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Detroit Diesel Responds to Shell’s Claims
In a letter sent yesterday to its vendors, suppliers, customers, and a number of organizations, and others, Detroit Diesel Corporation released a position statement regarding “Shell’s Mobil Competitive Claim.”
The letter is directed at Shell’s advertising campaign where Shell claims that a sample of ExxonMobil Delvac 1300 Super 15W-40 it tested does not meet API CK-4 and Detroit Diesel (93K222) engine oil specifications. Specific to the claim, Shell says the sample did not pass the Volvo T-13 engine test.
In response to the Shell’s claim, Detroit Diesel’s position statement says that “Mobil Delvac 1300 Super 15W-40 met all of the requirements to receive an API CK-4 license” and “all the requirements for inclusion on Detroit Diesel’s 93K222 approved engine oil list.” Further, “Inclusion on Detroit Diesel’s 93K222 approved engine oil list is at the sole discretion of Detroit Diesel Corporation” and that “The Volvo T13 engine test data for Mobil Delvac 1300 Super 15W-40 met the requirements for API CK-4 and DDC DFS 93K222.”
In addition to these points, the statement says, “The Volvo T13 engine test is approved by ASTM, API, ACC, EMA, DDC, and other organizations” and “The precision statement for the Volvo T13 engine test is available in ASTM D 8048.”
Detroit Diesel’s position statement concludes with:
“Any and all public claims that a Detroit Diesel-approved product does not meet Detroit Diesel specifications shall only be communicated by Detroit Diesel Corporation.”
From what JobbersWorld is hearing from those who received the letter, the position statement makes it clear that Detroit Diesel stands by its approval of Mobil Delvac 1300 Super 15W-40. Further, the letter makes it clear that Detroit Diesel calls the shots on its product approvals, not lubricant marketers.
Related stories and video:
– ExxonMobil Responds to Shell’s Claim
– Shell Amps up the Volume about its Claim
– Shell Claims Shell Rotella Meets The Standards While A Leading Diesel Engine Oil Does Not
– Not All Oils Meet Industry Standards
– YouTube – (Video 1 and Video 2)
New Tariffs Mean no Price Increase for ELM Biobased Greases
In what clearly is a change from much of the news JobbersWorld has been publishing in 2018 about industry wide price increases, Environmental Lubricants Manufacturing, Inc. (ELM), a leading biobased lubricants company announced that prices will not rise in some of its key grease products.
According to ELM President Dr. Lou Honary “… since the beginning of 2018 we have seen three waves of price increases by major suppliers for base oils, additives and for finished lubricants and greases. We too are impacted by increases in the price of additives, but we have also seen our base oil prices stabilize and decrease much to the disappointment of our farmers. Depressed agriculture commodity prices combined with continuous improvement in our microwave-based grease processing, we are pleased to inform our customers that not only are we not following the crowd and increasing our prices, in the case of biobased rail curve, wire rope, drill rod grease and food grade greases, we are seeing some price reductions.”
ELM production manager Saeed Soleimani stated, “increase in sales volumes of VGP certified biobased wire rope grease, barium grease-substitute biobased drill rod grease, and our lithium-based rail curve greases have helped us to further increase our purchasing power.” ELM has been private labeling biobased greases for several US and international companies. Honary said “we have long recognized that our way to the broader market is through cooperation with successful mineral oil lubricant marketers and manufacturers. We are signing on more capable private labelers who find their margins continue to degrade in mineral oil-based products while biobased products offer a new high margin opportunity.”


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Despite supply chain woes easing early this year and new truck production exceeding expectations in May, disruptions from Russia and China, rampant inflation, high interest rates, and the increasing likelihood of recession all indicate a continuing struggle for the industry, according to the latest data from ACT Research.
“Russian commodities remain locked out of Western markets, Ukraine remains besieged, and China continues to struggle with COVID and lockdowns," said Eric Crawford, ACT Research’s vice president and senior analyst. The current market amid international uncertainties have caused OEMs to take a conservative approach, limiting their number of build slots.
“The battle against inflation is global. U.S. inflation continues to accelerate, prompting the Fed to lift the Fed Funds rate 75 basis points this week, the largest increase since 1994, and markets and economists are increasingly predicting a U.S. recession in 2023,” Crawford said.
When asked what this all means for commercial vehicle markets, he explained, “While Classes 5-8 production exceeded lowered expectations in May and build plans were largely unchanged, supply chain risks remain elevated. Moreover, we believe the likelihood of a U.S. economic recession is growing and probability of a mild recession is now about as likely as that of our base-case scenario.”
“Backlogs remain long and order volumes remain constrained," Crawford said. "Until build rates find additional traction, orders will largely mirror production levels, but the steep decline in truckload spot rates in recent months will soon impact vehicle demand.” ACT has also reported that an oversupply of used trucks could lower truck prices, which last month were 66% higher than May 2021.

domain: news


text: First cannabis came for your pets, now it’s coming for your horses. “Created for horse people, by horse people,” Cannahorse, the first legal cannabis brand dedicated to horse health, was launched on Wednesday. The brand is hoping for first-mover advantage in the medical equine space with four product lines aimed at treating various conditions. The company said in a release it’s in discussions with unspecified horse-related regulators to allow cannabis to be an option for equine medical needs. It also has access to a large number of horses and two testing facilities exclusively for performance tests and clinical trials.


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FOLLOWING the successful launch of its customer referral scheme in March, NFU Mutual in Lisburn has donated £1,120 to the Lisburn based charity, Stepping Stones NI.
The large rural insurer launched the scheme in March 2008 and since then has donated almost £10,000 to various local good causes throughout the UK.
The scheme is aimed at existing satisfied customers who would like to recommend NFU Mutual to friends or family. If this referred customer then takes out a product themselves, NFU Mutual will in return donate £20 to a local charity.
Keith Emerson, NFU Mutual Sales Associate in Lisburn said, "As part of the local community we understand the value of word of mouth and trust. We hoped that if our customers were pleased with our personal service and the way that we have handled their claim, they would recommend us to their friends and family.
"We are delighted that in 2008 our customers have recommended us to their friends and family and we have been able to support Stepping Stones NI with this donation."
Martin Malone, Regional Director covering the Lisburn area added: As a mutual insurer with no shareholders, we are not driven by profits or dividends. "Instead, we're focused on our commitment to keep offering value for money for the benefit of our customers.
"We are delighted to be able to continue with this scheme in 2009 and hope that more people will benefit from NFU Mutual's unique approach as a result."


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Technological innovations over the best few years have exploded. The introduction of the electric car has provided a much-needed push for innovation all across the automotive industry. Although these innovations are mostly seen from startups, even some of the more established auto companies are getting into the craze. So, what kind of technology can you see within your car in the next few years? Here is a detailed list of some top predictions.
Active Window Displays
RICOH reports that one of the most exciting technologies soon to be making its way into our vehicles is head-up display technology, or HUD for short. Although this concept has been implemented within cars before, it has never been anything to get too excited about. Think about this; you’re driving down an unfamiliar road in a city you’ve never been to before. HUD technology can easily project a crystal clear image against your windshield that shows you exactly where to turn using a bird’s-eye perspective.
As you might have expected, driverless cars or autonomous cars are no doubt making the list. Self-driving cars are quickly becoming a reality, with companies such as Tesla and Google already racing to be the first to introduce this concept to the public. According to Dolman Law Group, a driverless car, also known as a robotic car, autonomous car or self-driving car, is a motor vehicle that has been outfitted with a computer system and sensor technologies, such as radar, Lidar, sonar, GPS, odometry and inertial measurement units that send information about the road and surroundings of the vehicle to a computer in the car that calculates the safe path to drive and sends inputs to the engines, brakes, steering, etc.
All Electric Fuel
Green Car Reports says that the move from traditional gasoline to all-electric fuel is underway. Although the goal of producing a car that runs entirely on electricity is a few years away, we can already see that the demand for it is there. In 2016, consumers from all over the world purchased over 2 million electric vehicles. This has no doubt spurred automotive companies such as Tesla to find a promising solution to this concept.
The technological advancements that people have been dreaming about are quickly becoming a reality. Through time, effort, and dedication, new and established companies are suddenly seeing the importance of working and implementing these features into their future models.
Interested in reading more about how technology is evolving different industries? Check out these articles from Falstaff Enterprises:


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PUBLISHED | APRIL 12, 2011
COMMENTS | NONE
Gillard commits Australia to free trade pathway
Prime Minister Julia Gillard has announced an overhaul of Australia’s trade policy, committing to trade liberalisation in a throwback to the Hawke-Keating era. Commenting on the new policy today, Trade Minister Craig Emerson said: "Sound trade policy and solid economic reform work hand-in-hand. Prime Minister Gillard has committed Australia to free trade as a pathway to more and better jobs and greater prosperity." The 27-page policy document outlines five main principles to reform Australian trade. The first is that foreign policy considerations should not override trade ones, meaning political issues will take a back seat. "History has taught us that the entanglement of trade policy and foreign policy can have tragic consequences," the document says. Labor will also cease to focus on negotiating individual trade deals for political reasons. The document says such "low-quality’ deals "lock in and legitimise" protectionism. Instead, the foundation of trade policy will be the pursuit of comprehensive multilateral free trade agreements. "The government is willing to conclude a trade agreement with any country willing to sign up to a high-quality and comprehensive bilateral or regional trade deal that is consistent with global trading rules." Thirdly, itcommits the government to transparency in free trade negotiations and non-discrimination among countries when negotiating trade deals. Effectively, that means Australia will stop seeking bilateral deals that exclude other trading partners from commensurate benefits. "The Gillard government is not interested in collecting trophies for the national mantelpiece-empty vessels engraved with the words ‘free trade agreement’ that formalise and validate existing trade restrictions." Former Liberal Prime Minister John Howard favoured bilateral trade deals. The new approach will allow existing bilateral trade negotiations to continue, but not where an agreement would undermine future or existing multilateral trade agreements. Australia is currently engaged in bilateral trade negotiations with Korea, Japan, China, Malaysia, Indonesia and the Gulf Cooperation Council. Gillard hopes to launch negotiations for a bilateral trade free trade agreement between India and Australia later this year. Fourthly, the document says Australia will pursue trade reform without waiting for trading partners to reform their own trade policies, including labour and environmental standards. Finally, it says trade policy should be executed seamlessly in line with wider economic reform. The document also raised objections to the way Australia uses its quarantine system, foreshadowing reform in this area. "Quarantine restrictions are legitimate in reducing the risk of imported pests and diseases but should not be used as a surreptitious measure to protect domestic primary industries against competition from imports." Australia’s long-standing ban on the import of New Zealand apples (lifted earlier this year) was raised as an example of quarantine concerns disguising a protectionist agenda. The paper criticised the movement of labour, management and equipment resources to mining territories, warning it left non-mining areas unable to "take up the slack" when the mining boom slowed down. But the document also said the government did not believe the movement of production resources should be impeded by interventionist government policy. "That’s why an economic reform program designed to restart productivity growth as the basis for securing the competitiveness of Australian industries-mining and non-mining-is essential." The policy takes on nearly all of the recommendations made by the Productivity Commission’s 2010 report on trade agreements.


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- iPhone 6 teardown shows NFC chips from NXP — and AMS
- UL white paper explains Apple Pay
- Apple joins NFC secure element standards body
- Panasonic takes NFC to the air
- Tesco pilots QR payments
Cartes America 2014
13-15 May 2014
Las Vegas, USA
“This is THE event for payment, identification and mobility,” says the organiser.
“Cartes America will return to Las Vegas from 13-15 May 2014 for its third edition. The 2013 event attracted attendees from 55 countries, with 136 technology companies exhibiting — a 30 percent increase from the inaugural Cartes event in 2012.”
Cartes America hosts a top-quality, three-day conference uniquely focussed on North American issues for senior level decision makers. In addition, the show floor features one of the largest cross-sections of industry suppliers, representative of the full supply chain. Register here!
Organised by Comexposium.
Add to calendar:


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The 21st annual Gourmet Garden Tour in Centre Park Historic District a local favorite
The 21st annual Gourmet Garden Tour in the Centre Park Historic District proves a popular diversion each June. Karl Ford, a transplant from Atlanta, talks about rebuilding his lush Oley Street garden after the May hailstorm.
He only has been a resident of the Centre Park Historic District for a year, and the hailstorm just about ruined his yard, but Karl Ford of Oley Street said he's ready to show off his garden to everyone on the 21st annual Gourmet Garden Tour.
The self-guided tour is Saturday, 5 to 9 p.m. Tickets are $23 in advance (available through noon Friday) or $25 the day of the tour. Ticket includes food and drinks at several sites (ID required for alcohol tasting), and the raindate is Sunday.
Ford said his yard on Oley Street is all garden.
"It's an English Tudor home," he said. "But I wouldn't call it an English garden. It's more of a courtyard with designated areas. There's no lawn whatsoever."
Ford recently moved to the area, previously splitting his time between the Pottstown area and Atlanta.
"I was going to retire in Atlanta," he said. "But I found that I liked the change of seasons, so I sold that house and bought this one in Reading."
The graphic artist said the skeleton of the garden was done, but he and his roommate Chris DeMarta made improvements.
"I know a little about gardening," he said. "I used to be the co-owner of a flower shop. But this is really just something that fell in my lap."
Ford said the yard already had the brick pathways that he used to design the garden, but it required a lot of thinning and rearranging of plants.
"I've taken out old shrubs and replaced them and put in some trees," he said. "Everything was really overgrown. I had to improve it." He has some peonies (look for his rare yellow variety), some lilies, rhododendron and hostas.
And once it was just about perfect, a freak and furious hailstorm stripped just about everything in the yard.
"I really had it down, and the hailstorm came and destroyed everything," he said. "We had just finished, and had sat out drinking lemonade and iced tea and then everything literally got destroyed. A lot had to be replaced. Some things we were able to just cut back, but the tree leaves were shredded and a lot of the flowers were gnawed down to nothing."
Some replanting and some camouflaging, and Ford said he's ready to greet his neighbors.
"I'm looking forward to it," he said. "I have heard it's really well attended."
Each garden is paired with a restaurant, and refreshments will be available throughout the tour.
Seven gardens will be represented as well as Sofrito Gastro Pub, Say Cheese, Aashiyana Indian Cuisine, Foods of the Mediterranean and Vietnamese Delights.
The food will be paired with beer or wine from Stoudt Brewing Co., Mari's Six Pack n More, and others.
Additionally a beer garden at the Inn at Centre Park will include samples from Blair Vineyards, Stoudt Brewing Co., Golden Avalanche, Brooklyn Brewing Co., Sierra Nevada and Weyerbacher. More may be added.
The Artifacts Bank will be open, and Sugarbush Nursery will have plants available for purchase.
As always, the seven gardens on the tour vary from lush to compact, giving ideas for any level gardener to re-create at home.
Ford said he's looking forward to sharing his garden, which he said is largely self-sufficient these days.
"It really just takes a little bit of work," he said. "I didn't want a garden where I'd have to spend three or four hours a day on it."
For information and tickets, visit www.centrepark.org.
Email Tracy Rasmussen: firstname.lastname@example.org.
If you go
Event: Gourmet Garden Tour
When: 5 to 9 p.m. Saturday
Where: Centre Park Historic District
Tickets: $23 discount tickets are available until 5 p.m. today at www.centrepark.org. $25 day of tour, available in Centre Park, located in the 700 block of Centre Avenue. The price includes food tastings with beer or wine pairings at each stop.
By the way: Rain date is Sunday.


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follow us on twitter: Sikh Pound worth £7.63 Billion
The British Sikh Report (BSR) is the only strategic document of its kind, aimed at governmental bodies and national institutions alike, which draws attention to the aspirations of the British Sikh community across a range of areas. Compiled by a collective of British Sikh professionals and academics, it is based on quantitative research and will be used to help better understand and meet the various needs of the Sikh community. It is anticipated that the report will assist non-Sikh organisations in working with the current British Sikh population on collaborative projects. Some of the key findings in the report related to the financial strength of British Sikhs. The report found that two-thirds of British Sikh households (66%) have pre-tax incomes above £40,000, and over a third (34%) have a household income in excess of £80,000. Taking into account the average size of the British Sikh household, the report values the Sikh contribution to the British economy at a staggering £7.63billion. In terms of wealth and assets, home ownership is very high amongst British Sikhs with 87% of households owning at least a portion of their home. 30% of British Sikh households own their homes outright and only 9% rent their properties. A mere 1% of British Sikhs claim Housing Benefit. According to the report, British Sikhs are clear net contributors to the British economy and have a strong entrepreneurial drive, with about one in three British Sikh families (34%) owning a business in the UK. Ed Miliband MP, Leader of the Opposition, comments, “The Sikh community is one which has made an immense contribution to British society over many years. I welcome the British Sikh Report 2014 for the insight it helps to provide to the community." David Cameron, the Prime Minister, comments, "The British Sikh community is one of the most hard-working and successful groups in the UK, contributing so much to our culture, economy and way of life. I commend the British Sikh Report 2014 for its continuing efforts to engage politicians in dialogue on matters concerning the British Sikh community." Jasvir Singh, chair of the British Sikh Report, comments, "The British Sikh Report 2014 has helped to show just how powerful the Sikh contribution to the British economy is. Sikhs are amongst the most financially independent people within the UK, and this often unsung and overlooked community deserves to be recognised as playing an important and integral role in contemporary Britain." The document was launched at a Parliamentary event on Wednesday 9th April where Sadiq Khan MP (Shadow Justice Secretary), Priti Patel MP and Lord Dholakia amongst others spoke of the positive relationship between Sikhs and Britain and discussed the findings of the report.
Follow us on Twitter
April 2014 - 1st Edition
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Racist face-slasher on the run
front cover story
Police Chief slams his own force for taking over 20 hours to issue a public warning By Anush Ansari email@example.com
Suffolk Police and Crime Commissioner Tim Passmore has slammed his own force after they took 20 hours to warn the public about Monerville’s disappearance, despite promises to improve performances after recent incidents. Violent Jerry Monerville failed to return to Hollesley Bay open prison, which is a notoriously insecure and has been dubbed ‘Holiday Bay’ by inmates. The area's crime commissioner has slammed the force over the delays to inform the public, after promising to tighten up security following similar blunders when another convict went on the run last year. This is the third escape in three years. Mr Passmore said he would be challenging Suffolk Chief Constable Douglas Paxton about
the embarrassing blunder and will be seeking cast-iron guarantees that errors are not made in the future. He said: “I was given an assurance by the Deputy Chief Constable last July that communications to the public in these situations would be reviewed. “Clearly this is not working and that is completely unsatisfactory. “I will now take this up with the Chief Constable again and seek a cast-iron guarantee that such public information is released without delay.” Police have tried to trace Monerville without success and have issued an appeal to find him. He is described as white, of thin build with brown eyes and black hair, and has connections with Herne Bay. Police say anyone who sees Monerville should call 101, but should not approach him or take any other action.
ON THE RUN: Jerry Monerville was sentenced to eight years for slicing a 15-year-old boy’s cheek open in a racist attack
Nida Azwer among celebrated designers to showcase at Faisana Fashion Weekend Celebrated designer, Nida Azwer, is among the six fashion houses from across India and Pakistan, to be showcasing her latest collection and interacting with the UK public at Faisana Fashion Weekend. Nida Azwer has been designing and working in fashion under the aegis of her eponymous label since 2005, only one month after she graduated from the prestigious Indus Valley School of Art & Architecture. Her label includes prêt a porter, haute couture and bridal lines. Nida herself was nominated for the coveted Lux Style Award for Best Emerging Talent in 2008 and won the Best Designer Award at the Nesvita Women of
Strength Awards in 2009. The same year, she held her debut solo show in Karachi, featuring both prêt a porter and haute couture to the acclaim of press and industry stalwarts alike. Nida Azwer’s atelier has come to be recognised for the designer’s love of more classic and vintage design elements infused with traditional crafts such as ‘tukri ka kaam’, ‘rilli’, ‘kantha’, ‘zardozi’ and ‘miniature embroidery’ worked into contemporary fashion. All clothing and apparel created under the Nida Azwer label is meticulously handworked in Pakistan using only pure fabrics including Irish linen, chiffons, hand-woven silks and brocade. The
atelier is best known for infusing designs with attention to detail, innovative cuts, silhouettes and tailoring. Influencers on the South Asian fashion landscape, Aamna & Aisha and Radhika Hasan, bring to the Capital a UK exclusive with Faisana Fashion Weekend, which curates and presents for the very first time together on one international platform three of India and three of Pakistan’s most celebrated designers – Anita Dongre, Rina Dhaka and Bhairavi Jaikishan (India); and Umar Sayeed, Nida Azwer and Sania Maskatiya (Pakistan). The two-day event at Mayfair Hotel will launch with an exclusive
Champagne, Canapés and Couture evening on 2nd May, 7-9.30pm in Mayfair Hotel’s Crystal Room, where guests will preview the latest collections from all participating designers, introduced by the designers themselves. The evening will be interspersed with a runway show and classical dance performance by celebrated Kathak dancer Fasih ur Rahman of the Akademi institute. A free to attend, open exhibition, The Grand Trunk Show, will follow on 3rd May, 12-7pm, showcasing a wide range of pret and couture from the designers’ latest collections for the general public, again hosted by the designers themselves.


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The CTIA trade show would have been much more livelier had the winners of the 700 MHz auction been allowed to detail their plans for the spectrum. But the FCC anti-collusion restrictions were lifted April 3 in the afternoon, when the show floor had closed for the year.
Verizon Wireless executives on Friday morning assured investors the company's $9.36 billion investment in 700MHz spectrum will provide a long-term foundation for Verizon's business. Specifically, the company said that this year it will be conducting field trials of LTE. In 2009 it will select vendors, conduct some advanced device trials with a deployment planned for the second half of that year. By 2010 the operator plans to launch commercially and have rapid acceleration of its footprint.
Meanwhile AT&T, which spent $6.6 billion in the 700 MHz auction for B-block licenses, will also deploy LTE. The new B-block spectrum will be combined with AT&T's spectrum it acquired from Aloha Partners last year. Kris Rinne, senior vice president, architecture and planning at AT&T told the audience at last week's FierceMarkets Path to 4G conference, which was co-located with the CTIA show, that the company will likely deploy LTE in the 2010 time frame.
Interestingly, it doesn't appear AT&T has any open access plans for its spectrum and and in fact said the open-access stipulations placed on Verizon's C-block spectrum will give it an advantage in the market.
"With fewer costly and complex regulations, we have the certainty and flexibility needed to move faster in rolling out new mobile technology and more customer choices in devices and applications," said Ralph de la Vega, president and CEO of AT&T's wireless business in a press release. "We will put our spectrum to work so that customers can do more with their wireless devices, the user experience is superb, and wireless connectivity can be embedded in more devices."
And we were under the impression that open access fosters customer choice in devices and applications.
With the two largest mobile operators now deploying the same 4G technology it should be interesting to see how each positions themselves in the market. For one, open access is a cumbersome thing. For the other, open access will make it the preferred partners for developers.
I also want to share with you some of the tidbits I learned at CTIA last week:
- One CDMA vendor I talked to believes UMB, the 4G path for CDMA, is nearly dead. KDDI is reportedly the only operator interested in deploying it but only if some other operators commit as well--slim chance.
- NextWave Chairman and CEO Allen Salmasi said the phone has been ringing off the hook at the company's headquarters now that the 700 MHz auction is over. Part of NextWave's strategy is to offer spectrum it owns to companies that want to enter the mobile broadband space using NextWave's end-to-end solution of products and services, which are numerous. Moreover, Salmasi said to expect to see NextWave involved in a major LTE trial later this year.
- HSPA technology is reportedly facing capacity problems in Korea as the popularity of video services is hurting voice quality.--Lynnette
P.S. Group Editor-in-Chief Sue Marek will be talking about all the highs and lows from CTIA with Andy Seybold and Linda Barrabee of the Yankee Group on Thursday, April 10 at 2 p.m. EST. Be sure to tune into the lively discussion. Register here.


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John Wick will always survive, as long as pop-ups and spin-offs keep getting created.
This month, fans can book a spot at Welcome to The Continental: The Hotel Bar Experience, a pop-up bar in New York City inspired by the beloved Keanu Reeves film franchise.
It will open on September 21, coinciding with the launch of The Continental: From the World of John Wick, a prequel series that airs on Peacock the next day for the first time. In the UAE, the show is available on Amazon Prime Video.
The venue is at 82 Beaver Street in the city's financial district, according to People, which is the hotel exterior used in the films.
Once guests are inside, the new series and the whole John Wick universe will be brought to life via the 1970s in what's described as an "immersive cocktail experience".
According to People, the venue aims to be the "most dangerously elite hotel" in the city.
Guests, who will pay for food and drink using gold coins like those featured in the show, are encouraged to dress for the occasion and era (although that's not mandatory). Interactive storylines and photo opportunities with characters, all with a "killer twist", will be on offer. Guests can also expect staff, from bellhops to bartenders, to be involved in performances.
Peacock recently released a trailer for the show, which is set in the 1970s and centres on The Continental, a chain of hotels around the world that serve as neutral ground for members of the underworld. Hotel workers spend their days trying to handle all the hitmen and murderers who stay.
The series also features Mel Gibson as Cormac, who assigns protagonist Winston (Colin Woodell) to recover a stolen object from the hotel, an object he says is "very important to a lot of dangerous people".
The Welcome to the Continental experience is open from September 21-24, October 1 and October 4-8; from $15; 21 and above only. More information and tickers are information at feverup.com/m/139065


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In a recent Reddit AMA, Whatsapp CEO Jan Koum said that his company’s mobile app has now made the jump from the beta to the final product.
In his response, Koum did say that the app will not have an Android version until it’s “completed” in the near future.
That’s pretty good news for users of WhatsApp, who have been waiting to see the first version of the app available on their mobile devices for a while now.
As of now, there is no word as to when the app could finally be available to everyone, but it’s definitely a step in the right direction.
We’ve reached out to WhatsApp for further comment, but have yet to hear back.
If the app ever does become available, users will be able to set the volume of their voice call, send and receive messages and read all of their notifications, according to the company’s support page.
With all the apps on the Android platform, there’s no shortage of options for Whatsapp users to customize their experience.
With that in mind, we asked Koum what we can expect to see in the future for the platform.
He explained that, after a few weeks, the app is going to be available for all Android devices, including the iPhone and iPad.
That means, for now, we won’t be able use Whatsapp on those devices.
We also asked Koumin if there would be a “voice command” feature in the app, which he said is “not ready yet.”
We were expecting to see this feature at the time of our interview, but the company has said nothing about it.
If you want to find out more about whatsapp, check out the video above.


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Zambrero names new COO
Reporting to GM, Karim Messih, Hannah will be responsible for daily management of Zambrero’s national operations, building and, design teams. Franchisee management and new product development will also be important facets of his role.
Hannah has 22 years’ experience in Australian food retail, including opening more than 100 retail outlets for a number of brands. Zambrero currently has 82 restaurants in Australia with a further 10 scheduled for opening in the next two months.
He joins Zambrero from Gloria Jean’s Coffees, where he managed national franchise support and national projects. Prior to that he worked as operations manager for Baskin Robbins and was one of the team who launched Krispy Kreme in Australia.
“I’m excited to join a brand with so much potential, driven by fantastic young people with big dreams and a genuine social responsibility. The Zambrero culture is focused on people, both inside and outside the organisation – and the food is fantastic!” said Hannah.
Retail in Melbourne to be forced to close from 11:59pm this Wednesday. Contactless click-and-collect and online del… https://t.co/8um79lnp7618 hours ago
Macca's stores around the world are getting a makeover. We go behind the scenes with the design agency that created… https://t.co/1lEOwd3dPE1 day ago


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Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Debswana moves cautiously as diamond sales slump
Prices down by up to 50 percent
Debswana has embarked on a cost saving and re-prioritisation exercise to mitigate the effects of the current market volatility, deteriorating global economic conditions and a decrease in both demand and prices of rough diamonds experienced in the past few weeks.
According to a statement by Debswana’s Group Manager- Corporate and Public Affairs, Esther Kanaimba-Senai, the trading of rough diamonds in the secondary market has been very depressed. As a result tenders and auction prices have reduced by 20-50%. She states that, “following the rapid price growth of rough diamonds earlier in 2011 by over 45%, the situation in the market has become more challenging in recent months with lower volumes of diamonds being traded, rough and polished prices sliding and liquidity problems being felt in the cutting centres. The reduction in polished prices has dropped to less 10% and lack of liquidity has meant that rough sales and rough prices have been under pressure”.
As a result, she notes that there is a limited amount of cash available for expert diamond cutters and polishers to make purchases.
This situation has resulted in substantially reduced rough diamond sales during the 2011 selling period which ended on 3 November 2011 and the last sight for the year is projected to be small either. The first sights of 2012 will also be impacted until the Christmas sales figures are known.
In spite of these challenges, consumers have continued to buy diamond jewellery throughput the year, with particularly strong sales in India and China and better than expected performance in the US. However, if the Christmas sales figures are revealed before end of February 2012 then things may return to normal.
According to Motswedi securities research analyst Garry Juma it is quite difficult to predict on the timeframe for more positive conditions. Juma said, “looking at the euro zone debt crisis there will be decline in mineral revenues which forms the bulk of government’s total revenues”.
In his State of the Nation address recently, President Ian Khama noted that the largest contributor to Botswana’s turnaround has been recovery in the mining sector. The turnaround, was “especially in the global demand for diamonds, which registered a positive growth of 23% in the second quarter of 2011,” Khama noted, adding that the economic outlook for 2011 is positive, with growth forecast at 5.7% in 2011 and 7.1% in 2012.


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This growth is primarily due to the introduction of stevia-based sweeteners, which, since their introduction to the UK market in January 2012, have been responsible for 80% of this £3.5m growth.
Truvia sweetener is the leading stevia-based sweetener of the stevia market, representing £1.7m in its first year (source: Nielsen Scantrack).
“Bringing Truvia sweetener to the UK market marked a major step forward for consumers, opening up an entirely new category of sweetness: calorie-free and sweetness from a leaf,” said Mark Brooks, business director, Truvia Consumer Products. “We’ve been delighted by the response we’ve had from UK consumers in the past 12 months. It reflects the growing demand among consumers for products that taste great without unnecessary calories.”
Cargill’s Truvia calorie-free sweetener is distributed in the UK by Silver Spoon. It first launched in 2008 in the US, where it is now the number two sugar substitute and has grown the category by over 20%.
© FoodBev Media Ltd 2017


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Building a slide deck, pitch, or presentation? Here are the big takeaways:
- Google is improving OS-level support in Android for devices that use screen cutouts, a design feature popularized by the iPhone X.
- Chrome OS-powered tablets may be coming soon, as visual theming changes and touchscreen-specific behavior have surfaced.
In advance of the Google I/O developer conference in May, details of the yearly update to Android have begun to surface. Android P will feature tighter integration with Google Assistant, as well as support for iPhone X-like screen cutouts.
According to a report from Bloomberg, third-party app developers will be able to integrate Assistant support into their apps. Specific details are not yet available, though for comparison, Apple introduced the ability for certain categories of third-party apps to interact with Siri in iOS 10 in September 2016. The report also indicates a potential for integrating Assistant support with the Google search bar widget, though plans are not yet finalized.
Additionally, Google is reportedly adding OS-level support for devices with screen cutouts, similar to the iPhone X. Presently, the only Android phones with screen cutouts are the Essential PH-1-designed by Android co-creator Andy Rubin and the Sharp AQUOS R Compact, which is only available in Japan. The addition of OS-level support for screen cutouts would make it easier for OEMs to ship phones with those screen types.
SEE: System update policy (Tech Pro Research)
Separately, a code commit to Chromium earlier this month indicates the existence of ” Material Design 2,” an update to the visual design language introduced four years ago as part of Android 5.0 (Marshmallow). This subtly modifies the palette of UI colors used in Chromium, though other styling elements appear unchanged. The same commit included additional enhancements for touch-enabled devices. Google may be preparing to introduce Chrome-powered tablets at I/O 2018. At the Bett conference in January, Acer privately demoed an education-targeted Chrome tablet, which leaked out in a tweet.
Google’s intent on making Assistant more visible in Android comes as the personal digital assistant market is becoming too crowded, forcing potential competitors out. While Amazon’s Alexa and Microsoft’s Cortana are available as downloadable apps, Samsung’s built-in and much maligned Bixby assistant continues to linger, though The Verge has called for Bixby’s death. Cortana was conspicuously absent at CES 2018, leading ZDNet’s Larry Dignan to declare the trade show “Cortana’s Funeral.” Facebook announced the discontinuation of their virtual assistant, M, in January.
For screen cutouts, it is yet to be seen if this design trend will continue to persist, or if this will wind up as a fad similar to 3D phones. While Apple’s use of the technology is notable, it seems unlikely that manufacturers are holding back on shipping phones for lack of OS-level support. Of note, Sharp also produced a handful of 3D smartphones available primarily in Japan. Stateside, the only phones with that technology were the HTC EVO 3D, LG Optimus 3D and 3D Max, and the ill-fated Amazon Fire Phone.
The potential for Chrome tablets would be a significant development, as Android tablets have fallen by the wayside in recent years. The Pixel C–which was intended initially to be a Chrome device–was quietly pulled from the Google Store in December after two years. As Chrome OS is capable of running Android apps, a future of Chrome tablets would be a more compelling value proposition, as Android tablets (and Android devices in general) often have an unfortunate lack of OS updates after launch. Chromebooks have a five-year support lifespan, while Android phones often struggle to get two years of OS updates.


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Firms join forces for 'Future of Plant Retailing' event
Following the success of this year’s open day event “Plant Retailing: A Sustainable Future”, Frank P Matthews have joined forces with The Bransford Webbs Plant Company and New Leaf Plants to host another retail focused event in February 2024.
The three nurseries involved cover a broad spectrum of UK retail horticulture, and for our 2024 event will look ahead to investigate and discuss the plant area of the future.
The day will consist of talks from industry experts considering the future of plant retailing and the challenges ahead, presentations from each of the nurseries, interactive sessions where retailers can have an input into what they need from their suppliers and a guided tour around Frank P Matthews Worcestershire Production Facility.
This free event is open to all retail nurseries and garden centres and will be held on Wednesday 28th and Thursday 29th February 2024 at The Bank House Hotel, Bransford. Look out for more details coming soon direct from the nurseries.


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A combination of more products (the return of about 8,500 items in an effort to boost their competitiveness) and reduced labor hours has created a logjam in storage areas, so much so that an industry expert says some items meant for bare shelves may actually be misplaced in the back room. Although a Walmart spokesperson claimed last week that the company's in-stock levels are at historical highs, one Walmart supplier thinks they are worse today than in the past. The supplier said that during the summer less than 90 percent of items in a typical basket of goods were available for shoppers.
Problems stocking the shelves must be an embarrassing issue for Walmart, which attributes much of its success to superior supply chain practices. Factor in their nine consecutive quarters of declining same-store sales, caused in part by competition from Aldi, dollar stores and Amazon, and the retail giant needs some good news to report.


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Underwriters Exercise Option on 2 Million Additional Shares
Toronto, Ontario - Maple Leaf Foods Inc. today announced that, in connection with the treasury share offering announced on November 28, 2001, RBC Dominion Securities Inc. has advised that the underwriting group will be exercising in full the option to acquire an additional 2,000,000 common shares. This will bring the aggregate number of shares to be sold to 16.7 million for net proceeds to the Company of about $169.2 million
The offering is expected to close on Friday, December 14, 2001.
Maple Leaf Foods Inc. is a leading Canadian food processing company. Headquartered in Toronto, the Company employs more than 13,000 people at its operations across Canada, in the United States, Europe and Asia. Maple Leaf Foods Inc. had sales of more than $3.9 billion in 2000.
More news releases and speeches


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The trade war rhetoric between the United States and China escalated Friday with President Donald threatening tariffs on an additional $100 billion worth of Chinese goods and Beijing warning it will fight the United States "at any cost."
Trump said Thursday he had instructed the U.S. trade representative to consider the additional tariffs after China issued a list of U.S. goods, including soybeans and small aircraft, worth $50 billion for possible tariff hikes. The United States had proposed tariffs on $50 billion worth of Chinese goods earlier this week.
The president's latest threats notwithstanding, he has insisted the U.S. is not engaged in a trade dispute with the east Asian nation, and said Friday on Twitter his tariffs on aluminum imports already are benefiting the U.S. economy.
"Despite the Aluminum Tariffs, Aluminum prices are DOWN 4%. People are surprised, I’m not! Lots of money coming into U.S. coffers and Jobs, Jobs, Jobs!"
The White House said in a statement Friday the tariffs were announced against China because the country "continues to distort global markets and harm U.S. businesses and consumers with unfair trade practices." The statement cited China's "Made in China 2025" policy initiative, whose goal is "taking away domestic and international market share from foreigners."
WATCH: Trump, White House Defend Action on China Trade
China’s commerce ministry said in its statement Friday that if Washington persisted in what Beijing describes as protectionism, China would “dedicate itself to the end and at any cost and will definitely fight back firmly.”
The White House said in its statement that China's approach to the issue is misguided. "Instead of addressing its misconduct, China has retaliated against American farmers and manufacturers."
Since the start of this week, the United States and China have been engaging in a tit-for-tat trade spat. On Monday, in response to earlier tariffs on steel and aluminum imposed by the Trump administration, China started tariffs of up to 25 percent on 128 U.S. products, including fruits, nuts, pork, wine, steel and aluminum.
Later on the same day, the USTR proposed to increase tariffs on 1,300 imported goods from China, mostly aerospace, medical and information technology products.
Less than 12 hours later, China announced it plans to impose retaliatory duties of 25 percent on 106 politically sensitive American goods, including soybeans, automobiles and aircraft.
Some information for this report came from Reuters and the Associated Press.


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Besides global regulators, policymakers and central banks, Libra has recently caught under the controversial comment by Ripple’s Senior Vice President of customer success, Marcus Treacher.
Speaking during the CNBC interview, Marcus Treacher labeled Facebook’s proposed cryptocurrency Libra as a walled garden. He says that the key problem with Libra is that it is essentially a closed system. However, he affirms that Libra is still a really good thing by a Silicon Valley’s leading giant in crypto-blockchain space.
As the walled garden enclosed by high walls for security purpose as a priority than horticultural, this term was quite famous in the past used for big-tech companies like Apple, Facebook, as these companies retain control over their software’s and apps.
In contrast to Ripple, a blockchain payment firm which is existed in the industry since 2012, Facebook is still a new entrant in the crypto-blockchain market. However, according to Treacher, Ripple is a network but has no parameter. In contrast to Facebook, Ripple has no walled garden and continued that Ripple “connects with all of the players that want to use the technology”.
Matching the tone of many other regulators that worried with the introduction of Facebook’s Libra, Ripple official Treacher says that ‘the govt’s key concern is that’ Libra is a threat to currencies”.
With that being said, Facebook officials are still uncertain with the launch date of Libra. While the wallet Calibra’s CEO David Marcus strongly urged that the team behind will bring Libra in 2020, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg in his recent interview wasn’t well assured of matching the tone of Marcus. Rather, Zuckerberg said;
“Obviously we want to move forward at some point soon [and] not have this take many years to roll out,” Zuckerberg said. “But right now I’m really focused on making sure that we do this well.”
Image source- FT
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Ex-TechCrunch journalist Steve O’Hear has launched his new project, expertise platform Beepl.
Opening to the public today, the Q&A site allows users to seek answers and opinions from subject specialists, enthusiasts and their social graph.
The site’s semantic engine uses natural language processing and machine learning to create a real-time network of experts. Questions are re-routed and matched to the most relevant users, as the company says users don’t follow topics – but topics follow them.
As such, Beepl understands the topics that questions relate to, as well as users’ interests and expertise. O’Hear says that this is the key differentiator from the likes of Quora, as questions automatically reach the best people to answer them.
We’re big fans of Quora but that we also come from a different place, both in terms of the technology and from a philosophical point of view. In a sense, on Beepl, topics follows users based on their activity on the site and their broader social media profiles. This, I think, creates a very different user-experience and is potentially more mainstream.”
He went to say that philosophically, Quora’s mission has been described as a sort of Wikipedia for things that would never warrant a Wikipedia entry. They started out as a question and answer repository, edited and moderated by the crowd. Its new feature based on curation also fits this model, whereas Beepl is more about the “here and now”.
Users who connect their Beepl and Twitter accounts can send questions to and from Twitter using the hashtag #ask. Any replies provided by followers are displayed on the corresponding Beepl question detail page. This is a great feature for users with a lot of Twitter followers, while conversely, even users with a low follower count benefit as their tweeted question still reaches Beepl’s real-time network of experts.
Each user is awarded a ‘Beepl Rank’, an algorithmically-defined score based on their overall Beepl contribution relative to the rest of the community. This is displayed on their profile page.
In terms of what this means to marketers; whenever conversations are taking place online, brands should keep an eye on them.
O’Hear added that this is especially true when many of those conversations are likely to be consumers talking about brands either negatively or positively, seeking product recommendations or support.
Additionally, it’s likely that brands and marketers will come up with imaginative ways to join the conversation and hopefully bring value to the community in a way that doesn’t degrade the user experience. It will be interesting to see how that plays out on Beepl.”
Will this contextual aspect mean that Beepl is more successful than Quora, or at least build a more engaged community? Like Quora, Beepl has the potential to be a valuable tool to monitor customer feedback – particularly within a tech-savvy, early adopter crowd.


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Continuing on the path of divesting underperforming divisions, Louisville, Ky.-based Humana has sold its small West Coast plan, HMO California.
Acquired by Humana in 1995, HMO California had fewer than 10,000 enrollees when it was sold last week to Los Angeles-based Healthmax for an undisclosed amount. The Newport Beach-based HMO California was founded in 1987.
Humana executives said the company would continue to operate its PPO and point-of-service products in California, which are doing well.
Earlier this year, Humana sold off two plans, one serving Alabama and the other, the District of Columbia.
In June, however, it acquired three other health plans: Miami-based Physician Corporation of America, Cincinnati-based ChoiceCare and Chicago-based Health Direct.


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A second trailer for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever that was previously shown exclusively to attendees of D23 has now been released online to the general public. With a new trailer also comes fresh breadcrumbs leading to who the new Black Panther is and we share some of the best theories and clues pointing to Shuri picking up the mantle.
Director Ryan Coogler stated recasting T’Challa was not an option after the sudden death of actor Chadwick Boseman in 2020, therefore, the Black Panther mantle will now pass to a new successor, and it’s been done in the comics before.
Co-written by Coogler and Joe Robert Cole, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is a sequel to the 2018 debut of the Marvel character and stars Letitia Wright, Lupita Nyong’o, Danai Gurira, Winston Duke, Dominique Thorne, Florence Kasumba, Michaela Coel, Tenoch Huerta, Martin Freeman, and Angela Bassett.
Shuri Inherits the Black Panther Mantle in Marvel Comics
One of the more concrete pieces of evidence announcing Shuri as the next Black Panther is the character’s run as Wakanda’s warrior in Marvel Comics.
Flaunting her intelligence, strength, and bravery, Shuri becomes Black Panther after ingesting a synthetic heart-shaped herb that she created, following Killmonger burning the real thing.
The comics also state Shuri is led to take up the mantle because T’Challa was gravely injured in a fight with Doctor Doom.
Since the Fantastic Four are on their way combined with the leaked Doctor Doom image in Wakanda Forever’s post-credits scene – which has yet to be verified – it’s plausible the MCU will follow this comic book narrative very closely.
Shuri’s Vibranium Gauntlets are Incorporated in the New Suit
During Avengers: Infinity War, we see Shuri get a piece of the action during the Battle of Wakanda using her Vibranium Gauntlets with panther heads at the blaster.
In the closing scene of Wakanda Forever’s first trailer, we get a good look at the Black Panther gauntlets from behind and they have the same design as Shuri’s.
Regardless of who becomes the next Black Panther – whether it’s permanent or temporary – you can bet Shuri will be the one making the suit, and if the suit’s for her, it makes sense that she would incorporate her existing design in the new suit.
New Wakanda Forever Poster Screams Shuri
The new Black Panther: Wakanda Forever poster is a glaring indication that Shuri is the next warrior.
Shuri has a prominent place in the center of the image and her character is larger than the others and placed directly in front of the Black Panther helmet.
Furthermore, Shuri is crossing her arms in the same fashion T’Challa did throughout the first movie, indicating she is continuing his legacy.
Shuri’s Purple Tracksuit Teased in Landing Pulse
A number of promotional images and glimpses in the first trailer show Shuri wearing a distinct purple outfit.
This theory may be a bit of a reach but in the new, second trailer, there’s a distinct color giving off a pulse when Black Panther delivers a superhero landing.
This could be a direct nod to Shuri’s purple palette in Wakanda Forever, even though it’s possible Kevin Feige has set up a red herring.
Lego Set Prematurely Shows Shuri in a Black Panther Suit
Whenever a new character is revealed prematurely from Marvel’s camp, you can guarantee it comes from a Lego set’s marketing.
In this case, the new Wakanda Forever Lego set clearly shows Shuri wearing a Black Panther suit, and she is fighting without her helmet on in one image.
We also catch traces of her purple palette in other images of the Lego model, possibly corroborating the previous piece of evidence.
Shuri is the Perfect Successor to Honor T’Challa’s Legacy
Lastly, there is no better character to continue and honor T’Challa’s legacy than his sister.
The pair had an incredible bond shown in Black Panther and throughout MCU entities, and it makes sense for the mantle to pass down in the family.
Ramonda and Nakia were previously in the running to be the new warrior in the fandom’s theories, however, Ramonda is rooted in her position as Queen and Nakia previously refused the heart-shaped herb before, and it’s unlikely she would reverse her decision.
By Jo Craig – [email protected]
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is scheduled to be released in the United States on November 11, 2022.


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Government wording of when the European Union Tobacco Products Directive on plain packaging would come into effect has left retailers wondering whether it is still legal to sell non-compliant packs on May 20th.
The confusing instructions in the government’s advice for retailers on the sale of e-cigarettes states, “you may only sell the product until 19 May 2017,” but the same page also states that non-compliant lines should be removed the following day.
Another government guidance document from the Department of Health states a different date, “From 21 May 2017: all relevant products which are to be sold or supplied in the UK market must be in the the new TPD and standardised packaging.”
One retailer who thought the tobacco deadline meant the changeover should occur after the shop closes on May 20 told Retail Express that they’d been told by a JTI rep to remove stock the night before.
So what is the answer?
Regardless of the government’s confusion, industry bodies are in consensus that no non-compliant tobacco products should be displayed or sold on May 20 or beyond, meaning retailers should be removing all non-compliant lines after they close on May 19.
One industry expert said “Even though the government guidance is conflicting, the law is clear that only TPD compliant tobacco products should be sold from one minute past midnight on May 20. With instances like this, retailers should always err on the side of caution.”
The video below, courtesy of poplaonline.com, shows the confusion that both retailers and their customers are facing from the EUTPD 2 regulations.


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The U.S. will file two complaints against China at the World Trade Organization (WTO) aimed at stopping what it said is piracy of copyright...
The U.S. will file two complaints against China at the World Trade Organization (WTO) aimed at stopping what it said is piracy of copyright movies, music, software and books.
U.S. Trade Representative Susan Schwab announced that cases will be filed today at the Geneva-based trade arbiter.
One case argues that China sets too high a value on pirated movie or music disks before prosecuting violators. The second objects to Chinese restrictions on the sale of foreign books and movies.
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“This is something our industry has been frustrated about for a very long time,” Dan Glickman, president of the Motion Picture Association of America, said in an interview. The WTO complaints “are long overdue.”
The cases escalate tensions between the economic powerhouses. They represent the second time this year the U.S. will have gone to the WTO to protest against China, which ran up a record trade surplus of $232.5 billion with the U.S. last year. In February, the U.S. filed a WTO complaint aimed at what it called illegal subsidies to exporters.
“There is no trade war between China and the United States. We have a strong and growing trade relationship,” Schwab said at a news conference in Washington Monday. “But it should not surprise anyone that there are frictions.”
China’s commerce ministry said today the U.S. action will “severely damage” trade relations and cooperation.
“China very much regrets the decision and is strongly displeased,” said Wang Xinpei, spokesman for the ministry in a statement on its Web site.
The complaints about widespread sale of pirated disks date back at least a decade with China.
In 1996, the U.S. was set to levy billions of dollars of sanctions against China before the Chinese agreed at the last minute to new measures to curb the export of pirated recordings and computer software.
Over the past three years, U.S. officials have argued often and loudly about what they say is the scale of theft of trademarked and copyright goods. The administration was set to file similar complaints before, only to delay at the last minute as the Chinese government and some companies urged patience.
China’s copying of movies, music and software cost companies $2.2 billion in 2006 sales, according to an estimate by lobby groups representing Microsoft, Walt Disney Co., and Vivendi.
The WTO complaints will be the first by the U.S. against China for breaching intellectual-property rights in a country where copying has extended to handbags, golf clubs and even pharmaceuticals.
Last month, the Bush administration decided to levy duties on imports of coated paper from China to compensate for what it said were Chinese subsidies to exporters. The move was a reversal of two decades of policy that exempted non-market economies such as China from tariffs to compensate for subsidies.
In February, the U.S. went to the WTO to protest subsidies such as loan write-offs and tax rebates provided to Chinese exporters. The commercial tensions may only increase: Lawmakers in both houses of Congress are preparing legislation aimed at getting China to raise the value of its currency and import more U.S. products and services.
U.S. lawmakers have criticized China and the administration about this issue for years, and Monday they praised the move.
“Rampant and large-scale piracy and counterfeiting in China have persisted too long, and China is not penalizing pirates and counterfeiters,” Max Baucus, the Democratic chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, said in a statement. “It’s high time the U.S. did more to protect Americans hurt by these offenses.”
U.S. business groups, which had worried that a trade complaint might undermine hard-earned progress made with China in negotiations, applauded what they called a targeted WTO complaint. The administration had earlier considered a broader legal case that said China wasn’t enforcing its rules to crack down on counterfeiting.
“These cases are well-focused and should be viewed as a normal part of WTO membership,” said John Frisbie, president of the U.S.-China Business Council. “We encourage the two sides to continue their dialogue and resolve this important issue as quickly as possible.”
Under WTO procedures, the U.S. will formally ask for consultations with China about the issues of intellectual-property rights tomorrow. Only after 60 days can the U.S. ask for an independent panel to adjudicate the dispute.
Pirated DVDs including Time Warner’s Academy Award- winning movie “The Departed” sell for less than $1 on the streets of Chinese cities, including Beijing and Shanghai. Schwab got 500 copies of copyright movies and compact disks sent over from China, and displayed them at her news conference.
Limits on books, movies
The movie, record and publishing companies argue that a reason for piracy stems, in part, from the limits placed on U.S. publishers and movie companies. Overseas publishers are only allowed to sell non-Chinese books, magazines and newspapers through five-star hotels while movie studios can show only a limited number of overseas films every year in China.
“The legal obstacles standing between these legitimate products and the consumers in China give IPR pirates the upper hand in the Chinese market,” Schwab said.
China last week announced a crackdown on hawkers of counterfeit goods and halved the criminal thresholds for prosecuting pirates. Possession of 500 pirated DVDs, rather than 1,000, would lead to criminal prosecution, the Supreme People’s Court said, according to the Chinese Embassy in Washington, D.C.
That was a step in the right direction but doesn’t go far enough, Schwab said.
“The thresholds create a safe harbor for pirates,” she said. A vendor need only make sure he has only 499 illegal videos or CDs on hand, and “the most Chinese authorities could do would be to seize the goods and impose an administrative fine,” she said. “The proprietor could resume business in a short period of time without fear of prosecution.”
The U.S. wants the thresholds eliminated and seeks new rules on the disposal of pirated items seized by Chinese customs authorities.
Analysts said the case was filed as much out of frustration with China as it was to head off anger in Congress.
“The U.S. government has been trying to work with China, but the problem hasn’t gotten any better. It has probably gotten worse,” said Lyle Vander Schaaf, an attorney at Bryan Cave who works on intellectual-property issues. The U.S. and China now have a new chance to negotiate, as the U.S. has something to offer China: dropping the WTO case.
“They could use that as an olive branch,” Vander Schaaf said.


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Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield, namesakes of ice cream maker Ben & Jerry’s Homemade Inc., spoke Wednesday evening at Adelphi University about the many causes their company has supported over the years, from Occupy Wall Street to Black Lives Matter.
The co-founders of the company, which churns out flavors such as Cherry Garcia and Americone Dream — Cohen's and Greenfield’s favorites, respectively — shared their experiences and thoughts on running a socially conscious business in a packed theater at the school’s performing arts center.
“There’s a huge difference between businesses doing some charitable giving and businesses being values-led in terms of integrating a concern for the community into their day-to-day business activities,” Cohen said in an interview before the lecture. “There’s thousands of corporations out there that are running their business in a way that’s destructive to the community on a day-to-day basis, and then at the end of the year they give away half of 1 percent or 1 percent of profits.”
Cohen and Greenfield, who grew up on Long Island, both attended Sanford H. Calhoun High School in Merrick. The longtime friends-turned-business-partners launched their ice cream company in 1978 out of a single ice cream parlor in Burlington, Vermont. Today, the firm's products are sold globally.
While the duo credits much of the company’s growth and staying power to its focus on social issues, there were concerns that the company would not continue its social mission leading up to its sale 18 years ago.
Ben & Jerry's was sold to conglomerate Unilever in 2000. Cohen and Greenfield are employed by the company with the title of co-founders but are not involved in day-to-day management of the business.
Though the company became a wholly owned subsidiary of Unilever, as part of the acquisition deal the ice cream maker created an independent board of directors to focus on Ben & Jerry’s social mission, ensure product quality and “protect and defend Ben & Jerry's brand equity and integrity,” according to the company’s website.
Greenfield said that in supporting some of the movements the company has, Ben & Jerry’s has generated criticisms.
“Ben & Jerry’s has certainly done campaigns or supported positions that are not entirely popular,” he said. “The company has publicly supported Black Lives Matter, the company has for years been supporting marriage equality, Ben & Jerry’s came out in public support of Occupy Wall Street.
“We certainly hear from people who don’t agree with it,” Greenfield said. “In the long run, doing what you believe is right is going to serve the company better.”
During their presentation, Cohen detailed some of the ways Ben & Jerry's has integrated social values into its business, including the use of fair-trade coffee beans grown by Mexican peasant farmers in their coffee-flavored ice cream; using Brazil nuts grown in the rain forests of South America in one of its flavors to promote environmental preservation; turning to a Yonkers bakery that employs former convicts and recovering drug addicts to bake the brownies used in the company's Chocolate Fudge Brownie flavor; and providing social service agencies that work with at-risk kids opportunities to own franchise shops.
All of these efforts and more, Cohen said, have added value to the business and aided the company as it grew.
"The bond that you create with a consumer based on shared values is the deepest bond that you can possibly form," Cohen said.


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So many foreign shoppers visit the Outlet Collection | Jersey Gardens that the mall staffs a multilingual tourism department, leases space to two standalone luggage stores and provides currency exchange at its customer service desk.
Forty percent of the 18 million people who shop there every year get on an international flight to return home, and they spend, on average, four times as much as domestic customers.
On Thursday, a family of five said they would be boarding a plane for China in a few hours as they pushed a cart stacked high with luggage and shopping bags past the food court toward the mall's new Coach store.
Jersey Gardens has also become a popular retail destination for New York and Pennsylvania residents who travel over bridges and through tunnels by the busload.
But that's the catch.
A shopping mall that does most of its business with people who visit just a few times a year has to work harder than most retail centers to keep them coming back. It has to seem like the kind of place a family of four, out for its annual holiday shopping excursion, won't mind spending the better part of a Saturday.
As two Cushman & Wakefield retail experts put it, having to make it through airport security, travel home by bus or keep everyone in the family occupied for hours on end creates logistical challenges that might cause shoppers to spend less.
This week, Glimcher Realty Trust, the Columbus, Ohio-based management firm that owns the mall, kicked off events to celebrate the completion of $30 million in renovations and rebranding for the 1.3 million-square-foot mall. In the 14 years since it opened, the Elizabeth outlets have become one of the firm's best-performing centers. It brings in about $700 per square foot.
The average outlet mall saw sales of $357 per square foot late year, according to a report published by Value Retail News, a Florida-based trade publication that serves the outlet market.
At the Elizabeth outlet mall, the floors, walls and ceiling have all been redone in white. Lime green chairs and wooden side tables and benches along the corridors offset the bright decor.
Overhauling the look and feel of the mall was a proactive move, said CEO Michael Glimcher.
"This market is one of the strongest retail markets in the world. We wanted the mall to turn into the canvas and background for our retailers. We wanted it to be like an art gallery," he said. "I don't think the people who want to compare prices and shop for value at outlets should have to do it in a bad environment."
Since starting renovations last year -- construction crews worked at night, after the mall had closed -- the center has signed new lease agreements with True Religion, Coach, Calvin Klein Accessories, Tommy Hilfiger, Lego and a Century 21 Department Store.
The renovations will almost certainly be followed by rent increases for tenants, said Patrick Breslin, an executive vice president and managing director at Manhattan real estate firm Studley.
"Whenever you spruce up something that, for all intents and purposes, was a well-oiled machine to begin with -- and Jersey Gardens was already a great center -- it's a smart move," he said. "And when malls perform very well, rents tend to go up with the success of the property."
Indoor malls structure their rent agreements with tenants a little differently than strip malls or even what an apartment dweller might be used to.
Some retailers pay what's called percentage rent, agreeing to increase rent during months when sales have been especially good.
"If that happens, there isn't a retailer in the world who'll cry about writing that check for them because that means they hit their numbers and gone beyond them," Breslin said. "So they share the wealth."
The outlet model has performed well since the recession. Many retailers now produce items specifically for outlets instead of using the stores to discount items that would have otherwise collected dust at full price.
In the October "Beige Book," a monthly economic report from the Federal Reserve, the Philadelphia and St. Louis regions specifically cited outlet malls as the engine driving retail sales.
Hybrid centers that pair the bargain hunter appeal of outlets with modern design and amenities usually have wealthy management companies behind them, said Matthew Harding, president and chief operating officer of Levin Management, a shopping center management firm based in North Plainfield.
"The outlet industry has gone through some real consolidation. I think you now have ownership of the majority of outlets concentrated into fewer, bigger companies," he said. "So they're able to invest more capital and improve them."
Consolidation has its pros and cons. Large companies that own multiple shopping centers usually want to ink deals that put a brand's stores in several properties at once. Depending on the shopper, that creates the appearance of reliability on the one hand and lack of variety on the other.
Nancy Erickson, director of New Jersey retail at Cushman & Wakefield, said the typical outlet mall draws shoppers from a 60-mile radius, but most New Jersey residents find they don't need to travel more than 30 minutes to find a mall.
That's why outlet malls tend to only consider other outlet malls their competition, she said.
In yet another category are malls such as the upcoming American Dream Meadowlands.
Redoing Jersey Gardens ahead of the mega mall's expected opening in 2015 was a smart move on Glimcher's part, Erickson said, but the firm probably competes more with Woodbury Commons, just over the border in Central Valley, N.Y., or Jackson Premium Outlets in Ocean County.
"They're two totally different ball games. The Meadowlands will have water parks, hotels, a huge amount of amusements and clubs," she said. "Their goal is much different than just getting people in there to shop."
Erickson pointed out that the highways and bridges that people use to reach Jersey Gardens, which is surrounded by the New Jersey Turnpike, Garden State Parkway, U.S. Routes 1 and 9 and Newark Liberty International Airport, have improved since it opened its doors.
"They revamped the highways and flow of traffic coming off Interchange 13A," said Jennifer Sofia, associate director of New Jersey retail at Cushman. "Anything to turn Jersey Gardens into a place people can easily get to and spend one or two hours helps improve the foot traffic from local shoppers."


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It seems that two of the most beloved fashion brands might be partnering up. Supreme and Coogi are rumored to be collaborating on a forthcoming drop.
As spotted on Hype Beast the speculation is swirling around the streetwear community that the culture might be in store for a co-branded effort from the New York City headquartered company and the Australian fashion house. Earlier this week Supreme insider @dropsgg reported that the two brands are currently working on a capsule collection.
“Supreme x Coogi is set to release a collaboration together in the coming weeks! Who’s hyped?” the caption read. The accompanying visual is the iconic picture of The Notorious B.I.G. from a Vibe Magazine shoot of him wearing their signature jacquard sweater while counting money. While neither brand has yet to confirm or deny the rumor the mere thought of a collaboration has already got the internets talking. “coogi print box logos would b insane” one commenter posted. While another user responded “I been waiting for this all my life”.
Coogi was founded in 1969 in Toorak, Australia. Hip-Hop culture adopted the kaleidoscopic-patterned sweaters back in the mid 1990’s. Today the original knitwear pieces are highly coveted on the resale market; fetching upwards to $5,000.00 for never-worn pieces. Most recently Coogi has collaborated with Burton Snowboards, Rag & Bone, Android Homme, and Puma.
Photo: SOPA Images


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Volcafe Buys Custodio Forzza to Double Brazilian Coffee Exportsby
Forzza takeover to boost Volcafe's exports to 2.5 million bags
Volcafe to expand into Brazil's domestic market with buyout
Volcafe, the coffee unit of commodities trader ED&F Man Holdings Ltd., bought Brazilian exporter Custodio Forzza Comercio e Exportacao Ltda. to more than double its shipments from the world’s largest producer.
The takeover will allow Volcafe to export as many as 2.5 million bags of Brazilian beans a year from 1 million bags now, said Trishul Mandana, managing director of the Winterthur, Switzerland-based coffee trader. It will also open doors to the domestic market in Brazil, the second-largest coffee consumer, because Forzza already supplies local roasters.
"Forzza is complementary to our activities and it will allow us to double the size of our business in Brazil," Mandana said in an interview at ED&F Man’s headquarters in London. "We will be in the top five or six largest exporters."
Volcafe’s deal will increase competition with rivals including Olam International Ltd. and Louis Dreyfus Commodities BV, which shipped 2.3 million bags and 1.8 million bags of Brazilian coffee respectively from January to November, according to data compiled by Rio de Janeiro-based broker Flavour Coffee. It also allows the company to start supplying Brazil’s domestic market, which consumes mostly robusta.
Forzza’s trading is focused on lower-quality arabica beans from the Rio Minas group and Brazilian robusta beans, known as conillons, Mandana said. Volcafe’s strength lies in exports of beans of fine and good cups, making the two companies complementary, he said. Arabica is favored for specialty drinks such as those made by Starbucks Corp. and robusta beans are used in instant coffee.
Volcafe’s acquisition includes Forzza’s three milling assets in Colatina, Itabela and Linhares, as well as a trading office in Vitoria, Mandana said. Bruno Forzza Sarcinelli joined Volcafe in October and will be commercial director for the lower-quality arabica and robusta beans in Brazil. Florian Gollucke will have the same responsibility for finer qualities.
"We expect that most Forzza employees will become Volcafe employees under the arrangement," Mandana said.
Nicolas Rueda will become managing director for Volcafe’s Brazil office alongside his current role as head of South America, according to Mandana. He replaces Urs Wegman, who retires as managing director this month and will continue with the group reporting to Mandana.


text: Data breach is usually a nightmare for computer users everywhere in the globe and this disease isn’t getting under control. Small business owners also suffer a lot on account of it, in order to help secure their data, they must take specified measures. The main source of data breaches for businesses are online criminals, the cyber-terrorist. According to a statement, nearly 74 percent of all the so-called data breach incidents occur in businesses is because cyber criminals. Businesses should take the subsequent measures to secure his or her data.


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As if we needed any more reasons to adore dogs, they are now saving us from one of the worst things that can happen to a night in: bad wine. That’s right, dogs are now being trained to ensure that your wine stays free of undesirable compounds such as trichloroanisole (TCA) and tribromoanisole (TBA), which, according to Wine Spectator, are “harmful compounds that make wine unpleasant or even undrinkable.” Think aromas of moldy basements and damp cardboard.
Have you ever been in awe of the bomb- and drug-sniffing dogs in very crowded places like airports or subway systems? These highly trained canines, along with all dogs, actually possess up to 300 million olfactory receptors in their noses. For comparison’s sake, we humans have around 6 million. Moreover, there’s a part of every dog’s brain that’s actually devoted to analyzing what various smells are.
Well, TN Coopers, a Chilean wine barrel maker, has trained a group of Labrador retrievers — named Ambrosia, Odysé, Moro, Mamba and Zamba — to “detect contaminants such as TCA and TBA,” according to an Instagram post from the company. “Every day they do the control inside our wood park, plant and checked every container that arrives and leaves TN Coopers.”
Compounds like TCA and TBA ruin wine and cause cork taint, which is an issue that creates bad aromas and flavors originating from the tainted cork. These same compounds can also infiltrate entire barrels, which negatively affects the wine at even earlier stages than bottling. It makes sense that TN Coopers is now using dogs to pinpoint where these compounds are hiding. It’s very difficult to find them without an expert nose.
“The underlying principle is that dogs have a much wider olfactory threshold than humans, and thus can detect very small concentrations of specific compounds just by their sense of smell,” Guillermo Calderón, TN’s marketing manager, was quoted as saying to Wine Spectator.
According to Calderón, one winery was having issues with wine contaminated by TCA, and one of the dogs successfully found the source of the problem: a small rubber ring located where the hose, which is what the humans thought the issue was, was plugged.
“The interesting thing is that the dogs were not wrong; it was a human mistake in terms of interpreting what the dog was trying to say,” Calderón said. “Their sense of smell is extremely reliable and rarely ever misses.”
TN Coopers is hoping to bring “the Natinga Project,” which is what the dog program is called, to other wine-centric regions such as California. His goal is to continue to train “a new generation of puppies that will be able to carry on with this initiative for many years to come.”


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FOR many Scots 2014 was always going to be a big year.
The 700th anniversary of the battle of Bannockburn occurs in June and there’s the little matter of a referendum on independence that will be held in September.
But the eyes of the sporting world will also be on Caledonia when Glasgow hosts the Commonwealth Games and Gleneagles welcomes the giants of golf as they line up to contest the Ryder Cup for 2014.
And just for good measure the entire 12-month period has been designated a year of homecoming.
But, even before such a big year for events, Scottish food and drink had been growing in importance in its home market, in the rest of the UK and internationally.
As our Scottish brands review, published in association with Kantar Worldpanel in the last issue of Scottish Grocer, showed Scottish food and drink brands are doing well north of the border. Kantar Worldpanel business unit director Mark Thomson said: “Overall, sales of Scottish brands in Scotland grew by 3.2% over the year and now represent around 5% of total grocery sales in Scotland.
“In the big four supermarkets, sales of Scottish brands are growing at 7.6% versus growth in overall grocery sales of 4.2%”
If 5% doesn’t sound like a huge proportion of overall grocery sales it’s important to note that the Scottish success stories are concentrated in a relatively small number of categories including meat and meat products, milk and dairy products, bread bakery and biscuits and, of course, Scotch whisky. So today, as we approach the Scottish celebratory event of Burns Night we look at the latest on Scottish products and how they’re doing at home.


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On Wednesday, Sept. 12, Apple held a special event in Cupertino, California, at the Steve Jobs theater, where consumers and members of the press got a glimpse at the new technology the company has to offer. Apple has revealed that three new iPhones will be available for purchase very soon, but people couldn't help but make one big joke after hearing their names. The reveal of the iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR means that Apple once again skipped over the iPhone 9, and these tweets about the iPhone 9 show that people are people are totally trolling Apple over the confusing omission.
As the tech company showed off its blitz of shiny new gadgets during its annual fall keynote on Wednesday, customers couldn't help but notice that, amidst all the cool new features and improvements, it seemed like Apple had forgotten something pretty important. Namely, its iPhone 9, which common sense would dictate would be released somewhere in between its iPhone 8 and fall 2017's iPhone X. When the iPhone X was announced last September, people assumed that there were plans for an iPhone 9 somewhere in the works, and the lower-budget 6.1-inch LCD iPhone seemed like the best bet. The model was rumored to be significantly less pricey than the new iPhone XS and the iPhone XS Max, plus previous speculation that it wouldn't feature all the game-changing updates from the iPhone X (like dual cameras and the newer OLED screen, for example) was confirmed by Apple at the event. With a relatively reasonable price and features between that of the cost of the iPhone 8 Plus and the iPhone X, it only seemed natural that the smartphone would finally fill the void left over when Apple decided not to go in numerical order. That's when the tech company decided to throw everyone a total curve ball and name their phone the $749 iPhone XR, and people are so confused about it.
While customers are understandably confused and wondering if Apple somehow forgot how to count while dreaming up their new iPhone line-up, here's why it makes sense that they wouldn't want to take a step back. There's been a lot of demand for the 6.1-inch LCD iPhone, despite a few feature rollbacks that iPhone X customers have come to expect. Originally rumored to cost between $699 and $849, the iPhone XR definitely seems like somewhat of a steal at $749. In my opinion, Apple just wouldn't be able to charge that amount if customers thought they were getting a downgrade with their new phone, which the name iPhone 9 certainly seems to suggest.
However, the phone does feature some drawbacks versus the top-of-the-line options that are also being touted in Apple's 2018 offerings, namely an LED screen instead of the OLED screens found on more advanced models, poorer screen resolution, as well as a single rear camera instead of the dual cameras on the iPhone X, the iPhone 7 Plus, and the iPhone 8 plus. With the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max basically signifying that they are "plus" versions of the iPhone X, it makes sense that they would want to keep things streamlined, even if it's super confusing for the rest of us.
In other words, iPhone 9 stanners might want to get on board with the new monikers, because it looks like that ship has officially sailed.


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Twitter’s stock fell more than 11% after close Thursday after the company released its first quarter earnings. This was not in line with expectations for user growth and provided lower than expected revenue projections for the second quarter.
Here’s what Twitter reported against Wall Street estimates:
- Merits: 16 cents per share, adjusted compared to 14 cents forecast by Refinitiv
- Revenue: $ 1.04 billion versus $ 1.03 billion forecast by Refinitiv
- Monetizable Daily Active Users (mDAUs): 199 million vs. FactSet expected forecast of 200 million
The company had revenue of $ 1.04 billion for the quarter, up 28% from $ 808 million last year. Twitter also reported a profit of $ 68 million, compared with a loss of $ 8.4 million a year ago.
Twitter announced that it expects revenue between $ 980 billion and $ 1.08 billion for the second quarter. According to Refinitiv, analysts expected an average forecast of $ 1.06 billion.
Twitter’s total monetizable daily users increased 7 million from the fourth quarter to 199 million, but fell short of analysts’ expectations of 200 million. The user base increased by 20% compared to the previous year. The quarter marked Twitter’s first period that former President Donald Trump was largely absent after being retired after the January 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol.
According to the report, Twitter ad revenue grew 32% year over year to $ 899 million, with total ad exposure increasing 11% over the same period.
The company said it was too early to understand the impact of Apple’s privacy changes in iOS 14.5. However, Twitter pointed out that by integrating Apple’s SKAdNetwork, the company has increased the total number of iOS devices it can reach with its MAP (Mobile Application Promotion) offering by 30%.