text:
New Zealand’s trade minister said Thursday he does not expect Chinese economic retaliation to increasing tensions over claims of Chinese cyberhacking. China this week called on New Zealand to “abandon [its] Cold War mentality” after New Zealand’s government criticized Beijing for supporting hacking following a cyberattack on tech giant Microsoft.
New Zealand authorities said Monday they had uncovered evidence of Chinese state-sponsored cyberattacks in New Zealand. Government officials said the Government Communications Security Bureau had established links between a group supported by Beijing called the Advanced Persistent Threat 40 and malicious cyber activity in New Zealand.
Monday, the United States and other Western countries, including New Zealand and Australia, accused China of hacking Microsoft Exchange, an email service used by companies around the world. New Zealand said such interference undermined global stability and security.
China reacted angrily. Its embassy in Wellington issued a statement Tuesday calling the hacking allegations “totally groundless and irresponsible.” It urged New Zealand to “abandon the Cold War mentality.”
Business leaders in New Zealand are increasingly concerned that political tensions will affect lucrative China trade ties.
However, trade minister Damien O'Connor told Radio New Zealand on Thursday he wasn’t expecting economic retaliation.
“It’s a security issue, it’s not a trade issue,” he said. “We have no reason to believe that there should be any reaction. If you are a small business, a big business or you are a country and you have a huge reliance on any one market, then that exposes you, and that is why we are building trade agreements and trade connections with a whole range of markets, so that our exporters and importers can have a range of options.”
New Zealand, a country of 5 million people, is heavily reliant on China, its biggest trading partner.
Two-way trade is worth more than $23 billion. Dairy and meat are key New Zealand exports to China, while coming the other way are electronics and machinery, which are significant imports.
New Zealand relies on global trade. It was one of the first countries to promote the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a key regional accord. It was the first nation to secure a free trade agreement with Hong Kong.
New Zealand is also part of the Five Eyes intelligence-sharing group, along with the United States, Britain, Canada and Australia.


text:
John Stull, President and CEO of Holcim Philippines, Inc. said: “Key to our resilient 2020 performance was our focus on Health, Cash and Cost. We improved efficiency and sustainability of operations. We also introduced new building solutions and enhanced digital tools to better serve the customers. With our committed employees and loyal business partners, these improvements make us ready to help drive a faster recovery and deliver great value to all our stakeholders.”
Net Sales declined by 22% to Php26.0 billion as volume and prices dropped due to the impact of the pandemic. Lockdowns from March to May and severe weather conditions in the fourth quarter further affected the business. These hampered delivery of raw materials and services to production sites and dispatch of products to customers.
Holcim Philippines posted Operating Earnings before Income Tax (EBIT) of Php2.8 billion which was 44% lower than the 2019 Operating EBIT of Php4.9 billion.
The Company responded to the pandemic by rationalizing costs and managing spend. Programs addressing Health, Cash and Cost yielded a cost improvement of 7% over 2019. Distribution expenses decreased by 18% due to the operational and cost efficiencies, including the shift of delivery mode to higher proportion of pick-up sales. The Company also benefitted from the global decline in fuel and energy prices.
Holcim Philippines is expected to sustain its gains from cost management and efficiency improvements beyond 2020.
Holcim Philippines kept operations free from COVID-19 in 2020 due to immediate actions in line with government guidelines and LafargeHolcim Group’s best practices. These enabled the Company to prevent any health-related disruptions and to provide reliable supply to customers after the lockdowns were eased nationwide.
On the commercial side, the Company partnered with mixed martial arts organization ONE Championship and its heavyweight world champion, Brandon “The Truth” Vera, for a campaign on our strong legacy of excellence in helping build important structures for the country’s development. Product innovations also continued with the launch of Holcim Multifix, a new easy-to-use and multipurpose mortar product to improve the quality of walls, floors, and tile installations in buildings.
The Company advanced in commercial digitalization with significant increases in the usage of online customer portal Easybuild for orders and payments versus 2020. Furthermore, strong customer connections were maintained through virtual platforms in a program called E- Konekta.
Among the sustainability highlights were the 160,000 people assisted by the Holcim HELPS CSR campaign. More resources were given to community health and sanitation projects in response to the COVID-19 situation. The Company is also set to invest Php121.5 million until 2022 to improve usage of alternative fuels and raw materials for cement production at its Bulacan plant.

domain: news


text:
Acquisitions and Apple are two words that almost never come out in a public sentence together. Apple keeps most of its acquisitions secret, which only get leaked through official filings. One such acquisition has been uncovered by Bloomberg. Apple has reportedly acquired Mobeewave Inc., a startup with technology that could transform iPhones into mobile payment terminals.
While Apple obviously hasn’t said a thing about this acquisition, Bloomberg’s sources suggest the Cupertino giant paid nearly $100Mn for the acquisition. The amount is a large, considering Apple generally does not shell out such cheques for acquisition, unless the technology being acquired is highly strategic in nature. Which, it is.
Mobeewave technology lets shoppers tap their credit card or smartphone on another phone to process a payment. The system works with an app and doesn’t require hardware beyond a Near Field Communications, or NFC, chip, which iPhones have included since 2014.
From what it looks like, Apple could use Mobeewave’s tech to turn iPhones in to payment terminals. The Cupertino giant has been pushing in big time into digital payments with Apple Pay as well as Apple Card. The next likely progression seems the B2B space, where advanced payment terminals powered by iPhone’s hardware could be gamechanging.
In a statement, Apple gave out its usual line, “Apple buys smaller technology companies from time to time and we generally do not discuss our purpose or plans”.
Mobeewave has raised over $20Million so far, with Samsung being one of its investors. Samsung also partnered with the startup to let its own flagship phones use this tech.
The deal would be one of several for Apple this year. It recently acquired weather app Dark Sky and virtual-reality content broadcasting company NextVR.


text:
Are the Prom Night Jordan 11s the best release of 2018?
Source: Sneaker News
The Air Jordan 11 Retro in Black/Black will officially release on May 26th for $220, according to Jordan Brand. This colorway was created to honor those formal occasions in which the Air Jordan 11 model became a cultural phenomenon in fashion. Whether it’s for prom night or a graduation ceremony, this Air Jordan 11 is the perfect fit.


text:
A federal judge has dismissed a defamation claim against Oracle by third-party support vendor Rimini Street, saying Oracle was telling the truth when it accused the company of "massive theft" of its software.
Stories by Chris Kanaracus
Philadelphia is set to use a slew of Salesforce.com technologies in order to create a next-generation version of its 311 system for public information and citizen reporting of nonemergency situations around the city.
Infor has acquired SalesLogix in a bid to compete with Salesforce.com in the cloud CRM (customer relationship management) software market, particularly for customers seeking industry-specific features.
Forrester has cut its worldwide IT spending forecast for this year, saying growth will be 3.3 per cent in US dollars, rather than 6.2 per cent. Total spending will be $US2.2 trillion.
Oracle has pushed out a major update to its E-Business Suite of applications, in a move that underscores the company's challenge of meeting customer needs while also persuading them to adopt its next-generation Fusion cloud software.
SAP has relaxed hardware requirements for using its Hana in-memory database platform for development and testing, in a move that could make existing Hana customers' operations easier and less expensive while also generating more Hana sales.
Autonomy's former chief financial officer has claimed that Hewlett-Packard is accusing him and other ex-employees of fraud in order to cover up its own failings in the disastrous 2011 acquisition.
Oracle has sued Oregon for breach of contract, seeking more than US$20 million in fees the state is withholding for its work on Cover Oregon, a troubled insurance exchange website developed as part of President Barack Obama's health care policy overhaul.
Woe be to the software vendor who aggravates the mental status of recent law school grads.
Despite years of hype, some SAP customers remain puzzled over how the vendor's Hana in-memory computing platform can fit into their IT strategies, a newly released survey from the Americas' SAP Users' Group has found.
IBM hopes to expand its customer base and sell to executives outside of IT, including marketers, with a new set of consulting services that can be bought online with a credit card.
NetSuite has avoided what could have been an ugly, image-damaging court battle, having reached an agreement to dismiss a lawsuit brought by its customer SkinMedix over an allegedly unusable software system.
There's relief available for users who applied a recent Java update that stopped some Web applications from being able to launch.
Salesforce.com is giving users of its Desk.com support application new features for embedding videos into support articles and Web pages, a move the vendor says will let them give their customers the help they need faster and more efficiently than text-based documentation alone.
Hewlett-Packard has fired back at a former Autonomy executive who is attempting to block the settlement of a number of shareholder lawsuits filed over HP's disastrous acquisition of the infrastructure software vendor.


text:
Panasonic Marketing Middle East and Africa (PMMAF) has showcased this GITEX its latest drone Ballooncam. This according to the company, is set to change the future of mega events with innovative features that enable it to produce hi-res videos, and simultaneously relay them using a projector and LEDs.
Ballooncam combines a drone with a large balloon and is designed to address the increasing demand among event organisers for innovative entertainment as the staging of events becomes more sophisticated.
Yasuo Yamasaki, Director and Division Head, System Solutions and Communications Division, PMMAF says, “Panasonic is a leader in providing innovative imaging solutions and it was ably demonstrated at the recent Rio 2016 Olympics as the official worldwide partner in Audio Visual Equipment category.”
“Panasonic has developed the Ballooncam, a prototype drone system which is a union of mobility, imaging and our display solution. This product will bring about a 360-degree change in how we watch spectator sports that will captivate audience and bring a whole new dimension to sports, musical or any mega events at large stadiums,” said Yamasaki. “We will continue to endeavour the opportunity of offering its latest technologies and to realize our commitment towards providing the customers with solutions that meet and exceed their expectations.”
The Ballooncam is powered by four propellers and can fly around event venues in sync with planned performances. As an added bonus, since the drone is completely wrapped inside of the large balloon, it can fly close to and above the audience, allowing organizers to shoot dynamic aerial footage. With a projector and LEDs it can display messages, images or signage.
“The camera can be used for a long duration as it uses the buoyancy of the large balloon and saves energy while in flight. Moreover, by optimally controlling the thrust force of the propeller, this all-new drone system realizes both excellent stability and mobility,” says Panasonic. “Panasonic’s Ballooncam can be used to push the boundaries of event production by combining this camera with other Panasonic products such as projectors.”


text:
Known for its solid cars, Volvo took a step that could please the electric car owners in the US first and then perhaps all the electric car owners around the world, and announced that it will turn some Starbucks cafes in the USA into electric vehicle charging stations.
Volvo and Starbucks are joining forces to offer electric vehicle owners a different charging experience. The two powerful companies have announced plans to install electric vehicle charging stations at several Starbucks cafes in the United States as part of a pilot program. About 60 chargers will be installed at 15 Starbucks cafes on the roads between Denver and Seattle in the US.
Volvo tells Autoblog that the chargers will be a homogeneous mix of ChargePoint DC chargers, consisting of Express 250 units with a capacity of 62.5 kW and Express Plus units capable of delivering up to 350 kW. All chargers will have both CHAdeMO and CCS plugs.
Every 161 km there will be a Starbucks with an electric vehicle charging station.
The charger-equipped Starbucks, which will be placed approximately 161 km apart, will match the road capacity of most electric vehicles. Volvo and Starbucks state that everyone can use these charging stations and standard charging fees will apply, and Volvo vehicles can benefit from these stations at a discount.
The locations of the charging stations included in the project can be found on the smartphone app of the project’s name, ChargePoint, or with an inbuilt app on Google-equipped Volvo models. This project opens up a world of new opportunities for charging.
For example, a Volvo C40 Recharge’s battery charges from 20% to 90% in about 40 minutes. Just as cars need to renew their fuel tanks or batteries on a long journey, drivers must renew their energy. As a solution to this, chargers in coffee shops can be really useful.


text:
Bushwalkers and campers searching for a rechargeable headtorch capable of providing a powerful 400 lumen light, will be interested in the new Knog Bliby.
This is a lightweight (90gm), waterproof, USB rechargeable, form-fitting head torch with multipurpose optics – and we like what we see.
The Bilby produces 400 lumens of light output, providing enough light for the most serious outdoor user in the most demanding of outdoor scenarios, says Knog. On its highest setting the headtorch is capable of providing up to 5 hours of light and over 90 hours on its lowest setting!
The Bilby is available in May for $99.95.
Check out this video on the Bilby and for more info click here.


text:
Crunchyroll has just announced on their website the Fall 2010 anime titles that will be streamed on their website, starting this October.
Crunchyroll, the popular video streaming website, has announced the anime titles that will now be included in their content line-up starting Autumn (Fall) 2010, which will start this October. And starting this Fall, Crunchyroll will now be adding 16 more series from the Japanese entertainment giant Kadokawa Pictures, Inc.
Anime titles from Kadokawa Pictures that will be included on the Fall 2010 line-up are Sora no Otoshimono: Forte, Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt, and Fortune Arterial: Akai Yakusoku, which will be streamed the same as it was aired in Japanese television. But aside from the three new series, Crunchyroll will also add 13 past titles also from Kadokawa, which will be announced on a later time.
Sora no Otoshimono: Forte, Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt, and Fortune Arterial will be available in North and South America, the Middle East, Africa, Some European Countries such as United Kingdom, Ireland, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland, Iceland, the Netherlands, Portugal, and Southeast Asian countries such as Singapore, Malaysia, and fortunately… Here in the Philippines.
Crunchyroll’s Japan office President Vince Shortino said on an interview with Anime News Network: “Kadokawa Pictures is a key partner of Crunchyroll, and this broad expansion of our partnership shows not just Kadokawa Pictures’ interest in digital, but its forward-thinking vision. We look forward to presenting their content to a worldwide audience, creating new monetization opportunities, fighting piracy with a legitimate alternative and promoting the Kadokawa Pictures brand.”
Aside from the three (3) Kadokawa Titles, Crunchyroll will also air the second season of Tegami Bachi: Letter Bee, Kami Nomizo Shiru Sekai, Shinryaku! Ika Musume (Squid Girl), and Super Robot Taisen OG: The Inspector. Take note that some of the anime series here may not be available in some areas, particularly here in the Philippines.
Last January 1st, ZEN Otaku Honbu has been rebranded as Anime Pilipinas.
New Name, but still has the same goal in going deeper into the Japanese Anime
& Pop-culture in the country and elsewhere in the world, from a Filipino standpoint.
For the Latest News and Other Opinion Posts, Please visit our new website at AnimePilipinas.com,
and also follow our social networking accounts.
ZENhonbuPH.net will remain as an archive site.


text:
- PassoCorto sports coupe concept showcased at IED Milan Campus
- Hyundai Motor hosts roundtable discussion to inspire future design talents
- Activities support company’s ongoing commitment to Europe’s young people
- Hyundai Motor is supporting future design talent at Europe’s most vibrant festival of design and creativity, the 2014 Milan Design Week (8-13 April).
The PassoCorto, which was revealed last month at the Geneva Motor Show, will be showcased at the IED Milan Campus facility throughout Milan Design Week. Commissioned by Hyundai, the ultra-lightweight sports car concept was created by a team of 16 students at IED in Turin and is designed to appeal especially to Generation Y consumers. The dramatic, compact PassoCorto – Italian for ‘short wheelbase’ – is a mid-engined two-seater coupe with a compact length of 4100 mm and weight of just 840 kg.
Design is the number one reason customers choose Hyundai vehicles in Europe. So we are delighted to nurture the young European talent who will be designing the cars of the future. The PassoCorto concept is the result of an exciting cooperation, and we hope it will inspire the next generation of designers.Allan RushforthSenior Vice President and COO at Hyundai Motor Europe
On Thursday 10 April, the IED Milan Campus will host a special presentation and roundtable discussion, open to the public, on the theme ‘Young. Creative. Work.’ Luca Borgogno, Senior Designer Pininfarina and Head of IED Turin Transportation Design, and Nicola Danza, Exterior Design Manager at Hyundai Design Centre Europe, will present PassoCorto and tell of their personal routes from aspiring young car design students to senior automotive professionals.
Over the past decade, Milan Design Week’s FuoriSalone, a collection of ‘fringe’ events, has achieved ever-greater popularity with the public. This year, more than 950 free public events are expected to be held at design studios, universities and art galleries around the city, attracting almost one million visitors.
Since 2011, Hyundai Motor has been the headline sponsor of the festival’s dedicated website, www.fuorisalone.it. The online and mobile information portal, ‘powered by Hyundai’, is the key reference source for local and international visitors during Design Week.
Since 2012, Hyundai Motor is also involved in the Skills for the Future and Brilliant Young Entrepreneurs programmes that support Europe’s youth. Skills for the Future aims to bridge the skills gap between education and the demands of the job market, while Brilliant Young Entrepreneurs programme helps students turn their business dreams into reality by providing financial and mentoring support.


text:
Capcom released a statement today due to the amount of E-Mail they’ve received regarding their status after the 8.9 earthquake and following tsunami, that devastated part of Japan. The Osaka and Tokyo based company confirmed they are all safe. Unfortunately the same can’t be said for MILLIONS of other souls. Capcom has already donated over one million dollars to relief efforts… And they’re not done!!! They need our help and have made it ridiculously easy!!!
For one week starting today, Street Fighter IV on the iPhone or ipad will only be $0.99!!! The app which is normally sold at $10, will have 100 percent of the profit forwarded to the relief effort. So, if you have an iphone or ipad … You got no excuse… or no soul.


text:
The free classifieds website, Backpage.com, was seized by the Federal Bureau of Investigation on Friday, according to an announcement on the Backpage.com website.
The website offers a wide variety of goods and services for sale, but critics say the vast majority of ads posted were in the "adult services" section. Authorities have said for years that many of the ads are thinly disguised offers for prostitution.
Visitors who went to the advertising website Friday after the FBI seizure were greeted with a notice from the FBI announcing its seizure.
The founder of backpage.com, Michael Lacey lives in Sedona, Arizona. The FBI confirmed to ABC15 there is law enforcement activity in the area. ABC15 also saw the FBI at Lacey's home in Paradise Valley.
In addition, ABC15 crews saw the FBI at the Paradise Valley home of James Larkin, another founder of backpage.com.
This story was written by VOA


text:
"...Although the farm is still under construction and set to open in late May or early June, 50 cows and 1,000 chickens are already at work, producing milk and eggs that will eventually be sold in an on-site market.
"It's all about going back to nature," said Vanderkooi. "We're concerned with healthy living and we really want to help educate people about healthy food and a healthy lifestyle."
The cows and the chickens all have free run of their barns, with the cows choosing when they want to be milked in the robotic milking machine. The machine uses less water and energy than traditional milking machines."
The article goes on to describe other great green innovations at work on the farm.


text:
Three months after a Tesla Model S owner was warned against accessing the vehicle’s onboard software, an Asian Internet-security conference is offering hackers a cash prize to anyone who can gain remote access to the vehicle’s Linux-based onboard operating system.
The two-day 2014 SyScan will begin Wednesday in Beijing and will feature discussions about the security of the computing protocol used by the automotive industry. The Tesla hacking challenge that could see one enterprising geek walk away with $10,000 is aimed at underscoring one of the more vulnerable areas of car connectivity: the link between a driver’s mobile phone and the car’s onboard computer system.
“Nowadays, advanced diagnostics enable cars to generate lots of profile data of engines and drivers, and submit them to the connected vehicle cloud,” according to the 2014 SyScan website. “Meanwhile, with the fast evolution of mobile technology, the number of mobile devices grows exponentially. When mobile connects both car and the vehicle cloud via mobile apps, the car becomes the new threat target.”
Through the vehicle’s onboard Linux-based operating system, owners can check battery charge and lock and unlock the car using their mobile devices. The Model S also connects to the Internet through mobile phones. This week’s challenge will try to exploit any possible vulnerabilities between the mobile device and the car’s software.
In November, Tesla Motors Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA) disclosed just how much control of the vehicle can be taken when it released an “over-the-air update” that raised the Model S ground clearance at highway speed. The wireless adjustment was made by the Palo Alto, California, electric carmaker after two Model S sedans were involved in collisions with highway debris last year.
Tesla is aware enough of the potential hacking issue that it hired computer security expert Kristin Paget from Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) in February to bolster the security of the Model S and the upcoming Model X SUV due out next spring.
“Can’t say too much but ‘securing things’ is a fair bet :),” Paget old the online webzine Re/code.
In April, Tesla contacted a Model S owner who was snooping around the vehicle’s software by successfully connecting to the car’s internal Ethernet network using a cable and posting details of the connectivity to a Tesla fan forum.
Three weeks later, he received a phone call from the car company informing him that his vehicle had been hacked. When he informed the company of what he had done, Tesla warned him that accessing the company’s onboard software could be considered industrial espionage, and, in any case, could void his warranty.


text:
The sharp edge of India’s war on plastic9 min read . Updated: 17 Sep 2019, 10:33 PM IST
The Centre’s campaign against low-grade plastic could disrupt the value chain of items used by millions of Indians
New Delhi: Babloo Srivastava is a worried man. A supervisor in a small plastic factory in Narela on the outskirts of Delhi, Srivastava earns ₹20,000 per month but could lose his job any day. About 40 workers have already left the unit as work came to a grinding halt few weeks ago, after Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged Indians to shun single-use plastic (SUP) in his Independence Day speech.
Select your Category


text:
T-Hub and the Indo-French Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IFCCI) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to further the conversation on innovation, economic growth, and prosperity between France and India.
To close the gap between the French and Indian startup ecosystems, T-Hub and IFCCI will work together on events and workshops to encourage Indo-French partnerships in the innovation and technology sectors.
MSR, CEO of T-Hub, said, “The economic ties between India and France are on an upward trajectory. However, there is still untapped potential in terms of growth areas for both nations to advance economically. This is particularly true considering how quickly technology is evolving and changing both countries’ economies and societies. Our partnership with IFCCI aims to address these challenges and opportunities that will help boost the continued growth of India-France bilateral relations. It also presents a chance for our startups to connect with France’s innovation and startup ecosystem and gain access to peers and industry experts.”
The memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed in the presence of KT Rama Rao, Hon’ble Minister of IT, I&C, MA and UD, Govt. of Telangana State; Jayesh Ranjan, Principal Secretary I&C and IT, Govt. of Telangana State; Sumeet Anand, President of IFCCI and Founder, Indsight Growth Advisors; H.E Emmanuel Lenain, Ambassador of France to India; Paul Hermelin, Special Representative of the French Government for Economic Relations with India and Chairman of the Board of Capgemini; MSR, CEO of T-Hub; and Panneerselvam Madanagopal, Chief Innovation Officer of T-Hub.
Sumeet Anand, President of IFCCI and Founder, Indsight Growth Advisors, said, “IFCCI’s new chapter in Hyderabad is to support growing French investments in Hyderabad given the strong support of the Govt of Telangana. This is driven by 3+1 attractive reasons: a market with scale, talent for India and the world, supply chain in increasing products and now sustainable solutions for the planet!”
The Indo-French Chamber of Commerce & Industry (IFCCI) launched its 5th chapter in Hyderabad on 29 September 2022 a T-Hub 2.0, the second largest innovation hub in the world after Station F. This launch will support the growing French investments in Hyderabad.
Payal S Kanwar, Director General of IFCCI, said, “We are delighted to see the growing French presence in Hyderabad across sectors like defence and aerospace, energy, technology, food processing, etc. Today’s inauguration is an important step in promoting this city’s strong potential and building a strong Indo-French ecosystem.”
The Indo-French Chamber of Commerce & Industry (IFCCI) launched its 5th chapter in #Hyderabad on 29 September 2022 at @THubHyd 2.0, the second largest innovation hub in the world after Station F. This launch will support the growing French investments in #Hyderabad. @payalskanwar pic.twitter.com/78gv6jKVti— Indo-French Chamber (@IFCCI1) September 30, 2022
Panneerselvam Madanagopal, Chief Innovation Officer of T-Hub said, “The shared goal of T-Hub and IFCCI is to create technologically advanced and globally aspirational ecosystems. By signing this MOU, we will give entrepreneurs and corporates from both the countries a platform and the opportunity to network and grow together.”
T-Hub (Technology Hub) is an innovation hub and ecosystem enabler. Based out of Hyderabad, India, T-Hub leads India’s pioneering innovation ecosystem. With a mission of enabling and empowering an ecosystem hungry for innovation, T-Hub is creating impact for startups, corporations and other innovation ecosystem stakeholders. Incorporated in 2015, it has provided over 1800+ national and international startups with access to better technology, talent, mentors, customers, corporates, investors and government agencies.
About Indo-French Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IFCCI)
The Indo-French Chamber of Commerce and Industry has been serving the interests of the French business community in India for more than 45 years. IFCCI belongs to a worldwide network of 126 French Chambers (CCIFI) in 96 countries with over 37,000 companies. With close to 650 Indian and French member companies spread across India and France and a total network of more than 6,500 individual members, IFCCI is the most active bilateral Chamber of India. IFCCI has five offices in Mumbai, New Delhi, Bengaluru, Chennai & Pune.


text:
Restaurant, bar make debut at Wegmans in Allentown
Updated On: Jun 06 2013 07:18:14 AM CDT
They always say you shouldn't go grocery shopping when you're hungry, but if you're heading to the Wegmans on Tilghman Street in Allentown, it might be a good idea.
A full service restaurant and bar inside the store made its debut for lunch Wednesday.
"We had a group of about 15 people waiting to come in," said Jackie Decloe, the restaurant's manager. "So, it was pretty exciting."
The new pub is part of a recent expansion at the grocery store that took about a year to complete.
"I didn't think it would be anything like this because it was all hidden," said customer Mary Jane Kloss. "So, you didn't know what it was gonna look like."
The Pub at Wegmans is a full-service restaurant and bar that can seat about 130 people. Guests have the option of dining at the large wrap around bar, one of the high-top tables, or back in a more private dining room. This is the fourth Pub at Wegmans in the state, but the only one in the Lehigh Valley.
"I said I gotta be here on the very first day," said Joe Kloss with a smile. "I love the decor. It's really cool."
Menu items use ingredients sold in the store. You can watch the chef cook up soups, salads, sandwiches, pizzas and wide range of entrees in the restaurant's open kitchen.
"We're having fun back there, and we want the customers to be a part of that," added executive chef Geno Nosenzo.
The pub is open seven days a week.
Copyright 2013 WFMZ. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
School district loses millions in 'risky financial agreement'
Amish horse-and-buggy occupants robbed at gunpoint
Three pedestrians struck near Allentown Fairgrounds
Lehigh County man dies after assault in beach town
2 arrested in deadly beating of Lehigh County man in OCMD
Teen jumps from burning building in Stroudsburg
Tony Luke's coming to center-city Allentown
Basketball game leads to shooting, stabbing in South Allentown park
First day at East Penn schools a bumpy ride
Public dispute over Craigslist deal leads to slashing, police say


text:
Applicants are now encouraged to apply for the HBS Africa Business Conference New Venture Competition.
The 26th Harvard Business School Africa Business Conference will be held on February 16th – 17th, 2024 with the theme “Africa Forward: Competing in a Global Era.”
As part of the conference, the Africa Business Club will be hosting the New Venture Competition which seeks to showcase the diversity of entrepreneurs making a difference on the continent today.
From the pool of applications, 10 semi-finalists will be invited to pitch their business in front of over 1,000 attendees and receive feedback from a panel of experienced judges.
Benefits of participation
- The winner and runner-ups for second and third place will be awarded cash prizes of $30,000, $15,000, and $10,000, respectively.
- NVC semi-finalists will have the opportunity to get feedback, advice, and input from conference participants as well as senior partners at Africa-focused VCs from across the continent.
- Selected ventures will also have the opportunity to showcase their companies at the Startup Fair networking and recruiting event and attend networking lunches with distinguished panelists.
The competition is open to all African and Africa-focused entrepreneurs with businesses focused on shaping the future. Entrepreneurs who offer unique and homegrown solutions to local problems and who meet the following eligibility criteria are highly encouraged to apply:
- Early-stage startups (for-profit or not-for-profit)
- Africa-focused with a majority or all of its operations in Africa
- Fewer than 50 employees
- Fewer than 5 years of operations
- Raised less than $1,000,000 in funding to date
How to apply
Click here to apply. The deadline for application is Wednesday, November 15, 2023.
Don’t miss important articles during the week. Subscribe to techbuild.africa weekly digest for updates.


text:
However, Audi is part of the bigger VW Group, and Das Auto has a lot of facilities on US soil that it could share with its Ingolstadt brother. Yet the four-star brand doesn’t want to share facilities and is eying new manufacturing plants in Mexico.
According to a Times Free Press report, Audi Chief Executive Rupert Stadler wants a new factory in Mexico to produce the compact Q5 SUV. Everything is still up in the air at the moment, as Volkswagen officials are still keen on Audi joining them in Chattanooga, where the new Passat started being produced this spring. The facility currently has capacity for 150,000 per year, but it could become a veritable hub of manufacturing, with half a million units rolling out every year.
The Q5 is Audi's contender to the mid-size luxury crossover contest, facing off against the likes of the BMW X3, Mercedes-Benz GLK, Cadillac SRX, and Lexus RX. And it could prove very successful if the company manages to lower prices in the US. Right now, it’s at a disadvantage, as many of its rivals have facilities in the Land of Freedom.
As far as the Mexican facilities are concerned, there's still some doubt that Audi will be able to march ahead with its plans, as converting some of the Chattanooga factory’s lines would be much easier. However, should sales increase significantly in the future for either of the two German carmakers, they will find themselves short of capacity.
The Audi CEO didn’t provide a clear reason for his Mexican ambitions, but we think it has to do with a longer term plan.


text:
If suppliers want to do business with General Mills or Kellogg’s, they’ll have to be more environmentally friendly. Click to continue
Latest News & Views
Popular Latest News & Views Articles
The General Motors (GM) recall frenzy this year has led to at least one pretty blatant mistake.
Two major beer makers are the latest manufacturers to come under fire for their ingredients.
The legalization of recreational marijuana in Colorado and Washington has led to a side effect that has state officials scrambling: the need for food safety laws to regulate pot-infused food.
Parts from a Tokyo-based supplier have caused major headaches for several big automakers, and the supplier can’t seem to fix the problem.


text:
IRVINE, Calif.—May 14, 2019—Starting August 27, World of Warcraft® players and fans worldwide will be able to relive—or experience for the first time—the early days of Azeroth with World of Warcraft Classic™. This authentic re-creation takes players back to the beginnings of Blizzard Entertainment’s groundbreaking massively multiplayer online role-playing game, a time when Onyxia spread terror from her lair in Duskwallow Marsh, Leeroy Jenkins became a sensation after some ill-advised heroics in Upper Blackrock Spire, and only the bravest or most foolhardy quested alone in Stranglethorn Vale.
With World of Warcraft Classic, Blizzard has rebuilt the original WoW® in its most polished and complete state—as it was at the time of the “Drums of War” update (patch 1.12.0), originally released August 22, 2006. Included for all subscribers at no additional cost, World of Warcraft Classic allows players to reexperience together the moments that came to define early WoW, like 40-player raids on Molten Core; days-long PvP battles at Tarren Mill; and the grand, server-wide effort to open the gates of Ahn’Qiraj.
“Building and launching World of Warcraft in 2004 was immensely challenging,” said J. Allen Brack, president of Blizzard Entertainment. “A tornado tore the roof off one of the game’s data centers during the early days of testing—but Blizzard was fortunate to have hundreds, and then thousands, and then millions of people around the world cheering our developers on.
“Like many of our players, everyone at Blizzard was fueled by the excitement of seeing the world of Azeroth from the ground level, through the eyes of the heroes inhabiting and fighting over it,” Brack continued. “Azeroth has always been a wondrous and deadly place, and it was especially so at the time of WoW’s launch when everyone was discovering its vistas and exploring its dungeons for the first time—all while helping and supporting the company as everyone here worked through the many technical struggles of hosting a game of this size.
“That early experience was incredibly important to Blizzard. It taught us many things about ourselves as a developer and publishers and the global community of players we feel honored to be a part of. The World of Warcraft Classic experience is very different from the Azeroth we know today, but we love it for what it is and stands for. We can’t wait to get reacquainted with this dangerous, demanding, and rewarding world with all our new and old friends.”
To help put the finishing touches on World of Warcraft Classic, Blizzard invites players with active subscriptions to opt in for a chance to participate in a closed beta test that begins May 15. Even more, players will be able to participate in a series of stress tests scheduled for the summer.
15th Anniversary In-Game Celebration & Collector’s Edition
Later this year, Blizzard will be rolling out a series of in-game activities in World of Warcraft: Battle for Azeroth™ in celebration of the game’s 15th anniversary, culminating in a 25-player raid (accessible through Raid Finder) that will pit players against some of the most iconic bosses from throughout the game’s history. Players who make it through this epic trial will earn the Obsidian Worldbreaker mount, designed to evoke the terrible visage of the ancient Dragon Aspect Deathwing the Destroyer.
To further commemorate the milestone, Blizzard announced the World of Warcraft 15th Anniversary Collector’s Edition today, set for release on October 8. This treasure trove of collectibles and in-game bonus items comes with 30 days of game time for World of Warcraft and includes an imposing statue of Ragnaros the Firelord that stands over 10 inches tall; a pin depicting the head of Onyxia, Broodmother of the Black Dragonflight; a mousepad adorned with a map of Azeroth; a set of fine art prints that illustrate Azeroth’s storied past; and a pair of mounts*—the Alabaster Stormtalon, and the Alabaster Thunderwing—in honor of the moment WoW players first took to the skies. The World of Warcraft 15th Anniversary Collector’s Edition will be available for SRP $99.99. Players can pre-purchase today at gear.blizzard.com and select retailers worldwide.
For more information on World of Warcraft Classic, including details on how to opt into the beta tests and launch-plan specifics, visit the official website at www.worldofwarcraft.com.


text:
Testifying before the office of the U. S. Trade Representative in Washington, D.C. the National Association of Home Builders’ (NAHB) CEO Jerry Howard urged the federal government to avoid involving the U.S.-Canada softwood lumber accord in the Trans-Pacific Partnership Trade Agreement (TPP) talks. “Reopening the U.S.-Canada softwood lumber agreement would jeopardize the successful negotiation of a TPP trade agreement, bogging down the talks with a century old dispute between the United States and Canada on softwood lumber that has yet to achieve a final resolution,” said Howard. “Softwood lumber issues are too important to get lost in the context of a multinational trade negotiation and must be addressed by the U.S. and Canada in a bilateral forum.” Noting lumber is the most important and most costly ingredient in home building, Howard said artificial trade barriers could have negative consequences on the recovery of the housing market. As MHProNews has learned, the current U.S.-Canadian lumber accord does not expire until 2015.
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)


text:
About one in three Americans now has diabetes or pre-diabetes. That's nearly 80 million people, the majority of whom suffer from type 2 diabetes – a preventable and, often, reversible condition. The problem is that many Americans are unaware that the foods they're eating could be setting them up for a dietary disaster, and this isn't their fault. Public health guidelines condemn healthy fats from foods like butter and full-fat dairy and recommend whole grains and cereals – the opposite of what a person with diabetes, or any person really, needs to stay healthy. For the last 50 years, Americans have been told to eat a high complex carbohydrate, low saturated fat diet. Even diabetics have been told to eat 50 to 60 percent of their daily calories in the form of processed carbs! Research, including a new study involving dolphins, again suggests that this movement away from traditional full-fat foods is contributing to the rising rates of diabetes and metabolic syndrome across the globe.
Soybean oil is the most common oil used in the US, but this is a relatively new phenomenon. Prior to 1900, cooking was done with lard and butter, and the processed foods that are now primary sources of soybean oil (and other soy ingredients) were nonexistent. In the 1950s, saturated fats were condemned on the basis of them raising your cholesterol and causing heart disease – a theory that has since been proven wrong, but which is still lingering in medical offices and public nutrition regulations. Partially hydrogenated soybean oil was developed to replace saturated fats like butter and lard in the food supply. Not only did consumers embrace it, but food manufacturers did even more so because of its low cost, long shelf-life, and stability at room temperature. There was just one problem: partially hydrogenated oils are sources of trans fats, which are now known to cause chronic health problems such as obesity, asthma, auto-immune disease, cancer, and bone degeneration. Yet, even if you take the hydrogenation process out of the picture, soybean oil is still detrimental to your health. While trans fats are now being pulled out of processed foods due to their extreme health risks, soybean oil is still fair game… but it shouldn’t be – and here’s why.


text:
“The partnership is another indication of IDEMIA’s prominence in the identity verification space, with the company having also recently established alliances with some major players in mobile biometrics…”
One of the world’s biggest online testing companies has teamed up with IDEMIA for ID verification, attesting to the latter’s identity expertise.
Based in Minneapolis, Pearson VUE has been offering computer-based testing services since 1994. At this point, the company says it delivers 15 million certification and licensing exams per year, has a network of almost 20,000 secure test centers, and performs online testing services in more than 180 countries.
Now, the company is going to leverage IDEMIA’s identity verification technology in both its remote testing services and its Professional Centers. With respect to the former, IDEMIA’s technology will allow test takers to scan their driver’s licenses or other government ID in order to confirm their identities, with the credentials immediately compared against IDEMIA’s library of official identity documents.
IDEMIA’s in-person verification technology, meanwhile, is currently being trialed in Pearson VUE’s Professional Centers, with IDEMIA hardware scanning physical identity documents for multiple security features.
The partnership is another indication of IDEMIA’s prominence in the identity verification space, with the company having also recently established alliances with some major players in mobile biometrics including Onfido, as well as Infineon and pmdtechnologies. And in a statement announcing the latest news, Pearson VUE VP Peter Pascale lauded his firm’s partner.
“The power of working with IDEMIA is that they help us expand how we validate candidates’ identities,” he said. “The ability to quickly evaluate the validity of global government-issued identification documents brings additional security and authorization levels to prevent fraud in high-stakes exams.”


text:
If Walmart Paid its 1.4 Million U.S. Workers a Living Wage, it Would Result in Almost No Pain for the Average Customer
A study released this week found that if the nation's largest low-wage employer, Walmart, were to pay its 1.4 million U.S. workers a living wage of at least $12 per hour and pass every single penny of the costs onto consumers, the average Walmart customer would pay just 46 cents more per shopping trip, or around $12 extra dollars each year.
Consider that the next time you hear some corporate mouthpiece warning of massive job losses if some minimally progressive policy were enacted. You never see them arguing on the cable news shows that increasing the minimum wage will hurt Walmart’s or McDonald's bottom lines; it’s always about the jobs that will be destroyed. According to the ubiquitous spin, large corporations, the embodiments of American-style capitalism, are so vulnerable to the meddling of no-nothing bureaucrats that any government intervention into the “free market” drives corporations away to sunnier locales or threatens their very existence. However well intentioned, it all ends up costing workers their jobs.
But the new study, conducted by Ken Jacobs and Dave Graham-Squire at the UC Berkeley Center for Labor Research and Education and Stephanie Luce at CUNY's Murphy Institute for Worker Education and Labor Studies, suggests that low-wage employers could pay their workers a wage that would afford them a dignified existence without threatening their profitability.
Paying a fair wage would only result in a price hike of around 1 percent for Walmart shoppers. The researchers note that the increase would be “well below Walmart's estimated savings to consumers” – in other words, the big-box retailer could continue to offer “low prices” without impoverishing their workers. The study's authors noted that the 1 percent price hike was the “most extreme estimate, as portions of the raise could be absorbed through other mechanisms, including increased productivity or lower profit margins.”
While it would have a very minor impact on shoppers, it would have a profound effect on the economic security of Wal-Mart's workforce. More than 40 percent of the additional income would go to the working poor. “These poor and low-income workers could expect to earn an additional $1,670 to $6,500 a year in income for each Walmart employee in the family, before taxes,” write the authors. Meanwhile, while Walmart's customers are not exactly rich, those “who spend the most at the store are somewhat less likely to come from poor and low-income families.” As a result, only 28 percent of the additional costs would be paid by the poor and the near-poor.
Walmart and other low-wage employers are poster-children for free-market hypocrisy, claiming that the “market” dictates they pay poverty wages while shifting some of their labor costs onto the taxpayer. A 2004 study by the H ouse Committee on Education and the Workforce estimated that just one Walmart store with 200 “associates” costs taxpayers over $420,000 per year in government assistance to the poor.
The study squares with earlier research that found minimum wage increases to have little or no impact on unemploy ment. According to the Economic Policy Institute, studies have shown that “there is no evidence of job loss from previous minimum wage increases,” because “employers may be able to absorb some of the costs of a wage increase through higher productivity, lower recruiting and training costs, decreased absenteeism, and increased worker morale.”
Yet the idea that paying a decent wage kills jobs persists, as does the claim, made by the corporate right every single day, that high corporate taxes are driving jobs overseas. As I noted last month, he kernel of truth is that, at 35 percent, we do have one of the highest statutory corporate rates in the world – that is, the rate that's written down in the tax code.


text:
Nintendo literally kept the excitement rolling earlier tonight during their Fire Emblem direct presentation by announcing a brand new Fire Emblem game for the 3DS.
The new 3DS game is being titled as Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia. Not much have been detailed about the game, but it seems like Nintendo is wasting no time as the game is set to launch this Spring on May 19.
Shadows of Valentia will have an open world for players to explore, dungeons to clear and much more. In addition, Nintendo announced two brand new amiibo’s to go alongside the game.
The two amiibo’s feature the main characters Alm and Celica. Check them out down below:
Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia will most certainly receive more details close to launch, but until that keep your eyes peeled on Gameranx as we will continue to follow the game for updates.


text:
NYC seeks smart chip for ID card program
- By Sara Friedman
- Jun 12, 2018
In 2015, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio launched the IDNYC municipal identification program. The IDNYC card can be used by all New York City residents regardless of immigration status as a proof of identity, an ID for benefits applications and opening bank accounts, and a membership and discount card for services throughout the city.
Now, IDNYC is looking to upgrade the existing card with an embedded smart chip that will allow for electronic payments and enable another authentication factor. The EMV chip will support integration with other government programs such as NYC’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s planned contactless fare payment system and the city public health care system’s medical records database.
The smart chip-enabled card also will allow for payments to private vendors throughout the city, using both contactless and traditional card-reader systems.
All interested EMV providers should be able to meet regulatory and compliance requirements to operate payment-processing services in New York. The city also expects providers to have an existing customer base with EMV chip-based prepaid cards and the customer service resources -- including online portals, smartphone apps and call-in assistance -- to support that customer base.
Cardholders, meanwhile, will need an existing bank account or credit card to link to their IDNYC account.
Improvements to ID cards have been a source of interest for state agencies as well. The Maryland Department of Transportation completed a pilot of smartphone-based digital driver’s licenses in October 2017. Iowa's Department of Transportation has tested mobile driver license software to replace a physical license card.
Interested vendors are asked to respond to NYC’s request for expressions of interest by June 29. Up to five finalists will asked to respond to additional questions, and the final selection is expected by December 2018.
Read the full solicitation here.
Editor's note: This articile was changed July 5 to correct a reference to EMV.
Sara Friedman is a reporter/producer for GCN, covering cloud, cybersecurity and a wide range of other public-sector IT topics.
Before joining GCN, Friedman was a reporter for Gambling Compliance, where she covered state issues related to casinos, lotteries and fantasy sports. She has also written for Communications Daily and Washington Internet Daily on state telecom and cloud computing. Friedman is a graduate of Ithaca College, where she studied journalism, politics and international communications.
Friedman can be contacted at [email protected] or follow her on Twitter @SaraEFriedman.
Click here for previous articles by Friedman.


text:
Sacmi Imola Hosts Continua+ Demonstration Event
Operators from over 30 countries representing the biggest Italian and international ceramic companies recently traveled to the Imola Sacmi R&D Center to see a live demonstration of the CONTINUA+ line, a technology for the manufacture of large decorated ceramic tile. Several of the products manufactured from the line were also on display, from very large floor slabs developed with major color manufacturers to ultra-large slabs up to 3,200 mm long. A year after its launch, 13 plants have reportedly installed the line.
The Continua+ line reportedly incorporates a belt-type super-compactor that produces decorated ceramic tile up to 1,600 mm wide without any constraints on size or thickness. The line also creates multiple on-product effects such as structures and HD graphics through the integration of DDD dry digital decorators, the use of structured belts, and DHD wet digital decorators. The line can produce products from large 120 x2 40 format tile with very high resolution graphics to standard porcelain tile and marble-natural stone.
For more information, visit www.sacmi.com.


text:
Virtual reality in schools? A majority of students say yes, please
A new study shows that students would welcome VR and AR tools in class
Virtual reality headsets have struggled in getting wide-spread adoption by consumers. To start, great devices have been expensive, and many people don't necessarily see the value in donning a VR rig to play a game or watch a movie. Until now. A new study from online learning platform Brainly found that nearly 73 percent of students surveyed believed augmented reality and VR would be valuable to their studies.
Brainly surveyed students, asking them questions about the use of video and virtual content in their schools. Consumers may have not given big hug to VR but more than 54 percent of students surveyed said they already use AR and VR programs in their curriculum.
Reasonably priced VR devices in the guise of Google Cardboard headsets are easy to come by — and affordable. Some cost as little as $10, and there are educational VR apps that teachers can tap to bring students details about the oceans, animals in the wild and even the solar system. (Students can even use some, when school is out, to keep them engaged and learning.)
Expensive VR headsets — and the experiences they can deliver — have been harder to sell. To start, many of them have cost upwards of $1,000 or more for both a headset and computer. While some of these have come down in price, like the standalone Oculus Go or the Lenovo Mirage Solo, consumer still have not entirely warmed up to VR.
IMAX closed the doors on the last of its VR centers in 2019IMAX
Hollywood has show interest, though, investing in VR arcades to try and get consumers excited about getting into a lightsaber battle in a Star Wars world, or fly like an eagle above a city scape. But IMAX, which opened seven VR centers in movie theaters around the world, announced it would close them all as early 2019.
Dreamscape though appears to be moving forward with its plans to build a number of VR arcades of it own. The company, a joint venture between Steven Spielberg, AMC and others, opened its doors in December 2018 in the Westfield Century City mall, in Los Angeles. Multiple VR theaters serve up VR content — with a movie-styled space and snacks, plus similar ticket pricing. There are three experiences, available since launch, including one that takes viewers diving into the ocean.
VR makers have certainly eyed the education market too. Mixed reality startup Magic Leap, often showed a whale breeching in the middle of a school gymnasium with students watching enthralled. Google too has pushed hard into education with its Expeditions VR and AR Kits. That push may be paying off with students now reportedly finding value in this virtual content.
Best VR Headsets for Under $100 by GearBrainwww.youtube.com


text:
Today, thanks to the microprocessors that have followed Intel's 4004 in 1971, we're healthier, better informed, more efficient, and, in some disturbing ways, less private than we were 25 years ago. (For details about the 4004 and other significant microprocessors, see the arti
cle "Birth of a Chip". To see how technology may change in the next decade, see the article "Eight Ways to the Future.) Because microprocessors have become so much a part of our lives, the real challenge is to find devices in our business and personal lives that aren't in some way computer-controlled. Small and relatively inexpensive computers have made it possible for us to track virtually any human activity, analyze any process, and control any mechanism.
As we acknowledge the microprocessor's twenty-fifth anniversary, we should also remind ourselves that computers only process data: Knowledge is another matter. The Federal Reserve may run dozens of computer-based financial models, but in the end, it's humans who decide whether to raise or lower interest rates. Similarly, years of research in artificial intelligence have produced flexible algorithms that can adapt in well-defined ways, but only humans have the ability to comprehend and grok.
What follows is our list of 10 dramatic ways that the micr
oprocessor has changed our world. All point to one indisputable fact: Any look at the microprocessor's impact on society is only a snapshot in time. The revolution continues.
Individual Rights: Privacy Under Fire
In the past, your private documents were only as secure as the safe you locked them in at night. Today, electronic encryption secures information on disk drives so that only authorized people can read sensitive data.
But encryption also creates the possibility that criminals could electronically hide important evidence. In the U.S., federal law-enforcement officials are pushing a plan for people to give a copy of all encryption keys to the government, which will keep the keys under wraps unless there's a need to read some encrypted data. According to these officials, the encryption threat is so great that the U.S. government should continue its fight against exporting encryption technology beyond its borders.
Encryption will also provide the under
pinnings for widespread electronic commerce, which could give consumers unlimited access to a world marketplace and an electronic audit trail for recovering lost or stolen funds. Nevertheless, our privacy also could be assaulted by credit-card companies, banks, and others who can easily assemble detailed dossiers on our spending habits. For example, employers in some states can legally refuse to hire cigarette smokers because of the cost of providing health care. Taken to an extreme, electronic records of spending habits could lead to a job interview such as this:
Employer: "Are you currently a cigarette smoker?"
Applicant: "No comment."
Employer: "Then would you care to explain why you bought that 20-cigarette pack of Marlboro lights at 12:32 p.m. on June 14, 1997, at the Zippee Mart on Fourth and Oak?"
In the end, blind-signature schemes for digital cash and anonymous messaging using Secure IP (Internet Protocol) may be our best hope for shopping without the aid of Big Brother.
Business: The Electronic Workplace
The outward signs are everywhere: PCs on every desktop, laser printers in every workgroup, electronic spreadsheets and databases bolstering every business decision. The modern office looks and works differently from its predecessor of 25 years ago, thanks to the microprocessor.
At first, computers simply translated traditional ways of working into some electronic analogy that may or may not have improved efficiency. Gradually, however, computers inspired us to work differently. Groupware products and intranets using cheap microprocessor-based computers now provide seamless communication and make it possible for managers to control larger and more diverse groups.
The good news is that many office products have never been cheaper (after adjusting for inflation). The bad news is that many companies need fewer managers,which narrows advancement paths for many people. What's more, as workgroups become geographically dispersed, some worker
s find themselves cut out of essential meetings. The synergy of the water cooler disappears.
Medicine: Computed Tomography for Everyone
Every day in hospitals throughout the world, computed-tomography (CT) scanners save lives by showing doctors a 3-D map of the inner body. Microprocessors aren't the only types of computers that can do the mathematics to construct these 3-D images, but microprocessors are why CT scanners have proliferated in recent years.
Early CT machines ran large minicomputers that were expensive to build and maintain, but the newest scanners use high-end workstations for processing muscle. For instance, Picker Nuclear Medicine (Highland Heights, OH) formerly powered its scanners with an Ardent Titan 1500 minicomputer that needed dual multiprocessors to generate 32 MFLOPS at peak performance. Today, the company uses a Digital Equipment Alpha workstation with a single microprocessor that can produce over 133 MFLOPS of floating-point performan
ce. These workstations are also highly optimized for graphics, which allows real-time manipulation of 3-D images to help doctors evaluate the health of organs and zero in on diseases.
And perhaps most important, microprocessors have helped lower the cost and shrink the size of CT machines, which makes them more widely available than ever. In fact, outpatient CT centers now are common in many urban areas.
Publishing: News Gathering Becomes Collaborative
News was once something that came down to us from a handful of media outlets like a daily sermon from the mountain. The Internet levels the mountain. Almost anyone can now be a publisher, and some of the most late-breaking news and diverse opinions now arrive via electronic 'zines and e-mail lists. Usenet newsgroups also contain news nuggets often mixed with terabytes of yammering foolishness.
Major newspapers are responding by blending their traditional print products with on-line information from their own
Web sites. Reporters now receive e-mail correspondence from larger cross sections of sources to broaden the reporting of their stories. When the
New York Times
ran a major week-long exploration of downsizing in America earlier this year, it sponsored conferences at its Web site. Elizabeth Osder, content development editor, says the printed edition actually included some quotes and information from the electronic discussions in the stories that ran later that week. Also, Microsoft's joint venture with NBC News points to a similar blending of TV news and Web sites for information delivery.
Nevertheless, printed publications won't disappear anytime soon. The Web is great for conferencing, research, or for poking around randomly for information, but newspapers and magazines are still more convenient to read and faster to browse. Paper has great bandwidth.
Messaging : E-Mail Distributes Democracy
Electronic mail opened up the corporate world by replacing
formal chains of command with fast and more interactive communications (even though words may often be misspelled, sentences may be filled with questionable grammar, and thoughts may not always be fully formed). All of this relies on microprocessors in desktop machines and in modems that move the information.
Then there's "Dilbert." Scott Adams, the comic strip's creator, uses e-mail to receive ideas for future cartoons from readers. A few of "Dilbert's" cartoon predecessors relied on snail mail for input from readers, but thanks to e-mail, "Dilbert" may be the most interactive cartoon ever. Of course, this can be painful if you are a manager whose new initiative, "Totally Quality, Total Equality," becomes the target of a future "Dilbert" episode.
Science: DNA's Mysteries Unzipped
Biologists still don't completely understand DNA, but they've made great strides in the last decade, thanks to microprocessors. The mathematics of sequencing large parts of the genom
e has spawned a new field of computational molecular biology. Special silicon chips make it possible to speed sequencing even more.
The benefit: Researchers can now use genetic profiles to predict which individuals are more likely to contract certain diseases. But cheap and effective genetic tests can make people uncomfortable. For example, some U.S. soldiers recently refused to have their cells included in a military DNA database because they feared the data hidden in their DNA could be used against them later. Similarly, will health insurers be able to resist the temptation to deny coverage to those with a predisposition to, say, diabetes?
Transportation: Smarter Automobiles Now Rule the Road
Gone are the days when driving a powerful car meant you burned gas like it was free and fussed over a carburetor for hours. Microprocessors now run the engines so efficiently that many standard-size cars get up to 30 miles to a gallon and enough torque to make passing f
un. And as a bonus, the latest engines can go for 100,000 miles without a tune-up, thanks to the microprocessors.
The technology doesn't end there. Air bags open when a microprocessor detects impact. Car CD players fight skips by reading ahead several seconds and filling in lost gaps before it's time to play the data. Which processors do car makers favor? Many of the CPU families we're familiar with in our desktop systems have versions that serve as embedded processors. This includes the PowerPC, Motorola's 680x0 line, and many Intel chips. What's next for semiconductor-managed cars? Auto makers are exploring custom OSes to network the dozen or more CPUs common in automobiles. Talk about the infobahn.
Communications: Worldwide Dial Tones
Cellular phones -- the lifeline for both road warriors and stranded hikers -- are just microprocessors hooked up to a radio antenna and optimized for processing radio signals. For example, Motorola's VeComp chips, the next gen
eration of processors designed for wireless networks, use a PowerPC core. The core runs the phone's OS and handles details about calling numbers. The chips also come with a single instruction/multiple data (SIMD) array of ALUs for digital signal processing.
Although the beep of cellular phones has had a substantial effect in industrialized nations, changes elsewhere are even more extraordinary. Large parts of Africa may never be wired for traditional phone service, because cellular systems are substantially cheaper to launch. The microprocessor has made it possible for some countries to go from almost no phones to ubiquitous phone service.
Banking: Easy (Too Easy?) Credit for All
Twenty years ago, credit cards were for a privileged few because verifying transactions was tedious. If you made a large purchase, the store clerk called a central operator and read the value over the phone. Thanks to microprocessors, the dangers and inefficiencies of cash-only transa
ctions are disappearing, but in their place we have credit-card debt that is strangling some people who have found that plastic is too easy to use.
For better or for worse, the microprocessor allows for cheap terminals at practically every cash register in the country. Embedded microprocessors built around old versions of the x86 line and modems running at 2400 bps cost little. Because stores can now verify every transaction, finance companies can easily enforce credit limits and stop fraud. This lowers the risk of putting credit cards into the hands of millions of people worldwide. Consider growth rates in this decade alone. In 1990, Visa reported carrying $174 billion through its networks, but by 1994, the company processed $293 billion, an average annual growth of 17 percent. What's more, credit cards pay for even the most mundane purchases. Ten years ago, practically all grocery purchases were in cash. By August 1995, low-cost supermarket verification terminals helped Visa carry $1 billion in grocery
Entertainment: Animation Opens Up a New Dimension
The microprocessor dramatically changes how artists produce animation by making it possible to create true, 3-D worlds that move. Previously, artists constructed animated cartoons using 2-D creatures moving against a fixed 2-D background like a game of cardboard cutouts. Advertisements have embraced this technology as well: Every product seems to get up, morph, and dance across the screen today.
The result is more-realistic-looking animation and some reduction of the immense amount of resources needed to produce cartoons. For example,
used the smallest staff of any animated Disney feature to date, yet it was entirely 3-D. Disney and Pixar estimate that they used over 800,000 hours of computing time on Silicon Graphics workstations and Sun SparcStations to build the final 500 GB worth of pixels that audiences viewed in the film.
screen_link (103 Kbytes)
Peter Wayner is a BYTE consulting editor. Contact him at


text:
- Lyft says it will start guaranteeing drivers earn 70% of their riders’ payments each week.
- The company also said it would provide drivers more insight into how their pay is calculated.
- Many ride-hailing drivers have complained about declining pay and a lack of transparency.
Some drivers who have struggled to make ends meet driving for Lyft may soon receive some relief.
Lyft announced Tuesday it will guarantee weekly earnings for drivers at 70% or more of what riders paid, after accounting for external fees such as local taxes and government-mandated extra insurance. The decision was intended to attract more drivers to its platform and increase transparency about how drivers are paid, Lyft said.
Lyft noted that last year, about 15% of drivers nationwide earned on average less than 70% of what riders paid after accounting for external fees. About two-thirds of drivers said they were paid less than 70% of what passengers paid at least once. Lyft reported that drivers, on average, took home 88% of rider payments after external fees.
The new commitment guarantees drivers will be paid the difference if they earn less than 70% of rider payments.
In recent months, several Uber and Lyft drivers have told BI that ride-hailing has become less profitable than it used to be. Many have blamed changes to company algorithms they say have resulted in them receiving a smaller slice of riders’ payments — and called for greater transparency about how their pay is calculated. Some drivers with disabilities who rely on gig driving said they have lost their homes or struggled to put food on the table, reporting declining earnings and growing competition.
In part, Lyft’s earnings guarantee is a response to drivers’ concerns.
“We take driving as seriously as drivers do. That’s why we spend so much time listening to drivers and getting behind the wheel ourselves,” said David Risher, Lyft CEO, in a statement. “We’ve heard lots of feedback around consistent themes — earnings, deactivations, and safety — and we’re taking action to address them.”
Lyft also noted that drivers can now see the breakdown of how each rider’s payments are split between drivers, Lyft, and external fees. Drivers will also see “where every cent of the rider fare goes” on a new earnings summary in the Lyft app.
However, some ride-hailing drivers are skeptical about how much Lyft’s policy changes will benefit drivers. Sergio Avedian, an Uber driver who is a senior contributor to the gig-driver-advocacy blog and YouTube channel The Rideshare Guy, told BI that up to a quarter of rider payments could continue to go to external fees — so drivers may only be guaranteed 70% of a reduced figure.
Avedian acknowledged that Lyft’s change would benefit the 15% of drivers who earned less than 70% of rider payments after external fees. But he said he’s not confident that the typical driver, who Lyft said is earning roughly 88% of rider payments after external fees, will continue to earn this share of the ride in the future.
“That 88% hold rate could be lowered slowly to 70%,” Avedian said.
Drivers have complained of declining pay, lack of minimum earnings
In 2022, Uber and Lyft began rolling out “upfront fares” programs across select US cities that provided drivers with more information about their trips before they accept them — including how much they pay, the estimated time and distance, and the destination. However, several drivers told BI that they were earning less per mile driven than they had before the change.
“Upfront pricing has given me rides that wouldn’t even cover my gas, and many days I’m out working, I won’t even make our states’ minimum wage,” said a Cleveland Uber driver who spoke on condition of anonymity.
In December, an Uber spokesperson declined to address whether upfront fares could be hurting drivers’ earnings. They pointed to the company’s November earnings call, where the company said drivers’ earnings levels are “high at about $33 per utilized hour across the US.” Lyft did not respond to BI’s request for comment at the time.
In response to drivers’ concerns, some cities and states have passed legislation to guarantee minimum pay for ride-hailing drivers.
In February 2019, New York City established the nation’s first minimum pay rate for ride-hailing drivers. Seattle, California, and New York State have enacted their own measures, and proposals are under consideration in Minneapolis, Chicago, and Massachusetts.
In its announcement, Lyft said it hopes to be more transparent about how much drivers tend to earn, which could better prepare people deciding whether to drive for Lyft and how many hours to devote. Lyft noted in a separate white paper that in the second half of 2023, the median US driver who used a personal vehicle earned $30.68 gross per hour of engaged time, meaning when driving to a rider and dropping them off. This value includes tips and bonuses, and Lyft said it has grown 18% since the second half of 2019.
Lyft calculated the total marginal cost per mile at $0.31, accounting for fuel costs, maintenance and repair, marginal depreciation, and cleaning. As calculated by Lyft, the median marginal cost per hour comes out to $7.02, bringing earnings down to $23.46 per engaged hour after expenses, factoring in tips and bonuses. Still, 94% of Lyft drivers only drive less than 20 hours a week and use driving to supplement other income.
In an interview released last October with Kara Swisher, Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said the company’s take rate — the amount of passenger fares the company keeps — was about 15%, exclusive of commercial insurance costs. The company does not have a guaranteed earnings policy similar to the one Lyft is rolling out.
Improving driving conditions
Lyft’s announcement also included additional information about scheduled rides, which include extra earnings to cover wait times in most major US cities, as well as clearer guidance on queued rides and airport rides, and its Elite tier, where drivers get 10% cash back on gas and status protection. Elite, Platinum, and Gold drivers can receive 24/7 phone support, and all drivers can get $20 for returning lost items from riders. Drivers can also more easily appeal deactivations in the Lyft app.
In some cities, drivers who complete 50 rides in an EV weekly will earn an extra $100 for a few months. This will be coupled with new features for EV drivers allowing them to opt-in to only get rides in their battery range.
Many investors say ride-hailing companies will continue to see robust demand while more and more drivers look to gig driving as a form of primary or supplemental income.
In November 2023, Lyft agreed to pay $38 million to settle claims that it improperly collected some fees and taxes from New York drivers — Uber agreed to pay $290 million.
Are you a gig worker willing to share your story about pay, schedule, and tipping? Are you a Lyft driver willing to share your story about pay and how Lyft’s new policy has impacted you? If so, reach out to these reporters at [email protected] and [email protected].


text:
ThinkTankPhoto StreetWalker Pro First of all, a huge thank you to the people over at ThinkTankPhoto who were kind enough to send out the StreetWalker Pro for a review! 🙂 read more
DJI just announced their new drone and it’s what every drone enthusiast has been looking for. read more
Apple Event – September 2016 Apple’s WWDC September 2016 took place on September 7th, yesterday as of the writing of this article. Included here are the most prominent updates and things that you should know about what went down. read more
iOS 10 Beta: Things I thought you should know. iOS 10 isn’t out for the public just yet, but I’ve gotten my hands on the beta. So here’s everything I think you should know about iOS 10. read more
Google I/O 2016 Google’s recent conference consisted of some extremely interesting and notable announcements. Here’s a recap video that basically sums up the whole conference in 10 minutes. read more
The Bahrain This Month Gadget Roundup for May 2016 read more
Improve your videos with lighting One of the ways in which people can improve their video content is by using lighting. In the above video I explain lighting, and how vital it can be for your videos. read more
2015’s Past, 2016’s Future. This video is just a little recap about what happened last year, and some of the stuff that I have planned for this year. For a more ‘in-depth’ description of what I have planned for 2016...


text:
Authorities in the Philippines launched a new incentive program on Thursday, aimed at overseas Filipino workers to encourage them to bring foreign visitors to the country.
The “Bisita (Visitor) Be My Guest” program, introduced by the Department of Tourism in cooperation with the Department of Migrant Workers, the Tourism Promotions Board, and the private sector, aims to boost the Southeast Asian nation’s hospitality sectors as it recovers from two years of coronavirus
“We’re very happy to launch the ‘Bisita Be My Guest’ program,” Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco told reporters in Manila.
“This will give Filipinos, especially our OFWs and those living abroad, opportunities to receive incentives and prizes for bringing home a foreign friend, spouse or family into the Philippines.
“Now as travel restrictions have eased, we look forward to inviting our foreign friends and guests to visit our country and to offer a wide range of culturally rich experiences along with all types of outdoor recreational activities on water and on land,” Frasco said.
The incentives include raffle prizes such as condominium units, cars, and holiday packages, as well as privilege cards for discounts at various malls, hotels and restaurants across the country.
As most of Filipino migrant workers live in the Middle East, the project is expected to help increase arrivals from Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and other countries in the region, Frasco said.
“I had a listening tour with stakeholders in that region, and they’re very excited to partner with the Philippines to harness the Middle Eastern market for us.”
Saudi Arabia, home to over 800,000 Filipino expats, is the Philippines’ main tourism market in the Middle East.
“All of them are so eager to help our country,” Migrant Workers Secretary Susan Ople said during the program’s launch.
“This program gives them a vehicle to do just that.”
The Philippines, known for its white sand beaches and famous diving spots, is dependent on tourism. In 2019, nearly 8.3 million foreign tourists visited the country and the hospitality sector generated around $44 billion — about 13 percent of the country’s GDP, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority.
Most tourism destinations in the country were forced to shut down when the COVID
-19 pandemic hit in 2020, dealing a major blow to the industry. Foreign arrivals slumped by 82 percent.
This year, tourism recovery efforts have yielded results following the lifting of several coronavirus
By Dec. 15, official data showed that nearly 2.4 million foreign tourists had visited the Philippines.


text:
Chinese technochocolate Tencent is preparing for the domestic market Weishi glasses with an integrated camera. They are intended for the promotion of the service of short videos, which is owned by Tencent.
Weishi officially not yet released but the App Store already has an app to communicate with the glasses via Bluetooth. The device has an 8-megapixel camera capable of shooting video in 720 or 1080p. The production will company Tonot based in Shenzhen.
The glasses will be on sale at the boutique on November 11. On this day, the Chinese online site arrange large-scale promotions and discounts.
The same product that company has a Snap, which owns messaging app Snapchat. Glasses Spectacles are of two generations and know how to shoot photo and video up to 30 seconds. Sales of the device is unsatisfactory, the first version sold only 150,000 copies.
While Tencent is still the largest investor Snap, owning 17 percent of the company. The Chinese holding company known for WeChat messenger and League of Legends.


text:
SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- Lexmark International Inc. shares tumbled more than 6% Monday, retreating as the No. 2 printer marker slashed second- and third-quarter earnings forecasts due to several factors including poor inkjet supply sales and weakness in its consumer business line.
Lexmark LXK shares fell $3.15 to close at $46.25 after the Lexington, Ky.-based said that for the second quarter, it now expects to earn between 64 cents and 69 cents a share. Excluding restructuring benefits, Lexmark estimates it will earn between 62 cents and 67 cents a share.
By that measure, analysts surveyed by Thomson Financial had, on average, been forecasting that Lexmark would come in with earnings of 82 cents to 92 cents a share.
Management also said second-quarter sales are now expected to dip by about 2% from last year's $1.23 billion, which would result in revenue of about $1.2 billion.
In a statement, Lexmark said its results were affected by lower-than-expected sales of inkjet supplies, declining average selling prices for printers and greater-than-expected product costs. All three factors had a negative impact on the operating profit generated by its consumer business, the company said.
Lexmark also noted that the same factors would affect third-quarter results. The company now expects its third-quarter bottom line to range from breaking even to turning a profit of up to 10 cents a share.
The company plans to formally announce second-quarter results on July 24.


text:
You probably know Segway for its eponymous two-wheeled scooter, made famous by walking tours and mall security guards around the world (and the ignominious death of its owner, who rode one off a cliff). But Segway as a company has expanded into other corners of the electric transportation market in recent years, especially after its 2015 acquisition by Beijing-based Ninebot. It now offers everything from electric rollerskates to mopeds to rolling armchairs, and now it’s got a futuristic electric motorcycle in the works.
Its concept sports bike is powered by a futuristic combination of hydrogen and electricity. The Apex H2, which Segway unveiled this week, is the faster, sleeker follow-up to the original Apex bike from 2019. The new version of the bike is almost unbelievably fast for an alt-fuel vehicle, with a top speed of 150 km/h (about 93 mph), so yes, you’ll be able to ride it on the highway. Segway says the Apex H2 will be capable of producing up to 60 kW of power and can go from 0 to 100 km/h (0-60 mph) in just four seconds.
If there’s any bad news here, it’s that we’re going to have to wait a while for the Apex H2. Segway is crowdfunding its handsome two-wheeler and says it probably won’t reach our garages until some time in 2023. Normally we’re skeptical of anything with “concept” tied to it actually making it to market, but Segway says preorders for the Apex H2 are open, and the price tag for the base model is 69,999 yuan (or about $10,600).
Let’s talk hydrogen — The Apex H2’s biggest upgrade (besides that curvy body) and single-sided swingarm front and rear is its hydrogen fuel cell system. It’s actually a hybrid hydrogen-electric powertrain, which means hydrogen stored in tanks will be converted to electricity and then stored in a battery. The only byproduct of this process is water vapor, released through the exhaust port just behind the rear wheel.
This system isn’t just a rarity — it’s basically unheard of, especially for a sports bike. Using hydrogen as a fuel source has some drawbacks, most notably that it’s not as easy to come by as gas or electricity. You’ll be able to swap the hydrogen canisters on your own, but carrying refills on long trips could present some issues.
We’re still quite a while from hydrogen being as ubiquitous as electric charging stations — just ask Nikola, the Tesla rival that’s better hydrogen as a fuel will take off but is having a hard time convincing the rest of the automotive world. But the promise of another eco-friendly fuel system is always very welcome. Maybe Segway’s Apex H2 will kick off the hydrogen dream’s ascent into reality.


text:
What’s Local: ‘A Local Holiday Market’ back for ninth season
By Jim Hagerty
ROCKFORD – A successful holiday shopping tradition makes its return to Rockford for the ninth year this weekend.
Winnebago Buy Local’s “A Local Holiday Market 2019” will be from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 7, at Rockford University’s Regents Hall. The holiday-themed market features ware from only locally owned businesses aims to help shoppers support their favorite homegrown businesses all in one location.
“We feel uniquely blessed that our community looks for new and exciting opportunities to buy locally year-round,” Winnebago Buy Local Director Lauren Davis said in a release. “But during the holidays, I know that convenience is key, so we load up the room with dozens of local businesses, pump up the music, bring in local entertainment in the form of choirs and holiday characters, give out tote bags and coupons to area restaurants, and provide the community with a way to ‘Support-Local’ during the busiest shopping time of the year.”
The first 200 families through the doors Saturday will receive a free reusable shopping bag to use when buying throughout the year. Because the commemorative bags are reusable, they help the environment, Davis said, and they contain several gifts from local business. Guests will also receive lunch coupons for participating local restaurants and cafes.
Live entertainment will be by the Rockford Christian School choir.
“Not only is the energy high, but the day is lighthearted and magical, and it brings to light the amazing businesses we have in our community,” Davis added.
According to stats compiled by Winnebago Buy Local, more than $.65 of every dollar spent with a local business stays in the local economy, allowing communities to retain wealth and become unique places to live, work, and visit.
The event is sponsored by PC Tech 2U, Meg’s Daily Grind, Iverson Painting, and Meemic-Redd Insurance Group. Rockford University is at 5050 E. State St. Regents Hall can be found by following the candy cane path.


text:
Fiat Chrysler recalls nearly 703,000 vehicles in US over ignition-switch fault
According to a Bloomberg report, nearly 703,000 vehicles are being recalled by Fiat Chrysler because of ignition-switch issues. Documents related to the major safety recall were posted by the automaker on the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) website on Friday.
Going by the recall-related details shared by Fiat Chrysler in the documents, the recall affects nearly 703,000 sports utility vehicles (SUVs) and minivans in the US. The vehicles being recalled by the automaker include 2008-2010 models of Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town and Country minivans. In addition, the recall also affects 2009-2010 Dodge Journey SUVs.
As per the Bloomberg report, Fiat Chrysler has said in the documents posted on the NHTSA website that the ignition-switch defect prompting the recall can cause the engines of the affected vehicles to turn off suddenly.
Elaborating on the defect, Fiat Chrysler said that faulty ignition switches in the vehicles being recalled can potentially rotate out of position; thereby causing the vehicles to stop, or lose power. The problem can also apparently disable the airbags of the affected vehicles.
The nearly 703,000 SUVs and minivans with faulty ignition switches are being recalled by Fiat Chrysler so that the problem can be fixed. For the 2008-2009 vehicles, the recall will start in April; while the 2010 vehicles will be recalled in August.
- New ET7 Electric Sedan Brings NIO Closer To Fully Autonomous Driving Capability
- Massachusetts Governor Baker’s 25% capacity rule is death warrant for Casinos: Richard McGowan
- San Diego Tribal Casinos refute report blaming them of spreading COVID-19
- Tennessee reports robust $131.4 million sports betting handle in November
- Nikola Motor electric waste management truck deal with Republic Services cancelled
New Zealand News
- What Does Phasing Out Cheques Tell Us About Finance in New Zealand?
- South Korean casino operator GKL closes third casino amid soaring cases of COVID-19
- Top Live Casinos in India and Pure Casino Signup Offer
- Independent MP Justin Field making efforts to prevent NSW from compensating Crown Resorts
- President-elect Biden’s Climate Plan to provide big boost to EVs and green power
American gaming and hospitality giant Boyd Gaming...Read More
An American citizen who had boasted in front of an...Read More
Pushing the long-awaited Chicago casino project...Read More
A study was conducted to evaluate the effect a...Read More
Tech biggie Google’s recent filing with the US...Read More


text:
SAN DIEGO — Saint Archer Brewing Co., a craft brewery located in San Diego, CA is pleased to announce the release of Mandarina Pale Ale in cans and on draft. The freshly canned, limited release seasonal brew will be available in 12 oz. six packs in select stores throughout California, Hawaii, Alaska, Oregon, Nevada, Washington and Arizona as well as on draft in multiple locations and the San Diego tasting room. This Friday, the community is invited to a launch event from 4-9pm at the tasting room in Miramar, which will give them the opportunity to be the first to taste this limited release.
Mandarina Pale Ale is a fruity wheat beer, using fresh lemon peel, coupled with hops from three continents in Citra, Mandarina Bavaria, Hallertau Blanc, and Nelson Sauvin, to highlight the bright, citrusy character in hop forward beers. This hoppy brew is the perfect beer for summer.
MANDARINA PALE ALE STATS
Name: Mandarina Pale Ale
Stats: 5.0% ABV, 30 IBUs
Availability: Seasonal availability in cans and on draft beginning on April 20
Distribution: California, Hawaii, Alaska, Oregon, Nevada, Washington, Arizona
About Saint Archer Brewing Co.
Saint Archer Brewing Co. is a craft brewery located in San Diego, CA. The brewery began operations in 2013, and currently operates in a 57,000 sq. ft., 5 vessel, 40 barrel brew house amongst a host of 120 and 400 barrel fermenters. Available in 7 states across the pacific region, with plans to expand into 2 more in the coming year, Saint Archer produces roughly 40,000 barrels of beer each year. Saint Archer has brought home a host of 15 awards, most notably the White Ale earning a Gold Medal from the 2014 Great American Beer Festival.
The tasting room is located in Miramar in the heart of the expanding beer scene, open to the public 7 days a week, pouring over 18 core and specialty beer varieties, a weekly rotating cask and brewery exclusive releases.
Saint Archer is owned by MillerCoors but operates autonomously with full control of their beer production and brewing and creative process. For more information, please go to www.saintarcherbrewery.com.


text:
UK boyband Blue have announced a concert in Singapore in February as part of their 20th anniversary ‘Heart and Soul’ tour.
Blue will perform at The Theatre at Mediacorp on February 9 in a concert that will mark the 20th anniversary of their 2001 debut album, ‘All Rise’. The group have not indicated if any additional Asia tour dates will be announced as part of their 20th anniversary celebrations, but have previously announced UK tour dates alongside 90s Irish pop group B*Witched, who are also making a comeback.
Tickets for Blue’s Singapore tour date will go on sale this November 9 via Sistic and its agents, partners, as well as box office. Ticket prices will range from SGD128 to SGD228, and limited VIP packages will also be made available.
Blue’s ‘Heart And Soul’, their first album in seven years, was released on October 28 after being pushed back from its initial release date of September 9. It follows their sixth studio album, 2015’s ‘Colours’, which saw Blue dropped by their record label Sony later that year due to poor sales, just one album into a two-album deal.
Blue announced their comeback earlier this year with the release of two singles from ‘Heart And Soul’, ‘Haven’t Found You Yet’ and ‘Dance with Me’. They have since performed at Vietnamese music festival Hay Fest earlier this year on August 6 alongside The Moffatts – MTL, A1, 911 and many more.


text:
Mark B. Solomon
Executive Editor - News
Mark Solomon joined DC VELOCITY as senior editor in August 2008, and was promoted to his current position on January 1, 2015. He has spent more than 30 years in the transportation, logistics and supply chain management fields as a journalist and public relations professional. From 1989 to 1994, he worked in Washington as a reporter for the Journal of Commerce, covering the aviation and trucking industries, the Department of Transportation, Congress and the U.S. Supreme Court. Prior to that, he worked for Traffic World for seven years in a similar role. From 1994 to 2008, Mr. Solomon ran Media-Based Solutions, a public relations firm based in Atlanta. He graduated in 1978 with a B.A. in journalism from The American University in Washington, D.C.
Federal funding commitment needed to make public-private partnerships work, groups say
AASHTO, AAPA said private sector must see chance for reasonable return on investment.
December 6, 2016
Harold Ford, former Tennessee Congressman, tapped as new Secretary of Transportation
Scion of prominent political family has yet to accept offer, sources say.
November 23, 2016
UPS, following FedEx lead, shrinks threshold of dimensional pricing on parcel shipments
Company drops divisor to 139 from 166, subjecting more parcels to costlier price formula; shipments measuring 1 cubic foot or less not affected.
November 21, 2016
Rail group chief urges STB to freeze regulations until Trump appoints full slate of members
Rules 'have no business advancing' without five-member board in place, AAR's Hamberger says.
November 17, 2016
A new administration may mean major change across supply chain
A more business-friendly climate could slow regulatory oversight, be a boon to infrastructure, and reverse favorable union laws. Yet trade would likely suffer.
November 11, 2016
UPS warns it may pull traffic from rails if switching proposal succeeds
Company warns of deteriorating service velocity if rails are forced to switch carload traffic.
October 28, 2016
XPO sells truckload business to TransForce for $558 million in cash
Deal ends XPO's foray into asset-based truckload, gives Canada-based TransForce foothold in Mexico, NAFTA trades.
October 27, 2016
Robinson's third-quarter results pressured by hard-nosed shippers
Sell rates to customers fell faster than 3PL's capacity purchases, company says.
October 26, 2016
Big data, analytics could be a welcome tonic for the beleaguered liner shipping trade
Advanced analytical tools are driving major efficiencies in an industry that badly needs them.
October 24, 2016
FedEx LTL unit driving down rates to strengthen parcel business, analyst says
Parent using LTL as "loss leader" to push bundled shipping solutions, Ross says.
October 21, 2016