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The researchers investigated the myth of the "sugar rush" and whether sugar consumption has a positive effect on mood. They found that sugar doesn't improve a person's mood. In fact, it can make individuals less alert and more tired after consumption.
In the study, Dr. Konstantinos Mantantzis (Humboldt University), Professor Elizabeth Maylor and Dr. Friederike Schlaghecken (University of Warwick's Department of Psychology), and Dr. Sandra Sunram-Lea (Lancaster University) used data from 31 published studies involving at least 1300 adult participants. The researchers studied the effect of sugar on various aspects of mood such as alertness, anger, depression, and fatigue.
They also analyzed how factors like the quantity and type of sugar consumed might affect the mood. Additionally, they studied if engaging in demanding mental and physical activities changes the effects of sugar consumption. (Related: An hour is all it takes: Drinking a can of soda ‘overloads’ the body with sugar and damages it in just 60 minutes.)
The researchers found that, regardless of how much sugar is consumed or whether or not the participants engaged in demanding activities afterward, sugar consumption has almost no effect on mood.
The volunteers who consumed sugar felt more tired and less alert than those who didn't. These findings debunk the idea of a "sugar rush."
The researchers hope that their study can be used to dispel the myth of the "sugar rush." They also hope that it can encourage people to minimize their sugar consumption for the sake of their well-being.
Mantantzis, who led the study, says the notion that sugar consumption can improve mood has been widely influential in popular culture. This has resulted in individuals around the world consuming sugary beverages to become more alert or prevent fatigue. Unfortunately, the study shows that these claims are unsubstantiated and that sugar makes people feel worse.
Sunram-Lea concluded that the increase in reports of diabetes, obesity, and metabolic syndrome in the last few years emphasizes the need for evidence-based dietary strategies to promote a healthy lifestyle.
It can be difficult to reduce your sugar intake if you love sweet snacks and beverages. But if you want to improve your overall well-being and maintain a healthy weight, follow these tips to cut down on sugar.
Follow a well-balanced diet and avoid a sugar crash by limiting your intake of sugary snacks and beverages.


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The high-tech wundercompany landed not only on our street corners and in our malls, but also on the top 10 of Fortune's Most Admired Companies.
Editor's note: This article appeared in the March 8, 2007 issue of Fortune magazine.
By Jerry Useem
FORTUNE -- "Sorry Steve, Here's Why Apple Stores Won't Work," BusinessWeek wrote with great certainty in 2001. "It's desperation time in Cupertino, Calif.," opined TheStreet.com. "I give [Apple] two years MOREAug 26, 2011 5:00 AM ET
For reasons unclear, the online store was not responding Wednesday morning
[UPDATE: As of 11:10 a.m. EST the store seems to be functioning properly. No new products that I can see. Never did get an explanation from Apple PR.]
[UPDATE 2: As of noon EST, the site seems to be misbehaving again. Still no word out of Apple.]
[UPDATE 3: Reader Mehdi Daoudi of Catchpoint Systems reports that the site had fully recovered MOREPhilip Elmer-DeWitt - Aug 17, 2011 9:51 AM ET
An official search of Kunming, China, yields a surfeit of unauthorized Apple retail shops
Three weeks after an American blogger visiting the capital of China's Yunnan province posted the first photographs of a copycat Apple Store so convincing that even some of the sales staff thought they were working for Steve Jobs, Chinese authorities have identified 22 more unauthorized Apple stores in Kunming city.
According to a Reuters report filed Thursday, the MOREPhilip Elmer-DeWitt - Aug 12, 2011 5:10 AM ET
Plans call for a 23,000-sq.-ft. store with minimal alterations of the landmark building
Contrary to rumors and published reports, the new store that Apple (AAPL) wants to build in New York City's Grand Central Terminal would not be its largest. At roughly 23,000 square feet, it would be smaller than London's Regent Street (25,000 sq. ft.) and the Covent Garden (24,600) stores.
But according to ifoAppleStore's Gary Allen, it would be one MOREPhilip Elmer-DeWitt - Jul 26, 2011 7:30 AM ET
The fake retail outlet that launched a thousand news stories is still open for business
There were developments Monday in everybody's favorite story about China's disregard for western intellectual property rights.
China's official investigation of fake Apple (AAPL) stores in Kunming city -- triggered by the discovery by BirdAbroad of a knock-off so convincing that even some of its employees thought they were working for Steve Jobs -- turned up four similar MOREPhilip Elmer-DeWitt - Jul 25, 2011 6:30 AM ET
With OS X Lion, a new MacBook Air and a new MacBook mini
In Wednesday's apple.com splash screen, Apple (AAPL) is highlighting "the new, faster MacBook Air."Philip Elmer-DeWitt - Jul 20, 2011 8:50 AM ET
Sold a record 20.34 million iPhones, 9.25 million iPads and 3.95 million Macs
Apple's (AAPL) third fiscal quarter was bigger than the most optimistic estimates. Even without a new iPhone to drive sales, revenues, earnings and profits were bigger than the biggest Christmas quarter.
Apple also announced that OS X Lion is coming tomorrow (Wednesday).
The iPhone and iPad numbers were huge surprises. Sales of the iPod, as expected, continued to fall. Only MOREPhilip Elmer-DeWitt - Jul 19, 2011 4:57 PM ET
The yellow Post-it is usually a sign that something new is coming
[UPDATE: The store came back up shortly after 6:00 a.m. EST Sunday. If there were any changes, I can't see them.]
Sometimes Apple (AAPL) takes its online store off-line for cosmetic changes -- like maybe a Father's Day sale. Sometimes it's to clear the decks for a new piece of hardware. What that might be, we can only guess. Among MOREPhilip Elmer-DeWitt - Jun 19, 2011 5:13 AM ET
A well-documented piece of street art appeared Friday at a Hamburg construction site
A group calling itself the .Wav Collective, after a Windows audio file format, has posted a video showing a pair of street artists disguised as workmen cordoning off a section of the Jungfernstieg in downtown Hamburg Friday morning, hoisting a ladder against the construction barricade at the site of Apple's (AAPL) newest retail in the city, and calmly MOREPhilip Elmer-DeWitt - Jun 5, 2011 6:13 AM ET
The new Fifth Avenue store is the same as the old store, only more efficient
Without a new product or a shortage of iPads to draw a crowd, there were no lines outside the big glass cube of the iconic Apple Store on Manhattan's Fifth Avenue Monday morning.
The traffic in the subterranean retail space was also relatively light, which made it easy to count the changes wrought by the redesign that MOREPhilip Elmer-DeWitt - May 23, 2011 11:30 AM ET
|American Airlines, US Airways to form largest air carrier Monday|
|Japan's economy looks weaker after GDP revision|
|Boost for trade as global deal struck|
|Someone bought a $100,000 Tesla with Bitcoins|
|2 million Facebook, Gmail and Twitter passwords stolen in massive hack|

domain: news


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"Last year was an experimental face for a lot of e-commerce sites such as Amazon, eBay, and others. And they saw a noticeable increase in traffic coming from the social networking sites when they'd put up a promotion on Facebook or Twitter."
The top sites that drove holiday traffic to major e-tailers included search sites such as Google and Yahoo, as well as what are known as referal sites such as CooksIllustrated.com is for Williams-Sonoma or Style.com is for Macy's.
This year Facebook and Twitter are topping the list so far.
"Through the course of the year you've seen a demographics shift and you've seen the retailers get better and better at putting promotions there," explains Davis.
The real shift happened though during the back-to-school push, where Facebook ended up catapulting to the top five traffic drivers for big companies like Best Buy and Wal Mart.
But Facebook has also done a great job working with these retailers and helping people to find gifts for friends by analyzing their 'likes and interests' in their facebook profiles and seeing what items their friends have clicked the 'like' button on on various e-commerce sites.


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NVIDIA has just announced the GeForce Gaming Celebration event set to take place on August 20 where the company will reveal ‘latest GeForce hardware’ and ‘spectacular surprises’.
The event takes place just a day before Gamescom so a good time for the media to get their hands on the hardware.
Below is the PR sent out:
Join us at our GeForce Gaming Celebration!
This event will be filled with awesome new PC games running on the latest GeForce hardware, cool stage presentations, food and drinks, and some spectacular surprises.
Festivities kick off at 6PM CET on Monday, Aug. 20. The venue is subject to capacity limits and entry will be first-come, first-served, so plan to get there early. Limit one ticket per person.
Location will be disclosed closer to the event. Stay tuned to your inbox and GeForce.com for further info!
The world’s biggest gaming expo, Gamescom 2018, runs August 21-25 in Cologne, Germany. And GeForce will loom large there — at our Gamescom booth, Hall 10.1, Booth E-072; at our partners’ booths, powering the latest PC games; and at our own off-site GeForce Gaming Celebration that starts the day before.
The event will be loaded with new, exclusive, hands-on demos of the hottest upcoming games, stage presentations from the world’s biggest game developers, and some spectacular surprises.
To join in, simply head here, register, and turn up for the start of the festivities on Monday, Aug. 20. Doors open at 5.30pm CET and the fun starts at 6pm. There’s limited space, so make sure you arrive early. Can’t make it in person? Don’t worry, it will be livestreamed.
If you somehow choose to miss Monday’s epic event, the festivities continue on Tuesday at 10am, and run clear through to 5pm. Again, space is strictly on a first-come, first-served basis, so make sure you and your clan members turn up early to go hands-on with the spectacular PC-powered demos of the most-anticipated, yet-to-be-released games.
The new GTX series supposedly numbered the 1100 series has been rumored for a while now, but it seems they’re finally going to be made official. Expect to see the reveal of the GTX 1080 and 1070 at least at the event.
Any guesses for the ‘spectacular surprise’ though? I’m betting on a new Tegra.
Time to sell of that GTX 1080Ti boys?


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“This is EVERYTHING. I could cry right now."
Hudson's Bay Company is no longer selling a baseball cap featuring the phrase "Make Canada Great Again" following online backlash. The retailer wouldn't comment on their rationale for selling the hat, which featured a Canadian version of U.S. President Donald Trump's politically loaded "Make America Great Again" slogan, but a company representative confirmed to HuffPost Canada that they are no longer selling it. Twitter users noticed the hat, made by Los Angeles Trading Company, for sale on Tuesday, and many contacted the company to express disapproval.
Handcrafted in Scotland and made from pure lambswool, the brand made its name with slogan knits in delectable hues, with the first collection, Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others, made for the ultimate music fan and featuring pieces dedicated to Patti Smith, The Slits and Sonic Youth. This season's drop, Iconoclast, is available from 18th October and features just as many idiosyncratic typographies, cult slogans and wearable colours as the previous offering. "The collection extols the idea of being an upender of what culture holds dear, to subvert and challenge the tyranny of conformism, whether that be societal institutions, suburban orthodoxy or performative femininity," designer Cassie Holland says.
Oct 17 (Reuters) - U.S. footwear and apparel company Nine West Holdings Inc filed an amended Chapter 11 bankruptcy plan that will reduce its pre-bankruptcy debt obligations by more than $1 billion, the company said on Wednesday. The plan is expected to provide $105 million cash recovery to stakeholders through the settlement of potential claims and causes of action against the company's indirect equity owners, it said. Nine West, which owns brands such as Anne Klein and Gloria Vanderbilt, said it will also receive a three-year purchase commitment from Belk Inc for an assortment of merchandise across the company's businesses. A hearing has been scheduled for Nov. 7 to consider approval of the
Lily Aldridge, Lori Loughlin, and thousands of fans are in awe of Cindy Crawford's makeup-free workout look.
Fuzzy sherpa jackets are having a big moment in fashion right now and are easily the season's must-have coat.
The 36-year-old actress spoke with ET at God's Love We Deliver, Golden Heart Awards at Spring Studios in NYC on Tuesday.
Burberry's first runway show by designer Riccardo Tisci started Sept. 17 at the 17th hour of the day. This is not by coincidence: 17 is Tisci's lucky number, and Burberry Group Plc is getting on board. The U.K. fashion brand says it's releasing limited-edition capsule collections on the 17th of every month, starting Wednesday with white sweatshirts at 450 pounds ($591) and T-shirts emblazoned with red “TB” logos, a nod to brand founder Thomas Burberry. Astrology, tarot, and new-age spiritual elements like crystals and pyramid power are part of the daily currency of high fashion, and Tisci, whom Burberry has hired to bring excitement and credibility, is an avid adherent. He cites his astrological


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Leading retailer of IT products in the Philippines Upson International Corp. (Upson) adjusted its initial public offering to the first quarter of 2023.
Upson, which offers its retail products through its stores Octagon Computer Superstore, Micro Valley, and Gadget King, initially intended to have its shares listed by October of this year. The company intends to offer up to 888,157,800 of its common shares – up to 789,473,600 allotted for Primary Offering and up to 98,684,200 for Secondary Offering – with an over-allotment option of up to 98,684,200 Option Shares. Upson will use the proceeds from the IPO to expand its store network and improve its supply chain and logistics.
“The retail business has foot traffic as a fundamental growth driver. Yet, despite the pandemic years of 2020 to 2021, Upson’s revenue growth was driven by its market’s adaptation to online education and work-from-home. The “return to normal” for the rest of the year gives us confidence that the pre-pandemic sales growths will continue to define the opportunities at hand,” shared Upson President and CEO, Arlene Sy.
The company’s updated prospectus following the adjusted timetable for the IPO will highlight its market performance for the third quarter of 2022. In August 2022, Upson reached a new milestone by opening its 200th store, from 183 stores at the end of December 2021. The company still aims to open 250 stores or an additional retail space of 25,000 sq.m. from 2022 to 2026, with an aggressive rollout in the next three years.
The plans of Upson to adjust the IPO timetable are aligned with the views of both their underwriters, First Metro Investment Corp. and RCBC Capital Corp. Operational updates covering nine months, including the third quarter financials, would enable investors to better estimate a full-year performance.
Upson remains steadfast on their plans for their forthcoming IPO. “We are encouraged by the interest and support we’ve received from the public with regard to our upcoming initial public offering. We remain committed to deliver on our growth and expansion plans. We continuously aim to be every Filipino’s partner of choice for their digital future. ” said Sy.
A copy of the draft preliminary offering circular on the Offer is available at https://www.upson.com.ph/investor-relations/prospectus/


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As I was flipping through Twitter this morning, I caught a link to an infographic that a friend of mine shared. The giant thing can be viewed here.
I’ve been seeing a lot of these lately – reports where the “value” of a fan vs a non-fan get broken out. However, every single one of these reports falls directly into the problem of self-selection bias, and encourages completely false assumptions.
Take this recent report, that detailed how McDonald’s makes ~$160 more in sales from a Facebook fan than a non-fan. The comparison was actually $310.18 from fans vs $150.39 from non-fans. The section was prefaced with the following:
“In a recent study conducted by Syncapse, 20 brands were evaluated to see the economic impact of having fans on Facebook.”
That line implies causation with “the impact of having a fan”. It insinuates that if you were to get a McDonald’s customer to “Like” McDonalds on Facebook, they would start spending $160 more on crappy food.
That. Is. Moronic.
There are fanatics of every brand. If I can remember correctly, it’s claimed in Super Size Me that McDonalds refers to its super-regular customers as “heavy users”.
There’s something very simple happening here that makes all of these social media reports useless.
Heavy users are more likely to become a social media fan in the first place. Being a social media fan does not transform you into a heavy user.
Simply looking at what a fan spends vs a non-fan tells you nothing. Your sample group (fans) selected themselves, and already proclaimed to be aligned with your brand enough to “like” you on Facebook or follow on Twitter. Your control group (non-fans) like you enough to make purchases, but not enough to go out of their way to get company updates, deals, etc through a social network. No fucking kidding one of those groups is going to spend more than the other.
Now, it isn’t just social. I’m just picking on social because most of these reports/infographic are social-media based because everyone’s desperate to try and show some ROI. However, these reports being held up as “wins” is just as asinine as:
- Conversion rates from branded term PPC ads.
- Conversion rates from email marketing to your internal list.
- Conversion rates from coupon affiliate sites.
- View-through conversions from re-targeting ads.
In all of these situations, the consumers have already flagged themselves as buyers.Looking at their conversion rates etc vs other channels is a totally useless comparison. (Save, maybe, trying to figure out what your “max attainable” conversion rate could be.)
At some point, someone with a voice louder than mine is going to call out these circle-jerk reports that brag about the obvious.


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YouTube to Launch Own Music Service
YouTube is preparing to launch a paid music service in order to compete with similar offerings from Pandora and Spotify. "We're adding subscription-based features for music on YouTube with this in mind — to bring our music partners new revenue streams in addition to the hundreds of millions of dollars YouTube already generates for them each year," said YouTube in a statement provided to Reuters. YouTube has been criticized by some record labels that claim the company will block their content unless they agree to join the service. Sources cited by Reuters say YouTube has already signed deals with 95% of the labels with which it already works to offer music videos online. YouTube, which is owned by Google, will likely work in conjunction with Google Play All Access, Google's own $10-per-month music service. YouTube's music offering is expected to launch later this year.
Google to Merge Google Play Music and YouTube Red
Google plans to shake up its music offering and ad-free video service, according to statements made by Lyor Cohen, the head of Google Play Music. As it stands today, Google Play Music is available to a single person for $10 per month and families for $15 per month.
YouTube Music App Launches for Android and iOS
YouTube's stand-alone music app is now available for download. The app includes a home tab for recommended artists, as well as user-configurable stations based on individual tastes.
YouTube Reimagines Its Premium Video and Music Services
YouTube today announced YouTube Premium and YouTube Music, services that replace YouTube Red and YT Music, respectively. Moving forward, YouTube Premium will be the video site's top-tier service, offering originals, ad-free play, background play, and downloads across YouTube.
YouTube Music Now Supports Custom Offline Playlists
Google updated its YouTube Music application recently and made it possible for users to create their own playlists for offline listening. Before the update, YouTube Music would create mixtape for subscribers using its own algorithms — subscribers could not pick and choose individual songs or albums for offline playback.
Yes but at what cost?
Many independent artists(Adele for example) have not signed licensing deals with Google/Youtube. In retaliation for defying the company, Google/Youtube has decided to not only not offer those artists on its pay service, but to also remove these artists' channels from the FREE Youtube service.
When is someone in the US going to do what the EU has done and investigate ways to break up Google into smaller non-monolithic, non-monopolizing companies?
Here's an article about it.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/hughmcintyre/2014/06/18/ ... »
because 100's of


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NoWait, a mobile waitlisting management service based in Pittsburgh, is announcing today it has closed on a $2 million Series A round of funding led by Birchmere Ventures. Sand Hill Angels and previous investors also participated in the round. The idea to digitize waitlisting is not a new one, and it’s becoming an increasingly crowded market. But in NoWait’s case, it’s a combination of old school mobile support (SMS text messaging) and modern flair (an iOS software application that runs on iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad).
When customers enter a restaurant, they give the host or hostess their name and cell number, which is then entered into the iPad app. The customer then receives a text message with the wait time until their table is ready. Smartphone owners can also click a link that gives them info about their place in line, too.
This is similar to what the NoshList app from Firespotter Labs does, for example, although that company was working to make SMS communication 2-way between customers and restaurants when we last spoke to them in May. (Update: NoWait already has this). And speaking of competition, you can’t ignore the giant in the restaurant customer management space: OpenTable’s ERB. Plus, there are others like Livebookings, Timeview, Tableista, DinerConnection, WaitList Manager, TurnStar, Table’s Ready, and BuzzTable to name just a few.
According to Birchmere’s Sean Ammirati, the exciting thing about what NoWait does is not just that it’s replacing the traditional pen and paper or hockey puck buzzer system, but that it also provides more data to the business owners. “From the owners’ perspective this provided much better analytics into how their business was running even when they weren’t in the restaurant,” he says, adding that it was also much less expensive than pagers. Staff like it too, because it’s easier to use an app than the pager system, says Ammirati.
But NoWait CEO Robb Myer explains that’s it’s not just ease-of-use at play. After all, to varying degrees, all the competition offers that advantage over buzzers (at least if you prefer to work with apps). “What surprises me the most is how much restaurants really dislike the buzzers,” he says. “They hate them. They resent having to shell out money every month when they get lost, stolen, or just crap out. The buzzer companies are jockeying each other to make better buzzers. NoWait is completely changing the game,” Myer says.
But given that there are a lot of waitlisting apps on the market now, as noted above, Ammirati said that his firm chose to invest in NoWait after talking to its customers who had compared its system with others and then chose NoWait because they felt it was more mature and feature-rich than some of the competition.
Current NoWait customers include some big-name brands including Texas Roadhouse, Red Robin and TGI Friday’s, and, with the new funding, the plan is to expand its lineup further. NoWait says it has seated over 4 million diners in 45 U.S. states, Canada and Puerto Rico.


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James Rodd and Rita Jackson of RJR 100 Acre Farm in North Milton will be one of the CSA producers on hand at the upcoming P.E.I. Food Security Network workshop on the topic of Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) on Wednesday, Feb. 5 from 4-7 p.m. at the Farm Centre, 420 University Ave., Charlottetown.
©Guardian photo by Mary MacKay
In a world where tomatoes can come from Mexico and carrots from California, there's an easy, simple way to connect directly to the source of the food you eat.
In fact, some Prince Edward Island farmers like James Rodd and Rita Jackson are on first name basis with clientele who have signed up for their community supported agriculture (CSA) program, which is a subscription-based service where community members support farmers by providing capital investment through share fees. This seed money allows farmers to invest in producing quality local food that picked fresh for the consumer, typically on a weekly basis.
"For me it's like having a bigger family . . . ," says Jackson, who along with her husband, James Rodd, will be at the P.E.I. Food Security Network's free CSA workshop at the Farm Centre in Charlottetown on Wednesday, Feb. 5 from 4-7 p.m.
This workshop will have a little something for everyone: food, discussion, demonstration booths.
"If you don't know a farmer, get to know a farmer. And if you can source out a CSA, try it. The difference is on the plate," says Rodd, who is now in his seventh year of being a CSA producer on their RJR 100 Acre Farm in North Milton, which was converted from conventional farming to organic in 1997.
Each CSA producer has his or her way of presenting the program to the public. In the case of RJR 100 Acre Farm, it is a 16-week program that begins around the first week of July and continues on into the fall.
As many as 42 share members have received weekly deliveries of reusable CSA cloth bags filled with produce that changes as the season goes on.
That list includes things like beet greens, Swiss chard, kale, lettuce, peas, beans, broccoli, cucumbers, tomatoes, eggs, apples and a bevy of fall root crops, squash and more.
"Every week our people get an email telling them what is going to be in their (bag). We also give them suggestions on cooking and recipes because a lot of people don't know how to use some of the vegetables," Jackson says.
CSA farmers can also tailor some of the coming crop to suit the tastes of share members.
"We actually talk to them and ask "What do you like? Is there something in particular,'" Jackson says.
"We've had all kinds of encouragement to grow an herb garden this year," Rodd adds.
"We've had basil and parsley and dill (before) but we're going to gave the full gamut of herbs this year and devote a full section to that."
Many of their clientele take advantage of the open invitation to visit the farm, often helping with the weeding and harvesting of the very crops that will be in their weekly CSA delivery.
"We have a relationship and that's an important thing with producing food for the consumer," Rodd adds.
"If the consumer knows the farmer and knows that there is integrity in the producing of that crop or that livestock then that consumer can get connected to how that food is produced, and get connected to the land, which a lot of people aren't. They look at soil as being something dirty when in fact it's a living organism."
The upcoming CSA workshop showcases the benefits of a CSA program.
"We see (community supported agriculture) as one viable option to increase sustainable distribution for farmers, but certainly not the only option. It's more of a combination that's important, like gardens, markets and CSAs," says Hanna Hameline, chair of P.E.I. Food Security Network's sustainable production and distribution working group.
CSAs also help to revival the rural regions by increasing a sense of community.
"It definitely increases agro-biodiversity because the farmer isn't going to just grow carrots and sell you only carrots the entire year. So it definitely increases the selection of crops and supports mixed farming," Hameline adds.
"It creates a connection between farmers and citizens, which has been lost. It supports the local farmer, which is disappearing on P.E.I. and globally so in that sense it definitely revives the rural community."
The P.E.I. Food Security Network is hosting a workshop on the topic of Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) on Wednesday, Feb. 5 from 4-7 p.m. at the Farm Centre, 420 University Ave., Charlottetown
The workshop will highlight CSA on Prince Edward Island as one viable option for sustainable production and distribution. It will provide P.E.I. CSA producers an opportunity to share their knowledge and CSA customers/sharers will have a chance to share their experiences. And, it will showcase the individual CSA producers' offerings and provide sign-up options
This event is free of charge. Supper is included, but space is limited. All are invited.
Pre-registration is required before Jan. 28.
To pre-register: Cooper Institute 894-4573 or email firstname.lastname@example.org with your name.


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Another Toyota Recall Shakes Confidence in the Brand
Toyota announced today a voluntary recall involving approximately 245,000 2006 through 2007 Lexus GS300/350, 2006 through early 2009 Lexus IS250, and 2006 through early 2008 Lexus IS350 vehicles sold in the U.S. to inspect the fuel pressure sensor installation. It also announced a separate recall involving 1.3 million vehicles worldwide to remedy a different condition on a different fuel delivery pipe and a high pressure fuel pump check valve.
Owners affected by the recall in North America will receive a safety recall notification by first class mail. Lexus will also post this information on its website. Detailed information about this recall is available through Lexus Customer Satisfaction at 1-800-25 LEXUS or 1-800-255-3987 or at www.lexus.com/recall.
Lexus dealers will inspect the vehicle for fuel leakage and if no leakage is found, will tighten the fuel pressure sensor with the proper torque. If a fuel leak is confirmed, the gasket between the sensor and the delivery pipe will be replaced and the sensor will be tightened with the proper torque. The owners will not be charged for these repairs.
Although there’s not much wrong with the cars, the recall ads to the wave of negative PR already experienced by Toyota last year, when the company also had to pay the maximum legally allowed fine of 32.4 million US dollars for a series of high-profile recalls to the US Transportation Department, when it failed to notify the safety agency within five days of learning of the defects.
This time, Toyota reacted timely, and informed customers and the Transportation Department, and even the media seems to ease up on the car manufacturer. But the question of reliability still stands, and more and more customers turn to other companies, which experience less trouble with their cars.


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All eyes are on Tim Sweeney as Fortnite players have been patiently awaiting news of the highly anticipated Creative 2.0 update. Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney told Fortnite leakers ShiinaBR and Hypex that Creative 2.0 will be coming this year, but it won’t be anytime soon.
They went on to say that it’s not really new that it’s coming out this year. Most gamers who kept an eye on what was going on knew that Creative 2.0 was likely to come out this year.
But the fact that it won’t be out soon helps narrow the timeframe. The big update for Fortnite will likely arrive towards the end of the year, maybe October, November or December.
Fortnite Creative 2.0 release date is all but confirmed: here’s what the update could have
While there isn’t much official information about the 2.0 update, leakers and other players have plenty of ideas as to what it might contain.
One important thing to remember is that Creative 2.0 probably won’t be the full version when it first comes out. Players who have been around for a while may remember that the first version of Creative wasn’t what it is now.
New tools and skills have been added since then, and Fortnite players can expect the same to happen when 2.0 comes out.
Fortnite usually has a third-person view, but Creative 2.0 might have a first-person view instead. Recent leaks revealed that Epic was working on a first-person view that could be added to the creative update.
Editing is one of the hardest parts of creative mode for most people. Whether you’re trying to delete, copy, or modify something, it’s usually a lot harder than it should be. These problems have been around for a long time.
There are rumors that 2.0 will allow more than one player to be created at the same time. That way people could collaborate in multiplayer worlds or build their own things in the same space.
There is also a good chance that working the terrain will be part of it. Since most of the settings share the same country, this is something that many creators have wanted for a long time.
Many loopers can’t wait for this to happen as it would almost certainly turn Creative into something completely different than what it is now.
There will likely be a few new gadgets as well, like the much-anticipated chair device, which will allow players to sit on almost anything in the world. This would be very helpful on maps that aren’t busy (like the Soundwave series maps).
There’s a lot more to come in the update, and as the tentative release date approaches, more information is likely to be revealed. Aside from what Tim Sweeney said about the release date, all of this information is based on leaks or fan theories. Epic Games has only confirmed a small amount of this, so fans should take it with a grain of salt.


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Facebook prices at $38, high end of the range. Will start trading Friday on the NASDAQ with the ticker symbol FB
Facebook Vital Data
Projected Pricing Day: May 17
Projected Trading Day: May 18
Projected Price: High $34 to $38 per share
Projected Valuation: $93 billion to $104 billion
Lead Underwriter: Morgan Stanley
CEO: Mark Zuckerberg, age 28
COO: Sheryl Sandberg, age 42
Facebook is finally going public this week after much fanfare and speculation. The road-show promoting the offering got off to a rocky start with the first appearance of Zuckerberg delayed and his spokesperson claiming that he was “in the bathroom.” Things got dramatically better, with the offering now being “over subscribed,” meaning more orders than shares available. This gave Facebook the ability to raise the target price range from “28 to 35″ to “34 to 38″ per share, and insuring a nice pop in the share price once it starts trading on May 18th.
Speculation both positive and negative are all over the Internet, with growth rates and advertising revenues leading the topics. A recent Associated Press/CNBC poll shows that a majority, or 57 percent, of Facebook users “never” have clicked through on an ad. When you include “hardly ever,” that percentage jumps to 83 percent. In addition, 54 percent felt “not very safe” or “not safe at all” about purchasing clothing and goods on the network.
GM recently said it will stop its advertising on Facebook, claiming that “Facebook’s ads had little impact on consumers.”
There has been a slowdown in ad revenue growth, as reported in the company’s SEC filings going into the IPO. Some analysts claim that it is temporary as advertisers are “experimenting” with new products. But it is also evident that ad clicks on mobile devices is a problem that the company is addressing, as it is the fastest growing segment.
All in all, this does not seem to be a fad as some claim. Nine-hundred million users can’t be wrong. So expect a nice move to the upside on Friday, which all hope will help our currently weak stock market. Will we call it a “Facebook rally?”
Investors should still pay attention to trading over the next few months as the valuation we are anticipating is 27 times 2011 revenues and 99 times 2011 earnings. Pretty hefty!


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BY Tafadzwa Mhlanga/MISHMA CHAKANYUKA
GOVERNMENT has been urged to promote domestic tourism by placing arts and crafts niche markets in the limelight.
Speaking at the Five One Five Luxury Tours and partners product launch in Harare yesterday, Environment, Tourism and Hospitality Industry secretary Munesushe Munodawafa in a speech read on his behalf by Enivah Mutsau said government should introduce polices to improve the visual arts in particular.
“We need the government to come up with a policy that boosts the arts industry, particularly visual arts. I appeal to the corporate world and the government to help me with resources to train the young artists, so that we leave a legacy for them. There is need to train fresh blood,” Munodawafa said.
He said the initiative would provide an interface between artists and tourists as they come to see the developed products.
Exclusive arts tourism will also boost the amount of revenue coming from the tourism sector, which will help in the development of the country.
Five One Five Luxury Tours and partners launched a tourism product called Exclusive Art Tourism, aimed at promoting tourism diversification through incorporating arts and crafts.
The safari operator offers transport services on designated routes, private hire and tours. It has engaged artists from different galleries, including Gallery Delta, The Shona Sculpture, Verandah, Dendera, Silverbox Jewellery and the National Handicraft Centre.
“The drive by Five One Five Luxury Tours is a robust move that will see further promotion of township tourism, which is currently a niche market we are also targeting. This initiative will give our people who are into arts and crafts the much-needed recognition and furthermore enable them to establish a rallying point for the promotion of their wares,” Munodawafa said.
“Communities that invest in public arts in the ‘tourism product’ that is the place and its residents will see a compounding dividend, enhancing civic pride, while also generating significant new tourism revenue.”


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Credit: Franchise Image via Shutterstock
If you're considering which franchise opportunity might be best for you, the best place to start might be by getting some franchise advice from people already in the franchise business.
The definition of a franchise, according to the International Franchise Association (IFA) is as follows:
A franchise is the agreement or license between two legally independent parties which gives:
- a person or group of people (franchisee) the right to market a product or service using the trademark or trade name of another business (franchisor)
- the franchisee the right to market a product or service using the operating methods of the franchisor
- the franchisee the obligation to pay the franchisor fees for these rights
- the franchisor the obligation to provide rights and support to franchisees
BusinessNewsDaily recently visited the International Franchise Association Expo in New York and asked experienced franchise owners for advice on franchising and how to choose a franchise.
Recent data from the IFA shows that now might be a great time to consider opening a franchise. The data find that for the first time since 2008 the number of new franchise establishments grew. Overall projections for 2012 call for a growth of franchise establishments to nearly 748,680 units, equaling a growth of nearly 2 percent from the previous year. Direct employment from franchises is also expected to grow to more than 8 million people. Economic output also grew more than 5 percent to $781 billion.
Overall quick-service restaurants lead the charge of franchises having both the most establishments and largest direct employment in the industry. Personal services and retail products and services rounded out the top three in terms of the most establishments. Full service restaurants and business service franchises were the three biggest employers in the franchise world. The rest of the results can be found in the infographic below.
The information in this infographic was conducted by IHS Global Insight and the International Franchise Association.


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Japan’s speedy bullet trains already move so fast that you almost can’t see them coming. The new train being designed for the Seibu Railway Co. by Japanese architect Kazuyo Sejima of Sanaa will be hard to see, even standing still. It’s a chameleon-like train that has been designed to blend into the countryside that it is streaking through.
Scheduled to hit tracks in 2018, the new Seibu flagship train cars have an organic shape that is much different from the boxy New Red Arrow trains that currently run limited express services in the Tokyo area. Coupled with a semi-reflective skin designed to mirror the surrounding scenery, Sejima’s train was designed with the stated goal to be as fun to watch blend into its surroundings as it is to ride.
Seibu Group of Railways in Japan is planning to launch world’s first invisible train in 2018 changing
the colors automatically according to the environment.
According to a recent report, a famous Japanese architect, who recently got a Nobel Prize for architecture, will work on the design of invisible train, Seibu Group will launch this train at the event of completing its 100 years in 2018. The train will come with a surface made of crystals, which will change the colors and adjust according to the environment.
For example, if the train is traveling in an urban area, its color will change to red, yellow or blue. And if it is traveling through a rural area, its color will change to white.
Hitachi company Ltd will create this train. This company has also created many other unique trains in Japan, such as the one which runs at the speed of 200 miles per hour. The new invisible train will run on a track of about 178 kilometers.
Japan already runs world’s fastest bullet trains, and this new kind of technology is just an addition to its wide range of train systems.
The invisible trains will not completely hide, its mirrors will be visible and one will be able to see it changing the color.


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The latest commentary in the IRPP’s trade volume is from John Manley and Brian Kingston (of the Business Council of Canada), who bring a valuable perspective on trade from some of the largest businesses in Canada. They argue that an international commerce strategy that positions Canadian firms to take advantage of global markets will be central to securing our long-term prosperity, and they propose several areas for concrete policy actions, including launching bilateral trade talks with China.
Large firms are the main drivers of Canada’s international trade. Because they generally have more resources — such as: financing; management networks and partnerships; legal and linguistic supports, etc. — they’re often the first movers into new markets. Large firms are much more likely to export:
And they contribute a disproportionate share of Canada’s exports. For instance, despite accounting for just 3% of Canadian goods-exporting enterprises in 2014, large firms contributed almost three-quarters of the total value of exports:
Moreover, the top 10 Canadian goods exporters alone accounted for one-quarter of total export values, while the top 50 firms generated 55% of export values.
Manley and Kingston identify Canada’s declining competitiveness in the US market as a key policy challenge. They note that, in 2015 — for the first time in history — preliminary data show that US goods trade with China exceeded that of Canada-US goods trade ($598 billion vs. $576 billion). Among other policy fixes, they recommend streamlining market access between Canada and the US by adopting a default policy of “align or explain” for Canada-US regulatory cooperation. This would allow Canada to maintain unique standards for health, safety and the environment, when a ‘national interest’ objective justifies maintaining a difference.
Implementing important trade deals
They argue to push ahead and implement the big outstanding trade deals that would improve Canadian market access abroad — namely CETA with the European Union; the Trans-Pacific Partnership; and to conclude long-drawn-out talks with India. Importantly, they say we need to develop a China strategy, and a key part of this would be to kick start bilateral trade talks. Finally, they show that the share of emerging markets in Canada’s export mix remains underdeveloped, which suggests further efforts are needed to continue to diversify Canada’s trade.
You can read the full commentary is here, which proposes several other policy recommendations, including unilateral tariff elimination.


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SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) - Shares of the following companies were among those that made notable moves on the U.S. stock market Friday.
Accenture Ltd. ACN said its fiscal third-quarter net income came in at $469.1 million, up 36% from a year earlier when the consulting and outsourcing firm made $345.4 million. Earnings per share came in at a record 74 cents, also up 36% from a year ago. The company raised its outlook for earnings per share for the full fiscal year 2008 to a range of $2.63 to $2.65 from a previous estimate of $2.55 to $2.60 a share.
Anheuser-Busch BUD formally rejected the $65-a-share bid from InBev to acquire the company, calling the offer "financially inadequate." "InBev's proposal significantly undervalues the unique assets and prospects of Anheuser-Busch," said Anheuser-Busch Chairman Patrick Stokes in a statement. The company told InBev in a letter its $46 billion offer did not account for Anheuser-Busch's iconic brands, market position, growing international partners and accelerated earnings growth. See full story.
Delta Air Lines Inc. DAL said Friday that it would begin adding a fuel surcharge to passenger tickets awarded through its frequent-flier program as a way to help offset rising fuel costs.
A General Motors Corp. GM stamping plant in Grand Rapids is warning employees to expect around 100 layoffs as a result of cuts scheduled for the second half of the year, signs of the residual effects of GM's downsizing, The Detroit News reported in its Friday editions. In an online newsletter to employees, the union said to expect 110 to 120 layoffs from the impact of GM's broader restructuring. GM spokesman Tony Sapienza said the automaker hasn't made final decisions on production changes at parts plants. "There's going to be an impact," he said.
Medtronic Inc. MDT named Chief Executive William Hawkins as chairman effective Aug. 21. Hawkins will replace Arthur Collins, who plans to retire as part of the company's previously announced transition plan. Collins had been chairman since 2002.
Tibco Software Inc. TIBX reported its second-quarter net income fell to $3.5 million, or 2 cents a share, from $9.2 million, or 4 cents a share, a year earlier. Revenue increased to $57.7 million from $54.9 million in the same period a year ago. Excluding stock-based compensation expense and amortization of acquired intangible assets, Tibco would have earned 7 cents a share. Analysts polled by FactSet Research had forecast earnings of 6 cents a share on revenue of $150.1 million.
Weyerhaeuser Co. WY will book pre-tax charges of $300 million to $325 million in the second quarter for impairments related to its real estate business. The impairments are a result of decisions to lower prices or abandon projects in response to the continued deterioration of the housing market, the forest products company said. Its containerboard packaging and recycling segment was also adversely affected by the flooding in the Midwest, which caused production shutdowns at its facilities.
American International Group AIG plans to absorb losses for a dozen insurance units after their securities-lending accounts suffered $13 billion of write-downs tied to the subprime-mortgage collapse during the past year, Bloomberg News reported Friday. See full story.
Bank of America's BAC shares didn't get any relief after a severe beating Thursday in the wake of the news that the company will cut 7,500 jobs after its merger with Countrywide Financial. See full story.
Intuit Inc. INTU will cut about 575 jobs, or about 7% of its workforce, as the result of a reorganization to speed growth. The company expects the cuts to result in a charge of $22 million, or 4 cents a share, in the fiscal fourth quarter. Intuit now sees an adjusted fourth-quarter loss of 7 cents to 9 cents a share, and adjusted earnings a share for the year of $1.57 to $1.59. Analysts surveyed by FactSet Research estimate a loss of 7 cents a share in the fourth quarter and earnings of $1.55 a share for the year.
KB Home KBH on Friday reported a wider second-quarter loss as a result of a weakening housing market and said the glut of unsold homes -- tied to rising foreclosures -- continues to pile up.
Lehman Bros.' LEH chief executive and president both have told senior executives that they'll forgo their 2008 bonuses in a nod to the beleaguered investment bank's recent troubles, according to a published report Friday. See full story.
Micron Technology Inc. MU reported a fiscal third-quarter loss of $236 million, or 30 cents a share, compared with a loss of $225 million, or 29 cents a share, in the year-ago period. Revenue rose to $1.5 billion from $1.29 billion last year. Analysts surveyed by FactSet Research estimated a quarterly loss of 28 cents a share on revenue of $1.47 billion. See full story.
News Corp. NWS is considering bids for two major players in the European pay-TV markets, Germany's Premiere AG and Spanish conglomerate Prisa's Digital+, according to a report in The Wall Street Journal. Buying both satellite broadcasters would likely cost more than 4 billion euros ($6.3 billion), the newspaper reported. The deals, if they went ahead, would represent a significant change of strategy for News Corp. in Europe, the report said. The company previously lost more than 2 billion euros in Germany when pay-TV provider Kirch Group went bankrupt. News Corp. also owns MarketWatch, the publisher of this report.
Paychex Inc. PAYX reported a fiscal fourth-quarter profit of $135.5 million, or 38 cents a share, on revenue of $519.2 million. During the same period a year ago, the payroll and human resources services company earned $121.1 million, or 32 cents a share, on $487.3 million in sales.
Palm Inc. PALM swung to a loss for its fourth fiscal quarter as revenue fell by 26% on slowing sales of many of its smart phone lines. For the quarter ended May 31, Palm reported a net loss of $43.4 million, or 40 cents a share, compared to earnings of $15.4 million, or 15 cents a share, for the same period last year. On a non-GAAP basis, the company said net losses totaled $23.9 million, or 22 cents per share. Revenue fell to $296.2 million from $401.3 million last year. Analysts were expecting a loss of 18 cents a share on revenue of $302.5 million, according to consensus estimates from FactSet Research. See full story.
Sony Ericsson, the mobile-phone making venture of Sony SNE and Ericsson ERIC warned that its second-quarter pretax profit will be "about break even" on falling gross margins, due to moderating demand for mid-to-high end mobile phones and a delay in shipping new products. Sony Ericsson expects to ship 24 million phones during the quarter at an average price of 115 euros. See full story.


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Sony is close to purchasing Toshiba’s image sensor division, according to a report by Reuters. The deal is currently in private discussion with the announcement expected to be made later this week. If the deal goes through, Sony will own Toshiba’s camera sensor manufacturing plant in Oita, Southern Japan.
Following its earnings scandal, where the company is alleged to have overstated its earnings by US$1.3-billion in 2008/2009, Toshiba is looking to turn the tide and offloading parts of the company will make up the deficit.
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For Sony, a deal like this will foster its team and help the company to cement its position as a leader in the camera sensor space. Sony is the go to company for image sensors and cameras. The company has supplies CMOS image sensors used in DSLR cameras and camera sensors in smartphone by companies like Apple, Samsung, Xiaomi, and Motorola.
The deal, according to sources in the know, will see Sony and Toshiba exchange about US$165-million.
Though Sony buying an image sensor division makes complete sense, it offers a somewhat dim picture for Sony’s mobile division. It would appear from this deal that Sony wants to focus on its image sensor business and what this means for its mobile business is unclear. However Sony has before refuted reports that it wants to sell its mobile division.
The two companies have not confirmed the news of the deal. The deal is expected to be announced sometime this week.


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Massage therapists offering services with CBD oil
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KTHV) - While medical marijuana is still out of reach for Arkansans, another market is rapidly growing. One of the components of the marijuana plant and the hemp plant, Cannabidoil, or CBD, is being used by patients in pain or suffering from anxiety.
Now, even businesses are using and selling CBD infused products. At Ava Bella Day Spa now offers facials, massages and pedicures using CBD oil infused products.
"The first thing you smell is a very strong peppermint and it immediately opens up your sinuses," said Brittany Ballheimer who received a CBD facial.
Cannabidiol is a compound that naturally occurs in either marijuana or hemp, but is has none-to-low amounts of THC so it won’t get you high.
"Personally, I use the CBD oil everyday," said Deedee Helbig, owner of Ava Bella Day Spa.
Helbig started offering the service in February.
'"You’re going to get a better result with the CBD massage," said Helbig.
The products are intended to offer therapeutic and relieving effects.
"People that just can’t find relief in their joints," said Helbig. “You get a deeper massage with it. It gets into the inflammation that's going on inside your body so if you have sciatic nerve, if your knees hurt from standing all day."
The biggest difference clients notice when getting a massage or a facial with the CBD infused products is anti-inflammatory and pain relief.
"To renew the skin. It brings the blood to the surface in the massage which helps to turn over the cells which produces more collagen," said Helbig.
When Complete Body Daily opened a line of CBD products in Arkansas, she was quick to sell them.
“I’m a breast cancer survivor so I used to take them to help with nausea," said Helbig. “I know how well they are for your body to help with inflammation nausea, sore muscles."
Their CBD is derived from hemp grown in Colorado rather than marijuana.
"This is a good anti-anxiety solution for people who are trying to stay away from pharmaceuticals and go with a more holistic approach," said Joey Lamb, Account Executive with Complete Body Daily.
They offer oil drops, capsules, pain creams, massage oils, lip balms and lip scrubs.
"We have reordered and reordered," said Helbig on the products’ popularity.
Arkansas passed the Industrial Hemp Act last year, opening up opportunities for CBD businesses to expand to Arkansas.
"We're not selling a feel good drug, we're not selling a recreational drug, we're selling a pharmaceutical grade plant based medicine," said Lamb.
The Arkansas Department of Health released an opinion in March saying they will not endorse the use of CBD oil by massage therapists, but they will also not take any action against therapists who choose to use it. They simply recommend choosing CBD oil carefully, to ensure it doesn’t contain more than the legal .3 percent THC.
- May 09, 2018
- Category: Blog
- Comments: 0


text: A new trailer was recently released that showcases Connor’s initiation into the Assassin brotherhood. Although it was not his intention, he would be swept into a war that was far bigger than anything he had ever imagined. The trailer reveals some new tidbits of information about Connor’s heritage and his new allies. Watch as Connor learns to become one of the fiercest warriors that history has ever seen in the video below. Assassin’s Creed III hits stores later this month on October 30th.


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Signs of the Times
A proposed sign law would let established businesses keep existing signs, but new ones would have to follow strict guidelines including smaller signs.
"When new businesses come in, they're going to have to be under these new sign ordinances," Fagan said. "And I might have to break the news to them that they too can rent my building but they have to have a dinky sign."
The proposed law even includes signs on the insides of store windows.
Large, attention-getting signs would not be allowed in the District under the new law.
"The general feel that, I think, we are looking at here is to keep a fairly pedestrian scale," said Debbie Sheils, historic preservation consultant. "This is a historic area and also an area that gets a lot of foot traffic."
Business owners KOMU talked to didn't even know the proposal was up for discussion by the Columbia Planning and Zoning Commission.
"I would like to see this be notified. I would like to see the notification," complained Mike Holden. "Certainly, the city has a list of all business owners licensed in downtown and has a list of all property owners that has a business downtown."
The proposed law would limit new businesses in the District to smaller signs than anywhere else in Columbia.
The P and Z commission expects a revised ordinance to take effect in the next few months.


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Here we go again- on Tuesday we told you about USA Today’s fuzzy understanding of postal finances. Today it’s the Wall Street Journal’s turn:
The agency says it will default on its 2012 retiree health payment as well—also roughly $5.5 billion, due Sept. 30—if there is no legislative action by then.
Most everyone agrees the Postal Service needs an overhaul. It had a loss of $3.2 billion in the second quarter of this fiscal year; it is to report third-quarter results on Aug. 9.
Amazing, isn’t it? USPS lost $3.2 billion in one quarter, and it owes another $5.5 billion that it doesn’t have!
Well, no… What the Journal doesn’t seem to grasp (or more likely, chooses to ignore), is that almost all of that quarterly “loss” is because of the $5.5 billion payment due on August 1, not in addition to it.
The USPS enters a charge on its books each month for a portion of the 2011 and 2012 trust fund payments due August 1 and October 1, respectively, even though it has said all along that it has no intention of making those payments. That accounts for $9.3 billion in losses so far this year- money that has never, and will never, actually change hands.
Even more bizarre is the fact that the monthly charges for the 2011 trust fund payment, the one due August 1, represent the same dollars that the USPS showed as trust fund charges on last year’s monthly financial reports. That’s right- $5.5 billion of the losses the politicians and pundits are clucking about this year are the same dollars they clucked about last year, and they’re also the same $5.5 billion dollars due August 1. Talk about stretching a dollar!


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This article is more than 1 year old
Salesforce snubbed Microsoft's $55bn biz gobble offer – report
Benioff doesn't get out of bed for less than $70bn
Microsoft wanted to buy cloud giant Salesforce.com for $55bn, it is reported.
CNBC, citing anonymous sources, today claims the Windows goliath offered the 11-figure sum to Salesforce, but boss Marc Benioff wanted $70bn – a whopping price tag that ultimately sunk the deal. Salesforce has a market cap of $48.48bn.
The talks reportedly concluded in early May, we're told. Salesforce declined to comment on the matter, while Microsoft didn't have any comment to offer at the time of publication.
When word of a possible biz gobble broke, many speculated Microsoft was the buyer. SAP was also named as an interested party. Oracle was suggested as a potential acquirer, too, although co-CEO Safra Katz quickly shot down any talk of a merger between Benioff and his former boss Larry Ellison.
Salesforce.com reported revenues of $1.51bn in its latest financial quarter, up 27 per cent over the previous year's quarter. Benioff has given the company a goal of $10bn in annual revenues. ®


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Star Systems Inc., which runs the largest debit card and automated teller machine network in the country, will announce today that it has licensed an Internet debit card payment system developed by an East Coast competitor, NYCE Corp.
The pact may represent the most significant advance to date toward making on-line debit card payments a routine part of commerce on the Internet, which today does not accommodate these cards. The two regional networks plan to make the Internet product, SafeDebit, available to their member financial institutions, which together number more than 5,500. NYCE and Star will also encourage the banks to send free SafeDebit software to on-line banking and debit card customers, in what could amount to America Online-style marketing.
Regional electronic funds transfer networks have so far been frozen out of the Internet boom, since on-line debit transactions - which require personal identification numbers - have been incompatible with that type of e-commerce. Though it is unusual for competitors like NYCE and Star to collaborate on anything, the companies said an overriding goal was to bring on-line debit to the Internet for a national audience.
"Right now, fear is the biggest barrier to consumer transactions on the Internet," said Ron Congemi, president and chief executive officer of Star, of Maitland, Fla. "SafeDebit enables us to clear that hurdle so that consumers bring the same confidence to an Internet transaction that they now experience at the corner ATM."
SafeDebit is a CD-ROM that fits into a personal computer. In place of the secure, hardware-encrypted keypads that consumers use to perform on-line debit transactions in physical stores, SafeDebit users would type an "e-PIN" on their computer keyboard.
An Internet merchant that had agreed to participate would have a "SafeDebit" option on the payment page of its Web site, along with more familiar brands like Visa, MasterCard, and American Express. Consumers who wanted to use SafeDebit would click on that option, activating the software.
For now, promoters of the system - who have a lot to gain if on-line debit becomes a popular Internet tool - face the formidable task of getting a critical mass of banks and merchants to sign up. Drug store giants CVS Corp. and Walgreen Co. have agreed to take SafeDebit, and Michigan National Bank has backed the program. NYCE says it expects to announce the participation of more retailers and a large, Northeast bank within the next month; SafeDebit will be made available to consumers as early as May.
"We're very hopeful that we would have a substantial presence for this holiday season," said Dennis Lynch, president and CEO of NYCE, which is based in Woodcliff Lake, N.J.
Mr. Lynch said the licensing agreement with Star is an "essential foundation" for building a distribution network for SafeDebit. "This is really about entering a new generation of payments with a common vision of how it can be successful."
Other regional networks may join the mix, adding the weight of their brand names to NYCE and Star. Industry experts say SafeDebit may evolve into a more formal business venture among the major networks.
Proponents of SafeDebit call it a safer alternative than some other Internet payment methods, and say that consumers want the option of having Internet purchases deducted immediately from their bank accounts.
NYCE announced SafeDebit in December, and Michigan National Bank of Farmington Hills, Mich., promptly said it would be the first to distribute the software.
Star and NYCE say their reputations and banking ties will make SafeDebit prevail over the handful of similar products being brought to market. A company called SafeTPay last week announced a service that would let consumers pay for Internet goods with their ATM cards, using a card reader they would attach to their PC.


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ARTICLE BY Sneaker Freaker
Check Out Eminem's Sneaker Collection!
Eminem and Shady Records have had a strong relationship with both Nike and Jordan Brand for the better half of the last decade. Now thanks to an exhibition at Brisk Bodega we get to see all of their collaborations in one place. On show are the extremely rare and highly sought after Air Jordan IV Eminems plus Nike kicks from Shady artists Proof and D12. Check it all out below! Thanks to Jordans Daily for the news.


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California’s fine wine surge
In a bull market for fine wine, California is on the charge. Prices for the top wines from the Golden State rose by 32% in 2021, according to Liv-ex, with an ever expanding number of producers entering the fray.
The trading pattern will be familiar to observers of other high-performing fine wine categories: spearheaded by one or two famous names – in this case, Screaming Eagle in particular – but with a broadening base of new producers, vintages and sub-regions.
Over the past decade, Liv-ex says California’s slice of the fine wine market by value has risen from 0.1% to 7.9%, and now lags only Bordeaux, Burgundy and Champagne in terms of market share. “The high quality of its wines, combined with strong branding and expanded distribution through La Place de Bordeaux, has contributed to its secondary market success,” the company says.
The buzz surrounding California’s top producers – the region secured the highest number of 100-point wines in 2021 – has helped to boost global demand, but especially in the US, with Liv-ex launching a weekly stock collection in California service last year to help facilitate trading.
As a result, Liv-ex’s California 50 index, which tracks the price movements of five leading producers, has risen by 31.9% over the past 12 months. That makes it the third best-performing regional sub-index included in the Liv-ex 1000 (behind Champagne and Burgundy), and places it ahead of the benchmark Liv-ex 100 (+24.6%) and the broader Liv-ex 1000 (+22.3%).
This stellar growth is being driven by demand, ratings and quality perceptions, but also by the state’s standout name: Screaming Eagle. To illustrate the point, Liv-ex says Screaming Eagle 2010 had a market price of about £3,700 per three-bottle case in 2013, but is now listed for as much as £12,000.
The winery’s most traded vintage, 2018, has seen its prices rise 11.2% over the past year – it recently set a new Liv-ex record, trading at £36,600 per 12-bottle case – and the second most-traded, 2015, has seen the biggest annual price increase of +15.6%. Few of Screaming Eagle’s vintages now have a market price of less than £9,000 for a three-pack.
However, the headline-grabbing performance of one marquee winery should not be allowed to overshadow the increasing diversification that has entered the secondary market for California wines in recent years.
“With over 139 AVAs [American Viticultural Areas] and counting, California’s wine market is continuously expanding, and a wider array of wines from an increasing number of AVAs are finding new buyers,” Liv-ex explains.
“For example, wines from Howell Mountain traded on Liv-ex for the first time in 2021 – evidence that sub-regional trade is deepening and broadening.”
This is evident both from the sheer number of California wines now being bought and sold on the secondary market, and their geographical locations: just over 500 individual wines from the state had traded on Liv-ex by the end of 2021, representing exponential growth of +480% over the past five years alone.
These wines hail from more than 20 sub-regions up and down the state. Napa Valley accounts for more than half of all trading (51.2%) and, on top of that, Oakville has a 26.5% slice of the market – but more than 20 sub-regions now feature on the market, from Santa Rita Hills to Sonoma Coast and Santa Cruz Mountains.


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Lucky Charms gets magically delicious at Fan Expo
The General Mills cereal brand has partnered with the Toronto-based event for the first time, to target adults by hosting a treasure hunt.
Lucky Charms is bringing some of its magical deliciousness to attendees at Toronto’s Fan Expo through a new partnership with the event.
The General Mills cereal brand, working through agency partner Cossette, is targeting adults and will have a booth on-site as well as sampling teams handing out boxes of the cereal with one of the original Lucky the Leprechaun (the brand’s mascot) comics on the back.
The core of the partnership, however, is a real-life treasure hunt hosted by the brand. Visitors to the booth will search for treasure chest cards, and holding them up to a magic mirror will reveal one of the Lucky Charms marshmallows. Each marshmallow corresponds to different prizes, including celebrity one-on-ones and front-of-line passes to autograph sessions.
This effort will be supported through Fan Expo’s social media feeds using the hashtag #charmhunters, and additional promotion will include ad units, print executions and other support on-site and in Fan Expo materials.
Jason Doolan, director of marketing, cereal, General Mills Canada, tells MiC that this is the first time Lucky Charms has partnered with Fan Expo, and also the first time the brand has deliberately targeted adults, as opposed to relying on traditional marketing targeted at children.
He says Fan Expo is a good fit for Lucky Charms because attendees tend to share many of the same values as the brand: they embrace magic and imagination.
Doolan says the partnership with Fan Expo presents a brand with an opportunity to break away from its traditional one-way messaging and instead give consumers a chance to speak on behalf of the brand and build a more interactive relationship with it.
He adds that if the Fan Expo execution is well received, Lucky Charms will continue to pursue a strategy of partnering with events like Fan Expo.


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The Nintendo Switch has been criticized in the past for some of its physical flaws, including an easily scratched screen and disconnecting controllers. Users are now reporting a problem that could be a little bit more serious – cracks in the system itself.
Nintendo Life’s Damien McFerran noticed this week that his own Nintendo Switch — which he has had since it launched last year — had developed small cracks along its top. On his unit, they were primarily located in the small plastic bars running along the console’s vents at the top, as well as next to the game card slot.
Several Twitter users replied to McFerran’s initial report with the same issues. The majority of these also occurred on the top of the system, with one person adding that it eventually spread to the back of the case and required a repair under warranty.
Despite the reports on Twitter, Nintendo says this issue doesn’t seem to be a trend. Nintendo of America has released the following statement.
“We haven’t received a notable number of consumer inquiries on this topic, but as with all our products, we encourage users who experience any issues to visit http://support.nintendo.com for assistance from our Consumer Support team.”
In short, the problem isn’t currently recognized as a known issue – which isn’t a surprise. Nintendo wouldn’t want to give users reason to worry by overreacting to reports. While the tweets have made the rounds, the group reporting such problems is still small. Only time will tell if it becomes more widespread.
All things considered, the current console generation has suffered from relatively few hardware issues. Xbox One systems have occasionally run into disc drive trouble (including one of our own), and original PlayStation 4 systems occasionally ejected discs due to the heat-sensitive touch buttons. Problems such as these are far less severe than those that plagued the Microsoft Xbox 360, which had an unfortunate tendency to die after a couple years of use. Sony’s PlayStation 3 had its console reliability issue, though it was much less common.
Hopefully the Switch won’t become the exception to this generation’s reliable consoles.
Update 7/9/2018: Added Nintendo’s statement
Published at Mon, 09 Jul 2018 19:56:21 +0000


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Sales could increase by some 7% during this year, report says
Some measure of hope on the horizon for homebuilders emerged last Friday by virtue of the “United States Cabinets and Countertops 2022” report indicating the market for key construction supplies – long delayed by supply chain issues – appears to be stabilizing.
The report covers the US market for kitchen cabinets and bathroom vanities along with countertop materials. Cabinet shipments are further segmented by stock line, semi-custom and custom types. Countertop materials shipments are provided for natural and engineered stone and plastic laminated, solid surfaces and other countertop materials. Finally, price trends are provided for all types of cabinet work.
According to the report, US cabinet and countertop sales could increase by some 7% during this year – down from a 2021 gain of 16.3% as demand recovered from the pandemic-induced recession. According to the report, sales gains are weakening as the Federal Reserve increases interest rates to fight inflation. Mortgage rates have already topped 5%, analysts noted, and, based on current trends, could end the year above 6%. Rising interest rates have already caused homes sales and remodeling spending to turn sluggish, the report noted.
Dollar sales, however, have received a boost from rising prices as manufacturers pass through rising material, labor, and transportation costs, the report indicates. A caveat: rising prices have had the effect of reducing unit demand. Based on analysis, the report’s author estimates stock and custom products could perform the best. Rising costs are causing middle- and lower-income households to trade down to lower priced cabinets and countertops, while demand for higher-end products could remain strong since higher income households are less likely to be affected by inflation.
Read more: Housing construction – huge impact from critical worker shortage
Yet the backdrop of mortgage interest rates projected to increase again in 2023 are making for another challenging year. Demand could begin to stabilize in 2024 as interest rates moderate and households regain confidence to purchase a new home and undertake remodeling projects, according to the findings. Growth, however, could drop to a 5.2% compound annual growth rate between 2022 and 2027 due to sluggishness over the next few years. Cabinet sales could climb 4.7% annually and countertop material sales 5.9% per year over this period.
Builder sentiment has eroded since the beginning of the year amid worsening supply chain bottlenecks and rising construction costs. “Production disruptions are so severe that many builders are waiting months to receive cabinets, garage doors, countertops and appliances,” Jerry Konter, chairman of the National Association of Homebuilders (NAHB) told Mortgage Professional America earlier this year. “These delivery delays are raising construction costs and pricing prospective buyers out of the market. Policymakers must make it a priority to address supply chain issues that are harming housing affordability.”
Added NAHB’s chief economist Robert Dietz: “Residential construction costs are up 21% on a year over year basis, and these higher development costs have hit first-time buyers particularly hard. Higher interest rates in 2022 will further reduce housing affordability even as demand remains solid due to a lack of resale inventory.”
Cabinetwork purchases are provided for new residential construction, residential remodeling, manufactured housing, and non-residential construction markets. The report’s analysis includes data on purchases per new home constructed and manufactured housing unit shipped. Home center and other retail channels are analyzed as well, along with Home Depot and Lowe’s kitchen and bath revenues. Also analyzed in the report are US export shipments.
Cabinetwork and countertop demand is correlated with US housing demand, non-residential construction spending, mortgage interest rates, and other economic and demographic indicators. This provides insights into the direction of domestic demand into 2022 and beyond, the report noted.
Steve Cunningham, the NAHB remodelers chair and president of Cunningham Contracting Inc. in Williamsburg, Va., reiterated the dearth of resources earlier this year. He noted personally experiencing a six-month wait for cabinets to be delivered. Cunningham said he expects that outdoor spaces, home offices and flex spaces will continue to be popular in the years to come, with the next wave of projects to include multi-generational living.
The remodeling market has performed well despite the challenges, with consumers overall willing to pay a higher price for supplies for their improvement projects. Matthew “Matt” Emmons, president of Emmons Construction LLC in Jenks, Okla., told MPA he’s witnessed “…a steady flow of work in all aspects of our industry.” He added that “…every sub, vendor and supplier is as busy as they’ve ever been. I think the concern moving forward is timing for completion and keeping quality at a premium during all the chaos of supply-chain issues and labor shortages.”
Yet confidence in the remodeling market has declined as compared to last year, according to the NAHB. In its own NAHB/Westlake Royal Remodeling Market Index (RMI) for the second quarter, a reading of 77 was posted – a decline of 10 points from the comparable period last year.
“Although most remodelers across the country are still positive about the market, a growing number are starting to experience symptoms of a slowdown,” NAHB Remodelers Chair Kurt Clason, a remodeler from Ossipee, N.H., said in a prepared statement. “Some customers are showing a reluctance to go forward with projects due to the higher costs and delays associated with material shortages, as well as higher interest rates.”


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'Upgrade' editions are the discounted versions of the software for users who already have an earlier edition on their PCs. The move will effectively raise the price for many users who want to migrate from older editions of the popular suite.
Microsoft also spelled out prices for its new 'key cards' or single-licence codes that will be sold at up to 30 percent off boxed copy prices, for upgrading the Office Starter 2010 mini-suite that many computer makers are expected to preinstall on new PCs.
Finally, Microsoft has trimmed the number of retail editions of Office 2010 for the general public to three, down from Office 2007's five.
The boxed version of Office 2010 Home and Student, which includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote, will cost $149 (about £92) in the US, and lets a family install the suite on as many of three household PCs. A single-licence key card will cost $119 (£75), 20 percent less than the boxed copy. UK pricing has not yet been revealed.
Office 2010 Home and Business, which adds the Outlook email client to the four applications available in Home and Student, is $249 (£155) and can be installed on up to two of the buyer's PCs. A one-licence key card will be priced at $199 (£123), a 20 percent savings.
Adding Publisher and Access, Microsoft's desktop database software, Office 2010 Professional will be priced at $499 (£310) and can be installed on a pair of PCs. The single-licence key card, however, will cost $349 (£217), a discount of 30 percent.
Microsoft is making changes to more than the suite's editions, however. A company spokeswoman confirmed today that Microsoft does not plan to offer separate upgrade editions for Office 2010.
That's a major departure from the past; Microsoft has traditionally sold upgrades at prices significantly less than the so-called 'full' editions, which are designed for installing the suite on a PC sans Office.
New with Office 2010, Microsoft's product key card - a small credit card-sized piece of plastic that includes a single licence activation key - is aimed at customers who have purchased a new PC with Office Starter 2010 preinstalled.
Starter, which replaces the decades-old Microsoft Works suite, includes reduced functionality versions of Word and Excel, but lacks the PowerPoint and OneNote applications available on Home and Student.
All the codes for Home and Student, Home and Business, and Professional are installed on new PCs that offer Officer Starter; the key simply 'unlocks' the appropriate version, eliminating the need to download additional software.
Office Starter will include on-screen advertisements in the lower-right-hand corner of the Word and Excel windows; those ads, of course, vanish when a key card and its product activation key are used to upgrade to one of the paying editions.
All versions of Office 2010 also come with Office Web Apps, the bare-bones online Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote applications that consumers can use for free via Windows Live and enterprise workers can access if their companies have an Office Software Assurance Plan.
Office 2010 is scheduled to debut in June. The Microsoft spokeswoman said that the company would offer a promotion at some point before its release that will give buyers of Office 2007 a free or heavily-discounted copy of the new Office 2010 when it launches.


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(November 1, 2022 / JNS) Israelis took advantage of the national holiday on election day by spending big bucks, according to data released by Automatic Bank Services Ltd.
Israelis spent more than $113 million on their credit cards between 7 a.m. and 12 p.m. on Tuesday, a 38% increase compared to the same time period during the March 2021 vote, according to the Israeli financial technology and credit card service company.
Data showed the busiest period was right before noon, with approximately 11,500 transactions per minute.
“The jump in spending compared to the last election, which took place a year and a half ago, reflects the continued growth in the use of credit cards and digital wallets as convenient and common means of payment for Israelis,” a company representative told Israeli media.
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European medical plastics sector group launched
EuPC, the European group of plastics converters, has launched a new sector group: MedPharmPlast Europe. Focussing on the medical and pharmaceutical sector, the group has emerged from a need identified at a conference dedicated to plastics converters in the medical devices industry and pharmaceutical packaging held in Brussels in October.
Whilst the medical market is still growing, the international competition is fierce and entry barriers are increasingly high. The good news for the plastics industry is that polymers are at the heart of most innovations in medical devices and pharmaceutical packaging.
MedPharmPlast Europe aims to facilitate the development of market opportunities and seeks to defend the competitiveness of the European companies in the international market.
The strict and rapidly evolving regulatory environment is one of the main issues identified. For example, on the 22 October 2013, the plenary of the EU Parliament voted the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on medical devices. Amongst other measures, the European Parliament proposal introduces a threshold (0.1% by weight) and establishes a delegated act procedure by which the Commission can grant authorisations for the use of substances found in concentration above 0.1% in medical devices.
EuPC would like interested parties in the Medical Devices and Pharmaceutical Packaging industries to join MedPharmPlast Europe to create a strong group to defend the interest of the industry and work on the EU regulatory specificities of plastics in the medical devices and pharmaceutical packaging markets.
EuPC has already obtained from the European Commission the right to represent plastics for medical devices through a direct participation in the European Medical Devices Expert Group.
Several companies have already expressed their interest to join the sector group. The inaugral meeting of MedPharmPlast Europe will take place on the 28 January 2014 in Brussels, Belgium.
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- September 6, 2017China titanium dioxide products will celebrate the rising sun Low excess capacity, high-capacity became insufficient supply of the pattern of development of China's titanium dioxide industry at prese...view
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- September 6, 2017U.S. chemicals maker PPG Industries Inc. announced it has reached an agreement to take over Mexican architectural and industrial coatings firm Consorcio Comex for $2.3 billion, as part of the planned ...view


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For a while, Tequila Works has stayed fairly silent on its Wind Waker-esque action adventure Rime, but it seems the developer was simply waiting for the right time to unleash the game into the wild once more.
Thanks to an IGN first, audiences have been given a taste of Rime’s latest gameplay, which showcases the sun-kissed shores and remnants of a mysterious island civilisation, an atmospheric day/night cycle, and a host of mythical creatures ranging from winged warriors to bipedal automatons.
Last year, Rime was picked up by publishers Grey Box and Six Foot in an effort to help bring its story to life. Now that Rime is no longer being published through Sony, its cel shaded aesthetics will be home to not only PlayStation 4, but Xbox One, PC and Nintendo Switch.
Tequila works has previously explained that Rime draws its spirituality from Ico, but feeds off the gameplay of pure platformers like Jak and Daxter, Mario games and 3D puzzle adventure The Room.
An official release date has not been mapped out at this stage, but stay tuned to Gameranx for the latest updates.


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Toyota Spending $2 Billion to Develop Electric Cars in Indonesia
Having recently announced plans to “popularize” battery electric vehicles, Toyota now expects half of its global volume to stem from electrified cars by 2025. That’s five years sooner than originally promised.
Toyota may seem perpetually averse to change but it has been making a lot of moves behind the scenes to ensure it’s at the forefront of a shifting market while also trying to future proof itself in the event that electrification winds up being a dead end. The plan is rather complex and, as I don’t want to re-write a 900-word article, I would like to redirect you to the relevant information.
However, as nuanced as Toyota’s overall strategy may be, the company is still going to need to spend truckloads of cash to remain in the game. With that in mind, the Japanese automaker appears to be investing $2 billion to develop electric vehicles in Indonesia over the next four years — with hybrids being first on the docket.
Although it wasn’t Toyota that broke the news; Reuters got the skinny from Indonesia’s Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs Luhut Pandjaitan. According to a press release, Pandjaitan and Toyota president Akio Toyoda just shook on the deal in Osaka.
“From 2019 to 2023, we will progressively increase our investment to 28.3 trillion rupiah ($2 billion),” Toyoda was quoted as saying in the release, adding that Indonesia’s preexisting commitments to EV development made it an obvious candidate for investment.
We imagine Toyota’s current business relationships within the country and its fast-growing automotive sector also played a factor. Indonesia has been aggressively increasing production capacity over the last few years and is eager to have manufacturers move in and take advantage of its burgeoning industrial abilities and access to raw materials.
Indonesia, the region’s largest economy, has plentiful reserves of nickel laterite ore, a vital ingredient in the lithium-ion batteries used to power EVs, and has been making a push to attract foreign carmakers.
Officials are betting Indonesia, which is already Southeast Asia’s second-largest car production hub, can become a major regional player in lithium battery production and feed the fast-rising demand for EVs.
The country announced earlier in 2019 plans to introduce a fiscal scheme that will offer tax cuts to EV battery producers and automakers, as well as preferential tariff agreements with other countries that have a high EV demand.
Last year, Mitsubishi said it wanted to work with Indonesia to examine whether or not the country has a good spot to build electric vehicles. In December, Hyundai Motor Co. went one better and announced it was already planning on producing EV inside the country and would be moving some assembly out of China as a result.
We’ll be waiting on Toyota to see what the full scope of this $2-billion injection entails. Thus far, the company has made no official comment on the matter and the release only specifies the sizable investment will advance “gradually through the development of hybrid vehicles.”
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- Slavuta Civic EX - very competent car. I hate the fact of CVT and small turbo+DI. But it is a good car. Good rear seat. Fix the steering and keep goingBut WRX is just a different planet.
- SPPPP This rings oh so very hollow. To me, it sounds like the powers that be at Ford don't know which end is up, and therefore had to invent a new corporate position to serve as "bad guy" for layoffs and eventual scapegoat if (when) the quality problems continue.
- Art Vandelay Tasos eats $#!t and puffs peters
- Kwik_Shift Imagine having trying to prove that the temporary loss of steering contributed to your plunging off a cliff or careening through a schoolyard?
- Inside Looking Out How much costs 25 y.o. Mercedes S class with 200K miles?
Let's step back and reflect on what a missed opportunity for a once great company named General ELECTRIC now a shadow of its former self
Many years ago General Electric made a battery powered riding lawn mower. I had a neighbor years ago that had one. Must not have been a large seller since that is the only one I ever saw.


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The Tata Group, led by chairman N Chandrasekaran, is set to make huge investments in the semiconductor sector, following the Cabinet’s approval of its plans for semiconductor chip fabrication and assembly units in Gujarat and Assam. The Cabinet, headed by Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, gave the green signal to Tata’s proposals, which are part of its diversification strategy across various domains.
The semiconductor chip fabrication unit in Gujarat, with a projected cost of nearly Rs 50,000 crore, will boost India’s self-reliance in semiconductor production. The semiconductor assembly and packaging plant in Jagiroad, Assam, with a proposed investment of Rs 40,000 crore, will be the first of its kind in Assam, and will be a joint venture between the Assam government and Tata Group. The plant is expected to generate employment and revenue for the state.
Another semiconductor unit in Gujarat, involving CG Power, Renesas Electronics Corp, Japan, and Stars Microelectronics, Thailand, also received the Cabinet’s approval, enhancing the semiconductor landscape in the region.
The Tata Group’s ambitious investments in the semiconductor sector, along with other areas such as defence, electric vehicles, and Air India, reflect its vision to drive innovation and growth. Sources close to the matter revealed that the Tata Group is planning to pump over $120 billion into these new ventures and group priorities in the next few years, exceeding the initial estimates of $90 billion by 2027. This massive investment marks the Tata Group’s largest domestic investment commitment ever.
The Tata Group’s recent announcements show its proactive attitude to capture new opportunities. The group has plans to set up a semiconductor processing plant in Assam, with an estimated investment of Rs 40,000 crore, and a 20-gigawatt battery storage factory in Gujarat in the near future.
N Chandrasekaran, while addressing the 20th Anantharamakrishnan Memorial Lecture on “India’s Leadership in a Pivotal Decade,” where he received the MMA-Amalgamations Business Leadership Award 2023, highlighted the Tata Group’s forward-looking approach, as evidenced by its investments in Air India and the electronics and semiconductor sector. However, he did not disclose specific details about the semiconductor fabrication unit.
Sanjay Gupta, Chairperson of IESA, and Ashok Chandak, President of IESA (Indian Electronics And Semiconductor Association), in a statement to Times Now, said:
“The Union Cabinet’s approval of three semiconductor units, with an estimated cost of Rs 1.26 lakh crore, marks a historic moment for India’s semiconductor industry. This initiative, which will start construction within the next 100 days, shows India’s commitment to building a strong semiconductor manufacturing ecosystem. We are particularly proud to note that Tata Electronics and Renesas Electronics, both valued members of the India Electronics and Semiconductor Association (IESA), are key players in this initiative. Their participation not only shows their commitment to India’s technological progress but also underscores the vital role of IESA in promoting industry growth and innovation.”
Earlier reports suggested that the Tata Group may explore partnerships with prominent Taiwanese chip makers for its semiconductor projects.
One-third of Teachers Yet To Pay Fines For Board Exam Checking Errors. Click Here


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Charter Communications is close to an agreement to acquire larger cable company Time Warner Cable for approximately $55.1 billion in cash and stock, sources told Bloomberg on Sunday.
Charter will pay Time Warner Cable $195 a share, around 14 percent higher than its close on Friday at $ 171.18 a share.
During the acquisition talks, Charter Communications faced some last minute competition from Altice, owned by French billionaire Patrick Drahi. Last week, Altice acquired Suddenlink, the seventh largest cable company in the U.S.
Charter’s move for Time Warner Cable is a large acquisition since the New York based cable company is second largest in the United States behind Comcast while Charter is the fourth largest cable company behind Cox Communications.
If federal regulators accept the agreement, it would shake up the cable industry and result in more competition for Comcast and Cox Communications.
On April 24th Comcast pulled out of the agreement to acquire 100 percent of Time Warner Cable for its offer of $45.2 billion after U.S. regulators rejected a merger between Comcast and Time Warner Cable due to anti-trust concerns about Comcast acquiring a smaller rival and having too much control over the internet during a pivotal time in TV programming when more Americans are gradually shifting away from traditional pay television in favor of streaming packages from a variety of new sources.
Apple has plans to debut a new streaming service with their latest Apple TV set top box at their upcoming Developer’s Conference in June.
Apple’s new streaming service will reportedly cost between $30-40 a month and offer around 25 channels, including large networks such as ABC, CBS, and Fox.
In April HBO partnered with Apple as an exclusive partner in offering HBO Now, a standalone streaming subscription provider that doesn’t require a cable subscription.
Some of the other companies offering streaming packages include Amazon, Netflix, Sony (Playstation Vue) and Dish Network which launched a $20 per month Sling TV streaming service earlier this year which includes cable programming and live networks.
If Charter’s acquisition is approved, the Connecticut based company stands ready to gain 12 million broadband customers from Time Warner Cable combined with its own 4.9 million broadband subscribers.
Comcast is the largest broadband provider with 22 million high-speed users.
In March, Charter Communications acquired Syracuse based Bright House Networks, the 6th largest broadband provider in the U.S. for $10.4 billion and is poised to expand its market share in Florida, California, and Michigan.
-Johnathan Schweitzer ** I have decided to undertake a charity event in Seattle on 10/3/15 called Based To Space that involves a climb to the Space Needle. I am committing my own money and time to this project and need to raise at least $250.00. The donated money will be used to help cancer research at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, a top cancer research center. I know that many of the readers here on this site could help me to meet my goal of $250.0o. Here is my own fundraising page that allows for safe credit card donations. Please consider donating to this worthy cause. I’ll be posting photos of the charity event after I finish.