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Amazon Great Indian Sale will begin between January 20 and January 22, and the Amazon will provide discounts on various products in many categories. The Amazon company is providing offers and price cuts on consumer electronics, home, kitchen, daily essentials, and fashion categories.
Amazon has already listed some discounts on its website, such as 16 percent off on the Moto G4 (16GB), 7 percent off on the Moto G4 (32GB), and 21 percent off on the Moto X Force.
According to Gadgets360, Amazon India has paired up with State Bank of India to offer cashback to buyers for purchases beyond Rs. 4,999. The bank is offering 15 percent cashback on app purchases and 10 percent cashback on website purchases with its debit and credit cards.
If the consumer buy any product between Rs. 250 and Rs. 4,999, then he will get 10 percent cashback via order by PC, and will get 15 percent cashback via order by Amazon app.
We recommend you shop from the app to make the most of the card cashback offer listed above. If you’re a first time Amazon India user, ensure that you are registered on the site beforehand. Fill in your shipping address and save your card details on your Amazon account before the Great Indian Sale starts to enable faster checkout.


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We took delivery of a big box of Christmas cards on Tuesday 11th December from St Austell Printing Company, and these are now in the mail to our friends in the local community.
The winning design in our annual competition was created by Eloise and Maisie in Year 7. It’s the first time our winning card has been printed in this way and everyone is delighted with the result, which stood out with its originality.
Eloise says: “I feel really proud to have designed the card. I enjoy making collages so I used Christmas paper to create the design.”

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From the plating of food cans to the soldering of electrical connections, tin is a fairly unnoticed ingredient of modern life. It is used in agriculture, paints, plastics, and wood preservation. When it is noticed, its origin is usually taken for granted.
This attitude had been keenly felt by the world's tin producers, most notably Malaysia, Indonesia, and Thailand, which mine some 65 percent of the world's supply. After enjoying the fruits of several years of price increases, these nations have seen prices fall sharply, a result of recession and huge stockpiles that consuming countries have used to partly control prices.
The producing countries hope a negotiating session to reach a new International Tin Agreement, going on now in Geneva, and next month's Tin Council meeting will result in some agreement on prices and stockpiles. Unlike oil price conferences, importing countries do participate in these meetings. As the world's largest tin user, the United States is an influential participant.
Of all the producing nations involved in these talks, the one that is perhaps most closely associated with tin is Malaysia. And for years tin has been a means of livelihood for thousands of Chinese who migrated to the lush green tropical peninsula of Malaysia.
The tin production began simply enough with small-scale operations that scoured river banks and bottoms by hand. Then came the large-scale dredges and water pumps -- all designed to scoop up and separate tin from soil.
But today tin is no longer the dominating export industry it once was, Datuk Paul Leong, the Malaysian minister of primary industries, explains. Last year tin earned only 11 percent of the country's export earnings.
That was a far cry from the early 1960s, when tin and rubber dominated the Malaysian economy by earning some 70 percent of export earnings. In the late ' 60s the country diversified exports, boosting oil, gas, palm oil, and hardwoods.
Today tin and rubber provide only 30 percent of Malaysia's export revenues, with tin making 11 percent and rubber 19 percent.
Today it is oil that holds the commanding lead, with 23 percent of the country's export earnings.
To some extent this is misleading, Mr. Datuk Leong says. The reason is that oil and natural gas prices are rising, whereas tin prices are in a somewhat depressed state. This makes the amount of oil and gas exported seem like more.
Malaysia's tin industry faces a two- pronged challenge. One is the depressed state of international demand. The other is the increasing difficulty and expense of locating new tin deposits.
Behind the depressed price, according to Datuk Leong, is the generally depressed state of the world economy. This had led to a surplus of tin, for Malaysia some 6,000 tons this year. Because of this surplus, he says, tin consumers feel confident to run on low tin inventories, and this decreases their purchases. Also, the US has began to sell some of its tin reserves on the open market. While the amount is small so far (some 100 tons), the expectation that more will be sold helps keep prices down.
The other side of the problem is diminishing supply and production.
Malaysia mined only 62,000 tons in 1980, compared with 76,000 in 1975, Datuk Leong says.
"There is a constant demand, but still little successful exploration," he explains.
He says part of the problem is difficulty in attracting foreign investment. This, he says, is not a factor in the smaller-scale alluvium mining, managed and financed by local people. But in risky large-scale lode mining there is a need for foreign capital to finance exploration, he explains.
The problem is that under Malaysian law foreigners are restricted to owning no more than 30 percent of ventures. This is part of the government's "bumiputra" (sons of the soil) policy of increasing the share of the economy owned by the largely agricultural Malays, 53 percent of the population (Chinese are some 35 percent).
In Malaysia tin mining has been largely a Chinese or foreign-operated business.But the government legislation is to limit economic ownership to 40 percent Chinese and 30 percent foreigner, with 30 percent for Malays (bumiputras) by 1980. Restrictions on foreign ownership have already begun.
Thus foreigners have been deterred from providing the needed capital for expensive exploration.
Mr. Datuk Leong identifies two possible solutions for this problem.
One is to negotiate with foreign companies plans whereby they would be able to fully own enterprises at first, with buy-out by the government coming only gradually. Although foreigners would eventually lose controlling shares, their stake would be large enough for enough time to make the venture profitable.
The other approach is for the government itself to take a greater part in the exploration, later letting private companies take over.


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Swedish truck maker Volvo AB is selling its remaining 3.7 per cent stake in Indian auto firm Eicher Motors, in a deal that could be valued at around $278 million, according to a term sheet seen by IFR.
Volvo is offering about 1 million shares in a price range of 17,190-18,190 rupees in an open market sale. Eicher shares closed at 18,191.15 on Wednesday.
In March, Volvo had sold 1.27 million Eicher shares for around 2.5 billion Swedish crowns ($296.05 million).
Volvo bought the Eicher stake in 2008 as part of a deal under which the Swedish company also set up a separate truck and bus making joint venture with Eicher in India.
"Eicher Motors wishes not to comment on any speculative news stories on Volvo," the company said in a statement. It added that all investments and business plans at the two companies' commercial vehicle joint venture continue as planned.
A Volvo spokeswoman declined to comment.
Volvo is under pressure to demonstrate the benefits of years of cost cuts and has, in addition to major staff cuts, also sold off non-core assets in recent years, including its aerospace division in 2012.


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This article is more than 1 year old
Semi sales leap 26% from 2009
Global chip sales hit $26.5bn in September, according to the Semiconductor Industry Association, a gain of 2.9 per cent compared to the prior month and up 26.2 per cent compared to a year ago.
The SIA has not updated its annual forecast for chip sales in 2010, but says it will do so later this week.
The association does three-month rolling average of global chip sales, which it says is the best way to calculate the overall health of the semiconductor industry, and the September figures cited above are such an average.
The bulk of the sales done in September were in the Asia/Pacific region, as you might expect given that so much of the computing, networking, and consumer electronics equipment used in the world is made there. Companies in the Asia/Pacific region bought some $14.14bn in chips, and increase of 3.2 per cent sequentially from August and up 26.1 per cent from the year-ago quarter. Sales in the Americas region rose just a half point sequentially, to $4.86bn, which nonetheless worked out to a 39.5 percent bump compared to a year ago when the recession was killing the electronics and IT businesses in the Americas.
Europe chewed through $3.26bn in chips, up 24.4 per cent from the levels in September 2009 and up a healthier 3.9 per cent compared to August. Japan even did better, with $4.2bn in chip sales, an increase of 3.7 per cent sequentially and up 15.4 per cent annually.
Worldwide monthly chip sales and growth (Semiconductor Industry Association)
"Semiconductor sales have grown steadily in all regions through the third quarter of 2010, with strong demand in consumer and industrial electronic products," said Brian Toohey, president of the SIA, in a statement. "Inventory for the industry continues to be generally in balance with demand. We could see moderation in the growth rate through the end of the year as demand for consumer electronic products such as personal computers, flat panel televisions, and mobile devices are potentially impacted by continuing economic uncertainty." ®


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Best Hair and Makeup from the 2018 Red Carpets
25 December 2018 | 11:00 am
This was the year that Rihanna and Whoopi Goldberg made us appreciate purple lipstick, Lady Gaga reinvented the top knot, and Kirsten Stewart pulled off her most intense cat-eye yet.
21 May 2019
Rihanna's ninth studio album will be a reggae album dropping later in 2019. The pop star confirmed the album plans in an interview for Times' 'T Magazine' by playwright Jeremy O. Harris in London. RiRi is referring to the album as 'R9' for now.
24 May 2019
Rihanna Debuts Fenty Collection in Paris RiRi debuted her new luxury fashion line at a pop-up boutique in Paris. She spoke to people in attendance, explaining how the collection was inspired by her desire to find similar pieces on her own shopping trips.
5 Jun 2019
A new report from Forbes says the "Umbrella" songstress is worth $600 million. According to Forbes, much of Riri's fortune is thanks to a business deal with French company LVMH. Along with the luxury goods conglomerate, Rihanna holds co-ownership of Fenty Beauty. The singer launched the cosmetics brand back in 2017.
12 Jun 2019
Speaking with Sara Paulson for‘Interview Magazine,’ Rihanna spokeabout a number of personal subjects. When asked by Paulson if she wanted to be amother, Rihanna said “more than anything in life.” She did not elaborate further, but didgo on to disclose that she was in lovewhen Paulson asked about her romantic life.
12 Jul 2019
Rihanna is getting backlash after the release of her Harper’s Bazaar China cover shoot. The Fenty Beauty mogul can be seen wearing various garments with influences from Chinese cultural dress. Some have argued that the photos are acceptable due to the Chinese creative team behind the shoot.
7 Aug 2019
President Donald Trump gave a speech on Monday morning regarding the recent mass shootings in El Paso, Texas, and Dayton, Ohio. Donald Trump, via CNN Rihanna took aim at the president on social media. Rihanna, via Instagram Rihanna, via Instagram President Trump also took to Twitter to condemn the role the media has played in the way they cover news.
12 Sep 2019
Rihanna has apologised to her fans and admitted she won't be releasing a new album any time soon because she is so busy.
20 Oct 2019
Rihanna has released a limited edition lingerie range to raise money for breast cancer research.
9 Oct 2019
Rihanna is set to release a "visual autobiography", which will feature 1,000 images, spanning across 504 pages, from throughout her life.
11 Oct 2019
In a recent interview with ‘Vogue,’ Rihanna confirmed the reason she turned down the 2018 Super Bowl Halftime Show. . It was initially reported by 'US Weekly' that the 31-year-old singer turned down the offer due to the Colin Kaepernick kneeling controversy of 2016.
3 Nov 2019
Missed the juicy entertainment and lifestyle stories this week? Stay updated with GuardianTV as we give a recap.
16 Nov 2019
Singer Rihanna was among the stars who descended on Los Angeles' fabled Hollywood Boulevard on Thursday night for the world premiere of "Queen & Slim," a thriller about a black couple on the run after they kill a white policeman in self-defense.
2 hours ago
Find these stories and much more when you grab a copy of The Guardian on Saturday.
5 hours ago
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan discussed unblocking the border at the meeting with the EU's Charles Michel in Brussels.
6 hours ago
Datamellon partners with Amazon world service on the Internet of things (iot) revolution and serverless event-driven architectures.
6 hours ago
Cypriot President Nikos Anastasiadis granted an interview to FRANCE 24 from the capital Nicosia. The northern third of the Republic of Cyprus has been under Turkish domination since 1974. Anastasiadis said that Russia's invasion of Ukraine uses the "exact same arguments that Turkey used to invade Cyprus". Asked about tensions with Turkey over hydrocarbons, he expressed hope that Ankara will not "will not attempt to do anything that will cause conflagration and risk peace in the region".
6 hours ago
A picture on social media is being shared as alleged proof that Russian President Vladimir Putin has stepped up his security and wears a bulletproof vest. Also, some users, including politicians, are claiming that Russian soldiers burned Ukrainian history books. We tell you more in this edition of Truth or Fake.


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Teenagers today live their lives online as much as offline
The Daily Telegraph has sacked its editor, Tony Gallagher, and declared it will “reinvent the way we work” and move beyond news publishing.
A challenge to the 2010 Order by ISP Verizon will allow ISPs to create a 'two tier' system which charges more for high-bandwidth activities online
Open all hours? GTA Online is to briefly shut up shop
John Lewis has revealed that sales fell last week across all its London stores, compared with the same week a year ago, in the clearest sign yet that people are leaving their Christmas shopping later than ever.
An alternate game world dubbed the 'cheater's pool' has been created for infringing players, but stats show that cheaters have accumulated trillions in in-game currency
Seasonal bargains enticed a greater number of Americans over the Thanksgiving weekend, with more people shopping compared to last year, but heavy discounting meant that retailers raked in less money over the period.
Miley Cyrus's twerking focuses national outrage on the sexualised and racist nature of what under-18s get to see
The Shakers are without a win in their last six games
Customers wait to find out if the airline will honour the purchased tickets after a glitch on their site
As activist and art collector Daniel Loeb invests in the auction house, Nikhil Kumar looks at what might be in store for the venerable firm
New survey shows how social media has allowed parents to share pictures with loved ones on the other side of the world, as well as brag to their friends.
There is a common misapprehension that single people are desperate to be outed in public so they can quickly pair off


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If at first you don’t succeed, try again — especially when you have a mission that’s as important as promoting diversity in the beauty industry.
And that’s exactly what Jamie Kern Lima, co-founder and CEO of the wildly popular IT Cosmetics did after she was told by a prospective investor that shoppers wouldn’t purchase her makeup because of her appearance.
Recounting the tale at the Cosmetic Executive Women (CEW) Achiever Awards, Fox News said Lima explained how her company almost didn’t come to fruition: “I’m just not sure women will buy makeup from someone who looks like you, you know, with your body and your weight,” he said after hearing the pitch. But for Lima, his words weren’t the end; they were only the beginning of her pursuit to prove her naysayers wrong.
“I felt something deep down inside,” she said, according to Yahoo Lifestyle. “And it said, ‘No. You are wrong.'”
From there, Yahoo says the former news anchor, who was inspired to create IT Cosmetics because of her experience dealing with rosacea and hyperpigmentation, began pushing forward by marketing her products in ways that privileged diversity and inclusivity. Eventually, Fox News said Lima landed her big break when she appeared on QVC. “In her products launch on QVC, which sold out,” they report, “she chose models that went against the grain – a 73-year-old woman and an African American model with acne,” sticking true to her mission of representation.
But even after achieving success, Yahoo says Lima concluded her speech by saying she is not yet finished in attempting to create change in the beauty industry.
“She reminded that roomful of beauty executives — ‘the people who singlehandedly decide the images billions of women see around the world’ — to ask themselves: ‘How will these images impact your mothers, and your sisters, and how will they impact your daughters?'”
Oh, and as for that investor, Fox News says that after IT Cosmetics was acquired by L’Oreal for $1.2 billion, she heard from him again. His message?
“Congratulations. I was wrong.”
And that is how you succeed when others think you can’t.


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China aims to become cyberpower by 2020
BEIJING: China aims to use the internet to bolster its slowing economy and become a cyberpower by 2020, the five-year development plan by the Chinese government has revealed.
China also aims to boost its spending on research and development to 2.5% of gross domestic product for the five-year period.
"We aim to strengthen the struggle against enemies in online sovereign space and increase control of online public sentiment," said the plan.
The world's most populous country also aims for perfect cybersecurity laws and legislations.


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Target Communications Receives 2012 Cabela Lifetime Business Achievement Award
Target Communications, and owner Glenn Helgeland, have been chosen as the recipient of the 2012 Cabela Lifetime Business Achievement Award. The presentation was made this afternoon during a Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor Trade Show (SHOT) reception at the Venetian Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.
The award was accepted by Glenn Helgeland and his spouse Judy, and was presented by Tommy Millner, president of Cabela’s Inc., Mike Callahan, president of Aspen Partners and Chairman of the Outdoor Business Council, and Bud Pidgeon, U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance president.
The U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance and its Outdoor Business Council created the award in 2006 to honor the Cabela family’s dedication to protecting outdoor sports, including hunting, fishing, and trapping. It is presented to companies that demonstrate the same passion and commitment to protecting America’s outdoor heritage as the Cabela family has shown.
“This is our way of honoring the Cabela family and other leaders, such as Target Communications, in the outdoor business community for their efforts to defend our rights,” said Pidgeon.
Target Communications was founded in 1980 by Glenn and Judy Helgeland and has produced numerous hunting focused publications, and created the four largest deer and turkey expos in the U.S. These sportsmen’s shows are widely recognized for attracting large crowds of enthusiastic hunters. Glenn Helgeland has also been a prolific outdoor writer with more than 21 books to his credit, including some of the most recognized titles in the archery industry. Helgeland is a charter member of the Professional Outdoor Media Association and is the founding editor of Archery Business magazine.
For years, Target Communication has been a major supporter of conservation. Its support of USSA’s Outdoor Business Council, a coalition of businesses dedicated to protecting outdoor traditions, has made a large impact on hunting and shooting programs from coast to coast.


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Blog: Wal-Mart raises stakes with India venture
Dean Best | 8 August 2007
In terms of direct investment into the retail sector, India remains a closed shop for foreign firms.
Nevertheless, Wal-Mart’s move into the country’s wholesale business is a smart move from the US retail giant.
Wal-Mart’s cash-and-carry venture with Indian conglomerate Bharti Enterprises – announced on Monday after months of negotiations – should leave the company handily placed if the Indian government allows foreign retailers to expand.
And by partnering with Bharti, which, for instance, owns India’s largest mobile phone network, the venture should be able to tap into a wide distribution network in a country where transportation remains a key challenge.
However, German retailer Metro, one of Wal-Mart’s fierce global rivals, already has a strong foothold in India with a presence in a number of states.
If and when the Indian government gives the green light for multinational retailers to wade into the country’s retail sector, there will surely be a fierce fight for the wallets of India’s ever-burgeoning middle class.
Danone completed its US$12.5bn acquisition of WhiteWave Foods this week. The move will roughly double Danone's presence in North America, where WhiteWave is a top four dairy player. ...
Premier Foods plc revealed today (28 March) it has secured a deal with its pension scheme trustees that will see the UK food maker reduce its pension burden....
Hain Celestial, under the scrutiny of the investment community in recent months and facing some challenges in its domestic market, has announced another shuffling of its management pack....
FrieslandCampina, which today served up higher profits but lower sales for 2016, is ready to offload the last non-dairy business owned by the Dutch cooperative giant....
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- Post: Weetabix "opens up M&A opportunities"


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Realme is already known to be working on a slew of smartphones for the Indian market. Earlier this month an official support page listing on Realme’s website confirmed the arrival of the Realme 9, Realme GT 2, and the Realme XT 3. Soon after, the Realme X9 also made an appearance on the company’s official website. Now, another new Realme ‘G’ series has been spotted at the company’s official India website hinting at another imminent launch.
Realme G1 Appears At Official Website
A screenshot of Realme’s official website mentioning the Realme G1 has been shared by tipster Mukul Sharma. The leaked screenshot shared on Twitter shows the Realme G1 listed along with the Realme 3i.
It is worth mentioning that the official listing mentions Rs. 8,000 price tag for the Realme 3i. This suggests that the company the leaked official listing is from the company’s India website. Unfortunately, only the moniker of the handset has been tipped by the leaked website’s screenshot.
Not even a single hardware feature has been revealed by the listing. However, with the Indian pricing sighting, its launch can be expected going forward.
The timeline would be hard to guess. It could launch in Q3 or Q4 2021. Unless the company itself makes any official announcement, we would suggest you take this information as a grain of salt.
Realme G1: What All Can We Expect?
It is worth mentioning that the other Realme smartphones which were spotted at the company’s India website have got some form of confirmation for their existence or an upcoming launch. This makes us believe the Realme G1 leaks might also start pouring in going forward.
We already have seen the company packing high-end features to the existing Realme GT. The Realme GT 2 is also tipped to be equipped with premium-grade features including a 5G network support. Likewise, we can expect the Realme G1 to offer 5G connectivity.
It is yet to be revealed if this device will be a premium offering or an affordable 5G offering which is the latest trend. We hope some information to emerge soon on the same.
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Story first published: Monday, June 21, 2021, 17:55 [IST]


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Ask The Experts Segment
Recorded on May 5th, 2023
Bradley Pederson, Partner and CFO, takes the show this month with Bill Dean on KWLM and informs listeners on employee theft and the fraud triangles that can occur. 1 in 5 businesses have been impacted, so it’s a common issue.
Business owners need to be on the lookout and even employees can be stolen from since theft can happen at any paygrade level. Hear his own story of a client and dear friend who was impacted and learn tips to lessen your exposure.


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Canada’s annual inflation rate in June posted its biggest jump in more than nine years as restrictions imposed to curb the coronavirus outbreak were lifted, Statistics Canada said on Wednesday, Trend reports with reference to Reuters.
The rate jumped to 0.7% from a 0.4% decline in May. Analysts polled by Reuters had expected the annual rate to increase to 0.3% in May. The 1.1 percentage point matches the increase seen between February and March 2011.
The main drivers of growth were recovering prices for energy, food, as well as goods such as passenger vehicles, clothing and footwear, Statscan said.
Gasoline prices declined by 15.7% compared to a 29.8% plunge in May “mainly as a result of higher demand coinciding with the gradual reopening of businesses and public services, as well as a general increase in local travel in June”, it added.
Meat prices rose 8.1% from June 2019. Overall, prices rose in nine of the 10 provinces.


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Free online hot sex chat no credit cards or sign up at all
Some of that is happening in Omaha in one of the world’s largest academic, nonprofit, industry-neutral facilities for testing implant devices.
It offers you the perfect opportunity to check out webcam girls without having to show your credit card.
This is the highest figure since the start of 2009, shortly after the taxpayer bailouts of RBS and Lloyds.
The picture is even more worrying on other unsecured borrowing, including personal loans and car finance, with 30.3 per cent more lenders reporting an increase in customers missing repayments.
These are the worst figures since the height of the credit crisis at the end of 2008.
Almost £200billion in consumer credit is owed in total – an average of around £7,700 per household – and this figure does not even include mortgages.


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Business executives remain pessimistic about Australia’s economic outlook amid expectations that conditions will deteriorate in the December quarter.
According to Dun & Bradstreet’s (D&B) Business Expectations Survey sales and profits growth expectations have now fallen by 42 and 41 points respectively since the December quarter 2007.
Interest rates remain a major concern – 38 per cent of executives ranked high rates as most likely to impact their business in the December quarter – up from 33 per cent last quarter.
Petrol price concerns fell ten per cent but still remain high at 37 per cent; wage price growth concern surged by four per cent to 21 per cent.
D&B CEO Christine Christian said last week’s RBA interest rate cut would be welcomed by business executives.
“[It] supports expectations that conditions will slow further, at least in the short term. Despite this, the rate cut will be welcomed by executives due to its likely flow on effects on spending and investment,” she said.
If you’re feeling overworked and overwhelmed in this fast-paced mortgage market, it’s time to make some changes, and the Business Accelerator Program can help! Early bird tickets are on sale now. Work smarter, not harder, this year.
It is “unacceptable” that turnaround times in branches can be...
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Af&co: 10 food and business trends for 2020
San Francisco-based firm releases hospitality predictions including Food Trend of the Year and Cuisine of the Year
Af&co., a San Francisco-based consultancy, released the 12th edition of its much-anticipated hospitality trends report.
The 2020 report, put together by the company’s trend hunters, is titled “We’re Not in Kansas Anymore: Navigating the Unfamiliar Landscape of Today’s Hospitality Industry.” Company founder Andrew Freeman said the survey, based on nationwide research, reflects the fundamental shifts in the industry.
New rules apply, and those who “act boldly” will fare the best, he said.
“In times of uncertainty, creative leaders thrive. Our hospitality trend predictions will encourage restaurants to think and act boldly in a new and unfamiliar world,” Freeman said.
The 2020 report includes Food Trend of the Year, Cuisine of the Year, Dish of the Year and business trends impacting the industry.
Take a look at the gallery:
“Jerusalem bagels aren’t bagels at all, but similar to simit, a sesame seed topped Turkish flatbread, with an elongated ring shape. The texture is softer and more bread-like then your basic bagel and it is used more for dipping than for schmearing – traditionally in olive oil and za’atar,” the report states.
The unconventional bagels are large and served with a variety of unexpected dips such as za’atar and olive oil.
Restaurants to watch: Aba in Chicago, shown, Breads Bagelry in Brooklyn and K’Far in Philadelphia.


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The NFL is kicking off a Christmas decoration sale in January with a special Christmas Day sale that will include more than 100,000 individual NFL decals, a number that includes Christmas Eve’s 1 million decals sold.
The NFL will be auctioning off 1,500 of the 1,100,000 decals in a Christmas Day sales beginning at 10 a.m.
ET Monday on the NFL.com website.
The decals will be for sale through Dec. 14, and the NFL has not yet decided which players will receive the decals.
Players will be able to bid on their own NFL decal and then the NFL will pay the bidder the price, with the winning bid receiving 1,000 NFL decression.
Decals are available for $3 to $5 each and can be found in the NFL Store.
The league is also launching a special Valentine’s Day sale with more than 1 million individual NFL designs.
The league has a few thousand designs to go with 1 million NFL decales.
The NFL Store is selling the 1 million designs for $5.00.
The Dec. 15 sale will include 2,000,000 overall NFL decalis, which includes the NFL decale and one NFL-licensed design.
The decals are sold through the NFL store.
The sale is available on the Dec. 1 NFL website.


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Gold Futures Settle Lower, Post First Weekly Loss In Five Weeks
Gold futures settled lower on Friday, weighed down by a firm dollar and higher Treasury yields.
Following today’s loss, gold futures posted a weekly loss, after recording gains in the previous four weeks.
The dollar index, which slid to 92.33 in the Asian session, rallied to 92.60 by mid afternoon, gaining about 0.13%.
The yield on 10-Year U.S. Treasury Note increased to 1.336%.
Gold futures for December ended down by $7.90 or about 0.4% at $1,792.10 anounce. Gold futures shed about 2.3% this week.
Silver futures for December closed lower by $0.277 or about 1.2% at $23.900 an ounce. Silver futures shed nearly 3.6% in the week.
Copper futures for December settled at $4.4520 per pound, gaining $0.1665 or nearly 4% in the session. Copper futures gained about 2.7% this week.
In economic news, producer prices in the U.S. increased by slightly more than expected in the month of August, according to a report released by the Labor Department.
The Labor Department said its producer price index for final demand climbed by 0.7% in August after jumping by 1% for two straight months. Economists had expected producer prices to increase by 0.6%.
A report released by the Commerce Department showed wholesale inventories in the U.S. increased in line with economist estimates in the month of July.
The report said wholesale inventories rose by 0.6% in July after jumping by 1.2% in June. The increase matched expectations as well as the preliminary estimate.
A Weeknight Pasta That Finds Freedom in the Familiar
There’s so much opportunity in a kitchen rut, Yotam Ottolenghi writes, and this generous pasta-bean-pesto dish proves just that.
By Yotam Ottolenghi
This Salad Is a Party
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The S&P 500 drops for a fifth day, its worst stretch since February.
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Julie Salamon, the author of a 1991 book about the filming of “The Bonfire of the Vanities,” returns to Hollywood history — and her own.
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Say Hello to the Tortizza, a Dinner Life Raft
These tortilla pizzas, topped with crunchy vegetables and salty feta, couldn’t be easier to make.
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Competition is intense for authors writing about the last administration.
By Steve Brodner
European Economics Preview: UK Monthly GDP Data Due
Monthly GDP and foreign trade figures are due from the UK on Friday, headlining a busy day for the European economic news.
At 2.00 am ET, the Office for National Statistics releases UK GDP, industrial output and foreign trade figures. The economy is forecast to grow 0.6 percent on month in July, slower than the 1 percent expansion seen in June.
The UK visible trade deficit is seen at GBP 11 billion compared to a -GBP 11.98 billion shortfall in June.
In the meantime, Destatis publishes Germany’s final consumer prices for August. The statistical office is expected to confirm consumer price growth of 3.9 percent.
Also, consumer prices from Norway and Denmark are due.
At 2.45 am ET, France statistical office Insee releases industrial production for July. Economists expect production to grow 0.4 percent on month after rising 0.5 percent in June.
At 3.00 am ET, Spain’s INE publishes industrial production data for July. Production is forecast to expand 5.9 percent on year, following a 11.1 percent rise in June.
Consumer prices from the Czech Republic and unemployment from Turkey are also due.
At 4.00 am ET, Italy’s industrial production data is due. Economists forecast industrial output to rise 0.1 percent on month in July after climbing 1 percent in June.
At 6.30 am ET, Russia’s central bank announces its interest rate decision. The bank is widely expected to hike its key rate to 7.00 percent from 6.50 percent.
Juratoys Recalls Janod Children’s Shaving Kits Toys
Juratoys has recalled about 13,600 Janod children’s shaving kits toys due to violation of federal phthalate ban.
According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, the brown trim of the shaving kit bags contains levels of a regulated phthalate that exceed the prohibition of specific phthalates.
Phthalates are a group of chemicals used to make plastics more durable. Phthalates are in hundreds of products, such as vinyl flooring, lubricating oils, and personal-care products. Banned phthalates are toxic if ingested by young children and can cause adverse health issues.
The recall involves Janod Shaving Kit toys. The kit’s blue fabric zippered bag with brown trim and imitation leather handle holds the following wood components: mustache-shaped scissors, mirror, mustache-shaped comb, cologne bottle, shaving brush, shaving cream bottle and shaver.
The company has not received any incidents regarding the recalled products, but has asked customers to immediately stop using the product and return it to the place of purchase for a full refund.
The product was sold at Nordstrom, Crate and Barrel, and Barnes and Noble stores nationwide as well as on online at Amazon.com, Maisonnette.com, Nordstrom.com, CrateandBarrel.com, and Bn.com for about $30.


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Mary Lou Jepsen, head of the display division for Google’s notoriously secret hardware innovation lab, Google X–which is building the Google Glass head-worn computer–took the stage at EmTech Thursday to talk about innovation, creativity, and, naturally, wearable computing.
While Jepsen apologized a few times for being unable to divulge what, specifically, she’s working on over at Google (“Sergey insists,” she said apologetically at one point, referring to company cofounder Sergey Brin), she did share a number of thoughts related to her division and the changing face of consumer electronics, among other topics. Below are some of her distilled thoughts.
- She believes wearable computers are “a way of amplifying you,” saying that for years she felt that a laptop is an extension of her mind. “It’s coming. I don’t think it’s stoppable,” she said of wearable devices like Glass, adding that it makes it much faster to do things like take photos, and “you become addicted to the speed of it, and it lets you do more fast and easily.”
- Ten years from now, assuming we can’t cure neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s, she expects human-computer interfaces (such as the red Google Glass she wore around her neck, presumably) to be able to do things like identify the people around you.
- She pointed out the importance of varied design in making commercially successful smart watches, similar to the different kinds of clothes we all wear.
- Despite keeping her mouth shut about what she and her team are building, she indicates they’re working hard, saying they’re “maybe sleeping three hours a night to bring the technology forward,” and that we may see what they’re working on next year.
- She stressed that industrial design and user experience design are “not the whole product,” when it comes to consumer electronics, and that, if you really think about it, the existence of the laptop was made possible by the creation of the liquid-crystal display, and tablets by further innovations in hardware. “There’s only so much you can do by styling the housing and icons,” she said. “I think there’s a lot of room for diversity and innovation of approach here.”
- She also stressed the importance of understanding from early on in the product-development cycle about how what you’re making will scale.
- She says Google’s driverless car, which the company has long been testing on California’s roads, is “safer than a regular driver now,” and that Google has driven more miles with its driverless car than the ground covered by all other driverless cars combined.
- She noted the importance of innovation at any age. “I don’t think any one of us has an excuse on why we can’t get up and do something really big, really bold,” she said. <
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Justin Bieber was just rear-ended! Ew, not THAT way!
And you KNOW how much Justin LOVES photographers.
Justin afterwards invoked Princess Diana in a tweet he sent out to his followers about the incident:
[Image via Twitter.]
So far, Believe has sold 374,000 copies in just its first week alone, beating out even Madonna for the most first-week sales of 2012 thus far!
At only 18 years old, Bieber already has four number one albums — Under The Mistletoe, Never Say Never: The Remixes, My World 2.0 and now, Believe!
As for second place on the Billboard 200?
Guess no one stands much of a chance when it comes to those Beliebers and their man! LOLz!
[Image via Ramey Pix.]


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- World Economic Forum produces toolkit in collaboration with Dubai Future Foundation and the World Economic Forum Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution UAE
- World Economic Forum Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution UAE to improve organisations’ vital tech infrastructure post pandemic
- Need for greater transparency and visibility of supply chains has been highlighted by COVID-19 outbreak, blockchain technologies provide answers
In collaboration with the Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution UAE and Dubai Future Foundation (DFF), the World Economic Forum has released a comprehensive blockchain toolkit to offer businesses and organisations new, industry-tested solutions to the urgent issues impeding global supply chains, which have been exposed by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
The Redesigning Trust toolkit provides tools, resources, industry insights and best practices for organisations seeking ways to improve traceability, visibility, accountability and end-to-end, real-time communications for businesses bug and small.
The toolkit has been developed through deep analysis of projects and use cases of more than 100 blockchain stakeholders from more than 60 public- and private-sector entities across the world focused on supply chain logistics, including prominent work and feedback from the Dubai Future Foundation and World Economic Forum Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution UAE.
Commenting on the release of the toolkit, Abdulaziz AlJaziri, Deputy CEO and Chief Operating Officer of Dubai Future Foundation, said: “As a test-bed for technological innovations and ideas that drive transformations in vital industries, DFF’s contribution to the toolkit will greatly benefit decision-makers, entrepreneurs and businesses in defining their future strategies.
He added: “The pivotal role DFF played in formulating and executing the Forum’s seminal blockchain toolkit is an example of how our expertise directly contributes to pathfinding, and how our solutions-oriented approach to major global issues can provide opportunities for the wider world beyond Dubai and the region.”
Ahead of the toolkit’s release, it was trialled by DFF and World Economic Forum Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution UAE, with the Abu Dhabi Digital Authority, to offer real-world feedback on its use and effectiveness, in addition to providing alignment with the UAE’s blockchain infrastructure development strategy. The outcomes and insights derived from the trial were shared and incorporated into the final publication.
The UAE and DFF also played crucial research roles in the formulation of the toolkit with a whitepaper penned by World Economic Forum Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution UAE entitled Inclusive Deployment of Blockchain: Case Studies and Learnings from the United Arab Emirates. The paper identified that common challenges to further blockchain deployment across vital sectors are linked to operational and regulatory uncertainties, as opposed to technical factors. The challenge was not about identifying the right blockchain technology for a specific need, the paper found, rather it was about providing supportive structures to sustain blockchain technology.
Mariam Al Muhairi, Project Manager World Economic Forum Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution UAE at Dubai Future Foundation, said: “The role blockchain technologies can play in the economic recovery post the COVID-19 disruption will be critical. The upheaval has dislocated economies and ecosystems, and has hindered supply chains because of a lack of transparency, visibility and traceability on goods being moved around the world.
She added: “Moving forward, there must be an emphasis on rebuilding global trade networks by learning and putting into practice the lessons emerging from this pandemic. The solutions that blockchain technology provides, outlined in the Redesigning Trust toolkit, can go a long way to future-proofing and safeguarding businesses in the recovery and adaptation to the new normal.”
Nadia Hewett, Blockchain and Digital Currency Project Lead, World Economic Forum said: “When developing governance for emerging technologies, the exchange of knowledge and need for collaboration are key. For this reason, contributors of Forum’s blockchain deployment toolkit included a diverse group of leaders from governments, companies, start-ups, academic institutions, civil society, international organizations and experts from across the globe,”
Hewett added: “The United Arab Emirates played an integral role in shaping the toolkit. We are grateful to the World Economic Forum Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution UAE and the Dubai Future Foundation for driving inclusive deployment of blockchain technologies and for sharing tried-and-tested lessons and best practices to benefit all.”
With over four trillion consumer products made and shipped around the world each year, from vital medical supplies to home office furniture and supplies that can help SMEs and start-ups continue to provide a robust backbone to emerging economic, the need for greater efficiencies, resilience and adaptability is clear, and the Forum’s blockchain toolkit provides insights for public and private sector entities to re-enter and compete across markets.


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Lower Prices Than Big Box Stores !
We remain OPEN for BUSINESS during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak we have been carefully following the advice of Alberta health authorities and respected government officials. As you likely know the Alberta government has ordered the closure of all non-essential businesses in the Province of Alberta effective Friday, March 27, 2020. Our industry has been deemed an essential service due to the nature of the equipment we repair and sell. Equipment Express will continue to be open to support our customers while following all guidelines provided by Alberta Health Services.
Lawn Care Equipment
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SAN FRANCISCO, March 2, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Instacart, the leading online grocery platform in North America, today announced it has raised $265 million as part of a new financing round led by existing investors including Andreessen Horowitz, Sequoia Capital, D1 Capital Partners, Fidelity Management & Research Company LLC, and T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc. This investment comes as the adoption of online grocery has accelerated and consumer demand for Instacart's delivery and pickup services continues to grow. Today's announcement increases the company's valuation to $39 billion.
"Today's fundraising reflects the strength of Instacart's business, the growth our teams have delivered and the incredible opportunity ahead," said Nick Giovanni, Chief Financial Officer for Instacart. "This past year ushered in a new normal, changing the way people shop for groceries and goods. While grocery is the world's largest retail category with annual spend of $1.3 trillion in North America alone, it's still in the early stages of its digital transformation. As online grocery penetration increases over the coming years, we'll continue to invest in our people, products and partners to support all of the communities we serve."
Instacart expects to deploy the new capital in a number of ways, including increasing its corporate headcount by 50% in 2021, as well as further investing in several key areas such as the Instacart Marketplace, which connects customers and retailers; Instacart Advertising, which enables Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) companies of all sizes to reach customers shopping online; and Instacart Enterprise, which supports the entire grocery ecosystem by offering end-to-end ecommerce solutions for retailers.
"The Instacart team unlocked one of the most operationally complex industries and brought it online to the benefit of the entire grocery ecosystem. As a long time investor, we've been incredibly impressed by the team's resilience and how they met the moment of 2020," said Jeff Jordan, Managing Partner at Andreessen Horowitz. "We believe this is just the beginning for online grocery and Instacart is well-positioned to continue to lead in this emerging space."
"Sequoia has been a consistent investor in Instacart since 2013 when we formed our original partnership and the online grocery market was still in its infancy," said Michael Moritz, Partner at Sequoia Capital. "Now, eight years later, Instacart, which has delivered groceries and goods for millions of customers across North America, is the category leader and fulfilling its role as a vital service for consumers, a reliable partner for retailers and an effective platform for advertisers."
"We were impressed with Instacart's ability to meet surging demand in 2020 and are excited to further invest," said Dan Sundheim, Founder of D1 Capital Partners. "We remain bullish about the future of the online grocery space and believe the opportunity in front of Instacart is significant, particularly as the company scales its Instacart Advertising and Instacart Enterprise offerings to help serve its grocery partners."
"Instacart has clearly proved its value for millions of customers, thousands of shoppers, and hundreds of retailers," said Andrew Davis, Director of Private Investments at T. Rowe Price. "We are pleased to continue to invest in Instacart to scale its growth plans and bring more benefits to the grocery e-commerce ecosystem."
Today, Instacart partners with nearly 600 national, regional and local retailers, including unique brand names, to offer delivery and pickup services from more than 45,000 stores to over 85% of U.S. households and 70% of Canadian households. In 2020, the company added more than 200 new retailers and more than 15,000 new store locations to the Instacart marketplace. The company also expanded its same-day delivery and pickup offering across several new categories, including prescriptions and over-the-counter medications, office supplies, electronics, health, beauty and wellness, home decor, sports equipment, and more.
Instacart is the leading online grocery platform in North America. Instacart shoppers offer same-day delivery and pickup services to bring fresh groceries and everyday essentials to busy people and families across the U.S. and Canada. Instacart has partnered with nearly 600 beloved national, regional and local retailers, including unique brand names, to deliver from more than 45,000 stores across more than 5,500 cities in North America. Instacart's delivery service is available to over 85% of U.S. households and 70% of Canadian households. The company's cutting-edge enterprise technology also powers the ecommerce platforms of some of the world's biggest retail players, supporting their white-label websites, applications and delivery solutions. Instacart offers an Instacart Express membership that includes reduced service fees and unlimited free delivery on orders over $35. For more information, visit www.instacart.com. For anyone interested in becoming an Instacart shopper, visit https://shoppers.instacart.com/.


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- You are here:
- banned ads
In what can only be described as a growing trend, another automaker finds itself in trouble for an ad that critics are calling offensive. A new television and internet ad for the Chevrolet Trax subcompact crossover is under fire for its soundtrack, which a Chinese newspaper has labeled ...
There's a surprisingly long and storied history of automakers creating suicide-themed advertisements. You'd think the companies and their marketing firms would have figured out by now that such ads always result in a swirl of backlash – see examples from Audi, Citroën, General Motors ...


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Redevelopment of Baltimore Suburb to Be a Model in Green
- May 12, 2008
General Growth Properties’ vision for Downtown Columbia, Md.’s renaissance will leave the master-planned community awash in green, the developer recently revealed to a crowd of area residents.Established 40 years ago, Columbia sits about 20 minutes outside of Baltimore. Chicago-headquartered GGP’s details on the extensive environmentally friendly elements that will be incorporated into the Town Center redevelopment endeavor were presented last week at GGP’s headquarters, according to the Baltimore Sun. The sustainable aspects of the project will include green roofs, solar arrays and storm-water management concealed as civic art, as well as preserved wetland areas. Landscape architect Keith Bowers of Biohabitats is on board as one of the designers overseeing the goal of creating the green enclave. While the project is not currently deemed a transit-oriented-development, experts predict that new commercial and residential product will prompt the addition of new transit options to the area. Public presentation of these newest details came just days after the company unveiled its overall plan for the project. The initial phase will encompass 300,000 square feet of retail offerings, 200,000 square feet of office space, a hotel and a skating rink with the capacity to be transformed into an open-air market. Specifics about residential components are presently being hashed out and will be publicized in June. GGP intends to present its master plan to Howard County officials this summer. One of the largest REITs in the country, GGP owns, develops and manages shopping malls in 45 states, and master planned communities in Nevada, Texas and Maryland. As of January, the company’s portfolio of owned and/or managed properties encompasses over 200 regional shopping malls accounting for an aggregate 200 million square feet of space. GGP stock opened today at $41.23.


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Economic Operation of China’s Motorcycle Industry in the 1st Half of 2021
China’s Economic operation of China’ motorcycle industry in the first half of 2021
The production, sales and export of fuel and electric motorcycles have continued to grow rapidly
According to the data of China Chamber of Commerce for Motorcycle, from January to June this year, the cumulative production of the entire motorcycle industry was 9,925,200 units, and the sales totaled 9,928,400 units, with year-on-year growth of 31.24% and 29.91% respectively. Among them, the production of fuel motorcycles was 7,989,900 units and the sales were 8,082,000 units (including inventory), up 36.14% and 35.02% respectively. The production of electric motorcycles was 1,935,400 units and the sales were 1,900,100 units, up 14.26% and 12% respectively. In the first half of this year, the export value of fuel motorcycle reached USD3.315 billion, up 68.30% year on year, and the export quantity was 5,788,300 units, up 53.88% year on year.
Figure 1: Monthly export of fuel motorcycles in the first half of 2021
Both the import and export of motorcycle parts increased by more than 50%
In the first half of this year, China’s cumulative export value of motorcycle parts was USD2.423 billion, a year-on-year increase of 64.72%, a month-on-month increase of 69.44%: imports amounted to USD66.1107 million, up 71.89% year-on-year and 84.46% month-on-month.
Figure 2: Monthly export of motorcycle parts in the first half of 021
The export unit price of complete motorcycles and parts has increased steadily, relieving the price pressure of rising raw material costs
In the first half of this year, the average unit price of Chinese fuel motorcycles was USD572.76, up 9.37% year-on-year and 6.74% month-on-month. Among them, 100cc-125cc motorcycles generated the largest export value, with an average unit price of USD518.38, up 9.37% year on year. Motorcycle parts were exported at USD5.11/kg, with year-on-year growth of 16.93%. Although the production cost of enterprises increased, some enterprises have established close ties with the upstream raw material enterprises to ensure the stability of supply chain and reasonable control of supply, so as to stabilize the procurement costs. Many leading enterprises have strong bargaining power, and reasonably transfer the cost pressure to the terminal products, thus temporarily relieving the pressure by raising the prices.
Mexico, Togo and the Philippines are the top three export destinations of Chinese motorcycles
From January to June, China exported 5,788,300 motorcycles, up 53.88% year on year, with the export value reaching USD3.315 billion, up 68.30% year on year. The added value and technical content of complete motorcycles were further improved, and the average unit price of export was close to USD572.76, up 9.37% year on year, which was the highest value in the past three years. Exports in February doubled to USD483 million, up 187.39% year on year. In the first half of this year, China exported 579,900 units to Mexico, 393,300 units to Togo and 390,200 units to the Philippines, up 52.03%, 86.94% and 83.56% year-on-year, respectively. Exports to Latin America, North America and Oceania countries increased significantly, with export value rising by 113.97%, 129.82% and 119.59% year-on-year respectively. The exports to Algeria declined a lot recently, with 2,271 units exported, down 90.52% year on year.
From January to June, China’s export of motorcycle parts was USD2.423 billion, with a year-on-year increase of 64.72%, which was the highest export growth rate in the past three years. Among the parts export destinations, the top three were Vietnam, India and Indonesia. The export to Vietnam were USD172 million, with a year-on-year growth of 66.56%. The export to India was USD172 million, up 58.09% year on year. The export to Indonesia reached USD157 million, up 75.62% year on year. In addition, among the top ten destination countries and regions, the export to the Philippines and Thailand increased by more than 100%. China’s export of motorcycle parts to Asian countries accounts for a large amount and a relatively high proportion. If we make good use of the RCEP policies in the future, China’s export to ASEAN, Japan, Australia, New Zealand and other countries will have broader space for growth.
Operation characteristics of China’s motorcycle industry in the 1st half of the year
Independent brands develop products based on consumption attributes and trends
At the 2021 Beijing International Motorcycle Exhibition, Qianjiang continued to promote the “Guochao” products featuring Chinese fashion elements: Chinese red +Chinese characters; CFMOTO 800MT with Tank 300 SUV was jointly released a collaboration product to enhance the popularity of the new product via joint marketing. In the first half of this year, YADEA launched a new high-end lithium battery brand, VFLY. The motorcycle industry has made continuous progress and started to step out of the homogeneous and low-cost competition. The improvement of product quality and the diversification of consumer demands catalyze the consumption upgrading of the whole industry. With fast response and more accurate market understanding and positioning, Chinese independent brands constantly adjust product concept and design, create new products, and improve business efficiency.
Independently-developed product lines enriched; Chinese super-large displacement market attracted overseas attention
With the continuous breakthrough of technology, the full displacement matrix is gradually formed. Among the five new products presented by Qianjiang at the Beijing International Motorcycle Exhibition, three models are bigger than 650cc, and the new products launched by CFMOTO are all larger than 650cc. More large displacement products are launched to compete with the imported products. Foreign brands have paid more attention to the Chinese market. Many international famous brands appeared at the motorcycle show in May, but their focus was on large displacement products and those with a unit price of more than RMB100,000.
Multiple factors drive the rapid development of electric motorcycles
The power battery industries of European countries have been determined to develop lithium batteries, and the process of electrification accelerated. Many Southeast Asian countries have deployed carbon emission plans, and the trend of switching from fuel to electricity will boom. Electric motorcycles are expected to see rapid growth. China’s domestic consumer groups generally accept electric motorcycles. In addition, product replacement will drive the growth of production and sales. At present, China’s electric motorcycle industry chain is relatively mature, and we can reasonably explore overseas channels, transform competitiveness with the advantages of industry chain and open the new domains.
Operation of the upstream and downstream industries
Raw material prices rose sharply
COVID-19 greatly impacted and partly changed the structure of the global industrial chain. Motorcycle downstream industries are concentrated in China, which are likely to be affected when the raw material suppliers are suspended in production and circulation, which means rising price of raw materials. The prices of some industrial goods reached record highs in the first half of the year, with the biggest price increase in metals. Soaring iron ore and copper prices caused much pressure on motorcycle enterprises. While the companies have tried to negotiate prices with customers, the latest export data showed that the rise in unit prices could not match that in raw material prices. Starting in June, the FOMC signaled adjustment of global commodity prices. In addition, the National Food and Strategic Reserves Administration released the raw material reserves to cool down the rapidly rising metal prices, and the prices are expected to remain low in the short term.
Worsened sea transport increases the pressure of the industry
Since last year, the shipping cost has been rising repeatedly, and there were additional charges recently, which worsened the shipping situation. The major ports in the world were seriously congested, the shipping schedule was further delayed, the overall delivery time was greatly extended, the transport capacity was seriously reduced, and the warehouses were in serious short supply. With the popular market demand, freight charge rocketed. Plus other factors such as exchange rate, Chinese motorcycle enterprises were under greater pressure.
The purchasing managers’ index fell slightly and export expansion slowed
Since the second quarter, the purchasing managers’ index has been falling month by month, but the expansion rate slowed. The production index was 51.9% in June, down 0.8 percentage points from the previous month, and the new export orders index was 48.1%, down 0.2 percentage points from the previous month, indicating a decline in overseas orders of the manufacturing industry. As the gap between supply and demand has narrowed, the export growth of Chinese motorcycles may gradually cool down.
4.Operation trend forecast for the 2nd half of 2021
In view of the above factors, it is expected that the annual production of motorcycles will basically level or increase slightly. Chinese motorcycle enterprises will pay more attention to product innovation and changing management and operation ideas. The industry will enter a period of high-quality development. In addition, the implementation of RCEP policies and the promotion of emission peak and carbon neutrality are expected to drive the electrification of motorcycles in the long term.


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Five people have been convicted of a multi-million pound conspiracy to sell fake Viagra in the largest ever counterfeit drugs case in the UK.
Thousands of customers bought the tablets for up to £20 each but many complained they had no effect or caused nausea.
The pills were manufactured in factories in China and Pakistan, smuggled into Britain, repackaged and sold online to customers in the US, UK and Bahamas.
A trial at Kingston crown court heard the products were almost identical to the real thing, with carefully forged packaging, logos and patient information leaflets.
Jurors were told only an expert who knew exactly what to look for would be able to spot the counterfeit.
The medicines contained around 90% of the normal active ingredient found in the authentic tablets - but regulators said customers were put in danger because of other possible ingredients.
Salesman Gary Haywood, 58, student Ashwin Patel, 24, and businessman Zahid Mirza, 45, of Ilford, were all found guilty last month of taking part in the conspiracy. Two other defendants have not yet been named.
Reporting restrictions on the seven-month trial were finally lifted today.
The court was told that the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) was aware of problems with fake Viagra on the market in America but did not believe the tablets had been smuggled into the UK.
A chance seizure of thousands of tablets alerted the MHRA to a massive manufacturing and supply ring.
The prosecutor, Sandip Patel, told the court: "This was an inquiry which would in due course prove in its breadth and depth unparalleled in the history of the MHRA.
"The geographical spread was global and the financial rewards were immense."
A spokesman for the MHRA said: "There is no such thing as a safe counterfeit. For all we know they could have been made in someone's garden shed."


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Cockermouth hairdresser gets her teeth into new business
Last updated at 19:43, Thursday, 05 April 2012
A Cockermouth woman’s passion for cooking has led her to open a new sandwich bar in the town.
Wendy Beattie, owner of Wendy’s Hair Salon in Main Street, who also owned Beatford’s in Lowther Went, has decided to open the sandwich bar after choosing to follow a different career path to hairdressing.
She has moved into premises below the salon, Munchiez, and is to name the new business Oasis.
Wendy still owns the building but no longer manages the salon, which was one of the first businesses to recover after the 2009 floods.
It is the first time the ground-floor space has been used since the refurbishment after the floods.
Mrs Beattie, who owns the business with husband Derek, said: “We own the building and I get most satisfaction out of cooking so I just decided to give it a go.”
All of Wendy’s sandwiches will be home made and locally sourced and she will also have home-made soup and specials available every day.
First published at 19:23, Thursday, 05 April 2012
Published by http://www.timesandstar.co.uk
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Video game company aims to open Raleigh office, hire 100
- Leo John
A Minneapolis video game developer and publisher said Tuesday it will open a studio in Raleigh and hire about 100 people at the location.
Destineer, which is backed by almost $20 million in financing from private equity groups and distribution agreements, plans to open a 16,000-square foot office near the RBC Center, according to Peter Tamte, president of Destineer. He declined to provide details of the location until a lease is signed.
Tamte says the Raleigh studio will hire software engineers, 3-D artists, game designers, quality assurance employees and administrative employees over the next two years. The office is set to open Aug. 28.
Tamte says the decision to open the Raleigh office came because of the Triangle's "strong existing video game development community, three of the nation's top universities" and the area's low housing costs. Also, Destineer's creative director, Juan Benito, was previously a co-founder of Morrisville-based game company Red Storm Entertainment.
If it pans out, such rapid hiring would make the Raleigh studio Destineer's second largest. The company currently employs 70, including 65 at the Minneapolis headquarters. That location is set to grow to about 120 in the next two years, says Tamte.
Destineer makes commercial video games for personal computers and video game consoles, and creates training simulation systems for military, intelligence and first-responder organizations.
In April, Destineer raised $12 million in funding from private equity firm The Exxel Group. Last year, the company raised an undisclosed amount from In-Q-Tel, a private venture capital firm funded by the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency.
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Asda has gone into partnership with bakery giant Greggs to launch counters inside its stores.
The trial, which rolls out next month, will be launched in five Asda stores in Boldon, Corby, Huyton, Wigan and Eastlands.
Asda is the first UK supermarket to bring Greggs concessions into its stores. It said the counters would offer the same range of products found in Greggs’ standalone shops, and would have separate checkouts.
The move comes after Asda last month announced it was to replace its fresh meat and fish counters with a new food-for-now offer, including food-to-go and delivery services.
It said it planned to roll out at least 35 of the new formats by the end of the first quarter, and 150 by the end of the year, with trials launched last year in 13 stores.
The link up with Greggs follows other partnerships, with KellyDeli brand Sushi Daily and Just Eat.
“Continuing our ‘test and learn’ approach to our partnership strategy into 2020, we are pleased to be kicking off this year’s activity with Greggs in the first of a series of trials,” said Asda chief strategy officer Preyash Thakrar. “We are constantly looking for new ways to increase customer choice, and by partnering with brands that fit with our core values of great quality and great value - like Greggs - we’re excited to be able to give our customers access to something new in store that we know they will love.
“Greggs is a much-loved brand, well known for offering great-tasting, freshly prepared food at great value, and with their focus on launching innovative new products, as well as supporting communities where it counts, we think these concessions will be very well received by our customers.”
Greggs said it was recruiting for a number of in-store roles to man the counters.
“We are delighted to be teaming up with Asda to trial in-store concessions,” said Greggs business development and property director Raymond Reynolds.
“We know that high-quality food on the go and convenience go hand in hand, and this trial gives us the opportunity to bring our range of products to more customers in new locations.”


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One of the bumps along the road for roboticists is the amazing human hand, which allows Amazon’s pickers to pack boxes to be shipped to customers. Interestingly, Amazon has scheduled another picking challenge, where robot technology teams will compete for a big cash prize and a possible deal with the company.
Below, Amazon’s orange Kiva robots scoot under appropriate racks of merchandise to bring the ordered items to a human picker who packs the boxes for shipping.
Below are details about Amazon’s Robotics Challenge which will take place July 27-30 in Japan. The search is for a machine that “can recognize objects, grab them, execute tasks, detect errors and recover as needed” which sounds a lot like the picker job. Clearly Amazon’s goal is to find a machine that can at least partially replace the company’s human pickers.
With robotics technology advancing so rapidly, it seems unwise for the US government to continue importing immigrant workers. They will soon be unneeded, if they aren’t already.
Amazon is offering $250,000 to a team that comes up with an advanced robot for its warehouses, CNBC, May 10, 2017
Amazon is offering $250,000 to teams who invent robots that could potentially work in their massive fulfillment centers, and it has chosen 16 finalists for a tournament it is organizing later this year, the company said on Wednesday.
The e-commerce giant is running its third annual Robotics Challenge this year in July in Japan and has picked finalists from across the world. There are competitors from major U.S. institutions such as the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Princeton and Carnegie Mellon University.
Participants will need to show that their robot software and hardware can recognize objects, grab them, execute tasks, detect errors and recover as needed. The robots will be scored by how many items are successfully picked and stowed in a fixed amount of time, Amazon said.
The Seattle-based firm has been working on making the whole process from placing an order to delivery more efficient as it looks to cut down the time a person has to wait for a package. One major part of the process is choosing and packing items in a fulfillment center.
Amazon currently has more than 80,000 automated robots in its warehouses globally. The robots currently use wheeled systems which carry and transport products around a fulfillment center. But it is now looking for more advanced mechanisms.
“Commercially viable automated picking in unstructured environments still remains a difficult challenge,” an explanation on the Amazon Robotics website reads.
This refers to a robot being able to roam a warehouse where items may not be in an order that can be easily decoded by software. While the current wheeled robots are limited, Amazon is hoping its robotics challenge could uncover a system to take their warehouses to the next level.
Amazon bought a company in 2012 called Kiva which created these wheeled robots for warehouses. In 2015, Kiva’s name was officially changed to Amazon Robotics. Under this brand, Amazon is attempting to create next generation robots.
Its fulfillment centers are just one part of the puzzle when it comes to fast deliveries for Amazon. The company is also testing deliveries by drone, for example, to speed up deliveries.


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Local businesses use crisis as time to change, try new things
SIKESTON — While many local businesses have been impacted by the COVID-19 crisis, some have used the pandemic as a time to change or explore new ideas.
“I knew right away that we needed to change, adjust and plan differently,” said Brooke Buchanan, owner of Personal Expressions. “I love our employee family and customers and didn’t want anyone to get lost in the changes.”
Buchanan said they have adjusted to the pandemic by trying to find ways to continue to pay employees and sell items by following the rules and regulations. While the doors to Personal Expressions were locked, they offered curbside delivery as well as contactless porch/mailbox delivery.
“This allowed one employee to work a day to man the social media posts, make videos to explain products, offer product knowledge and help inform our customers,” Buchanan said. “We also started offering products that I would have never imagined that we would sell, such as masks, hand sanitizer and cleaning products.”
The videos explaining products have been well received.
“We have found that videos are a great change for us — this will continue as well as curbside and door delivery in town,” Buchanan said. “Anything that helps our customers, is a change that we like.”
And Buchanan added she is extremely happy with her customers and how they have accepted the changes.
“Our customers are fantastic,” Buchanan said. “They have been so supportive of all of the changes as well as patient with products shipping delays.”
Along with many businesses, Personal Expressions is also paying closer attention to keeping their building clean.
“We have added disinfecting procedures to a daily schedule as well as in the process of purchasing a UV light to keep our credit card machines clean and disinfected as well,” Buchanan said. “We modified our hours to allow our more at-risk employees the opportunity to continue to work, but limit exposure. The days we are closed, allows them to come in and clean and check freight.
Bo’s BBQ also added extensive cleaning in the early stages of the COVID-19 crisis, including increased cleaning of “high touch” areas and all customer areas.
Bo’s also added online ordering (toasttab.com/bos-bbq) and curbside pickup.
“We were fortunate to have a drive thru already in place to accommodate customers,” said Chris Brannan of Bo’s BBQ. “We also increased our hours during the week to include the supper-time hours.”
Brannan said the online ordering was something that was being planned prior to the pandemic, but it wasn’t in use yet.
“I drug my feet a bit over the few months before COVID, but had the strong majority of the online system ready to launch,” Brannon said. “This is a great way for customers to order and be able to pick up their food at a specific time. If you haven’t tried the online ordering feature, I strongly encourage you to give it a try by phone, tablet or computer.”
The online ordering feature will stay as will the curbside service for the short term while their normal hours returned this week.
“The folks using the online ordering are really loving it,” Brannan said. “We have two to five orders per day through this channel. I encourage others to give it a try.”
Known for their breakfast for many years, Brannan is hoping the online ordering will help grow the lunch and supper crowds as well.
“If you haven’t eaten with us lately, please give us a try,” Brannan said. “Bo’s has gotten the reputation of a breakfast spot, but we have put a lot of effort into growing our lunch and supper crowds over the last few years. The most commented items have been our ribs and burgers.”
While adding online ordering, Brannan said they also used the time the dining area was closed to remodel their dining areas and bathrooms, including putting in new floors, ceilings and paint.
“It’s hard to paint the picture in words” Brannan said. “We wanted to give the customer experience more of a modern feel. We also wanted to open up the dining space as much as possible. I think we achieved these goals with the renovations.”
Jeremiah’s in Sikeston will also have a different look as they underwent an extensive remodel and redecorating.
“We’ve completely repainted the interior, purchased new seating and booths for the dining room,” said Phil Brinson, owner of Jeremiah’s. “We’ve replaced all of our lighting throughout the lounge and dining room. Remodeled our restrooms with new fixtures and we’ve landscaped our patio and entry way.”
Another big change was Jeremiah’s is now a non-smoking establishment. Smoking and vaping will only be allowed on their patio.
“Many of these changes had been planned and considered for some time before the COVID-19 shutdown,” Brinson said. “But the time required to complete the work was extensive and would have been extremely disruptive to our ongoing business. We felt this time shut down was a great opportunity for us to complete many of the changes we had wanted to make. The painting alone took several weeks to complete.”
Brinson said the changes have been well-received.
“I think all of the changes we’ve made have helped to create an atmosphere that’s even more comfortable, relaxing and enjoyable than it was before,” Brinson said. “Our guests seem to agree as their reaction has been overwhelming positive and enthusiastic.”
Along with the extensive remodel, Brinson said they also deep cleaned and freshened up the entire space inside and outside adding they are strictly adhering to government safety recommendations for sanitizing and social distancing which is limiting their seating capacity for the time being. They also have installed hand sanitizer at both entrances and have masks and gloves available for any guest that would like them.
“Jeremiah’s for many years has been blessed to have tremendous guest loyalty and support that makes it a joy for the staff to come in to work and serve our friends every day,” Brinson said. “Words cannot convey our gratitude to this community for their support. We feel the changes and improvements we’ve made is really just a way of saying thank you and giving back to our friends what they deserve. We’ve really missed them and are so happy to see them back.”


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Samsung Gear S2 functions and faces revealed in new video
Samsung is set to reveal the Samsung Gear S2 to the world in a few weeks, and today we’re getting a nice teaser ahead of the launch. A new Samsung Gear S2 video has surfaced that shows the smartwatch in action while revealing a little more about how things will work.
Consumers got a brief glimpse of the Samsung Gear S2 in action last week during Unpacked 2015. Unless you were at the event, you had to make due with blurry photos and Sammy didn’t really go in depth about their new wearable. Samsung still hasn’t given us any new details on the Samsung Gear S2 release, but the full video gives us an idea of what to expect from Tizen.
While short, the Samsung Gear S2 video shows some of the watch’s fitness features like the pedometer and heart rate monitor. One would assume it’s all tied into S Health although the Nike+ icon is shown so we know that app will be included along with others. As for the interface and that rotating bezel, it appears as if the rotation will allow you to choose between apps although we’re sure Sammy has other features baked in as well. With the watch faces, we’re still seeing the same handful shown in the original teaser, so there’s nothing new there.
Next month is going to be very interesting if you are in the market for a smartwatch. IFA is approaching and several companies will show off their new wearables including Samsung with the Samsung Gear S2. The video teaser still leaves a lot of questions unanswered, but we expect to learn more leading up to the big reveal at IFA 2015 on September 3rd.


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India’s market watchdog, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), is teaming up with RBI on its crypto contentions.
In a recent response to a parliamentary standing committee on finance, SEBI mentioned that it would be “hard to regulate crypto”, because the computer nodes housing them are highly decentralised and globally scattered. In addition, it also proposed establishing a separate crypto regulator. Notably, SEBI was the government’s go-to choice for functioning as the crypto regulator last year.
For long, India’s apex bank Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has regularly voiced its issues with crypto. The RBI’s stand on this matter has remained consistently hostile and unrelenting over the last 3-4 years, ever since crypto vociferously burst on the Indian financial scene. Time and again, it has reiterated crypto’s adverse potential to “financially destabilise” and “dollarize the Indian economy”.
While there is still no clarity on the legality of cryptocurrency in India, the government wants to treat them as virtual digital assets (VDA), and not as currencies.
Setting a global precedent of sorts, the United States is taking vast strides in defining digital assets cryptocurrencies. They will be classified as commodities, akin to wheat, sugar and oil. A recent bill in this regard, presented by senators Kirsten Gillibrand and Cynthia Lummis, would empower the country’s Commodity Future’s Trading Commission (CFTC) to monitor crypto-related activities.
This continues in concurrence with their Security and Exchange Commission investigating exchanges like Binance and Gemini for potential security contract regulations.
SEBI suggested that RBI oversee the money-laundering and KYC-related crypto procedures. And in order to protect investor interest, the Consumer Protection Act could be brought into play. The regulatory authority has always been extremely high on guarding investors from going mindlessly after celebrity crypto endorsements without doing adequate research of their own.
Just last month, it rapped and banned prominent celebrities and influencers from promoting “unregulated crypto”. If the celebrities are found at the forefront of a misleading advertisement or claim, they could be fined anywhere between Rs 10-50 lakh. They could also be banned from endorsing any other product for about three years.
However, many fin-fluencers on Instagram continue to make a case for crypto. Remember advertisements of Ayushmann Khurana and Ranveer Singh going gung-ho over investing in crypto last year?
While the ads were discontinued shortly after, some now think of a blanket ban as an extreme step. Like Ayush Shukla, who founded influencer marketing and talent management agency Finnet Media. “We are witnessing a really volatile crypto market right now. The Terra stablecoin fiasco has washed off a lot of money of a lot of people. Many have mindlessly invested in crypto without research and just due to FOMO [fear of missing out]. Till now, we came across numerous crypto promotions by various celebrities and brands. Hence, the steps taken by the SEBI and the RBI reflect their precautionary concerns which is justified. Although having regulations is a step forward, an outright ban on promotions is an extreme move in my opinion,” he notes.
On the other hand, some influencers like Anushka Rathod believe in adopting an education-first approach to crypto instead of out rightly pushing them as viable investment products.
“Crypto is still in its nascent stages. It requires one to be careful about the investments they are making and everyone should do thorough research before making any financial commitments in any space. Brands themselves and us as creators should take an education-first approach in this domain,” she says.


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Every company has started developing or integrating generative AI into their products and services. Now, Amazon has joined the AI company, where they have debuted generative AI tools that help sellers write product descriptions. It will reduce friction when adding products, and existing sellers can modify existing product descriptions using AI instead of starting from scratch.
Amazon’s AI-generative tools are developed to help users list their products and provide ideas for improving their listings. Amazon uses these new capabilities to generate product descriptions, titles, and listing details. These tools were announced during Amazon’s yearly event.
Table of Contents
Amazon’s Generative AI for Sellers
Sellers can now use AI to enhance their product descriptions. This technology has been developed using LLMs. Although the company has not shared the dataset, Amazon will likely use its existing data to train its machine-learning models. The Amazon AI Model has learned to infer product information from various sources using knowledge and logical reasoning.
This new generative AI tool will help users improve their product knowledge and understanding, including quality, products, and efficiency. It will save users time and allow them to provide complete product information. Sometimes, sellers may need to remember what to add or exclude, but with such AI models, they can add beneficial information for buyers.
Concerns about Amazon’s Generational AI
There is a risk when using AI, as Amazon’s AI could generate inaccurate information based on accurate data, which can mislead buyers. Many buyers have already been using generative AI while listing their products. Because of this, Amazon has been asking sellers to double-check the information to ensure that it complies with Amazon’s listing guidelines.
Amazon could potentially contain other mistakes that may not be easy to catch if a human does not review the output. Amazon has not shared if there will be a label for the AI-generated content. These tools may also contain other mistakes that take more work to catch, resulting in incorrect product listings and descriptions. The company has yet to acknowledge these issues but needs to address them as Amazon’s AI expands and is used on a larger scale.
Amazon’s creative AI for Alexa
One of the best AI voice assistants, Amazon Alexa, has been boosted with the latest integration of AI and ML for language processing models. This allows users to handle queries, follow commands, and conversationally perform tasks. It will make the whole experience better, but these AI models are said to be more capable than before. Instead of just viewing information online, they can now create answers for you.
Amazon has announced the superpower of generative AI for Alexa, unlocking more potential. Furthermore, it will enable Alexa to answer multiple questions at once and provide customization ideas, such as recipes using the items you have in your fridge. This brings more capabilities and will expand the Amazon ecosystem with new features, improving the overall experience.
Amazon uses machine learning and deep learning techniques to extract and enrich product information, but these new generative AI capabilities build on that technology. Recently, eBay and Shopify have also announced AI-based, similar-generative AI to help simplify creating product listings.
These tools are developed to understand and interpret questions or prompts related to business decision-making and creating content such as blog posts, campaign ideas, customer emails, etc.


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Updated, 1:00 p.m. pt
Here we go again.
For the past year, studios have been flirting with stretching out the delays on when Netflix, Redbox and Blockbuster can rent new releases, but it looks like Warner Bros. is going to be the first to take the plunge.
The studio plans to make the home entertainment companies wait 56 days from when new releases go on sale to offer DVDs and Blu-rays, according to a report from AllThingsD.
The move is seen as part of an ongoing effort by the industry to prop up a DVD market that has struggled to keep pace with plunging disc sales and a shift among many consumers to digital streaming.
A spokesman for Warner Bros. declined to comment on "speculation."
A spokesperson for Redbox would only say, "The current agreement Coinstar has with Warner Bros. is to receive movie titles 28-days after their release. No revised agreements are in place."
Netflix and Blockbuster did not respond to requests for comment.
AllThingsD reports that the new pacts will be announced at next week's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.
Warner Bros.' distribution contracts with Netflix and Redbox are due up at the end of this month, according to an individual with knowledge of the deals. It is not clear when the pact with Blockbuster expires.
Under the current agreement, Netflix and Redbox are giving discounts on discs in return for honoring a 28 day delay on when they offer new releases.
The news comes as Time Warner subsidiary HBO said that it will no longer provide discs to Netflix. The red-envelope company can still buy discs from third-party distributors, thanks to the First Sale doctrine which allows companies to resell pre-recorded discs, but it will pay more for them.
If Warner Bros. gambit works, expect other studios to follow suit. If the battle over release windows that unspooled a few years ago is any guide, that will also mean lots of legal wrangling and bad blood.
Happy New Year!


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Nikon South Africa has posted a statement on Twitter that promises greater diversity eleven days after announcing a team of seven new influencers that featured only one black photographer.
Nikon South Africa made the initial announcement on July 24, posting a video to its social media channels to support the roll-out of the new Z 50. The video, in which the sole black photographer, Austin Malema, speaks only to give his name while the other creatives explain their excitement about the camera, garnered almost two thousand retweets and comments on Twitter, and more than 400 comments on Instagram — far higher than the usual handful than Nikon South Africa’s posts usually receive.
More than three-quarters of South Africa’s population is Black.
Comments responding to the announcement were not kind. “This is embarrassing for your soul Nikon,” wrote one tweet. “You telling me you could only find ONE black creative in the whole of RSA?” Some on Instagram called for white influencers working with brands to put more pressure on them to be inclusive and diverse.
Nikon South Africa posted a statement on Twitter responding to the backlash. “We recognize that our recent influencer program launched in South Africa fell short of portraying these values that we commit ourselves to embody and project as a brand,” it explained. Nikon South Africa did not apologize but promises change, stating that it is “re-strategizing” its initiatives and will update the program to include additional creators.
Photographer and educator Zack Arias did not hold back.


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Driven by environmental policies uptake and increasing gasification in Asia Pacific, the domestic boiler market grew in 2017 to 15 million units, with China recording the most “dynamic market uptake”.
Socrates Christidis (pictured), senior market intelligence analyst, of Bsria’s World Market Intelligence Division, said: “The Chinese market, driven by the accelerated effect of the ‘coal to gas’ policy, is now by far the largest global market with over 4.6 million boilers sold in 2017. The Chinese market is dominated by wall mounted gas non-condensing boilers that accounted for 90% of the market in 2017.
However, despite South Korea recording a moderate decline in 2017, it is now the second largest market with just under 1.7 million boilers sold. With an 86% share, wall-mounted boilers also accounted for the majority of the market, the 57% share of non-condensing units is lower than in China.
UK has recorded sales of 1.6 million units in 2017 remaining in third position in the list of largest markets in 2017. With over 26 million boilers installed, there is a large replacement market where almost 100% of units sold are of gas condensing type.