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Detroit’s North American International Auto Show is on the short list of the world’s premier venues for automakers to introduce new models and technologies. With the automotive industry moving at a fever pitch, it looks like 2017 won’t disappoint car aficionados.
The show takes place in Detroit, and foreign brands harbour no reservations about bringing their biggest and best new offerings to America’s motor city. The first day of the show belonged to the Japanese and Korean brands, with Toyota, Lexus, Kia and Honda introducing progressive new models, and Nissan delivering a rakish new concept.
Toyota/Lexus asserts dominance with two new designs
For the uninitiated, Lexus isn’t a car brand in Japan. Toyota invented the brand in the same way that Honda invented Acura to appeal to North Americans. Credit for both the redesigned 2018 Toyota Camry and 2018 Lexus LS goes to the top brass at the big T brand.
Both cars play important roles in each respective brand’s lineup, but the roles they play are extremely different. The Camry has evolved from sedate transportation appliance to what appears to be a more athletic, youthful take on the family sedan. Despite being the best-selling vehicle without a truck bed in 2017, it seems Toyota felt threatened by more involving models from Honda, Mazda and Volkswagen.
Unlike its small cousin the Camry, the LS is a genuine flagship. It might not have the sporty profile of the newly-introduced, V8-powered LC coupe, but it’s a complete reboot for Lexus’ ultimate people-mover. It features eye-catching curves, trick flush-mounted exterior glass and a twin-turbocharged V-6 that promises to deliver 415 horsepower.
A stinging surprise from Kia and other import goodness
For Kia/Hyundai, the last decade has been spent trying to shed the stigma of cheapness they deserved twenty years ago. NAIAS saw what is arguably the best indicator, yet that Kia has arrived in the new Stinger GT concept, a rear-wheel-drive sports sedan concept that many are hailing as a bargain BMW. With a former BMW M-division head at the helm of the project, we understand why.
Speaking of BMW, the Bavarian brand unveiled its first model with an “e” in its name since the New Kids on the Block were, well, new on the block. The 530e iPerformance will carry BMW hybrid technology into the future and deliver 5-series fans an experience they know without the current car’s fuel consumption.
America is great, again, too
If you’re a fan of the big 3, don’t feel left out. American brands know better than to come to NAIAIS unprepared, and there have already been a number of meaningful announcements from the folks in Dearborn, including the confirmation of a new Ford Bronco and a hybrid version of Americas’ pony car, the Mustang.
With the rest of the week still to come, I’m expecting big moves from the bow-tie brand coming soon — particularly one about its red-blooded fiberglass world-beater, the Corvette. Don’t blink, you might miss something good.


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ST. PAUL, Minn. (KMSP) - Frontier Communications should send refunds or credits to Minnesota customers for its billing errors and its failure to provide reliable phone and internet service, an investigation by the Minnesota Commerce Department concluded. The investigative report was filed with the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission on Friday, Jan. 4.
In addition to customer refunds and credits, the report recommends Frontier add staffing to improve customer service and increase investments in its infrastructure and equipment.
The investigation focused on the quality of service, customer service and billing of Frontier Communications of Minnesota, Inc., and its affiliate, Citizens Telecommunications of Minnesota, LLC. The companies provide landline phone service to nearly 100,000 homes and businesses in Minnesota, as well as internet service in parts of northeastern Minnesota, southern Minnesota and the Twin Cities metro.
The Commerce Department held seven public hearings last fall in Frontier’s service area. The investigative report is based on more than 1,000 consumer complaints and statements and Frontier’s responses to questions from the state. Complaints and concerns with Frontier’s practices in Minnesota include:
Frequent and lengthy service outages, including 911 outages
Delays in repairing and restoring service
Failure to provide expedited responses to outages affecting vulnerable customers with medical needs
Failure to maintain and repair equipment, causing service outages and leading to public safety hazards, such as lines and damaged equipment on the ground
Lack of investment in infrastructure to ensure reliable phone and internet service
Frequent billing errors, including inaccurate and unauthorized charges
Failure to provide refunds or bill credits for service outages;
Lack of timely, responsive customer service, including call wait times, inaccurate information and “lost” repair tickets
Discriminatory practices such as prioritizing new service installations over repairs of existing service and providing slower repair services in rural areas
“Many of the issues reported by consumers show direct violations of Minnesota law and Commission rules, and indicate broad, systemic problems with Frontier’s service quality, recordkeeping and business operations,” the report states.
You can read the full report at mn.gov/commerce
Frontier Communications released the following statement:
"Frontier strongly disagrees with the assertions in the Department of Commerce’s initial comments and is reviewing the Department’s filing with the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission. Frontier and its employees work hard to provide reliable, affordable telecommunications services to approximately 90,000 customers in Minnesota, many in rural communities where no other provider will invest in providing service. Frontier recognizes we experience service issues and delays from time-to-time with some of our customers. We are an ethical company committed to our customers and the Minnesota communities we serve. We take this matter seriously and will respond appropriately before the Public Utilities Commission."

domain: news


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June 22: The first-ever global census of the marketing and advertising industry has now gone live, designed to assess the scale of the diversity challenge facing the profession.
Members of the industry have two weeks (until July 2, 2021) to participate and provide socio-demographic data about themselves and their perceptions of their workplace. People from across the marketing industry, including brands, agencies, media, tech, consultancies and marketing services providers in 27 countries are being asked to take 15 minutes to fill in the survey on diversity and inclusion. Pakistan Advertisers Society is leading from Pakistan with the firm belief of inclusive leadership in a diverse workplace in conjunction with APNS and Brandsynario.
The survey will assess where the global advertising and marketing industry is in relation to diversity, equity and inclusion by investigating workforce composition across the industry as well as people’s perception of diversity and inclusion in the workplace, including uniquely their sense of belonging and their perception of progress.
The findings will be presented at leading global industry events in October this year and a follow up survey will be completed in 18 months’ time to measure progress.
Afsheen Rizavi, General Manager of Pakistan Advertisers Society ‘We are excited to be part of this historic effort, where Pakistan will be contributing its share in the global data and we feel we will be a part in suggesting that being inclusive is the sense of belonging regardless of where you belong to.”
The census is supported by WFA, Campaign, Kantar, GWI, Cannes Lions, Advertising Week, The Effies, the European Association of Communications Agencies (EACA) and the new global agencies association VoxComm, as well as national advertiser associations and their agency counterparts. Other global and European advertising associations supportive of the initiative include the association of European television and radio sales houses (egta), the European Publishers Council (EPC), the European Advertising Standards Alliance (EASA), IAB Europe and the International Council for Advertising Self-Regulation (ICAS). The goal is to generate the largest and most representative sample possible.
The initiative builds on work already carried out in the UK as part of the highly acclaimed All In Census with the aim of establishing a tangible baseline for the global industry, which will help inform an action plan for improvement.


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Ecclestone summons F1 Commission for 2013 engine vote (GMM) Bernie Ecclestone has organized a meeting of the F1 Commission in an attempt to formally scuttle the proposed engine rules for 2013.
That is the claim of the German magazine Auto Motor und Sport, revealing that the meeting will take place on Wednesday.
The report said F1 chief executive Ecclestone, a staunch critic of the proposed rules, believes FIA president Jean Todt improperly introduced the four-cylinder turbos by bypassing the official bodies including the F1 Commission.
Despite Renault's apparent threat to quit F1 over the controversy, Ecclestone is understood to have attempted to overturn the rules with a recent vote of the World Motor Sport Council.
The rules narrowly survived and Wednesday's F1 Commission is his 'plan B' according to Auto Motor und Sport, with the 80-year-old also not ruling out a legal challenge.
Copyright 1999-2018 | AutoRacing1 is an
independent internet online publication and is not affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed
by IndyCar, NASCAR, FIA, or any series sponsor.
This material may not be published, broadcast, or redistributed without


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Stories Below come from our Media Partner 3BL Media - Click their logo or any of the stories for more information
News & Updates
August 21, 2019 Uniqlo deploys lasers and eco stones for sustainable jeansSource: Nikkei Asian Review
LOS ANGELES -- The parent company of Japanese retailer Uniqlo will slash water use by 90% to 99% in the production of all jeans for the apparel chain, starting in 2020.
Source: The Hill
Two federal bank regulators voted Tuesday to approve a significant rollback of a controversial ban on risky trades passed in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis.
Source: Seeking Alpha
"We have nothing to fear about a recession right now except for the fear of recession," Bank of America (BAC +3%) CEO Brian Moynihan, said in a Bloomberg Television interview today.
August 21, 2019 Closing racial wealth gap could boost US GDP by 6%Source: Yahoo Finance
A new study from McKinsey & Company shows that U.S. GDP could be up to 6% higher in the next eight years if the racial wealth gap is closed. In other words, the widening gap between white and black households will cost the U.S....
August 21, 2019 Walmart Sues Tesla, Alleging Faulty Solar Panels Started Multiple Fires on Store RooftopsSource: Gizmodo
In a new blow to floundering Tesla subsidiary SolarCity, Walmart is taking the renewable energy company to court, alleging hardware it installed on the roofs of some stores led to fires at least seven of the retail giant’s...
Source: Investment Europe
...managers seeking to compete in the Swedish institutional market must be able to show competencies in integrating ESG into products and processes - or risk losing business there.
August 21, 2019 Sustainability in the Samsung Supply ChainSource: Samsung Newsroom
Samsung optimizes costs and promotes synergy to ensure economic sustainability, mandates adherence to international regulations and transparency for social sustainability, and insists on only working with certified Eco-Partners...
Investment managers within the environmental, social and governance sector are looking to gain an edge by using artificial intelligence, a computer-driven discipline already employed by some of the world’s most successful hedge...
The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell for the first time in four days on Tuesday as the market digested its recent swings, with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite also ticking lower
August 21, 2019 The World in 2030: 9 Megatrends to WatchSource: Sustainable Brands
The directions we go and choices we make will have enormous impacts on our lives, careers, businesses and the world. Here are my predictions of how nine important trends will evolve by 2030 — listed in order roughly from nearly...
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Cantrell bullish on flotation
SOFT drinks group Cantrell & Cochrane is not losing its bottle as the market falls ahead of its £700m float on July 10. 'Our pricing will reflect the realities,' says chairman Tony O'Brien.
The Irish group's shares will cost between 2.60 and 3.60 euros (167p and 231p) and will be offered to the public here and Dublin. Its brands include Ballygowan water, Club Orange and Tayto crisps. Profits have been growing at 15% a year. O'Brien sees 'lots of organic growth to come' and hopes to use the float proceeds to cut debt and pick up niche drinks brands.
Dealers expect the shares to yield at least 3% and sell at not much above 10 times earnings, cheaper than much bigger rivals such as Allied Domecq (12 times).
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Thursday, January 21, 2010
Superslim Skiff Reader features LG's 'metal foil' e-paper tech
Company reps say the Skiff Reader is the first consumer product to feature LG's "metal foil" technology, a next-generation e-paper display that's based on a thin, flexible sheet of stainless-steel foil. The new technology is less vulnerable to breakage than "the fragile glass that is the foundation of almost every electronic screen," the press release notes.
Other than dimensions and the fact that the e-reader will have built-in wireless 3G capabilities, as well Wi-Fi, details about the Skiff Reader are scant at the moment. While there was no word on availability or pricing, there was some talk about how the device's large screen would showcase print media in "compelling new ways."
"This is consistent with Skiff's focus on delivering enhanced reading experiences that engage consumers, publishers, and advertisers," said Gilbert Fuchsberg, president of Skiff, which has offices in New York and Palo Alto, Calif.
The release says a full touch screen enables users to intuitively navigate and engage with newspapers, magazines, books, and other digital content they purchase through the Skiff Store, as well as personal and work documents. According to Skiff, the device weighs just over 1 pound and offers more than a week of average use between charges.
After we test-drive the device at the show, we'll let you know our thoughts. We're most curious to learn how responsive the touch screen is, how sharp it looks, and whether the Skiff platform (yes, the company appears to selling its service as a platform) is more compelling than what Amazon or Barnes & Noble has to offer. (See Skiff's Web site for more info).


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Access matters, and unequal access can have onerous consequences for those who can’t afford the fast lane.
raising the minimum wage
The Fight for 15 movement to raise minimum wages directly led to a collective $68 billion raise for 22 million low-wage workers in both the public and private sectors, according to a new analysis.
Wages hit $15 from D.C. to Silicon Valley and a new analysis points to the working class’s multicultural future.
The proposed legislation would subject for-profit companies with 500 or more employees to a fine for every employee who is paid less than $15 an hour, essentially forcing those companies to raise wages or pay if they refuse.
It would be a good business decision for McDonald's and all the other leading fast-food chains to announce that they're doubling workers' pay, because those workers make it possible for such restaurants to remain profitable and successful.


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Your kids are being used for criminal activity on Fortnite
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How you can get the iPhone XR for as little as $849
Entirely different kind of game will be played
Tennis and Racquet Sports
Fortnite gamers are about to swarm the Australian Open
The German maker has loaded up its vital new 3 Series
Wonderful community promotes city artist to explore rural settings.
A new battleground in TV picture quality has been set for 2019
Samsung's Bot Care has plenty of potential to help older people living away from...
Tech giants like Samsung, LG, Sony, Panasonic and Hisense have unveiled their...
This ease of life is a big sell at CES in Las Vegas this year
Here's a look at some of the bigger releases on the radar:
Tech giant to spend $30 billion on artificial intelligence by 2020
65 years of experience from Harman Kardon shows in flagship product
LG calls this mode “zero view”
Samsung unveiled the massive 219 inch The Wall television and the 75 inch moduler...
Hundreds of thousands from all over the world attend the CES
Netflix has spent three years working on a game-changing play
“It’s about hospitals, electricity, gas networks, solar grids.''
In the wrong hands, this could be a really dangerous camera


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"Everyone's lives will be better off under tax reform, because of the tax relief that families' get, because of the higher paychecks, because we have a stronger economy, and again, this is also about bringing jobs back from overseas."
House Ways and Means Committee Chairman
"I believe that here, today, many different people have jointly made a historic step for a fair, just and free Hungary."
"The EU withdrawal bill is making good progress. We're on course to deliver Brexit. We're on course to deliver on the vote of the British people."
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
"I dissent from this spirally spun, legally lightweight, consumer harming, corporate enabling, destroying internet freedom order."
Democrat FCC Commissioner
"There can only be industrial and economic growth if there is energy."
Hyacinthe Befeno Todimanana
"We're making Ariane 6 to reduce costs."
Director, Guiana Space Centre
"Next year will be the last chance to pursue EU-level reforms before a fateful year of reckoning begins."
Former Swedish prime minister
The Consumer Electronics Show is underway, showcasing the latest high-tech developments, but Samsung has said nothing about the Note 7's replacement.
For more than 20 years Baku has hosted, the Bakutel exhibition, bringing together in Azerbaijan the leading players in the telecommunications market.
Samsung's management board meets on Tuesday, reportedly to consider splitting company in two
Dutch healthcare technology and services company Philips has reported a 14 percent rise in quarterly earnings.
WATCH: A clumsy shopper in a British store damaged TVs worth thousands in just seconds.
HP Inc is to buy Samsung's printer business with CEO Dion Weisler saying it will looking to "disrupt" the office copier business.
The warning covers South Korea and the US, where the government is working with the South Korean tech company on a total recall.
Samsung Electronics' shares rose on Monday despite the anticipated losses from the recall of 2.5 million Note 7 smartphones in 10 countries after the batteries in some caught fire or exploded.
Japanese electronics maker Sharp has reported a huge net loss for the second year running, underscoring how difficult it will be for new owner Foxconn to turn the firm around.
Trying to move on from a huge accounting scandal Toshiba has nominated Satoshi Tsunakawa, the former head of its medical equipment division, as its next chief executive.
Philips has confirmed that will almost certainly use an initial public offering of shares to investors to turn its lighting division in a standalone company.
The cost of Toshiba’s accounting scandal continues to hit hard. The Japanese giant is to cut almost a third of its workforce in its consumer
The 35th edition of the Hong Kong Electronics fair, one of the largest in Asia, drew thousands of exhibitors from some 30 different countries
More than 1 billion smartphones are sold in the world each year and manufacturers all face the same challenge: how to make the touchscreen glass more
Samsung has strongly denied a report in a British newspaper citing research suggesting that some of its TVs in Europe appear to use less energy in
Phone manufacturers and smartwatch makers will be jostling for position at Berlin's IFA, one of the world's largest consumer electronics shows.
Korean electronics giant Samsung’s net profit fell by eight percent in the second quarter – the fifth successive quarterly drop for the company
Microsoft has announced the arrival of Windows 10 on 29 July.
It will be released as a free upgrade for users of Windows 7 and Windows 8.1.
The Consumer Electronics Show, a popular fair held annually in Las Vegas, has had its Asian premiere in Shanghai. Wearable devices, smart
Sharp cuts at a Japanese household name, the iconic electronics giant slashing 10% of its global workforce. It is also selling its headquarters as


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EATON — Welcome to the very first Friday edition of The Register-Herald.
“It may be April Fool’s Day, but we’re not joking — this is a real edition of the community newspaper to which readers and advertisers have remained loyal for nearly two centuries,” General Manager Leslie Collins said.
“In a world where many publications are cutting days and paring back their print offerings, Preble County’s hometown newspaper is expanding in frequency, circulation and coverage area,” Collins said in an announcement in late February.
Knowing there are many families and businesses across the region with local ties to Preble County, The Register-Herald has added vendors in the Oxford area, bringing to that neighboring Butler County community a twice-weekly opportunity for sharing their hometown and Miami University news, and giving advertisers the expanded reach many have been seeking.
“It’s always an exciting time when a newspaper has grown to the point it has to expand its capacity to meet the needs of its readers and its advertisers. We are proud of the employees at The Register Herald and what they have accomplished,” said Ralph J. Martin, President of Civitas Media LLC.
Beginning Friday, April 1, after 196 years of being a weekly newspaper, The Register-Herald added the new paid Friday edition to its portfolio of print products which reach nearly 50,000 readers in Preble and Butler Counties.
Subscribers will now receive two newspapers in their mail each week — their usual Wednesday edition and now the new Friday edition.
Those who pick up the Wednesday edition each week from outdoor racks or newsstands at their local grocers and convenience stores will now also have the option of picking up a brand new edition on Friday. Advertisers will benefit from the increased exposure the new edition will provide. Readers will have the ability to read their hometown news while it’s fresher and not have to wait a full week or longer.
“The Register-Herald continues to grow and evolve in Preble and Butler County. The additional day of publication is a rare event when many media companies are reducing frequency but the readers and advertisers support the change and we are very pleased to respond to their needs with a new Friday edition,” said Nick Monico, VP/Regional Director of Ohio Civitas Media.
The Register-Herald’s free Weekend Edition, a “shopper” publication which is part of the Civitas Community Guide Network and delivered to nearly 13,000 homes in Preble County on Saturdays, will be moving to a Sundays.
The additional print edition joins a news and advertising portfolio that includes the digital presence at www.registerherald.com and local, behavioral and geo-targeted digital marketing opportunities.


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The Dow Jones Industrial Average went into the Easter holiday weekend on a high note following several days of investor uncertainty, but has stumbled once more this morning following some surprising economic news. With only several of its component stocks in positive territory, the index has fallen 32 points so far in trading.
This morning's release of March's ISM manufacturing index data showed a decline that was not expected by most analysts. Falling from February's 54.2 to 51.3, the decrease indicates a slow expansion of the manufacturing sector. Investors may be getting concerned as the index nears the 50 mark, the reading that indicates expanding activity.
Other news this morning was more welcomed by investors -- construction spending increased in February as the housing market continues to rebound. Home building is at a four-year high, with increased permits and ground-breaking likely to continue. The housing market is one of the primary drivers of the U.S. economy, so continued improvements are a great sign to investors that the economy will continue to recover.
Wal-Mart is one of the Dow's biggest winners this morning, even though it can only boast a 1% increase. The megaretailer is planning on spending $80 million to improve its chain of Chinese stores, as the company begins to deny recent reports that it would be closing stores due to increased costs. The company will also be investing in a distribution network in China to improve its warehouses and reduce costs. The company continues to stand by its statement made last year that it will open 100 new stores over the next three years . Closer to home, Wal-Mart has reintroduced its gasoline discount for customers who use their gift cards and prepaid or credit cards. The discount ranges from $0.10 to $0.15 depending on which card the customer uses. The promotion will run through late July.
AT&T is also sitting at the top of the heap so far in trading, up 1.16%. The wireless provider is riding high on the news that it will be the exclusive retailer of the 64GB HTC One smartphone, with all other retailers getting access to the lower-capacity models. AT&T will also begin to carry Amazon.com's Kindle Fire HD later this week. The newest Kindle has 4G LTE capabilities, expanding Amazon's reach into the tablet market and giving AT&T access to more data users. Perhaps one of the biggest draws to AT&T today is its announcement of a $0.45-per-share quarterly dividend and 300-million-share buyback plan. The dividend will be available to shareholders on record as of April 10.
Bottom of the barrel
Alcoa is down 2% this morning, maintaining its trend as a Dow loser. With the stock down 3% in the first quarter of the year , investors are beginning to question whether Alcoa's declines signal a global slowdown. Analysts at Goldman Sachs recently released a report that lowered their estimates for Alcoa's EPS due to cost management concerns. The company was previously able to cut costs in order to maintain its profitability, but with pressure on aluminum prices, there's doubt that cost-cutting will be easy going forward.
Materials industries are traditionally known for their high barriers to entry, and the aluminum industry is no exception. Controlling about 15% of global production in this highly consolidated industry, Alcoa is in prime position to take advantage of growth that some expect will lead to total industry revenue approaching $160 billion by 2017. Based on this prospect and several other company-specific factors, Alcoa is certainly worth a closer look. For a Foolish investment perspective on this global giant, simply click here now to get started.
The article Wal-Mart Tries to Hold Up the Dow, With Little Success originally appeared on Fool.com.
Fool contributor Jessica Alling has no position in any stocks mentioned, but you can contact her here. The Motley Fool recommends Amazon.com and Goldman Sachs. The Motley Fool owns shares of Amazon.com. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Copyright © 1995 - 2013 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.


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ASA Automotive Systems partners with Corpay to simplify payment processing
Corpay, a FLEETCOR brand and business payments provider, and ASA Automotive Systems, a software provider for automotive tire and service dealerships, announced a partnership they believe will bring streamlined payment services to the automotive industry. tire. This cooperation will bring Corpay’s streamlined payment services to thousands of ASA customers, enabling a seamless and simplified experience.
Click here to read more
ASA Automotive Systems claims to be a provider of onsite and cloud-based shop management systems and services to more than 3,000 independent tire dealers, retreaders, and automotive maintenance and repair shops across North America. North. The company has been helping the automotive service and tire businesses grow for nearly 30 years.
Corpay Payment Automation, formerly Nvoicepay, brings easy-to-deploy payment automation to enterprise back offices. With its dynamic vendor data maintenance and payment software, Corpay Payment Automation securely stores and manages vendor data while mitigating the risk of fraud by taking responsibility for all payments issued through their system, the company says. society. By helping to remove mundane manual tasks from the AP workload, companies can improve their operational efficiency.
“Corpay is a great new added benefit for our customers. If they sign up for Corpay’s service, they will no longer be mired in the many time-consuming steps involved in the accounts payable process,” said Ashley Hopkins, director of corporate operations for ASA Automotive Systems. “They will now have the added ability to quickly reduce costs, improve efficiency and eliminate writing paper checks in our single, all-in-one point-of-sale system.”
“We are thrilled to partner with ASA Automotive Systems as we continue to help companies better track, manage and pay their suppliers,” said Byron Biggins, Senior Vice President of Strategic Partnerships for Corpay.


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AllThingsD reports that “despite speculation about new Apple TV hardware on the way, Apple won’t be unveiling any new boxes next week,” but will release a new software for the second and third generation hockey pucks. That’s, as usual, “according to people familiar with the company’s plans.”
apple tv software update
Apple has just released a big update to the second and third generation Apple TV. Apple TV software version 5.3 adds HBO GO and WatchESPN, which are now available directly on our little black boxes. In addition, three new content providers are also available today on Apple TV including Sky News, Crunchyroll and Qello offering live news, sports and current TV programming.
Following the release of Apple TV software update 5.2.1 (iOS 6.1.3 – 10B329a), FireCore has updated Seas0nPass to provide a tethered jailbreak for Apple TV 2 running the latest firmware. Released in March, a minor Apple TV software update – 5.2.1 – added support for Music in the Cloud in Japan and Israel and included improvements for software update, subtitles, and general performance.


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Reports are pouring in all over the place today — email, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, web sites — that harvest in Northern California is underway.
If true, this would be the earliest wine country harvest ever. Typically harvest begins in August, though in recent years we’ve seen that happen as early as late July.
It’s not entirely surprising, however.
Bud break came early this year, and, it seems to be happening with regularity — climate change? Many in the press have been predicting an early harvest. And Spectator’s Tim Fish wonders if “uncertainty is the new normal.”
“So far, this year’s growing season has seen alternating weather patterns of warm and cool temperatures, resulting in an early bud break, followed by a long, relatively cool flowering and fruit set period and culminating in what looks to be one of the earliest harvests in recent memory,” said the Napa Valley Vintners trade group via email.
Hooray, #NapaHarvest is officially underway! Check out https://t.co/rbyUgVs239 for the latest. pic.twitter.com/iOUFEoKbCd
— Napa Valley Vintners (@NapaVintners) July 22, 2015
A giant truck full of picking bins arrived today. The start of #NapaHarvest 2015 is coming soon! #winewednesday pic.twitter.com/imYk7Quak4
— Paraduxx (@paraduxxwine) July 22, 2015
Veraison is in full swing in Merlot at #Pahlmeyer Waters Ranch. Looking great! #MerlotMe #MountainWines #NapaHarvest pic.twitter.com/70049ZCtp5
— Pahlmeyer (@Pahlmeyer) July 22, 2015
Harvest usually lasts a few months, before heading into “crush” season (a wonderful, cooler time to visit Napa).
ALSO SEE: 10,000 grapes & New World Grand Cru – Randall Grahm’s bold new venture
Mumm Napa (Rutherford, California) also confirmed that it began picking grapes for their sparkling wines today, and it was their “earliest harvest on record.”
“We expect the first load of grapes to arrive at the winery around 9:30/10:00a.m., coming straight from Game Farm Vineyard which will be harvested early that morning.”


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Punit Soni had worked as vice president in Google’s Motorola mobility division and advisor at Google for around nine years. So, when Soni joined Flipkart in February 2015 as chief product officer, it was a big catch for the e-commerce company. However, a reshuffle in the top management team in January this year left Soni’s position in Flipkart unchanged, and soon speculation started about his next move. Finally in April, Soni announced that he had quit the company. In an interview to VCCircle, Soni said: “Over the last year of being here I have come to realise I have a particular way of doing things, there is a kind of organisation and company I want to be in.” Soni has now turned angel investor and plans to start his own venture in the Valley.
- Chetram atariya on 2017-02-02 20:10:45
- Abhishek Ballaney on 2017-02-02 19:51:40
- Saurabh Singh on 2017-02-02 14:57:56
- Winni on 2017-02-02 14:25:20
- Aditi Nandan on 2017-02-02 12:56:36


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06/26/2019 By John Vandermosten, CFA as originally published on zacks.com NYSE:ZOM 85 million American families own a pet, mostly split between 60 million dog owners and 47 million cat owners1. These animal companions need health care just like people do. The high level of ownership stimulates the $19 billion2 in estimated veterinary… Read More..
Social Media and Digital Services Agency under Acorn International to Target Broader Range of Brands Seeking to Maximize Their Business in China SHANGHAI, June 25, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Acorn International, Inc. (ATV) ("Acorn" or the "Company"), a leading marketing and branding company in China, today announced that it has consolidated under Acorn Digital Services… Read More..
Agency Manages and Regulates 26 Cross Border Ports and Marketplaces Along China’s Southwestern Border Zhuhai, China, June 25, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via NEWMEDIAWIRE -- Powerbridge Technologies Co., Ltd. (the “Company”) (Nasdaq: PBTS), a global trade software applications and technology services provider, today announced the launch of Powerbridge Blockchain Cross Border… Read More..


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Metalico Inc. (NYSE: MEA), a scrap metal recycler based in Cranford, N.J., is expanding into Cleveland. The company, which already operates sites in Akron and Youngstown, has set up an operation at 3018 E. 55th St., the former site of a scrap yard. The new site is a joint venture between Metalico and Joseph Immormino, an industry veteran, according to a news release issued by Metalico. The new site, known as Metalico JBI Cleveland, “is expected to develop a brisk scrap peddler flow and to service new accounts while supporting Metalico's existing yards in Akron and Youngstown,” the company said. In addition to its expansion in Cleveland, Metalico has acquired the assets of Bergen Auto Recycling LLC in Rochester, N.Y. With the purchase, the company plans to use the additional access to scrap metal to support its shredding site in Buffalo. Terms of the deals were not disclosed. The company couldn't immediately be reached for comment. “Our expansion into these new locations is consistent with Metalico's growth strategy of penetrating geographically contiguous markets and benefiting from intercompany and operating synergies that are available through consolidation,” Carlos E. Aguero, Metalico's president and CEO said in the statement. Metalico is a holding company with 29 facilities in seven states and four lead fabricating plants in three states.
Scrap recycler Metalico Inc. expanding into Cleveland
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Multilines International Limited, an East African Authorized Economic Operator (AEO), was invited the
esteemed attendees at the recent launch of the Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA) between
China and Uganda. The event, held on June 1st, 2023, marked a significant milestone in strengthening
bilateral trade ties and facilitating smoother customs procedures between the two nations.
The event featured notable speakers, including Mr. James Malinzi, Assistant Commissioner Customs
Audit, URA. Malinzi highlighted the importance of the MRA, which was signed in May 2021, and its
impact on trade facilitation. He disclosed that Uganda currently boasts 118 AEOs, while China has
over 5,000 registered AEOs. Recognizing the significance of AEOs in streamlining trade, he announced
that importers will enjoy priority clearance for AEO companies, ensuring expeditious processing of
goods exported between the two countries.
Commissioner Customs at URA, Abel Kagumire, emphasized the crucial role AEOs play in Uganda’s
revenue collection, contributing a substantial 26% to URA’s overall revenue. Kagumire urged local
industries to add value to key export commodities such as timber, coffee, marble, and cocoa, enabling
the exportation of finished products. This value addition would enhance Uganda’s competitiveness in
H.E. Ozhang Lizhong, Chinese Ambassador to Uganda, expressed optimism about the implementation
of the MRA, underscoring the exchange of lists between AEO companies in both nations. He
emphasized the tremendous advantages the MRA brings, including expedited customs clearance,
estimated to improve clearance speed by 60% compared to previous procedures. Additionally, the
MRA is expected to save 10% in logistics costs, leading to enhanced trade efficiency.
Highlighting the growth potential, Ambassador Lizhong revealed that bilateral trade volume between
China and Uganda rose by 6.6% in 2022, reaching a substantial $1.14 billion USD. Furthermore, he
acknowledged China’s recent decision to grant zero-tariff treatment for 98% of taxable items
imported from Uganda, further boosting Uganda’s export of value-added products to the Chinese
market. In line with promoting tourism and investment, discussions are underway for the
establishment of a new direct flight between Entebbe and Guangzhou, with hopes of actualization
within a month.
Rubagumya Patience, Acting Commissioner General of URA, emphasized the importance of utilizing
tax revenues for economic development rather than relying on external borrowing. To achieve this,
she stressed the need for closer cooperation between customs and domestic taxes to facilitate
seamless trade operations. Faster clearance of goods through the MRA would attract more business
and contribute to accelerated economic growth. Patience highlighted tourism, agriculture, oil, and gas
as priority sectors for government support, aiming to attract increased investment.
For Multilines International, the MRA is envisioned to create a ripple effect across various sectors in
the trading community particularly the oil and gas, tourism, and construction sectors
, leading to improved economic conditions in the community.


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With the transport operators nationwide strike entering fifth day,the city faces the prospect of acute shortage of LPG. The strike called by officers of PSU oil companies has only worsened the situation.
Kolkata has a little over 90 LPG distributors of IOCL,Bharat Gas and HP gas. Fifty per cent of the distributors belong to IOCL while HP gas accounts for about 15 per cent of the total LPG supply.
LPG distributors in Kolkata said that with the fifth day of the strike their stocks were fast diminishing.
M/s Alladin situated on Andul Road near Howrah has 12,000 customers in its list. We have a demand of about 300 cylinders per day. But for the past three days we have not got any supply. As of today,I am left with 80 cylinders that will be exhausted tomorrow, said Susmita Chakraborty,proprietor of the outlet.
The distributors are under pressure and if the strike is not withdrawn in a day or two,there will be a crisis situation in the city. Forty per cent of our customers have single cylinders. These are the people who will face the brunt of the situation first, said Bijoy Biswas,general secretary,All India LPG Distribution Federation,West Bengal. He added that besides household consumers,there were commercial consumers like hospitals,hotels and restaurants.
LPG in Kolkata is bottled and dispersed from five primary locations in Budge Budge,Durgapur,Haldia,Kalyani and Raninagar. At present we are getting supplies from HP and the IOC units at Haldia,says Biswas.
M/s Chayanika of Ranikuthi was functioning under pressure till Friday.
I have 18,000 customers and need anything between 600 to 700 cylinders everyday. Though we had a stock for two days,today I am left with just three cylinders. I had to close the shop at 11 am today instead of the regular time of 2 pm, said proprietor Gita Pal.
Usually I get a cylinder within three days of booking. But this time I have not got it even in seven days, says Jayati Mukherjee,a resident of Bansdroni. Similar is the condition of Kitchen Queen of Beliaghata.
One truck contains 306 cylinders and most outlets need one or two trucks on a daily basis. Even after the strike is withdrawn,we will need two to three days to resume normal services,as a huge backlog has been created, said a senior manager of Indian Oil Corporation.
Essential goods become more expensive
Prices of essential commodities have soared even as truckers threatened to continue their strike. Retailers are unhappy at the turn of events as they are forced to buy commodities from wholesalers at a high rate. The wholesale rate of eggs became expensive by Rs 40,said retailers. We have got some supplies till today,but associations that are not participating in the strike are quoting astronomical prices for the commodities, said Omprakash Gupta,a retailer. They added that retail profit margin has slumped by three times. Meanwhile,members of Calcutta Goods Transport Association are expected to meet UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi.


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The difficulties facing the United States in marketing TPP (Trans-Pacific Partnership) free trade agreement model and the intense competition between the world’s two largest economies to gather greater market share in the Asian region.
The RCEP (Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership) is an Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) trade agreement connecting the economies of 16 Asia-Pacific countries, with nonexistence of the United States.
They comprise all 10 ASEAN nations – Brunei, Myanmar, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam – and six other countries with which the group has free-trade agreements – China, India, Japan, South Korea, Australia, and New Zealand.
The TPP, on the other hand, consists of an initial group of 11 negotiating countries led by the United States but excluding China. Others included are Brunei, Chile, Singapore, and New Zealand, Australia, Peru, Vietnam, Malaysia, Mexico, and Canada.
There is an overlap in participation, with six of the 16 RCEP members also involved in the TPP. Three other RCEP participants – Indonesia, Philippines, and Thailand – have also expressed initial interest in participating in the TPP.
RCEP members expected to launch negotiations this year, the United States wants to launch of the TPP in October.
The 16th round of negotiations for the Pacific pact will be held in Singapore next month and three negotiating rounds are scheduled this year prior to the October 2013 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum summit in Indonesia, the current target for reaching an agreement.


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Tesla’s New Gigafactory: 10 Mind-Boggling Stats in the Construction Permits
Here’s all the wild stuff Elon Musk and co. have been up to in the desert.
by Jack Crosby, June 23, 2016
Until now, most of our information on Elon Musk’s next big endeavor — the massive Tesla Gigafactory — came from drone footage of the site. When completed, the Gigafactory in the Nevada desert will have the largest footprint of any building in the world and produce hundreds of thousands of the lithium-ion batteries needed for its vehicles, including the new Model 3s.
BuildZoom, a construction contractor marketplace, has done the legwork on Tesla’s building permits for the Gigafactory, and the results are absolutely ridiculous. BuildZoom combed through all 84 of the individual permits issued to Tesla to build stuff (like giant refrigerator rooms and earthquake-proof foundations), and put out a report on the factory, which has some pretty stunning information.
Here are 10 of the most interesting, outlandish, or just oversized facts about the new center.
10. The factory isn’t anywhere near completion.
The grand opening for the Gigafactory is less than a month away, but according to the contracts, there’s still a lot of work to do. BuildZoom reports that 18 of the 84 construction contracts (which are specific orders/permissions to build a thing) will not be completed by the July 29 Grand Opening. Jack Cookson, an analyst at BuildingZoom, says that even with the grand opening approaching, “This [report] is just a snapshot of what’s happened so far.” Cookson said he expects Tesla to file for more construction permits, so the 18 unfinished could be a low-ball estimate for how much work is still to be done.
Here’s the latest drone footage of the factory:
9. The whole thing has already cost $322.6 million.
The total cost of the contracts awarded is skyrocketing toward half a billion dollars (though it has a ways to go to meet that mark). The factory itself is 5.8 million square-feet, which, if my math is correct, means building the damn thing is costing Tesla $55.6 per square foot. And that’s just the estimated cost of the contracts so far.
8. Speaking of contracts, Tesla isn’t using an independent contractor. It’s building the whole thing themselves.
Usually, when a company has a large construction project, it calls in an independent contractor to manage all of the details of construction (because that’s literally what a contractor’s job is). Instead, Tesla applied for a Nevada contractor’s license themselves, filed its own building permits, and is basically going it alone. Like other tech mega-billionaires, Musk likes to keep personal control over a lot of his endeavors, so this is a major swerve for a normal company, but totally on brand for Tesla. Of course, it’s hiring subcontractors, but all of the work flows straight through the company itself.
7. The factory has four, count ‘em, four earthquake-proof foundations.
This one is simple. Most buildings: one foundation. Tesla Gigafactory: FOUR foundations. Get your puny non-earthquake-proof foundations outta here. To be fair, an earthquake could be a major disaster for an incredibly high-tech facility, so Musk and co. decided not to mess around with any of Mother Nature’s whims.
6. Tesla built a $1.25 million gigantic walk-in refrigerator
It’s not for what you think, though. The whole thing is called a “chiller yard,” and it’s made for testing batteries, which are more efficient at lower temperatures. They had to file three separate contracts to do it, adding up to $1.25 million.
5. Tesla donated an entire fire engine to the Storey County, Nevada fire department.
Overall, they’ve spent $4.7 million on fire safety measures, including installing a full “fire command center” on the property. I guess when you’re making explosive batteries you really don’t want shit to catch on fire.
4. Its water tank holds more water than two Olympic swimming pools
This is a lot of water. 1.5 million gallons of water, to be exact. An Olympic swimming pool, which is 50 meters long, 25 meters wide, and at least two meters deep, holds 660,000 gallons. While we can’t break down exactly what Tesla is going to do with all that liquid, you need water for pretty much everything, and in the largest building in the world that amount makes sense.
3. The guard shack cost $50,000 alone
Compared to most of the other contracts, fifty large is chump change, but still — don’t fuck with Tesla. Its guard shack is probably solar-powered and has some kind of crazy electric laser defense system (note: this is pure speculation, it is most likely just a normal guard shack).
2. The battery cell manufacturing plant should be done by the Grand Opening
The Gigafactory’s biggest job is to pump out lithium ion batteries (which go in Tesla cars, but also in other things). Musk has said the big Gig’ will produce more lithium ion batteries in a single year than were produced in the entire world in 2013. So if that portion is good to go by opening, it’s good news.
1. The factory is meant to be 100 percent sustainable
Musk’s entire brand is built around solar power and sustainable energy, so this is kind of a no-brainer, but still impressive for a factory this size. Cookson said he expects that some of the next contracts to roll in will be for solar panels and other parts of the factory’s sustainable infrastructure.
Photos via Getty Images / Max Whittaker, Getty Images / Tommaso Boddi, Getty Images / Harry How, YouTube/ Electrek.co


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Ghanaian Tourism Ambassador, Gilbert Abeiku Aggrey ‘Santana’ has chalked another significant feat for Ghanaian tourism and his brand as a strong proponent of tourism in the sub-region.
Mr. Aggrey has been listed in the Tourism Top 100 Personalities in West Africa.
He was selected by the Balafon Awards West Africa Committee of Experts in partnership with the Board of ATQNews.
The awards scheme would be a gathering of astute personalities in the travel and tourism industry in West Africa.
It was set up to recognize individuals who have distinguished themselves and through their efforts, have impacted positively on the travel and tourism sector across the West African sub-region.
It is also to project individuals who have stimulated and helped to achieve their individual’s country’s tourism goals and forging interactions among stakeholders and customers across the region.
The compilation of the Top 100 will be launched on the 26th May 2017 at the 3rd Accra Weizo, the ECOWAS Region Tourism Fair, which holds at the La Palm Royal Beach Resort, Accra, Ghana.
As part of his efforts to elevate domestic tourism, Abeiku Santana and Kaya Tours, in partnership with STC Ghana are organizing the ‘Njoy Ghana Tours’ – an experiential fun trip to Kwahu on Saturday , 15th April, 2017.
|Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.|


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Tri-City photographer John Clement will hold a fundraising photography sale from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. today at his home at 3104 S. Caballo Road in Kennewick's Rancho Reata area.
About 200 framed and unframed photographs will be discounted from 30 percent to 80 percent. Proceeds from the sale will benefit the Doorways of Hope/Orphan Nation Ministries.
Most of the photos up for grabs are of Northwest landscapes.
Clement also will have signed copies of his latest table top book, Northwest Drylands, on sale at the event.


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CBI member Jaguar Land Rover reported its’ best ever February retail sales of 37,494 vehicles, up 31% on February 2015.
The company sold 83,510 vehicles in the first two months of 2016, up 27% compared to the same period in the previous year. Retail sales for February were up year-on-year across all regions.
Sales in China for February were up 14% on the same month in the previous year, representing a second consecutive month of year-on-year growth in the China market.
Jaguar sales were led by the new XE and MY2016 XF while both locally produced vehicles – the Range Rover Evoque and Land Rover Discovery Sport – maintained their positive sales start to the year.
Please read more here.


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Nintendo updates Japanese DS lineup
One brand-new title, two American-developed games headed to Japan.
GameSpot may get a commission from retail offers.
TOKYO--Following up on its surprise press conference yesterday in which it unveiled the launch dates and pricing of the Nintendo DS handheld system--but stopped short of releasing a launch games lineup or software price structure--Nintendo Co., Ltd. has updated the lineup of Nintendo DS titles that currently sits on its official website. Of the three titles added, one is a brand new title and two are previously announced games from American publishers.
Japanese publisher Success will be releasing a DS port of Robot Communication's puzzle game Zoo Keeper, which has already been released as a game for mobile phones, and also on the GBA and PS2 under the title of ZOOO. The rules in Zoo Keeper are simple: your objective is to erase the animal symbols that fill up the screen by aligning them three in a row, while trying for a high score by erasing them in a combo. Interested gamers who want to see what the game plays like can play an online version programmed with Macromedia Flash on Shockwave's Japanese site.
The other two added titles to the Japanese roster are The Urbz: Sims in the City by Electronic Arts, and Robots by VU Games. Robots would seem to be a game based on the upcoming animated movie of the same title. Its PS2, Xbox, and PC editions are slated for release during Q1 2005 alongside the computer-animated film Robots, which is also likely to be the timeframe when the DS edition will be released.
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Google finally lets Britain into its library of 3,000,000 eBooks - and we can rent films on YouTube at last
Google has - finally - let British users into two of its first paid-for services: the Google eBookstore, and the YouTube video rental store, both of which have been available in the US for months.
As ever, Google hasn't exactly shouted about the fact. You'll have to dig out the 'Films' tab on YouTube (top right), and actually Google 'books'.
On Android phones,books are now offered as part of 'Market' - as with Kindle, purchases are 'stored' remotely, and can be read on any PC or e-reader. It's a crucial advantage both companies have over Apple
Google's new eBookStore is available
'Go to the Google eBookstore for over 3 million eBooks to read on the Web, Android, iPhone, iPad and Sony tablets,' offers the web giant.
Books are priced around the same level as Kindle - for example, a Game of Thrones, by George R R Martin, recently filmed for Sky One, is £3.99 on both devices.
Prices tend to be set by publishers, so bargains in either eBooks or online film rentals are hard to find.
On YouTube Rentals, prices are around the £3.49 mark for a 48-hour rental - although you have to read the small print, as some rentals may not last this long.
Rentals of films such as Fast Five cost £3.49 for a 30-day rental. As with services such as iTunes, once you start viewing you have 48 hours to watch
You pay using Google's Checkout service - built intoGoogle Accounts, although if you've never used an Android phone, you may have to set it up.
Neither service is radically different from iTunes Store - although Google's eBooks are at least available across a range of devices, unlike Apple's, which can only be read on Apple devices, and Amazon's downloads, which work on any PC, but are irritatingly reluctant to play on any eBook reader not made by Amazon.
The figure of 3,000,000 books is a little bit of a red herring, though.
Although Google does offer 3,000,000 books, the vast majority of them are copyright-free works - older, less popular books.
If you're looking to brush up on your classics, great - and at least, unlike Amazon, Google won't charge you a fee for the introduction on copyright-free works such as Shakespeare.
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US President Donald Trump announced Saturday that the US won't be removing trade tariffs on Chinese goods for now. The US president, however, noted that he and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping have agreed to resume trade talks.
"We will be continuing to negotiate and I promised that at least for the time being we are not going to be lifting tariffs on China. We won’t be adding an additional tremendous amount of $350 billion left, which could be taxed or could be tariffed. We are not doing that. We are going to work with China on where we left off," Trump said.
During the meeting that took place earlier in the day, Trump said that he wanted to even up trade with China as relations between the two countries were "excellent", according to the president.
Xi, in turn, expressed willingness to work with Trump on the fundamental issues concerning the development of bilateral ties and promote relations based "on the coordination, cooperation and stability."
Earlier in the week, Trump warned that his "plan b" for China, if he doesn't get the deal he wants in Osaka, would be to slap additional tariffs on the country. According to the US president, the existing tariffs have already sent China's economy "down the tubes," and Beijing is far more eager to secure a trade deal than Washington.
The US and China plunged into an escalating tit-for-tat tariff spat in mid-2018 when the Trump administration slapped 25 per cent tariffs on $50 billion worth of Chinese goods. Since then, the economic powers have hit one another with several more rounds of restrictions, with Trump recently threatening to put tariffs on the remaining $300 billion of Chinese goods which are not taxed on entry to the United States.


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The last several years have been contentious to the United States steel industry. This is due to a variety of factors including the COVID-19 pandemic, supply shortages, inflation, and issues affecting the global economy. The good news is that conditions in the 2023 steel industry are expected to improve monumentally. The cost of steel is expected to decrease while the supply and demand of steel are set to increase which will bring conditions in the steel industry back to the normal state they haven’t occupied since before the COVID-19 quarantine.
The steel industry can be impacted by several factors. In 2022, we saw the long-term effects of the COVID-19 pandemic affecting the supply of steel. The steel shortage led to higher prices for inventory throughout the industry. Similarly, global conflicts in Ukraine and Russia also impacted the availability of steel and its subsequent price. In the U.S. specifically, inflation played a major role in impacting steel prices and most businesses increased prices in response to the higher interest rates enacted by the Federal Reserve.
As the supply and demand of the steel industry stabilized in late 2022, prices of steel decreased. This allowed some businesses to maintain price levels and cater better to their customers. Perhaps most importantly, global steel demand is expected to increase which will affect the U.S. economy. In addition, inflation is expected to show a decline in 2023 as the economy regains stability. The industry outlook for 2023 is hopeful and promising with regard to demand, price, and supply.
Similar to all other industries, the competitive market affects our product availability and pricing. Here at Detroit Nipple Works, we offer high-quality steel products for a wide range of applications and industries. Whether you need steel or other metals such as brass, we have you covered! Contact us or request a quote today to see what we can do for you!


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Originally published November 19 2011
Occupy GMOs: Protesters block access to manufacturing plant filled with animal 'Frankenfeed'
by Jonathan Benson, staff writer
(NaturalNews) Tired of the quiet import and use of genetically-modified organisms (GMOs) in the animal food supply throughout Europe, a group of protesters in France has decided to make a statement by blockading the entrances of the Glon Sanders animal feed plant in Saint-Gerard, Morbihan, France. The company's more than 200 employees have been unable to come to work for some time now, which means that production has stopped at the plant, and its offices remain empty.
Most of Europe is staunchly opposed to GMOs in general, which is why they are hardly ever sold there, and why they must be properly labeled if they are. But GMOs have been furtively making their way into the European food supply via animal feed, which is often laced with GM soy, corn, and other contaminated ingredients thanks to labeling loopholes that permit "non-GMO" livestock to consume GM feed.
So to push authorities in France to take a stand against this deceitful practice, a group of concerned individuals decided to storm the Glon Sanders factory, which they reportedly felt was the perfect place to make their voices heard.
"Sanders, a subsidiary of Sofiproteol chaired by Xavier Beulin (also president of the FNSEA), is a strategic location to make an act of denial of the use of GMOs in agriculture, particularly in animal feed," said the group in a translated quote from Maville.com, a French paper.
Both the cultivation and consumption of GM soy are linked to a host of environmental and human health problems. The cultivation of GM soy involves dousing plants in millions of tons of toxic Roundup, also known a glyphosate, which causes various diseases in plants, as well as serious health problems in humans (http://www.naturalnews.com/Roundup.html). And consumption of GM soy itself is linked to causing gastrointestinal problems, heart disease, chronic fatigue, thyroid disorders, and reproductive problems (http://www.naturalnews.com/GM_soy.html).
A documentary produced in Germany explains how GM soy is covertly making its way into Europe via animal feed, and why this loophole is a significant threat to the European food supply. It also explains how the cultivation of GM soy around the world is destroying both the environment and human health. You can watch a clip from that documentary here:
Sources for this article include:
All content posted on this site is commentary or opinion and is protected under Free Speech. Truth Publishing LLC takes sole responsibility for all content. Truth Publishing sells no hard products and earns no money from the recommendation of products. NaturalNews.com is presented for educational and commentary purposes only and should not be construed as professional advice from any licensed practitioner. Truth Publishing assumes no responsibility for the use or misuse of this material. For the full terms of usage of this material, visit www.NaturalNews.com/terms.shtml


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Photo Preview: GKI Kicks Off the Africa Great Lakes Coffee Support Program
October 15, 2015
The US Agency for International Development (USAID), Michigan State University, the Global Knowledge Initiative, University of Rwanda, and Institute for Policy Analysis and Research kicked off a 3-year partnership on coffee productivity in Kigali on October 13, 2015.
Organized as part of the Feed the Future initiative, the Africa Great Lakes Coffee Support program (AGLC) aims to create opportunities to increase the productivity of farmers in the Great Lakes Region and reduce the impact of the potato taste defect (PTD) – a defect that makes otherwise excellent coffee taste like potato. The acting Head of Mission for USAID Rwanda and CEO of National Agricultural Export Development Board (NAEB) opened the meeting, and GKI facilitated the 50 key stakeholders in attendance as they identified the most important bottlenecks to boosting productivity and reducing PTD.
Through its LINK program, GKI has worked on PTD in Rwandan coffee in partnership with the University of Rwanda and numerous international partners since 2011. In 2014, GKI partnered with the Rwanda Development Board, the Ministry of Agriculture, NAEB, and other partners to host a Coffee Research Symposium and Collaboration Colloquium in Kigali. This event resulted in a Potato Taste Challenge Prize, currently being implemented by the Rwanda Agriculture Board, and helped lay the groundwork for the AGLC program.


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Marriott fined $600k for Wi-Fi blocking at hotel
Hotel group agrees payment to resolve investigation by US authorities
Marriott International is to pay a US $600,000 fine after US authorities found that one of its hotels had been using Wi-Fi blocking technology, meaning guests had to use the property’s own internet service.
An investigation by the Federal Communications Commission found that employees at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel and Convention Center in Nashville, Tennessee, used containment features of a Wi-Fi monitoring system to prevent individuals in the conference facilities from connecting to the internet via their own personal Wi-Fi networks.
This meant that instead of being able to use their smartphones or other devices to create a personal Wi-Fi hotspot, consumers, small businesses, and exhibitors had to pay as much as US $1000 per device to access Marriott’s Wi-Fi network.
“Consumers who purchase cellular data plans should be able to use them without fear that their personal internet connection will be blocked by their hotel or conference centre,” said Enforcement Bureau chief Travis LeBlanc.
“It is unacceptable for any hotel to intentionally disable personal hotspots while also charging consumers and small businesses high fees to use the hotel’s own Wi-Fi network. This practice puts consumers in the untenable position of either paying twice for the same service or forgoing Internet access altogether.”
The investigation stemmed from a complaint received in March 2013 from an individual who had attended a function at the Gaylord Opryland. The complainant had alleged that the Gaylord Opryland was “jamming mobile hotspots so that you can’t use them in the convention space.
After conducting an investigation, the FCC’s Enforcement Bureau found that employees of Marriott, which has operated the Gaylord Opryland since 2012, had used features of a Wi-Fi monitoring system at the Gaylord Opryland to contain and/or de-authenticate guest-created Wi-Fi hotspot access points in the conference facilities.
In some cases, employees sent de-authentication packets to the targeted access points, which would dissociate consumers’ devices from their own Wi-Fi hotspot access points and disrupt consumers’ current Wi-Fi transmissions and prevent future transmissions.
The FCC has said that, in addition to paying the fine, Marriott must cease the “unlawful use of Wi-Fi blocking technology” and take significant steps to improve how it monitors and uses its Wi-Fi technology at the Gaylord Opryland.
It must also institute a compliance plan and file compliance and usage reports with the Bureau every three months for three years, including information documenting any use of access point containment features at any US property that Marriott manages or owns.
In a statement reacting to the FCC ruling, Marriott International said: “Marriott has a strong interest in ensuring that when our guests use our Wi-Fi service, they will be protected from rogue wireless hotspots that can cause degraded service, insidious cyber-attacks and identity theft.
“Like many other institutions and companies in a wide variety of industries, including hospitals and universities, the Gaylord Opryland protected its Wi-Fi network by using FCC-authorized equipment provided by well-known, reputable manufacturers.
“We believe that the Gaylord Opryland's actions were lawful. We will continue to encourage the FCC to pursue a rulemaking in order to eliminate the ongoing confusion resulting from today's action and to assess the merits of its underlying policy.”


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Apple joins the list of companies and organizations suing NSO Group over the Israeli company’s controversial spyware program. Apple wants to enforce through the courts that NSO Group no longer uses Apple hardware or software.
An apple complain NSO Group because of the company’s abuse of power. With the vulnerability now patched, Pegasus software can be used to hack Apple devices. The zero day It was discovered by the research company Citizen Lab in Toronto.
Apple’s senior vice president of software engineering, Craig Federighi, wrote that “Millions of dollars in companies like the NSO Group develop advanced monitoring technology without any accountability for it. And that needs to change.” Federigi said. Through the lawsuit, Apple hopes to be able to enforce that Apple users can no longer be targeted by the NSO Group’s program in the future.
Pegasus has been criticized several times in spyware cases where journalists, politicians, and other public figures have been spied on using spyware. Earlier this year, for example, it was announced that several French journalists and politicians targeting They were spying on the program and possibly French President Macron as well.
According to the NSO Group, the software is used to gain access to the phones of criminals and terrorists. The spyware suite is sold to governments and government agencies. In September, the SP put parliamentary questions to the outgoing cabinet about the use of Pegasus software by Dutch institutions. This is where the government wants There is no data about to do.
Earlier, Meta had already started a lawsuit against NSO Group, because the WhatsApp software was hacked on many users. While NSO Group denies involvement in the attacks, Meta believes it has evidence of the company’s active involvement in the hacks.
Human rights and privacy organizations have also filed lawsuits against the company over the spyware, including the Indian Internet Freedom Foundation, Paradigm Initiative, Privacy International, Reporters Without Borders and R3D Mexico. AI Lost Last year, the NSO Group sued.
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Filipinos are known for their resilience especially in difficult times. This is reflected in their continuing love and support for sports. But it’s a two-way street as the Gin Makers step up and foster new courage to bring people together again, for the common good.
It is on this premise that Ginebra San Miguel Inc. (GSMI) presents its latest consumer promo. GSMI is giving basketball fans a platform to come together and reach out to those who are affected by the pandemic. “Bagong Tapang sa One Ginebra Nation Jersey and Cap Collection Promo” lets basketball fans collect Gin Kings merchandise and give back at the same time.
The jersey and cap collection promo had a virtual media launch recently that was streamed live via Ginebra San Miguel’s Facebook page. The promo is in line with Ginebra San Miguel’s latest campaign “Bagong Tapang” which highlights the new courage and strength that Filipinos possess to overcome the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The jerseys that were unveiled during the event featured Scottie Thompson (6), Stanley Pringle (11), Japeth Aguilar (25), La Tenorio (5), and Mark Caguioa (47). Starting on May 1 to June 30, 2021, fans can get their hands on the limited-edition merchandise for only P100 for the One Ginebra Nation jersey or P150 for the One Ginebra Nation cap for every six (6) seals or caps of any combination of Ginebra San Miguel, GSM Blue, GSM Blue Flavors, Ginebra San Miguel Premium Gin and Primera Light Brandy.
During the launch, Barangay Ginebra San Miguel fans got to see their favorite players for the first time after winning the 2020 Philippine Cup championship at the historic PBA bubble in December last year. With the restrictions in social gatherings, the traditional championship victory party and fans day had to be set aside.
PAYING IT FORWARD
The jersey collection promo had been one of Ginebra San Miguel’s most patronized consumer promotions. For this year, GSMI tapped non-profit organization Gawad Kalinga (GK) as its partner for this project’s noble undertaking.
For every jersey or cap that they redeem, basketball fans and consumers will be able to donate to GK’s Barangay Walang Iwanan program that supports the farmers in Sariaya, Quezon, and the fishermen in Barangay Bagumbayan, Pililla, Rizal.
“Bagong Tapang sa One Ginebra Nation Jersey and Cap Collection” merchandises are available for redemption at selected Puregold and other redemption outlets nationwide. To confirm the merchandise’s authenticity, an authentication patch can be found on the lower left part of the jersey, while an authentication sticker is attached to the cap.
For more details and updates on the promo, log on to http://www.ginebra.com.ph, check out the official Facebook page of Ginebra San Miguel www.facebook.com/barangayginebra or call the GSMI customer care hotline at 8632-2564.
GSMI is the producer of Ginebra San Miguel, the world’s largest-selling gin according to leading global drinks journal Drinks International. It is also a 15-time Gold Quality Label awardee of the Monde Selection International Quality Institute.
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Nokia plans to release a 41 megapixel camera on a new smartphone as part of the company’s attempt to climb back into relevance. Lawrence Lewitinn:
Nokia wants the world to know that, although they may be Finnish, they’re not finished. The company plans on releasing a 41 megapixel camera in its new 808 PureView phone, hoping the trend for people to photograph their lunches and share them on the Internet also requires higher definition images.
I doubt if buyers will flock to the phone because most are already tied down with a smartphone or a contract. What does Apple have up its sleeve?
Apple is designing a feature called “Mogul” which would allow iPhone to record slow motion video at 120 frames per second. This feature may undoubtedly excite cat owners everywhere as it allows them to upload to YouTube excruciatingly slow motion videos of kittens trying to walk newly waxed floors.
That’ll be a big seller.


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If you've ever wondered how Apple stacks up financially in relation to software giant Microsoft, perhaps your perspective should be flipped. It is Microsoft that must be viewed in relation to Apple’s success. During the last quarter Apple amassed an additional $32.7 billion in net income and cash, while Microsoft’s total revenue for the quarter stalled at $21.7 billion, up only 6% YOY. This meager growth barely tracks above inflation, and is not keeping pace with internal cost increases. The downward trend for Microsoft came in their net income, which saw a 5% decline in the face of larger revenues, a seriously dangerous equation. Microsoft blamed the strong US dollar for the fall, but Apple had no need for such excuses during their quarterly report. Apple’s YOY revenues grew 27%, while driving larger gross margins and a 30% rise in net income. The two companies couldn't be on more different paths.
Apple’s fiscal second quarter iPhone sales were simply amazing, but the Cupertino company is showcasing the value in diversity more so than any of its competition. Microsoft is simply a decades old franchise, one-hundred-percent dependent on Windows. Google just showed how unsuccessful it is outside of anything but search. Apple’s model of software coupled with various hardware businesses can withstand blows, and expand in ways that continue to defy the odds — and its detractors — alike.
Microsoft, the once mighty and feared software giant, is only a footnote outside of Windows sales. Office is the monster of business workflow, but without Windows and the forced Office bundles, who would value Word or Powerpoint over other solutions available today? Everything Microsoft had, has, and will have, revolves around Windows nothing more. Bing, Xbox and Windows Phone are all long-term financial nightmares for the Redmond, WA techno-giant.
Tim Cook has lead and experienced a wave of success at Apple. The result? Suddenly everyone wants part of the action. Cook is now being lectured by kooky numb-nuts with money and platforms on how to run Apple. Clearly, these people on the outside, who have done nothing to make Apple successful, know what is better for Apple than those leading it to record setting success.
It has been rumored for years. Mock ups have been made. Analysts have proclaimed launch season after launch season, year after year after year. Yet for all the hype and wondrous prototype possibilities that may – or may not – be hidden deep within Apple’s design labs, a 4K/UHD TV that sports an Apple logo may never be in the cards. Our condolences to Gene Munster.
Whether or not Apple could change the way a television functions and interacts with the user is the wrong question to ask. Apple is more than capable of creating markets from scratch and reinvent nascent technologies into something brand new and better. The right question to ask is whether creating a state-of-the-art TV would be worth it for Apple?
Apple’s earnings for the second quarter of their fiscal 2014 shocked Wall Street. In fact, it did more than just surprise, it blew the lids off investors’ expectations, causing Apple’s stock to skyrocket straight north. After hours trading revealed an increase of over $43 a share. Evidently, the move of Apple’s stock has staying power as it is still hovering around $565 per share. Looking back at the earnings call reveals the big items that sent the AAPL skyrocketing, but it also gives a glimpse into the future of where Apple is heading.
Apple's Financial Call Highlights:


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By Janet Forgrieve
Two trends have come together to drive the growth of new snack foods — consumers are snacking more and sometimes using snacks to replace meals. Meanwhile, they’re also trying to avoid empty calories and seek out convenient snacks that pack a nutritional punch without packing on the calories.
The new year began with news on the high-protein snacks front. Dannon announced Monday that it has replaced long-time Oikos spokesman John Stamos with Carolina Panthers Quarterback Cam Newton, the latest move in the company’s ongoing effort to market the yogurt as a protein-packed snack for athletes and active men.
Newton will endorse a new product called Oikos Triple Zero, which has 15 grams of protein and doesn’t contain fat, sugar or artificial sweeteners. Dannon, the official yogurt of the National Football League, will break a new ad campaign this month and advertise heavily during the playoff games leading up to the Super Bowl, in a push to reach its target audience.
Hence the rise of the high-protein snack, a trend that grew in 2014 and is on track to blossom further in the new year, according to Packaged Facts. Snacking frequency increased 47% between 2010 and 2014, with millennials driving both the rise in snacking and the demand for healthier options, according to data compiled by DuPont Nutrition & Health.
“Data indicates they are more frequent snackers, and are more likely to be using snacks as meal replacement, thus expecting their snacks to deliver more nutritionally,” said Jean Heggie, Strategic Marketing Leader for DuPont Nutrition & Health, which makes an isolated soy protein that food makers use in nutrition bars and other snack foods.
Food makers are feeding the growing demand with products like Oikos, high-protein energy bars and Quest Protein Chips, a low-fat, sugar-free baked snack that boasts 21 grams of protein in a single 120-calorie serving.
“In just the past few years, technological advancements have enabled manufacturers to keep up with consumers’ increasing demands. Today’s products can be made with up to 30 grams of protein per serving, vs. 15-10 grams, which used to be the standard,” Heggie said.
Meat, eggs and dairy are the categories that often come to mind first when we think about protein, but food companies are also promoting plenty of vegetarian and plant-based high-protein options.
Chicago-based quickserve chain Protein Bar launched in 2009 and will open its 13th restaurant on Friday, featuring a health-focused menu that’s heavy on high-protein and vegetarian options, and marketed to young, active consumers. The company has received a $22 million investment from private-equity firm Catterton Partners to fund a plan to expand to 40 locations this year, Crain’s Chicago Business reported.
And food and beverage makers are increasingly looking to ingredients like DuPont’s soy protein as leaner and less pricey protein options, Heggie said.
“Soy protein helps manufacturers manage cost as it can sometimes be half the price of typical milk protein concentrates, whey proteins, or caseinates,” she said. “Many formulators find that the best approach is blending proteins, like dairy and soy. This approach leads to a more economical solution, and often results in better sensory results than singular protein sources provide.”


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Free Air Tickets To Hong Kong Flight: After the Corona Pandemic in Hong Kong, tourists have come to a complete standstill, which is being offered free travel to bring them back on track. Before Corona, a large number of tourists used to visit Hong Kong, but since the Corona period, the number of tourists has been decreasing continuously. This caused a lot of damage to Hong Kong.
Now after the Corona period, tourists have started visiting Hong Kong again. Hong Kong has come out with a new plan to promote tourism here. Airport Authority Hong Kong is going to give 500,000 free air tickets. These tickets will be distributed next year. The cost of these tickets will be around $ 254.8 million.
what is the reason
Hong Kong purchased these air tickets from domestic airlines in the region as part of a relief package to aid the aviation industry. Now that the strict rules implemented in Hong Kong during the Corona period have been withdrawn, preparations are being made to increase the number of tourists in the city again.
Corona reduced tourists
Hong Kong was largely cut off from the rest of the world due to its Kovid-19 rules. During this time, travelers coming to Hong Kong were required to spend 21 days in a hotel room at their own expense. In which only Hong Kong residents are allowed entry. This period was reduced from 7 to 3 days. It was officially abolished on 26 September. This was followed by prompting people to log on to airline websites to book flights.
Follow these rules in Hong Kong
Many rules made after the Corona period have now been removed. Still, travelers coming to Hong Kong have to follow many rules. For example, international travelers coming to Hong Kong must submit a pre-flight vaccination certificate, as well as a negative PCR report, etc., before entering. Once they are allowed to enter. Visitors have to go through a three-day self-monitoring period, during which they are forbidden to eat in restaurants or go to bars. Visitors are required to complete a PCR test on days 2, 4 and 6 after arrival and a rapid antigen test every day for 7 days.


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IN THE midst of a noisy international share-buying dance, many East and South-East Asian markets have been wallflowers. Their performance has been dismal, made worse in the past few weeks by fears that Thailand's woes may spread. Some analysts argue that this is illogical. Some Asian markets, they say, are beginning to look like buys.
The case for bullishness in the region's markets begins with Japan's strengthening currency. A sluggish Japanese economy plus a weak yen, which has seen a huge devaluation since 1995, have hurt exports from several countries, including Thailand, South Korea and the Philippines. But the economy seems to be picking up, and the yen has climbed from a low of ¥126 to the dollar a month ago to ¥114 today. Now, the long slumps in Thai and South Korean exports look close to bottoming, and in the Philippines export growth is running at an annualised 30%. So a rising yen improves Asian countries' trade picture and boosts corporate profits, both usually good for shares.
Meanwhile, the price-earnings ratios of Thai and South Korean shares are trading at their lowest levels in years. In Indonesia share valuations are not dear, and company profits are likely to jump: here, it is politics (parliamentary elections this month, presidential elections next March) that is proving to be the chief dampener. Singapore's market, however, may be the most attractive. The city-state's economy has suffered from a worldwide slump in demand for its electronic goods. That, however, shows signs of ending. Meanwhile the Singapore dollar has been falling against the American dollar, and money supply is growing, which could, unless it runs too fast, help drive share prices higher.
Of course, there are risks. If the Thai authorities are forced into a big devaluation, the stockmarket could slump once more, although that may already be discounted in the market. South Korea, some worry, may have to go through the same deflationary restructuring process from which Japan has suffered. The Philippines' economy, on the other hand, is getting too frisky. The central bank may soon be forced to rein in credit, which would be bad for shares. Yet all of these markets look better than the superficially healthy ones, such as Taiwan's, where the economy is in reasonable shape but shares look impossibly dear following a powerful year-long rally.
All of this may not seduce foreign investors, who have lost large sums trying to capture a piece of the Asian miracle (see chart). But they may still have a hard time finding better places to put their money. ING Barings, an investment bank, points out that “Latin American valuations are beginning to match those of Asia, a rather puzzling development given that Asia has as many non-investment-grade nations as Latin America has investment-grade nations, namely one.” The miracle, in other words, is for sale cheap.


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Mary Poppins may be obsolete as Mattel has a new robot nanny taking care of your kids.
Mattel Inc. announced Wednesday that its nabi brand has developed “a first-of-its kind” connected kids-room platform — a system called Aristotle — together with such technology heavyweights as Microsoft, Qualcomm Technologies Inc. and Silk Labs.
The world’s biggest toymaker said in a statement released from its El Segundo headquarters that unlike other voice-activated, artificial intelligence- driven connected home platforms, Aristotle is designed to help parents protect and nurture their children.
Mattel plans to begin selling the voice-activated kids connected-room hub and camera bundle this summer. The device is expected to retail for $300, Bloomberg reported.
In the meantime, the company will unveil Aristotle at the annual Consumer Electronics Show taking place this week in Las Vegas.
Aristotle has been compared to Amazon’s Echo device, although it has been configured to address the needs of children. It is equipped with a camera, microphone and speakers that can connect to Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, and it can respond to children’s commands.
The Mattel statement said Aristotle is designed “to comfort, entertain, teach and assist during each development state — evolving with a child as their needs change from infancy to adolescence.”
In building Aristotle, Mattel’s nabi brand focused on addressing parents’ biggest concerns regarding security, privacy, and ease of use, according to the company.
“Aristotle’s artificial intelligence will also have a unique personality that will appeal to parents and kids and will be presented as the great descendent of Aristotle himself,” the statement said.
While current platforms activate devices that must be purchased separately, set up individually and may or may not be compatible with each other, Mattel said “Aristotle incorporates AI, voice, sight and sounds into its hub and camera, providing an all-in-one solution that simply works together.”
Its capabilities enable it to perform specialized functions autonomously, including helping sooth a crying baby, purchase diapers or find online deals, reinforce good manners in tots, and even help them learn a foreign language, according to Mattel.
Aristotle can automatically play a lullaby and turn lights on dim when it hears a sleeping baby begin to cry, according to Mattel. For a toddler, the dynamic lighting system will light up green or red to acknowledge if the child has answered a question correctly during a voice-activated learning lesson.
—City News Service


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Ahead of the anticipated festival season, microchipped wristbands have been trialled by more than 3000 music fans as part of the Eurosonic festival in the Netherlands.
The digital wristbands, created by Intellitix, are expected to combat ticket fraud and touting following their use at UK 2012 festivals.
They are also able to be pre-loaded with money, allowing people to pay for items such as food whilst at festivals.
Whilst the bands have been a big hit in America, some UK critics have suggested that the wristbands infringe people’s privacy and could make festivals, known for their free spirit feel, too commercial.
Interestingly, the wristbands look just like current festival tags with the only difference being they are fitted with a microchip.
The technology used within the wristbands has been likened to that of London’s pre-paid Oyster card for use on public transport.
It has been confirmed that the wristbands will be used for general admission at a couple of UK festivals this year.
Similar blog post – T-shirts to charge phones at festival.


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- 23 Jun
Congratulations to TXB on being named
2023 Chain of the Year
Congratulations to PriceAdvantage partner TXB on being named CSD’s 2023 Chain of the Year! The announcement can be found here.
“CStore Decisions’ Chain of the Year Award recognizes retail excellence, and TXB has earned a place in this rich tradition as the 34th winner of this prestigious industry honor,” said Erin Del Conte, editor-in-chief of CStore Decisions. “While many c-stores are struggling to reinvent themselves in a way that meets the evolving needs of today’s customer, TXB has hit the mark with a state-of-the-art store design, a tech-forward mindset, friendly employees and a restaurant-quality food program, making it a powerful and growing competitor in the c-store industry.”


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Motorola chair to present at Morgan Stanley conference
LIBERTYVILLE, Ill.— Motorola Mobility Holdings announced that its chairman and CEO, Dr. Sanjay Jha, is scheduled to present at the Morgan Stanley Technology, Media & Telecom Conference in San Francisco, California.
The live audio webcast will be available at investors.motorola.com. An archived replay will be available on the website approximately three hours after the live event.
All about the outlook
The retail world takes center stage this week as financial markets are poised to dissect a slew of earnings reports from major retailers who will be sharing details on the profitability of holiday sales, perspective on the state of the economic recovery and the outlook for consumer spending during the remainder of 2011.
Target is among the companies scheduled to report, but before its numbers are released on Thursday plenty of competitors will have shed light on their operations. Companies such as Walmart, Macy’s, Home Depot, Office Depot and Barnes & Noble are scheduled to release earnings on Tuesday followed on Wednesday by Lowes, TJX, Limited, Dollar Tree and Chicos. On Thursday, in addition to Target, other companies reporting results include Gap, Safeway, Kohl’s and Sear’s Holdings. JCPenney is scheduled to report on Friday.
As tends to be the case with earnings reports, the actual results companies report are of less significance to the markets than the guidance provided. It happens all the time where a company reports blowout numbers and upon expressing a modest degree of reservation about future earnings potential sees its share price get pummeled.
Whether such a fate awaits Target remains to be seen, but the company has a large number of initiatives underway that are going to draw keen interest from analysts regardless of where sales and profit forecasts fall relative to consensus numbers.
For example, there are sure to be questions about the expenses associated with the PFresh remodeling program, whether there have been further reductions in the time required to complete a remodel and the pace of remodel activity for the coming year. The impact this program is having on gross margins, customer traffic and average transaction size are also being watch closely.
Also of interest will be the company’s expansion into Canada now that the acquisition of Zellers stores has been announced and an update on the small format initiative now that it has been disclosed that the CityTarget name will adorn the stores.
As always, analysts will also be interested in Target’s perspective on the competitive environment from a pricing standpoint and what the company is seeing in terms of product cost inflation and how consumers may be reacting to efforts to pass through price increases.
And you can’t forget the 5% REDcard rewards program launched last October. Is this initiative producing the desired business results, and what kind of metrics will the company release to validate its claims?
And lastly, the fourth quarter earnings announcement tends to be a forum for the company to provide an update on some near term merchandising initiatives that will hit stores during the first quarter.
Small format gets a new name
So Target plans to call its new small format stores CityTarget. It was a little over a year ago the company first disclosed plans to open stores ranging from 60,000-sq.-ft. to 100,000-sq.-ft. in urban locations, but the new name was revealed only last week in connection with the announcement of a 2012 opening of a small store in downtown Chicago.
Not quite sure what to make of the new name, but the folks in Target’s marketing department know a thing or two about branding so the inclination is to give the company the benefit of the doubt that the choice is a wise one. Surely, rigorous consumer research was conducted and alternatives were tested with various shoppers segments before CityTarget was established as the optimal name for a potential new growth vehicle.
Nevertheless, inquiring minds want to know why a separate name is required at all.
Perhaps the wisdom of Target’s ways will be revealed once the first of these stores open and shoppers are able to see for themselves just how differentiated the shopping experience is between a CityTarget, a Target and a SuperTarget.
For now, what the company is saying about the store is that “CityTarget will offer guests the convenience of one-stop shopping with affordable fresh food, apartment essentials, on-trend fashions and exclusive designer collections.”
That’s not a lot to go on, but a year ago when the urban strategy was disclosed at an analysts’ meeting in Philadelphia. Target chairman, president and CEO Gregg Steinhafel indicated the product assortments in these smaller stores would be comprised of the highest velocity categories blended with products tailored to the unique need of urban customers.
If the product mix and guest experience is substantially differentiated from other Target and SuperTarget stores then a unique identity is warranted. If not, then it is simply confusing and customers will wonder why the store in downtown Chicago is called CityTarget while a unit less than a mile away in the shadow of downtown is known simply as Target.
It has already become challenging to tell the difference between SuperTarget and Target stores now that the latter have received fresh foods and expanded consumables offerings courtesy of the PFresh remodeling program. There is a size difference between the two formats, but thanks to PFresh conventional 125,000-sq.-ft. Target discount stores now seem pretty super. It is conceivable a similar situation could exist with CityTarget since the company has indicated some of the units will be as large as 100,000-sq.-ft. and offer the convenience of one stop shopping, which seems to be a rather liberal definition of an urban small format.


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Kendall Jenner hits the runways at NY Fashion Week
Kendall Jenner is at it again! She's already had some major modeling moments earlier this year with a fierce jaunt down the Marc Jacobsrunway in February, and then in July she showed up in Paris at Givenchy and Chanel.
Proving she's not just a little sister to the Kardashians, she's been spotted once again hitting the New York Fashion Week runways at more top names.
ON SUNDAY AT DIANE VON FURSTENBERG:
AND ON MONDAY AT TOMMY HILFIGER: