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BBEN Debuts Virtual Sports for Crypto Currency Players
01 September 2015
Bitcoin has changed a lot of peoples opinions about how online gambling payments can be made anonymously, and many operators and software companies have jumped on the bandwagon by offering a whole slew of services relating to the most popular cryptocurrency. The BetCoin Bitcoin Entertainment Network (BBEN) is one such company, and they have taken another step in the direction of adding options for players who prefer bitcoin with virtual sports betting.
How Their Virtual Sports Betting Platform Works
Virtual sports betting works by simulating sporting events and giving players around-the-clock action that they can follow on their desktop or mobile device. The mobile integration is what really makes this new platform stand out because it allows players to follow the virtual sports games while they are out and about. This means no unnecessary breaks in the action, no matter what kind of stakes the player is comfortable with, and that's what many sports betting fans are really after in their experience.
Why Virtual Sports?
Virtual sports are important because there is a fundamental weakness in sports betting: The games aren't always going. Different sports have their own seasons, and if you're a fan of one particular sport, then you have to wait until the next season to start once the current one is over. That can really bring down the fun of the experience, and that's where virtual sports betting fills in. This product allows players to follow virtual sports like dog racing, football (soccer), tennis and horse racing. Other sports are expected to be released down the line as well.
Future of Bitcoin Online Gambling
The process of companies opening up to bitcoin deposits, withdrawals and wagers hasn't been a completely smooth one, and many players are hesistant to use the cryptocurrency for playing at online casinos because of how volatile it can be at times. Their issue is that letting the currency sit in their account balance for a few days can be a bigger gamble than actually playing the games because the value of bitcoin has fluctuated so much over short periods of time in the past. Most of that is over with now, and many sites allow you to deposit or cash out in bitcoin while maintaining your balance in a more stable currency, and that has settled a lot of concerns.
31 December 2016Net Entertainment Enters Bulgaria
Net Entertainment has made a lot of news in 2016 for entering newly regulated markets. With the year winding down, no one really expected news of yet another entry like this, but they pulled it off. In the last couple of weeks of the year, this company has entered the Bulgarian market thanks to a deal with National Lottery Bulgaria, the single-largest gaming operator in the country.Read full article
18 December 2016NetEnt Makes Deal With Codere for Mexican Entry
The expansion of Net Entertainment into new regulated markets has been a big part of the news cycle for 2015 and 2016, and as we prepare to kick off 2017, they have announced yet another deal. Thanks to an agreement with Codere, Net Entertainment will be entering Mexico with their full range of titles. This is a major deal in part because it's their first country-wide bit of expansion in North America.Read full article
14 December 2016NetEnt Releases Secrets of Christmas Online Slot
Net Entertainment has had a lot of different releases so far in 2016, and they are capping it off with a timely holiday title. Their new Secrets of Christmas online slot gives players an opportunity to play across five reels, three rows and 25 paylines of Christmas-themed action with a chance to win a little gift of their own for the holidays. Details on This Slot This new Net Ent slot gives players a few different ways to win some sizable payouts.Read full article


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While the world was watching the outcome of the US Presidential election, a momentous policy change was announced in India. On November 8th, the Modi government announced that all 500 and 1,000 rupee notes would no longer be legal tender. Existing notes must be exchanged at a bank for new rupee notes and this must be done by December 31, 2016. These notes account for over 85% of total bills in circulation in India. The process of over a billion people changing this magnitude of old money into new money is a massive undertaking. We were on the ground in India a few days after the demonetisation was announced. We witnessed long lines at banks as people clambered to exchange notes.
The process is exacerbated by government imposed limits on how much new currency customers can withdraw at one time (less than AUD 500) and the fact that the new notes are not yet ATM compatible. Economic activity in the informal, cash-based economy has crashed to a halt, and consumption spending on anything other than basic necessities has slowed dramatically. In addition to site visits to banks, retail outlets and car dealerships, we attended a conference in Delhi to get senior managements’ view on how demonetisation would impact their businesses and the broader economy.
In sum, there is no visibility on the timeframe over which this will disrupt the economy, with views ranging anywhere from 2 weeks to 2-3 quarters. One thing is clear, however, December quarter results in India are going to be chaotic with top line growth very weak for all domestic-oriented sectors and significant changes in working capital as inventories pile up, and cash payables and receivables get stuck in the system. Longer term, however, demonetisation is a positive both for India as a country and for the Modi administration.
First of all, it cleans up the black economy as old note deposits of over 250,000 rupees (AUD 5,000) will be checked against income tax records and fines levied for people who have been evading taxes via the cash economy.
Secondly, it has resulted in a huge inflow of low-cost deposits into banks as money has come out from under the proverbial mattress to be exchanged for the new currency.
Thirdly, this move will generate significant fiscal benefits as it pushes the black economic activity into the taxable economy. It is expected that this fiscal benefit will be used to recapitalise public sector banks which could in turn kick start a much-needed investment cycle in India.
The final point is that Prime Minister Modi’s timing is impeccable. Cleaning up the black economy now will make the rollout of the GST in April 2017 much easier since the cash based portion of the economy has already been reduced. The fiscal benefit generated by demonetisation will facilitate financial sector reform and positive investment cycle dynamics. The benefits of these will begin to be seen by late 2018, early 2019, just in time for Modi’s re-election campaign.
In sum, demonetisation in India is short term pain for long-term gain. We have significantly reduced our country exposure in the short term based on a very weak 3Q results outlook and the fact that many of our holdings were consumer discretionary stocks and stocks with cash based working capital (cement). However, our long-term bullish view on India remains unchanged, possibly even strengthened, as a result of demonetisation.
Excellent insight! - great piece of research, something overlooked by the so called South Asian experts.

domain: news


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Fortnite maker Epic Games is appealing last week’s ruling in its court battle with Apple, where a federal judge said Apple would no longer be allowed to block developers from adding links to alternative payment mechanisms, but stopped short of dubbing Apple a monopolist. The latter would have allowed Epic Games to argue for alternative means of serving its iOS user base, including perhaps, through third-party app stores or even sideloading capabilities built into Apple’s mobile operating system, similar to those on Google’s Android OS.
Apple immediately declared the court battle a victory, as the judge had agreed with its position that the company was “not in violation of antitrust law” and had also deemed Apple’s success in the app and gaming ecosystem as “not illegal.” Epic Games founder and CEO Tim Sweeney, meanwhile, said the ruling was not a win for either developers or consumers. On Twitter, he hinted that the company may appeal the decision when he said, “We will fight on.”
In a court filing published on Sunday (see below), Epic Games officially stated its attention to appeal U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers’ final judgment and “all orders leading to or producing that judgment.”
As part of the judge’s decision, Epic Games had been ordered to pay Apple the 30% of the $12 million it earned when it introduced its alternative payment system in Fortnite on iOS, which was then in breach of its legal contract with Apple.
The appellate court will revisit how Judge Gonzalez Rogers defined the market where Epic Games had argued Apple was acting as a monopolist. Contrary to both parties’ wishes, Gonzalez Rogers defined it as the market for “digital mobile gaming transactions” specifically. Though an appeal may or may not see the court shifting its opinion in Epic Games’ favor, a new ruling could potentially help to clarify the vague language used in the injunction to describe how Apple must now accommodate developers who want to point their customers to other payment mechanisms.
So far, the expectation floating around the developer community is that Apple will simply extend the “reader app” category exception to all non-reader apps (apps that provide access to purchased content). Apple recently settled with a Japanese regulator by agreeing to allow reader apps to point users to their own website where users could sign up and manage their accounts, which could include customers paying for subscriptions — like Netflix or Spotify subscriptions, for instance. Apple said this change would be global.
In briefings with reporters, Apple said the details of the injunction issued with the Epic Games ruling, however, would still need to be worked out. Given the recency of the decision, the company has not yet communicated with developers on how this change will impact them directly nor has it updated its App Store guidelines with new language.
Reached for comment, Epic Games said it does not have any further statements on its decision to appeal at this time.


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So far as we known, the gateway 3ds were working hard for eMunand 8.x long days ago, now, the public release firmware omega 2.3b has been launched out finally. That would be very good news for such an important update.
Let’s look at the saying about this update from GATEWAY-3DS official:
Early this week we released our latest Gateway OMEGA 2.3b firmware to our beta testers.
We have received a lot of positive feedback from our beta testers and we would like to thank them for taking the time to test the latest update.
Our beta testers have mentioned a few minor issues:
* The Gameboy Advance virtual console games and DSiWare are not working yet.
We acknowledge this and we will try to get it working after the next firmware release.
* Emunand 8.x boots up slower.
We have observed this too for some brands of SD cards. We suggest our users to try a different brand or a faster SD card.
Other than that no major issues have been observed so far, so we decided it’s time for a public release!
You can find the latest firmware Gateway OMEGA 2.3b in the Downloads section.
As always, ENJOY!


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Niantic CEO John Hanke at Pokemon Go Fest in Grant Park in Chicago. Pokemon Go Fest was supposed to bring fans of the AR game together to pursue colorful Pokemon creatures. Instead, gamers at the ticketed event complained they couldn't access the mobile app and bemoaned long lines that caused them to miss significant goings-on. When Hanke went on stage during the event, he was greeted with boos and chants of "We can't play."Hanke laid out what went wrong with the Chicago event in a lengthy blog post Tuesday. While a game software problem was "resolved" quickly, Hanke said many players were unable to access Pokemon Go or the internet throughout the day due to network congestion.
"A more protracted problem was caused by oversaturation of the mobile data networks of some network providers," wrote Hanke in the post, "This caused many attendees to be unable to access Pokemon GO or other Internet services."Hanke said the major carriers were provided detailed estimates on attendance and required data, He added iphone screen protector london that some carriers also "deployed Cellular on Wheels (COWs) to extend their capacity." Apparently this still wasn't enough to support the crowd of Pokemon Go players, Niantic offered to refund tickets to the event and gave all attendees $100 in Pokecoins, the app's in-game currency, and a Legendary Pokemon, Hanke said the company would use this as a learning experience for several more Pokemon Go events scheduled this summer..
Tech Enabled: CNET chronicles tech's role in providing new kinds of accessibility. Batteries Not Included: The CNET team reminds us why tech is cool. Many people at the event were unable to access Pokemon Go throughout the day due to network congestion, says John Hanke. The first Pokemon Go Fest in Chicago on Saturday was a hot mess -- like Charizard hot. Who's to blame? Niantic CEO John Hanke said software problems prevented some players from being able to connect to the game, but the biggest issue was congested mobile networks.
Motorola promises the camera will shoot in 4K, with the ability to also shoot 150-degree "ultrawide-angle" photos, Photos will both upload to Google Photos and work with on-phone editing tools, Along with Lenovo's pocket Insta-Share projector and the Hasselblad zoom camera mod, it's Motorola's third wild idea for the Z series of phones, The mod is bigger than it seems, It's not just that little eye on top., it's also a big slab that magnetically grafts along the back of the Moto Z phone, It iphone screen protector london feels fine when it's on, but it's not pocketable when it's off..
That being said, a brief hands-on with the camera so far was easy. The 360-degree camera app loads automatically when the mod is attached, and photos and videos are easy to view in 360 after they're shot. They can also be edited. Is this better than other 360-degree cameras on the market? Is it worth the extra price Moto is commanding for this phone-specific modular camera attachment? We'll know more when we spend more time with one over the next week. My only concern is that, with the Moto Z2 Force, this becomes the third rear camera.. which seems like one camera too many for most. But I appreciate its easy one-snap setup.


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Bits + chips
Startups and small electronics companies offer semiconductor vendors fast and stable growth, says Gartner
Press release; Jessie Shen, DIGITIMES
Semiconductor companies need to diversify their sales strategy to focus on the large number of smaller organizations that offer fast and stable growth, rather than relying on big deals from large customers that are in a constant state of flux, according...
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The coronavirus outbreak has disrupted production and weakened consumer confidence, with all ICT sectors bracing for major declines in shipments. Digitimes Research has conducted analyses on three mobile device sectors, namely notebooks, smartphones and tablets in the wake of the outbreak.


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Trade Background: US Middle East Free Trade Initiative
U.S.-Middle East Free Trade Agreements
Discover Global Markets: Powering & Building the Middle East and Africa
Oil & Gas, Renewable Energy & Electricity Infrastructure / Engineering, Construction & Transportation
September 30 – October 2, 2019
U.S.-Israel Free Trade Agreement & Trade Relations
In 1985, President Ronald Reagan signed the U.S.-Israel Free Trade Agreement. It was the first FTA the United States entered into, and has served as a model for many future trade agreements. The FTA eliminates all custom duties between the two countries, and has resulted in a huge increase in the overall volume of bi-national trade to total over $35.6 billion in 2021. The U.S. exported over $14.2 billion to Israel in 2022.
For more information on trade with Israel, click here.
Deputy United States Trade Representative Ambassador Miriam Sapiro and Israel’s Director General of the Ministry of Industry, Trade, and Labor, Sharon Kedmi, this week reached agreement on a process to further their shared commitment to expand trade and investment between the United States and Israel. They applauded progress on trade and investment issues since a meeting between Ambassador Kirk and Minister Ben Eliezer in Washington in October 2010, and agreed to a plan that will guide future discussions and develop further as those discussions evolve. They also agreed to redouble their efforts to make further progress ahead of the U.S.-Israel Free Trade Agreement (FTA) Joint Committee meeting, to be held later this fall.
“The Obama Administration places great importance on the relationship between our countries, and we will continue our collaborative efforts to expand trade and investment opportunities for American and Israeli exporters and investors,” said Ambassador Sapiro.
The two sides also agreed to explore ways to realize fully the potential benefits of the U.S.-Israel trade agreement, including through the further liberalization of trade in services and agriculture and the removal of trade-restrictive measures. Ambassador Sapiro and Director General Kedmi also committed to consider cooperation in other areas, including addressing regulatory issues which might be impeding the movement of goods, services and capital between the two countries, in consultation with relevant stakeholders.
ISRAEL HAD A GREAT ECONOMIC YEAR…NOW WHAT?
EDI ECONOMIC BLOG – JANUARY 8 2013
By Sherwin Pomerantz
The basic economic statistics for 2012 are now beginning to surface and it is clear that economically, in spite of the world’s financial doldrums, Israel did pretty well.
From 2009-2012 Israel experienced economic growth of 14.7%, well ahead of most OECD countries (e.g. US – 3.2%, Germany – 2.7%, Australia – 10.7%, Canada – 4.8%) and much better than the general decline in economic growth in Europe of 1.5%. Israel might have had even better results if not for the continued sabotaging of the natural gas line from Egypt which caused the country to replace that source of energy by purchasing fuel from more expensive suppliers. There is, of course, no telling ultimately what will happen with that situation, as much depends on how the political situation in Egypt evolves.
In 2012, Israel demonstrated economic growth of 3.3%, which was more than double the OECD average of 1.4%. The only two major economies of the world that did better than Israel were India, which saw 4.5% growth, and China which experienced 7.5% growth. Coupled with this growth was a decline in Israeli unemployment to 6.9%, also lower than the OECD average of 8%.
Where Israel really did well last year was in tourism. With 2.9 million tourists in 2012 the country set a new annual record and 2013 looks to be even better, given existing travel agency bookings. The single largest group of tourists came from the US, while other significant sources of tourism included Russia, France, Germany and Britain with a growing cadre of visitors from Asia. This will, no doubt, continue to improve as even countries with which Israel does not have diplomatic relations such as Malaysia, are now permitting their nationals to travel to Israel, especially for religious tourism.
The challenge for the country, of course, is to keep these numbers progressing in the positive direction and to leverage Israel’s position as the world’s second largest source of innovation so as to spur continued economic growth. For the moment, large firms worldwide continue their interest in growing their Israel operations. As examples, Google late last year opened a start-up incubator in Israel and Dutch giant Phillips has also announced the establishment of a new R&D center in the country.
All of this, of course, remains quite amazing in the face of continuing political distress among most of Israel’s neighbors which, in Syria’s case, has resulted in large scale fatalities as well. Israel’s added value is its depth of technological capability along with relative political and financial stability.
EDI continues to encourage its clients and prospects to explore opportunities in Israel further, as the firm is uniquely positioned both to assist foreign entities to gain a foothold locally and to assist local companies to locate strategic partners overseas.
U.S.-Jordan Free Trade Agreement
The U.S.-Jordan Free Trade Agreement has brought significant benefits to both nations since its implementation in 2002. Jordan’s exports to the United States increased from $228 million in 2001 to $3 billion in 2022. U.S. exports to Jordan grew from $343 million in 2001 to $1.54 billion in 2022.
For more info on trade with Jordan, click here.
The positive impact on some of the United States major industries has been staggering. Exports of U.S. automobiles to Jordan have risen by 1500 percent. Corn exports have increased 2300 percent and exports of TV and radio transmitters have grown by 500 percent.
On September 28, 2001 President Bush signed into law the U.S.-Jordanian Free Trade Implementation Act. The Agreement went into effect on December 17, 2001.
The JFTA eliminates duties and commercial barriers to bilateral trade in goods and services originating in the United States and Jordan. It is America’s third free trade agreement, following the U.S.-Israel FTA and the North America Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and the first with an Arab country. The JFTA will support Jordan’s domestic economic reforms, encourage efforts by other Middle East countries to open their economies and enhance regional stability. The JFTA will play a major role in fostering closer bilateral business ties between American and Jordanian firms. It also will provide benefits to consumers and businesses in the United States and Jordan by increasing choices and lowering the prices of goods and services.
The JFTA also includes, for the first time ever in the text of a trade agreement, provisions addressing trade and environment, trade and labor, and electronic commerce. Other provisions address intellectual property rights protection, balance of payments, rules of origin, safeguards and procedural matters such as consultations and dispute settlement.
U.S.-Bahrain Free Trade Agreement
On August 1, 2006, President Bush issued a proclamation making official the U.S.-Bahrain Free Trade Agreement, opening the way for tariff-free bilateral trade in all industrial and consumer goods and creating new opportunities for trade in services and agricultural goods. The agreement eliminated duties on all consumer and industrial products and 81 percent of U.S. agricultural exports. This FTA is particularly beneficial to U.S. exports of aircraft, machinery, pharmaceuticals, and agricultural products. Two-way trade between the United States and Bahrain was over $2.84 billion in 2022.
For more info on trade with Bahrain, click here.
U.S.-Morocco Free Trade Agreement
The U.S. Morocco Free Trade Agreement was implemented on January 1, 2006. The Agreement eliminates tariffs on over 95 percent of bilateral trade in consumer and industrial products, with all tariffs being phased out within 9 years. This reduction in duties will create a huge opening in Morocco’s market for U.S. exports such as information technology, machinery, and agriculture.
In January 2005 the Moroccan Upper House of Parliament passed the U.S. Morocco FTA following the earlier passage by the Moroccan Lower House. The United States and Morocco will work to ensure that domestic laws comply with the terms of the agreement in order to bring the FTA into effect.
On August 17, 2004, President Bush signed the U.S.-Morocco Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act. Commenting on the legislation, the White House said, “This agreement will help create jobs and new opportunities for Americans by deepening our trade ties with an important friend in the Arab world.”
The U.S. House of Representatives passed the U.S.-Morocco Free Trade Agreement by a vote of 345-76 on July 22, 2004. This came just a day after the Senate passed the Agreement, 85-13. Both California Senators, Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein voted for the bill. In a statement released after the vote, U.S. Trade Representative Robert Zoellick commented that the agreement, “signals our commitment to deepening America’s relationship with the Middle East and North Africa.”
On April 23, 2002 President Bush announced that the United States would work to enact an FTA with Morocco. This was announced at the White House following a meeting with His Majesty King Mohammed VI of Morocco. The King had already met with U.S. Trade Representative Ambassador Robert Zoellick twice. On October 1, 2002, the USTR notified the Congress of the President’s intent to enter into trade negotiations.
The U.S.-Morocco FTA will build on the bilateral work that began in 1995 under the U.S.-Morocco Trade and Investment Framework Agreement. The U.S.- Morocco FTA eliminates duties and barriers to trade for both U.S. and Moroccan-origin goods and also address trade in services, agricultural products, trade-related aspects of intellectual property rights, government procurement, trade-related environmental and labor matters, and other issues. The FTA is expected to contribute to stronger economies, the rule of law, sustainable development, and more accountable institutions of governance. The FTA will also help to support and accelerate economic and political reforms already underway in Morocco.
In 2022, the US exported roughly $3.5 billion worth of goods to Morocco.
For more info on trade with Morocco, click here.
The U.S.- Morocco Free Trade Agreement will send a strong signal that the United States intends to remain heavily engaged in the Middle East for a long time to come in business, economics, security and international politics. The FTA will stand as a model for other bilateral trade agreements in the region and in multilateral forums. The FTA will contribute to regional and global trade liberalization and strengthen the multilateral trading system.
Per June 2016 – WTO has released its second Trade Policy Review (TPR) of Morocco since the US-Morocco FTA entered into force and notes that Morocco has sustained a substantial level of economic growth annually. The report mentions that the FTA with the United States has opened up the market access for Moroccan non-agricultural products, excluding textiles and clothes. The majority of agricultural products are traded free of duty and some enjoy tariff preferences. The report also mentions the open strategic dialogue between the two countries to further and improve the economic relationship.
The report and additional background may be found at Morocco: Trade Policy Review
U.S.-Oman Free Trade Agreement
On September 26, 2006, President Bush signed legislation to implement the U.S.-Oman Free Trade Agreement, making it the fifth Middle Eastern country to have a free trade deal with the United States. Under this agreement, all bilateral trade in consumer goods and industrial products will become duty-free. The U.S. Senate passed the agreement first in June 2006 by a vote of 60-34, then again in September 2006 by a vote of 63-31. The measure passed through the House of Representatives by a vote of 221-205 on July 20, 2006. The U.S.-Oman FTA will benefit both the California and the United States. In 2020, California exports to Oman were more than $85 million. The U.S.-Oman Free Trade Agreement will continue to increase the state’s exports in machinery, primary metal manufacturing, computers, electronics, and agricultural products.
Oman is a potential market for U.S. oil equipment and services, transportation equipment, water and environmental technology, medical equipment, electrical and mechanical equipment, and many other competitive U.S. products and services. Bilateral trade between the United States and Oman totaled over $4.19 billion in 2022. U.S. goods exports to Oman were over $1.48 billion in 2022. USTR: U.S.-Omani Trade Relations Spotlight
The CalChamber, in keeping with long-standing policy, enthusiastically supports free trade worldwide, expansion of international trade and investment, fair and equitable market access for California products abroad and elimination of disincentives that impede the international competitiveness of California business. New multilateral, sectoral and regional trade agreements ensure that the United States may continue to gain access to world markets, resulting in an improved economy and additional employment of Americans.
- Bahrain – Gateway to the Gulf
- Middle East Free Trade Coalition (pdf)
- Moroccan American Trade & Investment Center
(U.S. government informational website)
U.S.-Jordan FTA Fact Sheet – Embassy of Jordan
- U.S. Morocco Free Trade Agreement
- U.S.-Oman FTA Background (pdf)
- U.S.-Oman Vote 7-20-06 (pdf)
- U.S.-Middle East Free Trade Coalition Applauds signing of U.S.-Oman FTA (pdf)


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November 13, 2013
- Each of the automakers -- Ford Motor Co., General Motors Co. and Toyota Motor Corp. -- and the Jackson County racing organization donated $10,000 as part of the new MIS Michigan Heritage Trophy, which Chevrolet, Ford and Toyota competed for as part of the Pure Michigan 400 in August.
- General Motors Co. said Wednesday that it will move its international headquarters from Shanghai to Singapore, a trophy for the tropical city-state that is aggressively promoting itself as a global business center.
- The U.S. government’s steady sale of its remaining shares of General Motors stock continued last month, according to the Treasury Department, as it sold $1.2 billion of its holdings. The government is still on track to lose about $9.7 billion on the shares. For more, go to TheDetroitBureau.com.
November 12, 2013
- Two special custom Chevrolet Camaros will do their bit for charity in January following an appearance at the recent SEMA show in Las Vegas. Designed by Jack 'Doc' Watson and inspired by Linda Vaughn, proceeds from each LV-1 Camaro sold at auction will go towards The International Kids Alliance Network--a charity dedicated to exciting teaching...
- The all-new Chevrolet Colorado will makes its world debut next week at the 2013 LA Auto Show, according to General Motors Co. The Detroit-based automaker today released a second teaser photo of the truck and said that the mid-size pickup truck will debut Nov. 20.
- The 2014 Chevrolet SS muscle sedan has just gone on sale, priced from $44,470. For that sum, you get a roomy, well-equipped sedan with a 415-horsepower V-8 spinning the rear wheels. Unfortunately, there are only two options available, and neither involves adding more power under the hood. Those options include a power sunroof and a full-size...
November 11, 2013
- Subaru has released the first photo of its 2015 WRX, which the automaker has confirmed for a reveal at the 2013 Los Angeles Auto Show next week. Thankfully, the car appears much more like the recent WRX concept than spy shots of prototypes would have you believe. A firm by the name of Quanta has shown a C6 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 concept car...
- This is it--our final nominee for Motor Authority's Best Car To Buy 2014 award. Have we saved the best for last? Maybe. There's certainly no denying the 2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray's prowess. It's a beast of a car, and, in our experience, the best production American sports car in history. It's the whole package. As we noted in our first...
- Automakers have recently discovered a very good way of helping gearheads over their natural mistrust of hybrid vehicles: Making them incredibly powerful. Next year will see the debuts of McLaren's P1, Ferrari's LaFerrari and Porsche's 918 Spyder--hybrids one and all. While not an official factory product and now based on an older model, Quanta's...
- One trend that’s giving Detroit’s Big Three automakers a real lift is that their most loyal customers are now buying more expensive, luxury oriented pickup trucks. And no new model hits the target more head-on than the 2014 GMC Sierra Denali. Here's TheDetroitBureau.com's review.
- The 2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray is more than a car. It’s more than steel, carbon fiber and parts. It’s Americana.
November 10, 2013
- In honor of Veterans Day, General Motors Co. held a special ceremony with two very unique guests. The Detroit-based automaker Thursday hosted Navajo Code Talkers Peter MacDonald, Sr., of Tuba City, Arizona and Bill Toledo, of Laguna, New Mexico, at its Technical Center in Warren for a ''fireside chat.''
November 9, 2013
- The Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon will look “wildly different” from one another and their full-size counterparts, according to General Motors Co. Executive Vice President and President of North America Mark Reuss.
- The Detroit-based automaker announced Uwe Ellinghaus to the new position of chief marketing officer, Global Cadillac. In the position, Ellinghaus will lead global strategic marketing and brand building. His appointment is effective January 1.
November 8, 2013
- General Motors Co. this week celebrated Motor Trend magazine awarding the 2014 Cadillac CTS its prestigious ''Car of the Year'' award with hundreds of Michigan employees.


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The luxury market in India is on a roll with revenge spending by the rich driving sales recovery to pre-pandemic levels. Curbs on international travel are driving up spending by affluent consumers on luxury brands leading to a spike in sales for some of the top international luxury labels in the country. A Live Mint report says, the Collective & International Brands division at Madura Fashion & Lifestyle grew 150 per cent this year as all its brands performed well, informs Amit Pande, Brand Head. Demand for their products was spread across India and from all channels. Brands like Karl Lagerfeld saw great growth, adds Pande.
International brand sales grow
Some of the top selling international brands are seeing almost 150 per cent higher sales than pre-COVID levels, says Pushpa Bector, Executive Director, DLF Retail which also runs two luxury malls, Emporio and The Chanakya in Delhi. Revenues of Christian Dior Trading India increased to Rs 87.15 crore in FY20-21 from Rs 57.10 crore in FY19-20. The company recorded a net profit of Rs 3.24 crore during the year against a net loss of Rs15.92 crore in FY19-20. It has three stores in India and primarily retails luxury clothes, bags and accessories.
Similarly, revenues of Louis Vuitton India increased to Rs 318.58 crore from Rs 286.26 crore in 2019-20, estimates business intelligence platform Tofler. The company’s profit after tax doubled to Rs 51.50 crore during the period attributed to reduced employee expenses and changes in inventories of finished goods, work-in-progress and stock-in-trade.
As per Safir Anand, Leading IPR Lawyer & Brand Evangelist, Anand & Anand, this type of revenge spending indicates the willingness to spend on luxuries given an opportunity. It either denotes their optimism about the end of pandemic or fear of an impending lockdown, he adds.
Chanel to see higher footfalls, double digit growth
This June, French company Chanel announced it expected sales to grow in double digits in 2021 vis-a-vis a 18 per cent decline in 2020 where it saw an 18 per cent decline. Competitor Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy (LVMH) recorded a 46 per cent increase in revenue to $$51 billion in the first nine months 2021.
However, Rahul Prasad, Managing Director, Pike Preston Partners (Asia), refuses to attribute the sales uptick to pent-up demand. He believes, several elements contributed to the company’s enhanced performance including high traffic and footfalls into malls after the pandemic restrictions lifted and better conversion rates on ‘big ticket’ items.
Consumption shifts to local market
Sales uptick can also be attributed to the shift in domestic buying, says Bector. Consumption has now become more local with many new brands entering the market, she adds. Many marquee international luxury companies are recognizing India as a big market with nearly 50 per cent of the country's luxury consumption happening at two of its DLF’s malls, she adds.
However, Anand does not expect this trend to last long as it may persist only till international travel opens up, he adds.


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Best Practices - June 2011
By Brian Hamilton
Dugan’s Paint and Flooring Centers in central Missouri sell fashion and projects, not paint and floorcovering, according to owner Chuck Kempton. Today, that’s a more difficult task than ever, given the changes in the economy, not to mention technology and demographics. But the 140 year old firm learned a long time ago that it had to be able to adapt by reaching out in new ways, all while remaining true to its strengths and its roots.
Five years ago Kempton says his chief competitors were other independent flooring dealers and company owned paint stores, but today they’re the big box retailers. The Great Recession took its toll on business in the central Missouri area like everywhere else and Kempton has seen many of his independent competitors in the Sedalia, Missouri area go out of business. Dugan’s, in fact, has seen its own sales dip by 30% from three years ago.
“When the economy was good, the customers walking into those big box stores for the most part were not my customers,” Kempton says. In those good old days just a few years ago, Kempton’s stores attracted shoppers for whom quality service was often more important than price.
Today, however, price is at the top of the average consumer’s list, and online shopping tends to reinforce that trend. As Kempton says, today’s flooring shopper, even while acutely interested in style, generally begins the process from the comfort of her own living room, and price comparison is among the easiest things to do online.
What’s not so easy for these shoppers is to appreciate all the benefits that come with quality service. Most people don’t understand the headaches that can result from a shoddy installation job, for example, or choosing the wrong kind of flooring in the first place.
Another trend Kempton has noticed is that flooring shoppers in their mid-20s to early 30s grew up seeing their parents go to big box stores for all kinds of products, generally looking for the best prices, and many of these young consumers are barely aware that independent flooring stores even exist.
“We’ve worked hard to make sure our presence is heightened on the Internet and social media,” Kempton says. The four store chain has an active Facebook page, where all kinds of information is presented and updated on a regular basis by the chain’s advertising manager. Kempton also uses email marketing and sends out a quarterly electronic newsletter. A blog is also in the works, but, Kempton says, “It’s still in its infancy.”
Dugan’s website is uncomplicated and visually oriented, and the main page emphasizes things the big box stores don’t have, such as free in-home estimates, free samples, and a Color Back Guarantee for paint. You won’t find prices listed anywhere. There are also inviting virtual tours of each store, providing a sharp contrast with the impersonal nature of the boxes. Dugan’s also makes good use of search engine optimization to make sure the store appears high in search listings.
That, in essence, is how Dugan’s competes against the giants—by emphasizing how shopping at its stores is a different experience from going to a mega retailer. It’s a message that’s carried through in its newspaper, radio and direct mail advertising as well.
“We try to promote ourselves as a one stop decorating center,” Kempton says, which is also an attraction for builders, who can buy many products they need in one place.
Dugan’s spends 2% of sales on advertising (which also includes a “boatload” of t-shirts and sweatshirts that it gives away to contractors who come into the store), not counting co-op advertising, and all advertising is tracked to try to get some idea of what is working. That, Kempton says, isn’t easy to figure out, and it’s especially difficult to determine how its Facebook presence affects sales. Nevertheless, he says, “If you’re not doing what needs to be done today in the area of promotion, you’re going to be left behind.”
Getting AND providing the right information
It’s equally important for customers to pick the right kind of flooring, and sometimes it’s not what they thought they wanted at the outset. Many shoppers who come into the store are armed with just enough information through web research to be dangerous. However, they often have limited information on attributes like performance characteristics of a product.
“I encourage my salespeople to find out about a customer’s family, determine their needs, and try to fit a product to them,” Kempton says. “We need to find out if they have four Great Danes. We don’t want them to say ‘I wish you had told me this,’ if, for example, the customer realizes that shiny wood floors might not be the best choice with four large dogs in the family. “We ask a lot of questions and do a lot of listening.”
The showrooms, which are updated regularly and are kept clean and well lit, also often help make the sale. Dugan’s has as many as 20 different flooring vignettes featured at any one time in the showroom, and they are changed at least every two years. Those products often turn out to be the biggest sellers, partly because customers can see how they look down on the floor and can imagine them more easily in their homes. (It also lets Kempton see first hand how carpet and other products perform.) The same is true for paint colors that Kempton uses on the showroom walls. They often wind up in area residences.
“We feel we have an advantage over the big boxes once a customer walks into our stores,” Kempton says. “We can’t compete on things that they advertise day in and day out because they aren’t even available to us. But on other things, we’re often cheaper. We believe that if we have the opportunity to compare apples to apples and show people everything we can do, we can get that customer.”
Overall, Kempton tries to maintain a high level of service, partly because word of mouth can be particularly powerful in a small community. Plus, he believes it’s the right thing to do.
“We don’t get it right every time, but we will never leave a customer dissatisfied,” Kempton says.
Marketing in a small town
The Sedalia area is made up of communities with populations of about 20,000 to 25,000. Dugan’s owes part of its success to respecting the small town life, which it has been part of for more than a century.
One of the company’s best promotions is its support of local sports, especially recreation teams. The firm, like many in small towns, also advertises in high school athletic programs. It helps get the Dugan’s name out in the community in a positive way.
Dugan’s also likes to support other worthy causes—especially those that Dugan’s employees are involved with—such as Habitat for Humanity.
On its Facebook page, Dugan’s recently linked to a local newspaper story about the company’s project with the Children’s Therapy Center, which it has supported for many years. It held an ugly room makeover contest and pledged $1 per vote to the center. Kempton told the newspaper, “In my opinion, as the owner, the more excitement we generate, the more foot traffic it means for our store.”
Dugan’s also features customer appreciation barbecues at all its stores. “Nobody does that anymore,” Kempton says.
The respect for small town life also extends to how the firm treats its employees. Kempton says that every one of his salespeople is on a salary or paid by the hour, with no commission. His employees prefer it that way, and no commission leads to less pressure on customers.
Kempton says that judging from the feedback he gets at Mohawk meetings, his payment method is very unusual.
“We don’t have many employees motivated by commission as much as they’re motivated by security,” Kempton says. “I don’t want to be a high pressure store, but with this structure you’ve got to do a great job of following up.” He also pays his subcontractor installers every Friday, even if they’re in the middle of a job, so they can have more predictable income.
Kempton is also proud of the fact that during the depths of the recession, he didn’t change his benefits package, despite cutting back in nearly every other area.
“Our biggest asset is our people,” he says. “We want to keep them.”
|DUGAN'S PAINT AND FLOORING AT A GLANCE|
|Dugan's Paint and Flooring Centers is marking its 140th anniversary this year. The business started as a paint and glass store in Sedalia, with the paint and glass operations splitting into two separate companies in 1980. It added flooring in 1970. The company slowly expanded from 1983 to 1997--partly through acquisition--adding three new stores, and since 2004 has significantly expanded its warehouse capacity. The satellite stores are a good drive from Sedalia, with the Osage Beach store 70 miles to the southeast in the popular Lake of the Ozark resort community. The closest, in Warrensburg, is 30 miles away. Kempton is the fifth generation of the family in the business, and his nephew, Jason, the Sedalia store manager, and daughter, Tyger, who works in the paint department, will be the sixth generation leaders. Today, flooring makes up about 70% of sales, paint 25%, and window coverings 5%. About 65% of flooring sales is hard surface, and the majority is tile, much of which is imported directly from overseas. Dugan's has been aligned with Mohawk Floorscapes for eight years and sells a wide variety of flooring. Its main paint lines include Benjamin Moore and PPG. The company also has a small commercial business--mainly offices--that Jason handles from the Sedalia store. Kempton says that at least half his flooring customers also buy paint, and Dugan's offers additional discounts for those customers.|
Copyright 2011 Floor Focus


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British investment crowdfunding platform Crowdcube announced that they are expanding in the Nordic region which means an alternative source of capital for startups. One can raise up to 13 million euros from all over Europe. Under new EU regulations, this made a mark for itself as the first-ever in terms of international funding platform, which is equity-based. Up until now, the platform has gathered €1.2bn in total.
Established by Darren Westlake and Luke Lang in 2011, Crowdcube has been maintaining its operations with investors from over 100 countries, including Spain, Ireland, Italy, Australia, and Germany outside of the UK. Now, with this new movement, the British platform is expecting to help fast-growing fintech companies in the Nordics and back their A, B or C rounds with capital from individuals.
International Crowdfunding platform Crowdcube launches in the Nordics
The launch marks a new model for funding for the Nordic tech scene
As of today Nordic companies can raise external capital of €13m
from individuals from all over Europe, in exchange for equity
Stockholm, Sweden – Crowdcube today announces its expansion to the Nordics, and will be the first international platform to operate under new EU regulations. The launch of the company means that the Nordic startup scene will get an alternative source of investment, where companies can raise up to €13m from individuals from all over Europe.
The UK and US have historically been the most developed markets for equity-based crowdfunding, meaning that individuals (retail investors), along with VC’s, angel investors and institutional investors, can invest in private companies in exchange for equity.
In November 2021, new EU regulation came into effect, harmonising for the first time the existing patchwork of crowdfunding regulations across Europe. Crowdcube is the first platform to operate under the new EU regulations, meaning that Nordic companies will now be able to raise up to €13m from retail investors, via the platform, in a single offering of either primary or secondary shares (€5m from European investors and €8m from UK investors).
“We are a complement to VC’s and the Nordic startup scene is highly innovative and we are excited to finally launch here. The new EU regulation unleashes huge potential for Nordic growth companies that want to convert their best customers into investors and drive engagement, loyalty and advocacy from their communities.
The Nordics has a great number of companies that can benefit from topping up their investment rounds from thousands of retail investors, and at the same time build a committed community of ambassadors, says Mikael Angesjo, Regional Manager at Crowdcube.
Since its inception in 2011, having raised €1.2bn for 1,130 UK and European businesses like Revolut, Cowboy, and Citymapper from a community of over 1.2 million retail investors, Crowdcube brings its experience and community-building to new markets across the continent. It has played a significant role in both Revolut’s and Monzo’s financing rounds.
In Monzo’s case, the company has raised over €23 million from nearly 50,000 individuals via the platform. For individuals who had invested in the first crowdfunding round in 2016, their shares would have increased in value 28x. From Monzo’s side, the retail investors are some of the company’s most valuable and committed customers, who on average are 43 percent more active and almost three times more likely to refer new customers to Monzo.
In the Nordics, Crowdcube sees great potential to help fast-growing fintech companies supplement their A, B or C rounds with capital from individuals. The equity-basd crodfunding platform also hopes that impact companies see the great benefits of letting individuals participate and support companies that they believe in by offering co-ownership.
“As the world’s first and leading crowdfunding platform, we have over a decade of knowledge and expertise, which we can now use to support businesses on the Nordic vibrant startup scene. Crowdcube’s launch in the region is the latest step in our plans to expand into new markets across Europe, and we’re hugely excited to give Nordic founders access to a new source of investment”, says Darren Westlake, CEO and Co-founder of Crowdcube.
The European marketplace for retail investment into private and public companies, Crowdcube enables entrepreneurs to raise finance with the added benefit of being backed by their community. For investors, the company provides a way to hand-pick a stake in an innovative business they believe in that traditionally would have been restricted to professional investors.
Since it was founded in 2011, it has funded over 1,130 deals. With over one million members, a total of €1.2bn has been invested on the platform to date.
Businesses that have successfully raised funds with the platform include Revolut, Monzo, BrewDog, Citymapper, Cowboy, Heura Foods, Freetrade (primaries and secondaries), eCar Club (acquired by Europcar), Camden Town Brewery (acquired by AB INBev, Feedr (acquired by Compass Group), Mindful Chef (acquired by Nestle), Pod Point (acquired by EDF) and Nutmeg (acquired by JP Morgan).


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Kashmir is set to host its first American fast-food chains - KFC and Pizza Hut.
A 25-year-old young businessman from Srinagar, Ashfaq Ahmed, and his brother Momin Ahmed had been planning to set up KFC in Kashmir since 2017. But they could not get the green light from the company.
It was in 2019 when they finally got the approval. The outlet, which will open on 15 February, was operated for a week last December in a newly-constructed mall in Kashmir’s Lal Chowk area. But the outlet had to be shut for a brief period of time after the mall was sealed over a parking issue.
“We had amazing footfall during the week we inaugurated KFC. The demand for KFC in Muslim-majority Kashmir had always been high. People used to get it from Delhi and other places for their family here,” said Ahmed.
“The situation is normal in Kashmir and I don’t think Internet shutdown will affect it. But yes, uncertainty continuously looms large over this region. You never know what would happen the next moment. But we are positive,” he added.
Despite the presence of several upbeat cafes in the region, Kashmir was deprived of foreign investment with its per capita income of INR 65,615 rupees ($920 approx.) in 2018, lower than the national average yet better than several other Indian states.
Jammu and Kashmir was India’s only Muslim majority state until 5 August, 2019 until Hindu nationalist Narendra Modi government issued a surprise executive decree by abrogating the special status of Jammu and Kashmir and separating the Buddhist-dominated Ladakh region from Kashmir as a federally administered territory.
Fayil Shaukat, a franchise owner of Chick Blast in Kashmir’s Nageen area, who has been running the outlet for many years, including when the region faced a six-month Internet shut down after 5 August, 2019, said that his business is not even working at 10 percent capacity due to the shutdown.
“People are left with only empty pockets as they are not able to work due to the shutdown. The business is not even 10 percent. There has been huge job loss here. Several companies have shut down, and private business remained closed. My online ventures of handicrafts have been badly affected. I can’t get in touch with customers, and get new orders,” he rued.
Tourism in Kashmir fell by 90 to 95 percent from August to December 2019 in comparison to the same period in 2018, according to the data provided by State tourism department. In 2017, as many as 133,220 tourists visited the Kashmir Valley in October — the highest in eight years.
Shaukat said until tourists start arriving again, there's no hope that his livelihood would return to normal.
Modi’s Dream to Make Kashmir ‘Economic Paradise’
India is planning to offer around 6,000 acres (2,400 hectares) of land in Kashmir to potential investors ahead of much-awaited investor summit in April.
Justifying the revocation of the region's special status in August 2019, Prime Minister Modi said the move was imperative to spur greater investment and ensure the development of the valley.
Land remains a sensitive issue in Kashmir, as people here fear that influx of outsiders would lead to a change in the demography of the region, which would then pose a threat to Kashmiri culture and identity.
The report by trade body, the Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI), revealed that Kashmir’s economy suffered a loss of INR 17,8780 million ($2.5 billion aprox.) in the face of severe restrictions imposed by the government.
Sheikh Ashiq Ahmed, the President of the KCCI, said it is impossible for Kashmir to recover from the losses it incurred in last six months and it will take several years for Kashmir to get back on track.
“The chamber has always supported government in its endeavours towards attracting foreign investment to induce development in Kashmir. But the current business in region should set precedence for the international companies. Each and every sector in Kashmir is bleeding. Every day we get businessman coming to the chamber seeking help as they are bankrupt,” Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry chief Ashiq Ahmed told Sputnik.
The harm done to a patient’s health by a disease in six months cannot be recovered by the medicine in the seventh month, said Ahmed talking about the future of Kashmir.
He also asserted that existing business in Kashmir should be the role model for upcoming investment.
“Selling the market place and land is easy but working here is a challenge. And it would be equally challenging for companies to thrive in Kashmir,” said Ashiq.
Crackdown with Internet Shutdowns
Aegis Ltd., along with others MNCs, decided to wind up its operations due to continuous shutdown of internet services, which includes one of the longest internet shutdowns in India to date.
Kashmir was given 2G Internet six months after the government revoked its special status, retaining the ban on popular social media websites such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Only government-approved whitelisted websites are allowed in Kashmir at present.
However, Kashmiri youth is evading the censors by using virtual private networks, or VPNs, considered illegal in the country, for accessing restricted websites.
The internet has been suspended more than 365 times in India under Narendra Modi’s regime, according to the global digital rights group Access Now.


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Do you think flushing “flushable” wet wipes down the drain is perfectly safe? Think again unless you plan on hiring a drain cleaning company.
Just last year, Londoners were made aware of a creeping mass of filth underneath their streets. An 80-meter-long ball of congealed fat and wet wipes were clogging sewer pipes in West London. Aptly called “Fatberg,” the vile mass was as long as a Boeing 747 jumbo jet. It took four long days to get it cleaned up.
London isn’t the only city being invaded by these monstrosities. Even cities throughout the U.S. and Canada are dealing with “fatbergs” on a regular basis.
Say NO to Flushable Wipes
These “flushable” wipes aren’t only the scourge of city sewer management teams, but also of Saskatoon drain cleaning pros from firms like Perfection Plumbing & Drain Cleaning, Ltd. Unlike toilet paper which quickly breaks down in the water, wet wipes tend to stay intact. They accumulate inside sewer systems, causing blockages on sewer lines and hazards to the environment. Still, these products are being marketed around the world as flushable. A claim is being disputed by wastewater utilities in Canada and elsewhere, as well as by consumer organizations.
Previously, the site Consumer Reports put four brands of flushable wipes to a test: Cottonelle, Charmin, Scott, and Equate. The testers compared the wipes’ performance to tissue paper, and the results were revealing. They found that the “flushable” wipes were still almost intact even after being subjected to toilet flushing conditions for a total of 20 minutes, unlike toilet paper which dissolved almost instantly. Soaking the wipes overnight did see the Cottonelle and Scott wipes break down, but Charmin’s and Etiquette’s remained in one piece.
Clog Up Old Plumbing
Why are such products marketed as “flushable”, though? According to experts, the term “flushable”, from the point of view of manufacturers, refers to something that would fit down a toilet’s plumbing, without necessarily having the ability to break down when flushed. Flushable wipes are meant to drain safely through your home’s plumbing without clogging it; however, they can still pose a problem with older plumbing. For example, aged cast-iron pipes are more likely to snag wipes on their rough edges, which can lead to clogging.
Utility experts say that only three things should be flushed down the toilet: human waste, toilet paper, and water. Until all wipes labeled as “flushable” are proven to break down once flushed, they belong in a trash can. If you hear of this warning a little too late and are now experiencing clogging in your plumbing system, call a skilled Saskatoon drain cleaning specialist right away. Clogged drains and pipes should be addressed as soon as possible, as they can cause not only major inconveniences but sanitation and health concerns as well.
(Source: Don’t Flush That! ‘Flushable’ Wipes can Wreck Pipes, AARP.org, September 9, 2013)


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As stated in part 1 of this article we believe the solar industry as a whole is in a secular bear market. We see the industry facing two important headwinds that will last for quite some time, thereby undermining any hoped for near-term recovery; those headwinds being reduced government tax incentives and reduced availability of customer financing due to the European sovereign debt crisis and its resulting impact on the European banking sector. The reduction in government subsidies is and will cause a reduction in demand. Several companies are still adding capacity, which we believe will result in overcapacity, a sea of red ink, a continuation of reduced guidance and an increase in inventory write downs, all of which should eventually lead to industry consolidation and the bankruptcies of individual companies. We do not envision revising our outlook on solar until the consolidation and bankruptcy phase is largely complete, which (together with continued technological advances to make solar more cost competitive) should set the stage for a powerful bull market in solar stocks. Here are the final five solar companies in our review:
ReneSola Ltd. (NYSE:SOL)
ReneSola is a Chinese company that manufactures and sells solar wafers and solar products. ReneSola has a market cap of $163 million and the stock has an average daily trading volume of 2.6 million shares. This NYSE listed company reported Q3 earnings November 23, reporting a $0.09 loss per share and significantly missing the consensus on revenue ($189 million vs. $216 million consensus). The company issued downside guidance for Q4, forecasting revenue of $140 – $150 million vs. the $207 million consensus. Additionally, the company temporarily lowered capacity utilization for Q4 to reduce losses from the potential inventory write down. We think it is unlikely that ReneSola will be a survivor as the company is at a cost disadvantage against its competitors in the wafer market and wafer prices are being set at a level below RenSola’s production cost. The stock is off 85.8 % from its 52-week high of $13.25.
SunPower Corporation (NASDAQ:SPWR)
Sunpower designs, manufactures and delivers high efficiency, high reliability solar panels and systems. SunPower has a market cap of $728 million and the stock has an average daily trading volume of 712,000 shares. The company reported Q3 earnings November 3. Revenue was $705 million up from the prior quarter of $592 million as well as up from last year of $553 million. The company would have reported a profit but for a large $350 million charge for goodwill and intangible asset impairment. Guidance for Q4 is $675-725 million in revenue and a loss of earnings of ($0.15) to $0.10 per share. SunPower has the backing of Total (the global energy giant), which includes a tender offer for 60% of SunPower’s stock and up to $1 billion in a credit support agreement. The Total investment insures that SunPower will be a survivor but likely will limit upside potential in the stock during the next recovery phase. The stock is off 68.8 % from its 52-week high of $23.36.
Suntech Power Holdings Co. Ltd (NYSE:STP)
Suntech is a Chinese company that designs, develops, manufactures and markets photovoltaic products. Suntech has a market cap of $406 million and the stock has an average daily trading volume of 4.4 million shares. Suntech, the largest manufacturer of solar panels in the world, announced Q3 earnings November 22, beating on revenue ($809 million vs. $775 million consensus) but missing on earnings (loss of ($0.64) per share vs. consensus of ($0.20). For the year the company guided down to a revenue range of $3 billion to $3.1 billion. Suntech has a high short interest of 16% of the float. Suntech, as the largest solar panel manufacturer in the world, has the size and market share to not only survive but to help consolidate the industry. The stock is off 79.2% from its 52-week high of $10.83.
Trina Solar Limited (NYSE:TSL)
Trina is a Chinese company that designs, develops, manufactures and sells photovoltaic modules. Trina has a market cap of $486 million and the stock trades an average daily volume of 4.0 million shares. Trina reported Q3 results November 21, reporting a loss of $0.45 per share (25 cents worse than the consensus) but exceeded consensus on revenue. During the quarter the company successfully negotiated a downward revision in a significant portion of its long-term silicon supply agreements. Trina has the benefit of a balance sheet that is less levered than many of its peers. Post earnings Auriga downgraded Trina to “Sell.” We see Trina as another likely survivor. The stock is off 77.7 % from its 52-week high of $31.08.
Yingli Green Energy Holding Co. Ltd (NYSE:YGE)
Yingli is another Chinese company that designs, develops, manufactures, markets and installs photovoltaic products. Yingli has a market cap of $609 million and the stock trades an average daily volume of 4.4 million shares. Yingli reported Q3 results November 23, providing investors with one of the better reports compared with its peers. Earnings were a positive $0.14 per share and revenue rose 30% year over year to $668 million (just shy if consensus). The company reduced its Q4 PV module shipment guidance to a range of 1,580 – 1,630 MW from 1,700 – 1,750 MW. We see Yingli as another of the survivors in the solar field. The stock is off 71.6 % from its 52-week high of $13.59.
Disclosure: I have no positions in any stocks mentioned, and no plans to initiate any positions within the next 72 hours.


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Last Updated: Thursday, December 12, 2013, 22:35
Shares of US hotel giant Hilton Worldwide Holdings jumped 7.0 percent Thursday as they hit the market following the year`s second largest US market IPO that raised USD 2.35 billion.
Last Updated: Monday, December 19, 2011, 15:47
Hospitality firm Hilton Worldwide is aiming to operate 50 hotels in the next five years in India and launch new brands -- 'Conrad' and 'Waldorf Astoria' – in the country from its global portfolio.
Last Updated: Tuesday, July 19, 2011, 16:22
Hospitality chain Hilton Worldwide Tuesday said it plans to operate five new hotels in India this year and double the number of properties currently managed by the firm in the country.
more videos >>


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Legal Bitcoin is legal in Mexico as of 2017. However, our existing laws (such as the Organised and Serious Crimes Ordinance) provide sanctions against unlawful acts involving bitcoins, such as fraud or money laundering.  In 2017 it was revealed that the proposal will require cryptocurrency exchanges and cryptocurrency wallets to identify suspicious activity.  The report states that since virtual currencies are not in a legal vacuum, the Federal Council has concluded that there is no need for legislative measures to be taken at the moment. [note 1] European legislation, including the Slovak law, does not define the activities associated with virtual currency. On 23 December 2013 the Slovenian Ministry of Finance made an announcement  stating that bitcoin is neither a currency nor an asset. Legal Bitcoin would seem to be classified pursuant to the current provisions of the PPSA simply as an intangible. Some of this downturn has lead to some sad stories appearing on social media. Ripple has followed suit, with a near 25 percent correction and litecoin is at its lowest rate in months. Miners, traders of bitcoins would be treated as businesses and would have to pay corporate income tax as well as charge a 17% VAT.
Legal Not regulated, according to a 2014 statement by the Central Bank of Brazil concerning cryptocurrencies, but is discouraged because of operational risks. While some countries have explicitly allowed its use and trade, others have banned or restricted it other currencies like bitcoin. News resources  also show that, although such activities were carried out by PBOC, they were not done via legal approaches, but by appointment instead. It is characterized by the absence of physical support such as coins, notes, payments by cheque or credit card other currencies like bitcoin.  They underlined that virtual currencies (including bitcoin): (1) are not issued or guaranteed by the central bank, (2) are not money, i. Those who diversified their cryptocurrency portfolio aren’t safe from the crash though, as bitcoin’s downturn has been felt by all the major alternative coins. Only Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority (sama) have warned from using it as it is high risk and recognized in Saudi Arabia and its dealers will not be guaranteed any protection or rights. â The purchase, sale, use, and holding of so-called virtual currency is prohibited. Virtual currency is that used by internet users via the web. Legal The government of Lebanon has issued a warning discouraging the use of bitcoin and other similar systems.
Illegal On 15 November 2017 a digital services company MTDS introduced bitcoin as a mode of payment for its services in Morocco.  Regulations must be enacted before this provision becomes active,  however, once they are it is expected that dealers in digital currency will be regulated as money services businesses. At the time of writing, a single bitcoin is worth around $9,900, representing a fall of nearly $3,000 in the last 24 hours alone.Tether.. Although cryptocurrencies have traditionally had rather volatile values, bitcoin’s has been near unprecedented over the past few months. They concluded that this may pose challenges to countries in [anti-money laundering/counter terrorist financing] regulation and supervision. Those who spent more than they could afford to lose during the December peak are now watching their investments dwindle and disappear.  if not all, claim that regulation activities have been or are to be taken. .Siacoin.Qtum. Dragonchain.


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Children's clothes makers battle for brand recognition
The Italian luxury brand Gucci opened its first children's clothes shop in Shanghai on June 1, International Children's Day, as high-end labels continue to target the surging Chinese market.
China likely to raise interest rates further
China is likely to increase benchmark interest rates again in the near term to curb inflation, according to the latest comments by analysts.
Small firms struggle with labor shortage
Zhejiang Kang'er Lok Electronics Company, a manufacturer of small switches in eastern China's Zhejiang Province, has been operating at half capacity since February.
China, key to Monsanto's growth
Rising incomes and surging demand in China makes this country a top growth target for Monsanto, the world's largest seed company over the longer term.
Ringing the changes
The profit margin of shanzhai products is being dramatically squeezed because of increasing costs of labor and materials
GM becomes world's largest automaker
General Motors Co (GM) outsold Toyota Motor Corp globally in the first six months after the March 11 earthquake disrupted production in Japan.
ICBC acquires South American Bank
The Chinese lender will pay $600 million for 80 percent shareholding
Investors take a punt on poker-card manufacturer
SHANGHAI - Shanghai Yaoji Playing Card Co Ltd soared 71.71 percent to close at 36.06 yuan ($5.60) a share on its first trading day after listing on Shenzhen's growth enterprise board (ChiNext), China's version of the Nasdaq.
Baidu buys into e-book retailer
Baidu Inc has bought approximately 40 percent of a Chinese e-book seller, Fanshu.com.
Facebook gains higher India profile
The number of active accounts in India has jumped 85 percent so far this year to 32 million.
RBS reports first-half loss
Britain's biggest government-controlled bank swung into loss in the first half after writing down the value of its Greek debt
Sowing the seeds of doubt
The presence in China of multinationals such as Monsanto and Pioneer is sparking controversy


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Bharti Airtel in the present day introduced that it has surpassed 50 million distinctive 5G clients on its community. Airtel was the primary to launch 5G providers in India on October 1st, 2022, with the Airtel 5G Plus community first going reside in eight cities: Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Siliguri, Nagpur, and Varanasi. As tomorrow marks the one-year anniversary of the launch of 5G providers in India, Airtel has introduced that its 5G progress streak continues, together with the 5G consumer milestone.
Additionally Learn: Airtel Says 10 Million Distinctive Customers Latched on to its 5G Community
Nationwide Community Growth
Airtel introduced that it has reached this milestone inside one 12 months of the launch of Airtel 5G Plus. Airtel mentioned that Airtel 5G Plus is obtainable throughout all 28 states and eight union territories, making it one of many quickest rollouts within the nation. The corporate has taken initiatives to launch 5G providers in lots of vacationer locations and can be the primary to launch 5G service to clients throughout Kochi’s water metro stations.
From the scenic Balia in Bihar to the historic Cuttack in Odisha, the smallest Ramgarh district in Jharkhand to Bishnoi, a land for wildlife lovers in Rajasthan, from the serene Serai of Kerala to the marshy villages of Kashmir, Airtel mentioned its clients are actually on the digital superhighway and are having fun with blazing quick speeds on its 5G community.
Additionally Learn: Expertise Airtel 5G Plus in These Prime Locations This Republic Day
First Million Distinctive Buyer Milestone
Airtel introduced its first a million distinctive 5G buyer milestone on its community in November 2022. The corporate achieved this milestone in lower than 30 days of its business launch. Airtel was the primary firm to announce distinctive 5G customers on its community in India and has introduced distinctive consumer milestones in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, Bihar and Jharkhand, Tamil Nadu, Mumbai, and throughout India.
Airtel 5G Initiatives
Airtel was additionally the primary to launch 5G Actuality Verify for its customers in Chennai. The corporate additionally requested its customers to expertise its 5G community whereas on the go in Hyderabad with the Airtel 5G Plus community accessible throughout all the important thing connecting key places and transport hubs, together with the Metro Rail, railway stations, and the bus terminal. Airtel has specifically known as for experiencing ultrafast connectivity on the go along with Airtel 5G Plus.
Additionally Learn: Bharti Airtel Creates Airtel 5G Plus Expertise Zones at Shops
Airtel 5G Plus
Airtel 5G Plus can be utilized on all 5G-compatible units and is obtainable in over 5,000 cities and cities as of August, as reported by TelecomTalk.
Commenting on the milestone, Bharti Airtel mentioned, “We’re thrilled on the velocity of adoption of 5G by thousands and thousands of our clients and we’re reaching this milestone sooner than deliberate. This marks an enormous growth of Airtel’s 5G protection, going from 1 million in October of 2022 to 50 million in simply 12 months of the launch. The growth continues at full velocity, and we are going to proceed to quickly multiply as we work in direction of nationwide protection and allow all our clients to enter the 5G age.”
Additionally Learn: Airtel Reaping the Advantages of 5G NSA Via Seamless Protection and Expertise
Airtel 5G Plus Throughout All Districts in India
Airtel additionally introduced that Airtel 5G Plus providers can be found throughout all districts within the nation, except for districts in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, Naxal-affected areas of Chhattisgarh, and the islands of Lakshadweep, that are related by way of Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT).
Additionally Learn: Airtel Xstream AirFiber: Solely 5G FWA Service in India With a Distinctive Benefit
Airtel Xstream AirFiber – India’s First FWA Service
Airtel in August additionally launched Airtel Xstream AirFiber, India’s first Mounted Wi-fi Entry (FWA) providing powered by Airtel 5G Plus. Airtel Xstream AirFiber is the one plug-and-play service out there in India and is meant to supply web to customers in fiber-dark areas. The machine is constructed with in-built Wi-Fi 6 expertise that can provide large indoor protection and may concurrently join as much as 64 units.


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November 30, 2005--Posted at 10:27 PM CST
PARAGOULD--American Railcar Industries or A.R.I, is one of the top manufacturers in the United States of railcars. The use of railroads for shipping in the U.S. has increased 10-fold over the last four years because it is cheaper than conventional shipping by truck. More shipping on the rails means more demand for the cars that carry the load.
A.R.I makes 6,000 railcars every year. But they have been lacking one thing and they knew it. They needed to find away to speed up the painting process of these behemoth pieces of metal.
And that is why they built a $13-million dollar painting facility.
Jon Meyer, project manager for A.R.I., said, "Building this plant will allow us to be self sufficient. We can now paint everything that we produce here."
Before, A.R.I. would manufacture the car at the Paragould plant, but would have to ship the car elsewhere to be painted and finished. Now the plant can do it all.
"We get input from the employees here as to how to make the process better and more efficient. So there is a lot of thought that went into it," Meyer said.
Efficiency is the key word for this plant and it employees.
Mike Perry, paint plant manager, said, "It gives the customer a much better job and it makes us more efficient in being able to do what we do with the number of people we have efficiently."
Meyer said, "The process, from a production standpoint, is very similar to the competition. We just feel that new equipment and the work ethic in Arkansas we have a real advantage."


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Ink and Drink: People with tattoos are more likely to imbibe than those without ink on their bodies, according to this article found in the Huffington Post. A study done in France consisted of administering breathalyzer tests for nearly 3000 people leaving bars. Of those who agreed to participate, researchers found that those with tattoos consumed more alcohol than those without.
Higher prices for Wine: According to some experts, U.S. wine consumers should brace themselves for higher wine prices in 2012, as reported by Reuters. The rise in price is due to a decline in grape supply and will first be seen in wine from California, followed by Oregon and Washington states.
Chinese Wine Tastes Diversify: New research suggests the Chinese wine consumer will increasingly delve into more white wines and softer, fruitier red wines, according to this report. The Chinese market has long been synonymous with high-end wines for special occasions, such as Bordeaux, but the Wine Intelligence research suggests the Chinese consumer is poised the make wine a greater part of their weekly habits.
Pondering the Wine Industry’s Future: As some CORKZILLA readers may have noted, we are frequent readers of Mike Veseth’s often exceptional Wine Economist blog – It’s a great read and this recent post is particularly thought-provoking and promises more of the same in the coming weeks. In the column, he focuses on the impact of tighter supplies, the impact of growing middle classes, and the movement toward a more democratic approach to wine. Check it out.
“Miracle Harvest” in Oregon: Despite late rains, Oregon experienced a record grape harvest in 2011, according to this report. Oregon harvested 41,500 tons of grapes for the year, a modest increase over the prior record in 2009, with a late stretch of ideal weather conditions factoring in to the grape bounty in 2011.


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Around 50,000 additional hectares has come under cultivation in Maharashtra that usually has 85,000 hectares for the same. Buoyed by good prices in the last few years, farmers in the state have been shifting to this fruit from grape, he said. In Gujarat, an additional 15,000 hectares has come under cultivation while Madhya Pradesh has increased acreage by 10,000 hectares. Maharashtra contributes 90% of the country's pomegranate production.
Farmers, however, are now concerned about the 50% drop in prices owing to a sudden influx of the commodity into markets, Chandane said. Pomegranates are retailing at R50-60 per kg in several markets in Maharashtra against prices of R100-150 per kg last year. The production has increased but not quality and this has led to price fall, he added. Some 240 tonne of pomegranate has entered markets in Sangola and 300 tonne in Solapur.
Indian pomegranates are being exported only to Dubai with four-five containers being processed on a daily basis. Although Russia emerged as a new market last year, traders are not keen to send products there owing to payment issues in the previous year, Chandane said. UK, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Netherlands, Egypt, Turkey, Bahrain and Kuwait are other important markets for the fruit.
Around 40,000 tonne of pomegranate was exported by farmers in 2013-14. Exports normally pick up during the November season, says Ravindra Navlakha, a pomegranate farmer and president of the association.
The delay in monsoons this year affected the crop to some extent in Solapur region. This year, in Indapur region near Pune, the crop was affected by oily spot disease causing a loss of R100 crore to farmers.


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The fight against counterfeit medicines has now become the new global war on drugs, leading experts have told MEPs.
The counterfeit medicines market has emerged as a multi-billion euro business with profit margins rivalling those of hard drug trafficking, according to the latest WHO estimates.
Around ten percent of medicines traded worldwide are substandard fakes, with the figure rising up to more than 50 per cent in some developing countries.
By Filipe Rufino
11 April 2007


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Atlassian has confirmed that a breach at a third-party vendor caused a recent leak of company data and that their network and customer information is secure.
As first reported by Cyberscoop, a hacking group known as SiegedSec leaked data on Telegram yesterday, claiming to be stolen from Atlassian, a collaboration software company based out of Australia.
“We are leaking thousands of employee records as well as a few building floorplans. These employee records contain email addresses, phone numbers, names, and lots more~!,” said the SiegedSec hackers.
Soon after the leak, Check Point Software told BleepingComputer that they analyzed the leaked data and that it contained two floor maps for the Sydney and San Francisco offices and a JSON file containing information about employees.
“From the initial analysis, we suspect the group did not hack to Atlassian directly but into a 3rd party provider named https://envoy.com/,” Check Point Software told BleepingComputer.
Today, Atlassian confirmed to BleepingComputer that the data breach was caused by a breach of their third-party vendor Envoy which they use for in-office functions.
“On February 15, 2023 we learned that data from Envoy, a third-party app that Atlassian uses to coordinate in-office resources, was compromised and published. Atlassian product and customer data is not accessible via the Envoy app and therefore not at risk,” Atlassian told BleepingComputer.
“The safety of Atlassians is our priority, and we worked quickly to enhance physical security across our offices globally. We are actively investigating this incident and will continue to provide updates to employees as we learn more.”
BleepingComputer contacted Envoy with further questions about the attack, but a response was not immediately available.


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For the fourth year in a row, restaurants across the Valley will be participating in a friendly competition in April to see who has the best burger in town.
This year, 46 restaurants from Digby to Windsor are participating, says organizer Laura Churchill Duke, the communications co-ordinator for Campaign for Kids. For every designated burger sold, $1 will go to Campaign for Kids to help financially disadvantaged youth in Kings County.
Last year, more than 12,000 burgers were sold and with the extra donations by some of the restaurants, more than $13,000 was raised. Funds were spent buying winter coats and boots for four students in every school in Kings County, explains Churchill Duke.
“This year, we are hoping for even bigger and better,” she says. As word continues to spread, interest grows, as do the burger eaters, she says.
Not every burger is beef, says Churchill Duke. There are many other options this year, including chicken, pork, fish, bean, vegetarian, vegan and even bison. Running alongside Burger Wars, Kings Chocolate in Kentville will be serving up their rendition of an ice cream burger, with 50 cents of each sale going to Campaign for Kids.
“The entire event is meant to be fun,” says Churchill Duke, “and a way to support our local restaurants in a usually slow time of the year.”
Not only is it supporting the restaurants, but also the bakeries, meat markets and farmers who supply the ingredients. Everyone wins, but especially the children, she says.
This year, there will be a Burger Wars passport available at the participating restaurants and to download off the website. For every restaurant visited, participants get a stamp on their passport. Every five stamps earns a ballot toward a $400 gift certificate to The Quarterdeck Beachside Villas and Grill on the South Shore.
Burger eaters are encouraged to go to the website and rate each burger they eat. These ratings are not only used to pick the People’s Choice award at the end of the month, but also for weekly prize draws.
All of the burgers, including their descriptions, locations and a photograph, are listed online at campaignforkids.com/burgerwars. Burger Wars runs from April 1 to 30.


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Locai expands geo-social networking beyond the check-in to enable richer, deeper interactions with the local businesses you visit and the people who patronize them. Locai users can launch the iOS and Android application to join conversations about a site, ask and answer questions, offer reviews and recommendations, post photos, play games and discover other nearby users with similar interests and tastes. In effect, it's a social networking app that encourages users to actually socialize with the people and places in their immediate physical radius, not just Facebook accounts and Twitter feeds.
Locai first launched on Apple's (NASDAQ:AAPL) App Store--its recent entrance into Google's (NASDAQ:GOOG) Android Market generated headlines when the storefront's auto-correct feature changed all searches from "Locai" to "Local," making it virtually impossible for consumers to find and download. (Google has since fixed the problem.) FierceDeveloper spoke with Locai's Dallas-based president and CEO Taylor Cavanah about the Android Market mishap, evolving the mobile social paradigm and the inevitability of mistakes.


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Last week, the Wall Street indexes returned to growth with Dow Jones adding 0.4%, while S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite rising by 0.6% and 0.7%, respectively. Financials led the broad rally on Wall Street and the materials, industrials, and communication services also advancing.
On Friday was given the start of the new earnings season. Wells Fargo and JPMorgan Chase reported better-than-expected earnings and revenues. During the new week, the reported season will continue with other financial giants, as well as major corporations from S&P 500.
Among the more important economic data during the new week are the figures on the UK labor market, Chinese GDP, Eurozone inflation and retail sales in the United States.
Upcoming economics data
On Monday, April 15, the German Central Bank (Bundesbank) will publish its monthly report. The Bank of Canada will announce the results of a prospective business survey.
On Tuesday, April 16, will be released the last meeting minutes by Reserve Bank of Australia. In the UK will be published a series of data on the labor market. In Germany, the ZEW Center for European Economic Studies (CEZ) will post its indexes on the expectations of German investors and their assessment of the current situation. For the Eurozone, the ZEW index will also be published, assessing the current situation. In the United States, the markets’ focus will be turned to industrial production data in March with a consensus forecast for growth acceleration to 0.3% MoM, compared to a modest increase of 0.1% a month earlier.
On Wednesday, April 17, in New Zealand will be published the inflation data in the first quarter of the year with expectations for acceleration to 0.3% quarter-on-quarter. In Japan, will be published the trade balance data for March, as well as industrial production for February. A number of important macro data also will be released in China – GDP for the first quarter, industrial output and retail sales in March, as well as unemployment. Later, the markets will focus on inflation data in the Eurozone and the UK. Also will be published the trade balance in the Eurozone and the EU for February. Markets will also track current US crude oil inventories.
On Thursday, April 18, Australia will publish a series of data on the labor market in the country. In Germany, the producer price index in March will be released, set to increase by 0.2%, with a decline of 0.1% a month earlier. Preliminary data for PMI is in the service and industry sector for France, Germany, the Eurozone, and the US. The UK retail sales data will be released in March. The consensus forecast is on a monthly basis declining by 0.4% in February. Sales data for March will also be available for the US.
On Friday, April 19, the focus will be on the data on building permits and new homes in the US. Most of the world’s markets are resting for a longer holiday around Catholic Easter.
Upcoming corporate earnings
On Monday, April 15, the focus of the markets will be the financial statement of the major US banks Citigroup and Goldman Sachs Group, as well as the smaller M&T Bank Corporation, Wintrust Financial Corporation, and Washington Federal Inc. Also during the day will be posted the earnings reports of Aphria and OrganiGram Holdings.
On Tuesday, April 16, will be published the financial statements of the media-services provider Netflix, consumer goods manufacturer Johnson & Johnson and computer hardware company IBM. The key event of the markets will also be the earnings statement of Bank of America Corporation, the investment management company BlackRock and the healthcare company UnitedHealth Group Inc. During the day will be published also the reports of Apollo Investment, CSX Corporation, and United Continental Holdings.
On Wednesday, April 17, the investors will focus on earnings statements PepsiCo and Morgan Stanley. During the day, will be released the financial report of Metro Inc, Abbott Laboratories, Roche Holding and U.S. Bancorp.
On Thursday, April 18, will be released the earnings reports of the financial services company American Express Co, the oilfield services company Schlumberger Ltd and the cigarette company Philip Morris International Inc. Also will be published the financial statements of Danaher Corporation and the consumer goods company Unilever.


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"It's been a long time coming," Nick Sabatine Jr. said about the debut of his Ackermanville flea market this weekend.
About 200 vendors will sell a variety of wares and sundries at Route 191 and Molasses Road from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. tomorrow and Sunday. The Washington Township site is about five miles north of Stockertown.
"My utmost concern is that I will run an absolutely good market and keep in consideration my neighbors at all times," said Sabatine, who thinks the market will benefit the local economy.
His plan hit several zoning snags over the past four years. It was held up in court after a group of homeowners objected to the conditional use because they feared it would disturb the residential neighborhood.
A Commonwealth Court decision upheld most of the conditions and Sabatine continued with his plans.
Outdoor flea markets are growing in popularity, he added, because consumers are looking for ways to stretch their dollars. "Flea markets have a certain amount of flair," Sabatine added. "Just like the old days -- a mix of shopping and fresh air."
Sabatine charges $5 to $15 to rent vending stands.


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Twitterati explode with memes after Sitharaman blames millennials for auto industry slump
New Delhi, Sep 10: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday said the slowdown in the automobile sector was due to many factors like the change in mindset of millennials,who now prefer taxi aggregators like OLA and UBER instead of committing for monthly installments to own a car.
"The automobile and components industry has been affected by BS6 and the mindsets of millennial, who now prefer to have Ola and Uber rather than committing to buying an automobile," said Sitharaman while addressing reporters.
Sitharaman said the automobile industry did have its "good times" till two years ago.
The minister said the sector had been affected by several things, including movement towards BS-VI norms and registration related matters and (also) change in mindsets.
Meanwhile, Netizens made the best use of the occasion to create tools for satire or memes on social media. Check out how Twitterati reacted to the auto industry slowdown with their comments.
Millennials don't want to wear clothes that's why textile industry is facing slowdown...😜🤣— Amritpal Bamhrah (@_Amritpal_) September 10, 2019
Millennials don't want to buy homes and want to live on rent that's why construction industry is facing slowdown... 😜🤣 #NirmalaSitaraman
Cigarette Industry is down bcoz #Millennials nnials prefer Delhi ka Free Pollution.— Mayukh Ranjan Ghosh (@mayukhrghosh) September 10, 2019
Delhi Auto Rickshaw Meter is never down bcoz Auto drivers ditch Public like #Millennials
#SayItLikeNirmalaTai #BizarreLogic #NirmalaSitaraman
Here is what I wanted to say being #NirmalaSitaraman 's comment about #Ola and #Uber 's effect on auto-mobile industry. (Being attached with startup eco-system of India)— Movie Mango ® (@Go_Movie_Mango) September 10, 2019
Have it affected the growth ?: Yes
Has it affected the growth to result in Industry slowdown ?


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Airbnb spurs Jamaica’s homeshare market
Jamaica’s homeshare market grew by two-thirds in 2018.
Minister of Tourism Edmund Bartlett reported to Parliament on Tuesday that home stays booked through Airbnb grew 62 per cent, from 55,000 to 89,500 guests.
Airbnb is the online vacation site which gives visitors the option to rent rooms and homes from private citizens, as opposed to hotels.
The average stay was about five days, while the typical host in Jamaica earned revenues of up to US$2,600 in 2018, the minister said.
Bartlett also reported a near 11-point spike in retention of the tourism dollar, from 30 per cent to 40.8 per cent. It means that for every dollar spent in the tourism sector, the Jamaican economy retains 40.8 cents.
It puts Jamaica second in the line-up of Caribbean markets behind Dominican Republic, which has a retention rate of 50 per cent, according to World Travel & Tourism Council data. The Caribbean, on average, has a retention rate of 10-30 per cent.


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03 Sep 2015 Level Up: Vancouver, presented by PlentyOfFish & RBC
On September 30th, 2015 from 6-9pm, PlentyOfFish and RBC will be hosting Level Up: Vancouver, an exclusive event set to explore Vancouver’s emergence as world-class tech hub, and the unique challenges that accompany this position.
Featuring the headliner Bruce Croxon from CBC’s Dragon’s Den. Followed by an expert panel Q&A discussion with Dan Eisenhardt of Recon Instruments Inc, Arash Fasihi of Cymax, Roger Hardy of ShoeMe.ca and moderated by Boris Wertz of Version One Ventures.
PlentyOfFish has partnered with UBC, SFU, Launch Academy and Riipen to find the best and brightest among the next generation of tech entrepreneurs. To wrap up the event, the top candidates will engage in an interactive “elevator pitch” session evaluated by the expert panel.
This evening of networking will include two complimentary drinks along with a selection of delicious hor d’oeuvres.
Sponsored by RBC, McMillan, Swim Recruiting and Deloitte.
For more information, click here.


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Next week will bring dirty PC platformer Dustforce, comic book adaptation Scarygirl, Kinect XBLA spook 'em up Haunt, individual PSN releases of the Ico and Shadow of the Colossus Collection revamps, and a few other so-called 'video games.'
Amy was supposed to be released on PSN last week, but ended up delayed so the price could be adjusted to match the XBLA edition.
Here's our list of next week's new releases:
- Dustforce (Steam - $10)
- Stonekeep: Bones of the Ancestors (WiiWare - $5)


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Brian Phipps has been promoted to president of Mutoh America. He has worked for the company since 2004.
The SGIA Product of the Year competition showcases the best printers, technologies and consumables in specialty imaging.
The Streamline ESL HPQ low odor inks from Sun Chemical have been developed for the Roland Soljet Pro 2, Pro 3 and VersaCAMM printers.
This week Julie Greenbaum highlights industry news, including DOME and Color Solutions, Phase 3 Marketing & Communications and Brand Fever, Signarama Milwaukee and Design Craft Signs, RockTenn and KBA, RR Donnelley and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Trade Publishing, Transcontinental and TVA Group, GPA and the Fedrigoni Group, Epson, Mutoh America, and Gigantic Color.
Only one product out of the entire ISA show was named Best New Product and that went to Mutoh’s ValueJet 426UF UV-LED printer.
Mutoh America will be hosting five open house events at its learning facilities in Phoenix, Chicago, Atlanta, Boston and Los Angeles.
To support its growing product line, Mutoh America expanded and remodeled its Corporate Learning Center in Phoenix. The new facility houses a showroom, a classroom-style education suite for training sessions and an expanded warehouse. A Grand Opening event will take place on January 23.
The typical landscape for U.S. printing industry trade shows today is dotted with smaller booths, fewer attendees and less equipment on display. But that wasn't the case at the recent 2014 SGIA Expo held at the Las Vegas Convention Center October 22-24. SGIA set not one, but two, new records: largest attended SGIA Expo ever, with 25,500 registered attendees; and most exhibitors, with 541 exhibitors filling 223,000 square feet of floor space.
This year's SGIA Product of the Year competition was held at the 2014 Expo in Las Vegas, October 22-24. The contest showcased the best printers, technologies and consumables from the specialty imaging community. "Whether they were a seasoned company or an industry newcomer, each and every entry came to win," said Ray Weiss, SGIA’s digital imaging specialist.