty united around a thoughtful, aggressive and safe return-to-work strategy," Weaver said. "We agree with the governor's approach, that we can do this in stages. We need to get people back to work; it's killing our economy. But we need an intelligent, thoughtful approach."
What does reopening look like?
If you've been out at all since the coronavirus started bringing the world to a standstill, you've seen critical pieces: hand sanitizer, gloves, face masks, cleansing wipes, social distancing markers, curbside pickup and expanded use of telecommunication.
In the 21 hardware stores he co-owns, three of them in the city of St. Paul, Frattallone and his employees have expanded protections since early March. At the Grand Avenue location, for instance, customers are asked to enter at one door, leave through another and keep foot traffic moving in one direction.
At locations without a second egress, employees have created lanes on the floor to keep customers moving one way. When they greet customers at the door — an Ace hallmark — they say, "How can I help you?" from a distance of six feet. That initially took customers aback, Frattallone said, but they're adjusting.
"A lot has changed over the last few weeks," he said. "People used to come in and say, 'Why are you all wearing masks? You look like you're all sick.' Now when they come in they say, 'Thank you for wearing masks and helping keep us all safe.'"
Bruce Nustad, president of the Minnesota Retailers Association, believes practices as common as telecommunication and curbside pickup could open several sectors, from clothing boutiques to florists to custom framers.
"The consultative part, the dialogue with the customer, can be taken out of the store," he said. "Someone has a family heirloom they want framed, they get on Zoom or FaceTime with the item and discuss options, then go to the store to complete the transaction."
No more 'normal'
The Chamber of Commerce and Retailers Association have released plans for reopening parts of the economy while the state fights the pandemic, and the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development is seeking feedback on a draft of safety guidelines it made public on Monday.
"Our plan recognizes that we have to balance economic decisions with public safety," Nustad said. "We can't ask people to give up all the progress they've made the last four or five weeks by staying home. We don't want to open without any standards in place."
Many believe reopening at this point is a mistake, particularly for states whose infection and death rates haven't plateaued. While Minnesota's rates are better than the majority of the country, they continue to rise.
But Gov. Walz on Wednesday said Minnesota will soon be able to administer 20,000 diagnostic tests a day, a major breakthrough made possible through a partnership with the Mayo Clinic and University of Minnesota. That will be important as businesses and consumers inch toward a "normal" that might never truly arrive.
In the meantime, it will be considerably less normal than ever. But for hundreds of Minnesota businesses, it's better than being closed.
"I've never really thought of this as a long- or short-term thing," Frattallone said. "I've thought about it in terms of we'll keep doing it until we don't have to do it anymore."


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Hong Kong in Talks With China to Open Border, Report Says
(Bloomberg) -- Hong Kong is in advanced discussions with Chinese officials about potentially reopening their shared border, according to local media reports, as the former British colony pushes to overcome the mainland’s hesitancy to revive travel crucial to the city’s economy.
Experts from both sides are expected to soon hold a second meeting with a final decision on the resumption of travel imminent, the Sing Tao newspaper reported on Wednesday, citing unidentified people. It gave no details on a potential timeframe for reopening.
Discussions are now focused on whether Hong Kong could adopt a mainland-style health code system that would classify people green, yellow or red. Only those with a green pass would be cleared to travel to the mainland, according to the paper. A quota for quarantine-free travel could be initially imposed, the paper said, adding officials were also considering a “circuit-breaker” to immediately suspend the system in an emergency.
Limited border travel could resume as soon as the end of the year or in the first quarter of 2022, said Michael Tien, a pro-government politician in the city’s Legislative Council and a Hong Kong deputy to China’s National People’s Congress. Travel may first be limited to within neighboring Guangdong province with a daily quota of perhaps a few hundred people, he said in an interview on Wednesday.
Even the partial resumption of cross-border travel would be a major economic boost for Hong Kong, which has sought to kickstart cross-border travel for months with little success as Beijing pursued a so-called “Covid Zero” strategy that prioritized containment over opening up.
While the mainland is still seeing some virus outbreaks, Hong Kong has basically eliminated local transmission by imposing some of the world’s strictest Covid-19 travel restrictions. Incoming residents face mandatory hotel quarantines as long as 21 days even if vaccinated.
The city’s leaders have for months prioritized reopening the border with the mainland over resuming international travel, prompting frustration among many business groups. At the same time, Hong Kong authorities have said it’s not clear what metrics would convince mainland officials to allow freer travel to China.
Bernard Chan, an advisor to Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam, told Bloomberg in late September that the city’s “hands are tied” when it comes to travel policies and that there was no clear set of steps the finance hub can take or goals it can achieve to convince China to reopen the border.
On Tuesday, Lam told a group of executives that “business needs will take precedence over individual tourists,” once travel ties resume, according to the South China Morning Post. She added that there will be quotas and conditions once travel does restart, the paper reported.
©2021 Bloomberg L.P.


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China plans to double trade with Russia to $200 bln by 2020
BEIJING. May 15 (Interfax) - China plans to double its trade with Russia to $200 billion by 2020, Deputy Director of the Chinese Ministry of Commerce's Central Asia and Eastern Europe Department Liu Xuesun told Russian reporters in Beijing.
"The trade turnover between China and Russia is due to reach $100 billion this year, which is quite an achievement," Liu said.
The sides "should do more to achieve a new target, $200 billion," he said.
He called for optimizing the structure of Russia-China trade.
"The structure of bilateral trade is continuing to undergo optimization. Bilateral trade in machines and technical products grew 20% last year to $22.8 billion. Trade in products made with the use of new and high technologies totaled $8 billion," Liu said.
He said he is confident that Russia and China will increase trade in high-tech products.
"China and Russia will be working together to expand trade in machines, technical products, and agricultural produce," Liu said.
He underlined China's interest in cooperating with Russia in the Arctic, including the Northern Sea Route.
Transport agencies of Russia and China are preparing to sign a memorandum on cooperation in the exploration of the Arctic, Liu said.


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By mmillikin At the CAR Management Briefing Seminars (MBS, Toyota was presented with an Altair Enlighten Award for its use of innovative weight reducing vehicle closure systems. The award program honored Toyota’s use of carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) inner panels on the Prius Prime liftgate and Lexus LC 500 side doors and luggage hatch.
In cooperation with Altair, SAE International and the Center for Automotive Research (CAR), the Altair Enlighten Awards is the industry’s only award program created specifically to acknowledge innovation in vehicle weight reduction. 2017 marks the fifth year for the program.
Read Full Article Here
For more great articles: Green Car Congress


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An inside look at Moo Muffs as they are mass produced to keep up with the global demand
Business is hot for Moo Muffs and it's because of these early winter temperatures. It's been nearly 10 months since NBC15 first introduced you to these adorable calves in ear muffs. The local invention is now a global sensation.
Holly Poad, co-creator of
, could barely keep up with the demand this past spring as the polar vortex made it difficult for farmers to protect their newborn calves. She said small calves' ears are susceptible to frostbite. Farmers want to protect them not only for the animals general welfare, but because most sale barns will dock the price of the animal.
"It's kinda strange to think that we're getting calf ear muffs made by the hundreds," said Poad.
In order to keep up with the global demand, she and her aunt enlisted the help of a Milwaukee manufacturer. This June, she began talks with Jonco Industries and by Sept. a team of four professional sewers took over.
"They are more unified and professional looking now," said Poad. "It's probably because my cutting skills weren't one hundred percent," she laughed.
To put it into perspective, her aunt could make a pair in about 20 minutes. The team of sewers can produce a pair in just minutes.
Mauricio Barboza is the director of business development at Jonco Industries. He and his team work with about 300 small business owners to help bring their products to life.
"[Moo Muffs] was one of those shocking ones," said Barboza. "We just saw it as a new challenge and we said 'Yes, we can make it happen.'"
At a rate of about 350 Moo Muffs made a day, Poad is shipping them out just as fast.
"The website just got launched two weeks ago now and there have been so many views and orders off of that," said Poad. "It's really taken off."
People from Germany, Australia, South Africa and China have all expressed interest in this Wisconsin-made product.
Even though Poad is having the items manufactured in Milwaukee, she still ships from her farm in Lone Rock. She also has distributors in South Dakota and Japan.
When Yuusuke Tabata with Tabata Corporation reached out to Poad from Japan, she said she was skeptical at first.
"He contacted me and it was all in Japanese. I had to literally use Google translate," said Poad.
Once she received payment, she sent him 100 Moo Muffs to sell in to Japan farmers. Poad described his business as a farm supply store that works primarily with dairy farmers. Originally, Tabata wanted a thousand, but he wanted to make sure the design worked well with cattle in Japan, according to Poad.
Looking ahead, Poad said she wants to keep Moo Muffs manufactured in the U.S.; however, she is working on getting distributors in Canada as well as Fort Atkinson.
Since she launched out of her aunt's embroidery shop in Lone Rock, Poad said she's sold more than a thousand to farmers around the globe.


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Big Hit Music has finally released BTS ‘Permission To Dance On Stage – LA’ live streaming ticket details. Here’s all you need to know about the price and how to buy them.
The fans who couldn’t get a ticket for the Grammy-nominated music group’s first offline concert in two years can now live stream the concert in 4K, HD Multiview, and HD single view.
Ticket sales for the event taking place in Los Angeles at the So-Fi stadium will start from November 12. BTS ARMY’s wait for the PTD stage concert is finally coming to an end and we have all the details about the live stream for you right here.
How to buy BTS ‘Permission To Dance On Stage – LA’ live streaming tickets
BTS’ ‘PTD On Stage LA’ live streaming tickets will go to sale from November 12th, 12 PM KST/ November 11th, 7 PM PT/ 10 PM ET/ 9 PM CT/ November 12th, 8.30 AM IST/ 3 AM GMT.
The ticket sales for BTS ‘PTD On Stage LA’ will end on December 3rd, 1.29 PM KST/ December 2nd, 8.29 PM PT/ 11.29 PM ET/ 10.29 PM CT/ December 3rd, 9.59 AM IST/ 4.29 AM GMT.
Fans can go to the Weverse Shop to purchase the tickets.
Tickets are only available for the December 2 show, which will start from 7.30 PM PT/ December 3rd, 12.30 PM KST.
On the day of the concert, fans will have to go to a live streaming page and can log in using their verified Weverse Shop account that they used while purchasing the tickets.
For more details about the stream, click here.
Price of BTS ‘PTD on Stage LA’ live streaming tickets
BTS ‘PTD On Stage LA’ live-streaming tickets are available in three variations – HD Multi-view (Membership only), 4K view (membership only), and HD single view (for all general sales).
4K view limited tickets are priced at 59,500 won/ $50.30 for all BTS ARMY membership holders.
HD-Multiview tickets will cost 49,500 won/ $41.85 for ARMY membership holders.
HD-single view tickets will cost 49,500 won/ $41.85 for all general sales.
All BTS ‘Permission To Dance On Stage LA’ live streaming ticket purchasers will also get to see the concert in a delayed single view streaming on December 11th, 9 PM ET/ 6 PM PT/ December 12th, 11 AM KST/ 2 AM GMT/ 7.30 AM IST.
Waiting for BTS’ ‘Permission To Dance On Stage LA’ concert? Watch Bangtan’s stunning stage of Global Citizen Live below.


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Mayor Michael Bloomberg recently took on a problem that annoys a growing number of New Yorkers. Many new cell phones take photographs, offer games and play music, but do not make calls -- at least not in numerous places throughout the city. "Cell phone 'dead spots' are frustrating and too common," the mayor announced. The city's solution: When New Yorkers find these dead spot zones, they should dial 311 to report them. And then what? "This program will undoubtedly help the industry improve service and help consumers make more informed purchasing decisions," the mayor said.
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And this in a nutshell is the dilemma facing the city. If New York has its most tech-savvy mayor ever -- an entrepreneur who made billions providing technology to businesses and whose pet projects at City Hall include tech innovations such as the 311 telephone number for non-emergencies -- one public official can only do so much. The city has so far been better at identifying local tech problems than in solving them.
But these problems, some say, are more than just an inconvenience; solving them is essential if New York City is to remain a capital of communications and commerce. Will the typical New York City workplace of the 21st century be like the graceful high-tech offices of Steven Spielberg's movie "Minority Report," where Tom Cruise waves his hands in the air and is instantly connected to an information superhighway? Or will it be more like Terry Gilliam's 1985 film "Brazil," where a house fly can plunge the whole makeshift technology and telecommunications system into chaos?
WHAT TODAY'S OFFICES NEED
The August 14, 2003, blackout dramatized many of the flaws in New York's communications systems. The Internet was useless. Cell phone providers could not handle the increased demand for calls and, as the blackout continued, service deteriorated further. Many office phone systems, dependent upon electricity, also failed to function.
But it does not take an extraordinary event like a blackout to point out the problems that businesses face. According to a report by the Center for an Urban Future, New York has become "one of the worst environments for entrepreneurs and growing firms," ranking at the bottom of national lists. One reason for this is its poor telecommunications technology. Meanwhile, advances in technology that enable people to "telecommute" and easily work with people hundreds of miles away make it less essential for many businesses to stay in New York. Experts agree that faced with such challenges, New York will lose businesses, jobs and money if things don't change.
Of course, the office of the future does exist right now in New York. Employees in many offices communicate almost entirely by computer, e-mailing colleagues, customers and contractors around the world, and checking stock prices, political trends and industry data on the Internet. Large businesses host their own Web sites, set up wireless networks in their offices, use voice-over-Internet technologies to cut phone costs and hold online conferences. Orders come in over the Internet, and customers track the status of shipments by computer.
An increasing number of people spend much of their business day away from a traditional office, working on portable devices such as laptops, personal digital assistants and cell phones. A salesperson may visit a client and then e-mail a report on the meeting while sitting in a nearby cafe or park. An electrician at a building site needs to check on the availability of a part; the site has no phone service yet, making him completely dependent on his cell phone. Every day, people need to connect to files, programs, databases and the Internet from their apartments, their local park or even Yankee Stadium.
Such new technologies increase efficiency and cut costs. But many businesses outside midtown and lower Manhattan cannot take advantage of them, because of aging or outmoded wires and cables, or because they simply are not available anywhere but the two major business districts.
HIGH SPEED INTERNET ACCESS
Just about anyone with a telephone and a computer can get access to the Internet. But, as anyone who uses a dial-up system at home knows, access can be painfully slow and tie up telephone lines.
That is why many businesses are looking to "broadband," which is a high-speed connection to the Internet such as a digital subscriber line or DSL (which uses the phone lines), or cable-modem (which sometimes shares the wire used for cable television). Unlike dial-up, broadband is always on, so there is no connecting and disconnecting.
Any business that makes or takes orders for merchandise can benefit from broadband. Conducting such transactions by dial-up Internet or telephone can be slow and frustrating as screens can freeze and information can be lost.
"Broadband is critical for economic development and small business growth across the board, not just in high-tech industries," says Jonathan Bowles, research director at the Center for an Urban Future, who has been interviewing small businesses on the importance of broadband for a report to be released next month.
The problem is that broadband is not widely available in the city outside of midtown and lower Manhattan.
For example, cable DSL and cable modem are extremely difficult to get in Brooklyn, largely because providers consider it a low income area, City Councilmember Gale Brewer, chair of the council's technology committee, told Wireless Review this summer. "A year ago, a senior citizen center with a multimillion-dollar budget wanted to put in broadband, but no one wanted to go there," Brewer said. "I've worked in a lot of low-income areas in New York City, and private companies always think there's no marketplace there. We have to get this to go beyond the central business district."
Experts claim that if broadband were made available in just 50 percent of the city, it could bring in an extra $15 billion to the New York economy over the next 25 years. Providing service to 94 percent of New Yorkers could bring in $80 billion.
The lack of broadband places a heavy burden on many nonprofit groups, says Kayza Kleinman, director of the Nonprofit Helpdesk at the Jewish Community Council of Greater Coney Island. Government regulations require that many social service agencies provide services and information online, something difficult to do without high speed Internet access. As a result, many struggling organizations have felt forced to wire their buildings themselves, at a cost they cannot afford. And those are the ones lucky enough to be in an area where such wiring is possible.
Simply providing high speed Internet access is only the beginning. Even when service is available, some small businesses and nonprofits cannot afford it. While prices for most telecommunication services have been falling, broadband prices have gone up. Many organizations pay at least $400 per month so that a number of computers can be online at the same time.
The relatively high price is due largely to a lack of competition. While there are 18 broadband providers other than Verizon, most of them must lease the wires from Verizon and thus have to pay Verizon for access.
And there are different types of broadband. While all may be high speed, exactly how fast one can send and receive information may vary. Such differences present particular problems for companies that want to host Web sites and e-commerce platforms. "All broadband is not equal," says Joe Plotkin of Bway, a New York-based Internet-service provider that provides symmetrical broadband.
There are two ways for telephone companies, such as Verizon, to make high-speed Internet more readily available. They can replace the copper wires that currently run under much of New York City, with newer ones that are better able to handle massive amounts of information. Or they can upgrade to fiber optics. These cables -- strands of glass about the size of a human hair that transmit light signals -- allow Internet connections that are four times faster than broadband and could be ten times faster in the future.
But 87 percent of the city's fiber optic cables are in Manhattan business districts below 59th Street. One obstacle to expanding their reach is money. Fiber optics cost as much as $40,000 per mile to install, while wireless costs a tenth as much, according to one study.
It is a truism of work in the 21st century that many people must be accessible around the clock -- in the office or away -- and so rely on being able to use cell phones and laptop computers wherever they might be.
Key to this are "hotspots" that provide a wireless Internet connection people can use with their laptops, personal digital assistants and other devices over the airwaves. Wireless, which is comparatively cheap to set up, can bridge gaps between other services. Currently, there are hundreds of free hot spots in business and residential areas of Manhattan as well as in the outer boroughs. (See map.)
The non-profit group NYCwireless has joined with economic development groups and parks organizations to provide free Internet access in places such as Bryant Park and lower Manhattan. Verizon offers wireless to their paid broadband customers at telephone booths, and T-mobile connects Starbucks customers for a monthly fee.
The city hopes to create schools, libraries and other government buildings as wireless hotspots. But wireless is still on the cutting edge. Many people do not know that wireless sites are available, and most small businesses have not yet begun to explore how wireless can help them. And even though wireless is spreading here, it is still not as popular in New York as it is in places such as Portland, Oregon, and Orange County, California.
PLANNING FOR THE HIGH-TECH FUTURE
While there is widespread agreement on at least some of the technology the city will need for its economy to thrive in the coming decades, less agreement exists on how to achieve it. Much of the controversy involves who should pay for the improvements.
Many believe that upgrading the city's wires and cables is the job of private companies such as Verizon, Con Edison, Time Warner Cable and Cablevision that profit from providing such services. As it stands now, the companies do shoulder most of the cost and make only those improvements they feel are worthwhile for them. For example, to justify the cost of installing new cable, Verizon must believe that it will gain a significant increase in business once the cables are installed.
Others say the need for fiber optics and other improvements is so crucial to the general well being of the city that it cannot be left to the private sector alone.
In May 2003, the City Council published a report, "Network NYC" (in pdf format) which laid out a proposed long-range telecom strategy. Many of the report's recommendations involve increased planning and analysis of the city's telecommunications needs by the Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications.
But the report also called on the city to use its economic clout as a major purchaser of telecommunications services to get improvements in service. New York City spends over $130 million annually on telecommunications, primarily telephone and Internet, more than any other city in the country. At least 75 percent of that goes to Verizon - with no competitive bidding. The report and the city comptroller have questioned whether the city should solicit competing bids to cut costs and perhaps exert influence on Verizon. (The company could not be reached for comment.)
The report also urges the city to make better use of existing technology. For example, it notes, the city manages franchises with a number of fiber optics companies and controls rooftops through New York that could be used for wireless. Yet, despite this, it says, "there has been little public discussion or long term strategic thinking about how the city could better organize this public and private infrastructure to encourage a truly citywide deployment of affordable, high speed networking capacity."
Because laying new fiber optic cable is so expensive, Councilmember Brewer recommends using existing fiber optics - either lines already owned by the city or leased from other owners - and combining them with wireless to create a network linking every borough but Staten Island. Brewer sees such a network helping small companies and non profits that cannot afford $400 to $1,200 a month to get high-speed Internet access from Verizon.
Another possibility involves taking old systems and putting them to new uses. The city explored the possibility of putting telecommunications equipment, including fiber optics, in space occupied by unused water pipes.
Some fiber optic cables -- called dark fiber -- were installed in the ground during the high tech boom of the 1990s. But they were then abandoned as dot.coms went bankrupt. Providing new cable to link to this unused dark fiber could be a lower-cost way of bringing fiber optics to at least some parts of the city.
As appealing as some of these ideas are, any solution is bound to be for the short-term only. In the 21st century, technology often becomes outmoded before many of us ever get to use it. And so fiber optics, broadband and hot spots could all soon be eclipsed by better, cheaper technology that has not been developed yet.
But whatever the actual technology, New York will have to stay on top of it. And that requires a vision, a plan and a way to put it into action.


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This week marks the Girl Scouts' 100th anniversary. As a tip of our caps, here are three delicious bits about their cookies.
You Could Play Football in the Ovens
Every year, Girl Scouts sell about 200 million boxes of snacks during winter, a.k.a. Girl Scout Cookie Selling Season. This means that, for the first quarter of each year, Girl Scouts are the top-selling cookie brand in the United States. Thin Mints are the most popular variety, accounting for one-quarter of sales. To keep up with demand, almost 2 million cookies are baked each day in ovens the length of a football field.
Honey, the Economy Shrunk the Cookies
In 2009, the cost of baking Girl Scout cookies rose. Prices for flour went up more than 30 percent; baking oil, 40 percent; and cocoa, 20 percent. But instead of raising the price of the cookies, the Girl Scouts chose to go on a portion-control diet. The ingredients didn’t change, but the Lemon Chalet Cremes got smaller. The organization also started putting fewer Thin Mints, Do-si-dos, and Tagalongs in each box.
No More Blood-for-Oil Cookies!
In March 2011, two Girl Scouts, Madison Vorva and Rhiannon Tomtishen, went on strike because Girl Scout Cookies are loaded with palm oil from Southeast Asia. Environmentalists claim harvesting palms damages the habitats of orangutans and other endangered species. The girls won’t start selling again until Girl Scouts of America changes its recipes. So far, the club has refused to budge.


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Nintendo And Freescale Partner For Game Development EducationFreescale Semiconductor, operator of the Game Technology Organization, and Nintendo of America are working together to offer console development experience to game development students at nationwide universities. The joint product will bundle the CodeWarrior programming environment with Nintendo's GameCube development hardware to allow students to get hands-on experience with a console system.
"Console devices and games dominate the video game industry, but most university classes still teach game development using PC platforms," said Game Technology Organization manager Roger Edgar. "Our new offering addresses this disconnect by providing resources that teach students game development fundamentals on the kinds of closed-system platforms most common in the industry."
"By teaming with Freescale, we want to help universities produce developers capable of generating world class content for Nintendo platforms early in their careers," said Nintendo of America...
Publish at Gamasutra.com on 03/22/06
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CLIF introduces new filled energy bars
CLIF launched a line of nut butter-filled bars that will be available in June this year.
Nut butter-filled is an energy bar that is certified organic and brings together two energy sources– a creamy nut butter tucked inside an energy bar. Made in Canada with organic Canadian oats, CLIF nut butter filled energy bars are available in two all-new flavours launching this May: Banana Chocolate Peanut Butter and Caramel Chocolate Peanut Butter. CLIF bars are available in most grocery, convenience and natural retailers across Canada.
CLIF is also a proud supporter of Canada’s The Great Trail – the longest recreational trail in the world. After 25 years in the making, the trail was finally completed in 2017 for Canada’s 150th thanks to thousands of dreamers, can-doers, volunteers, friends and partners – including CLIF. To explore the trail, visit www.clifbar.com/GreatTrail
"Clear distinction" needed between sports drinks and energy drinksTrade association, European Specialist Sports Nutrition Alliance (ESSNA) has addressed…
NAMA announces keynote speakerNAMA announced that Howard Behar, former president of Starbucks, will…
Study finds perception of cleanliness can boost salesResearchers at the University of Missouri (MU) have found that…
Sparkling Ice adds new flavours to lineSparkling Ice flavoured carbonated water first came to the Canadian…
ASEAN (Bangkok)Vending Machine & Self-service Facilities Expo 2018
September 19-21, 2018
The Canadian Coffee & Tea Show
September 23-24, 2018
CAMA Expo 2018
October 26-27, 2018


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Pet-products retailer agrees to settle charges that flaws in its Web site violated security and privacy promises made to customers.
Petco Animal Supplies Inc. will spend the next 20 years making sure it doesn't once again end up in the doghouse over cybersecurity woes with the Federal Trade Commission.
Petco has agreed to settle FTC charges that flaws in its Web site violated security and privacy promises it made to customers within statements on its site. The FTC also accused Petco of not taking reasonable or appropriate steps to prevent cyberattacks.
While the settlement doesn't constitute an admission of guilt for a violation of law, it will require Petco to bolster its security and to submit to independent security inspections for the next 20 years.
The flaws in question, which allow for a common type of intrusion known as a SQL injection attack, could permit hackers to access customer records, including credit-card numbers, the FTC said. The FTC also alleged that Petco didn't protect sensitive customer information it stored with adequate encryption. "As a result, a hacker was able to penetrate the Petco Web site and access credit-card numbers stored in unencrypted clear text," the FTC said in a statement.
In a prepared statement, Petco said it's "committed to keeping all customer information obtained through our Web site and stores private and secure, and we have taken--and will continue to take--necessary measures to achieve that goal. ... We support the FTC's efforts to advocate and enforce enhanced online security measures for U.S. consumers and look forward to working with their staff to ensure that Petco continues meeting our commitment to keeping our customers' personal information secure."
This is the fifth time the FTC has successfully challenged deceptive claims made by businesses regarding their efforts to protect customer information. The previous cases included Eli Lilly, Guess, Microsoft, and Tower Records. Each case centered on promises the companies made in their privacy policies.
5 Top Federal Initiatives For 2015As InformationWeek Government readers were busy firming up their fiscal year 2015 budgets, we asked them to rate more than 30 IT initiatives in terms of importance and current leadership focus. No surprise, among more than 30 options, security is No. 1. After that, things get less predictable.
Top IT Trends to Watch in Financial ServicesIT pros at banks, investment houses, insurance companies, and other financial services organizations are focused on a range of issues, from peer-to-peer lending to cybersecurity to performance, agility, and compliance. It all matters.
Join us for a roundup of the top stories on InformationWeek.com for the week of October 9, 2016. We'll be talking with the InformationWeek.com editors and correspondents who brought you the top stories of the week to get the "story behind the story."


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One of the rites of passage for Japanese kids entering elementary school is the randoseru. Parents will typically spend several hundred dollars on these leather backpacks, which are pricey but used throughout all 6 years of elementary school. In recent years the uniquely stylish backpacks have become something of a fashion icon overseas. But a new, never-before-seen collaboration is putting an artsy twist on the utilitarian kids bags.
In collaboration with the Andy Warhold Foundation, Japanese bag-maker Ikeda Chikyu is releasing a line of randoseru with prints from the iconic pop-artist. The bags will come in 5 different styles utilizing prints that span 40 years of work: Butterflies (1955) , Flowers (1964), Banana (1964), Cow (1966) and Camouflage (1987).
The Andy Warhol randoseru will go on sale at Isetan Department Stores across Japan beginning June 15, and will be priced between 78,840 yen (about $740) and 89,640 yen (about $840). Although the bags won’t be used until next April when newly minted 1st-graders enter school, this is a common time to market randoseru. That’s because summer is often when parents take their children to go visit the grandparents. And it’s an unspoken agreement that the grandparents will then cough up the cash to buy their grandchildren a randoseru!


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TAIWANESE PHONE MAKER HTC has announced that it plans to launch several more handsets early next year, despite having forecasted a sales slump last week.
According to Reuters, the company said it would stick to its strategy after cutting its revenue forecast for the fourth quarter to no growth. This was in contrast to previous forecasts of double-digit growth rates from the smartphone maker.
HTC said that it is not another Nokia, and that it has some flagship phones nearly ready for launch worldwide.
"I don't think it's so serious," CFO Winston Yung said on Monday. "We have six quarters of improvement, the most conservative guidance is 45 million units of shipments this year, a lot higher than 25 million last year."
He continued, "We will focus on the product next year, better and more competitive. Other than new LTE phones for the US market, we also have phones for the global market. We will launch some worldwide flagship products. We're confident in them."
The firm also faces some legal challenges. On Friday it emerged that Ipcom, a German patent company wants to halt the sales of all HTC smartphones in the country after HTC withdrew an appeal against the ruling.
HTC was planning to appeal the decision banning the sale of its 3G devices in Germany, adding to a growing list of banned mobile products in the country. However, at the last minute it backed down from its appeal, suggesting that it was not confident of the result it would receive. µ
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