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Moto X Packs Google’s Power Into 504 Crazy Color Combos
With new Google-powered features and a surprising array of customization options, the long-awaited Moto X is putting an interesting new face on Android. All the details on Motorola’s first flagship phone since the company was purchased by Google were finally revealed during today’s big launch event in New York City.
The Moto X, which goes on sale later this month, runs Jelly Bean out of the box and features a 4.7-inch, hi-res display. The 16GB model will be priced at $199 with a two-year carrier contract, and the 32GB model will cost $299. We knew customization would be a big part of the phone, but Motorola plans to offer a whopping 504 different color combinations.
Moto X Specs
The device features an attractive, curved build that is narrower and lighter than most phones of its class. The 4.7-inch AMOLED display isn’t quite 1080p HD, but it does boast a nice resolution of 720 x 1280 pixels at 316 ppi. For comparison, the iPhone 5’s display is 1136 x 640 pixels at 326 ppi.
The rear camera’s sensor is 10mp and the front-facing camera is 2mp. Both shoot full 1080p video.
Motorola has built its own computing system called “X8” that powers the device. The total number of cores clocks in at eight. Everyone who has gotten to play with the phone says it’s pretty fast.
Previous Motorola phone owners will be happy to learn that MotoBlur is no more. The Moto X runs Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean, and a future update to 4.3 will add support for the phone’s Bluetooth 4.0 Low Energy mode. (Get the full specs below.)
Moto X Features
Leading up to today’s unveiling, Motorola teased that the Moto X would have special sensors that are more aware of the phone’s surroundings. The device is capable of constantly listening for voice commands, for instance. And the Moto X’s Quick Capture camera is ready to snap a shot with “two quick twists of your wrist” and a tap anywhere on the phone’s screen, according to Motorola.
It’s all part of what the mobile maker is calling Touchless Control.
“We want to change the way people call, we want to change the way people search and we want to change the way people navigate,” Iqbal Arshad, Motorola’s senior vice president of global product development, told The New York Times. “That’s what Touchless Control enabled you to do. So we had to design a mobile computing system to do that.”
The always-listening device puts Google Now at the core of the user experience, with the hope of becoming something like Siri on steroids. “This is a great example of Motorola shining a light, via our hardware capabilities, on software and services that Google has,” Lior Ron, a Motorola corporate VP of product management, told Wired.
The videos above and below demonstrate some of the Moto X’s unique new features.
The Moto Maker is an online customization store designed to make every Moto X purchase feel unique. Buyers can choose from two front colors, 18 back colors (including, eventually, actual wood), and seven accent colors (the buttons and ring around the camera). That totals 504 color combinations. A unique message — like the owner’s name, company or snappy catchphrase — can be printed on the back of the device. All customization is included with the retail price.
You’ll be be able to get your hands on the Moto X starting later this month or early September on Verizon, AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile. But AT&T will be the only carrier that lets you customize the physical look of the device through the Moto Maker at launch. A Google Play version of the device will be sold directly from Google and come without any of the bloatware carriers typically load onto devices. Exact availability dates have not yet been given by anyone.
Motorola’s Big Play
The Moto X is Motorola’s first flagship smartphone since the company was bought by Google, and the pressure is on to catch up to the iPhone and the slickest Android competitors.
“We don’t think smartphones are very smart,” Motorola’s senior vice president of product Rick Osterloh told The Verge. Osterloh said the goal for the highly Google-influenced Moto X is to solve “real problems for end users.”
Only time will tell if the Moto X does that, but Motorola has certainly come out swinging.
Motorola has a new webpage that shows off some of the Moto X’s specs and features. You can register there to receive more updates.
Full Moto X Specs From Motorola
Width: 65.3 mm
Height: 129.3 mm
Curve: 5.6 to 10.4 mm
Display: 4.7-inch AMOLED (RGB) / HD 720p
Weight: 130 grams
Battery: 2200 mAh. Talk time up to 13 hours, with ixed usage up to 24 hours.
Rear camera: 10MP Clear Pixel (RGBC) / LED flash / 1080p video (30 fps)
Front camera: 2MP 1080p HD video
Operating system: Android 4.2.2
Architecture: Motorola X8 Mobile Computing System
RAM: 2 GB
Storage: 16 GB standard, 32 GB version available online. Two years of 50GB storage free on Google Drive
Bluetooth 4.0 LE + EDR
Wi-Fi: 802.11a/g/b/n/ac (dual-band capable), mobile hotspot
UMTS/HSPA + up to 42 Mbps
CDMA/EVDO Rev. A (CDMA model only)
4G – LTE


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Hollywood Studios are in a quandary as to whether they really want to support Redbox, the one-dollar a night DVD rental kiosk company.
The studios could choose to ride the massive growth wave of Redbox's consumer popularity, supplying the company with cheap wholesale discs-or starve it in the hopes of preserving higher priced purchases of out-of-theater movies.
20th Century Fox has fallen on the side of starvation...joining Universal Pictures.
But Sony has signed a five-year deal to supply Redbox.
Other studios are taking a wait-and-see approach.

domain: news


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Adventures By Disney is known for taking the magic of Disney to travel destinations around the world! In April, new destinations were announced for 2021. And today, we have some more Adventures By Disney news to share.
An early booking offer has been announced for select trip departures in 2021 and early 2022, with potential for a savings of up to $750 per guest. [Read more…]


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How exactly did Brian White come up with that number?
When last we heard from Ticonderoga's Brian White, a few hours after Apple (AAPL) reported its Q1 2012 earnings, he was reiterating the 12-month price target he had set the previous July: "Apple crushes even the most optimistic expectations," he wrote. "$666 here we come."
Two days later, Ticonderoga closed up shop.
On Monday White resurfaced at a new firm, Topeka Capital, with a new Street-high price target guaranteed to draw attention to itself: $1,001.
"Apple fever is spreading like a wildfire around the world," he wrote in Monday's note to clients, his enthusiasm for the company undiminished, "and we see no end in sight."
What's odd about White's new price target -- which is at least $201 higher than the most bullish of his colleagues -- is that the model supporting it is actually rather modest.
We know of four professional analysts who have called for higher Q2 revenues than White's $37.02 billion, nine with higher EPS numbers than his $10.06, and 15 with higher iPhone unit sales estimates than his 29.64 million. The only number that sticks out in White's spreadsheet is his estimate of 14.47 million iPads, which is higher even than all but two of the most bullish independent analysts.
So how did he get to $1001? By factoring in Apple's cash holdings, anticipating continued breakneck growth and using a P/E ratio from 2006-2010:
Our 12-month price target of $1,001.00 for Buy-rated Apple is based on just over 17x our interest expense/income adjusted CY13 pro forma EPS estimate plus net cash per share of $103.66. This equates to a straight P/E of just over 19x our CY13 EPS estimate and is below the mid-20 multiple of 2006-2010. In our view, Apple's valuation does not reflect the growth the Company has been able to deliver in recent years, nor future growth prospects. Between FY04-FY11, Apple grew sales by 44% per annum and increased EPS by 86% per year. Trading at a P/E (ex-cash) of just under 10x our CY13, we believe the stock still has significant upside potential.
Investors must have liked the sound of that. Apple's shares closed at $618.63, up $19.08 (3.18%) for the day.
What to make of those pesky forward-looking statements in today's earnings report
It used to be that traders rewarded or punished Apple's (AAPL) shares right after its earnings releases based not on the sales it reported for the past quarter, but on what the company said about the quarter to come. Apple tends to "guide conservatively," in the jargon of the trade, which Wall Street often interpreted as a disappointment.
But that MOREPhilip Elmer-DeWitt - Jan 24, 2012 7:24 AM ET
The 18% gap between the Street's estimates and the independents' suggests that it can
Last fall, a Wall Street analyst who shall remain nameless suggested in a note to clients that the days of the big Apple (AAPL) earnings surprises may be over.
He was referring to the string of quarterly reports in which the company beat the Street's estimates by measures so wide they were (or should have been) an embarrassment MOREPhilip Elmer-DeWitt - Jan 22, 2012 2:38 PM ET
With Q1 earnings due next week, the Street and the bloggers are now $4.5 billion apart
Perhaps professional analysts are just more comfortable underestimating Apple (AAPL). Perhaps they're still smarting from last quarter, when their numbers (for once) came in too high. Perhaps they're suspicious of reports that suggest that Mac and iPhone and iPad sales have never been so strong.
For whatever reason, Wall Street's estimates for what everybody seems to agree MOREPhilip Elmer-DeWitt - Jan 16, 2012 8:25 AM ET
Mark your calendars for what's expected to be a monster quarter
Apple (AAPL) investor relations has scheduled a conference call with analysts on Tuesday, Jan. 24 at 5 p.m. ET (2 p.m. PT) to discuss its first fiscal quarter results.
Given last summer's pent-up demand for the new iPhone that was finally released in October, this should be a big one.
The Street's consensus, as reported Tuesday by Thomson Reuters, is for earnings MOREPhilip Elmer-DeWitt - Jan 4, 2012 8:01 AM ET
If you ask about sales in the quarter that just ended, you get two very different answers
How did Apple (AAPL) do in the quarter that ended Saturday?
That depends whom you ask.
The consensus among nearly four dozen professional analysts, according to Thomson Reuters, is that Apple will report record earnings of $9.83 on record sales of $38.17 billion, up 52.8% and 42.7%, respectively, from the same quarter last year.
No way, say MOREPhilip Elmer-DeWitt - Jan 2, 2012 8:18 AM ET
We're averaging the Q4 estimates of the six analysts with the best track records
The chart at right, which compares Apple's (AAPL) reported earnings for the past six quarters with estimates made in advance of those reports, shows that some analysts are better at predicting the company's results than others.
Specifically, a group of independent analysts we've been calling -- for lack of a better term -- "the bloggers," have consistently out-performed MOREPhilip Elmer-DeWitt - Oct 17, 2011 7:11 AM ET
On this one, most analysts agree: Summer '11 was even bigger than Christmas '10
The Mac was one of the few products that failed to live up to expectations in the June quarter (Apple's fiscal Q3). Analysts were looking for sales of 4.2 million. What Apple (AAPL) delivered was 3.95 million.
That's not likely to happen again on Tuesday, when Apple reports its earnings for fiscal Q4.
Everybody seems to agree that MOREPhilip Elmer-DeWitt - Oct 16, 2011 10:23 AM ET
With Q4 earnings due next week, the pros and the bloggers are $3.9 billion apart
It has become, for the Street, an embarrassing quarterly tradition.
The Apple (AAPL) independent analysts -- a growing community of bloggers, private investors and assorted amateurs -- file estimates that look, by Wall Street's standards, outrageously optimistic.
But as the day of reckoning approaches -- in this case, Tuesday Oct. 18, when Apple is scheduled to announce its MOREPhilip Elmer-DeWitt - Oct 11, 2011 2:13 PM ET
For as long as we have been tracking them, the bloggers have trounced the pros
On Sunday, the day after Apple's (AAPL) fourth quarter of fiscal 2011 ended, we posted preliminary revenue and EPS estimates from both Wall Street's Apple analysts and a group of amateurs we've been tracking for a couple of years.
After we posted the chart, one reader who calls himself jmmxx suggested that it would be more interesting to see how MOREPhilip Elmer-DeWitt - Sep 26, 2011 7:19 AM ET
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|Gun silencer sales are booming|
|How women can narrow the 'confidence gap'|
|China factories extend slump|


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HANOI -- Samsung Electronics unveiled its latest smartphone for the Vietnamese market on Wednesday and said its workhorse factories in the Southeast Asian country are fully operational despite the coronavirus outbreak.
The South Korean technology group announced the flagship Galaxy S20 phone at an event held in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam's commercial capital.
The new devices are assembled at factories located in Thai Nguyen and Bac Ninh, two provinces near Hanoi, that together ship half of all Galaxy phones worldwide.
"Samsung Vietnam's operations are in perfect condition," Nguyen Tri Thong, corporate marketing director at local smartphone unit Samsung Vina Electronics, told the Nikkei Asian Review on the sidelines of the event.
"One of every two Samsung smartphones shipped globally is from Vietnam-based facilities," Thong said.
"We are now running at full capacity," he added without elaborating.
Samsung announced the Galaxy S20 in the U.S. on Feb. 12. The phone remains set for release on March 6, which suggests that Samsung has enough capacity to produce the high-end model at Vietnamese factories for both local and international markets. International Data Corp., a U.S. research firm, estimates Samsung shipped about 296 million phones globally in 2019.
Thong said Samsung's latest device has been ready for delivery for a while, as the company always has a clear production schedule.
Samsung's confidence contrasts with rivals' struggle to fully resume their production because they largely depend on China-based assembly. Apple said on Tuesday it does not expect to meet its revenue forecast for the three months through March owing to the coronavirus outbreak.
While Samsung says its operations in Vietnam have returned to normal, there are concerns over logistics at Chinese border as the Korean company's factories source some parts from suppliers in China. Earlier this month, hundreds of containers of imported products, including parts and materials for electronics, were held up at Huu Nghi in Lang Son Province, one of the three busiest checkpoints on the border.
Samsung had planned to fly electronic components for Galaxy phones from China to Vietnam after China announced that border crossings would be closed to halt the spread of the virus. Local media report that the three busiest border gates had been re-opened for cargo shipments as of Feb. 8, while other gates will remain closed until the end of February. Samsung's cargo container shipments across the border have resumed, a source at the company's Vietnam unit told Nikkei on Tuesday.
A Nikkei report in 2018 showed that Samsung's dependence on Chinese suppliers was relatively low. Presumably, this is still contributing to Samsung's comparably smooth production in Vietnam.
Dependence on Chinese suppliers is likely to further fall; the Korean maker has announced in October it would end smartphone production in China.
Another concern for Samsung in Vietnam is a possible labor shortage. Earlier this month, multiple workers at Samsung's factories told Nikkei that hundreds of colleagues were staying at home at the request of the company. Those employees had returned from their hometowns near the border with China and said they had direct contact with Chinese nationals during Tet, the Vietnamese Lunar New Year holiday, which ended Jan. 30.
Vietnam had 16 confirmed cases of the new coronavirus as of Thursday morning, but 14 of the patients have recovered according to the Ministry of Health. In addition, 23 people suspected of infection were isolated, and more than 1,500 people were under surveillance. Hanoi has also quarantined the Son Loi a commune of around 10,000 residents for 24 days, starting on Feb 11.
Meanwhile, Vietnamese authorities have shut down all schools nationwide for another two weeks until Feb. 23. This affects around 18 million students at all levels, including the children of Samsung employees. Many cities and provinces, such as Ho Chi Minh City, Dong Nai, and Vinh Phuc, have decided to extend the closure until the end of February as a precaution against infection.
Thong declined to comment on the impact of the school closures and potential labor shortage, but said that Samsung always has a plan B and plan C to prevent interruptions in its operations.
Thong said Samsung is not worried about local factories' operation as it can adjust to some business environment changes by monitoring market conditions, including its suppliers' activities. "The outbreak of the coronavirus did create challenges to many businesses globally. However, we have been mobilizing our backup plans in order to maintain our position," Thong said. "We don't see any serious issues in our supply chain at the moment," he said without giving details.
Thong said was "encouraged by the positive market reaction to the Galaxy S20 in Vietnam."
According to Nguyen Viet Anh, deputy CEO of electronics vendor FPT Retail, the company saw a "strong increase in sales of smartphones and laptops during the Tet holiday and following weeks compared to same period last year."
"Demand skyrocketed because parents rushed to buy mobile devices and laptops for their kids to study online and play at home," Anh said.
Besides being a Samsung manufacturing hub, Vietnam is also one of its most important markets, thanks to a growing population of more than 95 million with a median age of about 30. The country's smartphone market more than doubled to 16.4 million units in 2019 from 6.3 million in 2014, according to Euromonitor International, a U.K.-based market research company. Samsung led with a 25% market share in 2019.
The new Galaxy S20 is set to hit local stores on March 6 with a price ranging from 21.5 million dong to 30 million dong ($925 to $1,290).


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Freudenberg Filtration Technologies in India acquires Pyramid Filters
Expands product portfolio for cleanroom applications
Freudenberg Filtration Technologies India has agreed to buy Pyramid Filters for an undisclosed sum. The deal will be completed by 1 April and adds new products to Freudenberg’s portfolio.
Pyramid Filters develops and produces air filter elements and systems for cleanroom applications in the pharmaceutical, medical, food and chemical industries.
Andreas Kreuter, managing director of the Freudenberg Filtration Technologies Group headquartered in Weinheim, Germany, said Pyramid Filters enjoys an ‘excellent reputation in India’ thanks to its HEPA filter range and services.
‘Based on Pyramid's strong market position, we will be able to add new products to our already broad portfolio and offer our customers further services,’ he said.
Freudenberg Filtration Technologies India, based in Pune, provides industrial and automotive filter elements and systems, as well as patented systems that enhance the capacity and efficiency of gas turbines and compressors.
Kirti Kelkar, founder and director of Pyramid Filters India, said customers would benefit from Freudenberg Filtration Technologies’ expertise in application engineering and its position as one of the global technological leaders in filtration.
Along with Freudenberg’s regional business director Gnanasekharan Ramesh and managing director Rakesh Nathwani, Kelkar will join the management team of Freudenberg Filtration Technologies India,and will continue to be responsible for the Cleanroom Division.


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Hardwarelogic published a review of the Computrace LoJack for Laptops. LoJack for Laptops is supposed to protect your notebook from theft.
Quote from the review: "Did you just spend a paycheck or two on a kickin' new notebook? Here's a scary statistic for you chew on: Roughly 2 million portable PCs end up in thieves' hands every year, making notebook theft the second most common crime, trailing only identity theft. Yikes! But before you invest in a briefcase complete with chain and handcuff, there may be a better alternative."
Read the full review on HardwareLogic.
Don't Miss: See the first leaked Black Friday 2016 Ad


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The hashtag, #BlockadeWasCrimeMrModi, is currently trending on Twitter and has been doing so since yesterday. Many people in Nepal have been using this hashtag to criticize and show their disapproval in the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Nepal visit.
- As a landlocked country, Nepal imports most of their petroleum products from India. After being struck by a devastating earthquake in 2015, Nepal was subjected to a blockade by India. Nepal was not only left to suffer the aftermath of a natural disaster it was also put through a major fuel crisis.
- The fuel crisis caused major upheaval in the economic sector of Nepal. The crisis also affected the tourism sector, agriculture, industries, and businesses in Nepal. Many citizens of Nepal even had to suffer the shortage of medicines and earthquake relief material.
- However, India kept denying their Economic Blockade and blamed it on the Madhesi protestors within Nepal.
- Eventually, India and Nepal resolved the issue by the passage of a constitutional amendment by Nepal.
- Nevertheless, it seems, the citizens of Nepal have not forgotten the adversity of the Blockade by India. Now that the Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi is in Nepal for a visit, the Nepali social media is in an uproar.
- The people are continuously sharing their displeasure in the Indian PM’s visit through social media. Twitter has been buzzing with #BlockadeWasCrimeMrModi by Nepalis sharing pictures and tweets on the struggle they faced during the Blockade.
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Cheap Tecno Pop 6 with 5MP Camera Launched in NepalTecno has launched Tecno Pop 6 in Nepal. It is an entry-level smartphone. The Tecno…
GoPro Hero 11 Black with Larger 27MP 8:7 Sensor Launched in NepalThe newly announced GoPro Hero 11 Black is now available in Nepal. It was announced…


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cagraham writes "Following close on the heels of Instagram's advertising announcement last week, Tumblr has signed an agreement with analytics firm DataSift to provide info to advertisers on user behavior. According to Yahoo! CEO Marissa Mayer, who oversaw the recent $1.1 billion purchase of Tumblr, advertising on the site will become increasingly prevalent throughout 2014. DataSift will provide advertisers with info on the 5.5 billion interactions that occur on the site each day. This makes Tumblr the latest in a slew of recent tech companies to turn towards targeted ads in an attempt to generate revenue." Twitter is another customer of DataSift.
Migrate from GitHub to SourceForge quickly and easily with this tool. Check out all of SourceForge’s recent improvements.×
alphadogg writes "A Swiss security company said the NASDAQ website had a serious cross-site scripting vulnerability for two weeks before being fixed on Monday, despite earlier warnings. Ilia Kolochenko, CEO of the Geneva-based penetration testing company High-Tech Bridge, said he repeatedly emailed NASDAQ and warned of the XSS flaw. 'I can basically say I have spammed them,' Kolochenko said in an interview. A NASDAQ spokesman did not have immediate comment. NASDAQ.com lets users create accounts and build a profile to monitor stocks and news."
Velcroman1 writes "Imagine living in a country where only 3.5 percent of the population use the Internet. When you ask a neighbor about Facebook, they give you a confused look. Posting a status update on Twitter is a foreign concept, and most citizens still rely on printed newspapers and radio reports. That's life in Afghanistan today, where only 1.5 million people (out of 30M) have Internet access. A new National Social Media Summit intends to change that trend. To be held September 22 to 23 in Kabul, and featuring some 200 speakers, the event will promote the use of social media as a way to not only discuss current news, but to make news. The summit, called Paiwand (or Unity), aims to boost Net use further. It will break out into several themes including social media and government transparency, new media trends and emerging tech."


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America Online today confirmed reports that despite its planned acquisition of Netscape Communications and that firm's Communicator Web browsing suite, it will continue to offer Microsoft's Internet Explorer to AOL's 14 million users.
"Our present intention is to keep using IE, because it is important to keep AOL bundled on the Windows desktop," said AOL chairman and chief executive Steve Case in a conference call.
The decision not to offer AOL users Netscape's browser underscores AOL's chief interest in the other parts of Netscape's business, both in Web portal and enterprise software. But it also brings up important matters related to both the technology of the major browsers and the government's antitrust case against Microsoft.
Communicator's development and distribution efforts are likely to remain relatively unchanged, according to executives. AOL will continue to promote the Netscape browser through Netscape's Netcenter portal site. Netscape's mozilla.org organization--responsible for shepherding the worldwide community development effort of Communicator's open source code--will continue operating as it does today, the executives added.
AOL will continue to support innovations in the Communicator suite, which includes the Navigator browser, that tie the client to Netscape's Netcenter portal.
When it comes to browsers for non-PCs, however, the deal will have a significant impact. In cooperation with Sun Microsystems, the companies intend to speed the development and deployment of new devices for Internet access--which most likely will include a Java-based set-top box to compete with Microsoft's WebTV.
The deal between Microsoft and AOL--under which AOL uses IE for its Web browser and Microsoft bundles AOL software--has been a key piece of evidence in the government's antitrust case against Microsoft. Microsoft contends that AOL's motivation in the deal is the "technological superiority" of Internet Explorer, and not the necessity of being bundled with Windows.
Microsoft today reiterated that argument and questioned Case's justification for keeping IE. Even without any deal with Microsoft, AOL would remain on the vast majority of desktops, because it negotiates that placement with PC makers directly, the software giant argues.
The deal between the two companies provides for AOL's inclusion in the Windows online services folder; but placement of the AOL icon on the Windows desktop is not Microsoft's decision.
"As part of their direct relationship with OEMs, they have an incredible reach," said Microsoft spokesperson Adam Sohn, citing AOL desktop icon guarantees with Compaq, Hewlett-Packard, Packard Bell-NEC, Acer, and IBM. Sohn said that at the time the deal was signed, AOL already had 90 percent desktop distribution on consumer PCs.
"The truth of the matter is that Netscape doesn't have the technology right now to integrate with AOL," Sohn said.
Netscape concedes that with its current 4.x browsers, integration with AOL would be difficult. But with the recently announced "Next Generation" technology, integration with AOL will be a simpler matter. So-called NG technology is more modular in structure, allowing developers to combine parts of it with AOL's and other companies' code, rather than having to code an entire hybrid browser from the ground up.
Once Communicator's technology is more conducive to integration, AOL may make Navigator the default browser.
AOL's deal with Microsoft to use IE and to include AOL software with Windows runs out in mid-2001. AOL can opt out of the agreement as early as the end of next month; Microsoft does not have that option unless AOL decides to pull out.


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Entry to the 300kW club just dropped below $60,000 for the first time in five years
The price of the cheapest new car with more than 300kW has dropped below $60,000 for the first time since 2018 – and it's electric.
The cheapest ticket to owning a new car with a power output of more than 300kW has gone electric – and dipped below the $60,000 plus on-road costs mark for the first time since 2018.
Announced today, the MG 4 XPower electric hot hatch brings 320kW and 600Nm for $59,990 before on-road costs.
It is the first time a 300kW new car has been available for less than $60,000 before on-road costs since the final shipments of the pre-facelift, V8-powered Ford Mustang GT arrived in early 2018, which offered 306kW for $57,490.
The facelifted Mustang GT introduced in mid to late 2018 brought a power boost to 339kW – but a price rise to $62,990 plus on-road costs (for a manual Fastback coupe).
The price has since crept up to $63,290 in 2019, and $65,290 today – all before on-road costs.
Affordable power has long been the domain of V8-engined muscle sedans, utes and coupes.
Aside from a timing glitch in 2005, where the VT-VZ Commodore platform was being phased out and the VE brought in, the most affordable way to a 300kW new car has worn a Holden or Ford badge in some form since 1998.
At this time, 300kW was supercar power and your starting point was the $299,900 Porsche 911 Turbo (993 generation) which offered an even 300kW from its twin-turbo 3.6-litre flat-six.
In 1994 the most affordable car with at least 300kW was a Ferrari 512tr, and in 1990 there was only one option, a $670,000 Lamborghini Countach 25th Anniversary, that offered 339kW from its 5.2-litre V12.
Sadly, most of the 'affordable' brands are but a memory, with Corsa Special Vehicles (CSV), Holden Special Vehicles (HSV), Ford Performance Vehicles (FPV) and even Holden itself resigned to the history books.
The arrival of the MG is the first time a high-performance electric car has dipped below the $60,000 mark too, the nearest being the Polestar 2 Long Range Dual Motor in early 2022, with 300kW for $69,900.
Entry to the 300kW club - past 20 years
|2024||MG 4 XPower||320kW||$59,990|
|2023||Ford Mustang GT||339kW||$65,290|
|2022||Ford Mustang GT||339kW||$65,290|
|2021||Ford Mustang GT||339kW||$64,390|
|2020||Ford Mustang GT||339kW||$64,190|
|2019||Ford Mustang GT (facelift)||339kW||$63,290|
|2018||Ford Mustang GT (pre-facelift)||306kW||$57,490|
|2017||Holden VF II SS Ute||304kW||$43,990|
|2016||Holden VF II SS Ute||304kW||$41,490|
|2015||Holden VF II SS Ute||304kW||$40,990|
|2014||Ford Falcon XR8 FG X||335kW||$52,490|
|2013||FPV GS Boss FG MkII||315kW||$52,990|
|2012||FPV GS Boss FG MkII||315kW||$52,990|
|2011||FPV GS Boss FG||315kW||$52,990|
|2010||FPV GS Boss FG||315kW||$51,990|
|2009||FPV GS 302 FG||302kW||$49,950|
|2008||FPV Pursuit BF MkII||302kW||$54,920|
|2007||FPV Pursuit BF MkII||302kW||$54,920|
|2006||HSV VE Clubsport R8||307kW||$62,890|
|2005||Porsche Cayenne Turbo||331kW||$203,400|
|2004||HSV VY GTS||300kW||$97,500|
|2003||HSV VY GTS||300kW||$94,650|


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The Kia Optima Sportswagon has begun testing following its debut as a concept earlier this year. Continue Reading...
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The next-generation Audi RS4 Avant has been spied testing near the Nurburgring. Continue Reading...
A heavily modified Audi RS6 previously owned by Jon Olsson was stolen and set on fire. Continue Reading...
The Mercedes CLA-Class is getting a facelift and spy photographers have caught it testing on camera. Continue Reading...
The 2018 Subaru XV Crosstrek is in its very early stages of testing with the Japanese automaker using a current model as a mule. Continue Reading...
As you probably already know, some vehicles return better mpg than advertised. Continue Reading...
In recent years, wagons have been usurped by crossovers, so they haven’t sold very well in the U.S., but that doesn’t mean they aren’t popular elsewhere in the world. Continue Reading...
The Honda Civic covered more than 8,387 miles on just nine tanks of gas. Continue Reading...
The Mercedes R-Class might not be entirely dead. Continue Reading...
More 2016 Volvo S60 and V60 Polestar models are coming to the U.S., it just might not be enough. Continue Reading...
Subaru has announced 2016 Subaru Legacy and Outback pricing. Continue Reading...
Kia’s Sportspace concept won’t evolve into a station wagon version of the new Optima that debuted in New York last week. Continue Reading...
The Kia Sportspace concept will head to production within the next 18 months. Continue Reading...
The newest generation of the Volkswagen Passat Alltrack has debuted at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show. Continue Reading...
The much loved wagon variant of the Cadillac CTS is on its way back, but there are reports that it could debut with a different badge on its grille. Continue Reading...
Volvo is giving its S60 and V60 Polestar models another production run. Continue Reading...
Kia just revealed something called the Sportspace Concept, a stylish wagon that it will debut during the Geneva Motor Show next month. Continue Reading...
Kia’s Europe-only Cee’d small car has been spied once again. The revised Sport Wagon version has been spotted undergoing testing. Continue Reading...
Audi is following up its stunning Prologue concept from the 2014 LA Auto Show. Continue Reading...
The 2015 Volkswagen Golf SportWagen will be cheaper than the outgoing Jetta SportWagen. Continue Reading...
Subaru has earned a reputation for being one of the ultimate winter-friendly manufacturers. Continue Reading...
Safety should be an important consideration for anyone buying a new car, but it’s probably your top priority with a family to haul around. Continue Reading...
First it was the Subaru BRZ to get the tS treatment, now it’s the Japanese automaker’s popular Forester. Continue Reading...
The Subaru XV Crosstrek is getting new special edition for the 2015 model year. Continue Reading...


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Sobeys Reports Profit Jump In Q1'19 Results
Sobeys parent holding Empire Company reported a first-quarter profit of USD95.6 million, up from USD54 million a year ago. Sales totalled USD6.46 billion up from USD6.27 billion during the same period last year. Same-store sales excluding fuel sales were up 1.3 %, compared with a 0.5 % increase. The improvement was partially offset by the deflationary impact of drug reforms and the wind-down and closure of 10 stores in Western Canada during the quarter. The parent company of grocery chain Sobeys Inc warns food prices will rise partly due to new tariffs.


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The E. coli outbreak that affected dozens of Chipotle Mexican Grill customers in nine states last year is expected to be declared over as soon as Monday, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing people familiar with the government's investigation.
Investigators have not been able to pinpoint the ingredient responsible for the contamination, the Journal said. (on.wsj.com/1UBmJ03)
Chipotle has been grappling with a multistate E. coli outbreak that hit the burrito chain's sales and stock price.
The first outbreak surfaced last October. Later, it spread to more states, and the last case of illness linked to Chipotle was reported over two months ago.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, most people infected with E. coli develop symptoms three to four days after contact with the germ. E. coli infections are spread by oral contact with fecal matter and can cause serious symptoms and even be life-threatening.
Chipotle's executives have been reassuring customers and investors that steps are being taken to tighten food safety at the popular burrito chain and that they would prevent future food poisoning outbreaks.
Chipotle is expecting to woo back customers with stepped-up advertising and direct outreach to its most loyal customers.
The company could not immediately be reached for comment.
(Reporting by Sangameswaran S in Bengaluru; Editing by Peter Cooney)
Also on HuffPost:


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Ford took a bit of a gamble, putting in a fuel efficient V6 into their full-size F-150 pickup but now that the EcoBoost-powered truck has sold 100,000 this year, we’re pretty sure Ford execs are content with their decision.
It’s been over 25 years since Ford has sold that many V6-powered pickups in one year, with 40-percent of the buyers opting to pay the extra $895 for the turbocharged EcoBoost 3.5L V6 rather than the conventional 3.7L V6. More than half of all the trucks sold by Ford have been an F-150 V6.
The EcoBoost V6 sports 365-hp and 420 lb-ft of torque, while the non-turbocharged 3.7L has 302-hp. The V8 offerings have 360-hp and 411-hp from a 5.0L and 6.2L respectively.
[Source: Detroit News]


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Moscow, December 7. Control over alcohol sales, which strength exceeds 50 degrees, will be tightened, said the Minister of consumer market and services of Moscow region Vladimir Posazhennikov.
the government of Moscow region will make amendments "On the retail sale of alcohol products in the Moscow region", which will tighten control over the sale of spirits.
"to impose control over the content and distribution of alcohol-containing liquids, — quotes the Internet edition Posazhennikova. — We must control how the requirements to sell such products".
According to him, in the Moscow region will be increased seven times the number of points of sale of alcohol, which will be subjected to license control. Thus the number will reach about 70 thousand pieces..


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Droid-life has a document which reads that the Merge should be available via 3rd party retailers starting May 12 (yes, that’s today). For the moment, though, I can’t find Verizon’s Merge anywhere online – maybe it will be added in the next few hours.
The Merge isn’t a high-end smartphone, but it features global roaming capabilities, full QWERTY keyboard, a 3.7 inch WVGA display, Wi-Fi, GPS, 5MP camera, 720p video recording, and Android 2.2 Froyo. I assume Verizon will sell it for $150 or less on contract.
If you liked the post, you might find these interesting too:
- Verizon HTC Merge (Lexikon) video preview shows up
- Verizon HTC Merge detailed in Entrepreneur Magazine, launch date still a mystery
- New HTC Android Froyo QWERTY phone for Verizon (Merge? Lexikon?) in the wild
- HTC Merge pre-orders starting on March 28 at Alltel
- HTC Merge could be launched by Verizon soon


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Warframe has been getting more and more attention. As of last year, it was reported that the game had about 57.5 million registered players and now, the developer has confirmed that when the new consoles arrive, the game will also be ready for the new console users.
The game was released back in 2013 and have since been getting more and more attention. The game is free-to-play which would explain why it has gotten so much attention and people are more willing to give it a try knowing that they won’t have to pay anything first.
Besides updating their fans on Warframe, Leyou, the company of owns Warframe also added that they are working with Amazon Game Studios on a new Lord of the Rings MMO with Athlon Games. They do not have many details to offer right now but did say that the game will become a blockbuster.


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Apple could launch new iPad models in the coming year but its AR glasses might be delayed further. According to TF Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple is preparing an “affordable” 10.8-inch iPad. This affordable model could debut during the second half of this year. This could mean that the device might arrive alongside the iPhone 12 series or in October. This new iPad is said to be joined by a mini-sized iPad. Also Read - Apple iPhone SE 2020 sale on May 20 on Flipkart with offer price Rs 38,900: Check details
This particular tablet might have a screen size between 8.5 and 9-inches and launch during the first half of next year. CNBC reports citing Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple has several products in its pipeline for launch in the short-term. Earlier, it was reported that Apple’s supply chain is affected by COVID-19 lockdown, leading to delay in launch of new products. However, Apple’s rumored augmented reality glasses might have been delayed further. Also Read - Apple may soon move 20% of iPhone production from China to India: Report
Apple iPad lineup is set for updates this year
“We predict that Apple will launch the new 10.8 inch iPad and 8.5–9 inch iPad mini models in 2H20 and 1H21, respectively,” Kuo said in his investor note. Also Read - Apple HomePod smart speaker finally goes on sale in India for Rs 19,900
Kuo also notes that these new iPad models will follow the strategy of iPhone SE. In other words, they will use older designs but offer faster chips at an affordable price point. Apple launched iPhone SE 2020 last month at a starting price of $399 with the same chip as iPhone 11. The entry-level iPad with a 10-2-inch is available starting at $329. Kuo says the cheaper iPad models account for between 60 percent and 70 percent of iPad shipments.
With a larger screen, affordable price and latest chipset, the new iPad could become an immediate hit among consumers. Kuo also believes that Apple’s glasses are years away from being released to consumers. He was one of the first to report that Apple is working on VR and AR as a new product category. With Apple having acquired California-based NextVR, the chances of the company launching a VR or AR headset seems more likely. However, it won’t happen soon since Apple is using a “pricey laminated lens to display digital content overlaid on top of the real world”.
“The lamination cost of Apple Glasses will be high because the lens requires multi-layer laminations to create innovative MR/AR user experience,” Kuo wrote.


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As businesses of all kinds prepare to reopen and welcome customers, they need to have Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) available for their staff as well as customers. To ease the financial burden of purchasing these items when businesses are already struggling financially as a result of COVID-19 quarantine measures that have been in effect for nearly three months, Nassau County has committed $500,000 with support from the County’s Industrial Development Agency (IDA) to provide about 1,000 small businesses and nonprofits with PPE kits.
“Although it is a small amount of assistance, at least it will help small businesses somewhat as they strive to get back to business,” Nassau County Legislator Delia DeRiggi-Whitton said. “I’m sure it will give business owners, their staff and customers who visit them peace of mind in knowing they have the necessary equipment to protect everyone on the premises. We all look forward to getting back to normal over time. Reopening stores is a huge step in the right direction.”
The PPE kits include: one contactless infrared digital thermometer for the employer to use to scan employees and/or customers; five face shields for employees; 400 three-ply masks for customers who enter a store with no mask; 100 pairs of vinyl PPE (non latex, powder-free) gloves; two gallons of hand sanitizer with a spray pump and 1,800 sanitizing wipes in a canister. Note that this program is for businesses and nonprofits with fewer than 20 employees, MWBE-owned businesses and businesses in hard hit and economically distressed neighborhoods. A new round of kits are being ordered so apply right away at www.nassauboost.net. For more information on this and other helpful information for businesses reopening, visit www.nassaucountyny.gov/reopen.


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Online Business…what's new!
The latest news title to consider ways of testing the appetite for paid-for online content appears to be the Telegraph Media Group.
Although previously being a firm advocate of online content being free, they are believed to be looking at workable models for paid content, to be introduced to readers in 2011. A spokesperson has rejected the rumour that a decision has been firmly made to go ahead with any plans, and commented instead that TMG continually assesses developments in on the online sector, just as every other publisher does. According to the most recent ABCe figures, The Telegraph recorded almost 34 million monthly and over 1.7m average daily browsers in October 2010.
The source of the information on these future plans is refuting the suggestion that the group is reneging on its previous free-content stance, just as The Independent and The Guardian launch their own paid-subcription mobile applications. Meanwhile Trinity Mirror confirmed that it was exploring the keenness for paid content by using social gaming to build loyalty, starting with fantasy football game on Facebook, that they launched in October.
It is now widely accepted within the publishing industry that consumers are willing to pay for content through apps, summed up by spokesman a from Trinity Mirror… “There may be a willingness to pay for unique, high-value content”. laying the path clear indeed for TMG to take the digital leap.


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MealConnect is making a difference
Preventing food waste and feeding people facing hunger is proving to be easier than ever thanks to Feeding America’s MealConnect application.
Yes, when it comes to food rescue, “there’s an app for that.”
We detail our connection to MealConnect in this video, and also highlight the ways an online grocery store and a women’s recovery organization are using and benefitting from this collaboration.
We profiled MealConnect when it launched in April. It’s off to a strong start.
“The MealConnect team is working to scale use in the Feeding America food bank network and raise awareness among the public and potential donors,” says Justin Block, senior manager in retail information services at Feeding America. “We are currently looking at ways to find support and partnerships for those members interested in using the innovation.”
If you want to get involved, download MealConnect on your device and notify your favorite restaurants and grocery stores about the easy-to-use application or volunteer at your local Feeding America food bank.
To learn more about MealConnect and how other organizations are leading the way in food waste, listen to our latest “A Taste of General Mills” podcast.
Have an idea for a story you’d like to see on “A Taste of General Mills”? Please let us know via email at firstname.lastname@example.org.
Subscribe to “A Taste of General Mills” by email – here – and we’ll notify you about our latest posts.


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With direct ties to Colombian specialty coffee and a proactive economic approach to environmental stewardship, Oregon-based Futura Coffee Roasters has expanded to the east coast.
The growing Futura leadership team last week celebrated the grand opening of Futura in the Mill District retail development in Amherst, Massachusetts.
As with Futura’s original shop, which opened in Portland, Oregon, in 2022, 3% of all sales from the coffee bar will go towards a regenerative soil fund supporting sustainable agricultural activities in the coffee lands of Colombia.
Within the plant-filled shop, where light wood tables and clean white surfaces maintain brightness in a post-industrial setting, the Futura crew offers a similar menu to what’s currently available at the two Portland locations. House-made breakfast sandwiches, fresh bagels and pastries are offered alongside a clean and classic coffee drinks menu.
In Amherst, a white Mahlkönig EK43 grinds beans for batch brew and pourovers with Origami drippers, while a white Dalla Corte DC Two grinder supports a Dalla Corte XT espresso machine.
Coffees continue to be roasted in Portland, Oregon, following sourcing efforts led by Futura’s diverse leadership group, which comprises actors throughout the high-end specialty coffee supply chain.
Partners in the venture include CJ Speelman of Portland roasting company Tanager Coffee, Sebastian Villamizar of Colombian green coffee company Equation Coffee and Felipe Sardi of Colombian producer group and resort La Palma y El Tucan.
Renowned coffee roaster Vic Scutari of Delaware-based Brandywine Coffee Roasters is helping to lead Futura’s Amherst operation, according to the Oregon company.
Kate Van Petten, who recently joined Futura as marketing director, told DCN that additional Futura locations may be in the works, including a third Portland-area cafe.
Said Van Petten, “The east coast expansion of Futura Coffee Roasters signifies the start of a broader mission expansion for specialty coffee.”
More From DCN
Nick Brown is the editor of Daily Coffee News by Roast Magazine.


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While the popularity of online shopping continues to grow, bricks and mortar stores are by no means a dying breed for retailers. NAB’s latest online retail sales index announced this month showed that in the 12 months to May 2014, Australians spent $15.3 billion on online retail which is equivalent to just 6.6 per cent of traditional bricks and mortar retailers in the 12 months to April 2014.
There’s still a very prominent place for traditional retail stores, but store managers must continue to innovative and think laterally to enhance the in-store experience and keep customers coming back.
There are several factors that can influence a customer from the moment they enter a store until the point of purchase – with music in particular playing a key role.
Music can be heard both consciously and sub-consciously, with the ability to motivate and up-lift retail staff and customers. It can keep customers in-store longer and put them in the right emotional state to make the decision to purchase.
Research conducted in the UK by music licensing company PPL showed that 51 per cent of customers surveyed said they would spend more time browsing in a store playing music, while 76 per cent agreed that they feel more relaxed in retail stores that play music. Additionally, music can increase productivity in the workplace, with 95 per cent of staff stating that in-store music creates a better working environment.
Retailers should look to music that reflects the character of their brand and appeals to their target market, but it should also be aspirational and ahead of the curve. Just because a song is popular in the charts doesn’t mean that it’s right in a retail or restaurant environment.
I often tell my clients that you won’t consciously notice the music when it’s right, but you will definitely notice it when it’s wrong.
Many businesses may not realise the psychological impact, yet the level and pace of music can have a sizeable influence on customer’s perception of a product, and how much of it they consume. For instance, soft, medium-tempo music can encourage guests to not only stay in a restaurant longer, but also to consume more in one sitting.
However, while the requirement for in-store music is paramount, many business owners are surprised to learn about the legal ramifications of playing music in-store without paying the relevant royalties or holding the required licences.
I am often surprised to learn of businesses playing a CD they have bought or running Spotify in their restaurant, without any qualms or understanding of the risk they’re bringing to their business.
All streaming services, such as Spotify, Rdio and Deezer, are for non-commercial use only. It is also illegal to duplicate music without the various reproduction licences required – so it’s not as simple as making your own playlist or CD and playing it in-store.
Even if music is purchased legally, businesses are still required to pay public performance royalties to APRA who represent the writers and publishers, as well as PPCA who represent the artist and record companies.
The ramifications for not adhering to these guidelines are costly and can potentially result in court proceedings.
Commercial business owners need to draw on a robust music service that provides the required licencing as part of its service bundle, and also provides store managers with flexible, customisable music playlists that align with the business’ brand identity and the demographic they’re aiming to attract.
Businesses should work with their music provider to create a unique audio signature for their brand, differentiating them from their competitors.
In my conversations with some of Australia’s leading retailers, convenience is a key theme in regards to an in-store music solution. That’s why at storePlay we provide customised three hour playlists to some of the country’s major retailers - including Sass + Bide, Hudsons Coffee, Virgin Mobile, Kathmandu and Kookai – with all royalty payments taken care of by our service. We take the time to understand the brand and image it aspires to embody, and then create programs that are truly authentic to the brand’s vision.
Yet, if business owners prefer getting things up and running almost instantly by themselves, they can simply sign up to storePlay, select the playlist that best reflects the shop's ambiance, download the storePlay app from the iTunes App Store, sign in and play. All the business requires is an internet connection and an Apple iOS device. Businesses receive three hours of new music every month that is 100 per cent legal to play in a retail or restaurant environment.
Music can play an incredible role in enhancing customer satisfaction, so retailers, restaurants, hair salons and any other commercial premises need to embrace music that resonates with their brand personality, and partner with a music subscription service that’s flexible and protects them from any legal issues.
Dean Cherny is the founder of storePlay


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Graphics chip specialist NVIDIA
NVIDIA has been a major player in system chipsets for many years, providing the basic building blocks of modern computer systems for computers based on processors from Intel
Citing "Intel's improper claims to customers" and "unfair business tactics" regarding licenses to support Intel processors, NVIDIA says it can't continue to invest in this line of business anymore. Development and sales of NVIDIA chipsets for Intel’s latest microprocessor technology has been halted -- and NVIDIA is dodging direct questions on whether it will continue to develop AMD chipsets.
NVIDIA claims to sell more AMD chipsets than AMD itself, and supplies products for Intel systems to system builders like Dell
Then again, people do change their minds occasionally, and I wouldn't be surprised to see NVIDIA and Intel settle the matter out of court and move on with their respective businesses as before. In fact, the whole brouhaha could be nothing more than a negotiating tactic from NVIDIA: Compromise on your demands or lose your license payments entirely.
Do you think we'll see NVIDIA make a full return to chipsets in our lifetime? Discuss in the comments below.
Fool contributor Anders Bylund owns shares in AMD, but he holds no other position in any of the companies discussed here. Apple and NVIDIA are Motley Fool Stock Advisor recommendations. Dell and Intel are Motley Fool Inside Value recommendations. Try any of our Foolish newsletters today, free for 30 days. You can check out Anders' holdings and a concise bio if you like, and The Motley Fool is investors writing for investors.


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Online marketing workshop set for Jan. 29 in West Point
West Point, Neb. - Small business owners are invited to learn about online marketing tools in an interactive setting during an upcoming workshop, “Online Marketing Strategies.” This free event is organized by the Center for Rural Affairs’ Rural Enterprise Assistance Project (REAP) Women’s Business Center in collaboration with Cuming County Economic Development, Inc. and Louis and Abby Faye Dinklage.
This session will be held Monday, Jan. 29, 2018, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., at the Nielsen Community Center, 200 Anna Stalp Ave., in West Point, Nebraska.
The workshop will focus on building online relationships using websites, email marketing, and social media, including Facebook and Twitter.
“Many small business owners get caught up trying to use social media, but then forget the basic necessity of having a broader online presence," said Monica Braun, REAP Women’s Business Center director. “Eighty-one percent of shoppers conduct online searches before buying. This session will help potential clients see only the best of your business in those searches.”
Diane Siefkes, owner of dkSolutions, and an online marketing consultant from Lincoln, Nebraska, will present the session. Siefkes specializes in demystifying social media and email marketing for small business owners.
Pre-registration is required. Contact Kelly Gentrup at 402.372.6001, or firstname.lastname@example.org.
Visit cfra.org/events for more information. Center for Rural Affairs’ REAP provides business training, technical assistance, microloans, and networking to small businesses in Nebraska.
- Posted on 7.26.2019
- Posted on 7.29.2019
- Posted on 8.1.2019
- Posted on 8.21.2019
- Posted on 9.12.2019


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GREENSBORO, N.C. - Volvo Trucks North America and the VN Series tractors were recently recognized at the Designs of the Decade award ceremony sponsored by the Industrial Designers Society of America (...
GREENSBORO, N.C. – Volvo Trucks North America and the VN Series tractors were recently recognized at the Designs of the Decade award ceremony sponsored by the Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA).
Volvo’s VNs received the silver award in the transportation category at the festivities held in Washington, D.C.
“This honor confirms our belief that an exceptional design process is a valuable competitive advantage,” says Marc Gustafson, president and chief executive officer of Volvo Trucks, who was joined by a team of design engineers to accept the award.
Winning designs were required to demonstrate a clear, significant contribution to a business, such as creating or revolutionizing a market, improving a company’s cost efficiency or significantly increasing sales.
For Volvo Trucks, the VN Series boosted sales by 63 per cent – from 22,000 units in 1997 to 36,000 units in 1999. In total, more than 60,000 VN models have been sold or ordered. n
Truck News is Canada's leading trucking newspaper - news and information for trucking companies, owner/operators, truck drivers and logistics professionals working in the Canadian trucking industry. All posts by Truck News


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WASHINGTON — A delegation from Bangladesh led by Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed visited here last week and met with calls for more business transparency and better working conditions in the Asian nation’s apparel industry.
The visit by the 10-member delegation — which included the presidents of the two important garment federations in Bangladesh, the fire chief, as well as factory owners, and a trade union leader — was seen as a crucial step forward after a difficult year in which a flurry of activity has taken place in the industry.
“It is a fact that we have taken a lot of action,” Ahmed told WWD, having flown in for a five-day trip to the U.S. for negotiations and a sharing of perspectives. He came directly from Beijing, fresh from an agreement with the Chinese government for a $3 billion investment in a garment park in Bangladesh, which he said would provide 300,000 jobs in the apparel sector. The garment industry in Bangladesh employs 3.8 million workers, 80 percent of whom are women. Bangladesh is the second-largest exporter of garments in the world, after China.
While there are differences between the industry’s stakeholders — with the factory owners, the government and labor holding different edges of the same cloth — the delegation maintained a cohesive front. Atiqul Islam, president of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association, said factory owners were being more open to the process of securing greater safety in their factories and the fact that trade unions needed to be allowed. “The process of change is on,” he said, reiterating the government’s position.
Over discussions with Congressman Sander Levin, U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman, U.S. Associate Deputy Undersecretary Eric Biel, Undersecretary for Economic Affairs Cathy Novelli and several retailer associations, different aspects of the industry’s progress came up for review.
In Ahmed’s meeting with assistant secretary of State for South Asia Nisha Desai Biswal, a variety of topics of bilateral and regional interest came up, although discussions focused on increasing bilateral trade. They also included a focus on improving the health and safety of workers and safeguarding workers’ rights.
Despite the many changes in the last 14 months, it was obvious the process is a work in progress.
As Levin said, a day after his meeting with the delegation: “There seems to be significant progress, but there is still much left to be done.” He said that although safety issues appeared to be improving, there was a “sharp contrast” with what needed to be done for the protection of workers’ rights.
Responding to the contention that more than 160 trade unions had been registered over the last year, compared with eight in previous years, Levin said, “Registration is one thing, but giving workers their rights is quite another.”
He expressed concern over the “evidence of increased violence and the failure of the government to respond to this increasing violence as workers try to organize.”
The delegation included Sukkur Mahmud, president of the Jatiya Saramik League, who represented the workers and who expressed his satisfaction that things were improving substantially, in terms of the implementation of the amendment of the labor law allowing the formation of trade unions as well as a wage increase for workers.
Mesbah Rabin, managing director in Bangladesh for the Alliance for Worker Safety, who also was part of the delegation, said 90 percent of the factory inspections had been completed by the alliance. He pointed out that giving workers a voice was part of the change, with a hotline set up in more than 50 factories so that workers could have direct access for help. He said the government was in the process of implementing a similar hotline.
The retailer associations — including the National Retail Federation, Retail Industry Leaders Association and the American Apparel & Footwear Association — brought up some of their own concerns, which the delegation addressed: That the trade unions still had a long way to go; that the plan to hire inspectors for factories was moving along slowly, but was happening, and that factory owners who had been chided for not being serious enough about installing better safety equipment were indeed beginning to see the necessity for change.
Rabin pointed out that “as for the complaints that some remediation is slow, some of the sophisticated fire technology is unheard of in the country; sprinkler systems, for example, are not manufactured in the country.”
Islam agreed. “It will take some time, but within one year things will change radically. Some of the factories that have closed will move to new areas, that is also part of this change,” he said.
The delegation arrived in Washington after meetings in Las Vegas at the National Fire Protection Association convention, to look at how the problems facing factory owners can be resolved — sprinklers are being introduced in factories along with fire doors and other requirements. Some of these were part of the Bangladesh Building Code, but had not been implemented over the years. “These problems have not been resolved, but they are not insurmountable,” Brigadier General Ali Ahmed Khan, director general, Fire Service and Civil Defence, told WWD.
@margotrobbie steps out onto the red carpet wearing @miumiu. The actress is nominated for “Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role” in “I, Tonya” at the #SagAwards. (📷: Stewart Cook) #wwdfashion
For @massimogiorgetti of @msgm, the Nineties are his favorite decade. “They had a huge impact on my personal growth. What I like of the Nineties is that they are not so precise in terms of style as other decades…there was actually a bit of everything,” he said. As seen on MSGM’s Spring 2018 show: tie-dye and a bit of grunge, two styles that are synonymous with the decade #wwdfashion #wwddecades (📷: @kukukuba)
Breaking News: @hedislimane joins @celine as its new artistic, creative and image director. One of fashion’s preeminent image-makers and trendsetters, Slimane is to join the LVMH brand on Feb. 1 and unveil his first fashion proposition for men and women next September during Paris Fashion Week. It marks a major homecoming for Slimane, who cemented his reputation – and influenced men’s tailoring for more than a decade – as the designer of Dior Homme between 2000 and 2007. He went on to reinvent and ignite the house of Yves Saint Laurent, which he rechristened Saint Laurent, between 2012 and 2016 – all the while maintaining a close relationship with the Arnault family, which controls LVMH and Dior. Read the full exclusive story on WWD.com. Link in bio. #wwdnews #wwdfashion
“Personally I believe the Eighties have been the richest and more vivacious period for international fashion,” Giorgio Armani said when asked what his favorite decade of fashion is. It was a moment of disruption and experimentation and only thinking back to the first years of that decade is always an emotion for me, for what they have meant to me and my work.” The influence is clear in @giorgioarmani spring 2018 collection, pictured here, which was full of bright colors and unexpected prints. Read more about which decades designers loved most on WWD.com #wwdfashion #wwddecades (📷: @aitorrosasphoto)
For Lady Gaga’s only Italian show on her “Joanne World Tour,” the singer wore a range of @versace_official outfits. The standout piece: this custom-made bodysuit inspired by the brand’s spring 2018 collection. #wwdfashion (RG: @ladygaga)
@_camillaruth_ is expanding on the wellness-craze concept with @westbourne – a new NYC restaurant that’s both a healthy-minded café as well as a business that gives back to the community. Marcus works with the Robin Hood foundation to give back to The Door, a non-profit providing youth development services, and also hires employees through The Door. Read our full interview with Marcus on giving back through food on WWD.com. #wwdeye (📷: @lexieblacklock)


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With a new focus on reaching creative, flavor-seeking home cooks who already prepare, eat, and love pork, the National Pork Board has launched a new branding position celebrating pork’s ability to offer a wide range of meal options.
With PORK as the brand, the new campaign of: “Pork, Be inspired” shows pork’s place in almost any menu, time of day, cuisine, and lifestyle, based on pork’s combination of flavor and versatility as the source of kitchen inspiration.
“Our research shows that pork’s top consumers are open to more than the basics with pork,” said Jarrod Sutton, AVP of channel marketing at the National Pork Board. “They’re looking for inspiration because they already know and love pork. While our new target represents our biggest fans, we believe we can help them enjoy pork even more often – and inspire their friends to do the same."
The new, fully integrated campaign features an updated look and feel, along with a new consumer target: the more than 82 million Americans who already cook, eat, and love pork. Moving from a functional to a more emotional positioning, the campaign was developed in a voice that is proud, energetic, approachable, and unapologetically optimistic about the unique attributes of the world's most popular protein.
The new campaign rolls out this March and April, and includes national consumer advertising, public relations, social media, and promotions by state pork associations. A full section of PorkRetail.org will be dedicated to introducing retailers to the new brand positioning, and providing resources to assist them in including the new brand in merchandising materials. Point-of-sale materials will be available, including an ironman sign, poster, and recipe brochure. All marketing elements showcase are designed to inspire new ways to enjoy pork more frequently, with a range of easy to prepare meal options.
Recent consumer segmentation research from the National Pork Board found that 82 million Americans are “Pork Champions” – men and women who are predominantly medium to heavy fresh pork eaters with a strong passion for pork that they are eager to share. According to NPB, this group:
- Represents approximately 28 percent of U.S. households but accounts for roughly 68 percent of all in-home fresh pork consumption and 50 percent of all away-from-home fresh pork consumption.
- Enjoys cooking and experimenting with new flavors in the kitchen, understands how to cook pork, and in general looks at life with a positive outlook.
Nearly 25 years ago, the Pork The Other White Meat campaign was conceived to reposition pork as a healthful protein source. Today, The Other White Meat campaign will play a role as a heritage brand, with use on the consumer web site and in nutrition communications. The Other White Meat campaign will not be featured in advertising.
“Our new campaign communicates to the legion of pork fans that pork is delicious, versatile, and can stand on its own,” added Sutton. “We will be working with our retail partners to communicate Pork’s new message and inspire consumers to enjoy a variety of pork dishes, one meal after another.”
For more information on the Pork Be inspired campaign, visit www.PorkRetail.org.


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MoviePass, a rebooted version of the app that once burned through cash promising theatergoers all-you-can-watch features for a single fee, says it’s now going to expand nationwide again during the busy box office Memorial Day frame.
In its latest incarnation, the firm, run by Stacy Spikes, has subscription plans that range from $10 a month (for one to three movies) as well as $40 a month (for 30 movies a month). And the company claims that moviegoers can use the app at 4,000 locations. “By opening up MoviePass to film lovers nationwide, we are expanding our support of the movie theater industry by helping drive traffic to all theaters during the critical summer season,” stated Spikes.
In January, the company said it raised funding from a number of financiers led by venture firm Animoca Brands, expanded to nine U.S. markets and inked partnerships with chains including B&B Theatres, Cinepolis Luxury Cinemas and Landmark Theatres.
The move marks the latest gambit for a brand whose parent company filed for bankruptcy in 2020 and which has pivoted business models since it was first started. In 2011, Spikes was among founders launching MoviePass with a test run in San Francisco, billing the service as “Netflix for movie buyers” and promising all-you-can-watch theater tickets for $50 a month. Immediately, the largest circuit, AMC Theatres, tried to blunt any momentum and its then marketing chief said it “was news to us to see” its locations as participants in the test.
It was years later that MoviePass’ boom-and-bust story broke through to most of the public. That was when former Netflix co-founder Mitch Lowe joined in 2016 and then the Ted Farnsworth-run data firm Helios and Matheson acquired the service a year later, setting MoviePass on a cash-burning course of a $9.95 per month price tag, ballooning subscribers up to an unsustainable 2 million at one point. (Lowe and Farnsworth are no longer with the company, and were sued by the Securities and Exchange Commission last year for allegedly violating federal securities laws, which they contested.)
The move to Helios and Matheson Analytics coincided with MoviePass slashing its monthly price. Lowe heralded the move, saying the pricing scheme “completely disrupts the movie industry in the same way that Netflix and Redbox have done in years past.” MoviePass said it hit 150,000 subscribers — up from the 20,000 it had when it cost $50 monthly.
Despite MoviePass paying full freight for tickets, major theater chains have been wary about the service devaluing the cost for going to the movies. In Aug. 2017, AMC Theatres issued a statement headlined “Not Welcome Here” that noted: “holding out to consumers that first-run movies can be watched in theaters at great quantities for a monthly price of $9.95 isn’t doing moviegoers any favors.” But the world’s largest theater circuit had changed its tune by April 2018, perhaps figuring that if MoviePass wanted to buy tickets at full price it wouldn’t stand in its way. AMC CEO Adam Aron said of its business model, “We don’t see where those numbers add up.”
At the time, National Association of Theatre Owners (NATO) chief John Fithian brushed aside the notion that the industry needed a self-labeled savior. (Customers, many of which used the service to go to see movies in theaters multiple times a month, were skeptical too. In a National Research Group poll conducted for The Hollywood Reporter in April 2018, 63 percent of respondents said they thought the service was too good to be true.)
Unlike when MoviePass first launched, theater chains now tout their own monthly membership programs, including AMC’s Stubs A-List (which had 900,000 subscribers pre-COVID) and Cinemark’s Movie Club. The average cost of a ticket has now risen as well, as of 2022 it was $10.53, per NATO.
At its subscriber peak — when it grew from 150,000 users to 2 million in less than a year by steep discounting — the company touted its impact on box office grosses. (Helios and Matheson Analytics filed for bankruptcy in January 2020.)
Spikes has now positioned the new MoviePass as a discovery platform to studios, helping to drive moviegoers to films other than the big blockbusters and as a sort of tech provider to theater chains, helping to fill seats at slow times. It’s unclear if circuits will welcome the help.
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Consumer views and behaviors on creating and using passwords
17% of consumers would rather watch paint dry than create a unique password for every service they use, an Onfido survey reveals.
The study polled more than 4,000 consumers in the United States, the United Kingdom, France and Germany on their password habits, attitudes and more.
Despite widely recognized security risks, passwords remain the de facto standard for user access and authentication for online applications, with the average person having 100 passwords. Survey results indicate many consumers find password creation cumbersome, and widespread poor password hygiene could put consumers and the brands they engage with at risk.
People would rather get a root canal
Consumers would rather do mundane, uncomfortable and, in some cases, painful activities than create a unique password for every online account they have.
Seventeen percent of respondents would rather file their taxes. One in 10 people would rather get a root canal or colonoscopy, and 15% of respondents would rather wait in line to update their vehicle registration or driver’s license (e.g. at the DMV or RMV).
Many predict a no password future is imminent
Fifty-eight percent of respondents predict that passwords will be extinct within nine years or less, with 40% predicting in five years or less.
58% say they would use biometrics (i.e., fingerprint or facial biometrics) in place of a password for all of their accounts if the brands and services they used offered it.
Bad password habits persist among consumers
Fifty percent of people globally reuse passwords (17% use only one for all accounts; 33% use a handful rotated across all accounts).
One in five people have a core password that they adapt to meet brands’ password strength requirements (such as character length, special characters, etc. – a well-recognized best practice for protecting accounts from bad actors that use tactics like credential stuffing that capitalize on repeat passwords).
Consumers prioritize tough-to-crack passwords
When coming up with new passwords, 29% of consumers say creating passwords that are hard to crack is a top priority. One in four say meeting the requirements of the service they are interacting with is top priority, while nearly 18% prioritize simplicity and about one in 10 prioritize it matching other passwords.
22% use birthdays as inspiration for passwords, while 19% use pet names, 19% use family names, 14% use a hobby, 12% use time of year (seasons, months, year), and 10% use their mother’s maiden name, sports teams, street names/addresses, and phone numbers. Stealthy hackers can find much of this information about a given person online with just a few searches, which put consumers at risk.
Accounts within specific industries prioritize password complexity
The survey also asked consumers to rate the importance of having a complex and secure password versus a simple and memorable password for accounts within specific industries (on a scale of “1” being simple and memorable and “5” being complex and secure). 57% selected complex and secure for banking, 47% selected the same for crypto exchanges, software or services used for work (48%), and home security applications (48%).
35% prioritize password complexity and security for online health services and gambling/betting (35%), and 28% make password complexity and security a priority for travel applications, online education (25%), gaming platforms (24%), and food delivery (21%).
“Passwords are an insufficient form of authentication because the onus lies on consumers to remember them and ensure their complexity. With today’s fraudsters carrying out highly sophisticated attacks using data from the dark web, even the lengthiest and seemingly strongest passwords can be relatively easy to hack,” said Sarah Munro, Director of Personal Identity at Onfido.
“A better, more secure path forward is for organizations to invest in biometrics-based technology that can offer a more convenient and secure experience for consumers.”
According to Forrester’s Q3 2020 survey, 46% of respondents already use passwordless authentication for popular consumer websites, while 51% of consumers believe biometric login should be optional for mobile apps.


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Sime Darby suspends two Malaysian palm oil suppliers
The world’s largest palm oil planter says the two do not meet environmental standards in an industry under fire over deforestation
Carey Island — Sime Darby Plantation, the world’s largest palm oil planter, has suspended two Malaysian suppliers for failing to meet its environmental standards, and identified 55 others as “high risk” in recent months as it fights against deforestation.
Sime Darby is potentially one of the biggest losers from a European backlash against an industry accused of clearing vast areas of tropical rainforest to make way for plantations.
Company officials said this was the first such action taken since the launch of an online tool last May that allows anyone to trace the sources of its palm oil and raise complaints if necessary.
The company, which counts Nestlé, McDonald’s, Unilever and Ferrero as customers, refines 4-million tonnes of palm oil a year in Malaysia, 1-million tonnes of which is sourced from third parties.
The palm industry “still has issues around deforestation, we don’t deny that, but somehow the attention is always on us”, Rashyid Redza, principal sustainability officer at Sime Darby, told Reuters. “We have not been proactive enough in the past to counter the allegations, and we have not been organised as an industry in the past.”
He did not name the suspended suppliers — which will need to ensure their plantations did not cause deforestation and that their workers are not exploited before being considered for re-inclusion in its supply chain.
The high-risk suppliers have been identified based on their location near protected forest areas or orangutan ranges, he said on January 31 at the company’s plantation in Carey Island, an hour’s drive southwest of the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur.
Sime Darby, which has 590,000ha of planted area across Malaysia, Indonesia, the Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea, is one of four Malaysian palm giants that Indonesia accused of carrying out slash-and-burn, land-clearing practices that led to a cross-border haze crisis in the region in September.
Sime Darby has denied the accusation, saying that most fires were started by local communities living within its concession.
In 2018, WWF-Indonesia named Sime Darby among several companies that bought “tainted” palm oil mills — those that source palm oil from plantations that illegally encroached protected forest areas on Sumatra island. At that time, Sime Darby said it was working with NGOs to eradicate deforestation.
Indonesia and Malaysia account for about 85% of palm oil production and are set to lose the most from EU regulation to phase it out from renewable fuel by 2030.
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Canadian taxpayers have been increasingly generous to native Canadians over the decades but that reality is not often the narrative one hears from selected First Nations leaders. Instead, the oft-stated...
New research conducted in the United States has found that young children who consume four soft drinks a day are more likely to be violent, moody, and have difficulties concentrating.
The study, done by researchers at Columbia University, asked mothers of five-year-old children how many sugary drinks they consumed each day over the previous two months, as well as how their behaviour was over that same period.
Almost half of the 3,000 children drank at least one soft drink per day. Approximately 120 children consumed four or more soft drinks a day.
The link between the soft drinks and aggression was “strong and consistent,” said the researchers, even when other factors like socioeconomic status, domestic violence, and the amount of sugary snacks the kids consumed were taken into account.
Regardless of gender, the study also found that the more sugary drinks a child consumed, the worse their behaviour was likely to be.
Despite this, researcher Shakira Suglia said she cannot prove conclusively that the soft drinks were making the children violent. She did, however, suggest that cutting down on sugary drinks could lead to improved behaviour.
Dr. Sarah Schenker of the British Dietetic Association recommends giving children milk or water instead of sugary drinks. Fruit juice is OK, if consumed in moderation.
While the Columbia study is the most comprehensive research done with children at this age, there have been many studies in recent years showing the adverse effects of sugar consumption.
Soft drinks are often linked to the rise in obesity in North America. New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg tried to outlaw super-sized soft drinks, a plan that was ruled unconstitutional last month.
In 2004, Canadians of all ages consumed approximately 110 grams of sugar per day on average. A can of Coke contains 39 grams of sugar.
When it comes to gift-giving, there's your A-list, and then there's your B-list. The latter is typically...
Enjoy this festive gin-based cocktail with friends, and perhaps while reading or watching Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas!


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Find out what AMIC is doing to increase the profitability and sustainability of our industry.
AMIC is the peak body representing retailers, processors and smallgoods manufacturers across the country.
The Australian Meat Industry Council exists for a clear reason: to help our members achieve and maintain profitability in a world that has never seen more change.
We’re here to be a powerful voice for our industry. We’re here to ensure our members are recognised for the crucial role they play in the agribusiness supply chain. We’re here to support our members to continue creating jobs in Australia and to continue to feed the Australian economy.
Are you up-to-date with our latest news?
Sign up for our Processor, Smallgoods or Retail e-newsletters
The Australian Meat Industry Council is your access to Industry news, events
The Australian Meat Industry Council (AMIC) welcomes the signing today of a trade agreement between Australia and Indonesia, the latest in a series of free trade agreements which all help support a more vibrant industry. AMIC CEO Patrick Hutchinson, says the bilateral...
23rd January 2019 For immediate release FOR INTERVIEW OPPORTUNITIES WITH AUSTRALIAN MEAT INDUSTRY COUNCIL CEO PATRICK HUTCHINSON, PLEASE CALL SARAH CRAIG ON 0403 077 478 Australia’s under-pressure red meat supply chain - an escalating issue for rural communities and...
AMIC CEO Patrick Hutchinson is standing alongside industry counterparts right across the supply chain of agriculture, in calling for the immediate shut down of Aussie Farms’ shaming website which implies a connection between these sites identified and animal cruelty.
With all of NSW in drought, farmers are struggling through Australia’s worst drought in living memory, and the situation is set to intensify across the country as temperatures reach new record highs in a number of regions. In the past six months, we’ve seen two...
Urgent action needed on meat sector operating costs Australian meat processors are dealing with operating costs which are dramatically higher than their key global competitors, and intervention is urgently required to safeguard the future of the local industry,...
Processing cost to operate highlighted in new report Australian meat processors are dealing with operating costs which are dramatically higher than their key global competitors, and intervention is urgently required to safeguard the future of the local industry. AMIC...
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Top 10 Chaebol Groups Posting Lower Profits
kpopluv, May 8, 2014, 10:57 a.m.
According to a recent survey by market researchers FnGuide, the pre-tax profits of the top 10 conglomerates dropped 15 percent last year, and leaving out perennial fat cat Samsung Electronics, more than 30 percent. In the Samsung Group itself, profits over the last year fell 15 percent but without Samsung Electronics a massive 77 percent.
The report analyzed the performance of 87 affiliates of the nation's top 10 conglomerates, including Hyundai Motor, LG, Samsung and SK and found that their pre-tax profits last year totaled W50.9 trillion or about $49.7 billion , down from W59.8 trillion a year earlier, which is about $58 billion. But if Samsung Electronics is excluded, combined profits fell from W39 trillion to W26.7 trillion.
All of the conglomerates except SK Group saw earnings deteriorate in 2013. Hyundai Heavy Industries' profits plunged 82 percent due to a shipbuilding industry slump compounded by increased competition, while steelmaker POSCO, which recently began widespread restructuring, saw profits decline 41 percent. Samsung Group's 17 affiliates saw profits drop to around W31 trillion, but without Samsung Electronics they fell to W2.3 trillion.


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Ford plans to build 50,000 Mustang Mach-Es globally in the first full year of production. This news comes from L.A. where Detroit News reporter Ian Thibodeau tweeted that Joe Hinrichs made this statement. Hinrichs is Ford’s president of automotive, and he said production wouldn’t be any higher than this due to limited battery availability.
Compared to most EVs, 50,000 cars in one year is an aggressive target. The Tesla Model 3 is one big exception to this – the Bloomberg Model 3 VIN tracker counts approximately 536,000 registered Model 3s. It’s difficult to know exactly how many Model 3s were sold so far this year (Tesla doesn’t report those numbers), but it's at least a couple hundred thousand in 2019 so far.
Ford’s 50,000 vehicle target looks low relative to the Model 3’s continued sales success, but rather ambitious compared to the rest of the EV market. Nissan sold just over 30,000 Leafs in its best year, and the Chevrolet Bolt EV saw a little over 20,000 units sold in its best sales year. Of course, both those cars are rather boring compared to the Mustang Mach-E and not anywhere nearly as cool as a Model 3.
Another aspect of this worth noting is that Ford hasn’t said what it ultimately expects sales to be once it can sort the battery supply issue out. Could Ford sell more than 50,000 Mach-Es a year? At this point, we don't know what Ford thinks demand will end up being once its production constraints are removed.
Actual production for the Mach-E will kick off next year sometime with the first cars heading to dealers in late 2020. The GTs won’t be available until spring 2021. We’ll be checking in periodically to see if the Mustang Mach-E is able to fulfill the expectations executives have for it at launch.


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NJPW announced tickets for the G1 Special in Fan Francisco will be available beginning on May 1 at 1pm ET / 10am PT. The event will take place from the Cow Palace on July 7, which NJPW says will host 10,000 fans. Ticket prices range from $40-$300.
NJPW issued the following:
NJPW hits the Cow Palace! Tickets for G1 Special on sale May 1!
This summer, New Japan returns to America, bigger than ever. On July 7, “G1 SPECIAL IN SAN FRANCISCO” will see the stars of NJPW rock the legendary Cow Palace.
After wildly successful events in Los Angeles, NJPW management sought out a bigger building for our San Francisco debut. The Cow Palace will host 10,000 strong witnessing the very best pro-wrestling on the planet. With our biggest American crowd to date on hand, and the historic legacy of this famous building to live up to, you can be sure of a card for the ages.
G1 SPECIAL IN SAN FRANCISCO
Saturday, July 7, 2018
Doors 15:30 Show start 17:00
Venue: Cow Palace
2600 Geneva Ave, Daly City, CA 94014
TICKETS ON SALE:
Tuesday May 01, 10AM (US Pacific time)
・Rows 1-2: $300
・Rows 3-5: $200
・Rows 6-22: $150
・Rows 1-10: $120
・Rows 1-5: $100
● DRESS CIRCLE
・Rows 1-9: $80
・ Rows 10-16: $50
・ Rows 1-16: $40
*Ticket handling fee not included in price*
Tickets available from this link!


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By Connor Clark
Bath-DeWitt Connection staff reporter
DEWITT — The long-time ice cream shop Scoopy-Doo’s has decided to remain open year-round. With her purchase of Scoopy-Doo’s this past May, owner Kelly Smith looks to continue a tradition of creating high-quality ice cream for the DeWitt community, while also serving a new menu filled with sandwiches and soups. “People keep telling me it’s a seasonal business … I believe in this community.” Smith said. Smith, a single mother with two kids, grew up in the DeWitt community, is a true homebody who hopes to provide the youth of DeWitt with an alternative to fast food. “DeWitt is a community based on kids, it is all about the kids, and the kids in this community are incredibly busy,” Smith said.


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Digital media future of telecoms according to Du
Revenues from Etisalat’s subsidiaries outside the UAE will rise to around 30 per cent within the next five years according to chief strategy officer Ali Ahmed. Currently these 17 units make up 15-20 per cent of the group’s total revenue.
The telecoms operator is planning to strengthen its revenues through mergers and acquisitions in light of the rising saturation levels and decreasing voice revenues.
The UAE’s two operators are approaching the challenge in different ways. While Etisalat has been expanding outside its home market Du is planning to grow through digital media.
Speaking at the Media and Marketing exhibition in Dubai Du’s chairman Usman Sultan says the company is foregoing traditional methods of expansion and focusing on value added services and the internet. “The way telecoms is being used by the new generation is something we have never envisaged. The demand for services has been unprecedented.”
Du recently launched Anayou an online platform for social networking, gaming and entertainment.
“Telecoms firms are finding it difficult to monetise the digital space and mobile applications, but there is a huge demand for data. We have to be in this digital world and cannot afford to miss out,” says Sultan
Ahmed says: “We will use content like Facebook and Twitter as promotional services and we have no plans to create our own content but there should be an intertwining relationship between the telecoms companies and the media.”
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Bribery law puts bosses at risk
BUSINESSMEN whose staff pay bribes abroad, and the professional advisers who help them, could soon be facing the prospect of jail. As the Government pushes through a new anti-bribery law and BBC Worldwide is involved in a probe into corruption, Jeremy Pope, executive director of corruption watchdog Transparency International, said: 'International companies are still paying bribes in developing countries on a massive scale. They do it, they say, because the practice is endemic there. But in many countries, bribes are typically worth 20% to 30% of the total contract and the company that pays them must recover the money - either by rampantly overcharging or by under-delivering on quality. Either way the ordinary citizen loses out.'
Earlier this week the BBC's commercial arm, BBC Worldwide, confirmed it had called in accountants Arthur Andersen to investigate allegations of corruption within the organisation. The move follows the arrest of Jeff Taylor, a senior executive, in Hong Kong in October. Taylor, director of global marketing and brand development, was arrested during a wider inquiry into EMC, a merchandising agent, amid allegations that commissions amounting to £600,000 had been misappropriated. Insiders at the corporation stressed that the appointment of Andersen was not about establishing guilt, but about checking that there were sufficient controls in place internally.
Pope, who will be speaking at the Cambridge University Centre for Business Research conference on ethics next week, added: 'The members of the legal and accountancy professions who facilitate these transactions will themselves be branded as criminals and be liable to join their corrupt clients in the dock, and even in the jails.'
Britain, along with all 33 other members of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, has agreed to the OECD's Anti-Bribery Convention and is including the legislation in Home Secretary David Blunkett's wide-ranging anti-terrorism bill. This will make it a criminal offence for a company's staff to bribe foreign officials to win or retain business.
Speakers at the conference, which is supported by the Institute of Directors, on 7 December, will include Stephen Rubin, chairman of Reebok sports shoe maker Pentland Industries, and Rodney Whittaker, senior vice president of legal operations at drugs giant Glaxo Smithkline.
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Flow Hospitality Training is a leading online learning and development provider in the UK.
“The On-Trade are critical to our industry and during this uncertain time Rémy Cointreau wants to give something back to the men and women around the world who bring our brands to consumers. In Flow Hospitality we have found the perfect partner who shares our core values and has a proven track record in providing world class e-training within the sector,” shares Richard Lambert, Global On-Trade Director at Rémy Cointreau.
“It’s encouraging to see a multi-national company like Rémy Cointreau giving back to the industry that supports it in such a meaningful way. We are delighted to partner with them to strengthen the On-Trade community,” says David Wither, Co-Founder, Flow Hospitality Training.
Hospitality workers can register for the training programme online.