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Loeb's impressive resume, and his insistence that the business side of development can be creative, makes him a good fit for the growing mobile studio.
In January, mobile publisher and developer Scopely purchased FoxNext Games in the wake of Disney’s acquisition of 21st Century Fox. In addition to the lucrative Marvel Strike Force property, FoxNext came with some very experienced executives that needed a new home, Among them was Aaron Loeb, the former president at FoxNext. Today, the company has announced that his background and expertise has landed him a new position at Scopely: chief business officer.
“A chief business officer is one of those titles that is defined uniquely by each business,” Loeb told GameDaily of his new position. “In general, it’s the member of the C-team responsible for the operations of the company’s business. At Scopely, that means driving the company’s core business: game services.”
Loeb is bringing more than 30 years of experience to Scopely. He has spent time at a number of high-profile companies, including Kabam, Planet Moon Studios, and Electronic Arts. With an expertise centered mostly on the business side of game development, Loeb said that his goal is to connect with leaders across Scopely’s various dev teams in order to ensure they’re receiving the resources and support they need.
“Put simply, I’m here to make sure brilliant game makers have what they need to keep making incredible games.”
It’s that crossroads of business and creativity that Loeb calls home, and he wants to change the perception that such a combination can’t be exciting.
“Somehow, rooted in our industry’s history, we came to a belief that ‘fun’ is the opposite of ‘business’--that you needed to talk about games as ‘product’ if you wanted to talk business,” he said. “That ‘fun’ is magic, but business is real and concrete. My experiences have taught me to recognize that when done right, ‘fun’ and ‘business’ are a near total overlap. When we provide our players with awesome experiences, they reward us with their loyalty.”
Between the FoxNext purchase and the COVID-19 pandemic, the last year has been rather busy for Loeb. Working remotely these last several months has required some adjustments, which have been exacerbated by the transition from one company to another. But, even considering these hurdles, the integration with Scopely has been relatively smooth, he said, thanks to a cultural affinity between the two studios.
“Getting settled and working in partnership with some awesome new team members from Scopely, the Marvel Strike Force team has been able to continue to grow their game and improve and add to the game’s core systems, and those improvements have shown up in the way players are engaging with the game,” Loeb explained.
As for FoxNext, the studio has been brought under the Scopely umbrella with Amir Rahimi as its new president. Loeb said that FoxNext will benefit from the creative freedom afforded by Scopely, and will have access to all the insight and resources it has to offer.
Looking forward, Loeb said that what excites him most about the future of Scopely is the company’s willingness to take risks.
“One of the best lessons I’ve learned is that fear is the death of a creative business,” he explained. “Scopely has operated as a fearless company. It’s been remarkable watching them from afar--they’ve taken risks and seen them pay off. As the company continues to scale, I am excited about the creative talent we can bring in, and the new, eye-wateringly ambitious opportunities we can take on because of that fearlessness.”
Loeb said that the leadership team at Scopely has already built a solid foundation that fosters creativity within the studio’s various development teams. As example, he pointed to Star Trek Fleet Command, an ambitious 4X mobile strategy game.
“It’s a game that was given the time and support it needed to achieve the greatness that the team knew was within their grasp. And today, it’s one of the most (if not the most) deeply engaging games on mobile.”
Scopely’s growth over the last year has been impressive. In January, the company’s chief revenue officer Tim O’Brien told GameDaily that it surpassed $1 billion in lifetime revenue in 2019, acquired Fleet Command devs Digit Game Studios as well as FoxNext Games, and closed a $400 million funding round.
For Loeb, this growth is an opportunity to take advantage of a mobile market that was already booming before the COVID-19 sent revenues through the roof. His background as a developer and executive is well-suited for Scopely’s ambitions moving forward, he emphasized.
“By naming me chief business officer, given my background as a game maker and a writer as well as an executive, Scopely is saying something very clearly: our business is making great games.”
It’s impossible to deny Scopely’s strong position in today’s market. The acquisition of FoxNext is the highlight of an impressive year of business moves, and Loeb is primed to carry the studio further. With an impressive resume and a strong insistence that the business side of development can be fun and creative, Loeb’s enthusiasm is infectious. It will be enlightening to track Scopely’s progress as we move through the pandemic and beyond.
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A Better Economy Promises A Better Christmas
Is it too soon to start working on the Christmas List? Not if you’re my daughter Kate. She is already on the job! So cute, so expensive! Sheesh!
According to a published report from NBC, a recent survey indicates the average shopper is feeling a little merrier this holiday season, planning to spend about 6 percent more than last year, for a an average total of $1,226. Higher income Americans plan to boost Holiday expenses by 15%! (Let’s hope charitable giving is up too!)
Accounting and professional services company Deloitte conducted a survey and found “ folks are feeling better about the economy and their economic situation…and have gotten away from this notion that they're embarrassed by spending."
The National Retail Federation is optimistic but a little more conservative predicting an average spend of just over $967, based on the results of its annual holiday spending survey. Looks like Santa and someone are making Christmas great again?

domain: news


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The studio behind Marvel's Iron Man VR is now reportedly working on a VR game based on DC superhero Batman. Details, however, are sparse.
Camouflaj's PlayStation VR-exclusive Iron Man title is coming to the Quest 2 following the studio's acquisition by Meta.
The VR-specialist studios are know for titles such as Marvel's Iron Man VR, Resident Evil 4 VR, Wilson's Heart, and more. meta, armature studio, camouflaj, twisted pixel,
New weapons and new Custom Armor Decos are also included.
The superhero seems to do okay from himself out of the gate.
The PlayStation VR exclusive is finally out tomorrow after delays.
Everything you need to know about Marvel's Iron Man VR.
Director Ryan Payton says the game will have several "big and open environments."
Players will be able to walk around Tony Stark's garage and tinker with the Iron Man suit.
Teases of Iron Man's battle with Ghost are the main focus here.
Here's everything you need to know about the upcoming PS VR exclusive.
From pitching to planning to execution, the developers talk about it all.
"The last thing we want players to do is to think about the hardware," says Camouflaj founder Ryan Payton.
Camouflaj wraps up development on the VR title.
Because you literally get to fly around like Iron Man.
The bundle will be sold for a price of $349.99.
A demo for the PSVR game might be released to the public soon.
Sony promises more news in the "coming weeks."
This is following the removal of both games from the PlayStation Store.
We might be able to get some hands-on time with the VR-exclusive title soon.


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Hayfever relief wet wipes sold by Home Bargains have been hailed as a 'miracle' product to help sufferers through the summer, but some shoppers have criticised the throw-away wipes as 'unethical'.
The wipes went viral on social media last week, as the pollen count soared and hayfever sufferers turned to the product to relieve their itchy eyes.
But the miracle cure to some is an environmental concern to others, who made their feelings known on Home Bargain's Facebook page.
In a Facebook post, Home Bargains wrote: "As the weather begins to get warmer and we start to sit outside again, make sure you're protected from hay-fever, with Nuage's Hay-fever Relief Wipes. Helps to relieve itchy eyes and nose's for just 89p."
While there are plenty of comments praising the product, others hit out, saying the wipes are bad for the environment, as MEN reports.
"No, no, no! What is wrong with these companies? No consideration for the environment at all! Use a clean, wet flannel!" slammed one critic.
Another wrote: "Great idea, but it's just a shame they are plastic wipes inside a plastic bag we need to be reducing plastic."
"Hay-fever wipes??!! They'll invent wipes for everything these days. More plastic waste to fill our land and oceans", wrote a third critic.
A fourth said: "Anything that’s a ‘wipe' should be banned. So bad for the environment."
The packaging does not state of the wipes are recyclable. The MEN has approached Home Bargains for a comment.


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Jan. 19, 2010 -- Tyco International, owners of the ADT business, announced today that it is purchasing Broadview Security, formerly known as Brink's Home Security. The deal is said to be worth $2 billion and will be paid in a mix of cash and stock to Broadview shareholders at a value of $42.50 per share.
Broadview Security came into existence in June 2009, having formerly been known as Brink's Home Security. Brink's Home Security itself was a spin-off of the Brink's Company, this being their residential and commercial security installing business that they developed alongside the well-known Brink's cash transport business.
According to Naren Gursahaney, president of ADT Worldwide, once the acquisition is completed (which is expected in the second calendar quarter of 2010 after approval by Broadview stockholders and governments regulators), Broadview Security will be rebranded as ADT.
Bob Allen, CEO and president of Broadview Security, noted that in the last year, his dealers have already had to rebrand once from Brink's Home Security to Broadview Security, but he said that the move to ADT may be even easier.
"ADT has always been the number one brand in the industry," said Allen. "Assuming the ADT brand may be an easier switch than assuming the Broadview brand was for our dealers."
The merger brings together over 6 million accounts; with roughly 1.3 million of those coming from Broadview Security and approximately 4.8 million from ADT. Gursahaney said the addition of those Broadview accounts, which are known for low attrition, would likely increase revenues by 25 percent. As for benefits to his own firm, ADT North America President John Koch said the benefits are allowing ADT North America to broaden its sales, installation and service teams, expand its direct and dealer channels, and expand the company's geographic base.
The move will create overlaps in the dealer channel once Broadview's dealers become ADT dealers, but both Allen and Koch said that they already have overlaps in some markets and that overlaps would be expected.
Wayne Wahrsager, president of New York Merchants Protective Company, the firm that runs the Smith & Wesson dealer program which competes directly with ADT and Broadview Security, says the merger of the two biggest alarm dealer companies will be good for the industry.
"I believe in the long run that it will help the industry," said Wahrsager. "It eliminates one more player, one more name in the marketplace. For us, particularly, it broadens the ability of our brand to reach alarm companies that wouldn’t do business under the ADT banner. I really think it’s a positive."
Wahrsager said the move primarily affects the residential security alarm industry, since both ADT and Broadview Security were top players in that space. He said that while ADT has a strong presence in the commercial market place for burglar alarms and security systems, Broadview Security was not particularly strong in that area.
"Truthfully, this [merger] is a revelation for our industry," said Wahrsager. "They just widened the gap tremendously."
John Mack, executive vice president and co-head of investment banking for Imperial Capital, said the merger could run up against anti-trust regulations. He expected the deal to give the combined ADT-Broadview business unit approximately 35-45 percent of the U.S. residential alarm market. IMS Research issued a report following news of the acquisition that placed combined ADT/Broadview residential marketshare in North America at greater than 50 percent. ADT Worldwide president Gursahaney discounted that number, noting that "I'm not sure where that 50 percent number comes from. The combined share is significantly less than that."
Mack added that the $2 billion price gives an RMR multiple of approximately 42 times RMR. That multiple is significantly lower than what many businesses have expected; since the previous range of RMR multiples on sales was typically between 50 and 60 times RMR.


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Electric vehicles (EVs) represent the future of global transportation with demand expected to grow at an annual rate of 15.6% over the next five years, presenting opportunities for lithium producers.
Data and analytics company GlobalData forecasts that demand for lithium, a key ingredient in lithium-ion batteries used in EVs, will more than double from 26,700 tonnes in 2018 to 58,300 tonnes in 2022.
Tesla leading the way
GlobalData says the CAGR of 15.6% is being driven primarily by the growing popularity of EVs across countries in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) and Europe.
It further reveals that China will lead the global EV market with more than 50% share and grow three times as fast as the US over the next five years.
In 2017, 1.1 million new EVs were sold globally, of which China accounted for more than 50%, followed by the US with 17.3%.
In Europe, Norway accounted for 5.4% of global sales, followed by Germany with 4.8% and the UK with 4.1%.
Increased lithium consumption
The demand will result in increased consumption of lithium and support investment in mine expansions across Chile and Australia as well as new mine development in Chile, Australia, Argentina and North America.
A number of ASX-listed companies are active in this space, including Lithium Australia NL (ASX:LIT), European Lithium Ltd (ASX:EUR), Piedmont Lithium Ltd (ASX:PLL), Anson Resources Ltd (ASX:ASN) and Argosy Minerals Limited (ASX:AGY).
EV use encouraged
GlobalData’s senior mining analyst Vinneth Bajaj said, “Several national governments are encouraging the adaption of EVs by providing various tax incentives and subsidies to the manufacturers and end users.
“Additionally, efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions have led to much technological advancement in EVs and made them a viable and safe alternative to traditional vehicles.”
Over the next five years, global EV sales are expected to increase to more than 3-million vehicles, primarily driven by APAC and Europe.
EV sales in the US, Norway, Germany and Japan are expected to grow at CAGRs of 9.2%, 7%, 8.2% and 8.2% to reach 380,000, 107,000, 100,000, and 99,000 vehicles, respectively, in 2022.
Largest increase in China
These numbers include battery electric vehicles (BEV) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV).
Bajaj said, “The largest increase will be in China, which is expected to boost its EV sales from 579,000 in 2017 to 1.5 million by 2022.
“Current government policies and subsidies are making China a lucrative market for industry investments due to which the country’s EV market is poised to grow three times as fast as the US during the outlook period.”


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While many of us are patiently waiting for the Atomos Shogun 4K HDMI recorder, Convergent Design reminds us that they already have an SDI 4K and other recorders on the market, now made better with a recent firmware update.
Atomos has finally released their Avid DNxHD upgrade for Ninja-2 field recorders. First hinted at over a year ago, the new firmware upgrade will allow direct capture from HDMI sources into the Avid format, which is usually lossless at higher bitrates
Sony's new A7s is a well thought out 4K-capable camera. Sony briefed us, giving some more information
Sony's tiny 4K HandyCam supports a full 4K HDMI output that should be compatible with the upcoming Atomos Shogun 4K recorder - months before the A7S
The typically grey and murky English weather is the bane of photographer's lives but on this occasion it only adds to the sense of foreboding as we look at these weird, sinister relics
Power to the people: Atomos bills its latest accessory as meaning that cameramen will never be left without power in the field, powering multiple devices and giving endless hot swapping of commodity camera batteries.


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Vietnam Plans to Cut U.S. Pork Tariffs as Trade Tensions Ease
· Frozen pork duties falling to 10%; corn, wheat also to be cut
· U.S., Vietnam have recently resolved currency, timber issues
By Nguyen Dieu Tu Uyen, Bloomberg
October 5, 2021
Vietnam plans to lower tariffs on U.S. frozen pork, corn and wheat, a further sign of easing trade tensions with its biggest export market.
The cuts, which will be announced this quarter, are intended to increase imports from the U.S. and narrow its trade deficit with Vietnam, Nguyen Do Anh Tuan, a spokesman for Vietnam’s agriculture ministry, said in an interview Monday.
The planned cuts will see tariffs lowered to 10% from 15% for frozen pork, 2% from 5% on corn, and eliminated for wheat from the current 3%, Tuan said.
The move to boost purchases of American agricultural goods is the latest effort to improve relations as Washington and Hanoi seek closer economic and geopolitical ties to balance China’s increasing clout in the region...
... Pork accounts for more than 70% of Vietnam’s total meat consumption. While the country has one of the biggest hog herds in Southeast Asia, demand for imported pork has risen over the past two years as its pig farms were ravaged by African swine fever...
more, including links


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Cycling craze causes severe stock shortages
Bike transportation has soared during the COVID-19 lockdown.
Due to the fact that sports aren’t considered an essential service, many sports stores were tossed into turmoil back in March when quarantine measures first cracked down. Owners of shops, specifically those for summer sports, had to come to terms with the reality that this could be a record low year for sales. By March most shops have already spent some serious cash to put in their stock orders, and the possibility they wouldn’t be able to sell what they’d just ordered caused concern.
Fortunately for bike shops, those concerns melted away once April hit. Most specialty bike shops cater to avid cyclists, yet this summer have been overwhelmed by the amount of people buying new bikes or bringing in old ones to get revamped. Sweet Pete’s bike shop in Toronto normally pulls in $177,000 in the month of April, but said in an interview with The Canadian Press that this April they made $287,000 – an insane profit increase.
Dutch Cycle, a bicycle and repair shop in Regina, has seen a drastic increase in clientele as well. Owner Freddy Vandelinden said that at the beginning of lockdown in March when they had to close, they were questioning if they’d even make it through the year. With policies on the types of service they could offer consistently changing it was difficult to adjust, so they began a curb-side service while waiting for approval to open the store itself to the public. Both May and June brought record-breaking sales, as well as the issue of acquiring stock during a pandemic.
Due to global lock-down measures many factories world-wide had to close which interrupted the supply chain, meaning there is currently a harsh shortage of both bikes and bike parts, a shortage of a degree that Vandelinden said hasn’t been seen since World War 2. He used cruiser bikes for an example of how extreme things have gotten; they’re normally able to be ordered and received within three to four days, but if he ordered some now they’d be waiting two months at least for that delivery. He also reported the general demand for their services and products has been threefold over normal. “If I get a shipment of 50 bikes tomorrow, I’ve got a wait-list of at least 70 people who want them so those bikes are immediately gone.” he said with a laugh. “My showroom is half-full of repair work right now because we’re repairing 30-40 bikes a day.”
Tyler Kallio, who has worked at The Bike Doctor in Saskatoon over the past three summers, said their experience was quite similar to that of Dutch Cycle. “When I came back to work in April of 2020 we were only doing online orders… I thought we’d be sitting around but we were running around to sort the online orders.” Kallio mentioned. “We opened up to limited walk-in sometime in late May and were equally as busy. Through May and June we quickly realized we were running out of bikes to sell. The upstairs storage was almost empty when in previous summers it was packed.”
When I asked Kallio why he thought there was such an increased interest in cycling through quarantine, he said “I think there’s been an increase because biking is an activity people can do while maintaining social distancing… At the height of the closures in March me and a couple friends would go winter biking while maintaining distance from each other. It was really nice to get out during the craziness.”
Vandelinden pointed out that another perk of cycling is that it’s not a team sport. This makes it a more accessible option in general, and especially now when, for our safety and the safety of others, we need to maintain distancing. It’s a way to get out in nature, get in some cardio, and it can be done independently or socially depending on your mood.
In a piece by Pat Foran for CTV News Toronto, he claimed that yet another reason for this increased interest is transportation. Choosing to commute by bike rather than by bus or carpool decreases the amount of people you come into contact with daily. Other benefits of cycling include a general betterment of attention span, focus, and mood for a few hours after – areas we could all use a boost in some days.
One of the only downsides to cycling in Saskatchewan is our stretch of winter months. However, if you’ve gotten into cycling and feel like making it a winter sport, you can call Dutch Cycle to get set up with the right material to do it safely. Vandelinden commented that cycling through the snow and ice is “a lot of fun with the right gear, but studded tires are a must to keep you upright.”


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- Tesla said it produced 53,339 vehicles during the second quarter, up 55 percent from the prior period.
- Deliveries totaled 40,740 vehicles, falling short of what some on Wall Street had expected.
- The company also reaffirmed its positive cash flow outlook for the third and fourth quarters.
Tesla said Monday that it met a closely watched goal for production, however it fell short on deliveries during the second quarter.
The electric car maker's shares initially traded higher following the news, but gradually erased gains to turn lower in midday trading.
Tesla said it produced 53,339 vehicles during the second quarter, an increase of 55 percent from the prior period. The production numbers came out to 28,578 Model 3 sedans — triple from the previous quarter — and 24,761 Model S and Model X cars combined. It called it "the most productive quarter in Tesla history by far."
Deliveries, meanwhile, totaled 40,740 vehicles — falling short of what some on Wall Street had expected.
For the second quarter, Tesla delivered 18,440 Model 3 cars. The consensus, according to Goldman Sachs analyst David Tamberrino, was for the company to deliver as many as 28,000 Model 3 vehicles. The company also delivered 10,930 Model S and 11,370 Model X cars.
While the second-quarter delivery numbers will get a fair amount of attention from analysts and investors, the story driving Tesla shares higher is Model 3 production, and whether the company can sustain a higher output rate for its newest model and power the company to become cash flow positive in the second half of 2018.
The announcement comes one day after CEO Elon Musk congratulated Tesla employees for hitting the company’s target of building 5,000 Model 3 vehicles in the final week of June. The company has been trying to exceed the 5,000-per-week production target for months, but has faced many obstacles along the way.
Tesla said Monday it now expects to increase production to 6,000 Model 3 vehicles per week by late August.
The company also on Monday reaffirmed its positive cash flow outlook for the third and fourth quarters "despite negative pressures from a weaker [U.S. dollar] and likely higher tariffs for vehicles imported into China as well as components procured from China."


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Stephan Beringer, Chief Executive Officer of Mirriad, commented “After the significant strategic reset in March last year, it is tremendous to see a sharp increase in Mirriad’s 2019 revenue.
The simplification of our go-to-market strategy to focus on the developed advertising markets in China, the UK, France, Germany and the US drove improved growth and underpinned the landmark deal with Tencent. The strategy was further endorsed by the successful £16.2 million fundraise in July last year.
“Our emphasis in 2020 will be driving shareholder value by increasing adoption in our target markets with existing and new partnerships, leveraging the impressive scale of high-level relationships that we’ve built.
“Despite the immediate challenges posed in Europe and the US by the emergence of Covid-19, we are already tracking positive recovery in our Chinese business. As a result of our partnership with Tencent, the number of brands using Mirriad on its platform was at the highest level ever in April as businesses and consumers in the country resumed stalled activity.
Alongside this, we are in advanced partnership discussions with multiple tier-one entertainment majors in the US, engaging with global agencies in our key markets and executing campaigns for leading advertisers such as P&G. When combined with the encouraging revenue figures from Q1 2020, there are good grounds for optimism in the months ahead.”
Mirriad Advertising plc, the computer vision and AI platform company, announces its unaudited results for the year ended 31 December 2019.
· 2019 revenue of £1,140k (2018 £416k)
· Operating loss reduced 16% to £12.2m (2018: £14.4m)
· Net assets £19.2m (2018: £15.6m)
· Cash and cash equivalents at 31 December 2019 were £19.1m
· New strategy announced March 2019
· New commercial team in the US and new CTO April 2019
· Signature of contract with Tencent Video in China in June 2019
· £16.2m (gross) successful fundraise in July 2019
Post period highlights
· Signature of contract with first UK customer: Channel 4 in January
· Brand count on Tencent platform at highest level in March as China starts to recover from Covid-19 impact
· Unaudited Q1 revenue 2020 up 129% at £305k (2018: £133k)
· Cash and cash equivalents at 30 April 2020 were £15.81m
Mirriad’s award-winning solution unleashes new revenue for content producers and distributors by creating new advertising inventory in content. Our patented, AI and computer vision technology dynamically inserts products and innovative signage formats after content is produced. Mirriad’s market-first solution seamlessly integrates with existing subscription and advertising models, and dramatically improves the viewer experience by limiting commercial interruptions.
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All information is provided on an as-is basis. Where we allow Bloggers to publish articles on our platform please note these are not our opinions or views and we have no affiliation with the companies mentioned


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YORK COUNTY, Pa. (WHTM) — A new Taylor Chip cookie franchise recently opened its doors in York.
abc27 news first reported back in June 2023 when a spokesperson confirmed that Taylor Chip was looking to expand into York County.
According to their Facebook page, the new Taylor Chip space, located at 3013 East Market Street, officially opened its doors on Thursday, November 9. The new 1,584-square-foot location at the Firehouse Shoppes in York was formerly occupied by Tropical Smoothie.
In celebration of opening its doors today, Taylor Chip will be holding a soft opening event this weekend on Saturday, November 11. According to Taylor Chip, prior to their grand opening, their hours of operation will be:
- Mondays – Saturdays // 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Taylor Chip says that they specifically designed their York location to eventually accommodate the serving of ice cream, which they say is “On its way!”
Currently, Taylor Chip is still hiring for multiple positions at their new location and if you are interested in applying, you can click here.
Taylor Chip is owned and operated by husband and wife Sara and Doug Taylor, who opened their first Taylor Chip cookie stand in August of 2018. According to their website, the cookie company currently has three other locations in Central Pennsylvania, which can be found at:
- 1573 Manheim Pike (Lancaster, Pa.)
- 23 Center Street (Intercourse, Pa.)
- 121 Towne Square Drive (Hershey, Pa.)
abc27 news will keep you updated as more information becomes available.


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SoftBank's Vision Fund is in final talks to invest up to $1.5 billion in Guazi, one of China's major used car trading platforms, industry sources involved in the deal told China Daily.
The potential deal, which values the startup established in 2015 at $8.5 billion, would put Guazi's market value second only to the world's largest used car platform, Carmax, of the United States.
A pedestrian walks past Guazi used cars for sale at an underground parking lot in Chengdu, capital of Sichuan province. (Photo: China Daily)
Vision Fund likes to invest in high-tech startups, and Guazi is using AI, new information technology and big data to transform a traditional industry with huge potential, which is the foundation of the deal, one of the sources told China Daily.
The deal comes at a time when China's used car market keeps growing due to a cooling in the new car market, consumers' increasing online shopping, and better value provided by new business models.
Industry data shows that China's used vehicle market increased threefold in the five years from 2012-2017, while new car sales recorded their first annual drop in nearly three decades in 2018.
SoftBank is not new in China. Its founder, Masayoshi Son, was an early investor in e-commerce giant Alibaba 2000.
Guazi has been ranked the strongest brand in China's used car industry by Millward Brown, a global leader in brand strategy consulting and brand equity research.
Guazi is also establishing offline outlets to enhance trading efficiency and improve customer service. In the last two quarters of 2018, Guazi opened 108 outlets throughout China, a significant move.
Huge market potential is also intensifying competition. Uxin(UXIN), a Nasdaq-listed, Chinese used car platform, recently accused Guazi of inflating sales numbers. Uxin went public in June last year but has seen its share price fall more than 60 percent from their offering price.
In response to the accusations, a Guazi spokeswoman told China Daily that the allegations are due to a misunderstanding of its business model, which is using new technology to revolutionize an old industry.
"Our investors have been hiring independent professional agencies to conduct due diligence on our legal and financial operations. We are confident about the authenticity of our numbers and proper operations, and we are open to any due diligence initiated by any potential investors," she said.
Both the Guazi spokeswoman and the Vision Fund declined to comment on the investment.


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The current electric Mercedes-Benz eSprinter lacks range, but if Tesla teamed up with Daimler, as hinted at by Elon Musk, that could change.
Tag: Elon Musk tweets
It seems Christmas shopping for your loved ones may have just gotten a load better and a lot cheaper.
Elon Musk, formerly known as the CEO of Tesla, has just announced via Twitter that he's deleted that title and should now be referred to as the Nothing of Tesla.
Tesla's Elon Musk doesn't often pin a date to his announcements, but this is an exception. We look forward to the future of this ever-changing, Boring project.
While official information and clarification from Tesla and CEO is not yet forthcoming, we have a trusted source that provides us with some insight.
Just moments ago, Tesla CEO Elon Musk let it be known that a new version of Summon Mode is in the works and it'll use Autopilot cameras to function.
While Tesla works hard on production and deliveries, service center availability by location is struggling. Musk says he'll prioritize ASAP.
Since the NHTSA has released a statement that goes against Tesla's Model 3 injury probability claim, let's take a closer look.
Tesla is running out of car carriers as it attempts to deliver the Model 3 at a breakneck pace, so Musk turns Tesla into car barrier builders.
Tesla engineers have dialed it up a notch and are testing V9 Autopilot software update. With V10 Alpha, the autonomous trip may become a reality.
Word-of-mouth is why the Tesla Model 3 is the best-selling electric car, despite no advertising or paid endorsements.
For a man who sleeps on the factory floor, a one-off good time was in order when he appeared on Joe Rogan's podcast.
As owners complain about delays on their Tesla Model 3 vehicles, CEO Elon Musk admits that paint is the issue and sometimes requires building new cars.
Trust us, there's nothing funnier than Russian memes aimed at Tesla CEO Elon Musk. You'll get a chuckle out of these. That's for sure.
After pressure from shareholders and advisers, Musk and Tesla's Board have come to the conclusion that "the better path is for Tesla to remain public".
It turns out that some Australians are not too happy with Tesla CEO Elon Musk's social media behavior and its become the tipping point to some Model 3 pre-order...
Tesla CEO Elon Musk should really get some sleep, but not before taking some time to ponder geolocating folding mirrors for the Model 3.
Elon Musk, the Tesla CEO, in a showcase of sheer confidence, tweeted to a Model 3 Performance customer, how they can return their vehicle and get a full refund...
He's only considering, yet the whole world is now shouting out that Tesla will go private into the hands of Elon Musk. TSLA stock soars.
The CEO of the Silicon Valley automaker has signaled a willingness to share code with other manufacturers, but will they care?
Sliding sideways on the snow is always exhilarating. Especially if you happen to be in an all-wheel-drive monster like the Tesla Model 3 Performance.


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Entanet and CityFibre to unveil powerful new products and unbeatable Ethernet pricing at Channel Live 2017
31 August 2017
At Channel Live 2017 the leading wholesale communications provider, Entanet, will be unveiling a new generation of full fibre Internet access services and unbeatable Ethernet pricing using the CityFibre network. Entanet will also be launching an all-new, fully-brandable hosted voice service offering partners a real opportunity to differentiate themselves. The event is the first official outing of the two businesses since they joined forces in August.
Visitors to Entanet’s stand will see how it’s using the power of CityFibre’s capacity-rich, full-fibre network to introduce a choice of blisteringly-fast Internet access services and fiercely competitive Ethernet services that can earn resellers more margin than with the carrier networks they’re used to, but with all the service quality delivery they’re accustomed to from Entanet. They’ll also learn how they can influence where spades go in the ground as CityFibre continues to expand its full fibre footprint.
In addition to talking about the ‘CityFibre difference’, Entanet will also be launching its all-new and fully-brandable hosted voice service, providing live demonstrations of just how easy the service is to order and manage via its redeveloped synergi interface.
As well as new connectivity services, Entanet will remind visitors about its existing multi-carrier solutions and the absolute focus on customer service for which it is renowned.
Entanet’s Head of Marketing, Darren Farnden, said: “We’re really excited to promote our new union with CityFibre to Channel Live visitors. We want them to leave with a very clear understanding of the enormity of the opportunity they’re now able to grasp and why this extends far beyond new products and Ethernet prices significantly below what they’re used to. It’s a chance to join the full fibre revolution and help shape the digital future of businesses right across the UK. We’ll also share how our all-new hosted voice service enables resellers to differentiate themselves in a crowded ‘me-too’ VoIP market”.


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Extreme drought conditions in California have caused residents to face government fines, paint their lawns, and stress about their beloved giant sequoias. Now the whole country might be joining in the state's water woes: Production of the special rice used in sushi, grown mainly in California, is set to decline by 25% in 2014 because farmers were limited to how many acres they could adequately water, Politico reports. Translation for the rest of us—sushi restaurants are going to have to decide whether to take the financial hit themselves or ask customers to pay higher prices for their tempura, tuna, and Tijuana rolls, according to a California Restaurant Association spokeswoman.
Most of the state is high and dry, categorized as being in "exceptional," "extreme," or "severe" drought conditions, the United States Drought Monitor indicates. A California Rice Commission spokesman says rice production could be down by more than a billion pounds, as per Politico, affecting restaurants and even schools that train sushi chefs. Rice is thriving in other parts of the country—overall rice production will be up 21% this year, according to AGWeb.com—but chefs are partial to the short-grain Japonica rice typically used in sushi dishes. Still, one general manager of a California rice co-operative worries, via Politico: "If the price gets too high, does the end user start going to substitute products or maybe an inferior rice?" (Read more California drought stories.)


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At the upcoming ISA Sign Expo, which is scheduled to be held from May 4-6 in Atlanta, Georgia, ONYX Graphics will be providing a first glimpse of the next major release of ONYX software that offers print service providers a new drag-and-drop user experience and easy-to-use tools for everyday automation. The next major release will be available for the full range of ONYX solutions including ONYX Thrive print workflow software and all ONYX RIP products.
This latest release from ONYX builds upon the industry leading ONYX 21.1 software that introduced Swatch Books 2.0 for faster color matching and PDF tile maps to streamline tile-job installation. The announcement of a new ONYX software version coincides with the International Sign Expo next month in Atlanta. This year’s theme at the show is to bring top technology, powerful connections, and smart solutions together under one roof.


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Head of North America Insights
Electrolux is a global leader in the appliance industry, selling more than 60 million household and professional products in more than 150 markets every year. As the Head of North America Insights, Brett Townsend is responsible for providing transformative consumer insights to drive business decisions.
Townsend descripes how the demonstrated power of platforms like eBay and Amazon is such that brick-and-mortar companies have been forced to step up their own eCommerce capabilities, even though consumers are still oftentimes making their appliance purchases in store. This is due to the fact that most research is still done online before consumers ever make it into the store. “Consumer needs are still driving them to stores, but as their behaviors continue to evolve, we must also evolve,” he says. “To use a common sports metaphor: you have to skate to where the puck is going. Brands need to make sure they aren’t hitting the puck to where the player is now, but where they’re going to be. At the same time, you don’t want to put it so far ahead that they can’t get to it.” While all current consumer understanding shows brick-and-mortar continues to be the preferred method of shopping for and purchasing appliances, Townsend says the company is constantly monitoring the market to ensure they are delivering what consumers expect.
You can view this interview in full by downloading the report below.


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We politely asked Sony to put an end to the circus and just announce the new PS3 Slim. Well, that didn't happen, which means that we must report on the latest news concerning the remodeled machine.
It's becoming clearer by the day. According to a recent report from the Jeux Video Network , the system in question is an inevitability, and one European retailer responded simply, "Yes, the PS3 Slim is a reality; it will soon emerge." The retailer also said the new console would launch with a retail price of 299 Euros, which supports the popular theory that not only will the PS3 Slim hit store shelves this year, it'll also be cheaper than the current model. That video is worth watching even if you can't understand French, if only for the introductory collection of evidence. For our part, we believe Sony will make everything official at GamesCom on August 18 (the day of their press conference), because at this point, the "unofficial confirmations" are starting to be daily occurrences. Now, considering all this, let's see if we've got this straight-
So the PS3 Slim comes right along with the corresponding price cut. It seems very likely we'll get Gran Turismo 5 for the holidays, and we'll be able to add that to PS3 exclusives like Uncharted 2: Among Thieves , Ratchet and Clank Future: A Crack in Time , and MAG . Consider the fact that the PSN and PlayStation Home have both made tremendous strides in the past year, and we're starting to wonder…can anyone compete with the PS3 this holiday season?


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social media, data and analytics, and mobile—especially geotargeting—are the hot technology investments for marketing and commerce. The investment in data and analytics is in part driven by the biggest overall industry challenge, online-to-offline attribution measurement, and one of the most difficult issues facing individual companies, proving ROI to customers.
With a shift to mobile websites, most mobile marketing dynamics will remain, although implementation for sites versus apps will be more than nuanced. Mobile search is already undergoing shifts, and listings management must take into account the role of the mobile platforms, maps, and, probably, Amazon.
The early results of our annual survey indicate that suppliers of local marketing and commerce technology and services see their customers continue to increase spending on social media and mobile marketing — and their own investments are following the money.
The London-based startup wants to give brick-and-mortar stores the power to satisfy consumer needs as quickly as possible by offering them a platform to make their inventories searchable online — so users can search for and order specific items, and then get them right away.
While many onlookers think that increased comparison shopping, faster and cheaper delivery options like drones, and the convenience of shopping at home equal doom for physical stores, the reality is that the economy (like the people behind it) is largely driven by the irrational.
During the holiday season, we focus so much attention on when people buy, how much they spend, and whether it got there on time that we tend to overlook what happens once gifts are purchased. An equal test for retailers — both online and brick-and-click — will be making returns as easy as the purchase itself.
The mostly unreported story of Black Friday weekend is that much of the ecommerce growth came from “bricks-and-clicks” retailers, not pure-play e-tailers. The reason: Physical stores offer a critical customer experience and serve as a “brand anchor,” both of which support ecommerce for traditional retailers. Stores drive online sales because they instill a sense of confidence and trust in the consumer.
Cyber Monday was one for the record books. U.S. shoppers spent nearly $3 billion through digital channels, making it the single largest online sales day in history, according to Adobe, and continuing a string of firsts this holiday season. Mobile continued to display strong momentum from the holiday weekend in driving website traffic and sales.
If U.S. consumers proved reluctant to spend their Thanksgiving holiday in stores, they demonstrated few qualms about shopping online. Digital commerce was up significantly from 2014 levels. The momentum continued into Black Friday, which also saw brick-and-mortar spending reach its highest totals since 2012. The biggest winner over the holiday weekend was mobile: Its share of website traffic and online sales reached record highs.
The holiday season isn’t just a big time of year for retail spending; it’s also a big time of year for retail spending data. The stats indicate one common trend: Purchasing is going to be more omnichannel than ever. Here’s a rundown on some key data points for this holiday shopping season.
Retail activity this holiday season promises to be more omnichannel than ever, courtesy of the ever-present smartphone. That raises the stakes for retailers in terms of their preparedness and complicates their attribution metrics. With online-to-offline shopping dynamics in focus, this may be the long-awaited breakout year for beacon technology.
Around the holidays, consumers tend to spend a lot more time on multiple devices, altering standard shopping habits and behaviors. This means brands and businesses need to ensure they are accurately and competitively represented in search, social, and mobile channels, and that social engagement and advertising efforts are properly targeted to the right consumers at the right times.
Black Friday is a week away. Is there anything brands and merchants can do before then to make their local marketing stand out amid the holiday crush? Yesterday’s Street Fight webinar, “Real-Time Location-Based Marketing Strategies for the Holidays,” in conjunction with Brandify, indicated there’s still time to implement some practical tactics that can make a difference.
What’s on the mind of technology and marketing suppliers targeting the connected local economy? They’re keen on mobile — perhaps too keen — but struggling with their own companies’ brand awareness. The dichotomy between small businesses and national chains that sell locally is profound, and presents difficult challenges in scaling to support either, let alone both, according to Street Fight Insights analysis.
A roundup of today’s big stories in hyperlocal publishing, marketing, commerce, and technology… Google Gets Deeper into Home Services (CNBC)… New Groupon CEO Says the Local Deals Pioneer Is Undervalued, Underestimated (GeekWire)… Foursquare Has Figured Out the Hottest Restaurants Around America Right Now (Tech Insider)…
The busiest retail season of the year is upon us, and it’s shaping up to be a good one. An upcoming free Street Fight Insights webinar, presented in conjunction with Brandify and featuring immr founder Dr. Phil Hendrix, can help local business owners and their marketing and technology partners get ready for the tide of online and foot traffic. Don’t miss out on key insights that can help make your holiday season a success.
Implementing technology in retail environments as means of “saving” brick-and-mortar stores has been a consistent theme in recent years. But consumers have sent a clear message that the connected store can’t be about technology for technology’s sake. Smartphones’ increasingly central role in the shopping process, from research to purchase, makes them the logical link between connected shoppers and connected stores.
xAd’s fourth annual Mobile Path to Purchase study indicates the customer journey is more smartphone-dependent than ever, even for big-ticket, high-consideration purchases like cars. “Location is much more than a targeting tactic; it’s a powerful indicator of consumers’ intent and immediacy of needs,” said xAd senior director of global research Sarah Ohle.
Consumers are spending more time on their mobile devices than ever, a shift that is affecting both traditional and digital businesses. Recent earnings reports from Yelp, Angie’s List, and Groupon indicate that some of these publicly traded local mainstays are handling the transition better than others, particularly the rising challenge to effectively combine content, commerce, and services.


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Yo, what’s up guys? It’s your boy Dan comin’ at ya with the latest news from Kentucky. The Kentucky House of Representatives just voted in favor of a new bill to regulate the production and sale of delta-8 THC. This psychoactive compound is synthesized from legal hemp CBD and has been causing some safety concerns, especially for young people. The bill was approved unanimously by a vote of 97-0 and is now headed to the state Senate for consideration.
During the debate on Thursday, lawmakers talked about how they’ve been hearing appeals from school and law enforcement officials to restrict sales of delta-8 THC. Republican House Speaker Pro Tempore David Mead expressed concerns about the safety risks that products containing delta-8 THC pose to young people. Apparently, some have even overdosed on the product. That’s not cool, man.
If House Bill 544 gets passed by the state Senate and signed into law, it will task the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services with drafting administrative regulations for the production and sale of delta-8 products in the state. The guidelines included in this legislation mandate that the regulations ban the sale of delta-8 to anyone younger than 21 years old. They also require delta-8 products to be kept behind retail sales counters and for packaging to clearly state the ingredients contained in the products.
The lead sponsor of House Bill 544, Republican Representative Rebecca Raymer, said that unregulated delta-8 THC threatens farmers and business owners in Kentucky’s growing hemp industry. She believes that “these products have no standards for production” and that “if someone were to purchase Delta-8, they have no way of determining if it is safe.” That’s why she thinks this measure will both protect consumers and enhance the industry.
House Bill 544 has the support of many business owners and hemp industry representatives, both in Kentucky and nationwide. Jonathan Miller, general counsel to the U.S. Hemp Roundtable, called it “strong legislation” to regulate delta-8 THC and keep it away from young people. John Taylor, founder and chief executive officer of hemp processor Commonwealth Extracts in Louisville, told lawmakers in the House that Kentucky’s legitimate hemp operators back the legislation as well. They all want regulations because it gets rid of the bad actors who make it hard to compete.
Katie Moyer, board president of the Kentucky Hemp Association, said that Kentucky delta-8 consumers face a “Wild West situation” in the state. Products are sold at gas stations, health food stores, and other retail outlets containing ingredients “coming from who knows where.” That sounds sketchy as hell.
In May 2023, a federal appeals court ruled that delta-8 THC is legal under federal law. This prompted many states to propose legislation to regulate the cannabinoid that is commonly available at convenience stores, smoke shops, and gas stations, particularly in states that have not legalized marijuana. Last year, the Kentucky state Senate passed a bill banning the production of intoxicating hemp-derived products including delta-8 THC by a vote of 23-13, but the House of Representatives declined to approve the measure.
As the debate over delta-8 THC ramped up early last year, the U.S. Hemp Roundtable said in a statement that the marketing of intoxicating hemp products threatens the development of a robust hemp industry. They want regulators to enforce existing laws to target their efforts on cracking down on intoxicating products marketed as hemp that threaten public health and safety.
So there you have it guys. The Kentucky House just approved a bill to regulate delta-8 THC. It still needs to go through some more steps before it becomes law, but it looks like everyone’s on board with regulating this stuff for our own safety. Stay safe out there, peeps!


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thought the Japanese Car sales in the US market bursting with rare phenomenon, so in faraway America, in the past nine months, the Toyota brand sales up to 226,600, compared to 105,500 in the US market, indeed higher than doubled. And in 2019 1– on total sales in September, Toyota’s US sales are also up to 1.8224 million, while Toyota’s January-September total US sales of 874,000, the total number of the United States more than doubled.
Legend: the United States in September 2019 Car sales charts, data sources Autodata
Legend: the US market in September 2019 Car sales charts Cars
and the US market Is different, not the United States However, Car use big country, big country also exported Cars, have a mature Automobile manufacturing. As the giant US Auto industry, General Motors won the title of the United States Auto market in September sales of the first. Compared to Toyota’s second in the past nine months, GM sold more than the Toyota full of nearly 40 million.
In the US market in a single month sold 335,700 of the Volkswagen brand in the United States sold only 32,000, the gap Is more than ten times more. Of course, the general public in the United States has been sold Is not how high, limited models, expensive alternative to strong (you can add a little money to buy a BMW, Mercedes-Benz), not as good as Japanese Cars resIstant open, not as good as Japanese Cars sale cheap, are resulting in German Car sales the reason Is far inferior to Japanese Cars. Put it more bluntly, Americans are more Willing to buy Japanese Cars, rather than the German Car.
In many American Cars Volkswagen also launched a special for the American Car, which for the Volkswagen brand a solid market position in the United States have a very good role. After all, the public in the US market, “settled in” early, early good reputation, have given weak development of domestic Cars Volkswagen impossible some advantage in the US market.


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2004 Audi TT Recalls
145 vehicles were assembled with a seam at the clutch that was not welded to specifications. This could lead to degraded performance of the clutch inside the gearbox. As a result, the clutch could fail without warning, disabling the vehicle and increasing the risk of a crash. This recall began on April 30, 2004. The Audi recall number is JA.


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Cold weather and a shortage of pizza at last weekend’s PapaJohns.com Bowl at Legion Field didn’t deter fans from spending more than $18 million at local businesses and hotels.
That’s what the Greater Birmingham Convention & Visitors Bureau estimated fans doled out during Friday and Saturday as the out-of-town visitors converged on the Magic City for the fourth annual football game. The majority of fans hailed from South Carolina, which is about a five-hour drive from Birmingham.
But area hotels, which have struggled along with the economy over the past year, said business was mixed, with some reporting increased sales in a usually slow month, while other hotels said occupancy was average.
Jim Smither, president of the convention bureau, said attendance was up this year to more than 45,000 for the matchup between the University of South Carolina and the University of Connecticut. About 10,000 of that total were locals, he said.
This year’s $18 million will be added to the nearly $23 million economic impact the game had in its first three years combined. Those three games had combined attendance of more than 100,000.
Having the game during the weekend was a boost, said Smither, but it would be up to ESPN, which owns the bowl game, on whether next year’s game would fall on a weekend.
“They definitely council with us every step of the way,” he said. “I think they want the best for the bowl themselves, so the more popular it is the more people come. Were there some slip-ups? Yes, but I don’t think there were enough to warrant discussion.”
One known slip was the shortage of pizza at the event sponsored by Papa John’s, which had fans waiting in long lines for pies to cook in Legion Field’s antiquated kitchens, according to media reports.
But while there were definitely more people attending this year’s game, during a month that’s usually slow for the local hospitality industry, reports from area hotels were mixed.
Robert Radice, general manager of The Tutwiler Hotel in downtown, said his hotel sold out Friday and Saturday nights, with some guests coming early to spend New Year’s Eve.
“The first week in January is usually dead,” he said. “But this boosted business across the board.”
At the Redmont Hotel, also downtown, the weekend’s occupancy was average, according to Sales and Marketing Manager Neillie Butler. After a successful New Year’s Eve the day before, only half of the hotel’s guests last weekend were fans for the game.
“It wasn’t as big of a boom as we had hoped for and thought it would be,” she said.
At Renaissance Ross Bridge Golf Resort & Spa in Hoover, about 100 rooms out of the resort’s 259 rooms were occupied by bowl game attendees for both Friday and Saturday nights, about a 43 percent improvement over January of last year during the game, said General Manager Steve Miller.
Miller attributes the increase to the close driving proximity between South Carolina and Alabama and the notoriety of the resort’s Robert Trent Jones golf course. But the unusually cold weather deterred many from hitting the links this year, he said.


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Lenovo has announced that it will be acquiring IBM's low-end server business for $2.3 billion in cash and stock along with job offers for 7500 of IBM's employees associated with the unit.
Microsoft unveils the stunning Surface Studio all-in-one PC, and Surface Dial
Microsoft announces the Windows 10 Creators Update, coming in early 2017
windows 10 event
It's finally here: HP Elite x3 unboxing and first impressions
Lenovo Yoga Book with Android unboxing and first impressions
Unboxing the Lenovo Moto Z reveals some unexpected surprises


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Today, the Government submitted its notification of intent to begin the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) accession process.
This notification of intent comes shortly after the UK celebrates one year since leaving the EU and becoming an independent trading nation.
It is our first step in accession to CPTPP which is part of a big strategic move that aims to deepen the UK’s access to fast-growing markets and major economies of the future, including Mexico, Malaysia and Vietnam, for the benefit of UK business.
Joining the £9 trillion free trade area will cut tariffs for vital UK industries like food and drink and cars and create new opportunities for future industries like tech and services, ultimately supporting and creating high-value jobs across the United Kingdom and helping the country build back better from Covid.
Unlike EU membership, joining does not require the UK to cede control over our laws, borders, or money.
The UK would be the first country to take forward accession negotiations since the agreement was formed in 2018, putting us at the front of the queue to become the next full member. A number of other economies have also expressed an interest in joining, including Thailand, Taiwan, Colombia and South Korea.
Joining is a critical part of the government’s wider trade strategy, which aims to deepen links with some of the fastest growing parts of the world, partnering with countries who believe in free and fair trade.
CPTPP is one of the most important free trade areas in the world, accounting for 13% of global GDP in 2019. CPTPP GDP would rise to 16% if the UK were to join.
CPTPP removes tariffs on 95% of goods traded between members and reduces other barriers to trade across four continents. CPTPP countries accounted for £111 billion worth of UK trade in 2019 and the 2016-2019 annual growth in UK trade with CPTPP member countries was 8% a year. Joining now opens the way to further increase trade with these economies, enabling the UK to build back better by bringing more opportunities for our businesses and supporting jobs for our people.
Benefits that membership will bring for businesses include:
- Modern digital trade rules that allow data to flow freely between members, remove unnecessary barriers for businesses, and protect commercial source code and encryption.
- Eliminating tariffs quicker on UK exports including whisky (down from 165% to 0% in Malaysia) and cars (reducing to 0% in Canada by 2022, two years earlier than through the UK-Canada trade deal).
- Rules of Origin that allow content from any country within CPTPP to count as ‘originating’. For example, this would mean that cars made in the UK could use more Japanese-originating car parts, such as batteries.
- Easier travel for businesspeople between CPTPP countries, such as the potential for faster and cheaper visas.
As well as removing trade barriers, CPTPP helps businesses trade easily across borders and keep supply chains open and predictable. Joining CPTPP will help us diversify our supply chains, which could help make us more resilient in an adverse environment such as the Coronavirus pandemic.
Joining CPTPP also creates an opportunity to help level-up the UK. UK regions and nations exported between £1bn and £3.7bn worth of goods to CPTPP countries last year, including £2.4billion worth of exports from Scotland, £2billion from the North West, and £3.1billion from the East Midlands.
CPTPP membership is a key part of the Government’s plan to position the UK at the centre of a network of modern free trade deals that support jobs and drive economic growth at home, while also positioning us as a champion of free trade and reform of the rules-based system abroad.
CPTPP sets modern rules in areas of increasing importance for UK industry and business. This includes strategically important sectors such as digital, financial, professional and business services. Digitally delivered services from the UK to CPTPP members, for example, already hit £18.7billion in 2019, joining now creates an opportunity to unleash forward leaning parts of our economy like this.
Furthermore, membership puts the UK is in a prime position to help reshape these global rules in UK strengths like digital and data, and in services.
It would help to secure our future place in the world as a leader in a network of countries committed to free trade and send a powerful signal to the rest of the world that as an independent trading nation the UK will champion free trade, fight protectionism and remove barriers to trade at every opportunity. In doing so, we aim to turn the UK, a newly independent trading nation, into a global hub for businesses and investors wanting to trade with the rest of the world
Over the last two years, we have engaged with all 11 member countries at both ministerial and official level to discuss UK accession to CPTPP. All CPTPP members have welcomed the UK’s interest in accession.
As part of one of the largest consultation exercises run by the UK Government in 2018, we sought views on potential UK accession to CPTPP and are using these responses to inform our preparations. We are continuing to engage business, civil society, and trade unions on an ongoing basis where they can outline their priorities.
As we have committed, the UK will publish its negotiation objectives, scoping analysis, and consultation response for public and parliamentary scrutiny, and when we are ready to begin formal negotiations.
We will only accede to CPTPP on terms compatible with the UK’s broader interests and domestic priorities.
The Government has been clear that the NHS and the price it pays for drugs is not for sale in any trade negotiations – including CPTPP – and that it will not sign trade deals that compromise the UK’s high environmental protections, animal welfare and food standards.
This statement has also been made in the House of Lords


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Samsung launched its new smartphone Samsung Galaxy M33 5G in India on Saturday, 2 April. The smartphone, which is an expansion in Samsung's already popular Galaxy M series, comes with 'RAM Plus technology that provides up to 16GB virtual RAM.
The smartphone was launched by the company in a virtual event hosted on Samsung India's official YouTube channel.
Here are the price and specification details of Samsung Galaxy M33 5G.
Samsung Galaxy M33 5G: Price in India
Samsung Galaxy M33 5G smartphone will be available in two storage variants. The 6GB + 128GB variant has been introduced at a price of Rs 15,999, while the 8GB + 128GB variant is available at an introductory price of Rs 17,499.
Samsung Galaxy M33 5G sale in India will begin from 8 April (12 noon). Interested customers can buy it from Samsung shop and Amazon.
Samsung Galaxy M33 5G: Specifications
Samsung Galaxy M33 5G comes with an octa-core 5nm processor, which is paired with with up to 8GB RAM and 128GB storage.
Samsung Galaxy M33 5G sports a 6.58-inch Full HD+ Infinty-V display with 120Hz refresh rate.
The smartphone comes with a quad-rear camera setup. It includes 50MP main camera, 5MP ultra wide camera, 2MP macro, and 2MP depth sensors. At the front, it houses an 8MP selfie camera.
Samsung Galaxy M33 5G comes with a massive 6,000mAh battery, which is supported by 25W USB Type C Fast Charging and reverse charging.
Check this space regularly for further updates about Samsung Galaxy M33 5G and other smartphones.


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February / 6 / 2018
David Brown Automotive announces performance Grand Tourer
– High performance Grand Tourer to be revealed by David Brown Automotive at Geneva Motor Show on 6th March
– Announcement celebrates the first anniversary of the company’s relocation to its Silverstone Headquarters
– Soon-to-be-revealed classically inspired performance Grand Tourer will be handmade alongside Speedback GT and Mini Remastered at new Silverstone headquarters
– Company releases first teaser image, hinting at a more aggressive design language
– New model to sit alongside first Mini Remastered models to leave the Silverstone build facility
Silverstone, Great Britain (6th February, 2018): David Brown Automotive will take the covers off its most performance-focused model ever at the Geneva International Motor Show next month.
With a commitment to bespoke British handcraftsmanship, the car will capture David Brown Automotive’s vision of a high-performance classic Grand Tourer. Each of the strictly limited models will be handbuilt at the company’s Silverstone headquarters, absorbing the location’s famous racing and aeronautical heritage into the car’s high-octane pedigree.
One year since Speedback GT was showcased in Geneva for the first time, and sitting next to the first production Mini Remastered cars to have left the build facility, David Brown Automotive will once again target a distinguished audience with this performance-orientated model.
“This is something that we’ve been looking forward to doing since launching Speedback GT and I can’t wait to reveal more,” said David Brown, company founder and CEO. “With its unprecedented levels of performance, this vehicle allows the David Brown Automotive brand to appeal to our existing customers, and new customers alike. The car brings yet another exciting opportunity for our company.”
The car will be revealed in full at the David Brown Automotive press conference at the Geneva International Motor Show on Tuesday, 6th March at 11:45 CET/10:45 GMT at the company’s stand in Hall 2, Stand 2142.
More details on the project will follow.
You can follow announcements from David Brown Automotive on social media, using the hashtag #PrepareForTakeOff


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The result, in line with expectations, reflected an 18 per cent jump in turnover to almost pounds 56m. Helped by sweeping cost-cutting during the previous year, operating margins improved from 6.2 to 7.4 per cent despite difficult conditions in the fast-moving consumer goods sector and in Continental Europe.
Earnings surged from 0.38p to 1.26p a share. The final dividend of 0.32p lifts the total payout by half to 0.45p. The shares edged up 0.25p to 31.25p.
But mounting problems at Infoscan NMRA, in which Taylor has a 10 per cent stake, saw Infoscan's losses pile up from almost pounds 300,000 to more than pounds 500,000.
Tony Cowling, the chief executive, hinted that the business required substantial investment before it could be turned round.
The group planned to grow further by developing telemarketing, database services and standardised survey packages, which offered customers better value for their money, Mr Cowling said.
In addition, Taylor is diversifying away from its traditional customer base in the industrial, computer and consumer sectors into new areas such as health care, where orders improved by 35 per cent last year.
Mr Cowling said much of the demand for healthcare research was emanating from US clients who were planning European expansion.
Other markets earmarked for growth include retailing and broadcasting, where fierce competition and deregulation are forcing clients to boost spending on research.
The group is also on the lookout for acquisitions and does not rule out a rights issue to finance deals despite an increase in cash from pounds 6.7m to pounds 8.5m.Reuse content


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Titled 'Threading the Needle: Weaving the Sustainable Development Goals into the Textile, Retail and Apparel Industry', the report prepared by Textile Exchange with KPMG, offers SDG guidance to apparel, retail and textile suppliers, brands and retailers on business considerations and opportunities for shared value, an SDG engagement model, best practices and multi-stakeholder initiatives, and considerations for top sourcing countries.
"Threading the Needle is an important first step in understanding how existing industry initiatives can advance the 2030 Agenda, including adoption of more sustainable fibres and materials, responsible production and circular business practices," said La Rhea Pepper, the managing director of Textile Exchange.
"The report provides a roadmap for companies seeking to realize the SDGs in their own sector and value chain," said Anita Whitehead, principal for KPMG's Development and Exempt Organizations (DEO) practice in the US "The report aims to provide companies with guidance and information that will help prioritize their SDG focus where it can generate the most impact."
"Threading the Needle is an amazing information source for the apparel industry to tackle the global challenges of the SDGs. This valued toolkit supports my discussions with the textile supply chain and apparel brands as a starting point to integrate the SDGs into their sustainability platforms and goals. Collaboration is the key for impactful change," noted Tricia Carey, director of Global Business Development for Lenzing AG. (RR)
Fibre2Fashion News Desk – India


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The federal government just put a damper on the 4/20 weekend plans of several South Florida breweries by demanding that they cease production of several new beers brewed with cannabis-derived terpenes. This month, Invasive Species Brewing in Fort Lauderdale and Devour Brewing in Boynton Beach both received cease and desist letters from the federal Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) stating that each of these beers must individually receive federal approval before it can be legally sold to the public.
Several South Florida breweries began to experiment with adding cannabis terpenes to their beers last year. Terpenes are flavor molecules that are responsible for some of the pungent aroma and flavor of weed, but have absolutely no psychoactive effect on their own. "The idea isn't to create beers that smell or taste like weed, but instead provide a new depth of flavor you can't get with just hops and adjuncts alone," CW Smith, director of operations for Terpene Station, said to the Miami New Times. Smith's company sources terpenes from cannabis legally grown in Colorado to make oils that are then used by local breweries like Devour and Invasive Species to create their new beers.
These new terpene-flavored beers do not provide any more of a high than any other beer with a similar alcohol content, but that hasn't stopped the federal government from demanding that the breweries cease production. The TTB explained that while terpene oils are not necessarily illegal, the agency does require any products containing these oils to be individually submitted for approval and tested to ensure they do not contain any psychoactive compounds.
"If you've used an ingredient, like [cannabis] terpenes oil, you would need to come to us for formula approval first, since that product isn't recognized as a traditional beer ingredient," TTB spokesperson Thomas Hogue said to SouthFlorida.com. Hogue noted that some recipes may also need independent approvals from both the Food and Drug Administration and the Drug Enforcement Administration, a truly daunting task for an independent company.
Devour Brewing had planned a beer party for this week's 4/20 holiday, but officials have said that they may cancel now that their new beer has been prohibited. Phil Gillis, head brewer at Invasive Species, said that his company may go ahead with their 4/20 party regardless of the feds' letter.
"[The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau] told me not to make any more beer, but they didn't tell me I had to cancel my event," Gillis said to SouthFlorida.com.
Federal prohibition laws have caused a number of similar issues for companies wishing to use cannabis extracts in their products, even if said extracts are completely non-psychoactive. Many U.S. states are struggling to clarify laws regarding the use of CBD, which has a wide number of proven medical uses.
Like terpene oils, CBD produces no "high" or other psychoactive effect, but police in states like Indiana and Alaska have raided stores selling these products, claiming that they are prohibited under federal law. This year, several states, including Indiana, have passed laws that now explicitly allow the sale of low-THC CBD oils. The majority of these CBD oils are derived from hemp, which may become fully legal this year if Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's Hemp Farming Act of 2018 passes.
As laws regarding cannabis and cannabis extracts slowly begin to relax, more companies are beginning to research the intersection of alcohol and cannabis. While a number of smaller breweries explore one-off beers infused with terpenes or other cannabis extracts, larger alcohol corporations are also considering ways to bring marijuana-infused alcoholic drinks to the market.


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Parallelz Announces Platform to Bring Native Apps to the Web
Parallelz has left stealth mode with a platform that claims to “transform native mobile applications into native web applications.” In an interview with The New Stack, founder and CEO Albert Lai said the company aims to “bring the mobile device back to the web,” in line with what Apple’s Steve Jobs had outlined “in his original vision for the iPhone.”
The idea is to make apps accessible and sharable by instantly transforming native mobile apps into native web applications. The “app store monopoly,” as Lai calls, is currently the primary way users discover and install apps. Using the platform Parallelz is building, apps will be accessible from any device that has a browser.
“I jokingly call it being stuck in the CD-ROM paradigm of a mobile device,” Lai said. “We go to a store, we go get a piece of media. Now, we have an opportunity to transcend this, because of the confluence of technologies that have emerged and breakthroughs that we [were] able to discover, that we thought were — quite frankly — previously impossible.”
“We have always felt that the web is a really powerful technology that has always been undervalued in the world of mobile apps and the mobile device,” he added. Parallelz is claiming to not only turn native apps into web apps but to do so without any extra work for developers.
So How Does It Work?
Lai declined to go into specific technical detail about how this actually works, but he said its platform was built emerging web standards like WebAssembly, WebGL 2.0 and WebGPU.
“In the same way the web browser allows people to browse the web,” he continued, “we have created something that could be called an app browser, embedded in existing browsers, that allows user to surf native apps, the same way they might surf the web; instant, resilient, and with low cost of failure.”
In another interview, with VentureBeat, Lai elaborated slightly. “Inside the browser, we effectively have a web assembly-enabled, WebGL-enabled application browser that we deliver over the web.”
While the specifics are still under wraps, Lai gave me a quick demo of the Parallelz software in real-time. His browser popped up with a popular mobile game, the UI exactly the same as if you were playing on a phone. As he clicked through levels and showed different features of the game playing out on the web, there was no lag or major difference in experience.
That said, this was only a demo and so I couldn’t tell if it would be the same experience had I been playing the game.
“You can run this on a desktop PC or iOS or Android device, your Tesla, your fridge, or wherever there’s a browser,” Lai added as he pulled up another game.
“This is all done without any modifications and additional work by the developers,” he continued. “In fact, the developers of these applications aren’t even aware that we have converted their applications into mobile web versions.”
For Lai and his Director of Research Connor Dickie, there was one main question that sparked years of development and research. “Can we create something that could take a native application and transform it without any work by a developer?”
Lai finished his presentation by saying, “With no constraints around what and how [an app] is built, we can just shove it into a magic box. What comes out on the other side is something that is completely web-native, and can be accessed anywhere where there’s a web browser, instantaneously without interacting with the app store.”
The question remains, how exactly was this “magic box” built? It’s a pity the company won’t go into more detail about this. One also wonders how third-party developers will feel about their native mobile applications being turned into web apps without their knowledge.
Leaving Stealth Mode
“We’ve been in stealth for a really long time,” said Dickie, adding that they are looking for developers now to “help us on this mission of changing how apps are brought to people.”
However, the pair said there is still a lot of work to be done before the tech is ready for public release. “Essentially, what we’re doing is we’re adding a new resource type to the web here,” Lai said. “Potentially, the next generation of people growing up may not know or perceive a difference between the web and apps, because they can get that native app experience on the web with just a click.”


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Timberland Developing Regenerative Rubber
Following the worldwide celebration of Earth Day on April 22nd, Timberland announced that they have taken important steps in environmental protection. Following the overwhelmingly positive response to their regenerative agricultural efforts, Timberland has stated that they plan to have a net positive impact on the environment by as early as 2030. Not only have they developed Earthkeeper’s Eco products which contain regenerative leather, but they plan to expand to the development of regenerative rubber.
Timberland’s Efforts in Eco-Friendly Product Design So Far
It is no secret that Timberland has been actively seeking to produce more Eco-friendly footwear for some time now. With the target of 2030 in mind for a positive impact on nature, they have got a lot to get through. They have started their journey with the use of recycled materials and regenerative agriculture.
In 2007 Timberland released their first Earthkeepers boot, which is made using entirely recycled, renewable and organic materials. This was their first big leap into the world of eco-friendly shoe design. Following the release of their Earthkeepers range, Timberland later released their Solar Wave EK+range with GreenStride™ soles, which are made of 75% renewable materials and use regenerative leather in the design. They will also be releasing the Gridworks EK+ Timberland PRO boot line in the summer of 2021.
They have now announced that they want to take the regenerative material method one step further, by using it in the production of the rubber used for the soles of their shoes.
If you are wanting to see what else Timberland has done in its efforts to sustain our environment, you can find a list of its environmental commitments on its “our story” page. All of these achievements are listed under “Greener World”.
What Will Regenerative Rubber Mean For The Environment?
Timberland, its parent company VF Corporation, and its sister brands The North Face & Vans will be teaming up with Terra Genesis International in Thailand to produce regenerative rubber. This new material will be an absolutely first for the footwear industry, and could be revolutionary in the fight for more sustainable shoes and clothes.
How It’s Made?
Rubber is generally grown in a monoculture; the process often may involve exploitative labour practices and use of harmful chemicals. The process also causes degradation in biodiversity as it only uses a single type of tree. Monoculture rubber plantations are also substantial contributors to the devastation and deforestation of rain forests across Southeast Asia.
Regenerative rubber farming, is a complete contrast to typical rubber farming. This is because it incorporates multiple tree species, which helps to mimic a more natural forest ecosystem. This method helps to revitalise biodiversity as well as enhance the ecosystem. Systems within these environments, such as soil health, carbon sequestration, water cycling, and the creation of favourable microclimates benefit greatly from this method of rubber production.
Regenerative agriculture doesn’t only benefit the environment, however. Wildlife will be able to thrive in areas that would have previously been decimated, by the industry. Regenerative agriculture also provides farmers with multiple sources of income, which will aid the local economy.
What is Regenerative Agriculture?
Regenerative agriculture uses herd movement to encourage a healthier environment. This means that their herds are moves around their environment in a way that mimics the natural movement of a herd in the wild. By keeping a heard moving in this way it gives the grass in each area a chance to revive and thrive. The grass in these areas then works as a natural carbon filter. This means removing excess carbon from the air and depositing it into the soil. This type of regenerative agriculture also supports the farmers, who will be able to produce leather at a lower cost to themselves.


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Beleaguered phone-maker HTC recently blamed their falling revenue on a “the challenge of innovative marketing” but a new all-gold edition of their HTC One handset shows that the company might still be suffering from a slight lack of imagination.
However, they certainly get points for carrying things to extremes. Whilst Apple and Samsung have released only gold colourings for their flagship smartphones, HTC have gone the whole hog - using 18ct gold-plating to create five limited-edition HTC Ones, valued at £2,750 each.
The handsets have been produced to promote the 18th anniversary of the MOBO awards and include the music award’s logo laser-etched onto the back plate of the HTC One.
Although the Taiwanese company posted its first quarterly loss last week, the HTC One has continued to do well with critics. The phone took home three prizes at the T3 awards show last week: Phone of the Year, Gadget of the Year and the T3 Design Award.
The HTC One includes a 4.7-inch 1080p screen, 32 or 64GB of internal storage, 2GB of RAM and a quad-core 1.7GHz processor.
In an interview with Bloomberg on Monday, HTC’s Chairwoman Cher Wang said that the company’s next two months would be its “biggest challenge” and that although the company has “the best technology and product” it is failing to communicate its strengths to customers.
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Digitization: A Path to Resilience Through Disruption
The supply chain headaches continue. Only 40% of global container ships were on time in March 2021, with average delays extending more than six days.
The pervasive disruptions have made effectively managing supply chain demand, accurately forecasting inventory levels, and ensuring on-time delivery mission critical in today’s market. Coming out of a recession, the stakes have never been higher.
Organizations will continue to struggle and play catch-up until they fundamentally change their approach. Here’s how to build resilience and overcome delays and disruptions by adopting a proactive and digital approach to supply chain management.
A Rising Dilemma Around Inventory and Delivery
Volatile inventory demand coupled with delivery issues are wreaking havoc on supply chains. Economic stimulus spiked consumer spending up to 4.2% – and while positive for the economy, heightened demand is leaving suppliers scrambling to keep up. Rising costs of materials, short staffing, and lack of communication further exacerbate the dilemma.
Why? Because when operations shut down in 2020, manufacturers deployed the standard recession playbook – slash costs to preserve as much cash as possible. The lockdowns and quarantines multiplied the problems. But when demand rebounded sharply just weeks after the shutdown, warehouses were left unprepared. Now, manufacturers also face severe labor shortages.
For shippers, crowded oceans and airways – not to mention the blockage of major passageways like the Suez Canal debacle – continue to hinder deliveries, causing a domino effect of delays down the supply chain.
As we look ahead, buyer demand is bouncing back with accelerated velocity. Companies are placing larger orders to overcompensate and avoid being stuck without products in the face of another crisis or inventory shortage. But with limited budgets, manpower and inconsistent third parties, manufacturers are struggling to keep up with the renewed demand.
The Costly Consequences of Shortages and Delays
The price of being ill-prepared takes a toll across the organization. When companies can’t meet sudden spikes in demand, customers look elsewhere to keep their business afloat, which results in lost revenue.
The lack of contingency really hurts. Backorders can cost companies thousands, millions, even billions of dollars. As the current global chip shortage has shown, major manufacturers such as Ford have experienced unforeseen headwinds of $2.5 billion hitting its bottom line.
Furthermore, delivery delays can result in fines – or chargebacks – that come with hefty price tags. Big brands like Walmart recently informed suppliers that all orders are required to be 98% full and on time. Missing or delayed items would be hit with a 3% fee. What may seem like an insignificant number can equate to thousands – even hundreds of thousands – of dollars.
With your reputation – and bottom line – at stake, it is critical to digitize processes in order to better manage supply chain demand, accurately forecast, and anticipate inventory levels to ensure business continuity and strong partnerships.
Digitization Provides a Competitive Edge
Overcoming significant inventory and delivery issues begins with real-time visibility. But as supply chains grow and expand, maintaining visibility is no easy task. With millions of datapoints and hundreds of touchpoints, information often gets trapped in silos and is rendered useless.
Digitizing the supply chain and EDI creates a clear view into every aspect of your operations and suppliers. When all relevant data and communications sit in a central and intelligent platform, supply chain planners benefit from crystal-ball like insights that enable them to make strategic, prudent and impactful inventory decisions.
For example, real-time transparency into warehouse and labor resources enables businesses to swiftly anticipate supply chain backlogs, shifts in demand, third-party shortages and more. Organizations can act before disruption occurs by proactively identifying weak spots.
The right digitization strategy centralizes your supply chain data and unveils a comprehensive view across your enterprise – and helps you ensure on-time deliveries by giving you a clear view into operations. And with the right data analytics platform, this allows you to prevent disruptions before they occur.
Given the millions of data points, dozens of touchpoints and constantly changing information, the ultimate driver in the success of operations comes with investing in the right technology to aggregate and sort through this vast amount of information. From analyzing your supply network and flagging potential threats to integrating and streamlining complex EDI data, the right tech and analysis will pivot you from a reactive to proactive approach.
The Path Ahead
With operations running at optimal level, businesses can ensure the speed and agility needed to deliver accurately and on time. This competitive edge enables brands to rise above simply surviving and begin to thrive.
The ability to expect separates who sinks or swims in business. While COVID-19 drove disruption on a monumental level, supply chain disturbances will continue to occur as complexities in global market demand mount and delivery expectations grow higher. With proper preparation, robust procedures, and contingency plans complimented by the right tech, organizations will put themselves in a prime position to survive any unforeseen circumstance.


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WITH the shrinking of the UK economy, planned increase in public borrowing and expected higher taxation and public spending cuts it is claimed that Britain is entering a decade of austerity. Could we see a return to more sustainable lifestyles?
On 22 April the UK Chancellor of the Exchequer, Alistair Darling, announced in his annual budget that the economy would shrink by 3.5 per cent this year. He also outlined plans to increase public borrowing of £175 billion with borrowing levels to be £173bn, £140bn, £118bn and £97bn in years after.
The Chancellor has been criticised for being over optimistic about future growth forecasts. The Institute for Fiscal Studies has warned the Labour government must close a £90 billion hole in order to balance the budget. The independent think-tank claimed that this would cost every UK family £2,840 per year by 2017-18 in higher taxes or public spending cuts. Critics argue that this will see the dawn of a new age of austerity on the scale of that experienced after the Second World War.
The baby boomers born were the first generation of the consumer society born in Post-War Britain. Since the 1950s we have whole-heartedly embraced consumer values with an emphasis for immediate gratification and satisfying individual needs. We have now arrived at a point where we are living beyond our means not only in the financial sense but also in the ecological sense. The demands of our increasingly globalised, industrialised, high consuming society have overloaded the planet’s natural ability to absorb, replenish and restore. We are now drawing on our ecological capital rather than living off nature’s interest. For sometime we have been experiencing an ecological credit crunch but this has not received much media or public attention.
A new period of austerity could provide the opportunity to rediscover values that were lost sometime ago. While being on a budget may not be fun it does make us thing about how we spend our money and whether purchases are really necessary.
Many people over the age of 65 lived through the War and grew up in years of austerity. They were forced to appreciate the value of food and goods due to having experienced rationing. This instilled a “mend and make do” attitude where waste was avoided. As a consequence many people aged over 65 tend to be prompt bill payers, debt averse and dislike waste.
Since the War we have managed to export our manufacturing base to the Far East to take advantage of low cost labour and consumer products. It is now cheaper to throw away and buy new rather than repair. Gone are the days when things were made to last or where we would have an item for many years with an occasional service or repair. We now consume to be fashionable – when a new trend comes along the old is ditched for the new.
The biggest incentive to encouraging a move to greener lifestyles is cost. There are many things we can all do so save pounds and the planet. Less consumption and profligate use of resources does not have to be austere. It means appreciating the value of not consuming, making do and reusing and recycling and buying to last.
The next decade could be the time we finally begin to live within both our ecological and financial means.
© Gary Haq 2009