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- 1 Why is China’s economy slowing down?
- 2 What happens if China’s economy slows?
- 3 What is the reason for economic slowdown?
- 4 How does China affect the US economy?
- 5 Does China have a debt crisis?
- 6 Will China economy slowdown?
- 7 Will China’s growth slow?
- 8 Which is the best economy in the world?
- 9 How can we improve the economy?
- 10 Who is responsible for economic slowdown?
- 11 How bad is the Indian economy?
- 12 Who is richer US or China?
- 13 What would happen if we stopped buying from China?
- 14 What does the US get from China?
Why is China’s economy slowing down?
China’s economy and trade tensions
The trade war between the US and China, together with unrest in Hong Kong, is contributing to an economic slowdown in China. China has also increased its trade with markets such as Europe and Japan in order to offset losses in U.S. trade.
What happens if China’s economy slows?
4 If China’s economy slows, so will its demand for U.S. exports such as commercial aircraft, automobiles, and food. U.S. exports to China are far less than its imports from that country, creating a $346 billion deficit. As a result, the largest U.S. trade deficit is with China.
What is the reason for economic slowdown?
Non-performing assets (NPA) have caused most of the public sector banks to land in severe problems. They have tightened lending options. Due to bad debts and declining demand, the lending business is collapsing and there are no fresh investments. RBI or the government need to take necessary action to break this cycle.
How does China affect the US economy?
Chinese manufacturing also lowered prices in the United States for consumer goods, dampening inflation and putting more money in American wallets. At an aggregate level, US consumer prices are 1 percent – 1.5 percent lower because of cheaper Chinese imports.
Does China have a debt crisis?
For instance, the South China Morning Post reports that consumer debt has experienced and, today, is “among the fastest-growing segment of overall debt, particularly in the form of mortgage and consumer loans.” Household debt increased to 57.7 percent of China’s GDP in the first quarter of 2020, according to the
Will China economy slowdown?
China’s V-shape recovery is ‘complete,’ but analysts warn of a slowdown ahead. The Chinese economy economy grew 6.5% in the final quarter of 2020 from a year ago, ending the year on a strong note despite challenges from the Covid pandemic.
Will China’s growth slow?
China’s economic growth is expected to slow to 5.9% this year, according to median forecast of 83 economists polled by Reuters, which would mark the weakest clip since 1990 and a further easing from an expected 6.1% in 2019.
Which is the best economy in the world?
The Top 25 Economies in the World
- United States.
- United Kingdom.
How can we improve the economy?
11 Small Ways You Can Help Stimulate the Economy
- Become an entrepreneur.
- Buy small.
- Update your home.
- Donate to educational organizations and charities.
- Order takeout.
- Celebrate life.
- Consider supply chains when you buy.
- Outsource what you can.
Who is responsible for economic slowdown?
Akash Jindal, an economist, said that not India but the United States and China were responsible for the global slowdown. “For the past 2 years, the US-China trade war has been creating havoc across the world.
How bad is the Indian economy?
India’s economy has fallen on hard times. According to the Advance Estimates (January) of the National Statistical Office (NSO), the growth of the gross domestic product (GDP) will be 5% in 2019-20 in real terms; many private forecasters have put the figure even lower.
Who is richer US or China?
Per capita income of United States is 6.38 and 3.32 times greater than of China in nominal and PPP terms, respectively. US is the 8th richest country of the world whereas China comes at 72th rank.
What would happen if we stopped buying from China?
What would happen to China’s economy if America completely stopped buying it’s exported products? Around 4% of China’s GDP and 3% of America’s GDP would temporarily disappear and then reappear as increased Chinese exports to Europe/Russia/Africa/India and increased US imports from those regions.
What does the US get from China?
China is the leading supplier for every import category for the United States. Its top three import product categories are the same for the U.S. overall: Machinery & Electrical, followed by Miscellaneous, then Textiles.


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The sudden worldwide focus on the spread of the coronavirus has put Italy in an unwanted spotlight.
The virus has hit the country particularly hard — it is currently third in the number of cases and second in the number of deaths — and has touched all 20 regions. Meanwhile, Italy’s tourism sector is projected to lose more than $7 billion and more than 31 million visitors in the period between March 1 and May 31.
To counter the unprecedented decline of tourism and remind the world (and themselves) what Italy is about, many Italians on social media have started posting photos under the hashtag #labellezzaècontagiosa — “beauty is contagious.”
Trio Medusa, a popular comic trio on Radio Deejay with more than a million Twitter followers, started the hashtag initiative #labellezzaècontagiosa to “not let the coronavirus win.” Their followers have responded with beautiful photos of Italy’s famous and not-so-famous cities, monuments, squares, landscapes, and works of art.
A hashtag campaign is of little comfort to the many businesses and workers in Italy’s tourism trade. Nor does it ease the sadness of many travelers who have had to cancel their dream trips to Italy.
But, as I write this on the 545th anniversary of Michelangelo‘s birth, I have to agree that beauty is contagious. Beauty won’t make the coronavirus go away overnight but it will shine a light towards the end of the tunnel. Beauty is what inspired Italy in darker times and beauty is what will compel tourists to return.
With this post, I am also taking the opportunity to transition away from writing about the coronavirus to writing about Italy’s beauty, food, culture, and all of the other things that I usually cover on this site.
I’ll keep filing updates about the ongoing coronavirus situation, though I may also keep writing about Italy with the pandemic angle in mind. Italy has been through such crises before and there is so much to learn from its history.
But I think it is time to start thinking positively. Start planning anew your trip to Italy. Or, at least, start making a wish list. Let the #labellezzaècontagiosa hashtag be your source of inspiration.

domain: news


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In recent years, even the best printers have come down significantly in price and this is due to the fact that ink sales are where HP and other printer manufacturers make the majority of their profits.
HP’s ink and toner businesses has generated billions of dollars in profit over the years but this aspect of its business was threatened in 2019 when more customers began considering cheaper alternatives such as off-brand print cartridges known as “cloners”.
At its Securities Analyst Meeting 13 months ago, the company came up with a solution in which it would raise the upfront price of printer hardware for customers that did not want to be required to only use HP ink. At the same time though, HP also planned to create hardware that made it impossible to use off-brand print cartridges.
HP CEO Enrique Lores provided further details on how the implementation of this plan has been going during a Q4 2020 earnings call with investors, saying:
“We continue to evolve our print business models with our drive towards services and a rebalance of profitability between hardware and supply. We are making progress on rebalancing the business model between hardware and supplies. We are expanding profit upfront with 69 per cent unit growth on SES or Big Inc. We have improved consumer hardware AIU year-over-year through selective price increases, new product innovations and lower discounts.”
Locking down the print ecosystem
In an effort to ensure its customers only use HP ink, HP recently began the rollout of HP+ which includes the ability to automatically detect and fix connectivity issues, a Smart Security monitoring system, native in-OS printing and its environmentally friendly Forest First feature.
However, to use HP+ a customer must have an HP account, internet connection and agree to only use “Original HP Ink or Toner for the lifetime of the printer”. While the new service doesn’t come with a subscription, the company is giving users a six-month trial of Instant Ink which recently led to a bit of backlash from customers when the company ended its print-for-free lifetime deal and replaced it with a monthly payment plan.
Another new security feature in HP+ is Private Pick-up and this makes it so that a printer will only release documents when the user who printed them is physically near the device.
We’ll have to see whether HP’s decision to lock customers into only using its ink pays off but lowering the cost of these printers could be enough to win some users over.


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Softbank Research said the local personal data assistant (PDA) market will double this year compared with a year earlier.
SEOUL (Asia Pulse) – According to its "IT Insight" report, the information technology market researcher forecasted the local PDA market to grow to 50b won (US$3.83m), an increase of 110 per cent from last year's 24b won (US$18.4m), by selling 80,000 units.
Since 1998, 160,000 units have been sold throughout the nation. The report shows that the local PDA market is dominated by a domestic manufacturer, JTEL, which produces Cellvic and controls 60 per cent of the market.
Window CE type PDAs took 25 per cent of the market and Palm-PC type PDAs took 10 per cent.
The local market shows a difference from the global trend in which 60 per cent of PDAs are Palm-PC types.
JTEL is expected to hold sway over the local market for the time being, with the release of Cellvic XG in the second quarter of this year.
The moderately-priced XG model contains a CDMA module, giving it a more of a competitive edge over other Window CE and Palm OS PDAs.


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"The business model for year one of the iPhone was a disaster", Tony Fadell, one of the Apple developers of the device, told Reuters in an interview on Wednesday. "An iPod, a phone, and an Internet communicator", Steve Jobs said on stage during the Macworld conference.
Like another leaked "dummy", this supposed iPhone 8 is on par with the lengthy list of rumors we've previously covered, including those sort of major aesthetic changes like an even bigger screen (probably without a home button) and a vertical rear-facing camera.
Venus Williams blamed for fatal vehicle accident, police report says
There is no evidence that Williams was under the influence of drugs or alcohol, or driving distracted. According to Tennis.com , she has a residence in Palm Beach Gardens, where she also trains.
"We expect the next iPhone cycle to see growth of 15% and iPhone will account for 63% of Apple's revenue in 2017", Munster said.
When AAPL released the iPhone in 2007, the company helped kick off a smartphone revolution. Has it changed the way we spend our lives? The iPhone was the first mass-market consumer product to feature a multi-touch-capable screen that really sung. An iPod, a phone ... are you getting it? The larger display on a smaller device is possible due to the removal of much of the bezel surrounding the screen. It's the 10th anniversary of the iPhone and continuous improvements are being made by Apple. The software design team that engendered the iPhone would change that forever. The iPhone 4s, in particular, was an absolute game changer in that sense.
German building evacuated due to fears of London-style cladding
So far, tests have shown that 120 tower blocks across 37 local authority areas have flammable cladding on their exterior. She added: "We have the building regulations about compliant materials".
Companies were outsourcing manufacturing long before Apple sped the rise of device megafactories in China-in fact, Apple proudly manufactured its products in the USA much longer than most of its competitors did-but the iPhone drove the practice to perfection. Apple will have the most expensive phone, by far, in the marketplace. Now we're expecting iOS 11 to be released alongside the iPhone 8, which boasts quite a handful of new additions. iOS is not only fast, lovely and filled with a boatload of features but it is highly secure as well. That alone should make you rethink your idea of going old school for the sake of reminiscence. An elegant marriage of software and hardware, the iPhone both set the standard for a smart device, and set off the sensor boom. "Today that app store is controlled by Apple". But as the first mainstream, user-facing artificially intelligent assistant, it blazed a clear trail for a voice-operated user interface.
"It is truly remarkable that in the 10 year span of the iPhone being on the market, it has disrupted the telecom industry, the music industry, the television industry, the video industry, the computer industry, the communications industry - and that's just a start", said analyst Tim Bajarin, president of Creative Strategies.
Trump sanctions Chinese bank in bid to rein in North Korea
The Trump administration is increasing pressure on Chinese financial players amid growing tension with North Korea. In March also, the Trump administration had slapped sanctions against several Chinese businesses and individuals.
First off, where did this money come from, and why had I gotten accustomed so quickly with cycling through this tech? Former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer was one such critic who scoffed at the device.


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Some of you may know that LEGO has released a new collection in Singapore that has sold out within a few days. The good news is that the collection is coming to Malaysia! You might be wondering what collection would make people go crazy for it. Well, the collection is actually a partnership between LEGO and our beloved IKEA!
Last week, the “BYGGLEK” collection was launched in Singapore and the citizens were crowding stores to get one of their own. It was reported that the collection sold out way before they were able to announce the availability of online purchasing to reduce crowded areas.
This collection stands out from the rest because both adults and children can use the LEGO pieces as furniture or place them as sculptures around your house. The collection consists of four different products such as -
- One set of 3 small boxes
- Two set of big boxes, and
- One set of LEGO bricks
What do you think about this whole announcement? Would you be interested to buy it?


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First of all, a belated thanks to Ken Cook and Elaine Shannon from the Environmental Working Group for covering this issue so well in all of your recent articles. You've done nice work on calling Sigg and Steve Wasik out for greenwashing.
Everyone else, check out the debate on the Huffington Post. There's a plethora of great articles on the topic if you click here, or just go to the Huffington Post website and search for "Sigg."
For those of you just tuning in, what's going on is that Sigg, the maker of a hip and supposedly bisphenol A -free aluminum water bottle, recently confessed that the liners of their bottles made before August of 2008 actually do contain bisphenol A (BPA).
What's really weird about this is that back in early 2007 when the dangers of BPA began getting a lot of media coverage, OCA put out some info in our newsletter,
Organic Bytes, about BPA and what water bottle brands we recommended and which to avoid (if you click the link above to see
OB #104 you won't find this info, because we removed it, at Sigg's request, see next paragraph). Sigg was one of the ones we recommended avoiding, based on the information we had gotten from the Environmental Working Group.
Almost immediately we got jumped on by Sigg, saying that they had changed their liner to be BPA-free. So we issued a letter of apology and a retraction in our next newsletter, saying, in effect, "Oops, sorry, Sigg bottles are safe." We have over 250,000 subscribers to our newsletter, so a lot of people, OCA members who rely on us to provide them with accurate information and product recommendations, read that and probably went out and bought Sigg bottles, thinking they were BPA-free. And apparently, OCA wasn't the only group to issue such a disclaimer. So Sigg made a bundle, not just off of OCA members, but many, many others who rely on groups like OCA and the EWG to let them know if a product is safe or not.
As if that wasn't bad enough, Steve Wasik, the President of Sigg, then released a letter that quoted OCA's retraction. This letter circulated far and wide on the web, reaching even more people. Now that it has become public that Sigg's bottles did contain BPA at the time, and that Steve Wasik knew this when he published the letter, OCA feels that Sigg was using the OCA's disclaimer to give their product an undeserved air of legitimacy. Sigg knew OCA's retraction was false, but they publicized it anyway, in an effort to sell more of their water bottles!
This is pretty despicable stuff. We all expect better from supposedly eco-friendly businesses. Let this be OCA's "retraction of our retraction." And let's also be aware that this kind of greenwashing is going on all the time, all around us. Everyone wants a piece of the pie, especially the green, eco-friendly and sustainability pie, the organic pie and the locally grown pie. The only way to stop this kind of fraud is to be an educated consumer, pay attention, and read labels. Even then it's hard. There are a lot of good liars out there.
Update: OCA recently learned of a class action lawsuit against Sigg that was filed in Kentucky by a firm called Caddell & Chapman. Click here to see a copy of the legal complaint filed against Sigg. The folks involved in this suit could use your help. If you were misled by Sigg's greenwashing and purchased one of their water bottles that was made before August of 2008, please let Caddell & Chapman know here via email or sound off on OCA's Forum. The more people we hear from, the more evidence there is that significant numbers of consumers were misled by Sigg, not just a few here and there.
Also, check out the breaking news story about Gaiam. Yikes.
Update #2: Oct 19, 2009 - Caddell & Chapman just filed an amended complaint that includes much more detail. You can read it here.
Sigg Bottles, BPA, the OCA and the EWG
By Honor Schauland
Organic Consumers Association, Sept 23, 2009
Straight to the Source


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A new device is updated with the October 2023 security patch, bringing more value for money to the handset and greater security to the user.
|No te pierdas nada y ¡Síguenos en Google News!|
Samsung has one of the best update policies in the market to date. Every month, the company deploys the corresponding security patch to various devices, and these patches usually enhance device stability and performance, thus extending their lifespan.
Now it’s the turn of the Galaxy A52, following the Galaxy A52s and the A52 5G. The rollout has started in Brazil and will soon expand to more countries.
Update Your Galaxy A52
Samsung’s October 2023 security patch fixes dozens of security vulnerabilities discovered in the previous version of the software running on phones and tablets. However, it doesn’t introduce new features or changes but provides a better Galaxy experience.
The firmware version of the October 2023 security update for the Samsung Galaxy A52 4G is A52MUBS6DWJ1.
— Samsung Software Updates (@SamsungSWUpdate) October 20, 2023
How to Download the Latest Security Patch
If it hasn’t been automatically prompted, and you want to check if your phone has been selected to receive Samsung’s latest security patch, follow these steps.
- Go to Settings.
- Now, go to Software Update.
- Press Download and Install.


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The 13 Most Popular B2B Content Marketing Tactics – Click the above infographic to get insight into what content marketing strategies are being deployed by B2B marketers, and see the gaps in what is being deployed versus what the impact of those strategies might be. Marketing Tech Blog
Email Marketers Need to Do More to Nurture Leads [Study] – A joint report from Bizo and Oracle Marketing Cloud shows email marketing isn’t enough when it comes to nurturing leads and suggests marketers should develop multi-channel strategies instead. ClickZ
45% of Millennials Aren’t Compelled by Content – Savvy marketers recognize the value of content and embrace its future impact. These marketers have devoted countless resources to better serve content to the ever-elusive millennial. Despite all of this, 45% of millennials simply aren’t interested in the content marketers currently serve, according to a recent study conducted by DigitasLBi, Razorfish, Tumblr, and Yahoo. Direct Marketing News
Facebook Launches Multi-Product Ads, Enhances Custom Audiences – Facebook this week announced a new feature for advertisers seeking better direct response through the social network, and made Custom Audiences even more powerful. All Facebook
Bing Ups Its Twitter Game: Rolls Out Hashtag & Twitter Handle Search Features – Starting this week, Bing users are going to see even more Twitter content in search results. Search Engine Land
Mobile Implementation Errors Cost Sites 68% of Organic Smartphone Traffic [Study] – BrightEdge has released a report that observes, “over one in four mobile sites are misconfigured, leading to a massive loss of potential traffic. Search Engine Watch
Study: Top 5 Search Engines See Search Traffic Drop By As Much As 31% Since December 2013 – A newly released report from Shareaholic claims the top five search engines — Google, Bing, Yahoo, Ask.com and AOL — have all experienced a decline in search traffic since December of 2013. Search Engine Land
More Than 70% of Consumers Value Push Notifications [Infographic] – Marketers may be surprised to know that push notifications produce twice as many open rates and click-throughs than email. A recent survey of 1,200 adults by global marketing cloud service agency Responsys found that consumers find push notifications highly valuable. SocialTimes
STUDY: What Facebook Users Want Out Of Brands In Terms Of Customer Service – What are the expectations of users of Facebook and other social networks when they communicate with brands via those channels? Customer-engagement-solutions provider Accent Marketing Services surveyed more than 1,000 U.S. Internet users to find out. AllFacebook
Survey: 62% Of Consumers Say Social Media Doesn’t At All Influence Their Purchasing Decisions – It shouldn’t come as a surprise to savvy social media marketers, but consumers really aren’t interested in what you are selling. Marketing Land
Twitter’s Latest Experiment: Retweet With Comment – By its own admission Twitter experiments with at least one new feature each and every day, and while most of these are simply that – experiments – some do move out of the beta process and become system-wide. Twitter’s latest venture is a tweak that many users have wanted for a long, long time: retweets with comments. AllTwitter
Google Kills It’s First Social Network, Orkut – Google is saying goodbye to Orkut. Wait, what’s Orkut? Orkut is a social network Google launched in 2004, the same year as Facebook (FB, Tech30). Needless to say, Orkut hasn’t exactly kept up. CNN Money
From our Online Marketing Community:
On 18 More Amazing Search & Digital Marketing Takeaways from #MNSummit, ScottBolen said, “Thanks for the recap, I wasn’t able to attend this time around as I was speaking out of the country. I think 2015 is going to bring some interesting twists to the SEO world.”
In response to Where Search Fits in the Digital Marketing Mix – 12 Lessons from Lee Odden Keynote at MnSummit, Daniel Honigman said, “I find #4 and #5 to be very important. Many marketers have a very cursory “understanding” of their audience, which usually revolves around demographics. The real interesting stuff, however, comes with a deep understanding of motivations, channels and the like.”
From Online Marketing News – Goodbye Google Authorship, 1 Minute On Facebook, Videos Dominate, VisualRank shared their thoughts. “Most users have responded favorably to Google’s Authorship program, claiming it allows them to develop stronger relationships with clients and other people/professionals with similar interests. And it doesn’t take any special metrics to realize that publishing a photo next to your listing draws more attention to it, which subsequently generates more clicks. So, why did Google decide to remove Google+ profile pictures from search listings?”
What were the top online and digital marketing news stories for you this week?
Thanks for reading and have a great weekend!
The link to the infographic is broken
Ben Brausen says
Updated. Sorry about that. The link now works.


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The famous saying goes: "If it is too good to be true, then it is usually is."
But the unfortunately reality is that it is a scam, reports The Mirror .
In hindsight the alarms bell should have been ringing straight away because £100 at any of the 174 UK stores can get you an awful lot of low-cost clothing.
Nevertheless, it does look genuinely realistic so it is easy to be fooled.
But how can you tell that it is a fake, and what are the repercussions if you click on it?
What does the voucher look like?
The post displays the voucher in the form of a cut-out coupon and also been sent via direct messages to people who have clicked on it.
It claims to be a gift as part of the store’s anniversary celebrations and says everybody is eligible to cash-in the voucher.
It has a fake code underneath a barcode as well as instructions for use.
The fraudulent promotion is believed to have first surfaced at the beginning of the year and there have also been reports that unwitting users have had it sent via their direct messages.
But how does it affect you?
Clicking on the voucher brings up an online survey that tricks users into entering their personal information in order to receive the ‘£100 vouchers’.
This link takes users to a fake website where you must answer more questions before being requested to share the post.
The questions include home addresses, phone numbers and other private information.
It has been said that by agreeing to the survey users can unknowingly be signed up to an expensive text messaging service.
Website Hoax-slayer told the Daily Post: "The post is not associated with Primark in any way and the claim that vouchers are being given away is a lie. The post is a scam designed to trick users into participating in bogus online surveys.
"No matter how many surveys users complete, they will never receive one of the promised vouchers."
Victims of the scam have been may also be inundated with unwanted phone calls, emails and junk mail.
In all cases, the user never receives the promised voucher.
Those who may have unwittingly fallen for the scam are advised to change their Facebook passwords immediately on all devices and to report suspicious posts and apps.
Have you been affected? Let us know in the comments below.


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Assassin’s Creed Valhalla‘s release date has been moved up by a week to match with the release of Microsoft‘s next gen systems – Xbox Series X and the Xbox Series S.
The game will now release on the next gen Microsoft consoles and the current gen systems and PC on November 10. It will also be available as a launch title for the PS5. However, there is no official word of the release of the PS5 yet but, with the release date of the Microsoft consoles revealed, it should be safe to assume that Sony will also play their part and reveal launch details of the PS5 in the near future.
Assassins Creed Valhalla was originally slated to release on November 17th, but looking at the release of the Xbox Series X and the Series S, Ubisoft decided to ensure fans that they can play their latest entry into the Assassins Creed franchise on the next gen consoles on day one.
Will this be a day one purchase for you? Are you excited about the latest Xbox consoles? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
[Source – Ign.com]


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9 July 2004 More than one third of software installed on PCs worldwide in 2003 was pirated – representing a loss of $29 billion to companies, according to a survey.
Conducted by IDC on behalf of the Business Software Alliance (BSA), the computer industry’s anti-piracy organisation, the survey suggested that of the $80 billion installed on PCs last year, only $51 billion was legally purchased – about 64%.
The study comprised 5,600 interviews across 15 countries, and represents the most comprehensive research of its kind to date. The survey investigated areas such as operating systems, office desktop software local market software and the acceleration of Internet based-piracy.
Eastern Europe was found to have the highest piracy rate, totalling 71%, or $7.5 billion. This was followed by Latin America (63%), the Middle East and Africa (56%), Asia-Pacific (53%), Western Europe (36%) and North America (22%).
Although North America showed the lowest piracy levels, it was hit the hardest financially, with suppliers losing an estimated $6.5 billion in revenues.
Among individual countries, emerging markets were shown to have the highest piracy rates. China and Vietnam topped the list with 92% each, followed by Ukraine (91%), Indonesia (88%), Russia (87%) and Zimbabwe (87%).
John Gantz, chief research officer at IDC, said: “If the piracy rate in emerging markets – where people are rapidly integrating computers into their lives – does not drop, the worldwide piracy rate will continue to increase.”
A similar survey conducted by BSA in 2002 suggested that 40% of software was pirated.


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Spring cleaning of the YouTube Android app is continuing apace. Already this month we've seen tests for seek bar video previews and an iOS style bottom nav bar. Now, some users are seeing a new interface for collapsing the currently selected video, offering more than just a picture-in-picture window. The new UI moves this into a floating bottom bar including a play/pause button, as well as the option to close without having to swipe away. Read More
Google announced YouTube TV just a few weeks ago, and now it's available... sort of. Those of you in one of the select launch markets can sign up for YouTube TV right now. The first round of YouTube TV cities includes Chicago, Los Angeles, New York City, Philadelphia, and the San Francisco Bay Area. Everyone else can only look on in envy. Read More
When YouTube Go was announced last September, the focus was on India and users were asked to sign up to be notified. But then last month YouTube Go made it onto the Play Store unofficially and users around the world were able to download it from APK Mirror and try it out. Some could register their phone numbers and use it fully with the ability to download videos, others couldn't and were limited to streaming. But still, Go wasn't yet officially announced.
Now it is, well at least in beta, and the first official country Go is available in is India. Read More
Despite its great looks, the HTC U Ultra wasn't very well received by the press. In his review of the U Ultra, David absolutely ripped the phone apart, saying that it's unclear why the phone exists at all, and that HTC should go back to the drawing board. One of David's complaints about the phone was how easily the display scratched. In his latest video, JerryRigEverything proves that there's a lot more wrong with the phone's durability than that. Read More
If you've been following our coverage of the many separate Play Store experiments, you'll know that Google has a tendency to test several interface changes at once. This time, at least three new video loading animations have been spotted in the YouTube app. Read More
YouTube Kids has an update rolling out and parents are probably curious what this one holds. As it turns out, things look pretty much identical in the app, so there probably aren't any notable changes going live with this one. However, a teardown did turn up a couple of things parents might want to keep an eye out for in the future. There's a new app coming soon that will enable remote access to manage parental controls. Additionally, a new page may be coming for gaming-themed videos. Read More


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Bitcoin is an official commodity, says US gummint
Rogue traders told to do their paperwork if they want to sell BTC options
The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has declared that Bitcoin, and indeed all virtual currencies, are officially commodities.
The ruling arose after the CFTC ordered two outfits, Coinflip, Inc. d/b/a Derivabit (Coinflip), to stop their Bitcoin-trading activities. The FCTC says the companies offered “commodity options transactions without complying with the Commodity Exchange Act (CEA) and CFTC Regulations, specifically, by operating a facility for the trading or processing of commodity options without complying with the CEA or CFTC Regulations otherwise applicable to swaps or conducting the activity pursuant to the CFTC’s exemption for trade options.”
Coinflip sold options for Bitcoin buying and also operated a facility for the trading of swaps. Neither the options nor the swap-selling operation were registered and approved in the proper ways. The announcement of the ruling therefore sees Aitan Goelman, the CFTC’s director of enforcement, intone the canned quote that “While there is a lot of excitement surrounding Bitcoin and other virtual currencies, innovation does not excuse those acting in this space from following the same rules applicable to all participants in the commodity derivatives markets.”
The order telling Coinflip to do its paperwork from now on shows that "... the CFTC for the first time finds that Bitcoin and other virtual currencies are properly defined as commodities."
In other words, the Bitcoin crowd may think they're virtual currency pioneers who don't have to play by the rules, but Uncle Sam intends to treat the market for Bitcoin just like it treats the markets for pork bellies or frozen concentrated orange juice. Those who don't do the paperwork will get visits from folk in suits pointing to legislation and mentioning substantial fines.
On the upside, the definitive definition of Bitcoin as a commodity gives those who would trade it certainty. It also gives established traders, who have CFTC regulations tattooed on the inside of their eyelids, a bit of an advantage as the market for virtual currencies mature. Wall Street wins again! ®


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Apple unveils iPhone 15 Pro with titanium case
The biggest surprise with the iPhone 15, which will be released on September 22nd, is that it did not hike prices, recognising the global smartphone decline.
Huawei increased its target for second-half shipping of the new Mate 60 series smartphone with satellite capability by 20%.
Apple did not present any major surprises, as shares fell 1.7% following the event.
According to an Apple executive, the company employed machine learning to recognise a person in the frame, allowing users to instantly or later via the Photos app convert a photograph into a portrait.
Apple also debuted new watches, including the Series 9 Watch with the "double tap" feature.
The 48-megapixel camera on the iPhone 15 Pro and other models will both be brighter, and their batteries will be made entirely of recycled cobalt.
According to Apple, the iPhone 15 and the AirPods Pro charging case will both support USB-C charging cables.
The change reflects European regulators' standards for USB-C and permits the use of the same charging cables that are now used for iPads and Macs.


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Originally published: April 2019
1:18 2016 Ford Focus RS
AUTOart has just released a trio of 1:18 replicas of the imposing Aston Martin Vulcan. They come complete with opening bonnet and doors.
Aston Martin launched the trackday-only Vulcan in 2015, at the Geneva Motor Show. Only 24 were produced, each with a price tag of 2.3 million dollars.
The Vulcan is powered by a 7.0 litre normally aspirated V12 engine, which resides in an aluminium chassis with a carbon fibre body. No material was deemed too exotic in the creation of the Vulcan; the torque tube was made of magnesium, while the propeller shaft was also created from carbon fibre. Meanwhile a limited-slip differential, Xtrac 6-speed sequential transmission and a myriad of aerodynamic louvres (as well as that enormous rear wing) all went towards generating performance levels akin to those of a GT3 racer.
Unlike many trackday-only specials, Aston Martin Vulcan owners are actually allowed to keep the car in their own garage!


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GOTHENBURG -- Volvo CEO Hakan Samuelsson believes the industry needs to change the way it brings its products to customers. That is why the automaker debuted its Care by Volvo subscription service in 2017 and last year its stand-alone Volvo Car Mobility unit launched M, a new brand that will expand the company’s global mobility operations.
Volvo Car Mobility’s mission is to deliver an alternative to car ownership for urban and metro consumers while Care by Volvo provides customers use of a model such as the XC40 compact crossover, including insurance and maintenance, all for one monthly payment.
Although Volvo believes these services provide a big benefit, not everyone agrees. U.S. dealers in California have called Care by Volvo illegal and filed a petition to the state's department of motor vehicles to block it. According to Volvo, neither Care by Volvo nor M is facing any legal challenges from dealers in Europe.
Samuelsson said services such as Care by Volvo will not work without support from the automaker’s retailers. “There is a very big misconception that the dealers are going to be told, ‘You guys can drop dead. We don’t need you anymore.’ That is absolutely wrong,” Samuelsson told Automotive News Europe. “In this new world we need them even more.”
Samuelsson believes that dealers that embrace Care by Volvo will extend their connection to the car and its owner for a much longer period than today.
“It’s wrong to just cash-in on day one and then have a two-year warranty and then someone else takes over,” Samuelsson said on the sidelines of a Volvo event in late March. “The dealer gets less and less service and sells fewer and fewer parts that way. We need to look at the profitability of the car over eight years or longer.”
He mentioned that length of time because it is expected that vehicles will remain in the Care by Volvo program for that amount of time.


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ICP is an Australian-based company focused on indoor climbing. ICP will manage your project from initial design to completion and beyond, whether you're building an international-level climbing…read more
Overtourism leads to indefinite closure of iconic Thai bay
Tourism officials in Thailand have advised that Maya Bay, location for the Leonardo DiCaprio movie The Beach, is to be closed indefinitely to allow it to recover from the damage caused by millions of tourists.
Thai authorities have announced that a temporary four-month closure introduced from 1st June will now be extend to at least a year, due to the extent of the destruction caused by the thousands of day-trippers to the iconic location.
The golden sands and crystal blue water of Maya Bay, ringed by cliffs on Ko Phi Phi Leh island, has become one of Thailand’s most-visited tourist destinations since it shot to fame as the movie’s location.
However, the small beach has sustained extensive environmental damage in recent years, receiving up to 5,000 tourists and 200 boats a day.
As a result of pollution from litter, boats and sun cream, it is estimated that more than 80% of the coral around Maya Bay has been destroyed.
Songtam Suksawang, Director of Thailand’s National Parks Department, advised “we have evaluated each month and found out that the ecological system was seriously destroyed from tourism of up to 5,000 people daily.
“It’s very difficult to remedy and rehabilitate because its beach was completely destroyed as well the plants which cover it,” he said, adding that it was “impossible” for recovery to occur in the allotted time.
Despite evidence of the mounting damage to Maya Bay, for years, Thai authorities had been reluctant to shut it, because the location generates about 400 million baht (US$12 million) in revenue a year.
However, a Royal Gazette published on 1st October by the National Parks Department announced the restrictions on tourism would not be lifted until the ecosystem “fully recovers to a normal situation”.
With coral only growing at a rate of about half a centimetre a year, environmental groups expect that Maya Bay’s reef will take years to be fully restored.
As reported by the Guardian Australia, countries across the region from the Philippines to Indonesia are waking up to the problems that can be caused by excessive tourism.
In April, the Philippines President, Rodrigo Duterte, announced a six-month closure of the Boracay beach resort, calling the destination a “cesspool”.
Indonesia declared a ‘garbage emergency’ last year along a stretch of the island of Bali, after coastal pollution was highlighted in a viral video that showed a diver swimming through water full of rubbish.
Images: Overtourism at Maya Bay (top) and the Bay without visitors (below). Courtesy of TripAdvisor.
24th July 2018 - Phi Phi Island Village Beach Resort opens Marine Discover Centre
19th May 2018 - World’s protected areas suffer ‘shocking’ human impact
27th February 2018 - Swamped with marine garbage, popular Bali beaches require massive daily clean up
12th February 2018 - Tourists to be banned from Thailand’s famous Maya Bay
12th October 2017 - Thai Government to introduce jail sentences for smoking on popular beaches
4th July 2017 - PATA maintains leadership in sustainable tourism practices
9th December 2016 - Thailand tourism breaks records with 30 millionth visitor
8th October 2016 - Visits to the Great Barrier Reef an example of ‘last chance tourism’
30th August 2016 - Phi Phi Island Village Beach Resort expands environmental program
12th November 2014 - Only one in four protected areas is well managed
9th January 2014 - Zeavola resort’s clean sweap of beaches leaves Phi Phi green and pristine
24th April 2012 - Coastal development destroying Phuket coral reefs
10th February 2011 - Sand disappears at famous Thai beach
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Nokia 2.4 Wolverine set to launch with these features, specs
HMD Global is set to launch new Nokia phones at its IFA event. Here is what you need to know about the upcoming Nokia 2.4.
Codenamed Wolverine, Nokia 2.4 is one of the phones HMD Global is going to launch at the upcoming IFA 2020 conference in Berlin. Ahead of the official launch, Nokia 2.4 details have leaked in an unofficial render.
Posted by leakster Evleaks, Nokia 2.4 is seen sporting a full-screen display with a waterdrop notch on the front. The phone looks identical to the recently launched Nokia phones as it has a Nokia branding at the bottom. On the back, Nokia 2.4 has a vertical camera module at the top centre followed by a fingerprint sensor and Nokia branding. The panel appears to be a plastic shell with a textured finish. Volume and power buttons are located on the right edge. There is a dedicated Google Assistant launcher on the right edge of the phone.
According to reports, Nokia 2.4 will feature a larger 6.5-inch display. The phone is said to run on MediaTek Helio P22 processor coupled with 2GB of RAM and 16GB of built-in storage. Nokia 2.4 could also be available in a 3GB and 32GB variant.
In the camera department, Nokia 2.4 is said to have two sensors on the back – 13-megapixel and 2-megapixel. On the front, it has a single camera featuring a 5-megapixel sensor.
Nokia 2.4 will succeed the popular Nokia 2.3 which launched in India in December last year. Priced at ₹8,199, the phone a 6.1-inch HD+ display with a 'selfie notch'. It runs on MediaTek Helio A22 chipset coupled with 2GB of RAM and 32GB of storage. The phone supports storage expansion up to 400GB via a microSD card. Nokia 2.3 features a 13-megapixel sensor and a 2-megapixel depth sensor on the back. For selfies, Nokia 2.3 offers a 5-megapixel front-facing camera. It is powered by a 4,000mAh battery.
Apart from Nokia 2.4, HMD Global is also expected to showcase Nokia 6.3 and Nokia 7.3. There are also possibilities of the launch of Nokia 9 PureView at the IFA event.


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This article is part of the Guardian’s Digital Trends series, which looks at how technology and the economy are reshaping society and the news media.
Read more New Scientist cover: The future of printing and printing jobs article The future for printing and print jobs is looking bright, with a record number of jobs being created, according to a new report from the National Bureau of Economic Research.
The number of people working in print publishing and advertising has increased by 25% since 2000.
The biggest growth has been in the printing and publishing industry.
In the past five years, the number of print jobs increased by more than 100,000.
The report’s authors have called for an “upward trend” in print jobs, saying that the economy needs more people working at publishing and print businesses.
The research is published in the journal Applied Economics Letters.
“The job market has been improving in the last five years and we’ve seen an increase in the number and amount of jobs in print,” says Simon D’Arcy, a professor at the University of Cambridge who is a co-author of the report.
“People are finding it easier to get into print publishing than print advertising.”
D’Archys is the co-creator of the Upprint-o-Graph app, which uses Google Earth to see how people are printing jobs and jobs they might be looking to start.
He says the latest job report shows the print industry is “going through a period of strength”.
“The number of job openings is going up every day,” he says.
But there are still areas of the economy where people may not want to move. “
We think that this is good news for the economy.”
But there are still areas of the economy where people may not want to move.
“There are still a lot of jobs that people don’t want to do,” says D’Arthurys.
In the US, the print sector is growing, thanks to a surge in advertising jobs, but it’s been slowing in recent years as the US economy has slowed. “
In the next five years we will see some of these jobs come back.”
In the US, the print sector is growing, thanks to a surge in advertising jobs, but it’s been slowing in recent years as the US economy has slowed.
According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 10.4 million print jobs in the US in 2016, down from 10.7 million in 2015.
That means more people than ever before are working in a print job.
But a new study by the Pew Research Center found that print jobs are becoming more scarce.
It found that the share of Americans who are working at a print business is falling.
The Pew study found that there are only about 6.5 million jobs in America today that are held by people who have previously worked in a publishing or advertising job.
Of those, only about 1.5% are full-time, whereas only about 2% of all jobs in 2015 were full-timers.
“As a result, the proportion of people who say they have a full- or part-time job has fallen to about 40% from more than 50% in 2000,” the Pew study said.
“This is the largest decline since the late 1980s.
It means that the jobs that were once filled by a full time employee have largely gone.”
Meanwhile, there are some industries that have been picking up the slack in print, with digital technology having changed the way people work and the advertising business is showing signs of revival.
The digital revolution has changed the print job market.
It’s now easier to print ads than ever, and there are more opportunities for print companies to get digital jobs.
But it’s also led to a rise in job insecurity, which could have negative implications for the print market.
D’Artigiani says that digital jobs are changing the way the US is making print ads, with the advent of mobile advertising and social media.
“Print is a great way to get advertising to the masses, but we have to be careful with how we approach digital advertising,” he adds.
“It’s important that we look into how to do that better.””
Digital advertising is the future of advertising,” says David Pogue, president of the Association of American Publishers. “
It’s important that we look into how to do that better.”
Diversifying into print advertising means more jobs for Americans, but also more precarious jobs, as print advertising agencies will have to pay extra to reach digital audiences. “
And print advertising is just as important, if not more so.”
Diversifying into print advertising means more jobs for Americans, but also more precarious jobs, as print advertising agencies will have to pay extra to reach digital audiences.
The APA has been calling on Congress to reform the tax code to create more jobs, particularly for those who work in the digital and print sectors.
Diversification has not only helped boost the print and print advertising industries, but helped the economy in general.
The study found an increase of more than 400,000 jobs in


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Reports from distributors and analysts are saying that the shortage of Intel’s latest mobile processors is getting much worse and could last all the way through April.
This will cause problems for PC-makers look to refresh product lines and could result in three month delays in product rollouts.
Apparently the limited supply of Arrandale CPUs has also elevated bids to 20 per cent over contract prices.
This is only bad news for the manufacturers because in the current market they can’t risk trying to pass the increased cost onto punters.
According to IDC, it is mostly smaller PC vendors that are affected, as big players have the muscle to get what they want.
Intel CEO Paul Otellini recently acknowledged the problem, saying the company is “slightly behind” but that it should catch up to demand over the course of the second quarter.


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Squidoo founder and author Seth Godin has backed down on creating company pages by default as part of their new ‘Brands In Public’ service that launched a few days ago. The idea behind the new service is that brands are able to track feedback from customers on a public ‘lens’ (aka. a web page).
Feedback is aggregated from multiple sources, but mostly twitter and mostly by matching against the brand name. The concept itself is not an evil one, but Squidoo setup feedback pages for over 200 brands at launch without the express permission from the vast majority of them. The hitch was that if a brand wanted to control the lens and the feedback, they would have to pay Squidoo $400 a month – and it was that part of the deal that made a large number of people rightfully angry.
Godin says in a blog post today that they will remove the brands they created by default, and instead make the program opt-in. This is a big step back from yesterday where he left a comment on an excellent blog post by Lisa Barone, who criticized the product as being ‘brandjacking’, by saying:
I’m not sure it’s brandjacking any more than a Google search or a Twitter search is brandjacking. I guess the difference is that we’re making it really easy for the brand to show up next to the stream of comments.
Godin has built a reputation, on the back of his books, as being a marketing and community guru. He must have read some of his own work overnight because today on his blog he says the policy has changed to:
When a brand wants a page, we’ll build it, they’ll run it and we’ll both have achieved our goals.
Godin opens his post today with:
The response from the brands we’ve shared it with has been terrific, but other people didn’t like elements of it. And they were direct in letting me know.
Well we know he didn’t hear that ‘direct feedback’ using Squidoo’s own ‘Brands in Public’ page, which during the storm yesterday conspicuously didn’t mention a single point of negative feedback about the campaign.
Godin also does not have comments enabled on his blog, but the launch of the new Squidoo service just happen to time with the launch of Google Sidewiki – which allows users to leave notes on a website. Many flocked to Sidewiki out of frustration, including SearchEngineLand editor Danny Sullivan, and left constructive and well thought out arguments against ‘Brands In Public’. It is ironic that the ‘customer feedback’ for a product that is meant to aggregate just that all came from other sources such as sidewiki, blog posts, twitter and comments on blogs.
We were going to reach out to Godin yesterday, but instead figured we could write this story by aggregating what everybody in the world thinks of Squidoo, and then asking him to pay us $400 to remove the parts he may not agree with.


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UK legislators are cautious about introducing retail CBDCs due to privacy and financial stability concerns.Concerns over privacy and financial stability cause UK lawmakers to tread carefully in introducing retail CBDCs.
Author: Assad Jafri, cryptoslate; Translation: 0xjs@LianGuai
The UK Parliamentary Treasury Committee has issued a stern warning about the development of retail Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs) or “digital pounds” and their potential threats to financial stability.
Lawmakers are urging the Bank of England and H.M. Treasury to thoroughly consider data privacy and financial stability concerns before advancing with the implementation of this new form of currency.
The proposed retail digital pound is intended to differentiate from wholesale CBDCs used for institutional transactions and is envisioned as an electronic equivalent of fiat currency that individuals and businesses can use for payment purposes.
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Although both the Bank of England and H.M. Treasury acknowledge the need for a digital pound in the future, parliamentary members remain cautious.
The main concern is the potential risks retail CBDCs may pose to UK financial stability. The committee emphasizes concerns about bank runs, as the rapid transfer of funds from bank deposits to digital pounds during market turmoil could heighten the risk of bank failures.
In addition, as bank deposits gradually shift towards digital pounds, there are concerns that bank loan rates may increase by 0.8 percentage points or more.
To mitigate these risks, the committee recommends implementing smaller holding limits for individual retail digital pounds compared to the initially proposed range of £10,000 to £20,000.
Lawmakers also urge the government to “alleviate concerns over privacy” and ensure that regulatory agencies and other entities do not abuse personal and financial data generated through the introduction of CBDC.
They also emphasize that the government should not control how people spend their money.
The committee recommends strict regulation and legislative protection for data access. It highlights the need to ensure that the introduction of digital pounds does not accelerate the decline in the importance of physical cash.
According to lawmakers, cash still remains a crucial financial resource for many people in the UK, and replacing it could exacerbate financial exclusion.
The committee expresses concerns about the significant costs associated with capacity-based development. It urges the Bank of England and the Treasury to maintain transparency on these costs through annual reports.
The Treasury Committee states that it supports the Bank of England’s efforts to develop potential retail CBDCs. However, it emphasizes that the project should not undermine the institution’s key objectives of controlling inflation and maintaining financial stability.
Lawmakers add that the introduction of a retail digital pound should not be seen as inevitable and must be supported by detailed cost-benefit analysis.
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Looking for some heavy equipment and vehicles for your construction business? You may want to head up to Albany on Wednesday.
The New York State Thruway Authority will be hosting its second public equipment auction in Selkirk, N.Y., auctioning off dozens of passenger cars, pickups and other larger trucks, construction equipment and miscellaneous parts and supplies for public sale.
Bidders will also find an assortment of outboard boat motors, electronic equipment, arrow-board signs and vehicle light bars.
A full listing of items on the auction block can be found here.
The auction will open at 9 a.m. Wednesday at the New York State Thruway Authority’s Albany Division Facility on River Road.
More breaking news
- Suffolk IDA officially postpones Stricoff start date
- Pharma manufacturer to expand Suffolk footprint
- Village approves East Rockaway condos
- Volatile apartment sector reduces US home building
- Health law enrollment now 7.3M
- LI adds 2,600 jobs in August
- Police: Fake gas company worker stole jewelry
- Ohio tire company expanding to Hauppauge
- Arts groups unite to promote local entertainment
- Applications for US jobless benefits fall sharply


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The car you see above is the McLaren X-1, a surprise revealed at The Quail classic car show in California today. It's the first time the X-1, a vehicle custom-built by McLaren over two and a half years for a wealthy customer's specifications, has ever been seen in public -- and could be the last time this multimillion-dollar, 230-mph vehicle will be seen for some time.
According to McLaren, the company was approached by one of its customers before the launch of the MP4-12C asking if it would create a bespoke car with a "timeless elegance," one that drew more from vehicles of the '50s and '60s than modern supercars. Over 18 months, McLaren designer Frank Stephenson oversaw dozens of sketches, a full-size foam model, contests among designers and even a "mood book" -- a collection of inspirational images ranging from the Guggenheim Bilbao museum to a black-and-white picture of Audrey Hepburn. Also in the mood book: an eggplant, picked because Mr. or Mrs. X-1 liked the shiny finish.
Actually building the design required another year of work, since every piece of the car had to be tooled from scratch, including headlights, tail lights, exhausts and doors. The silver lines and pop-up spoiler are single pieces of milled aluminum plated with nickel; even the piano-black paint over the carbon-fiber body panels is unique to the car. While the X-1 didn't receive any power upgrades, McLaren's racing division did help sculpt the new body so that it's properly sorted at speed; according to the McLaren executives on hand, the car has hit 230 mph on Italy's Nardo test track.
Underneath the hood there's two special engraved plates -- one with the signatures of the 30-odd designers who worked on the car, and the other listing McLaren's track history. The cowls over the back wheels -- another touch specified by the client, and inspired by the Citroën SM -- set on hinges that lift them out of the way for tire changes. The reaction among the car crowd at the Quail to the X-1 was sharply divided; no professional car designer would try to make a rear-engined car look like the sweeping, long-nosed cruisers of bygone eras. But the X-1 only has to satisfy an audience of one.
McLaren wouldn't say how much this vehicle cost, but did hint that the buyer was a friend of company chief Ron Dennis. Even with a friends and family discount, the cost of building such a car between the design, engineering and manufacturing stage easily runs to the millions of dollars, if not well beyond. McLaren says it wanted to use the car today to let potential customers know they could order a cost-no-object custom body, and another similar project is apparently underway. After today's display, the X-1 will be flown back to England for final tests, then handed over to its mysterious owner. Whoever they are, something tells me we'll find out where they live as soon as they take the X-1 for a drive.


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- Three staffers have been suspended at WPP TV ad-buying agency Finecast following a whistleblower tip.
- Finecast CEO Jakob Nielsen is among those staffers suspended while WPP investigates.
- The exact allegations of the whistleblower complaint couldn't be determined.
Ad giant WPP has suspended three staffers at its London-based addressable-TV agency Finecast following a whistleblower tip, according to people familiar with the matter.
Finecast CEO Jakob Nielsen is among the staffers suspended while an internal investigation takes place, those people said.
The exact allegations of the whistleblower complaint couldn't be determined.
Nielsen declined to comment. GroupM, the media-investment division of WPP in which Finecast sits, declined to comment.
Launched in London in 2017, Finecast is GroupM's internal connected-TV ad network. It packages ad inventory from video-on-demand services like the ITV Hub, Sky on Demand, and Roku with data from sources such as Experian and YouGov to help clients of GroupM's media agencies precision-target audiences on TV screens. Some small independent agencies outside of WPP also buy some-TV ad inventory through Finecast.
The agency also has operations in Australia, Canada, Indonesia, Germany, and Taiwan, according to its website.
Finecast has become an increasingly important agency within WPP amid the growth of the connected-TV advertising market. WPP said in August that Finecast grew revenue by 113% in the first half of 2021, out-pacing the overall GroupM business, which grew by 17%.
"Finecast is a strong business and gives us another leg up in terms of growth opportunity at GroupM," said WPP CEO Mark Read on the company's August earnings call.


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Micros Systems Inc. plans to double the size of its stock buyback as the company’s second-quarter profit rose 15 percent.
The Columbia maker of cash registers and inventory management systems used in the hotel, retail and restaurant industries posted net income of $44.1 million for the second quarter of its 2013 fiscal year. That was up from $38.3 million the company earned in second quarter of fiscal 2012. Earnings per share rose to 54 cents, up from 47 cents in the year-ago quarter.
On a non-GAAP basis, excluding stock options and other factors, Micros (NASDAQ: MCRS) earned 58 cents a share for the quarter. Analysts had forecast the company would earn 58 cents a share.
Quarterly revenue rose 20 percent, to $324.5 million, up from $270.4 million.
“We are pleased with the results of the second fiscal quarter as our business progresses across all regions of the world,“ Peter A. Altabef, Micros’ CEO said in a statement.
Micros also said it will buy back another 2 million shares of its common stock after it completes its current buyback of 2 million shares. Shares will be purchased in the open market, as business conditions warrant.
The company also reaffirmed its earlier financial guidance that it expects to post revenue of $1.3 billion to $1.325 billion in fiscal 2013 and non-GAAP earnings per share of $2.40 to $2.44.


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Mantis – a two ton turbo diesel hexapod you can drive
The term mad scientist gets thrown around quite a bit, but in the case of one Matt Denton it most certainly applies. His company, Micromagic Systems, has been working steadily over the past four years to design and build a walking robot that's big enough to carry a human passenger. The resulting beast is described as "the biggest, all-terrain operational hexapod robot in the world."
The robot weighs a massive 1,900 kg (4,188 pounds), stands 2.8 meters (9.18 ft) tall, and is powered by a Perkins 2.2 liter turbo diesel engine and hydraulics. It's outfitted with a variety of sensors (including force transducers, angle sensors, and an inclinometer) that help it walk. A Linux PC running HexEngine – software designed to control hexapod locomotion – takes care of the 18 hydraulic actuators in its legs, while a panel PC puts you in the driver's seat.
"This is definitely the largest hexapod we have built so far," says Micromagic founder and Mantis' chief designer Matt Denton. His company, which produces animatronics for the film and television industry, has worked on hexapods before – including one that appeared as a six-legged turtle in the Harry Potter films. Mantis, however, was a passion project that is now being rented for events.
This isn't the only ginormous hexapod robot being built. A team from Massachusetts is working on one of a similar size called Stompy, following a successful Kickstarter campaign last year. However, Matt and his team beat them to the punch with Mantis, which you can see in action in the video below.


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Camden Harlan’s four children get a spending limit when it comes to buying back-to-school clothing.
Although most of them love name brands and up-to-date styles, they know if they pick outfits that are too expensive and exceed the amount their mom gives them, they have to use their own money from their jobs.
“They all have learned to be thrifty, just like me,” the Wonder Lake mother says. “This gets their $100 limit to go quite a bit further. I think they all do a great job of choosing their clothing. We don’t have issues with anything being too revealing or short.”
Each child does have his or her own style, however.
“I like buying Vans shoes and Aeropostle shirts and hoodies,” says Harlan’s oldest, Andrew Rousonelos, 17, a senior at Woodstock North High School. All of his choices are typically purchased from clearance racks and outlet stores.
His 16-year-old sister, Catherina “Cici” Rousonelos, is pickier when it comes to brand names. She looks for jeans, cute shirts with lots of bright or neon colors, and flower patterns.
“She wears a lot of dresses and skirts, mostly floral or stripes,” Harlan says. “She likes what I would call a California look – fun, classy and beachy.”
Zakker Harlan, 14, an eighth grader at Northwood Middle School in Woodstock, is very active and wears his clothes out in a few months.
“Nearly 100 percent of his clothes are bought from thrift stores,” Harlan says. “He does like a lot of sporty clothes like Adidas and Nike.”
The youngest of the family, Skylar Harlan, 9, is much like Cici in her choices, but her clothes come from stores such as Justice and the Gap that have her size and styles, including sporty and dressy.
What kids might think they need could be some of the hottest trends in fashion for this fall.
According to Karen Tweedie, senior vice president for art, trend and design for Kohl’s Department Stores, more muted shades are taking the place of last season’s bright colors. Mustards, emeralds, purples and reds are less bold, but they are being accented with basic blacks and whites and shimmery metallics, she says.
“With these shades dominating runways, incorporating color is a simple and affordable way to update wardrobes for the new school year,” Tweedie says.
For female students, this year’s trends are all about the curves, plus adding in a mixture of menswear-inspired looks.
Selections of form-fitting dresses, cotton miniskirts and ponte pants are being mixed with masculine pieces in a variety of styles and prints such as houndstooth, herringbone and plaids.
“Pair structured blazers with printed skinny denim or try a motorcycle jacket with a pleated skirt and tailored loafers,” Tweedie says. “This season, it is a more structured menswear-inspired style, whereas last year, it was an urban style that paid homage to the grunge look of the ’90s.”
Tweedie says that it’s not just about one trend this season. Some of the most up-to-date looks this fall will be bold denim, the classic shirt, lace, neon, the ankle boot and more.
“It’s is the way you pair or mix these pieces together that make up your own unique style,” she says.
Boots will return to fall wardrobes as the weather cools and will continue to be a staple piece throughout the year. Ankle boots — which are versatile and come in an assortment of styles from western to wedge heels to motorcycle-reminiscent — can be paired with anything including skirts, shorts, skinny jeans and dresses.
And if jeans are on the buying list, people might be surprised at all the bold pattern and color choices available.
Shopping as a family
Identical twins Anna and Kelly Walsh will be seniors at Cary-Grove High School this fall. Although they look alike, their back-to-school fashion choices are not always the same.
“I want bandeau tops, high-waisted shorts, neon shorts from [the Victoria Secret] Pink [brand], gladiator sandals, Ugg boots and big huge earrings,” Kelly Walsh says.
Her sister would rather have floral print sundresses with big belts to go with them.
“I also want tank tops and shirts, and I’m looking for Capri-style white jeans,” Anna Walsh says.
Their 13-year-old brother, Collin, just wants sports shirts, Nike clothes and Nike shoes.
“All he wants to wear are college T-shirts,” says his mother, Nancy Jo Walsh of Cary. “I can’t get him to wear button-down shirts. I limit it to around $150 per child. That has to cover it all, so they do shop around for sales and discounts. I like their taste in clothes. But they are asking for jeans in white or faded denim with holes in them.”
Walsh enjoys shopping with all of her kids.
“It’s a fun time, and we usually go out to lunch or dinner, too,” she says. “It’s a great way to get my kids all to myself. I think my kids are more influenced by their friends’ clothing styles than magazine ads.”


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Warning over company data as workers move to personal phones
THE growth of remote working is increasing risks for Irish companies because too many workers leave mobile devices containing company data unprotected - and some won't tell their employer if a device is lost, a new report has found.
The Censuswide survey of 500 office workers nationwide, published today, discovered that 45pc use personal laptops, smartphones and tablets to access and store company documents and emails when they work remotely.
Of those using personal devices, 60pc said they used no encryption and 42pc used no anti-virus software. Only 25pc used a work-provided code or fob to gain remote access to work data. When asked, "If you lost that device, would you report it to your employer?" some 15pc wouldn't.
"Employers need to understand that this greatly increases the risk of suffering a data breach, which can expose sensitive customer and company information," said Ricky Knights, engagement manager for cyber-security firm Sophos. "Putting access rights management controls in place, implementing two-factor authentication processes, and restricting network access for unencrypted and unauthorised devices are all essential elements in guarding against hackers and rising cyber crime," said Karen O'Connor, general manager of IT security provider Datapac.


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Hurricane Ike Slaps September Comps
September 29, 2008,
New York — Hurricane Ike put a hurt on retail in the country's midsection, from Galveston clear up to Grand Rapids, according to analysis of sagging comp-store sales in the third week of September, the Johnson Redbook reported.
Discounters have lagged further behind goal since the first week of the five-week retail month. Department stores are approximately at goal — an extremely weak goal, at that: a targeted decrease of 6.0% for the month.
“Sales slipped further with difficult economic conditions, exacerbated by the recent hurricanes,” summed up Redbook analyst Catlin Levis. “Tropical storms and hurricanes received their share of blame from the Gulf coast to Michigan. They kept shoppers away from nonessential venues and forced stores to close. In some cases, stores were damaged in the affected areas. Hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses were without power a week after Ike. Some stores were running out of emergency supplies.”
Levis added, “Sales performance at discounters was sustained largely by food, household supplies, basic apparel and hardware and cleaning supplies.”
Johnson Redbook Index
Third week of September, year-over-year % change
|*Including chain stores and traditional department stores
Source: Johnson Redbook Index
Related Content By Author
The Countdown to the ICON Honors Continues featuring Christophe Pourny


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We received the 6-page Sam’s Club Black Friday ad for 2015 early on November 8. While we had been emailed a few low quality pages of this ad a few days ago, we decided to wait until we received an official and clearer version. Sam’s Club had been somewhat of an afterthought among Black Friday retailers, but they have really stepped things up over the past few years, and they are now one of our favorite stores.
Hours and Opening Time
As we discussed in our post for the Sam’s Club Holiday Savings Event Ad, they will have online deals the entire day on Thanksgiving. This means that it may make sense to stay up a little later on Wednesday night into Thursday morning in order to take advantage of some of the hotter items before they are sold out. As a reminder, all Sam’s Club stores will be closed on Thanksgiving.
The online sale will continue into Black Friday and run throughout the weekend. Retail stores will officially open at 7 a.m. on Friday morning, and items in the sale will be available until November 29, or until they are sold out. Remember, quantities are limited, so it is in your best interest to arrive early on Friday if you plan on getting your hands on a top doorbuster.
Most Doorbusters Are Available Online
One trend that we have been noticing, and that Sam’s Club appears to be taking part in, is the fact that retailers are now offering many of their top doorbusters online. In previous years, online Black Friday sales did not include doorbusters that appeared on the first few pages of the ads. This meant that you really had no choice but to wake up early and wait in line at your local store in order to get the best deals. Out of the doorbusters in the 6-page Sam’s Club ad, all of them are available online, and the majority of them are eligible for free shipping.
Since you are now competing with the entire country, as opposed to just shoppers at your local store, there is also a chance that these online doorbusters will be sold out within minutes. Make sure your online Sam’s Club account is valid and has updated payment details.
Discounted Sam’s Club Membership
Since Sam’s Club requires a membership to shop in their stores or on their website, you cannot take advantage of their Black Friday deals unless you are a member. The good news is that Groupon is currently offering one-year memberships for 50 percent off. This means that you will only pay $25 for a new membership. To sweeten the deal, Groupon is also throwing in a free rotisserie chicken if you buy your new membership through them.
Our Favorite Sam’s Club Deals
With more premium electronic doorbusters than ever, our decision in picking our favorites was quite difficult. Regardless, here are the best deals that Sam’s Club is offering on Black Friday.
Featured on the first page of the ad, the Vizio 58″ TV is the star deal of the Sam’s Club sale this year. While 58 inches is a somewhat peculiar size for a television, we predict that this will be the top deal of the year for this size. This is not going to be on any “lowest TV prices of the year” lists, but it may be the best bang for your buck. Every club location will have at least 10 available, but you may be better off getting it online at the Sam’s Club website at 12 a.m. on Thanksgiving morning.
Considering finding a good deal on an Apple product is already somewhat rare — remember, the Apple Store rarely discounts their items — it is extremely uncommon to find a deal this great. The 64GB and 128GB iPad Air 2 will be available for $150 off, and free shipping is included. Currently, these are the best prices we have seen for these particular models, and it is unlikely they will be beaten.
As other ads have shown, it appears as though $299.99 is going to be the standard price for an Xbox One bundle this year. While Sam’s Club is not offering anything special, this is still a great time to purchase a new Xbox One. During Black Friday last year, there were no online Xbox One deals, so this also allows you to beat the crowds and order online. A minimum of three will be available in every club.
Other Important Sam’s Club Black Friday Deals
While these deals did not make our list for the top Sam’s Club deals, they are still offers that you do not want to miss. Many of the prices for these items are better than or equal to what competing stores are currently offering on Black Friday.
– HP 15.6″ Notebook for $499.99 (minimum 4 per club)
– Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Pedal Car (Sam’s Club Exclusive) for $139.98
– iRobot Roomba 645 for $259.98 (save $70)
– Sony PlayStation 4 Bundles Starting at $299 (save $50)
– Nikon D3300 2 Lens Bundle for $499 (save $100)
– Canon EOS T5 2 Lens Bundle for $399 (save $100)
– Fitbit Charge Bundle for $89.98
– Samsung 65″ Class Curved 4k Ultra HD Smart TV for $1,478 (minimum 4 per club)
– HP Pavilion x360 Notebook for $399 (save $200)
– Guitar Hero Live for $69.98 (save $20)
Many More Ad Leaks To Come Over The Next Week
With the middle of November on the horizon, we are in for the busiest time of the year for Black Friday ad leaks. Over the next week, we are expecting flyers from Best Buy, Target, JCPenney, and Walmart. As usual, Amazon will come towards the end of the month, and we do not expect to see their ad for another few weeks.


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CALGARY — Shaw Communications Inc. says its fiscal year got off to great start despite the ongoing impact from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Executive chairman and CEO Brad Shaw says the Calgary-based company's strategy to "scale our wireless business and deliver profitable wireline results set new records this quarter."
"Consumers are embracing the launch of Shaw Mobile and the value proposition of our offerings. Demand for our bundled wireless service has significantly exceeded our expectations, resulting in over 100,000 new wireless customers in the quarter," he said Wednesday.
Shaw said it absorbed a net loss of 15,000 internet customers as customers are increasingly choosing faster internet service.
"I am confident that our bundling initiatives provides a great value proposition for new customers and over time, will drive internet subscriber growth," Shaw said during a conference call.
"But I am equally pleased with the trends and improved profitability that we have seen in the early days of bundling mobility with our existing wireline customers."
Overall, Shaw reported a first-quarter profit of $163 million, up from $162 million in the same quarter a year earlier, as its revenue crept lower.
The cable and wireless company said the profit amounted to 31 cents per diluted share for the quarter ended Nov. 30, unchanged from the same quarter a year earlier.
Revenue totalled $1.37 billion, down from $1.38 billion.
The results were in line with analyst expectations of 31 cents per share on $1.38 billion of revenues, according to data firm Refinitiv.
Shaw said the consumer and business wireline side of its operations earned nearly $1.06 billion in revenue, down from nearly $1.07 billion a year earlier.
Meanwhile, wireless revenue amounted to $317 million, down from $318 million, as wireless service revenue grew but was more than offset by a drop in equipment revenue.
Shaw said it had record wireless subscriber growth in the quarter with the addition of 101,000 new wireless customers, including 87,300 postpaid net additions and 13,700 prepaid net additions.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 13, 2021.
Companies in this story: (TSX:SJR.B)
The Canadian Press


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For the second year running, Apple's computers are the most reliable and its support the most dependable of all computer makers selling in the US, a national chain of computer service shops said today.
Apple's Macs beat machines sold and supported by Panasonic, Lenovo Group, Toshiba and Hewlett-Packard, according to Rescuecom's third annual reliability report. Apple, which took the top spot last year , more than doubled its score from 2007 and again trounced the competition, this year posting a score 43 percent higher than next-best Panasonic.
Rescuecom comes up with its scores by comparing the percentage of each vendor's support calls with its US market share, said Rescuecom CEO David Milman. The greater the difference between the two, the higher the score. Apple, for instance, received its record-setting score of 700 because Macs made up only 1.1 percent of all calls to Rescuecom, even though its estimated market share was 7.8 percent for the year.
Apple's 2008 score soared because as its market share increased -- from 5 percent last year to the 7.8 percent in 2008 -- the percentage of Mac-related calls to Rescuecom actually dropped, from 2007's 1.4 percent to this year's 1.1 percent.
"Apple has a very strong game in this market," said Milman. "This year it's like last year, but even more so. The combination of its online support, and the support at local stores, has been a big winner for Apple."
Key to Apple's success, he argued, is the support the company provides at its retail stores. "Apple is essentially giving away support," said Milman, referring to the free consultations any Mac owner can schedule with tech support personnel at Apple's brick-and-mortar stores. "That's a great way to neutralize Windows' [dominant] place in the market. Even though Apple claims Macs are easy to use, to a long-time Windows user, switching might be a daunting task."
Panasonic, which placed second on Rescuecom's list with a score of 489, and Toshiba, in fourth place with 299, are both new to the company's top five list. The pair surged past rivals by boosting their US market share while continuing to account for low percentages of support calls.
"Laptops are getting sturdier," Milman maintained, "and the move toward laptops and away from desktops has helped some laptop providers." Both Panasonic and Toshiba are best known in the US for their laptops.
Some laptop makers, however, fared poorly. Sony, for example, placed seventh on Rescuecom's list with a score of 114. "Its US share grew 31 percent last year, but its share of the repair calls grew at a similar pace," said Milman. "Sony's laptops are built more on elegance and aesthetics rather than reliability."


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WHAT'S COOKING: New sports pub opens in Framingham
Connery's Inn sports a new pub, and "sports" is the operative word.
Featuring six wide-screen TVs geared for events of the athletic persuasion, as well as an expanded menu, more live entertainment and a renovated interior, the Sports Lounge at Connery's opened in April, providing a relaxation destination in downtown Framingham.
While the inn, which traces its history back to 1911, has offered food off and on over the years, it plays a bigger role in the new eatery. For example, the menu offers hamburgers, pizzas, spaghetti and bar appetizers when it previously only had pizzas. It also contains its signature dish called the Pubwich, a pizza-esque sandwich that comes in four varieties: chicken parmesan, grilled chicken, ham and hamburger.
Prices are kept low - a large pizza costs only $7.50 - to attract customers, according to Sports Lounge owner Thomas Bryant. Regulars, meanwhile, like what Bryant has done to the place.
"The reaction has been outstanding," says Bryant. "Everybody is flabbergasted when they walk through the door."
Renovations include moving the pool table to the second floor where an office used to be, freeing up room for bands to perform. Carpeting, leather couches and new curtains have been added. Walls have been painted and decorated with sports memorabilia. The establishment also has the PlayStation2 video game connected to one of the TVs.
The pub "has been updated," says Bryant. "It's a comfortable, clean, wonderful place to come and relax, to either watch a game or eat some food."
In addition to the pool room, the lounge has an outdoor patio where patrons can drink and smoke.
Located at 102 Irving St. near the intersection of routes 126 and 135, the inn had been run by the Connery family until 2003, when the Keefe family, cousins to the Connerys, took over.
"I approached the Keefes and asked them if I could open a kitchen inside their facility," says Bryant. "After three months, they liked the way I operated it and offered me this business."
The name was changed from Connery's Kitchen to the Sports Lounge at Connery's "to create buzz," says Bryant. "It's to let people know the place has changed."
The Franklin resident had previously worked as the distribution manager of high-end giftware at Boston International in Holliston. He also owned and operated two kiosks selling high-end giftware at the Natick Mall, now called the Natick Collection.
"I'm an entrepreneur," says Bryant. "I saw an opportunity at Connery's and took it."
The pub, which has a seating capacity of 130, is open for lunch and dinner. Kitchen hours are 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday; and 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday. The kitchen is closed Sundays. The bar is open daily.
Tossed, an upscale, quick-service restaurant franchise specializing in made-to-order salads, has opened its first eatery in New England.
In an agreement between Boston Properties and Toston, Tossed's exclusive area developer, Tossed set up shop last month in The Shops at Prudential Center in Boston.
Toston is represented by Michael Price and Michael Jaffe of Eastport Real Estate Services of Waltham. Boston Properties, owner and operator of The Prudential Center, was represented by Phil Dorman and Austin Barrett.
The new location represents the seventh Tossed restaurant in the United States. The New York-based chain currently has eateries in New York City; Livingston, N.J.; Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.; Alpharetta, Ga.; and Knoxville, Tenn. Additional franchise agreements are in place with restaurants planned for Houston, northern California, Indianapolis and a number of other markets.
The restaurant focuses primarily on green-leaf salads tossed to order in front of customers, who can choose from a selection of chef-designed specialty salads or design their own from a diverse menu of high-end ingredients. The menu also features sandwiches, crepes, melts, soups, smoothies and desserts.
Customers can either order online or watch their order being tossed or wrapped in a homemade, fat-free, whole wheat crepe by Tossed's staff before being delivered to their table.
Mea culpa time, sort of - A reader called about the Harvest Cafe article, correcting yours truly for referring to Yorkshire as Pippa Jollie's "hometown." She pointed out that Yorkshire is a region, not a hometown. Yours truly is well aware of that fact. The reference was a general one, but I'll accept the semantical correction.
What's Cooking runs periodically in the food section. If you have any restaurant news, contact Bob Tremblay by phone at 508-626-4409 or e-mail him at firstname.lastname@example.org.


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New Marathon gas stations replacing the former Swifty brand are bringing back the discounts for cash that made the locations popular here.
But even more popular could be the possibility, with store dealer approval, that employees at the new stations could pump gasoline for customers.
Bluffton-based National Oil & Gas purchased the three stations from Seymour-based Swifty Oil Co. in May with plans to build new Marathons with enhanced convenience stores.
The new Marathons will reflect the growing trend in the gas station business that customers expect more amenities beyond just paying for gasoline when they fill up.
For more on this story, see Thursday's Republic.


text: The adidas LA Trainer debuted during an interesting transitional period. Upon preparing to release the ZX running series around the time of the 1984 Olympic games, the LA Trainer model marked the end of the City-inspired adjustable peg cushioning system shoe. Like many other classic models, the shoe has lived on thanks to brand new colorways like these two joints that are scheduled to release sometime in January of next year. With one going for more of a patriotic look, the other sports a clean tonal grey appearance. Check out some ill shots after the jump and be sure to head over to Titolo right now for pre-orders.


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As CCEP looks to make a splash with cold coffee, iced tea and dairy-free smoothies, latest data suggests it has scaled back promotional activity on its flagship carbonates brand.
There were 126 featured space promotions on Coca-Cola SKUs in the mults last month, over a fifth fewer (-21.4%) than in December 2017 [Promo Dynamic Brands 4 w/e 21 January 2018].
It was the biggest month-on-month drop of any top 10 brand, with more moderate reductions from Cadbury (-4.9%), Birds Eye (-0.5%), Nestlé (-2.1%), Walkers (-4.9%) and Mars (-16.9%). McVitie’s (6.1%), Mr Kipling (4.8%), Heinz (27.1%) and Kellogg’s (25.0%) all scaled up activity on December.
“As to be expected in the lead-up to Christmas, more promotions were available last month from the top 10 biggest promoting brands,” says Assosia director Kay Staniland. “However the month-on-month difference is incredibly small at just 0.2% (11,755 now compared with 11,776 this time last month).”
Coke also cut the number of promotions in stores by 5.6% compared with last January, beaten only by Nestlé, which cut activity by 24.6%. And while average savings remained relatively flat on Nestlé promotions, Coke was also the only top 10 brand to offer lower average savings both month on month and year on year.
“Looking at the savings related to the top 10 brands, 90% have seen savings increases month on month - in contrast to Coca-Cola, where savings have fallen by 7.3%,” adds Staniland.
This could reflect a shift back to multibuys by the brand, which increased bogofs and x for y deals. Multibuys accounted for 57.9% of its total deals, up from 54.3% in January 2017.
In line with the drive towards ‘healthier’ checkouts, Coke has also reduced its reliance on the till aisle, which accounted for 30.2% of the brand’s total featured space promotions in January, compared with 36.4% last year. It increased promotions in the back aisle, which accounted for 25.4% of total deals, up from 13.6% this time last year.


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A million Canadians migrate to the southern United States each winter.
A self-diagnosed workaholic, Jeanette Russell knows that a real vacation requires her to completely unplug by deleting mobile email applications and letting her work laptop battery die in a corner. It's also company policy.
A couple of decades back, there were few celebrity chefs - among them Graham Kerr, Julia Child and Jacques Pepin. Then TV food shows exploded. Who can forget Emeril Lagasse and his famed signature catchphrase "Bam!" as he threw in the spices?
The leaves are starting to turn and the days are getting shorter, which can only mean one thing: fall is here. And with the new season, of course, comes a new wardrobe.
It's not often that you see the words "comfort" and "fashion" in the same sentence. But then again, it's not often you see a season like Fall 2015's menswear.
Please send items for Parish Notes to weekend@thestarphoenix. com with the words "Parish Notes" in the subject line. Submission deadline is Wednesday at 10 a.m.
Fresh sweet corn will soon be gone for another year, so make these southwestern recipes while you still can, or enjoy them any time you're craving a taste of sunshine, thanks to the convenience of frozen or canned corn.
Labatt Breweries of Canada has purchased Toronto's Mill Street Brewery, much to the chagrin of fans who prefer their craft brews to be local and independently owned.
Address: 319 33rd St. West Phone: 306-249-9274 Hours: Monday to Friday, 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.
In recognition of the Thanksgiving holiday, the StarPhoenix will not publish a print edition on Monday, Oct. 12. thestarphoenix.com will have our usual updates of national and international news. See you back here in print on Tuesday!
Something to think of as Venus transits Virgo, the sign of perfectionists: If you're being honest, aren't the people who are usually right just a little bit annoying, too? It's not necessary to be right all the time or even often. General, widespread success often comes from being right but once. Mercury ends its retrograde to cheer you on.
Saskatoon public school trustees are calling on their colleagues across the province to push for the ability to take a leave of absence from school boards.
Muslim women wearing niqabs could one day be required to unveil at security checks for public tours of Parliament Hill.
A 95-year-old Second World War veteran who famously championed the rights of turban-wearing Canadian Sikhs says he disagrees with limiting the freedoms of Muslims who wear religious face coverings.
The woman at the centre of the identity debate that has come to define Canada's federal election campaign accused the government Thursday of hiding "behind the niqab" to avoid debating real issues.
An audit of Syrian refugee files ordered by the Prime Minister's Office in the spring was not limited to potential security concerns, but examined all aspects of the process - including whether Christians and other vulnerable groups were getting priority status.
Hamburgers could soon be debuting on Russian menus in space. The Russian research institute responsible for designing meals for the country's astronauts said Thursday it was not opposed to adding the North American fastfood staple to their menus. Alexander Agureyev, who oversees catering for the International Space Station said proposals to change space menus have been plentiful since space food began to be mass produced in 2011.
Lawmakers from India's ruling Hindu nationalist party in Kashmir kicked and punched an independent member of the state assembly on Thursday for hosting a party where he served beef. Hindus consider cows to be sacred, and slaughtering the animals is banned in most Indian States.
Coach Inc. saw its popularity rise when consumers flocked to buy its patterned bags and accessories covered in a signature 'C' logo. But straying too far from its heritage as a purveyor of luxury leather and the rise of so-called "affordable luxury" competitors such as Michael Kors and Kate Spade in recent years prompted a major overhaul at the 74-yearold New York-based company. That began over the course of a tough fiscal 2014 and 2015, which saw the brand close 70 of its 350 North American stores amid slumping sales results and the departures of high-profile executives. The company is anticipating a return to top-line growth in 2016, and since hiring British designer Stuart Vevers last year as executive creative director, Coach has been working hard to reclaim its brand lustre. The brand has also broadened its men's line, introduced footwear and, most recently, added women's ready-to-wear apparel. The company's designs are still within reach of its core consumers at its 37 Canadian stores, says North American president Andre Cohen, with goods ranging in price from a $55 key fob to a woman's shearling jacket priced just under $3,000. Cohen talked with Financial Post reporter Hollie Shaw at Coach's Toronto flagship store Wednesday about the brand's renewal, those logo bags and modern luxury. This is an edited transcript of their conversation:
Venus crosses into Virgo beginning a transit that highlights love's more helpful qualities. For those who have been infatuated, the love-sickness will start to fade away as those who love make their affection tangibly evident. Proof tends toward the practical because that is mostly what's needed these days. The takeaway: Love is a verb.