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The customer experience (CX) is a primary driver of competitiveness for more than two-thirds of companies. The recent rise in CX is unsurprising, considering how demanding consumers are today. The proliferation of convenient services during the pandemic, such as telehealth, food delivery apps, and others, was the catalyst for consumers’ shifting attitudes.
Zendesk reports that a positive experience will drive a future purchase decision for more than 80% of customers, but 61% would end their relationship with a company after just one negative interaction.
Moreover, inflation and staffing shortages exacerbate an already challenging situation for businesses. Inflation is driving a significant market change, forcing brands to do more with less — yet cutting back on CX can be difficult because budget and headcount constraints may be more visible to customers.
However, by executing wisely and investing in communication automation and artificial intelligence services, companies can avoid negative impacts on revenue growth while improving CX.
Here are five CX trends businesses can anticipate for 2023 and how they can capitalize on each.
1. Improve Employee Experience To Move Customer Experience
Recent developments, like the Great Resignation, have drawn attention to the idea that CX and employee experience (EX) are more closely intertwined than previously believed. Now, any strategy to enhance CX begins with improving EX.
Prioritizing the needs of employees is particularly important today, as many companies have had to reduce their staff size in the wake of today’s economic uncertainties. Similarly, burnout is on the rise. A study from Asana found that around 70% of people underwent burnout in 2021.
Concerningly, burnout was highest among Gen Z and millennials at 84% and 74%, respectively; McKinsey also found that 25% of Gen Z and 13% of millennials reported distress and decreased well-being.
Companies should invest in digital tools to support employees to compensate for diminished staff levels and worsening burnout. Additionally, brands should strive to boost morale and address difficult issues, not shying away from tough conversations.
By increasing feedback opportunities for improvements and developing productivity plans, teams will become more effective, efficient, and motivated. Nevertheless, companies must leverage automation and the internal flow of information to support these employee-centric initiatives.
2. Increase the Level of Empathetic Engagement With Customers
In these trying times, it is also paramount that brands increase empathetic engagement with customers. Everyone is experiencing stress, from the lingering hardships of the pandemic and the war in Ukraine to global supply issues and inflation-induced increases in the cost of borrowing for homes, cars, credit, etc.
With consumer spending growth expected to decrease in 2023 and non-essential spending dropping, there will be fewer interactions between customers and businesses, meaning fewer opportunities to build relationships. Every experience will matter, so brands need to plan accordingly to drive a positive CX whenever possible.
Businesses can help their customer service and support teams achieve the best outcomes consistently by equipping them with the proper training and digital tools. Similarly, companies must recognize that they can inadvertently create confusion and strain for customers as they shift to more efficient and new business methods, such as digital communication channels such as chatbots or social messaging like WhatsApp.
To minimize these issues, brands can increase communications for these changes internally and externally, which will help employees be ready to “make it right” quickly when there is an unintended impact on a customer.
3. More Self-Service Options
Consumers want to be more efficient with their time during this current season of high inflation. One of the ways people prefer to save time when they have a business-related problem or question is by solving it themselves.
Research shows that 70% of customers want the ability to find answers and information on their own terms. Brands can capitalize on this opportunity to boost CX by giving their clients more self-service options and features, including product FAQs, short-form video tutorials, AI-powered chat, and messaging and automated contact centers.
If businesses already have such offerings, they should revisit their self-service channels, adjusting where necessary; they can also rethink interactive voice responses, intelligent virtual assistants, and chatbots to ensure these solutions continually add value.
Likewise, because all these new channels and self-service tools continue to make the customer journey more complex, brands must work to remove friction to ensure that CX isn’t impacted negatively during transitions between channels.
By implementing an omnichannel strategy, businesses can support seamless handoffs from digital self-service interactions to voice calls with a human agent without forcing the customer to repeat themselves.
4. Employee Enablement and Augmentation
Amid the economic recession and diminished workforces, brands must focus on employee enablement and augmentation through technology solutions like automation and AI, which can help companies offset low staff levels without sacrificing CX.
Businesses can also reduce the workload on understaffed agents by leveraging intelligent virtual assistants to automate the most common and routine customer use cases, like checking a balance, updating a password, or tracking a package. These solutions would give agents more time and headspace to focus on complicated customer issues and other value-added tasks.
Similarly, companies should leverage internal “self-service” tools to help their customer service and support teams find customer accounts and query information quickly and efficiently. Automation and virtual assistants can also assist agents during customer calls by streamlining information lookups and giving them real-time suggestions based on past discussions.
Furthermore, companies can set up conversational AI capabilities to review and coach employees, transcription solutions to look for keywords and phrases in contact center conversations, and sentiment and tone analysis to detect and adapt to customer emotions.
5. Analytics With Context
Consumers today crave personalization and are 80% more likely to purchase from a brand that provides personalized experiences.
However, consistently delivering these highly tailored interactions is impossible without data. Capturing data along the customer journey before the client connects with a live agent, whether by voice, chat, social media, or email, will give companies actionable insights, allowing them to enhance CX tremendously.
In addition to comprehensive and unified data-collecting tools and solutions, brands will also need an effective way of getting this all-important data to their contact center agents.
Gartner predicts that by 2025, proactive CX solutions will win the battle for customer engagement and loyalty, surpassing reactive strategies. Not only do today’s customers expect personalized brand interaction, but increasingly they want companies to resolve their issues before they ever happen.
Achieving this level of proactiveness will require brands to have tools, such as customer journey mapping tools and AI analytics, to respond accordingly to historical and real-time data.
While the economic challenges may not endure beyond 2023, the shifting attitudes and mounting customer expectations will continue far into the future. By equipping teams with the tools necessary for enabling a winning CX today, businesses can adequately prepare themselves to take full advantage of upcoming opportunities.


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EL SEGUNDO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Beyond Meat is redefining the future of protein, and it is plant based.
The company, which uses protein from plants to create products ranging from burgers and meatballs to chicken poppers, has struck partnership deals with elite athletes to promote the benefits of plant-based protein. The athlete partners hail from the NBA, WNBA, MLB, AVP, and World Surf League. Specific partners include J.J. Redick, David Wright, Maya Moore, April Ross, Eric Bledsoe, Maggie Vessey, and Tia Blanco. Each athlete has adopted plant protein in his or her diet to noticeable effect. Beyond Meat’s The Future of ProteinTM campaign will feature a series of photographs and videos that conveys each athlete’s fitness and performance with a nod to the plant protein that fuels them. The athletes, their photographs, testimonials and recipes are just some of the key elements in a robust campaign that launched today.
Ethan Brown, Beyond Meat founder and CEO, commented on The Future of Protein campaign: “We’ve formed partnerships with specific athletes who are embracing clean plant-based proteins to help fuel their performance, overall health, and energy levels. What I love about the campaign is that our athlete partners intuitively understand the benefits of plant-based proteins and so effectively communicate—by example—these benefits to families and children. At Beyond Meat, our plant-based meats let consumers continue to eat what they love, from chili to burgers to bolognese, without the downsides of animal protein. We believe The Future of Protein is increasingly plant based, and our athlete partners will lead the way.”
Third baseman David Wright, currently in a career-topping pennant race, was the first athlete to partner with Beyond Meat. A dugout taste test convinced Wright that plant protein was a clean source of energy that could replace animal meat. "I was really surprised the first time I tried Beyond Meat," said New York fan favorite and team captain Wright. "It tasted great and I noticed a difference in how I felt. Now we use Beyond Meat plant protein in our favorite beef and chicken dishes."
The Future of Protein campaign can be viewed at BeyondMeat.com/FutureOfProtein and followed using #FutureOfProtein. In addition to the striking vignettes of the athletes, the campaign includes contests and programs that encourage moms to swap Beyond Meat in the family’s favorite dishes and see if anyone notices. Beyond Meat’s tasty and convenient products can be found at Whole Foods, Publix, Safeway, Target and more than 7,500 stores across the US and growing.
The campaign is supported by sponsored content.
About Beyond Meat
Based in El Segundo, California, Beyond Meat is a privately held company that is on the cutting edge of plant protein research and development. With a goal of driving innovation and progress, the company provides plant-based protein foods – without sacrificing the taste, chew or satisfaction of meat. Investors include Bill Gates; Kleiner-Perkins Caufield & Byers; the Obvious Corporation and Obvious Ventures (Twitter co-founders Biz Stone and Evan Williams); Morgan Creek Capital; DNS Capital, representing the business interests of Gigi Pritzker Pucker and Michael Pucker; Taiwan’s Tsai Family, through its family office, WTT Investment; S2G Ventures; Seth Goldman, founder of Honest Tea. Visit www.BeyondMeat.com, Twitter @BeyondMeat or Facebook.com/BeyondMeat.

domain: news


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October 27, 2016 09:27 PM EDT
Everything that's new with Apple's MacBook – in 90 seconds
WATCH | Apple just updated its MacBook Pro for the first time in four years. See what's new with it and how Apple is changing its laptop lineup.
Was the new MacBook Pro worth the wait?


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The rapid growth of the global solar photovoltaic industry is largely dependent on polycrystalline silicon solar cells. Although the photovoltaic energy conversion efficiency of polycrystalline silicon solar cells is not as good as that of monocrystalline silicon solar cells, the price is lower, and the current price is less than 50 cents/watt (about 3.3 yuan/watt). However, as China increases the production of monocrystalline silicon solar cells, the price gap between the two types of batteries is gradually narrowing. Longji Green Energy Technology Co., Ltd. is one of the major solar photovoltaic cell manufacturers in China. The head of the company's quality management department said that they are increasing their investment in monocrystalline silicon solar cells. "The market share of monocrystalline silicon solar cells." Can be significantly increased from the current 1/5 to more than 50%".
ADDRESS: No.533 Xiashiyan, Xinchang, Zhejiang, China
Please fill in your mailbox information


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The Nigerian government has being urged to crack down on the practice of dollar hoarding.
This was said by the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, on Saturday during the adire exhibition by South-West adire makers and the graduation of 150 women tricycle riders.
To help the naira, Oba Ogunwusi also suggested that Nigerians buy locally produced fabrics (adire) rather than those created abroad.
The Naira has been steadily losing value in the forex market, which has prompted the appeal.
According to the Ooni, in order to save the naira, Nigerians must curb their appetite for imported products and the government must go after individuals hoarding dollars.
”We are the problem of ourselves in this country,” he said. Money: why do we need it? We can get by without currency. The naira is our official currency. Why all the fuss about the dollar when we use the local currency, the naira?
I beg the administration to take a hard line. People who are hiding their dollars in even small institutions should be targeted. Since that is not our country’s official currency, it makes no sense.
If Americans buy more domestically made goods, the dollar won’t feel the pinch. We’re excited to show off our regional textiles. We beg the government to take part in such endeavors on occasion.
“The government ought to encourage programs like this (adire). The naira used in their production is entirely local. Our leaders need to step it up. They should act and think like Nigerians, even to wearing traditional clothing.


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Recently, the Wall Street Journal (Chinese Edition) has published a piece about a new business contract between Apple and Samsung. According to their source in South Korea, the 3-year contract requires Samsung to supply OLED smartphone panels to Apple for upcoming iPhones in 2017 and beyond. Although the rumor regarding this contract has been around for a while now, this adds new credibility to it. Arguably, Apple is still talking with JDI, LG, Sharp and AUO before the deal becomes final.
The article adds previously unknown details by stating that this order involves production and supply of about 100 million 5.5-inch AMOLED displays that are possibly meant to be used in the iPhone 7s. Judging by Apple's current trend of reserving the larger 5.5-inch panels for their "Plus" models, chances are that these will be used to make the iPhone 7s Plus rather than the regular 7s. Whether they will still be calling it "7s Plus" or not, remains to be seen.
Previously, famous Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo had stated that Apple will not be releasing any OLED phones before 2018, but he has changed his opinion in light of the new situation. Now, Kuo is of the opinion that Apple will release at least one version of its future iPhones in 2017 with an OLED display. Rumors and predictions also suggest that Apple could be going back to the glass-metal design of the iPhone 6 and it is perhaps for the best.
Lately, we have been hearing a lot about OLED panels for future iPhones and from what we have heard, Apple will make the switch to OLED from IPS somewhere around 2018. While that date may seem far away, preparations have probably started as we are talking about the iPhone here!
The truth is that as far as OLED panels are concerned, there aren't a lot of manufacturers that can produce these displays on massive scales. It was thought before that although Samsung is the biggest name in OLED production, Apple might approach JDI or Japan Display Inc. for the supply. The rumors were based on the fact that Apple and Samsung are not exactly on "friendly" terms anymore.
A new set of rumors however, point out that the Korean giant is going to invest anywhere between $6.64 billion to $7.47 billion very soon into their panel production wing. Furthermore, the rumors also state that in 2016 itself, a sum of $2.49 billion to $3.32 billion is going into Samsung's OLED production process. Supposedly, this would bump up the production rate to 30,000 - 40,000 sheets on a monthly basis. An additional $4.17 billion will be invested next year for ensuring 45,000 units are manufactured monthly.
As far as rumors go, these massive numbers are the results of a contract between Samsung and Apple that has already been signed. This is what we have heard so far, but as always, take the "leaks" and "findings" with a pinch of salt as nothing has yet been officially declared.
For those of you who don't know it already, Samsung Display is a division of Samsung Electronics that supplies panels to multiple manufacturers all over the world. Their clientele includes Apple, Huawei, Oppo, Vivo and of course, Samsung's own internal departments. Apparently, Samsung Display's recent flexible OLED sales to the aforementioned Chinese OEMs have reached brand new heights as this sub-division of the South Korean giant is boasting of a sales figure that amounts to a sum of over 1 billion USD in Q3, 2016. The fact that ONLY Samsung Display makes the 6th-gen A3 flexible OLED panels is largely responsible for the impressive sales number.
In a report by IHS Market, both the small and mid-sized display business is dominated by Samsung Display with an astounding market share of 96.2% in Q3, 2016. In the entire display business, Samsung maintains the lead with a share of 31.8%, while Japan Display Inc. (JDI) comes in as a distant second and a market share of 15.4%. LG is at the third position with a respectable 13.1% share of the business.
Saikat Kar (tech-enthusiast)
Reports from Nikkei suggests that Apple might be striking deals with the two Korean giants, Samsung and LG. Apparently, Apple is looking to buy OLED panels on a massive scale and as a result, they are looking to these manufacturers for providing them with that. If Nikkei is to be believed, then the deals could amount to a total of $12 billion and we could be seeing the first OLED iPhones by 2017.
Provided Apple does not break its previous streak of releasing iPhones that they have followed for the last eight iterations, then we will see the iPhone 7 later in 2016. This would ideally make the iPhone 7s the first Apple phone to sport an OLED panel according to the information we have now. However, this is a prediction made by taking a lot of things for granted and things do not always pan out that way.
Although OLED panels are more expensive than regular LCD panels used in most smartphones nowadays, Samsung had been using their own brand of AMOLED screens for years now. OLED displays offer inky blacks and punchier colors that just look more vivid than even the best of the IPS panels. It is too early to tell for sure, but it seems like after Apple's sales failed to show a significant improvement in 2015, the company is looking for ways to renovate their iPhones.
According to market analysts like JPMorgan Chase, Apple has ordered OLED panels in huge quantities, as made evident from the company's 10-K filing. The orders amount to a total of $4 billion approximately, with Samsung being the number one beneficiary, followed by JDI and Sharp.
The multi-billion dollar purchase orders are extended over the period of an entire year and the popular consensus is that the panels will be used to construct the iPhone 8's display. Manufacturing costs associated with OLED panels have come down drastically in the last year or so, to the point where they can actually be cheaper to produce than the LCD panels, when manufactured on a large scale. Therefore, it only seems logical that Apple will shift towards OLED which offers better colors, deeper blacks and even greater power-efficiency, as compared to LCD.
In other news, Apple has patented an AR mapping tech which will provide the user with real-time augmentation with his/her surroundings while using the concerned application. Wireless charging could also be included in the iPhone 8, provided that Foxconn manages to iron out the kinks in its Energous WattUp tech that can be used to charge a smartphone from as far as 15 feet!
Saikat Kar (tech-enthusiast)
LG is pushing the boundaries of flexible OLED Displays technology due to the market's ever-increasing push towards curved display technology. Naturally smartphones are among the first adopters and LG is at the forefront of innovation when it comes to curved technology. After the LG G Flex 2 was unveiled at CES 2015 in became abundantly clear that the Korean manufacturer intends to further develop bendable display technology and is investing in its future.
And while the P-OLED panel in the G Flex 2 is mighty impressive, LG will not be stopping there and a new reports hint toward ongoing development of a truly flexible screen and even early units already available. This is achieved by a whole new plastic OLED technology that LG claims is better than current curved screens in every possible way.
The way LG Chem plans to revolutionize bending displays is through a new manufacturing technology. The current generation bendable OLED panels, like the one inside the G Flex 2 feature a thin glass substrate. This allows for a certain level of flexibility, but limits the bending angle to 75mm. Next generation displays will be created using plastic for a more than double decrease in the bending radios, set at about 30mm. What this means in plain terms is that the new panel can be bent in a lot points, which can be as little as 30mm apart.
The highly-bendable P-OLED units have 75lm brightness, 60lm/W efficiency, 3,000k color temperature and CRI over 85, which is adequate by today's standards. LG has announced that panels are already available for testing and engineering purposes and can be purchased for $450. Mass production is set for July 2015, which is not that far away.


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Winners of the Progressive Insurance Automotive X Prize event have been chosen to share $10 million and have doors opened for them to a potential market future.
Racing car legend Al Unser Jr. recently drove the Zap Alias electric car in the Progressive Insurance Automotive X Prize. We find out his thoughts on it.
The EDV Technologies team from Dos Pueblos High School in Goleta, California, has taken first place in the Progressive Insurance Automotive X Prize dashboard design.
Zap, a troubled pioneer in the electric car manufacturing space, seeks to right its ship as it shows off its Alias electric sports car and enters it in a big EV competition.
A new generation of more fuel-efficient vehicles is under development in a $10 million contest designed to find the best ones for market at the 100 MPG or energy equivalent range.


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Grand Island police descended on the Walgreens store on Webb Road Friday afternoon after a woman told cashiers a man in the store had a gun.
The woman, Samantha Schultz, told staff members that the man had come into the store and was threatening to kill her. Schultz, 28, was escorted to the break room, where she locked herself in and allegedly began destroying property.
Because of her claims, the store was evacuated at about 5 p.m. Among the four people escorted outside were four Walgreens employees -- three women and one man.
But the incident at the drug store was the result of drug use.
After a thorough investigation, police determined that Schultz's claims were false. The woman "admitted that she had recently used meth and fentanyl," and officers observed her "to be under the influence of these drugs while at Walgreen's," says the Monday GIPD media report.
People are also reading…
Police say Schultz is unhoused, although she does have a previous St. Paul address.
Schultz was arrested for four counts of terroristic threats, criminal mischief totaling $1,500 to $4,999, false reporting and unlawful acts relating to drugs.


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Saudi Arabia is looking to increase coffee production to further support diversification efforts and boost its economy.
The kingdom, which is home to more than 400,000 Arabica coffee trees that produce more than 800 tonnes a year, aims to plant an additional 1.2 million coffee trees by 2026, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.
The Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture seeks to make 15 Saudi provinces, located in the southwestern part of the country, as major producers of coffee, particularly the Arabica type. The initiative will help boost the economy in line with the Saudi Vision 2030 goals.
There are over 2,535 coffee farms in the southern region of Saudi Arabia. The sites include more than 500 so-called “model” coffee farms.
Saudi Arabia is one of the world’s top ten consumers of coffee.
As of 2022, the global coffee market was worth around $127 billion. The figure is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.72% from 2023 to 2030, according to a report posted on Coherent Market Insights.
(Writing by Cleofe Maceda; editing by Seban Scaria)


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Final preparations for the CMT Music Awards are underway in Nashville, and fans are getting insider access in 2018.
For the first time in the show’s history, CMT is offering a limited number of Ultimate Insider VIP Experiences.
Available starting Saturday (May 19) at 11 a.m. ET/10 a.m. CT through CID, the Ultimate Insider VIP Experience offers three days of perks, including an opportunity to walk the red carpet, premium seating choices, access to select rehearsals, passes to a new CMT Crossroads taping and access to a CMT New Artist Showcase.
A ticket pre-sale will be available through Ticketmaster starting Friday (May 18) at 11 a.m. ET/10 a.m. CT using the password “BUCKLEUP.”
General tickets to the show go on sale to the public Saturday (May 19) at 11 a.m. ET/10 a.m. CT.
Voting to determine the winners in each category is underway at CMT.com through 12:01 a.m. ET on June 4.
Little Big Town hosts the 2018 CMT Music Awards live from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena June 6 on CMT.
Photo: Getty Images


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Employers must set compensation policies for remote workers taking into account federal and state tax laws and state legal requirements.
The shock to the economy unleashed by the pandemic and the response by workers have radically transformed the wage-earning landscape.
Retailers, restaurants, apparel companies and food and beverage businesses continue to navigate a volatile reopening and economic recovery.
Widespread labor shortages are hampering companies’ ability to capitalize on an expanding economy as the country recovers from a pandemic.
The FASB tentatively decided to allow lessees that are not PBEs to make the risk-free rate election by class of underlying asset.
ASU 2021-05 addresses the accounting for a lease with variable lease payments that do not depend on a reference index or a rate.
While ASC 842 will affect leasing activities, technology solutions can help ease the burden that the new standard brings.
GASB 87 requirements can challenge government entities. Here are three steps to adopting and implementing the new leasing standard.


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Middle East Air Cargo Volumes Up 15.4% in August v/s Pre-COVID Levels
Middle Eastern air cargo carriers experienced an 15.4% rise in international cargo volumes measured in cargo tonne-kilometers (CTKs) in August 2021 versus August 2019, an improvement compared to the previous month (13.4%).
The large Middle East–Asia trade lanes continue to post strong performance. International capacity however, decreased 5.1%.
Meanwhile, global demand was up 7.7% compared to August 2019 (8.6% for international operations).
Globally also the overall growth remains strong compared to the long-term average growth trend of around 4.7%.
Economic conditions continue to support air cargo growth but are slightly weaker than in the previous months indicating that global manufacturing growth has peaked.
Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General said: "Air cargo demand had another strong month in August, up 7.7% compared to pre-COVID levels. Many of the economic indicators point to a strong year-end peak season.
"With international travel still severely depressed, there are fewer passenger planes offering belly capacity for cargo. And supply chain bottlenecks could intensify as businesses continue to ramp up production.”


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Traditional printers can tap growing 3D printing market via strategic M&A - analyst
According to an analyst, Hewlett-Packard Co. (HPQ) and Seiko Epson Corp will have a chance to move away from the declining market of paper-and-ink printing by making strategic acquisitions or consolidations with small but promising 3D printer companies.
Three-dimensional printers first gain recognition when Nike Inc used the technology to develop footwear for players of the National Football League, which will be used in the Super Bowl this weekend, Bloomberg said. Early on, Hewlett-Packard and Seiko Epson had expressed their interests in shifting their business focus into this niche market, which is predicted to grow twice by year 2017, the news agency said. BB&T Corp. suggested that as opposed to building their own 3D printers, both HP and Epson could start capturing growth in this market by acquiring companies like Stratasys Ltd.
BB&T Virginia-based analyst Holden Lewis told Bloomberg in a phone interview, "The first machine was essentially a glue gun compared to what they do today, so to be starting from scratch is to be behind by a lot of patents and a lot of history that you have to make up. (Stratasys) would be an appealing little nugget to sort of fast-forward that process."
According to data compiled by the news agency, Stratasys' deal price is at a 33% discount compared to its rival, 3D Systems Corp. Credit Suisse analyst Jon Shaffer believed that Stratasys might demand 25% premium of its company value for a deal price, at the very least, which would be around $152 per share. Bloomberg corroborated Shaffer's theory with data it has compiled, which showed that Stratasys' $5.2 billion enterprise value is 7.8 times its estimated revenue for this year alone. When compared to the 11.7 multiple for 3D Systems, it is to assume that acquiring Stratesys will be a great deal.
FBR analyst Ajay Kejriwal said over the phone, "There's no reason why it should be at a discount (based on fundamentals. Stratasys has) a high-quality profile of products and technologies. It has a very solid management team and very good brand names."
When asked if the company was open for a sale, Stratasys spokesman Shane Glenn refused to comment, citing company policy.


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Obama camp counters Romney’s falsehood about Jeep
Earlier today, I told you about THIS.
And now there’s THIS:
President Obama’s campaign is readying an advertising counterattack against Mitt Romney’s latest ad in Ohio, which has drawn intense criticism in the press for falsely implying that Jeep is shipping jobs from Toledo to China.
“We will have a response spot up shortly,” OFA press secretary Ben LaBolt told reporters on Monday. “I think Ohioans will recognize when something reeks of desperation.” [Update: It’s out, see bottom.]
In a separate call, campaign manager Jim Messina called it one of the “most misleading, hypocritical, and indefensible ...


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The new Nutanix Velocity program is how the company wants to introduce new customers to hyperconverged infrastructure solutions that don’t break the bank, and as part of the program, Lenovo is helping them launch a new hyperconverged software-ready product designed specifically for enterprise customers, called Lenovo ThinkAgile HX Certified Nodes.
The Nutanix Velocity channel partner program also offers partners more incentives and opportunities to provide the Nutanix Enterprise Cloud OS software to those mid-market customers, according to Nutanix.
Offerings from the HX bundle will give customers choices of software licensing terms and conditions that line up with their business needs, Nutanix explained in a press release.
Nutanix wants to move away from traditional partner program incentives that offer rewards based only on revenue achievement, said Rodney Foreman, vice-president of global channel sales for Nutanix.
“Legacy channel programs have revolved around benefits based only on revenue achievement, but Nutanix is looking to prioritize and reward partners who invest the most in our business,” he said, adding that Nutanix is excited that Lenovo is supporting this initiative.
Paige Garner, vice-president of worldwide sales operations for the Lenovo Data Center Group, said the business has seen huge growth in customer count and revenue ever since they first partnered with Nutanix nearly three years ago.
“We are a fast-growing partner for Nutanix and we look forward to continuing this growth with our work on the Velocity program,” she said.
The Nutanix Velocity program is available now worldwide.


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Cordial Makes the Connections That Convince Customers to BuyTECH: Messaging Platform Finds Ways, Means to Spur Action Originally published May 18, 2017 at 2:01 p.m., updated May 18, 2017 at 2:01 p.m.
CEO: Jeremy Swift
No. of local employees: 20
Investors: Upfront Ventures, High Alpha venture studio, the founders
Year founded: 2015
What makes the company innovative: Cordial offers software with a machine learning component that optimizes marketing messages
San Diego Visit an e-commerce website and you are likely to get a computer talking back to you before too long.
And it will keep talking. A certain travel site knows that I once bought roundtrip airfare to Denver. Like the elephant in the proverb, it never forgets. Every so often, I will receive an email saying something like “Great Flight Values to Denver!”
Tech companies are continually fine-tuning the process of talking to customers. One of them is a downtown San Diego startup called Cordial Inc.
Cordial helps companies communicate with their customers in contextualized and personalized ways via email and mobile devices. The business plans to help with whatever comes next, whether it is Facebook Inc.’s Messenger feature or internet-connected devices.
In February, the business announced that it received $6 million in series A funding from Upfront Ventures of Santa Monica. Upfront partner Kobie Fuller led the round.
Cordial CEO Jeremy Swift and co-founders Adam Gillespie and Chris McGreal were once part of BlueHornet Networks Inc. — part of an earlier generation of email startups. (Swift and Gillespie had also been students at Point Loma Nazarene University.) Cordial’s fourth co-founder is Chief Strategy Officer David Baker.
Cordial operates under the SaaS model — software as a service. Its software sends out emails to customers’ customers. As it does that, a machine-learning component of Cordial’s software determines the most effective sales pitch. It accomplishes that through what marketers call A/B/n testing.
Say, for example, I look at sunglasses on an e-commerce website. So do a bunch of other prospective customers. Cordial’s software will remember that and send out emails about sunglasses for sale — but those emails will not be identical.
• Some will feature two pairs of dark glasses.
• Another set will feature four pairs.
• Yet another set of emails will feature people wearing sunglasses.
Which version gets the most responses? Cordial will figure that out and optimize the email campaign according to the results of its test.
Previously, a marketing manager had to guess, Swift said.
Cordial’s service might also vary the subject lines on an email, or vary the size of the discount offered.
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We said goodbye to these Vermont restaurants in 2019. Try one of these new places in 2020.
Vermonters have an evolving food landscape at their fingertips. New eateries pop up around the state, offering patrons a chance to access tastebuds they didn't know existed.
But what goes up must come down — which happened in 2019.
New restaurants gave Vermonters something new to bite into, while some old favorites had to shut their doors to the public.
More:Hellos and goodbyes to food and drink: The Burlington restaurant scene has changed in 2018
Here's a look back at some of the food hotspots that opened and closed in 2019.
Vermont restaurants that opened in 2019
The eatery took over the building Sorriso Bistro used to inhabit on Shelburne Road. The Italian-American restaurant opened in late August.
The Burlington Bank Street staple secured a new spot at the top of the roundabout in Winooski. The eatery opened its doors in the spring.
A Vietnamese restaurant took over where Bueno Y Sano was previously located on Burlington's College Street. The spot opened to the public in June 2019.
An eatery dedicated to fish and chips kicked the year off by announcing plans to open in February. The Fish & Chip took over a location previously home to the Wooden Spoon Bistro in South Burlington.
A teenager-run cart on Church Street got the Free Press' attention this summer. Mikey DeMaggio offered lunch to patrons walking in downtown Burlington during the warmer months of 2019.
Vermont restaurants that closed in 2019
The eatery on Shelburne Road shut its doors in late summer after less than a year in business
Stonecutter Spirits announced in December that its Burlington cocktail lounge would close as the year comes to a close. The distillery still planned to distribute its spirits in bars, liquor stores and restaurants around Vermont.
A Richmond restaurant announced its indefinite closure back in April. The establishment opened in late 2016. The owners, Jessica and Ryan Bunce, also run Burlington's popular Barrio Bakery.
This one wasn't a total loss, right? Though the Mexican restaurant shut down its restaurant in the Queen City, it still operates another spot in South Burlington.
The beer bar established five years ago announced in August that it planned to close its operations. The owner planned to turn his attention to a Williston-based family business, Mountain Air Systems.
Contact Maleeha Syed at email@example.com or 802-495-6595. Follow her on Twitter @MaleehaSyed89.


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Amazon has joined the ranks of numerous major tech companies this year by introducing its own image generator. AWS customers can now explore a preview of the Titan Image Generator on the Bedrock console. Users have the option to input a text prompt to create an image from scratch or upload an existing image for editing.
According to Amazon, this tool can efficiently produce large quantities of studio-quality, realistic images at a low cost. The AI is designed to generate pertinent images based on intricate text prompts, ensuring accurate object composition and minimizing distortions. Amazon asserts that this functionality aids in “reducing the generation of harmful content and mitigating the spread of misinformation.”
For those interested in image editing, the tool allows users to isolate specific areas for the addition or removal of details. This includes tasks such as replacing the background or swapping objects in a subject’s hand. Additionally, the AI can expand image borders by incorporating artificial details, similar to the Generative Expand feature found in Photoshop.
Amazon asserts that Titan incorporates an imperceptible watermark into the images it generates. The purpose of this watermark is stated as “assisting in minimizing the dissemination of misinformation by establishing a discreet means to identify AI-generated images and fostering the secure, transparent development of AI technology.” Amazon claims that these watermarks are resistant to alterations. In addition, based on a demonstration of the image generator, the AI has the capability to generate a description of the image or relevant text suitable for use in a social media post.
The unveiling of the image generator took place at Amazon’s AWS re:Invent conference, where the company also showcased its latest AI chips and introduced a business-centric AI chatbot named Q. Notably, Amazon has recently provided advertisers with a tool enabling them to incorporate AI-generated backgrounds into product images.


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PetQuip launches guidance following Brexit trade deal
Following the announcement of the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA), which has been reached following discussions between the UK and the EU, PetQuip organisers have launched a guidance initiative to help UK companies “navigate their way” around new trading rules.
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Brazilian pig meat exports (including offal) during the first three quarters of 2021 were 15% higher than in the same period of 2020, totalling 962,000 tonnes.
Whilst this represents a a slowdown compared to the first half of the year, when shipments were up by 19%, the slow down in growth has largely been due to stagnating exports to China, according to AHDB analyst Bethan Wilkins.
Brazilian shipments to China in the first half of 2021 were 28% higher than during the equivalent period in 2020. By the third quarter however, exports were level with a year earlier as China’s import demand dropped in recent months, with increased domestic supplies weakening prices.
Outside of China, several other markets have played a central role for the ongoing growth in Brazilian export volumes, including the Philippines, which has taken more than three times as much Brazilian pig meat than during the same period last year.
Chile has also been an important growth market this year, particularly in the first half when volumes were almost double 2020 levels. Other smaller, but notable growth markets include Venezuela and Argentina.
Ms Wilkins said that the widespread success of Brazilian exports this year has no-doubt been aided by the devaluation of the Brazilian Real.
“The total value of exports for the year to September was BR11.6bn, a 30% increase compared to the year before,” she explained. “The increase is smaller in both US dollars (+24%) and Euros (+17%). The strong relative price-competitiveness of Brazilian exports represents a challenge for other global exporters, including the UK, as we compete for buyers on the global pork market.”


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Much-anticipated streaming service AppleTV+ will launch in Australia just weeks before Disney+, and it will be cheaper too.
Although Apple’s streaming service was officially announced earlier this year, the tech company used its annual September announcements event, held in California overnight, to finalise the details.
The streaming service will be available in Australia from 1 November and will cost $7.99 a month, slightly less than Disney+ ($8.99) and Netflix (starts at $9.99).
Apple’s lower price point is most likely due to a smaller content catalogue, with the iPhone maker not having the same access as Disney.
Despite this, AppleTV+ still promises to include some star-studded original content, including:
- See, a drama starring Jason Momoa
- Morning Wars, a drama starring Steve Carell
- A conversations series with Oprah Winfrey
- Helpsters, a kids show about monsters
- Snoopy in Space, featuring Snoopy
- The Elephant Queen, a documentary following a species on the verge of extinction
- Plus more
Unlike the likes of Netflix and Stan, AppleTV+ will only feature its exclusive content.
Apple’s September event has traditionally been all about the iPhone, and this year was no different.
Apple revealed three new phones; the iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max.
The dual-camera iPhone 11 is an update of the pre-existing iPhone XR and will be available for RRP $1,199 from 20 September.
“iPhone 11 is the next generation of iPhone, packed with great new capabilities in an incredible design, including new Ultra Wide and Wide cameras for gorgeous videos and photos, the power and ease of use of iOS 13, and A13 Bionic — the fastest chip ever in a smartphone that quickly handles the tasks that matter most to people every day,” said Apple’s senior vice president of worldwide marketing Phil Schiller.
The new device will also feature improved water resistance capabilities.
Accompanying the iPhone 11 is the bigger and better ‘Pro’ versions, with a total of three cameras.
“iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max are the most powerful and advanced smartphones we have ever made,” said Schiller.
“They are packed with sophisticated technology that pros can count on to get their work done, and for anyone who wants the very best device made, even if they are not a pro.”
The Pro versions will be available from $1,749 and $1,899 respectively.
A 12-month subscription to AppleTV+ will be included with the purchase of a new iPhone.


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Patagonia owner gives away company - "As of now, Earth is our only shareholder"
Patagonia’s founder, Yvon Chouinard, has announced the new ownership model of the global outdoor apparel company, giving the entire company to a non-profit, environmental trust that will direct all of the company’s profits into saving the planet.
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“Truth be told, there were no good options available. So, we created our own,” Chouinard explained the new business model.
“As of now, Earth is our only shareholder. All profits, in perpetuity, will go to our mission to ‘save our home planet’.”
With the help of his family and lawyers, 83-year-old Chouinard figured out an exceptional way to run the company, which is to remain for-profit. Two per cent of all stock and all decision-making authority will be transferred to a Patagonia Purpose Trust, overseeing the company’s mission and values.
The remaining stock will go to a non-profit called the Holdfast Collective, which “will use every dollar received to fight the environmental crisis, protect nature and biodiversity, and support thriving communities, as quickly as possible”, according to the statement that Patagonia sent out.
By doing this, Patagonia has managed to avoid selling the company or taking it public, which could have meant a change in its core values.
“Instead of going public, you could say we’re going purpose,” Chouinard said. “Instead of extracting value from nature and transforming it into wealth for investors, we’ll use the wealth Patagonia creates to protect the source of all wealth.”
Patagonia will remain a profit-making, certified B Corp and a California benefit corporation, and continue to donate 1% of its sales to grassroots environmental groups, as part of the program it started already in the 1980s.
[Photo by Campbell Brewer]


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2015 SRT (Dodge) Barracuda — Could You Handle It?
The 2015 Dodge Barracuda will take the place of the famous Dodge Challenger. What’s intriguing is the fact that the new Barracuda won’t be a Dodge at all. Actually, its full name will be the 2015 SRT Barracuda. Why the management did this and what are they trying to accomplish? Well, nobody can say for sure. The SRT acronym stands for the Street Racing Technology. Since it will replace the Challenger, it should be much better. The 2015 Dodge (SRT) Barracuda started from the platform. It will be underpinned by the completely new platform, which will provide the new Barracuda better driving performance. Besides that, it will be eight inches shorter and two inches narrower in comparison with the Dodge Challenger. Its wheelbase will be up to six inches shorter. The new platform and use of the advanced modern materials made the 2015 Barracuda almost 300 pounds lighter than the Challenger.
2015 SRT BARRACUDA REDESIGN
It is a common sense that the 2015 Dodge Barracuda (or the SRT Barracuda) simply has to look like no other car. It has to inherit its unique design language and to implement it into the contemporary design. If possible, every new generation should look more beautiful. Yes, the retro feel can be anticipated, but still, it is a modern, new, powerful car. With the new design, powertrain, suspension and even a name, will it be able to keep its old spirit?
2015 SRT BARRACUDA ENGINE OPTIONS — TIGERSHARK, PENTASTAR AND HEMI
The 2015 SRT Barracuda (or the Dodge Barracuda if you wish) has its soul in a place which can’t be determined, but its heart is located right under the hood. The 2015 model will remain in some elements the same as its predecessors. And that means its engine should be a breathtaking beast. The engines installed into the new Barracuda will be really adequate. There will be a 2.4-liter Tigershark four-cylinder inline engine. After that, a more powerful direct-injected 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 engine and at the end, a direct-injected 5.7-liter HEMI V-8 engine. There are rumors that the 2015 SRT Barracuda can have a supercharged 6.2-liter HEMI which has 580 horsepower (at some sources there’s a number of 660 horsepower). However, it seems that only one of the HEMI engines can find its way under the hood of the new Barracuda. The transmission will be a six or seven-speed dual-cluch automatic.
RELEASE DATE AND EXPECTED PRICE OF THE 2015 DODGE BARRACUDA
The 2015 SRT Barracuda will be released by the end of this year. It will cost around $60,000 for the entry-level version.


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West Des Moines, Iowa — Homesteaders Life Company has announced the release of a new electronic check (eCheck) payment option for policy owners. The new feature is available for premium payments on multi-pay policies and early pay-ups, adding to an already robust suite of payment options.
“At Homesteaders, we are always looking for new ways to enhance the customer experience for policy owners, funeral providers and agents,” said Senior Vice President of Customer Service Krista Frank. “eCheck is another way Homesteaders is making it easy and convenient to pay policy premiums. It’s a great option for policy owners who prefer not to use a credit card or mail in a physical check.”
With Homesteaders’ new eCheck feature, users can electronically withdraw funds from a checking or savings account to make policy payments – fee free. Families can access the new feature through the secure policy owner portal on Homesteaders’ website.
Homesteaders Life Company, a mutual company owned by its policy holders, is a national leader providing products and services to promote and support the funding of advance funeral planning and end-of-life expenses.


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New numbers from Expedia show the average airfare for the weeks of Thanksgiving and Christmas is 4 percent higher than last year. A ticket will cost you just under $400.
Boyd Huppert, Twin Cities TV stations among Murrow Award winners
The KARE 11 personality known for his 'Land of 10,000 Stories' feature was among the national winners.
Study: Excessive drinking cost Minnesotans almost $8 billion in 2019
The study was published by the Minnesota Department of Health Thursday.
Mall of America shooting suspects arrested in Chicago
The two suspects were spotted leaving a barber shop.
Walz: Increased state law enforcement presence to stay in Twin Cities
A multi-agency effort to curb crime will go on until further notice.
Boy, 7, who drowned in south Minneapolis pool identified
The incident happened in June.
Bloomington PD to provide update on Mall of America shooting investigation
There's unconfirmed reports the suspected gunman and an accomplice have been arrested.
Motorcyclist found dead behind guardrail 6 hours after crash
The crash happened before sunset Wednesday, but no one called 911.
Iowa Gov. asks court to lift injunction on 'heartbeat' abortion ban
A court challenge seeks to revive Iowa's abortion ban.
6 transportation projects in Minnesota get $100M federal funding
The projects extend to areas all across the state.
Minnesota's COVID-19 update for the week ending Tuesday, August 9
The number of cases in the latest reporting period dropped compared to the previous week's update.
Christmas in September? Retailers want you thinking about holiday shopping
Marketing researchers at the University of St. Thomas say stores are jumping into the holidays two weeks earlier than in recent years. Costco, Home Depot, Kal-Mart and Sears will make room on their shelves for Christmas merchandise by the end of the month.
Now might be the time to remodel your home
Minnesota's hard-hit construction industry appears to be recovering slowly and improvement is starting to show up in the remodeling business. Contractors say there is intense competition for projects, which has pushed down the cost of home renovations.
Your traditional Thanksgiving meal will cost you more this year
The American Farm Bureau Federation says the cost to cook a meal with turkey and all the trimmings is up 13 percent -- upping the price per plate to about $5.
Record number of Americans traveling this Thanksgiving
More than 40 million Americans are expected to drive, fly or ride trains to their Thanksgiving destinations this year -- that's according to AAA. The travel tracker says it's the highest number since the start of the recession.
$1.3 million lottery ticket sold in Faribault County
The Gopher 5 ticket matching all five numbers was sold Friday. A lottery spokeswoman told the Associated Press this is the second million-dollar ticket sold in the past two months.
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This morning a Tesla sedan driving outbound Laguna Canyon Road in “autopilot” collides with a parked @LagunaBeachPD unit. Officer was not in the unit at the time of the crash and minor injuries were sustained to the Tesla driver. #lagunabeach #police #tesla pic.twitter.com/7sAs8VgVQ3— Laguna Beach PD PIO (@LBPD_PIO_45) May 29, 2018
A Tesla Model S, which was reportedly in Autopilot mode, crashed into a police SUV that was parked on a roadside in Laguna Beach, California.
The incident, thankfully, was not fatal. However, the driver of the car was injured and the unoccupied police vehicle was totally destroyed. According to Sgt Jim Cota, the public information officer of the police department, the Tesla driver said the car was in semi-autonomous mode.
Cota added the crash damaged the Tesla’s front side and the police patrol car was “completely destroyed.”
“It was mangled up pretty good. It took out the whole back end and halfway through the centre part of the vehicle. There’s axle damage. It wouldn’t be worth repairing. He [the driver] told us in his own statement he was in driver-assisted mode,” he told The Guardian.
However, an investigation is launched into the incident to confirm if the car was in Autopilot mode.
In wake of the incident, the company released a statement and said it couldn’t immediately confirm if the vehicle was in the autopilot mode.
“When using Autopilot, drivers are continuously reminded of their responsibility to keep their hands on the wheel and maintain control of the vehicle at all times. Tesla has always been clear that Autopilot doesn’t make the car impervious to all accidents,” read the statement.
The crash comes at time as the car manufacturer is facing scrutiny regarding Autopilot safety and several fatal incidents of Tesla’s Autopilot feature have emerged.
In March, a Model X SUV hit a safety barrier in Mountain View, Calif., while in Autopilot mode which resulted in the death of the driver.
In another incident, a Tesla vehicle in South Jordan, Utah, crashed into a fire truck stopped at a red light leaving the driver injured.
If confirmed, the latest crash would be the third Tesla Autopilot crash so far this year.
Banner/Thumbnail Credits: Laguna Beach Police Department/Handout via


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Surging sales in electric automobiles have actually promoted investors to bet on a rebound when you look at the lithium marketplace, leaving a dizzying rally in equities from the natural product.
Lithium-related shares have already been on a turbocharged run-in recent months, encouraged by progressively more cars rolling to the roads of european countries and china. stocks in albemarle, the worlds biggest producer of this electric battery natural material, have soared above two-thirds since their particular september reasonable. across same period, australias pilbara minerals has doubled in worth.
The sectors momentum happens to be promoted by its organization with the green agenda, a growing focus of people and governing bodies, plus among hottest market tales of 2020 the very nearly 600 per cent share price increase of carmaker tesla, which makes use of the materials with its electric batteries.
The recent move reflects developing optimism in regards to the mass market penetration of electric automobiles that use lithium within their batteries, say investment managers. product sales of electric cars and plug-in hybrids are required to rise 28 percent this year to 2.78m automobiles, according to consultancy rho movement. european product sales are anticipated to creep past those of asia, aided by subsidies in germany and france.
The stock exchange is often a forecasting animal... however it features a high-powered group of binoculars on at present, stated will smith, co-founder of westbeck capital control in london. obviously, ev need has actually surprised everybody to the upside this current year and that is going to continue given the move by governing bodies to greener kinds of transportation as a means of stimulating economies.
The move in sentiment follows a three-year downturn in lithium rates caused by an oversupply of this raw material from brand new mines. today, lithium rates could have bottomed, especially in australia, the worlds biggest producer. from a peak greater than $900 a tonne in 2018, costs for australias lithium-containing spodumene stone have dropped to $375 a tonne underneath the amount where most mines will make cash.
But prices had been level in october, based on benchmark mineral intelligence, a consultancy. at the same time, domestic chinese costs for lithium carbonate, a processed type of the natural material that is used in battery packs, rose almost 1 per cent.
Wang xiaosheng, leader of china-based lithium producer ganfeng lithium, stated the purchase price rise had been driven by growing ev sales plus growth in electronic devices like laptop computers as more individuals work at home because covid-19. tesla just last year started a factory in shanghai that produces its model 3 vehicle, some shorter-range versions which usage lithium carbonate.
Teslas chief executive elon musk said final thirty days your carmakers brand new factory in berlin would expand to make the maximum amount of 250 gigawatt-hours of battery packs a-year equal to about half of the years worldwide production capacity.
Teslas spectacular share cost rally in 2010 features lifted its market value to above $500bn. people who'd supported the company, along with other high-flying ev shares like chinas electric carmaker nio, were spending more attention to products manufacturers, said westbecks mr smith.
To attain teslas goals would require a growth within the lithium sector, he included, but creating a brand new my own might take as much as 5 years indicating a possible shortfall in offer if demand held developing. youve got a hugely well-capitalised need industry and offer industry continues to be taken from the trenches with some plasters on, mr smith stated.
Still, ganfengs mr wang cautioned that faster development of evs in asia was constrained by not enough charging you services inside biggest metropolitan areas. its a large question when it comes to marketplace a 10 to 20 % [ev] penetration price remains fine but beyond there needs to be ways to deal with the charging.
Lithium offer could nevertheless expand rapidly in australian continent, because it did when costs hit an archive full of 2017, he added. that displays a longer-term menace towards the market rebound.
But these types of a snapback in production might not come quickly. in october, australian lithium miner altura moved into management after it did not boost enough resources to settle its debts.
This week, pilbara agreed to get alturas lithium task for $175m, in a bargain backed by australias biggest pension fund, australiansuper. but pilbara chief executive ken brinsden stated there was no incentive to restart the task currently. the won't increase at today's prices, he included. undoubtedly, there has to be an amount boost if industry wants to match the growing need.
Meanwhile, united states producer livent which final month said it had extended its offer agreement with tesla through 2021 has consented to invest in canadian miner nemaska lithium, an organization that went bankrupt this past year.
Howard klein, president of rk equity, which invests when you look at the industry, said equity markets are pricing in a lithium cost rise and theyre planning to get a cost rise inventories tend to be depleting and you will have combination and much more discipline.


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Video: Downtown Thursday in Panama City
Downtown Thursday in Panama City
Thu, 27 Jul 2017 23:13:03 +0000Downtown Thursday in Panama CityDowntown Thursday in Panama Cityhttp://chic.clipsyndicate.com/video/playlist/12513/7019848?cpt=8&wpid=2637WMBBbusinesses in downtown panama city are trying something new tonight to attract more visitors. they are calling it 'downtown thursday.' instead of closing their doors at five, they are keeping them open until nine. news 13's kirsten mitchell joins us live from downtown panama city. kirsten, why are they doing this? jerry, not only is tonight for locals to discover new shops, but its an opportunity for business owners to prove that downtown is a destination. sarah o'brennan and her husband opened blasted screen print & boutique in downtown panama city just a few months ago. she remembers when downtown panama city was popular place to be. sarah o'brennan, blasted screen print & boutique "most of us grew up here and i've been here since i was ten and i spent so much time down here as a teenager and it was so much fun there was so much to do, it was a destination and i know we all, not even business owners want to see downtown become a destination again." thats why for the first time, many businesses will stay open late in hopes of attracting more people to the area. sarah o'brennan, blasted screen print & boutique "some of the local businesses got together and said lets do this, lets stay open." kim stiegler is one of the owners of "the place downtown" and hopes tonight will be a success. kim stiegler owner of place downtown "the last couple years have been an improvement, almost all the store fronts are filled now. we're really excited about tonight's event as well. we're always open at night but it's nice to have some other people stay open as well too so we're looking forward for the crowds to come down." business owners say some shops are still closed and that adds to the perception that downtown isn't a place to go. sarah o'brennan, blasted screen print & boutique "we tried for a year to find a spot. and even thought there are so many places that are sitting empty, people just dont want to sell. and i dont know if they are hoping for this marina developement to happen and then their property will be worth more but in the meantime i wish people would just lease them out, sign a year lease with somebody, let someone come in here and do something." she also is the new treasurer on the downtown improvement board. sarah o'brennan, blasted screen print & boutique "its really cool. i've been really pleased at how the business owners get along great and really want to build each other up." if tonight is successful, they plan on staying open late once a month on thursdays. thanks kirsten, check it out tonight in downtown panama city.


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Tuesday, May 21, 2013
This week is National Cyber Awareness Week! The aim of Awareness Week is to help Australians using the internet – whether at home, the workplace or school – understand the simple steps they can take to protect their personal and financial information online.
Why is cyber security awareness important?
The internet has increasingly become part of our daily life. It provides a way for us to socialise, shop, transact and do business, which means we are sharing more and more personal and financial information online. In doing so we potentially expose ourselves to number of online risks which we need to be aware of and properly manage.
That is why it is important that we better understand how to stay safe and secure on the internet.
Under the Australian Government's Cyber Security Program a range of initiatives, including National Cyber Security Awareness Week, help Australians understand cyber security and safety and the measures they can take to protect their personal and financial information.
Remember the top tips
Stay Smart Online encourages all Australians to remember these ten simple tips to improve their online security:
- Install and update your security software and set it to scan regularly
- Turn on automatic updates on all your software, particularly your operating system and applications
- Use strong passwords and different passwords for different uses
- Stop and think before you click on links and attachments
- Take care when buying online - research the supplier and use a safe payment method
- Only download "apps" from reputable publishers and read all permission requests
- Regularly check your privacy settings on social networking sites
- Stop and think before you post any photos or financial information online
- Talk with your child about staying safe online, including on their smart phone or mobile device
- Report or talk to someone if you feel uncomfortable or threatened online - download the Government's Cybersafety Help Button


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Here at the International Cargo Bike Festival, we publish a magazine as part of the event each year – and despite the physical event not going ahead this year, we have decided that this will not change in 2021. Jos Sluijsmans, Director of the ICBF, said:
“We’re thrilled to announce the International Cargo Bike Festival Magazine 2021! We’ve all been locked up and locked down, but that has only increased appetites for cargo bike content among potential cargo bikers, hardcore cargo bike fans, families and industry insiders.”
The magazine will cater to this pent-up demand by offering a treasure trove of insights, tips, interviews, news and in-depth features. Equal parts serious and fun, with dynamic readable content covering family cycling, last-mile logistics, technology, and everything in-between.
The magazine will be published at the start of September, to coincide with Velo-City Lisbon, with whom we recently formed a partnership (more news on that very soon…).
Interested in advertising your business or providing an article for the magazine? The deadline is 16th July. Get in touch for details and some very attractive pricing.


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Steven Martin, former general manager and chief data scientist for Microsoft Corp.’s Cloud and Enterprise group, has been tapped to lead digital transformation for General Electric Co.’s $11 billion electrification, grid and controls business.
Mr. Martin joined GE Energy Connections as vice president and chief digital officer Oct. 24. He reports to GE Energy Connections chief Russell Stokes and Bill Ruh, chief digital officer for GE and CEO of GE Digital.
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Emerging markets may have some catching up to do in economic terms, but they are often miles ahead of developed markets when it comes to adopting new technology.
Take contactless payments. In the majority of shops in the western world we continue to fiddle with pin numbers and receipts, while in far-flung cities like Istanbul consumers simply waive their mobile phones or plastic cards and a transaction is complete. Read more
As markets wait once again for European leaders to bring the eurozone crisis back from the brink, there is one man who is more than happy to lend some advice: Jin Liqun.
What he thinks about Europe carries weight because the institution he chairs, China Investment Corporation, is one of the world’s most important sovereign wealth funds. Read more
Evo Morales has gone and done it again. The president of Bolivia has nationalised a local unit of Spain’s Red Electrica, “in honour of all Bolivian people.”
This is not the first time. Two years ago Morales nationalised four electric companies – two of which were foreign – at the “thunderous request of the people”.
In fact, one might argue May Day nationalisations are becoming something of a habit in Bolivia. Read more
Images of tens of thousands of Muscovites protesting in the streets have hit the rouble and the Russian stock market, but one Russian executive says the country’s risk profile has not suffered.
“We don’t feel any pressure,” Alexander Abramov, chairman of Evraz, the country’s largest steel company, told the Financial Times on Monday – the day the company made its FTSE 100 debut. Investors weren’t convinced and the stock fell 4.4 per cent amid general concern about Russian political risk. Read more
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Among the many reasons Anglo American gave for its willingness to pay $5bn for a majority stake in De Beers, the world’s biggest seller of diamonds, was the drastic shift it has helped bring about in Chinese wedding rituals.
Much has changed since the days when a bride’s worth was measured by the number of duvets her mother would supply the newly-wed couple. Read more
It’s as if the global economic rout never happened. 360Buy, the Chinese online retail giant is looking to raise $4-5bn in an IPO next year, according to IFR, a Thomson Reuters publication. It would be the largest Internet IPO ever in the US.
The announcement comes just over a month after Qiangdong Liu, the founder of the company also known as Jingdong Mall, said he anticipated “tough days” this year or next for e-commerce companies. What’s with the optimism? Read more
Emerging markets have been good to carmakers and South Africa is no exception. At first glance August vehicle sales figures published on Friday support the story of an ongoing boom – with overall sales up 11.1 per cent year-on-year in August, from 10.5 per cent in July. But parsing the numbers, it’s not all positive news.
Specifically, passenger vehicle sales are beginning to slow, a reflection of increasingly cautious consumer confidence. Read more
Turkey’s economic statistics might make the country look like anything but a safe bet among emerging markets. The chronic savings deficit, high unemployment, and an 8 per cent current account deficit trouble many investors. So does a stop-start economic record.
But in its latest EM report, Bank of America Merrill Lynch argues that the outlook for Turkey, when compared to other EEMEA countries, is actually pretty good. All that is needed is economic stability and a bout of serious reforms. Quite. Read more
Here’s a thought: if economic growth in developed markets were to fall off the cliff, would growth in emerging markets save the world economy? Would the penny-saving populations of Asia at least provide a backstop? In short, is there any hope of a growing market anywhere, for Western corporations which are faced with declining sales and revenues from their home markets?
In his most recent note to clients, Can Asia Save the World?, HSBC’s Frederic Neumann illustrates why it’s not all bad news. Read more
Well this news didn’t come as a surprise, but we almost missed it: Sino-Forest on Sunday announced the resignation of its chairman and CEO. The announcement came quiet as a mouse, after a very confusing news day for Sino-Forest investors at end of the trading week.
On Friday the Ontario Securities Commission ordered shares to “cease trading” on the Toronto Stock Exchange and called for the resignation of senior executives at the company. Later that day the OSC reversed its order, stating it does not have the power to make such an order without holding a hearing first. Excerpts from Sunday’s statement below the page break… Read more
(The OSC has reversed its order calling for the resignation of senior executives at the company, including chairman and chief executive Allen Chan.)
This just in: Sino Forest shares have stopped trading on the Toronto Stock Exchange following a “cease trade” order from the Ontario Securities Commission on Friday morning.
The reasons given by the OSC (after the page break) are not going to help Sino Forest’s case. Read more
Diageo on Thursday reported strong annual results and disclosed the bill for the acquisitions it made in the year to June in emerging markets – a full £1.6bn in countries ranging from China to Tanzania.
But shareholders won’t be complaining as emerging markets contributed the lion’s share of a 5.3 per cent increase in pre-tax profit to £2.36bn. The shares rose 6 per cent on the news, in a clear sign that the City likes the EM-oriented strategy. Read more
A rare opportunity for investors to invest in Mongolia outside its big natural resources companies comes with a foreign-run conglomerate involved in everything from real estate and cement to financial services and transport.
Asia Pacific Investment Partners, controlled by American businessman Lee Cashell, hopes to raise $30m through a placement of stock ahead of an IPO which could come next year. Read more
Where are the best beer markets in Africa? Reports from two brokers this week come to the same conclusions – Nigeria and Zimbabwe.
Nigeria for sheer size, rapid growth and commercial stability. Zimbabwe for recovery potential – the conflict-torn country once drank more than three times as much beer as it does today. Read more
US vice president Joe Biden isn’t having an easy time of it in China – at least not with the public diplomacy involved in this week’s visit to Beijing.
First, his opening remarks at a key meeting with Xi Jinping, his Chinese counterpart, were interrupted by a kerfuffle involving Chinese officials and journalists covering the trip.
Next, a meal at a small restaurant in one of Beijing’s alleyways was criticised by Chinese bloggers who detected a note of PR phoney in what was made to look like a casual event. Finally, a goodwill China-US basketball match ended in a brawl. Read more
If Tudou (TUDO:NMQ), a Chinese YouTube knockoff, was a bellweather of sorts for the prospects of Chinese companies listing in the US and for IPOs more generally, its debut performance in morning trading on Wednesday does not bode well.
Tudou’s share price opened on Wednesday at $25.11, 13 per cent below its offer price of $29. Read more
When Transformers: Dark of the Moon entered production in late 2009, marketing executives saw opening before them a new frontier for product placement. Why not cram a truly American plot with Chinese products? OK, so the film has nothing to do with China. But surely Chinese consumers were ready to see their favourite brands on the big screen? And wasn’t Hollywood ready for the likes of Meters/bonwe, a Chinese clothing brand which Shia LaBeouf’s character sports at the start of the film?
Well, that was the thinking. But some vocal Chinese film-goers aren’t buying it. Read more
Talk about being opportunistic. Just days after the US was downgraded by Standard & Poors, Russia’s finance ministry said international ratings agencies have “clearly underrated” Russia. It argued its state debt as a percentage of GDP is lower than emerging and developed economies – particularly the US.
But Russia’s protestations come at an odd time, as the price of oil – key for the government to balance its budget – continues to fall. With government social spending up ahead of next year’s elections, and less oil revenues coming in due to a diminishing global appetite for risk, does Russia really deserve an upgrade? Read more


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Original article by Elouise Fowler
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 5 : 8-Jan-20
National Australia Bank has increased its bushfire disaster relief fund to $4m and advised that customers who have been affected by the catastrophe will be given three years to repay their loans. NAB has also indicated that it will provide emergency grants to business and agriculture customers, in addition to retail customers. The Commonwealth Bank, Westpac and ANZ Bank will also provide loan relief to customers who have been affected by the bushfires.
NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK LIMITED – ASX NAB, COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA, WESTPAC BANKING CORPORATION – ASX WBC, AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND BANKING GROUP LIMITED – ASX ANZ


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Automakers across the globe had a tough start to the year, having to deal with parts shortages following the Japanese earthquake and tsunami. But the rise in oil prices following the Libyan uprising has indirectly helped some of these automakers by pushing up the demand for their more fuel-efficient hybrid cars.
A brief look at the numbers
The demand for more fuel-efficient cars benefited GM by pushing up both its top and bottom lines. Cars such as the Chevrolet Cruze compact and the Equinox crossover were in great demand, following bullish strides in energy prices.
GM recorded profits of $3.2 billion, but this included a $1.6 billion profit from the sale of assets. GM sold a part of its former parts wing, Delphi Automotive LLC, which boosted these figures greatly. Discounting these gains, from its operations GM made profits of around $1.7 billion, which is not bad in itself, but somewhat pales in comparison to rival Ford's
On the negative side, GM's automobile prices dropped in North America, whereas they remained the same in international markets; Ford's auto prices have been rising. Even though GM had high sales compared to that of Ford, it lost out because of lower prices, leading to Ford recording higher profits.
This probably explains why GM saw its share prices fall in response to its earnings, even though it beat analysts' estimates. Regardless, GM, which had a relatively strong start to the year, is well-placed to carry this momentum forward. Let's take a look at its plans for the rest of 2011.
The industry grows
In spite of the recent economic slump, the global automobile industry has still shown positive signs of growth. Some analysts have even said that they expect this market to grow by nearly 33% by 2015, from 72 million units in 2010. GM has a strong and ever-increasing international presence and is well-positioned to take advantage of this expected boom.
The BRIC nations are expected to see an increase of nearly 12 million vehicles sold by 2015, as purchasing powers of consumers increase, pushing up demand. By the end of 2010, GM held a leading 12.2% market share in the BRIC countries. It has held on to the top spot for a sixth straight year.
China is now the favorite among those eyeing emerging markets, and automobile producers are no exception. China has become the world's largest automotive market. GM has penetrated this market and commands a 12.8% market share there. It intends to launch 60 new and improved variants of its automobiles in China by 2015.
Japan's two top automakers have already made inroads into China. Honda
In India, GM saw its volume increase by almost 60% last year and also saw an increase in its market share in the country. In Brazil, GM rules the roost with a market share of 19%. In North America, GM ended 2010 as market leader.
Overall, across the globe, GM has a strong presence and is looking to expand even further, especially in the BRIC countries where strong sales growth is expected.
The Foolish bottom line
I think GM is well-positioned to grow further in 2011, especially with Toyota and Honda scrambling for parts following the March 11 quake, and the rise in demand for fuel-efficient cars following the surge in gas prices. GM will, in all probability, grow as the year continues and will possibly continue to post numbers in the green.


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The term, data breach, has become a part of our national lexicon in recent years. With cybercrime on the rise, the potential for personal data exposure has grown significantly. Few of us are willing to live off the grid and give up our digital conveniences to avoid a data breach completely. However, with a solid data breach protection plan, you won’t have to.
Here’s what you need to know about safeguarding your personal and business data from exposure.
Data breaches happen more than most of us realize. While these breaches typically only become a newsworthy topic when they happen to household name companies, rest assured, they hit smaller businesses as well. To better understand what a data breach could mean for the small to medium-sized business owner, let’s take our lessons from the big guys first.
IBM and Ponemon Institute’s 2015 Cost of Data Breach Study: Global Analysis revealed that the average total cost of a data breach rose from $3.52M in 2014 to $3.79M in 2015. This research was conducted with 350 participating companies.
The rise in the higher cost of data breaches can be attributed to lost business, increased frequency of cyberattacks and higher costs associated with detection and escalation.
A key takeaway for any business owner and consumer: most data breaches were caused by hackers and criminal insiders. Just this past year, the health care company, Anthem, fell victim to a cyberattack, which affected 80 million patients and employees. Compromised data included names, Social Security numbers, income data and more.
A year prior, 145 million customer accounts with EBay were affected by a cyberattack. This data breach resulted in an estimated $200M loss. Who can forget the 2013 Target data breach? It cost the retail giant $252M and affected 40M credit and debit card accounts.
Of course, these companies have access to financial advisors, lawyers and insurance plans that the average small business owner and consumer do not. While these organizations were largely able to bounce back from cyberattacks, the risk of financial ruin is too large to ignore.
Here’s the hard truth—cyber criminals and hackers aren’t going anywhere. In fact, they seem to be only becoming more sophisticated and undetectable. The key is to be proactive and consistent. Instead of treating data breach protection as a nice-to-have, move it up to priority status as a must-have.
The tips below are written with the average consumer and business owner in mind:
Planning for data breach protection can be an overwhelming process. Once you develop a strategy, you’ll learn of new and more complex cybercrime trends. However, a simple truth remains: data breach protection is necessary.
Remove stress from the equation and get expert consulting regarding online security. Instead on launching your protection plan in the dark and hoping for the best, develop a risk management solution with the professionals.
Prudential Associates, Inc., offers total solution risk management for a comprehensive, in-depth approach. Safeguard what you’ve worked so hard to achieve by contacting our team of security experts today.


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Thanks Radish for posting this in Back page News. It's a video of the iPhone launch in the UK.
From Crave TV: Last week we got a cryptic invitation to an event at the Apple Store on Regent Street. Not wanting to miss an opportunity to possibly see the UK iPhone, we galloped over there to get a glimpse at whatever Apple had hidden in the store. Fortunately, it was the iPhone, and better yet, Steve Jobs himself turned up to show it off. The British press were perhaps a little less respectful than their US counterparts and posed Jobs some rather tough questions.
Take a look at the video to hear what ol' Jobsy had to say about iPhone hacks, why we're not getting a 3G iPhone just yet and why he thinks it's worth paying so much for it. Plus have a look at our photo story for close up images of the day's events and the UK iPhone.


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The two Macy’s stores on the island are now open. Both the Macy’s in Kona at Makalapua Center, next to the Makalapua Cinemas, and the Macy’s at Prince Kuhio Mall, reopened on Friday, May 22. Both stores are now open from 11 a.m until 7 p.m. daily.
The stores have implemented extra cleaning and sanitation procedures–cleaning high-touch surfaces such as door handles frequently (see photo below of the Macy’s at Makalapua Center–with door handles being cleaned), and sanitizing counters and the credit card machines and the keypads between customers. One big difference is that the dressing rooms are not open, so people cannot try on clothing in the stores. The employees advise that customers may take things home to try on, and return them with the tags on for a refund.
Customers must wear masks or cloth face coverings when in the store.
Employees who did not wish to be quoted said they were grateful that even during the time Macy’s was closed, the store kept the employees on their benefits program, including covering health insurance.
Macy’s closed all its stores nationwide on March 17 because of the outbreak of COVID-19.


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A Bloomberg survey of 45 large companies in the U.S., Europe and Asia shows that 84% plan to spend less on travel post-pandemic.
I am personally convinced that this to some extent is right. I think that pre-pandemic patterns driven by overall mactotrens will remain and return faster than we expect. However, naturally we now have seen the alternatives and we will use them.
According to the Blooomberg business travel as we’ve known it is a thing of the past. From Pfizer Inc., Michelin and LG Electronics Inc. to HSBC Holdings Plc, Hershey Co., Invesco Ltd. and Deutsche Bank AG, businesses around the world are signaling that innovative new communications tools are making many pre-pandemic-era trips history.
Take Akzo Nobel NV, Europe’s biggest paint maker, for instance. At its Amsterdam headquarters, Chief Executive Officer Thierry Vanlancker has spent the past year watching his manufacturing head, David Prinselaar, flap his arms, madly gesticulate and seemingly talk to himself while “visiting” 124 plants by directing staff with high-definition augmented-reality headgear on factory floors. A task that meant crisscrossing the globe in a plane before is now done in a fraction of the time — and with no jet lag. For Vanlancker, there’s no going back.
The Bloomberg survey of 45 large businesses in the U.S., Europe and Asia shows that 84% plan to spend less on travel post-pandemic. A majority of the respondents cutting travel budgets see reductions of between 20% and 40%, with about two in three slashing both internal and external in-person meetings. The ease and efficiency of virtual software, cost savings and lower carbon emissions were the primary reasons cited for the cutbacks. According to the Global Business Travel Association, spending on corporate trips could slide to as low as $1.24 trillion by 2024 from a pre-pandemic peak in 2019 of $1.43 trillion.


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Smartphone users might be better off seeing a doctor than relying on a family of mobile apps to diagnose whether moles on their skin are cancerous.
U.S. Federal Trade Commission
The U.S. Federal Trade Commission should reject a privacy group's push to extend the E.U.'s controversial right to be forgotten rules to the U.S. because such regulations would have a "sweeping" negative effect on many U.S. companies, a trade group s...
Identity protection service LifeLock said Tuesday it is prepared to go to court after the U.S. Federal Trade Commission filed a fresh lawsuit alleging the company has failed to protect its users' data and deceptively advertises its services.
Privacy concerns might throw a wrench into companies' plans to make Internet-connected devices mainstream fixtures in the home.
Privacy group wants Google to forget more... Programmer escapes vampire squid... Self-driving cars evade human menace... and more tech news
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Don't cut food stamps, cut tariff welfare to farmers hurt by trade war
Dec. 5 — To the Editor:
The Trump administration says they can save $5 billion over many years by kicking people off the food stamp program. They could save more than three times that amount in one year by eliminating the $18 billion in welfare payments to Midwest farmers hit by Trump's China tariffs. They voted for Trump and the members of Congress who support his trade war. It is time they either find another market for their soy beans and pork or start growing food Americans and other countries want.


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Pumpkin-picking farm in Northamptonshire gears up to open this week
A pick-your-own pumpkin patch near Northampton is opening on Saturday, just in time for Halloween.
The venture comes after a successful September for the Harris family on their farm, which last month saw their fields bloom into a sunflower attraction near Northampton.
Fifth-generation farmer Tom Harris took the plunge for the first time after moving back to Northamptonshire to start selling sunflowers, alongside his day job as a farmer, and has now turned a different field into a pumpkin picking patch.
At an estimate there are between 2,500 and 3,000 pumpkins of various sizes and three varieties for people to pick from at the Moulton-based farm.
There are wheelbarrows on site for people to use when moving their pumpkins around the field but it is advised pumpkin pickers each bring a bag to carry them back to the car and wear their wellies or boots as the field is very muddy.
The farm opens this Saturday (October 19) and will be open from 10am until 4pm every day until the farm has sold out of pumpkins.
Also on site for the little ones will be some sheep to feed, and Northants Hour, a platform for Northamptonshire businesses on Twitter, have painted 80 rocks, which will be hidden among the pumpkins for children to re-hide for others.
Northampton's Royal & Derngate are running a competition with Overstone Grange Farm for pantomime tickets which people can enter when paying for their pumpkins.
Lucy Harris, who runs the pumpkin field with her husband Tom, said: "We have been overwhelmed by the support shown to us with the sunflowers and hope people enjoy the pumpkins just as much."
Prices for the pumpkins start at £2 and entry and parking is free at Overstone Grange Farm, which is found off Kettering Road in Moulton - between the Holcot and Moulton roundabout.
To stay in touch with the farm for regular updates, check their Facebook page, here.
Photographs taken by Kirsty Edmonds.


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Owners of a South Carolina eatery say they want to make the experience less awkward for patrons.... right, cause blow up dolls are much less awkward.
The Open Hearth steak and seafood restaurant in Greenville, South Carolina, is back open for business but have a lower capacity for patrons with the new guidelines. Tables will have to be spaced out and some left empty to keep people safe. Instead of the empty awkwardness, the owners are going to use seat fillers in the form of blow up dolls.
To be clear, thankfully they didn't go buy them down at the local sex shop. There aren’t any obscene body parts, but they are blow dolls nonetheless. Five men and five women to be exact.
Customers are actually enjoying the creative idea, the owners said. They’re sitting down with the blow-up dolls to take pictures, and even offering to buy them cocktails. Not sure what the protocols is on getting their number or asking them to come home with you though?!
Other restaurants around the country are trying similar ideas, one with giant teddy bears.
Or these Bumper Bar Tables to keep people at a distance look fun!
One Chicago restaurant is using Harry Carry cut-outs! "HOLY COW!"
(Source The Daily Meal)
(Photo Credit: Getty Images)


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Philippine Airlines, the country’s flag carrier, will launch flights from Manila to new destinations: Port Moresby (Papua New Guinea) this October 2015 and Auckland (New Zealand) via Cairns (Australia) on December 2015 – as part of the expansion of its international network.
PAL Flies to New Destinations
PAL President and Chief Operating Officer Jaime J. Bautista said, “The new routes will allow PAL to cater to the travel needs of both business and leisure travelers and OFWs, while offering PAL’s distinct brand of service marked by Filipino warmth, charm, and hospitality. It will also help build tourism for the Philippines from new international markets.
“Upon arrival in Manila, passengers may enjoy what the capital city has to offer before connecting to any of the 30 domestic and 38 other international destinations offered by PAL” he added.
Earlier this year, prior to launching flights to these destinations, PAL has also launched its services to New York (USA), Quangzhou (China), Tablas (Romblon) and opened new interisland flights in Visayas and Mindanao. PAL also reintroduced its Business class service to Cebu and Davao.
PAL has also launched the MyPAL App, powered by PayMaya Business and MasterCard, to make flying with PAL much easier for its customers. Now, users can enjoy the convenience of booking their flights, checking-in online, and viewing their flight status using their Android smartphones.
PAL has been the country’s only full-service legacy carrier over the last seven decades. It is best known for its distinct brand of inflight service, marked by Filipino warmth, care and hospitality. Now on its 74th year, the flag carrier is focused on fleet modernization, route network expansion and service.
wow. this is great news 🙂 thanks for sharing 🙂 btw congratulations on your Bloggys 2015 nomination 🙂The Girl with the Muji Hat
Aww! Thank you! 🙂


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Bryce Dallas Howard to Front Kate Spade Campaign
The impossibly cute Bryce Dallas Howard has been signed by Kate Spade to front the brand's spring and fall 2011 ad campaigns. Of the brand's choosing Howard, Kate Spade President and Chief Creative Officer Deborah Lloyd said, "Bryce is playful, gorgeous and multi-talented. She embraces and embodies the spirit of our brand. The moment she puts our clothes on they come to life in a new, spirited way."
Shot by fashion photographer Norman Jean Roy, Howard is the first celebrity the brand has tapped to appear in its advertising.


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Realme not only manufactures smartphones but a bunch of accessories as well. Now, Realme seems to be gearing up to launch a new smartwatch in India which should be called the Realme Watch SZ100. The launch timeline as well as the colour options of the Realme Watch SZ100 have now been tipped.
Industry sources close to the matter have told MySmartPrice that Realme Watch SZ100 is all set to launch in India later this month. It will be releasing around the end of this month. As per the report, the smartwatch will come in two variants, including Magic Gray and Lake Blue. Apart from the colour options and the supposed launch timeline, the detailed specifications of the smartwatch are still unknown.
The watch might arrive as the successor to the Realme Watch S100 that launched in India in March this year. Realme TechLife Watch S100 comes with a 4.3cm (1.69″) large colour display with a high resolution of 240*280 pixels. Additionally, the display on the TechLife Watch S100 can peak upto 530 nits brightness, ensuring that the content on it is clearly visible even under direct sunlight.
Apart from this, Realme has also confirmed that the Realme Narzo 50 5G series is going to launch in India on May 18. Realme India will hold a digital launch event on May 18 at 12:30pm IST. The event will be available to stream live on its official YouTube channel and Facebook page. Apart from Realme India’s official site, both handsets will also be available on Amazon India for purchase.
As per the teaser shared by the company, the Narzo 50 series will feature the most powerful processor in the segment – MediaTek Dimensity 920. In addition, it will also come with vapour chamber cooling system and 5 layers of cooling for improved heat dissipation.


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Toyota operations in Vietnam may face import competition
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Vietnam is planning to eliminate duties on imported cars by 2018 which could result in stiff competition for local manufactures including Toyota Motor Corp. and Ford Motor Co., Bloomberg reports.
Current Vietnamese duties of 60 percent are set to be eliminated by 2018 for cars imported from within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. But this could result in the collapse of the nation’s fledgling auto industry as local manufacturers would have little incentive to modernize or continue running plants in the country.
Toyota and Ford are among the the top foreign automakers with plants in Vietnam along with Suzuki Motor Corp. and Daimler AG (DAI)’s Mercedes-Benz,
“If the government doesn’t significantly improve the situation for the local manufacturers, there is always a risk” of some makers shutting plants after 2018, says Michael Behrens, CEO of Mercedes-Benz Vietnam Ltd.
San Antonio is home to the Toyota Motor Manufacturing Texas Inc. assembly plant, where Tacoma and Tundra trucks are produced.
Mike W. Thomas covers technology/telecom, military, finance, regulatory issues as well as nonprofits/education.
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