text:
With the internet at everyone’s fingertips, many people today are taking advantage and starting their own businesses. A good majority of these home businesses rely on reselling or even drop shipping. Furthermore, while many people assume drop shipping is the better option due to the logistics, what people don’t consider is how container shipping can
Future-proofing was something that before 2020 most people wouldn’t have thought about too much. But as we progress through 2021, there are thousands of business owners worldwide who have had to adjust their methods, and those are the lucky ones. Many business owners have had to close altogether because of the global pandemic. While this
As we approach the midpoint of 2021, most countries can finally see the light at the end of the proverbial tunnel. By now, Covid vaccines are available and easy to acquire in most countries. These factors mean that global commerce will start to creep back to a sense of normalcy in most scenarios, providing new
Brexit and What it Means for Logistics With Brexit’s new rules on imports, exports, and tariffs – the UKs forklift industry is looking to buy locally in Britain. This will allow them to acquire all the components they need to service and maintain the lift truck fleets. These fleets service the nation’s vital warehouses and
Comau recently introduced its RACER-5-0.80 (Racer-5 COBOT), which is sure to shake up the shipping industry. It’s a new wonder in collaborative robotics that meets the growing demand for fast, cost-effective robots that can be used in small spaces. It can be utilized in narrow lanes of a warehouse, docking stations, and in many other
In 2020, PhilaPort achieved a total 7% increase in container volumes. This means The Port of Philadelphia is now the fastest-growing container port on the East Coast. This isn’t the first time the Port has impressed us. In fact, these cargo levels contribute to a trend of prosperity that has lasted more than ten years.
Maritime logistics is the backbone of the supply chain. It allows for the cost-effective movement of goods across countries and facilitates 95% of the UK’s trade. The global maritime sector will be worth an enormous $3 trillion by the year 2030. But because of the pandemic, maritime organizations have had to implement new digital ways
2020 was quite a year. The pandemic and the uncertainty that came with it put a big spotlight on the use of automation in warehouses across the world. Adapting to social distancing rules, the pressure to distribute higher volumes of essential goods, and struggling to speed up their deliveries have all made everyone look to
The Energy Research Accelerator (ERA) is happy to hear positive comments from Kemi Badenoch MP, Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury, and Aaron Bell MP about their work on energy innovation. Especially at a time when the ERA was beginning work on a plan to further its research into energy solutions when the comments were made.
We are excited to report that the US Army Corps of Engineers and Massachusetts Port Authority announced the completion of Phase II of the Boston Harbor Dredging Project. Surprisingly, the project was ahead of schedule by almost an entire year. Let us take a closer look at this project and what it will do for


text:
What Does It Mean for Your Business?
K&L Gates will present a webinar on May 12 discussing the EU’s Digital Single Market strategy, which was released last week by the European Commission. The webinar is at 15:00 BST / 16:00 CEST / 10:00 EDT. Register here to get log-in instructions.
The objective of this strategy is to tear down the regulatory obstacles to doing business online, and it will pose potential major challenges as well as opportunities for almost every company doing business in the EU. According to the European Commission the reforms could add €415bn per year to the European economy. The strategy is built on three pillars:
- better access for consumers and businesses to digital goods and services across Europe;
- creating the right conditions and a level playing field for digital networks and innovative services to flourish;
- maximising the growth potential of the digital economy.
For more information click here to view the European Commission’s press release.
In this webinar Ignasi Guardans, Brussels Partner and former member of the European Parliament, will present the strategy as a whole, with a focus on some of its most challenging aspects in areas such as media law and copyright reform in the European Union.
Etienne Drouard, Paris Partner and former public officer at the CNIL (French Data Protection Authority), will present the announced changes in the legal framework of e-commerce, data management and privacy.
Annette Mutschler-Siebert, Berlin Partner, will present the measures related to e-government, e-procurement and how they will impact businesses.
Registering and Getting Access:
Log-in instructions will be sent via email the day before the webinar. You must register to receive the log-in instructions. If you have questions, contact Sabina Joseph (+ 44.(0).207.360.8248), or visit our event page on the Web.
Please note that the webinar will be recorded and made available after the event for attendees in alternate time zones or for those who are unable to log-in during the original webinar presentation.

domain: news


text:
The lethargic attitude to numerous alerts by the Association of Oil Marketing Companies (AOMCs) for a regulatory intervention in the illegal sale of petroleum products has led to the escalation of such nefarious activities with its attendant heavy toll on the local petroleum marketing industry.
The Association has consequently called on government to within 48 hours “stamp out” the menace with all the authority at its disposal to forestall another revenue loss to the state.
Addressing a press conference on Tuesday, Industry Coordinator of the OMCs, Mr Kwaku Agyeman-Duah described as “alarming” the 19 percent drop in volume of legitimated petroleum products in February, 2017.
“It is estimated that if this issue is not stopped now and the trend continues, government will be losing over GhS1 billion by the end of this year. We have indeed witnessed a volume drop by 19% in February, 2017.
Last year, the state lost nominal tax/levies revenue of about Ghc850Million as a result of a huge drop in the sale of legitimate petroleum products by OMCs by about 9 percent, when it ought to have rather increased by at least 3 percent.”
The Association says it has engaged the relevant agencies on countless occasions adding, “Whilst these relevant bodies keep assuring us they are working on addressing the issues, these unscrupulous people keep escalating their activities on daily basis in broad day light with impunity, in a manner that defies logic and destroys the legitimate businesses of our members.”
Explaining the modus of the illegal act, Agyeman-Duah said the operators illegally divert export products to the domestic market, illegally discharge or dump petroleum products on the market from uncustomed vessels/boats, illegal diverting non-taxed industrial products for sale as petrol, etc.
These irresponsible individuals and entities also bypass the requisite quality assurance checks by the Ghana Standards Authority, resulting in the dumping of low quality fuel on the market.
The downstream petroleum industry deregulation policy was implemented in June, 2015. The policy was to allow all Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) to announce their ex-pump prices for petroleum products.
A release signed by NPA Chief Executive at the time, Moses Asaga announcing the commencement of the policy stated, “In line with the deregulation policy, the NPA will monitor the application of the Prescribed Petroleum Pricing Formula to ensure that all Petroleum Service Providers apply the formula in the right way and defaulters will be duly sanctioned.”
Former Minister for Petroleum, Emmanuel Armah Kofi-Buah also said, “Government’s decision to deregulate the petroleum sector will compel oil importers and dealers to fix their own prices at cheaper rates as buyers will want to buy from importers, whose prices are cheaper compared to others.
But Agyeman-Duah maintains the unregulated activities of these operators, which subtly started in 2016 and resurfaced after the elections, remain a threat to legitimate businesses, cause unwarranted job losses and pose serious safety concerns and threat to national security.
He alleged that the regulators know the identities of the culprits and has expressed the Association’s readiness to collaborate with government.
The Association further requests the President to intervene to get all the bona fide agencies and institutions involved to deploy the full might of their mandate to bring this to an end once and for all.


text:
Macy’s came under fire over the weekend after podcast and TV host Alie Ward called the department store chain for carrying plates with demeaning messages about portion control.
The stir began Sunday afternoon when Ward tweeted a picture of two of the plates from the Pourtions collection at Macy’s. “How can I get these plates from @Macys banned in all 50 states,” Ward wrote.
— Alie Ward (@alieward) July 21, 2019
One plate had three circles, the smallest labeled “skinny jeans,” the middle labeled “favorite jeans,” and the largest labeled “mom jeans.” The second plate in the picture had only two circles, “foodie” and “food coma.”
Many people in the replies, noting that the size of the “skinny jeans” circle was too small to fit recommended portions for a full meal, accused Macy’s of promoting anorexia and disordered eating.
Because it's essentially pro-ana. And as a society we should aim to protect those who are vulnerable.
— Becky (@bekkiifennelly) July 22, 2019
All these people trying to defend the shitty design… lol imagine thinking a circle labelled "skinny jeans" big enough to hold like two chicken nuggets is demonstrating "healthy portion control"…. The only thing it's teaching is body shaming, and nothing to do with health.
— cheese steak 🐼 (@totodialed) July 22, 2019
This is a toxic message, promoting even greater women beauty standards and dangerous health habits. These expectations can actually kill someone, and I know someone it has. @Macys, remove this from all of your stores and denounce the manufacturer.
— Anna Puchkoff (@AnnaPuchkoff) July 21, 2019
Others joked about how the proportions on the plate simply don’t make sense. Just because something is taking up less physical space doesn’t mean it has fewer calories or is healthier.
I could Jenga the shit out of some french fries on there
— Nim (@TimeLordtea) July 21, 2019
SECRET TO WEIGHT LOSS: stack food vertically
— The One You're Dreaming Dove (@DoveShackBaby) July 21, 2019
The replies were also full of people telling Ward that the plates were “just a joke,” or making body-shaming comments about her and anyone who felt the plates could be problematic.
The idea that it’s all “just jokes” and has nothing to do with unhealthy standards for women simply doesn’t hold up to scrutiny when you compare the ladies’ plate to the men’s plate. While the men have two portion sizes—“manicotti” and “man overboard”—the third, smaller portion on the women’s plate implicitly pushes the idea that women can and should eat less.
But the company behind the dishes, Pourtions, told the Washington Post that its online orders have “tripled” since Sunday’s social media backlash.
Macy’s responded to the criticism within the day, saying it would pull the products from all their stores. In a statement to the Daily Dot, a Macy’s spokesperson stated, “We apologize to our customers for missing the mark on this product. After reviewing the complaint, we quickly removed the plates, which were only in our STORY at Macy’s location in Herald Square.”
- Tennessee neighbors form human chain to help father and son escape ICE
- Controversial Instagram influencer plans event called ‘The Scam’
- ‘I hope Trump deports you’: Woman goes on racist rant to Spanish speakers at a store
Got five minutes? We’d love to hear from you. Help shape our journalism and be entered to win an Amazon gift card by filling out our 2019 reader survey.


text:
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) will partner with five International Sports Federations (IFs) to produce a new series of Olympic-themed virtual sports games.
The Olympic Virtual Series (OVS) will be the first ever Olympic-licensed event for physical and non-physical virtual sports.
Taking place ahead of the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, the OVS [...]
Sports betting supplier BtoBet is offering operators a range of new marketing tools through a deal with Captain Up.
The agreement enables BtoBet operator partners to maximize customer activity and loyalty using gamification tools from Captain Up, such as challenges, missions, tournaments, jackpots, personal promotions and smart bonuses.
“We are empowering brands [...]
Gaming Intelligence's continuing scrutiny of 2020 full year financial results concludes with a focus on publicly listed iGaming affiliates.
Of the publicly listed firms, market leader Better Collective emerged as the clear winner in 2020, ending the year on a high with the acquisition of Atemi Group for £40m, and [...]
It was a solid first quarter of the year for industry stakeholders as the combined value of shares in the leading operators and suppliers increased by 9 per cent during Q1 2021.
Among the 50 publicly-listed operators and suppliers which make up the Gaming Intelligence stock list, 39 saw the value [...]
Most of the betting and gaming industry’s fastest growing companies owed their places in the GIQ20 to the US market, but some of the big beasts suffered as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Rush Street Interactive tops the GIQ20 by a mile with an astonishing 337 per cent rise in [...]
Stockholm-listed gaming supplier Evolution has entered into a partnership to provide its live casino solution to Canadian Bank Note Company (CBN).
The deal will serve to enhance the lotteries operated by CBN worldwide, which will feature games such as Crazy Time, Mega Ball and Lightning Roulette from Evolution’s fast-growing Game Shows [...]
Aspire Global-owned sports betting supplier BtoBet has entered into an agreement to power Soloti Gaming’s flagship Frapapa brand in Nigeria.
BtoBet will deploy its Neuron 3 platform across the operator’s digital and retail network, providing a full portfolio of sports betting products, as well as virtual sports and esports.
This will be [...]
Christina Thakor-Rankin of All-In Diversity on the challenge of promoting diversity and inclusion in a global industry
The simple and flippant answer to the question above is: because we only give it the due consideration it deserves once a year and oftentimes as nothing more than a badging exercise. Then life [...]
After a slow start to the year in January, there was better news for industry stakeholders in February as shares in the leading operators and suppliers rose by a combined 5.6 per cent by month end.
After posting a decline of 7.8 per cent last month, the 50 publicly-listed operators and [...]
Sportradar has made a landmark commitment to make its bet monitoring system available free of charge to any sports federation or league worldwide.
The Universal Fraud Detection System (UFDS) will be funded by Sportradar Integrity Services and made available later this year to safeguard the integrity of global sport.
“We believe that [...]
Stockholm-listed iGaming supplier Aspire Global has announced the rebranding of its gaming platform to AspireCore.
The platform is currently live in 25 regulated markets across Europe, Latin America, Africa and the US, having recently won high-profile deals with William Hill and Betfair in Colombia, with launches planned in the newly regulated [...]
Aspire Global-owned sportsbook supplier BtoBet has bolstered its senior management team with the appointment of Zoran Spasov as managing director and Dima Reiderman as chief operating officer.
Spasov has served as interim managing director since December 2019.
“I am very excited about the multitude of opportunities that lie ahead for BtoBet,” said [...]


text:
Getty Images, the world's leading creator and distributor of visual content and other media, today announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Rex Features, which includes Los Angeles-based Berliner Photography. The acquisition will benefit existing and potential customers by making even more celebrity content easily accessible.
“Growing our entertainment imagery business continues to be a key strategic focus. The real winners will be our customers, who can now expect to see greater choice and more easily accessible imagery.”"Celebrity and entertainment content is a growing and vital part of the editorial imagery industry and this acquisition positions us to meet and exceed the demand for nearly instantaneous material," said Jonathan Klein, co-founder and CEO of Getty Images. "Growing our entertainment imagery business continues to be a key strategic focus. The real winners will be our customers, who can now expect to see greater choice and more easily accessible imagery."
Getty Images intends to maintain Rex Features’ brand and with the combined resources of Getty Images and Rex Features, Getty Images will continue to generate new imagery for their respective celebrity and entertainment collections. Additionally, Getty Images’ global distribution channels will increase international customers’ access to Rex Features’ products and services.
The acquisition of Rex Features was driven by the continually evolving celebrity imagery business and gives Getty Images more coverage capabilities for events and portraiture and will expand the entertainment and celebrity imagery segment.
“Over more than five decades, Rex Features has built a strong heritage and reputation that Getty Images will build upon to the benefit of customers worldwide,” added Klein. “Getty Images has always been dedicated to making strategic investments that will provide long-term value to our customers.”


text:
WHITE HOUSE, FDA ANNOUNCE MODERNIZED NUTRITION FACTS LABEL FOR FOOD PACKAGING- STATEMENT. » Read More
Companies including Philip Morris International, British American Tobacco, Japan Tobacco International and Imperial Tobacco Group are challenging the legislation because it will prohibit all forms of branding on tobacco packaging, including colors and logos. "Smoking is catastrophic for your health and kills over 100,000 people every year in the UK," said...
LONDON, Dec 10- Big Tobacco took the British government to court on Thursday, arguing that the UK's "plain packaging" law which will take effect next May, unlawfully takes away its intellectual property. Companies including Philip Morris International, British American Tobacco, Japan Tobacco International and Imperial Tobacco Group are challenging the...
BRUSSELS, Dec 10- U.S. drinks can maker Ball Corp is set to win EU approval for its 4.43- billion-pound takeover of Rexam Plc with an improved package of concessions, two people familiar with the matter said on Thursday. The deal however triggered concerns in the European Commission that it would drive up prices for companies and consumers. Rexam's shares rose as...
Despite fragile freight rates, shipping lines are still acquiring, in order to maintain market share and capacity, says Johnson Leung, head of regional transport research at Jefferies.
Amazon is testing an Uber-like service for delivering its one-hour Prime Now packages.
Robbert Van Trooijen, CEO for North Asia Region at Maersk Line, says cost-saving measures will enable the container-shipping operator to outperform the industry for the rest of 2015.
The Container Store's Q1 earnings were better than expected.
Bubble Wrap has been a packaging staple since the '60s, but now the company behind it is making some big changes.
International Paper on Wednesday reported fourth-quarter earnings of $134 million.
Newly elected to NRF's board of directors, Kip Tindell, The Container Store CEO, discusses trouble with traffic in stores in Q2 and Q3. National Retail Federation CEO Matthew Shay, weighs in.
Dow Chemical said it was looking to cut fixed costs by $1 billion over the next three years, building on reductions that have helped boost margins.
Gerry Wang, CEO of Seaspan, describes how the shipping industry has fared amid the global economic recovery.
Jonathan Windham, Head of Asia Ex-Japan Transport and Infrastructure Research at Barclays, says China rejected an alliance of three major liners in order to protect its domestic shippers.
CNBC's Bob Pisani and "Fast Money" trader Simon Baker discuss the Container Store as it surges on its first day of trading.
CNBC's Courtney Reagan reports high demand is expected for The Container Store once it goes public.
Nils Andersen, CEO of A.P. Moller-Maersk, tells CNBC that the second quarter has been quite tough, both in terms of rates and volumes but they have increased their competitiveness.
Could Styrofoam containers get 86'd from the menu of takeout food options in the nation's biggest city?
Nils Smedegaard Andersen, group CEO at A.P. Moller - Maersk, tells CNBC that they see a gradual stabilization in Europe with the poltical tendencies going in the right direction.
Miles Roberts, CEO of packaging company, DS Smith, tells CNBC that the companies strong earnings are due to investment, innovation and acquisitions they have made.
Gerry Wang, CEO, Seaspan explains his company's business model to CNBC. He adds that the average lease on one of its ships is for 10-12 years.


text:
General Pet Supply held its 11th Annual Customer Appreciation Event on Feb. 16 and 17 at Potawatomi Hotel & Casino in Milwaukee. This year’s event brought together over 100 manufacturers and over 200 retailers for its most successful year so far, the company said. Attendees enjoyed show specials, dinner and live music at the casino.
Check out pictures from the event.
PHOTO GALLERY (31 IMAGES)


text:
NEW YORK�U.S. stocks fell Monday as sluggish economic data from Asia and lingering concerns about the conflict in Ukraine put investors on the defensive.
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Sbarro LLC, the pizza restaurant chain, on Monday filed for bankruptcy protection for the second time in less than three years, after struggling with too much debt and lower customer traffic in the malls that house many of its restaurants.
MISSISSAUGA, Ont. - The Second Cup's chain of specialty coffee shops produced less revenue in the fourth quarter than a year earlier but shook off the huge loss it recorded at the end of 2012.
The H.J. Heinz Co. 106-year-old plant in Leamington, Ontario, is cutting two thirds of its workers. The company is consolidating production.
Mt. Gox, once the world's largest bitcoin exchange, filed for U.S. Bankruptcy in Dallas late Sunday, a move that will temporarily put U.S.


text:
The Guardian: Annisa Rahmawati : 6 June 2014
Momentum to stop deforestation is coming from palm oil producers and brands, but unless the RSPO strengthens its standards, Indonesia’s forests will continue to burn
Demand for palm oil, an ingredient found in nearly half of all supermarket products, is at an all time high – and so is awareness of its reputation as the number one cause of deforestation in countries such as Indonesia. While the palm oil sector is finally at a tipping point, progress could quickly revert to mere greenwash unless major players ride the momentum to deforestation-free supply chains.
One of these major players is the organisation created to promote sustainable palm oil, the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO). The RSPO has just convened a meeting in London of members and stakeholders to shore up support for its certification scheme – a scheme criticised for greenwashing palm oil from suppliers involved in forest destruction.
Nearly 12 months ago, the RSPO was defending its members’ involvement in Southeast Asia’s forest fire crisis. The RSPO has now taken measures to be more transparent, including publishing data on fire hotspots in some concessions and a recently launched mapping initiative. However, it is has still missed the key point: the underlying cause of the fires is not solved through punitive measures and no-burning policies alone, but through long-term preventative measures that keep companies out of the forests and off the peatlands – landscapes that rarely burn if they are left in their natural, wet state.
So while the RSPO discusses how its standards are the key to sustainable palm oil, there has been genuine momentum from other quarters.
Responsible palm oil leaders
Both the world’s largest palm oil trader, Wilmar, and the largest palm oil producer in Indonesia, Golden Agri Resources (GAR), pledged last year to stop all production and trade of palm oil linked to deforestation or peatland development. Public pressure has also pushed big consumers of palm oil such as Procter & Gamble, Unilever, Colgate Palmolive, L’Oréal and, more recently, Danone to commit to no deforestation.
For the first time, independently verified standards are being trialled by producers in the Palm Oil Innovation Group (POIG) – a collection of NGOs, including Greenpeace, and progressive producers (New Britain Palm Oil, Agropalma and Daabon) that aim to provide independently verified, responsibly produced palm oil. These standards use the RSPO as a basis, but establish additional requirements on palm oil producers including to assess and protect peatland and forested areas in their concessions.
Through their additional commitments, GAR, Wilmar and members of the POIG have set the benchmark for identifying forests for protection using the High Carbon Stock (HCS) approach, a process to determine what land can and cannot be developed. This ensures that forest destruction is not part of the equation.
The combination of these market and producer commitments gives us a glimpse of what a full, credible supply chain solution could look like. So, how will the RSPO respond? Will it strengthen its standards and acknowledge that there are initiatives that deliver on no deforestation, such as the Palm Oil Innovation Group (POIG)? Will the RSPO recognise the HCS approach as the method to determine what land can and cannot be developed?
Will the RSPO rise to the challenge?
My colleagues are monitoring forest and peat fires in Riau, a province in Sumatra, home to the largest share of the country’s palm oil plantations. Not only do these fires release a carbon bomb of planet-warming greenhouse gases, but scientific modelling in 2012 suggests that an average of 110,000 deaths a year in Southeast Asia can be attributed to peat and forest fires in the region.
While this crisis brews, another scandal is breaking on the other side of the country in Papua. A few months ago when Greenpeace launched a campaign to get P&G to clean up its palm oil supplies, it documented one of its suppliers (pdf), Musim Mas, an RSPO member, has obtained permits for concessions covering tens of thousands of hectares of areas that are heavily forested, including some that contain primary forest. This is despite the fact that a presidential moratorium in place since 2011 bans the allocation of new concessions on primary forest. Greenpeace has alerted the RSPO to the threat this operation poses, providing further recent evidence, and is awaiting its public response.
Business as usual cannot continue
Greenpeace is deeply concerned that well-known players in the RSPO are pretending membership alone confers a glow of sustainability. It is waiting to see what public action the RSPO will take on the cases raised with it and how it will strengthen its standards.
In the meantime, Greenpeace demands prominent RSPO members including IOI, KLK, Musim Mas, RGE group and Sime Darby to stop the bulldozers and urgently implement a no deforestation policy. It will continue to push more palm oil consumers such as Kao (the Japanese personal care company behind brands such as John Frieda and Bioré) and others to clean up their supply chains.
To reach this tipping point has not been easy. Some elements want to portray the shift to responsible palm as an attack on the palm oil industry itself, as a call to boycott palm oil or a form or “green protectionism”. To them, Greenpeace says this: don’t ignore the crisis – don’t ignore the fact that Sumatra is burning and Papua’s pristine forests are disappearing. Recognise there is a problem, and choose to be part of the solution. Palm oil can be grown responsibly, and must make a genuine contribution to Indonesia’s development.
Annisa Rahmawati is a forest campaigner at Greenpeace Southeast Asia


text:
Even after two international consortia of retailers formed to supervise and finance the renovation of its garment factories, Bangladesh continues to suffer one set back after another. This Sunday morning, two worked died after inhaling a toxic gas at a textile mill in Narayanganj.
Both workers arrived at the factory early in the morning to clean it. The Effluent Treatment Plant is used for the dyeing and printing of garments. More precise details regarding either the nature of the toxic gas or the deaths has not yet been released by authorities.
And efforts to kickstart the much needed improvements to Bangladesh’s woefully unsafe factories continues to stall. Global union IndustriALL postponed a highly anticipated meeting scheduled for this week until September. The purpose of the meeting was to determine compensation for the victims of the Rana Plaza collapse and Tazreen factory fire. Jyrki Raina, IndustriALL General Secretary, said, “We thought it was a better solution to do this in Europe in September. The problem is Rana Plaza workers and families aren’t receiving money, so it’s not as it should be.”
IndustriALL has been pushing for a one-time lump sum payment to the victims of the two tragedies, which together killed nearly 1,300 workers. The union estimates that punitive damages associated with the Rana Plaza catastrophe will reach $71 million while compensation for the Tazreen factory will top $5.7 million.


text:
Android Market now at 200,000 apps as Windows Marketplace hits the 5,000 level7
That stunning growth gives hope to users of Windows Phone 7 models. The Windows Marketplace celebrated a milestone of its own and now has 5,000 apps available. Unlike the apps available for Android a small minority of 28% are free for the Windows Marketplace and 22% are games. AndroLib's breakdown shows that the free downloads in the Android Market control 63.3% of the pie, and only 14.8% are games.
So what is in store for these two markets for the next 12 months? With the better game playing capabilities of future Android handsets, more games should make their way into the Market. Many Android apps are supported by ads, which explains the large percentage of free apps. But as other payment options become the norm for the store, the future could see more paid apps for Android. As for Windows, the amazing parabolic growth of the Android Market will be a goal to aim for, but it will all come down to handset sales and whether or not phones using Microsoft's new mobile OS can ring up sales at the same rate as those handsets using Google's open source OS.
source: AndroLib, WP7applist via Engadget


text:
by Local Futures
• Mexican calves — fed American corn — are exported to the United States, where they are butchered for meat, which is then sold in Mexico.
• In 2007, Britain and Australia exchanged 20 tons of bottled water just with each other.
• More than half of the seafood caught in Alaska is processed in China; much of it is sent right back to American supermarkets.
Latest posts by Guest Blogger (see all)
- The Amazon rainforest is nearly gone - September 24, 2019
- The climate crisis is the battle of our time, and we can win - September 20, 2019
- Gavin Newsom tells CalPERS, CalSTRS to favor green investments in climate change order - September 20, 2019


text:
http://www.caradvice.com.au/498649/jagu ... -ev-arena/
...with a 90kWh .lithium-ion battery pack, Jaguar claims the I-Pace has a range of up to 500km.
Each axle is driven by a 147kW/350Nm electric motor, giving a total system output of 294kW and 700Nm along with a single-speed transmission sending drive to all-four wheels.
Jaguar claims the I-Pace can sprint from 0-60mph (0-96km/h) in ‘around 4.0 seconds’, a second quicker than the equivalent Tesla Model X 90D which also features a 90kWh battery pack..
........this isnt just a concept, its a preview of a five-seat production car that will be on the road in 2018. This will be Jaguar’s first-ever battery-powered electric vehicle and opens a new chapter in the history of our legendary brand,” he added.


text:
Apple believed to rake in over $1 billion yearly from Google search referrals
Apple's tangled relationship with Google is also a profitable one for the iPhone maker, as one analyst estimates Apple pulls in $1 billion in pure profit from a search agreement between the two companies.
In a recent report from Morgan Stanley titled "The Next Google is Google," analyst Scott Devitt estimates that Google pays Apple roughly $1 billion per year in order to position its search engine as the default option on iOS devices.
Morgan Stanley chart estimating Google's Traffic Acquisition Costs via Business Insider
Such an agreement would remain beneficial to both Apple and Google, despite the growing complications brewing between the two firms.
The sum of $1 billion per year is almost a rounding error for Apple, which pulled in $13 billion in profit last quarter, but it would represent a pure profit stream for the Cupertino company, one acquired with little effort on Apple's part.
For Google, which pulled in $2.89 billion in profits for the last quarter, the billion dollar agreement amounts to a traffic acquisition cost: about $250 million per quarter in order to keep a massive mobile platform reliant on Google search by default. Google is also largely reliant upon iOS for mobile revenue, earning 80 percent of its ad revenue from 2008 to 2011 from iOS devices.
This isn't the first time a billion dollar estimate has emerged regarding iOS and Google. In March of last year, an analyst at Macquarie posited largely the same thing, with an additional estimate of roughly $300 million in profit for Google from the arrangement. In 2010, rumors emerged that Google was paying Apple more than $100 million in a revenue sharing deal in order to retain the default search spot on the iPHone.
Google, the world's largest search engine, is already known to pay other companies in order to keep Google search the default option. In addition to Apple, Devitt estimates that Google will pay $300 million to Mozilla â makers of the Firefox web browser and Firefox mobile operating system â in order to keep Google as the default search on that group's products.


text:
Biking enthusiasts can plan a new stop when biking the Virginia Capital Trail.
Spoke & Art Provisions Co. has opened on John Tyler Highway, according to a press release from James City County.
The shop sits along the Virginia Capital Trail at 3449 John Tyler Highway at the intersection with Greensprings Road. Spoke & Art currently offers guests trail-themed items and artwork such as coffee mugs, books, wall art and more.
Owner Steve Rose also said the shop will sell “provision for the trail,” such as granola bars, drinks and ice cream. The store will expand by the spring to offer a coffee station, juice bar and lunch counter offering a menu of salads, wraps and paninis.
Spoke & Art will also begin offering bike rentals in the spring.
Rose co-owns the store with Jennifer Raines. The pair also the founded Culture Fix, which aims to “promote and enhance the cultural energy and vitality” of the community, according to its website.
Spoke & Art’s current hours are 12 to 4 p.m. and is currently undergoing renovations. Its hours of operation will likely expand as renovation is completed, Rose said.
“We were looking for potential properties on the trail and this one is in a really good location,” Rose said. “We’re hoping this will become a community space for the local neighborhoods.”


text:
Christmas is coming early to our friends across the pond. The T-Mobile G1 Android phone is now even more affordable after a discount just in time for the holiday season. Previously, a G1 in the U.K. was £40/mo. for service with a FREE G1. The FREE part catches the eye when you consider the G1 is around $179 here in the States with a contract. Now, our U.K. friends are enjoying a price drop to £30/mo. and the G1 is STILL free. Sweet! So why the discount so soon after release? Is T-Mo not reaching their sales goals for the G1? Did Google and T-Mobile not learn from the hornets nest stirred up when a guy named Steve Jobs enraged early adopters with a slashed iPhone price so soon after release? According to T-Mobile:
"We have chosen to offer the device free with a £30 contract to make the pricing more competitive in light of recent device launches. We are well on track to achieve our sales forecasts"
I guess that settles it, eh? If you are in the U.K. and have been holding out, it looks like a good time to pick up a G1!


text:
TORONTO, Ont. — Hino has announced it’s building a truck assembly plant in Ontario.
The new facility, slated to open in April, will be Hino’s second North American production plant. The other one is located in Long Beach, Cal.
To date, Hino has been outsourcing the assembly of its trucks for the North American market to a Toyota production business in California. Opening the Ontario plant will enable Hino to reduce its delivery time and better respond to customer demands, the company says.
The new plant will also allow Hino to reduce distribution costs, company officials said.
The plant will be based in Woodstock, Ont. and will be 60,000 square metres. The total building floor space will be 12,000 square metres. Production capacity is 2,000 trucks per year and 45 employees will work there. Plant manager will be vice-president Joe Beamson.
Truck News is Canada's leading trucking newspaper - news and information for trucking companies, owner/operators, truck drivers and logistics professionals working in the Canadian trucking industry. All posts by Truck News


text:
This is a guest post from Hubert Cormier. Used with permission.
According to Dr Frank Hu (Harvard School of Public Health), the separated effects of fermented dairy subtypes in decreasing the risk of Type 2 Diabetes need to be considered. A study by Mozaffarian et al, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, concluded that the intake of yogurt over a period of 4 years resulted in reduced weight, whereas an opposite or neutral effect was found for other dairy products.
Yogurt as a healthy habit
André Marette of the University of Laval covered the complex mechanisms of the preventive action: several yogurt components such as calcium, vitamin D, milk proteins, bioactive peptides, probiotics and dairy fatty acids (including trans-palmitoleic acid) are associated with the preventive effect on diabetes.
Given the attributed health benefits and the low yogurt consumption in North-America, Hubert Cormier recommends to increase yogurt consumption as part of a healthy diet. The versatility of yogurt is key: there is a yogurt for everyone, for each moment of the day.


text:
- Cannabis industry’s capital challenge expected to continue in 2020
- Brand development and retail sales seen improving next year
- Offshore money beginning to flow into Canada’s cannabis industry
A revival in investment will come to Canada’s struggling cannabis industry, but that will likely not come until after 2020, a year that is expected to challenge many young companies that are in need of cash injections. The year will see an improvement on brand development and retail sales, however, as more licensed stores open, a panel of Canadian executives said at MJBizCon in Las Vegas.
The industry’s need for capital is “bringing badly needed focus on the industry,” said Mitchell Osak, a regional consulting partner and leader of MNP’s Cannabis Advisory practice.
However, it is not all bleak. Mr. Osak said he is starting to see offshore money, particularly from Asia and the United Kingdom, enter the Canadian cannabis space.
“There’s a lot of new money coming in and the best placed companies will be able to position themselves for growth,” he said.
Many large non-cannabis companies and investors “have been sitting on the sidelines” as they study the newly legalized industry and watch the regulatory framework change, and will likely invest in cannabis in the future, Mr. Osak said.
But the near future will continue to be a struggle for companies that have failed to meet investors’ expectations, in part due to the smaller-than-expected number of licensed retail stores that opened in the first year of legalization.
“We are going to see some catastrophic losses in Canada,” said Jeannette VanderMarel, chief executive of Beleave, referring to 2020 expectations.
In the meantime, expectations for a significant number of stores to open in 2020 and the launch of new products, such as cannabis edibles and concentrates, will help companies improve sales, grow their brand recognition, and target new customer bases.
“Great product is the foundation of all the products that will succeed. It’s a marathon to create and build those brands,” said Torsten Kuenzlen, chief executive of Sundial Growers.
“I think there will be a branding game play out.”
While Canada’s strict marketing regulations make marketing and brand recognition challenging, “word of mouth” has worked well for some companies, said Mr. Osak.
“If you can figure out how to leverage that referral, that is very powerful and a lot of good Canadian companies are doing that,” he said.
While branding and marketing rules could loosen in time, this is not expected in 2020.
The newly legalized, so-called Cannabis 2.0 products, such as edibles and vaporizers, are expected to reach store shelves in January.
“It’s going to be a boon for the industry but it’s going to be choppy waters,” Mr. Osak said, adding that edibles are significantly more profitable for producers than dried flower.
“Companies that get it right … will do well.”
Ms. VanderMarel said Beleave aims to appeal to non-traditional cannabis consumers, such as the women who are the main purchases of their households.
“We need loyal consumers. We think marketing to women is important,” she said.


text:
American coffee giant Starbucks is leaving Russia after 15 years in the country, the company announced in a statement Monday.
While Starbucks announced at the beginning of March it would pause its operations and stop shipments of its products to Russia, it now has decided “to exit and no longer have a brand presence in the market,” the statement reads, without saying when the move will become effective.
As a result of leaving the Russian market, 130 stores will shut down. The company said it will continue to pay its 2,000 employees for six more months, and will assist them in looking for other jobs.
The move comes a week after McDonald’s announced that it would exit Russia completely, and was seeking to sell its 850 restaurants.
Brands have been under pressure to cease their operations in Russia, with calls for boycotts of companies that still operate there. Sanctions from Western governments also made it more difficult to keep doing business. Some companies announced they are exiting the Russian market in increments, including McDonald’s, French carmaker Renault, and oil company Shell.


text:
Sunshine Coast Council has approved a hotel and shopping complex development at David Low Way, between Margaret and Birtwill Sts, in Coolum at yesterday’s Ordinary Meeting.
Division 9 Councillor Stephen Robinson said the development is a $20 million injection of confidence into the local economy that will create local jobs for local people.
“The prominent Coolum Beach Hotel site will be redeveloped into a new tavern and Dan Murphy’s liquor barn within Coolum’s village centre precinct,” Cr Robinson said.
“It’s a significant development for Coolum that’s going to create a lot of jobs during construction and of course plenty of job opportunities when the complex is open for business.
“I think council made the best decision that will bode well for the local community and the local economy into the future.
“It will look great when it’s built as the overall site layout employs a range of desirable design outcomes such as spacious tree-lined footpaths, landscaping, retention of existing mature trees, orientation of the car park behind buildings and out of view, and an open plan design for the tavern building.
“These decisions are never easy as council has to weigh up many factors such as hours of operation, car parking, aesthetics and economic impacts.
“Yesterday’s resolution confirmed that trading hours for the tavern will be limited to the current liquor license conditions.”
The decision has elicited a mixed response in the Coolum community, with small business owners in particular voicing concerns over the Dan Murphys Liquor Store which, at 1250sq m, is larger than allowed under the Maroochy Plan 2000.
There are concerns that the large scale outlet will give the ALH group an unfair advantage over the smaller bottleshops that already operate in the area.
The plans approved at yesterday’s council meeting were significantly amended and resubmitted in July, following community unrest and concern when original plans were lodged in December 2011.
Over 100 submissions opposing many aspects of the proposed redevelopment were received during the original notification period, prompting ALH to request two decision extension periods.
The revised plans saw proposed specialty retail tenancies, a BWS Drive-in liquor store, 39 Motel units and the basement car park completely removed, while the gross floor space of the proposed Dan Murphy’s walk-in liquor store was increased.
Council voted nine to four in favour of the $20 million tavern and bottle shop complex, which is being developed by ALH Group on the site of the current Coolum Beach Hotel.


text:
By G.C. Mays
The USDA released its export sales report for the period October 27-November 2 2017. Wheat and corn sales surged while rising prices are seemingly pushing soybean sales to the downside.
Wheat export sales were strong, more than doubling to 781,700 metric tons during the week, despite orders for 61,700 metric tons cancelled. The bulk of the cancellations were from unknown destinations. Small cancellations were from Mexico and South Korea. According to the USDA, the Korean Government has begun to allow the use of rice for consumption in animal feed. Despite this, the 2017/18 forecast of Korean wheat imports remains at 4.6 million metric tons.
The strong wheat sales during the week have lowered the year-over-year decline in year to date accumulated net sales to 12 percent from 13 percent the earlier week.
December wheat futures moved in lock step with cash prices during the week. Futures ended the week down a penny to close at $4.26 per bushel. Cash prices at the Gulf, Chicago, and Toledo export terminals also moved higher, closing the export sales period at $4.8050, $4.16, and $4.21 per bushel, respectively.
For investors that prefer the Teucrium wheat ETF (WEAT), it lost $0.01 per share over the same period. As discussed last week with corn, the divergence between the Teucrium Wheat Fund and the current December futures contract is because the December wheat futures contract is no longer part of the ETF's portfolio. The Teucrium wheat ETF now holds the March, May, and December 2018 futures contracts.
Corn exports sales were even more robust than wheat, surging to 2.36 million metric tons during the week ending November 2. In addition, US exporters sold more than 600,500 metric tons for delivery during the 2018/19 marketing year. Mexico and South Korea accounted for nearly seventy percent of the total.
Interestingly, South Korea is going to lower its corn consumption forecast to 9.8 million metric tons according to the USDA. This is due to displacement of corn by rice as a feed substitute as well as the lower demand due to its poultry sector being affected by Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza. Year-over-year marketing year to date sales are now only down 7.6 percent.
Corn futures climbed marginally during the week, adding $0.0175 cents to $3.5050 per bushel. However, cash prices at the gulf moved higher at a faster rate, rising $0.0925 cents to $3.84 per bushel. Prices at the Chicago and Toledo terminals also strengthened during the week, rising $0.0425 and $0.0575 cents, respectively. This is reflective of the strong demand during the week, in my opinion.
The Teucrium Corn ETF (CORN) closed at $17.40 per share, a penny below the earlier week but up $0.06 during the measurement period. This was due to a decline of $0.07 cents on October 27, the day following end of the earlier week. The March, May, and December 2018 Futures contracts were all down two cents on October 27.
In contrast to wheat and corn, soybean sales sagged for the second straight week. Net sales of 1.16 million metric tons were down 41% from the earlier week. Naturally, China was the largest buyer of soybeans, purchasing 1.16 million metrics tons while also selling the U.S. importers 201,300 metric tons during the week.
Perhaps uncompetitive prices played a role in the sharp drop in sales as well as imports in excess of 200,000 metric tons from China during two of the last three weeks.
Soybean futures climbed $0.1375 cents to $9.89 per bushel as the current contract moved from November 2017 to January 2018. Cash prices at key export terminals also moved higher. Cash prices at the Toledo terminal rose the most, closing up $0.1925 cents for the week ended November 2. Prices in Chicago closed at $9.54 per bushel, $0.1425 cents higher. At the Gulf, prices were up a more modest $0.0875 cents, closing at $10.0450.
The Teucrium Soybean ETF (SOYB) was up $0.20 during the period. The underlying futures contracts are now January, March, and May 2018 and they were up $0.1325, $0.1275, and $0.1250 cents, respectively, during the week ending November 2.
The USDA will release its monthly WASDE or World Agriculture Supply Demand Estimates Report. Over the next week, the Mays Report will publish its monthly analysis of wheat, corn, and soybeans separately.
Disclosure: I/we have no positions in any stocks mentioned, and no plans to initiate any positions within the next 72 hours.
I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.


text:
MMOHuts Weekly Recap #93 July 9 – Knight Age, Soul Captor, Dark Blood, & More
A quick look and discussion for every major announcement and update during the week! This week we discussed updates from the following games: Knight Age, World of Tanks, Soul Captor, Blacklight Retribution, End of Nations, Drakensang Online, MicroVolts, and DarkBlood. The biggest news this week comes from Joymax with the announcement of the new MMORPG entitled Knight Age. The game features PvP battles with up to 50 vs. 50, an in-depth mounted combat system, and a unique pet system. The closed beta is currently ongoing till July 17th. Check out all the individual news articles mention over at the MMOHuts.com News section.
Videos You May Enjoy
Articles You May Enjoy
- Trove - Ice Sage Class Now Available
- Strategy fans can now get their MMORTS fix with Stronghold Kingdoms, which launches worldwide 13th January on Mac. Still one of the Top 100 mo...
- Endless Legend's Forge of Creation update adds Steam Workshop
- Amplitude Studios has revealed a huge update titled ‘Forges of Creation’ featuring its dynamic Steam Workshop integration to Endless Legen...
- Heroes In The Sky Declares an Intercontinental Occupational War
- GamesCampus today launched its 2nd annual US vs. EU Occupational War event designed for players across the globe to fight for their nation and...


text:
How Kirstie Alley Will Make More Money Than Any 'Dancing' Star
By Rob Shuter Posted Apr 26th 2011 10:30PM
As long as they're still standing and not voted off, all the celebs on 'Dancing With the Stars' make the same amount each week (the winner makes most, naturally), so when it comes to extracurricular earning, insiders tell me Kirstie Alley is poised to profit most from this experience.
"The weight loss business is worth hundreds of millions of dollars," a friend of Kirstie's tells me. "She has already lost 70 lbs dancing and hasn't wasted one minute to capitalize on it."
The actress, who recently launched her Organic Liaison Weight Loss System, appeared on QVC a few days ago and sold out in less than 15 minutes. And she's just getting started.
"Kirstie is no fool," the pal tells me. "She used her over 800,000 Twitter followers to make sure they tuned in and bought her product and has no plans of stopping any time soon."
"I will be on QVC this Saturday morning around 10:30 ... presenting my Organic Liaison products ... I've lost 70 lbs on them!! Woo hoo," Kirstie tweeted before arriving at QVC. Moments before her appearance, she tweeted, "Go on QVC in approx FIVE minutes ... woo hoo ... Get lean with me!!!..... Together we can do this and stay lean forever!!"
Many celebrity competitors have used the heightened profile they get from being on 'Dancing' to endorse products or book personal appearances, but observers in the industry believe Kirstie is taking it to a new level.
"She's creating a brand of product that can be sold around the world 24/7," a QVC insider tells me. "It's like what Joan Rivers did with her jewelry collection."
Looks like the former 'Cheers' actress will be dancing all the way to the bank!
► Follow @NaughtyNiceRob on Twitter!
- Filed under:
- Celebrity Weight -
- Celebrity Style -
- TV News -
- Exclusives -
- Naughty But Nice With Rob Shuter
MORE ABOUT Kirstie Alley
Find the latest stories, biography, photos, videos, and more.Read more about Kirstie Alley Li
- Jennifer Aniston
- Paris Hilton
Kate Middleton is officially a princess. She walked the aisle in an Alexander...
According to Denise, she's not sure that her estranged ex is completely sober....
Popeater Hot Topics
- Caitlyn Jenner Wears a Sweater, Jeans for Low-Key Drive in Her Porsche: See New Pics
- Kim Kardashian Brags About #MCM Kanye West as Sister Kourtney Splits from Scott Disick
- Real Housewives of Orange County Recap: Vicki Learns of Her Mother's Death in Devastating Phone Call
- Shark Week heads to unexplored Cuban waters with new special
- Dustin Hoffman: Film today is 'the worst'
- Sarah Jessica Parker is still apologizing for 'Sex and the City 3' rumors
- The Bachelorette Showdown Goes Down As Kaitlyn Finally Spills the Beans
- Yolanda Foster Puts on Brave Face in Hyperbaric Chamber to Help Treat Her Lyme Disease—See The Pic
- Beyoncé Has Star-Studded Fourth of July Celebration in New Orleans With Sister Solange, Kelly Rowland & Missy Elliott


text:
CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--The route to a less polluting car looks more like a multipoint intersection than a single superhighway, a panel of experts said on Wednesday.
The auto and fuels industries are in the midst of dramatic technological change, but it's still not clear how quickly which new technologies will be adopted.
Also unknown is whether consumers are willing to switch from traditional car ownership to the "transportation as a service" model where people share a fleet of clean cars dispersed around a city.
The EmTech 2008 conference, held at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, put together a panel to discuss green transportation with Tesla Motors Chief Technology Officer JB Straubel, BP chief scientist Steven Koonin, and Ryan Chin, a student at the MIT Media Lab involved in the City Car and projects.
All of them agreed that there's a need to shift from today's fossil fuel-based transportation industry because of concerns over energy security and climate change. But it's unlikely that one single technology will displace the gas-powered internal combustion engine.
"You have to ask whether change will be revolutionary or evolutionary. If I had to bet, I'd say it will be evolutionary," said BP. "The most likely scenario is a plug-in hybrid with a very efficient engine powered by biofuels--with plausible technologies."
Koonin said that change comes slow to the auto and fuels industry and sought to dispel the idea that the world is running out of liquid hydrocarbons that can be used for fuels.
Getting access to conventional sources--natural gas and oil--is getting more difficult, but there is plenty of fossil fuel around for transportation in other forms such as oil shale, tar sands, and coal, he said.
BP, as well as some other incumbent oil companies, are investing in biofuels research. General Motors already touts having sold millions of flex-fuel cars that can run on gasoline or E85, a blend of ethanol and gas.
Like high-profile energy investoron Wednesday, Koonin said that biofuels have the potential to make a dent in the energy picture.
There are number of technological hurdles, though, to make ethanol sustainably, including enzymes to convert non-food plants effectively to ethanol.
BP is looking at other so-called advanced biofuels, including butanol, because ethanol is less energy dense than gasoline and is a corrosive, Koonin said.
Whither electric cars?
Transportation is also getting electrified. and said they intend to release extended-range electric cars, also called serial hybrids, by the end of 2010.
Tesla recently released the all-electric Roadster, a $109,000 sports car and said earlier this month that it plans to begin making an all-electric $60,000 sports sedan by the end of 2010. After that sedan, Tesla plans to make the "Model S," an all-electric car that's meant to be a less expensive family car.
One of the biggest barriers to electric car adoption is the cost that batteries add to the price of a car. But Tesla's Straubel said that trends point to greater use of electric cars for both political and environmental reasons.
"We can at least double the capacity of battery engines," he said. "We can make it quite competitive with the gasoline engine on the cost of operations basis."
He said that concerns over energy security tend to drive interest in electric cars, over environmental concerns.
Driving an electric car charged by a coal power plant does not offer much of an environmental benefit, he said. But, he said electricity in transportation offers the possibility of cleaner sources.
"Every year the grid is going to become less and less CO2-intensive. It's almost a guarantee," Straubel said.
What's the best policy?
Chin from MIT's Media Lab is pursuing electric vehicles, but in a very different form from anything that Tesla is developing.
The City Car and RoboScooter are concepts in shared transportation, where all-electric foldable cars and scooters would be placed in different places in the city, such as near subway stations or the airport. People would pick up cars or scooters by swiping a credit card and leave it at another charging location when they're done.
Tackling cleaner urban transportation is important because for the first time in history, more people live in cities than outside them and cities are expected to become more dense.
But for the shared clean-transportation model to take hold, people need to be convinced that having access to transportation is more compelling than owning a car in the city.
"Changing the mind shift from an automobile as a product--that you buy, use, and keep--to a service, that's very disruptive," Chin said.
Chin said that transportation policy should promote a diversity of technologies, rather than a single one.
BP's Koonin and Tesla's Straubel recommended higher mileage mandates in the form of Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) and a renewable portfolio standard (RPS)--which mandates that utilities generate a certain percentage of its electricity from renewable sources.
Also, putting a price on emitting carbon dioxide would help companies in the field, they said.
"We should raise the. We should set a floor on the price of gasoline," said Koonin. "That will drive innovation very rapidly...But I believe that's politically impossible."


text:
Annandale, Virginia – November 18th, 2010 – In their most paramount release since launching the product 7 years ago, eDirectory, the leading online directory software solution, has announced the release of Version 8.0. The most recently version will see a widely robust feature set that includes multi-site management, mobile check ins, a new Android app, package builder, deals engine, GEO IP and more.
Version 8 quickly addressed a long standing issue many directory site owners faced; Managing multiple domains with both ease and affordability.eDirectory’s new Multi-core feature will allow users to add domains on the fly, manage multiple sites within one Content Management System, and up-sell your advertisers for sponsorships across all of your sites. For example, when an advertiser goes to purchase a sponsorship on your Chicago Pizzeria directory, the site owner can present that advertiser with the opportunity to also advertise on their Chicago Nightlife directory at a discounted rated. Along those lines, version 8 also includes a Package Builder feature, giving site owners the ability to develop bundled or packaged sponsorships where advertisers can purchase a mix of listings, banners, events, classifieds or articles.
With the release of eDirectory for the iPhone nearly a year ago, there has been a significant investment in the company’s mobile development team, adding an Android app in the new version. Now coined ‘eDirectory mobile’ to house both brands, the organization’s mobile team is pushing to keep their Android app features at par with their more developed, longer standing iPhone App. The iPhone now has mobile check ins and reviews, which while currently not in the Android framework, will be expected to follow in the months to come.
Another significant addition to the features within the system is the Deals Engine. Previously referred to as “coupons” within the site manager, the revamped Deals Engine will allow listing owners to create a “deal” or limited time discount on their products or services, which can then be posted and claimed through Facebook.
“eDirectory v8 is a pivotal release, with the ability to run multiple sites under one CMS, up-sell advertisers, a new Android app platform, iPhone-Facebook check-ins, a revamped Deals Engine, and too many smaller improvements to name. Site owners using eDirectory v8 will quickly generate more page-views and revenue than ever before.” says eDirectory CEO, James Chubb.
Other features that round out the release include a WYSIWYG navbar and footer interface on the site manager, giving site owner’s the opportunity to change the elements in these areas, previously not available. GEO IP will pre-load the location of visitors who come to directory sites, adding personalization to the user experience.
eDirectory is a division of Arca Solutions, Inc, a digital media company headquartered in the Washington, DC metro area.


text:
Israeli billionaire Teddy Sagi's group is entering the co-working share workspace sector with a new international brand called LABS at selected locations in major cities around the world. The first location is slated to open this June in London, where Sagi's real estate business is located.
"Globes" estimates Sagi's wealth at $5 billion. His empire includes technologies companies Playtech Cyprus Ltd. (LSE:PTEC), the world's largest operator of platform-based software for online gambling websites, with a $3.5 billion market cap; SafeCharge International Group plc (AIM: SAFE), which develops clearance solutions ($418 million); and Crossrider Ltd. (AIM:CROS), which distributes apps ($95 million). His real estate business includes Market Tech Holdings, which operates the popular Camden Market in London ($770 million) and Holborn Links in central London, recently acquired for £300 million ($366 million).
LABS will operate large sites in attractive locations in selected cities around the world. The Sagi group is expected to unveil LABS' business strategy in June when it opens the first LAB site in Holborn in the UK. The co-working sector is not unknown to the Sagi group, but in launching LABS, Sagi is stepping up his interest, and also entering this sector in Israel for the first time. In Camden Market, Market Tech has for the past year been operating the successful Interchange site, home to over 1,000 startups. Sagi's idea with this site was to bring technology entrepreneurs to the shopping market, regarded as a sphere for young entrepreneurs. The Interchange area is slated to expand substantially over the coming year. Market Tech is planning on building more centers in the market that will have 3,000 startups within two years.
Sagi is not confining himself to London; he has co-working sites in Israel in his sights. His first site is slated for opening in Tel Aviv in late 2017 in the new Azrieli tower in Sarona, regarded as Tel Aviv's most prestigious business building. The site, which will occupy some of the highest places in the building, will cover 8,000 sq.m. The second site in Tel Aviv, scheduled for the first quarter of 2018 in the new Ha'arba'a Towers, will cover 4,500 sq.m. on the top floors of the towers.
The sites to be opened in Tel Aviv are not expected to be the only ones. The Sagi group is considering opening additional sites at various locations around Israel. Construction in Israel will be in consultation with Adv. Hedan Orenstein, the groups media advisor, and Elad Alon, who manages the group's real estate business in Israel. They are considering strategic cooperation between LABS and other concerns in the industry.
Published by Globes [online], Israel Business News - www.globes-online.com - on March 5, 2017
© Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd. 2017


text:
Filed under: Cellphones/PDA, Info
Author: John C
Now that AT&T has full control of wireless hotspots like Starbucks and Barnes and Nobles, it looks like they’re doling out freebies to their favorite customers: iPhone users. Apparently, if you’ve got one of Apple’s devices, you can hop on the WiFi networks for exactly zero dollars provided you enter your phone number at a login screen. Great for iPhone owners, but a raw deal for everyone else, right? Not so fast, apparently a dumb hack gets you the service on the house too — just switch your browser’s user agent to Mobile Safari, and presto! Free internet. We can’t imagine this is a hole that won’t get plugged real fast, so get it while the gettin’s good.
- July 15, 2008 -- iPhone 3G Unlocked with SIM Card Adapter
- October 28, 2007 -- Apple Makes $432 On Each iPhone Account
- August 23, 2008 -- India’s Airtel thinks their iPhone 3G can’t be hacked
- August 20, 2008 -- Apple can’t release a working firmware for the Iphone?
- July 8, 2008 -- Official: iPhone On Sale at 8AM on Friday in Apple Stores, Too
- July 2, 2008 -- Widescreen LCDs going widescreen by 2010
- June 3, 2008 -- Free AT&T Wi-Fi Rolls Out At Starbucks
- April 30, 2008 -- iPhone Finally Announced in Canada
- April 16, 2008 -- Scandyna iPod Docks Amplify External Speakers
- February 2, 2008 -- SSD Prices Dropping, 32GB iPhone Not Too Far Off
- Tags: Amp, Apple, Barnes And Nobles, Free Internet, Free Wifi, Freebies, Hack, Imagine, Iphone, Login Screen, Mobile Safari, Phone Number, Presto, Raw Deal, Starbucks, Wireless Hotspots, Zero Dollars


text:
Should we be surprised? Well, considering the fact that there are millions of active internet users in China, there are bound to be so many disputes. The high demand for internet access can put a strain on the Telecommunication companies who may not provide the needed services. Or other cases of breached agreement during online shopping, and different types of internet services that need to be settled legally. What we know is these cases related to internet usage are heard in a special court.
In this court, citizens can find lasting and finding solutions to their grievances. The cases related to the internet are also between citizens. A contractual agreement, copyright infringement, investments or the wrong use of the internet which causes another person to experience financial loss or emotional distress are settled in the court.
To address these issues, there are two main courts in China that handle all internet related issues.
The first internet court in China was opened last year. It is located in the Hangzhou region, which is the eastern part of China. The court has been saddled with the responsibilities of handling all disputes related to internet usage and sale. The second court named the Beijing Internet Court will support these efforts. It is expected that a third court will soon be opened in the Guangzhou region, Southern China.
It is apparent these cases are on the increase in China. This is why the authorities in the country recently found the need to establish the second internet court in China in addition to the first court. The new court - the “Beijing Internet Court” was opened in Beijing and the ceremony was officially witnessed by the notable Chinese government and legal staff. With this new addition, all cases related to contract breaches involving intellectual property and other related internet-related crimes can be adequately addressed. These two courts will operate according to the legal provisions in the Chinese constitution. The aspects of the law will be applied to the use and sale of the internet in China.
It is understandable that these two courts have been established to maintain order in the e-commerce industry and among the users. Quicker judgments and consumer protection will go a long way to encourage all the users of these services to adhere to the rules and regulations while offering or using the internet in China.
According to the statistics revealed by the Beijing Higher People’s Court, the number of internet-related cases handled by the court is increasing. The numbers have risen from the previous years at a steady rate. Last year, the courts in China handled as many as thirty-seven thousand cases related to internet crimes and disputes.
To improve its services, the internet court in Beijing will be open 24-hours daily. The staff will include thirty-eight experienced judges who are familiar with the internet rules and related constitution in China. The president of the internet court Zhang Wen has stated that every case is tried according to the legal proceedings without prejudice. Details of on-going trials can be accessed through the digital litigation platforms where the final decisions made by the judges can also be viewed.
The legal system in China which handles internet-related disputes is also used to check foreign investors who wish to establish their brands in the Chinese market.
We want to be better...So if you found a mistake in this article, please let us know


text:
Amazon continues NYC computer science campaign. Apple progresses further with the success of its “Everyone Can Create” program. Tencent’s education strategy further develops. Coursera launches the first of its kind course on autonomous cars, developed by the University of Toronto.
Want the full note? Request a Demo. If you’re already a customer, login here.


text:
BT EXPRESS TRUCKING HITS THE HIGHWAY!
DATELINE: September 8, 2003 CONTACT: Consuelo Miller (773-363-0437)
With truck driving a family tradition, it was a natural step for the Butler-Tillman clan to establish its own independent trucking business. What is special about Butler-Tillman Express Trucking (B-T Express) is that it is one of the few African American food-grade tanker companies. It is owned by Mr. Jerry Butler, Butler’s wife and her parents, Mr. and Mrs. James Tillman.
Carry Transit, a division of Superior Bulk Logistics, Inc., offered B-T Express the kind of opportunity that made the investment worthwhile. “Our customers, especially Pepsico, want companies which service them to demonstrate the same commitment to minority business growth that they do,” according to Jim Blackmon, President of Carry. “It just made sense from a customer service point of view to sub-contract part of our business to a minority firm.” Carry is located in Bridgeview, Illinois.
The problem for Carry was that the United States Food and Drug Administration, as well as Carry’s customers, require equipment coming into contact with consumable products to meet rigid standards. “There weren’t the right companies with the right machinery in the area”, said Conni Miller of The Circle Group, Inc., the consulting firm that established a strategic alliance between the two trucking firms. “Here we have a family of experienced truckers. We presented a sound business plan in order to finance the equipment.”
“We also had to ensure that B-T Express maintained its independence, while crafting an agreement that would meet all of the demands of the industry” said Miller. B-T Express will continue to seek dry hauling business as it builds a niche in bulk liquids. Having gained a foothold with such national accounts as Pepsi and Miller Beer, the company is proving to be a competent, efficient and safe transportation provider.
Carry Transit expects to increase its subcontracts to B-T as B-T acquires additional equipment, recruits and trains drivers, especially those with liquid hauling experience. Mr. Butler points out that a person driving a vehicle loaded with tons of liquid product has to be able to maneuver in ways significantly different from one who is driving dry goods.
B-T Express expects to make a substantial mark as a competitor in the trucking industry, not just as an MBE company. Butler-Tillman Express Trucking is based in Westville, Indiana.
Consuelo R. Miller
The Circle Group, Inc.
6901 South Oglesby AV, Ste. 7B
Chicago, IL 60649


text:
Many parties need to buy-in to Malcolm Penn's dream of European manufacturing on 450-mm diameter wafers if it is going to happen. And Europe, facing eurozone implosion, needs radical thinking and risk-taking.
Malcolm Penn, CEO of technology and market analysis company Future Horizons Ltd., believes in the importance of retaining control of manufacturing passionately. He has spoken many times of the fab-lite business model as a being merely the reprehensible and drawn-out process of abandoning manufacturing.
Penn has also long-warned that abandoning chip manufacturing in Europe would have consequences in terms of our ability to create jobs here and to create value that can be exported. We are starting to stare those consequences in the face as countries across Europe teeter on the edge of bankruptcy.
Penn has now had the opportunity to flesh out his thesis in a substantial report prepared for the European Commission. There are indications that at least some bureaucrats in Brussels are coming round to Penn's point of view. But that is not enough.
It seems likely that a 450-mm pilot fab based at IMEC's site in Leuven, Belgium will happen. But beyond that, if any of the more ambitious plans touched on in the report are going to happen they need both metaphorical and literal buy-in from the European chip companies.
Last time I took the temperature in Europe on this subject, the European Commission was a lot more interested in it than the indigenous European companies. When it comes to using European tax payers' money to support 450-mm chip manufacturing the European chip companies tend to point to more urgent and near-term things they need to spend the taxpayers' money on.
Meanwhile both the bureaucrats and those chip company leaders are being distracted by the implosion of the eurozone and the global financial crisis that it could trigger. I heard this quote with reference to the bankers and politicians of Europe: "When faced with a difficult decision it is natural for human beings to choose denial." With regard to the euro, European federalism and the radical stimulus of engineering-based value creation I suspect we are all somewhere along the longest of Africa's rivers.
Peter - I give you some real insight
Once upon a time there was LRCX and NVLS.
Intel wants 450mm - NVLS said no.
SO Intel pushed some buttons -
and in return LRCX will get some etch business from Intel.
That's how it works in the real world.
KLA already supplying 450 mm tools to Intel .
You just way behind the curve
Unless you mean KLA is supplying 450-mm capable tools to Intel IN LEIXLIP I don't see how your statement has a lot of relevance to this article.
I was trying to elaborate on whether there is an appetite for the cost of 450-mm wafer processing in Europe -- ever, and particularly by European-based companies.
KLA supplying 450-mm tools to Intel in Oregon and Arizona would make it more likely that Intel MIGHT produce on 450-mm wafers in Europe, some day.
Intel has been getting closer to the European Commission over the last five years. Spreading the 450-mm love around might be part of the cost of being a good European citizen.
I think the most interesting point in the article is that European managers and companies are not able to compete against Asian and US American companies in advanced electronic production and products, and that the result can allready be seen in the crisis of some European countries and the Euro.
When you look at TV's, mobile phones and memory products as DRAM and NAND Flash, all production more or less disappeared from Europe (Nokia is still there at the moment, that's true for the moment). TV's are gone, Siemens gave up mobile development and production, Qimonda is gone, ST gave up all NAND activities, Infineon sold its wireless to intel, ...
The question is what will be the basis for the European prosperity in the future when the European companies, countries and the EU commision does not see any value in the advanced electronic industry and does not show any activities to keep these sectors in Europe, as it was the case in the mentioned examples.
This seems to be very different in countries like Abu Dhabi in form of ATIC which spend billions of dollars to form Global Foundries.
For all this reasons I think there will be never a 450-mm Fab or even Foundry in Europe, because there are simply no capable managers nor European politicians.
There's a lot of discussion of SOI in the report. In case anyone's wondering, ramping of SOI wafers (for FD-SOI, FinFETs, PD-SOI etc) at 450mm is on schedule for the industry ramp. See http://www.advancedsubstratenews.com/2011/09/ultra-thin-wafers-for-450mm-fd-soi-on-schedule/.
STMicroelectronics, Infineon and others may disagree.
They might like to see the European Union support them with upgrades of their older fabs for More-than-Moore production.
So who should we support: U.S. companies Intel and GlobalFoundries that manufacture and create jobs in Europe..or European companies who manufacture overseas?


text:
There are times when investor sentiment turns so sour that the good gets thrown out with the bad. We are experiencing this phenomenon now as companies’ earnings announcements appear frequently meaningless and stock prices plunge on otherwise decent announcements. Except for a few weak spots (namely sentiment, inflation, and wage growth), the economic data remains solid. However, the market is forward looking, using extrapolation and historical events to try and predict what’s going to happen three, six, and twelve months out. Sometimes it gets it right but every now and again it overreacts and gets it quite wrong. While we can’t ignore that Inflation is a problem, we must also recognize that the Federal Reserve is just one interest rate hike into what will ultimately be a long process. Realistically, it will be some months before we know how well the current tightening policy is going. On the topic of earnings announcements, what we’ve seen so far has been good. The majority of companies are beating expectations on both the top and bottom line. And while input costs, in terms of materials and labor, are certainly on the rise, companies have been able to pass along those costs to consumers who appear willing and able to bear it. Just this week these companies reported earnings and here’s what they’re revenue growth looks like year-over-year:
Coca Cola +16.7%, Google +23.0%, Microsoft +18.5%, Visa +25.0%, Qualcomm +41.1%, Merck +49.6%, Chevron +69.7%, Exxon Mobil +53.0%, Facebook +6.6%, Paypal +7.8%, Linde +13.3%, Amazon +7.3%, Apple +8.6%As you can see above, companies are not suffering from a lack of revenue growth. Even those companies that are growing more slowly, like Amazon and Apple, are pulling in quarterly revenue of $116B and $97B respectively. Worth noting is that these growth rates are on top of stellar growth in 2021.
As for Gross Domestic Product (GDP), the markets were thrown for an anomaly this week. It was reported GDP fell 1.4% in the first quarter versus an estimate for 1.1% growth. While this sounds troubling, it can be explained and is not as bad as it may first appear. The drop in GDP resulted from lower inventory investment, exports, federal government spending, and state and local government spending. At the same time, imports, which are subtracted from GDP, increased sharply. It was the perfect storm of economic data that created this anomaly. What should be noted is personal consumption rose 2.7% and makes up 67% of GDP. It shows little sign of slowing.
In company news, Duke Energy is making headway in growing renewable energy. The company increased its capacity to produce wind and solar power by 20% in 2021. Wind and solar accounted for 9% of Duke’s total capacity in 2021, up from 5.6% in 2020. The company has set a target of 40% renewable energy by 2050. Along the same lines, the Biden administration is doing away with old-fashioned incandescent lightbulbs, 143 years after Thomas Edison patented the first commercially successful one in 1879. Incandescent bulbs will be phased out by July 2023.
In closing, I want to share with you some options if you’re not too happy with the current administration, the previous administration, or the perceived direction of the country and/or the economy. Every year, the United Nations compiles the World Happiness Report which draws on global survey data from people in about 150 countries. Marking its 10th anniversary, the report found there has been a large increase in benevolence including donating to charity, helping a stranger, and volunteering. They attribute the sharp rise to the past two years of COVID. But onto the meat of their report, the following are the top ten countries in order of happiness: Finland, Denmark, Iceland, Switzerland, Netherlands, Luxembourg, Sweden, Norway, Israel, and New Zealand. I don’t know about you, but New Zealand sounds pretty good right about now. Now you know.
Bruce J. Mason, MBA


text:
eMarketer reports on the effectiveness of video content, and Snapchat as an audience development tool; Time Inc. launches video-based food publication
Audience development is a major umbrella term online. There are a variety of ways online publishers develop audiences online, from content partnerships and social media to email and press releases. Today we’re taking a look at the use of digital video as an audience development tool, and media brands that are engaging with it.
We begin with some research from eMarketer on types of content created and its effectiveness, according to U.S. content marketers. “Nearly three-fourths (74%) of those polled created research and original data, and the same percentage created infographics and product reviews. Some 70% of content marketers said they produced video.”
According to the data, 13% of those surveyed found video content to be the most impactful, placing it fourth in line behind product reviews, infographics, and research/original data.
A different report from eMarketer takes a look at Snapchat’s effectiveness as an audience development tool. eMarketer reports, “Snapchat usage among adults of all ages is growing. eMarketer increased its US usage projections for 2017 by more than 5%, predicting 70.4 million people in the US will use the platform.”
“What’s more, many people are turning to Snapchat’s Live Stories to watch live streaming video. Data from UBS Evidence Lab found that Snapchat held on as the third most popular channel for live video consumption. YouTube and Facebook Live took the top spots, respectively.”
“The UBS study found that a majority of US social media users watch video on Snapchat. Fully 84% of respondents said they did, though younger people were more likely than their older peers to do so.”
Finally, we move to a publisher who is focusing deeply on video content. AdWeek is reporting on Time Inc., which is launching a video platform called Well Done. “The new brand will feature videos designed specifically for social platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat and Instagram with a presence on Pinterest as well.”
“Well Done is a first-of-its-kind food brand for Time Inc. developed to live on our social channels,” said Alan Murray, CCO of Time Inc., in a statement. “The team is producing short, dynamic videos with the latest tips and trends we know our audience craves. We see Well Done benefiting from our deep relationships and expertise in the food category, as well as the massive video and social reach of the Time Inc. network.”
“Time Inc. sees over 120 million monthly video views, and Well Done will leverage its data and personalization expertise and what it calls its “state-of-the-art test kitchens and video studios,” which are located in Birmingham, Ala.”
Will video become a bigger part of audience development campaigns for publishers? Share your thoughts with us in the comments.


text:
Affinity FCU Sponsors Internet Safety Event
BASKING RIDGE, N.J. -- Affinity Federal Credit Union is working to help children and teens be safe online.
The credit union is teaming up with the Hillsborough Township chapter of D.A.R.E. on September 29 to talk up the importance of Internet safety.
Featuring Internet security experts, the free event will share tips for staying safe while still allowing children to use this important tool. The event, which will last approximately one hour, will take place at Affinity's Hillsborough Branch.
According to the Pew Internet and American Life Project, 93% of tweens and teens between the ages of 12 and 17 go online for everything from social networks to homework research.
What's troubling is what else they're doing online. Market research firm eMarketer found that 75% of children are willing to share personal information online about themselves and their family in exchange for goods and services. One in five teens encountered a sexual solicitation while online and only 25% of children who encountered a sexual solicitation or approach told a parent.


text:
REMA FOODS MARKET FLASH April 21, 2015
GSP: Both the House and Senate have finally introduced bills to renew GSP through December 31, 2017. GSP last expired July 31, 2013. We've heard Congressional leaders want the bill passed before May 22. The U.S. Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) is a program designed to promote economic growth in the developing world by providing preferential duty-free entry for up to 5,000 products when imported from one of 123 designated beneficiary countries and territories.
Pacific Trade Pact: The leaders of Congress’s tax-writing committees reached agreement last week on legislation to give President Obama “fast track” authority to negotiate an ambitious trade accord with 11 other Pacific nations, beginning what is sure to be one of the toughest legislative battles of his last 19 months in office. The “trade promotion authority” bill would give Congress the power to vote on the Trans-Pacific Partnership once it is completed, but would deny lawmakers the chance to amend what would be the largest trade deal since the North American Free Trade Agreement. While “fast track” allows a President to more easily negotiate free trade agreements - great for believers in free trade - this particular Pacific Trade Pact is not expected to bring much duty savings for imported food products.
Large Government Penalties: The Department of Justice announced more than $3 million in penalties against three importers accused of evading antidumping and countervailing duties.
West Coast Port Strike: The long drawn West Coast strike was finally resolved in February but, to date, one to two week delays in unloading arriving vessels are still occurring. On 04-21-2015, the ports in LA and Long Beach closed for a 24 hours ILWU Stop Work Meeting. Additionally, in order to avoid the gridlock on the West Coast, shipping lines have diverted shipments to Texas and the East Coast which has resulted in port congestion. Several weeks ago in Houston, ships collided in the channel causing a backlog of thousands of containers that are now moving. We have also seen ship diversions to Houston that are spill over from the west coast issues earlier in the year. In Dallas, the UPRR has started to hold inbound trains short of Dallas and delay the release of new trains at LGB until there are more chassis to offload the cars. In NJ, the traffic jam outside GCT Bayonne stretched six miles onto the turnpike. Several terminals in NY/NJ have now implemented “Port Congestion Fee” of $250 on each incoming container.
ISF: The final phase of US Customs enforcement on the Importer Security Filing (ISF) will take effect on May 14, 2015. ISF (commonly known as 10+2) requires the importer to submit certain information to US Customs 48 hours prior to sailing date. Customs has a six year statute of limitation for assessing penalties for ISF violations. It is expected that Customs will focus on the more severe violations, such as missed or late filing and can assess liquidated damages up to $5000 per violation.
CURRENCY: Given the sluggish European economy and the comparative strength in the USA, along with the expectation for increasing interest rates in the USA, the dollar has been strengthening against the euro for a several months and is currently around 1.09. The dollar has also been gaining against the Canadian dollar, now at about 1.23 after trading around parity for a number of years.
TUNA: Skipjack has reached its lowest levels in years with raw material price hitting as low at $1000-1100/MT. The drop in price is being attributed to good catches and lower market demand. Ecuadorian catch have been especially strong. It has been recently reported that some major fishing companies have stopped fishing in order to force prices up. Yellowfin pricing normally follows skipjack and has been running at $1300-$1400/MT. Tongol and albacore have remained firm at $1800/MT and $ 3100/MT respectively.
ARTICHOKES: While the initial expectations from Spain were for a good crop, weather conditions did not quite unfold as expected. Frost hit a major growing area in Murcia and it was reported that about 40% of the crop was lost. Then quite suddenly the weather turned and temperatures rose too quickly. As a result, raw material prices have increased by 30-40% and many packers have withdrawn their offers. Prices from the few who are offering are about 10-13% higher than last year. Peru’s season will not start until July/August but over the past few years Peru had decreased its plantations as their higher cost rendered them noncompetitive in the US market (and several firms have closed up or sold their artichoke lines). Egypt’s crop started early this year and was reported to be short as well.
MANDARIN ORANGES: The Chinese mandarin packing season ended around mid-February. Initial expectations were for prices to be lower than last year. However, due to higher labor cost and higher prices that the domestic fresh market was willing to pay, prices remained firm throughout the season. Raw material quality was good which meant that there was not enough mandarins being diverted to broken packs, most went for whole mandarin packs. There has also been a strong demand from juice manufacturers for orange sacs, which meant further reduction in raw material available for broken mandarins.
OLIVE OIL: Spain, which accounts for 50% of total olive oil world production, reported a 30% decrease in its crop. At the same time, blight affected trees in Puglia, Italy’s main growing region. Italy accounts for 15% of total world production. Prices have been on an upswing from an average of about 2.40 euro/kg in 2014 to a peak of 3.60 euro/kg in early March. Thankfully, the stronger dollar has tempered the sharp increase in the US market. Indications about the next crop season will not be available until the flower season in May.
OLIVES: The predicted 20% shortage (vs. 2013) of the hojiblanca variety used for ripe olives has materialized and ripe prices have been steadily inching up. It is now about 15-20% higher than last year. As with oil, the stronger dollar is helping to mitigate the increases.
PINEAPPLE: Thailand’s crop of 2014 was reported to be one of the worst in the recent years and packers continue to report that the raw material situation is still very tight. Last year’s drought has severely affected the Thai winter crop, causing a drop in output of 15% from the average of 1.9 million tons annually. This has pushed raw material prices up to 10-11.0 baht/kg (in a normal year, price levels are around 4.50 baht/kg). This sharp increase in price has prompted farmers to harvest earlier, leading to unripe fruit, high nitrate levels, and de-tinning. Indonesia is being swamped with orders to make up for Thailand’s shortfall. The upcoming summer season does not look promising; with no carry-over and packers behind on commitments, they are not expecting significant relief in the upcoming crop. Indonesia is expecting about 20% lower output for this summer season due to dry weather conditions. It’s been reported that Del Monte formally withdrew on foodservice pineapple packs. Per their notice, “This action is due to industry wide raw product shortages and seasonal drought conditions that have limited and reduced our pineapple pack. This withdraw from sale notice will be effective immediately and continue through October 2015.”
MUSHROOMS: Since India and China’s troubles began several years ago with antidumping and the pesticide carbendazim, main import supply for the US has been coming from Holland, Spain, France and Poland. In past years, these countries have been unable to compete with China. The favorable dollar-euro rate has also helped keep them competitive even as costs have increased. Supply and price have been relatively stable.
ANCHOVIES: The past two seasons (2013 & 2014) have been quite disastrous for anchovies. Morocco, a major source of anchovies, reported about 30% lower fish landings. Peru reported a similar drop. Packers are reporting that the shortage in raw material has prompted prices to rise by more than 50%. The new season will start in July and packers are hoping for some relief; however it may take some time and since there’s no carry-over stock, packers will aggressively buy any fish that comes to market during the initial season to serve their long-standing and overdue commitments.
TOMATOES: Last year, California produced its largest crop in history, at 14 million tons, along with record yields of 48.3 tons/acre and all-time high grower prices of $83/ton. For 2015, California is predicting 13.9-14.3 million tons. Export sales have more than doubled over the past six years. In Italy, the market is expecting for 2015 raw material prices of euro105/MT for plum tomatoes


text:
Iron Mountain is planning to shut down its cloud-based storage offerings after only two years in the rapidly growing market, research firm Gartner has revealed.
According to Gartner, the company said that it plans to shut down its public cloud storage division by the first half of 2013 and revealed that it had stopped accepting new customers on April 1, 2011.
Iron Mountain is the third vendor to exit the cloud-based storage market after Vaultscape and EMC, Gartner (http://www.gartner.com/DisplayDocument?id=1626215 (opens in new tab)) said in a blog post.
The company said that it will it continue to offer cloud storage services to its existing customers, and help them migrate to another vendor as a part of its closure plans.
“To date, public cloud storage has had a modest level of adoption. Not incidentally, all three service providers’ go-to-market strategies focused purely on cloud storage unaccompanied by any cloud [computing] services. Now, only Nirvanix and Zetta remain as pure-play public cloud providers of network attached storage,” the research firm noted.
Iron Mountain offers two public cloud storage solutions:Virtual File Store and Archive Service Platform. VFS customers will be upgraded to the File System Archiving service in 2012, but Archive Service Platform customers won't be migrated to another system and will soon have their contracts terminated.