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Around 2,000 jobs are at risk after the new owner of Blockbuster Entertainment said it is putting the DVD and computer games rental chain into administration for the second time this year due to tough trading.
Private equity group Gordon Brothers Europe said 32 jobs will be cut at the chain’s Uxbridge headquarters, while 264 stores are at risk as a buyer is sought.
The chain plunged into administration in January, before being bought by Gordon Brothers in March.
At the time of its initial collapse the group had 528 stores in the UK employing 4,190 staff.
Gordon Brothers said its turnaround attempts for the historically loss-making company coincided with a patch of poor trading across rental and retail sales.
It said stores will continue trading but some may need to close if a buyer cannot be found.
Frank Morton, CEO of Gordon Brothers Europe, said: "Since the acquisition we have worked extremely hard to reignite the Blockbuster brand, make our investment work and put the business on a viable footing.
"Despite our best efforts, we regret that we are now forced to make some redundancies and would like to thank any affected employees for their support during the last six months."


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Last week I wrote about a surprise announcement that German Railway operator Deutsche Bahn is going to join Star Alliance and this has been formalized yesterday with the joining date being August 1, 2022.
Deutsche Bahn is the first company outside the aviation industry to join the Star Alliance in the hopes that the alliance of air and rail travel should be better networked in the future.
Only minor details were known last week and even right now, a day after the joining date has been formally announced there are still a few open questions.
This was my original article:
The matter which has been reported throughout most media including all the German press has irritated many and the prospect of the transaction was even subject to much ridicule considering DB’s performance in the transportation sector.
Yesterdays’s formal event at Deutsche Bahn HQ saw some fresh announcements as relayed in the press release the company put out.
From August 1st, Deutsche Bahn (DB) will be the world’s first intermodal partner of the Star Alliance. With this, DB and the aviation industry are setting another strong example on the way to more sustainability in the mobility sector. Thanks to the new cooperation, DB customers and passengers of Star Alliance member airlines will be able to start or end their journey comfortably on the climate-friendly train. For the first time in international air travel, the Star Alliance intermodal partnership model will intelligently connect air, rail and other modes of transport. Star Alliance wants to further expand intermodal partnerships in the future. Germany is the first market and DB is the world’s first partner in the new Star Alliance program. …
Jeffrey Goh, CEO Star Alliance: “Today joins the forces of two different transport providers, opening the doors of Star Alliance beyond the airline world. Our new model for intermodal partnerships creates the conditions for coordinated cooperation between different modes of transport in all Star Alliance markets. We are delighted to welcome Deutsche Bahn as our first Star Alliance intermodal partner.” …
The new partnership between DB and Star Alliance builds on the Lufthansa Express Rail program. This means that Lufthansa customers have been able to buy a combined ticket for train and flight in one booking step for more than 20 years.
In the future, in addition to Lufthansa, all 25 other member airlines of the Star Alliance will be able to include DB’s environmentally friendly ICE trains with flight numbers in their booking systems.
Customers benefit from many advantages, such as:
With just one booking process, airline customers receive a combined ticket for the outward and return flight and the respective train journeys including seat reservation.
At check-in – which is possible until shortly before the train departs – travelers receive their boarding passes for both the flight and the train journey. With the integrated ICE journeys, air travelers will have even more choice in terms of preferred travel time, travel duration and the prices offered.
Customers can also enjoy accelerated baggage handling and other services in the AiRail check-in area at Frankfurt Airport.
For all bookings of combined train-air travel via Lufthansa Express Rail or with the member airlines of the Star Alliance, customers can collect points or miles for the train journeys in the airlines’ respective frequent flyer programs.
In addition, business and first class customers of Star Alliance member airlines receive additional benefits such as access to the DB lounges with an LH Express Rail ticket.
Based on what we can read here and take from it, earning benefits and points would be ties to the train trips being connected to an active flight booking similar or identical to the system that has been in place for over 20 years under the Lufthansa Air Rail cooperative.
It’s not advertised that customers will be able to collect status or bonus miles on standalone train tickets or receive benefits with DB through their Star Alliance Gold benefits. Additionally, benefits (DB Lounge) on an active trip would be available for First- and Business Class customers only irrespective or them holder Star Alliance Gold Status.
If there are more benefits related to Star Alliance Gold in Economy Class hasn’t been communicated yet. Just like any benefits in Star Alliance for top-tier members of Bahn Bonus.
The Lufthansa AirRail which is a codeshare between LH / Deutsche Bahn that awards Lufthansa status miles with Miles&More allowed In the past to make Lufthansa Senator with train rides at very affordable rates just by booking standalone “flights” [train rides] between Cologne, Stuttgart and Frankfurt Airport at cheap rates but that loophole has been closed for many years now.
I have used this whole “new” system in the past as early as 2007 with American Airlines as they had specific destinations in Germany such as Kassel (KSF) or Cologne (QKL). MIles have always been awarded and the train conductors never ever cared what train or route I actually took.
The only downside was that this required a paper ticket which was always a pain to get. Sometimes I had them sent to me, sometimes I picked them up at a ticket counter. Then in the later years, this changed to codes to pick up the tickets at the DB ticket machines.
Germany’s national railway service Deutsche Bahn has been formally accepted into Star Alliance and yesterday was the day that the new partnership was made official. The joining date is August 1, 2022.
There will be more material about the integration in the coming weeks but I project that there really won’t be much more than what’s already been in place for many years. Deutsche Bahn has offered a Rail&Fly service with dozens of airlines which so far meant that customers would receive a blank ticket to use whatever train they wish to take. Now it’ll be tied to specific trains that have a flight number attached and miles are going to be awarded (automatically one would hope).
As my example with Lufthansa and American Airlines shows, this mechanism isn’t exactly new. The only thing that’s the true novum here is that DB is now a member of Star Alliance but practically this won’t have many advantages. In fact, the regular Rail&Fly ticket which is entirely flexible is still much better than tickets tied to specific trains. Especially with the poor on-time performance of the DB German Rail system. You might want to try and price these regional destinations though, sometimes it’s cheaper than flying directly to Frankfurt and you get more miles as well.

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Rising up from closing down: Surviving and thriving after a store shuts its doors
When you've found a gem of a local business in your neighbourhood — be it a funky clothing boutique, a bookstore, or a hand-crafted furniture studio — it can be pretty devastating to see them close down.
Think of that one shop where you'd always find something original and distinctive, and where you felt good knowing your hard-earned cash was supporting someone in your community and contributing to the overall energy, look and feel of your suburb.
But then it closed, replaced with a chain store or perhaps staying vacant for months. Your go-to shop was gone and your suburb seemed poorer for it.
According to Australian Bureau of Statistics figures, nearly half of all retail businesses open in June 2012 had closed by June 2016. So how do you shop local if your local shop shuts down?
For some small business owners, going 100 per cent online is a way to sidestep rising costs and stay alive.
Chris Smalley opened jewellery design shop Etelage on King Street, a popular shopping strip in Sydney's inner-west, in 2005.
"The traditional bricks-and-mortar store worked really well for us because the product that we sell is such a touchy-feely product," Ms Smalley said.
The shop sold beads and hosted workshops where customers learned to make their own accessories. But the killer location came at a cost.
"People die when I tell them how much I spent on rents over the years. You do pay a premium to be in a destination strip shopping kind of area. I've spent well in excess of $1 million in the time I've been in business," Ms Smalley said.
Ms Smalley shut the shop three years ago.
"Our profits were going down quite significantly for a few years, but what I did notice in the year before we decided to close was that our online sales had trebled," she said.
Those sorts of crippling rents and expensive overheads also convinced custom footwear maker Shoes of Prey to launch its business solely online eight years ago.
The website prompts customers to choose the design and material for their shoes, which are then manufactured and delivered within two weeks.
Within two years, the business was earning millions of dollars.
Shoes of Prey opened a concept store within David Jones in Sydney in 2013, then expanded into the upmarket US retailer Nordstrom in 2014.
But late last year, co-founder Jodie Fox decided to close the bricks-and-mortar stores and return Shoes of Prey to its online roots, recognising e-commerce is the company's best opportunity for global growth.
"Less and less and less do we ever hear these days 'I want to know what it looks like in real life', which was one of the key insights that drew us into opening a store," Ms Fox said.
"So that's a big indication for me that there is definitely a level of comfort now around shopping online that wasn't there before."
Ms Fox said the lessons learned were invaluable. All Shoes of Prey staff would do shifts in the bricks-and-mortar Sydney store to learn first-hand from real customers.
"All of a sudden [an] engineer is standing in front of someone who's been clicking around on the site, and they're hearing them explain what they need and helping them to find it. The education that we got from it was extraordinary," she said.
That personal interaction with customers is what Ms Smalley misses most about her Newtown store, but she said she had found other ways to connect with people.
"We hold pop-up events, we still have workshops and we have 'meet the maker' nights where we hold events in the stores of the stockists of our jewellery," she said.
"We've also had workshops in gallery spaces, and people love that because there's something very intimate and special about being with the designer and learning from them, as they're creating their art in a gallery."
Ms Smalley said that in order to survive, many businesses just needed to acknowledge that times and habits were changing.
"I think more and more people are choosing to spend their money online and my observation is now we kind of stay home and shop and we go out and eat, which when I grew up it was the complete opposite," she said.
"Once you've had … a great online experience, I think you're quickly converted to 'well it's easy, I'm time-poor', it just makes sense to the average consumer today."
And for a business owner struggling to stay afloat, Ms Fox had some advice:
"Sometimes you just have to decide which corner you're going to stand in and really put your bet on."
Even if the corner you choose is no longer a corner store.


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The Solar Switch program – a solar group buying co-op – has been launched by seven Denver-area municipalities in Colorado. The program aims to offer homeowners and small businesses a convenient way to learn about and install rooftop solar panels and battery storage. Solar Switch is another step forward towards the renewable energy goals of the participating municipalities, while also aiding in grid resiliency, growing the local economy, promoting energy independence, and improving air quality.
Participants include the City and county of Denver and Adams County, and the cities of Edgewater, Westminster, Wheat Ridge, Northglenn and Thornton, in partnership with the nonprofit, Solar United Neighbours.
Solar Switch expects to leverage the power of group buying – and the expertise of Solar United Neighbours – to ensure participants get a quality system at a discounted price. Qualified installers are vetted by the co-op who can then compete and run a reverse auction to provide a competitively priced solar package.
“We’re excited to scale the Solar Switch programme to help make solar accessible to even more people in the Denver area,” said Grace Rink, Denver’s chief climate officer. “This program will help homeowners while further growing our local renewable energy economy and making progress on Denver’s ambitious climate goals.”
Solar Switch’s auction model is expected to save residents an average of $5,000 on a standard-sized system.
“This partnership will bolster our efforts to bring even more local solar energy directly to Denver area residents.” said Tanner Simeon-Cox, Colorado programme director for Solar United Neighbours. “Leveraging the power of group buying through Solar Switch can help participants get a discounted price on a rooftop solar installation, while receiving additional support through each phase of the process.”


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After releasing the track in June, Kirko Bangz follows up with a visual for his ode to the expensive silky shirts that fill his closet called “Shirt By Versace.”
Kirko Bangz drops a new ode to those expensive and gaudy silky shirts called “Shirts By Versace,” featuring French Montana, YG and G-Haze.
The former president has hit the trail in support of his former vice president's bid for the White House.
Jordan Brand hopes the latest spin on the Jordan 1 Zoom will catch the attention of button mashers all over…
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Dealers Report a Sluggish Start at EXPO Chicago 2016
There was talk of a market adjustment.
Amid reports of a period of consolidation in the art market all eyes were on Chicago where EXPO, one of the first fairs of the fall season, kicked off on Thursday. (On the same weekend, the Viennacontemporary fair opened its second edition in the Austrian capital).
A total of 145 galleries from 23 countries made the trip to the Midwest for the event which attracted domestic and international collectors such as the London-based Zabludowicz family.
Things got off to a slow start with most dealers reporting sales of only one or two items. Some gallerists told artnet News that they had a couple of works on hold and were awaiting confirmation, while some admitted to having not yet closed any deals at all during preview.
There was lots of talk of a slowing market and at least three dealers conceded that the art market is currently experiencing an adjustment after a period of rampant speculation. One New York dealer suggested that collectors were reacting to residual uncertainty following the stock market dip of summer 2015 and that buyers may be spooked by economic uncertainty in an election year.
A European dealer even jokingly blamed Tico Mugrabi for “stealing” all of his clients by inviting them to the south of France to attend his wedding.
Despite the sluggish opening days numerous dealers remained upbeat and optimistically told artnet News that they were expecting to make the majority of their sales on the weekend when private collectors from around the Midwest as well as from South America are due to arrive in Chicago.
David Zwirner was one of the standout performers at EXPO. Partner Julia Joern confirmed a number of sales via email including photographs by William Eggleston and Wolfgang Tillmans, works by Yayoi Kusama, a work on paper by Ad Reinhardt, a painting by Bridget Riley, and a recent painting by Lisa Yuskavage.
New York gallery Paul Kasmin completed some early sales, and director Eric Gleason exclaimed that they were “supremely pleased with the first two days.” Gleason reported that the gallery sold a work by Roxy Paine within the first hour of the VIP preview, although he declined to divulge the price. He added that they also closed other deals but didn’t specify what works had been sold.
Berlin’s König Galerie also reported strong sales. Dedicating their booth to Alicja Kwade, the gallery sold a trumpet sculpture for €45,000, a clock-like wall piece for €18,000, and two necklaces for prices ranging from €4,000 and €7,000 each. Sales director Sarah Miltenberger aptly summed up the fair’s clientele and their taste as “classic, conservative, and good.”
Fellow Berlin gallery Peres Projects, who were showing a solo booth with works by Blair Thurman, said they had numerous inquiries and some serious interest. “We’re waiting to confirm a couple of things and if it goes through it will be a great fair,” gallerist Javier Peres said. He added “we wanted to go to a new city and chose Chicago because of the museum and curatorial community in this city.”
San Francisco dealer Tony Meier praised Chicagoans for their rich cultural appreciation, saying “There’s big love of the arts and the institutions are as great as they come.” He also lauded EXPO director Tony Karman: “Tony does a great job,” he said, “The transactional aspect is something he can’t control.” Meier’s early business included the sale of a ceramic work by JJ Peet and a piece by Donald Moffett, which were sold for “under six figures.”
Elsewhere New York gallerist Jim Cohan also closed some early deals, selling two works by the Ethiopian artist Elias Sime for prices between $55,000 and $60,000. Cohan told artnet News that the audience in Chicago is a little bit more conservative. “You’re in the Midwest,” he said. “People are here to buy things that go in their home.” However, he added “we’ve seen a dramatic improvement, big outreach from curators from Midwestern cities.”
Making the trip from across the Atlantic, the Swedish gallerist Claes Nordenhake, who was showing works by John Coplans, Helen Mirra, and Scott Olson, admitted that sales were “not so good,” but added that it was still early. “For us this is an experiment,” he explained. “We’ve tried a lot of fairs and this fair has the potential to be very good, and it’s getting better.”
Galerie Daniel Templon from Brussels sold two works by the Senegalese artist Omar Ba for $40,000. “It’s our first time exhibiting in Chicago,” executive director Anne-Claudie Coric said. “We’re very happy with the early response, and we have more on hold.”
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Multi-sensory experiences will be crucial in attracting consumer attention in 2016. In a world where digital devices dominate, engaging consumers by stimulating their senses beyond purely visual or audio advertising has the potential to be incredibly powerful.
Virtual reality to connect online and in-store experiences
One of the biggest trends in 2016 will be the increased use of virtual reality technology, including those with added sensory experiences involving taste and smell. The number of virtual reality shopping experiences will also increase as online users move around the store, try products and then describe and review the items online using filmed live reviews.
Among the retailers looking to make its online and social media experiences more immersive is Asda. For Halloween it worked with Google, YouTube and Carat UK to create a fully immersive and interactive 360 YouTube video that was shoppable.
“It has been designed for smart phones and tablets because this is where most of our customers spend their time interacting with our brand,” says Chris Chalmers, Asda’s senior director for digital and direct communications. “For some customers we’ve trialled a fully immersive in-store experience where they can view the video through Google Cardboard,” he adds. Google Cardboard is a virtual reality platform developed for use with a fold-out cardboard mount adapted for a mobile phone, and is being marketed as the “affordable way” to experience VR.
4D cinema predicted to take off in 2016
The big screen has already received a sensory makeover with the opening of Europe’s first 4D cinema in Milton Keynes in February 2015. But more investment is expected this year in 4DX cinemas, which include rocking seats that move with the on-screen action, while viewers are hit with wind, water and smells that relate to the plot.
Cinemas have long promoted how the big screen visuals and high quality audio offer a sensory experience, combined with the shared social element of enjoying something with other people.
Digital Cinema Media’s research with Millward Brown called ‘Building Box Office Brands’ reveals how advertisers can benefit from this sensory environment, especially as people have spent money to pay attention to what they are seeing in front of them.
Video direct mail making an impact
Odeon Cinema’s commercial director Andy Edge is looking to send out sensory business cards incorporating high definition video this year as part of his direct mail activity to promote the sensory environment of cinema advertising. “This can be pricey technology but costs will come down and it does give you great cut through, especially in the B2B market,” says Edge. “We would target senior marketing directors with the video content cards to demonstrate the cinema experience.”
Using a “multi-sensory mix” such as the combination of video with print can help people to remember a brand’s message, according to experts. Consumers need to remember what they’ve experienced for a brand to make an impact, says neuroscientist Araceli Camargo, one of the multi-sensory experts used by storytelling and experiential agency We Are Fearless.
“This is where multi-sensorial stimulation plays a role. The more ‘enriching’ an environment, the more the brain and central nervous system are engaged,” she says. “The more engaged we are, the more likely it is we will recall an experience.”
The challenge for brands is how to get the multi-sensory mix right, says Gemma Calvert, a neuro-marketing consultant and visiting professor at the Nanyang Business School in Singapore. The visual sense is so dominant in most humans, marketers often neglect other sensations such as taste and smell, yet these can get them the consumer engagement and brand recall they want, she says.
“Every day is a multi-sensory opportunity for brands and in a crowded marketing environment marketers must go beyond the visual. In fashion, for instance, there is so much emphasis on how clothes look but much less on how they smell and feel, which would really engage consumers,” Calvert adds.
Dr Cathrine Jansson-Boyd is a reader in consumer psychology at Anglia Ruskin University and a specialist in the sense of touch. She says some consumers are more tactile than others. These people tend to be more conscious about what they are touching and more aware of the weight or texture of specific items they are considering buying.
“Touch is very powerful and when it comes to direct mail, marketers should focus on whether a surface is rough or smooth to grab the recipient’s attention,” she advises.
Using taste and smell to evoke memories
She adds consumers love to receive a sensory reward and she picks out the campaigns run by McCain Foods in recent years. These have deliberately set out to evoke memories and excite consumers’ taste buds and nostrils.
The company has released the aroma of baked potatoes from bus shelters and rewarded passers-by with a coupon when they gave a high five to a hand on a poster if they were having chips for tea. Last October McCain installed a pop-up restaurant in London called Sunday Best to promote its new frozen roast potato. 2016 will also include a campaign with a sensory dimension, says McCain’s marketing director Mark Hodge. “You need to think about how your brand can surprise and connect with people,” he advises. “You must know when the consumer will be most receptive so you have their attention. With bus stops, we were reaching people when they were waiting to go home and thinking about what would be nice to eat when they got there.”
Tim Lumb, insight and effectiveness director at marketing body for OOH Outsmart, cites one of his favourite posters of last year as Danish brewer Carlsberg’s beer-dispensing billboard sited on London’s Brick Lane. “Digital OOH networks are multi-sensory and with the development of touch technology things are moving fast. Stimulating the senses more creatively generates social shares, great PR and awards,” he says.
More brands will invest in sensory experiences this year but marketers need to remember how consumers can react differently as particular senses are more dominant in different people. Nevertheless, there are few more effective ways for a brand to not only be noticed, but also remembered.


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Is Ashlee Simpson prophetic? Simpson proposed to Pete Wentz before the two even met, the Fall Out Boy bassist says.
E! News caught up with Pete at the Nordstrom South Coast Plaza store in Costa Mesa, Calif., as the future Mr. Ashlee Simpson pimped his new clothing line, Clandestine Industries.
"So we only found out about the engagement last week. Had you guys done this a while ago?" we asked.
“We got engaged the day we met. Well, actually, before the day we met, we did it through email. I was just like, ‘Hey, I wanna meet you,’ and she was like, ‘Yeah, maybe we should just get engaged,’ ” he says.
That's kinda spooky. We want to know what else that clairvoyant email said and whether it had anything to do with Jessica disappearing from public life. Or is that too much to ask?


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With its previously announced acquisition of Runners Point Group (RPG), Germany will become the biggest European market for Foot Locker after the deal is completed, overtaking Italy. While commenting on its splendid results for the first quarter ended May 4, Foot Locker's management said it will continue to operate multiple banners in Europe, as it does in the U.S., and that it may convert existing Foot Locker stores to Runners Point or Side Step, the more fashion-oriented chain of shoe shops operated by the German company, and vice versa.
As previously indicated, Runners Point Tredex, the e-commerce platform controlled by the German company will give Foot Locker greater flexibility in online transactions in Europe. In turn, Foot Locker will provide back-end support to RPG. It will look at adjusting its product range.
The management pointed out that RPG has been profitable and that its acquisition will be accretive to Foot Locker's results for this year, excluding exceptional costs related to the transaction and to the company's integration. RPG saw its sales grow by 18 percent to €197 million in 2012, with comparable store sales rising by 9 percent.
Beating analysts' projections, Foot Locker reported last week a 7.8 percent increase in net income to $138 million for its first quarter on 5.2 percent higher sales of $1,638 million. Like its profits one year ago, its net earnings were the highest of any quarter for the U.S.-based athletic shoe retailing group. The gross margin improved by 0.2 percentage points to 34.2 percent year-on-year.
Same-store sales were up by 5.2 percent across the group in the quarter, despite a very slow start to the spring season in February. Comparable store sales grew by a mid-single digit in the U.S. and the Asia-Pacific region, but by only a low single digit in Europe and Canada. The total number of stores declined by 14 units, and 64 stores were remodeled or relocated.
Basketball styles grew the most at Foot Locker stores all over the world, including in Europe where many customers were seen going for the Jordan brand. Running continued to grow without pulling away any business from basketball. Lifestyle continued to perform well, thanks especially to several Adidas and Nike models.


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Google chairman to testify at Senate hearing
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Google Inc Chairman Eric Schmidt will testify at a September hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee's Antitrust Subcommittee, Senator Mike Lee said on Friday.
"I look forward to discussing a number of important issues relating to Google and Internet search competition," Lee said.
Google is in the midst of an antitrust probe by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission over complaints that its search results favor the company's other services, among other issues.
(Reporting by Jasmin Melvin; editing by Carol Bishopric)
- Israel pummels Gaza; Kerry steps up diplomatic push |
- With sales sputtering, Apple's iPad looks to IBM alliance
- Ukraine war crimes trials a step closer after Red Cross assessment
- Five held in China food scandal probe, including head of Shanghai Husi Food
- Rebels likely downed Malaysian jet 'by mistake': U.S. officials


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Audi is still going ahead with its plans to bring a ~300 mile electric SUV — by the name of the “Q6” e-tron Quattro — to market in 2018, according to recent reports.
Notably, the production plans for the new model are pretty similar to those of the concept car revealed back in September.
The news is coming to us reportedly from the head of vehicle development at Audi, Dr Rudiger Chmieleswki, so presumably there’s some truth to it.
Here’s more from Autoexpress:
Audi has confirmed its e-tron electric SUV concept will debut as a production ready car in early 2018, with a fully-electric powertrain and 310-mile range. It’ll look almost identical to the car previewed at the Frankfurt Motor Show, and is likely to slot in between the all-new Q5 and recently-updated Q7.
Sitting beside the e-tron at Audi’s Future Performance Day workshop this week, Dr Rudiger Chmielewski, head of total vehicle development told Auto Express that they’d undergone several design clinics in Germany and the USA, and were close to finalizing the SUV’s shape.
“We have found the right height,” Dr Chmielewski noted. “You will find this in the exterior. You’ll also find the headlight pattern in all our electric cars.”
Probably the most interesting comment, though, was the comment on charging networks: “By the time we launch the e-tron, we will have a fast charge network in Germany. An 80% charge will take 30 minutes. The success of a model like this will depend on the infrastructure.”
Presuming the comment on a fast-charging network in Germany is true, that’s great, but you can count me as skeptical. Progress on fast-charging infrastructure in Germany has been incredibly slow to date — to the degree that one even has to consider the possibility of “conspiracy theories” on the matter.


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- KORESELECT Immune receives the 2022 Taste For Life Immunity Essential award
CERRITOS, Calif., Nov. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Korean Ginseng Corp., the world’s number one Korean red ginseng brand, is highlighting Korean red ginseng as another way to stay healthy.
“As an adaptogenic herb and one of the most sought-after superfoods, Korean red ginseng is a great choice for people wanting to help boost their immune systems this flu season,” Rian Heung Sil Leethe CEO of Korea Ginseng Corp. US said. “KORESELECT offers consumers a convenient way to help their bodies prepare for the risk of this year’s ‘triple threat’.”
The adaptogenic qualities of Korean red ginseng stimulate the immune system by increasing both the B and T type cells associated with acquired immunity and the white blood cells responsible for innate immunity. This helps keep the body in homeostasis …


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New Delhi, Nov 14 (PTI) The wholesale price-based inflation declined to a 19-month low of 8.39 per cent in October, on easing prices of fuel and manufactured items.
This is the first time in 19 months that WPI inflation print has come in single digit. The last was in March 2021 at 7.89 per cent.
Since April 2021, WPI inflation remained in double digits for 18 months with September print at 10.79 per cent. Inflation in October 2021 was 13.83 per cent.
'Decline in the rate of inflation in October 2022 is primarily contributed by fall in the price of mineral oils, basic metals, fabricated metal products, except machinery and equipment; textiles; other non-metallic mineral products; minerals etc,' the commerce and industry ministry said on Monday.
Inflation in food articles in October was 8.33 per cent, against 11.03 per cent in the previous month.
Inflation in vegetables was at 17.61 per cent during the month, against 39.66 per cent in September.
In the 'Fuel and Power' basket, inflation was 23.17 per cent, while in manufactured products it was 4.42 per cent during October.
The Reserve Bank takes into account retail inflation for formulating monetary policy. The October retail inflation data would be released later in the day and is likely to come in at below 7 per cent.
The RBI has hiked interest rates by 190 basis points between May to September to 5.90 per cent to tame persistently high inflation which has remained above the RBI's upper tolerance level of 6 per cent for three consecutive quarters.
(This story has been published from a wire agency feed without any modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.)
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text: Available in 100, 125 and 150cc displacement models, the Bajaj Discover 125 was introduced for the very first time in April 2011. But, while its introduction filled an important product gap in the company’s urban class of city bikes, it essentially offered nothing significantly more than its 100cc or 125cc siblings. In just over a year of making its debut, the mid-range Discover model has gone through a major revamp and will look at making a new name for itself as the ‘Discover 125 ST’ (Sports Tourer) Looking to override the average looks and minimalistic features that we associate with commuter bikes of the present day and age, Bajaj has introduced the 2012 Discover 125 ST model with a far more aggressive fairing with sharp edged headlamps that underlines its sporty look. It won’t take you very long to notice the Monoshock Nitrox Suspension on this bike, simply because it would actually be the very first time you actually saw one on a 125cc motorcycle in the country. Other significant highlights on the ST model include a specially designed “Anti Vibration” frame for better stability, visually appealing slender ribbed alloy wheels and aluminum side sets and Petal Disc Brakes that improve overall safety. Powered by Bajaj’s patented “DTS-i Twin Spark” technology, the Discover 125 ST’s four valve engine delivers 13PS @ 9000 rpm and 11Nm of torque, performance figures that currently top the 125cc motorcycle category. Commenting on the launch of the new Discover 125 ST, K Srinivas, President, Motorcycle Business, Bajaj Auto Ltd. said, “We believe that the average Indian commuter has to compromise a lot for fuel efficiency. With the Discover ST we are making a statement that mileage need not come with boring design and outdated features.” The region-wise pricing details for Bajaj’s first ever sports tourer for the country will be declared in the second half of June when the bike enters the showroom. For Bajaj fans with an appetite for something bigger, sportier and more revolutionary, the all new Pulsar 200NS will be finally be on display in Maharashtra showrooms by end of May and will be officially launched in the month of July.


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Drake‘s “Back to Back” has soundtracked an irritated rapper’s diss track which is aimed at Netflix and its new password-sharing policy.
An emerging rapper by the name of Malcolm Whyz3 has gone viral with his threats toward the streaming giant that he’s turned into some catchy rhymes.
“Fuck yo Netflix and chill you really up next to be killed/ I’m really gonna need the answers what’s going on with this bill/ Didn’t y’all used to be like $9.99 but I’m telling you right now the price is too damn high,” he raps.
“Man y’all used to be cool but lately it’s been a pass/ How are y’all a streaming service but still showing its ass/ Yeah this the final straw I’m done that’s it/ You was supposed to replace cable not become that shit.”
The Colorado native then calls out Netflix for their best recent show being Squid Game and how he can’t even use his friends’ or family’s accounts anymore.
“Y’all remove the good shows and we don’t see ’em again/ And we can’t even share the password with family and friends,” he testifies over the 40 and NAV production.
“Back to Back” served as a devastating knockout blow to Meek Mill in his 2015 feud with Drake after he accused the OVO boss of using ghostwriters.
Meanwhile, back in May, Netflix cracked down on password sharing to make sure users were only limited to use within their household and not having one account being used by groups of friends and family across the country.
While that angered plenty of fans, Netflix’s subscriber base enjoyed a huge boost and they’ve even surpassed sign-up totals that spiked at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Mashable.
Netflix received over 100,000 daily sign-ups for new accounts on May 26 and May 27 as a result of the new password-sharing policy being implemented days prior on May 23.
Netflix isn’t the only company receiving smoke from Malcolm as he also dissed Apple for overcharging their consumers for products over 2Pac’s famed “Hit Em Up” instrumental earlier this summer.


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41 Years Ago In what may now seem like an April Fool's Day joke, American Motors Corp. and Sonotone Corp. on April 1, 1959, announce a joint research effort to consider producing an electric car powered by a "self-charging" battery. Two weeks later, on April 18, Nu-Way Industries unveils its experimental electric car with a one-piece plastic body. The company says volume production is slated to begin in May 1960.
Detroit's first International Auto Show opens a three-day run at the State Fair Coliseum on April 17, exhibiting import cars for the first time. Shortly after that show ends, the Detroit Automobile Dealers Assn. announces plans to hold an auto show in fall 1960 at the new Cobo Hall.
On the sales front, General Motors Corp. President John F. Gordon forecasts U.S. new (domestic) car sales will climb to a record 7.2 million in 1965, up from 5.4 million in 1958. (Retail new domestic-make car sales actually hit 7,617,000 in 1964 and set a record of 8,763,000 in 1965. At the same time, import car sales total 481,100 in 1964 and 569,400 in 1965, down from a record 614,100 in 1959.)
27 Years Ago Time is running out for prospective buyers to turn in their bids for the car and diesel engine division of England's bankrupt Rolls-Royce Motors. Bids, accompanied by a deposit of $16 million, must be in the hands of the receiver by May 1, 1973. One sticking point is the fact that a non-British owner or a subsidiary of a foreign company will not be allowed to use the Rolls-Royce name. Another is the fact that British Leyland makes Rolls' body shells and may not continue this work if the company is bought by a competitor. The sale price is expected to be between $80 million and $100 million.
While Britons worry over the treasured icon, auto-makers in the U.S. face the impending passive restraint requirement of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 208. The rule calls for installation of an ignition interlock beginning Aug. 15. The system will prevent the car from starting unless the driver and out-board front passenger seat belts are buckled. Beginning Aug. 15, 1975, front seat passengers must be protected by passive restraints, with all passenger positions coming under the mandate two years later. Many analysts muse that 1973's record sales are being fueled by customer backlash over the impending safety rules and "costly" new emissions regulations for '75 models.
17 Years Ago In a turnabout, Chrysler Corp. in April 1983 announces that it has reached agreement to buy Volkswagen of America Inc.'s stamping plant in Sterling Heights, MI. Chrysler says it will convert the plant for assembly of its planned '85-model H-body cars (Chrysler LeBaron GTS and Dodge Lancer). The No. 3 auto-maker says the new line is aimed at the Honda Accord and will be a "young person's" car. Ironically, less than a decade earlier, VWA purchased Chrysler's then-unfinished assembly plant in Pennsylvania for assembly of its Rabbit car. Chrysler had called that facility the New Stanton plant, but VW changed the moniker to Westmoreland, after the county in which it was located.
At the same time, the Reagan Administration says it is standing by its 1981 decision not to seek an increase in corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) beyond the 27 mpg level.


text: More than\u00a01 million users of MySpace.com and other websites may have been infected with adware spread by a banner advertisement, according to iDefense, a computer security group.The advertisement, for a site called deckoutyourdeck.com, appeared in user profiles on MySpace, an online community with at least 70 million users, said Ken Dunham, director of the rapid response team at iDefense, which is owned by VeriSign.The ad exploits a problem in the way Microsoft\u2019s Internet Explorer browser handles Windows Metafile (WMF) image files. The browser vulnerability raised alarms in December after hackers distributed a specially crafted WMF image through e-mail, instant-messaging links and websites. If the image were opened, it could allow a hacker to gain control over a victim\u2019s computer.There are at least 600 websites that take advantage of the WMF vulnerability, Dunham said. Microsoft issued a patch for the problem in January, but many consumer computers may not have applied the patch, leaving them unprotected. Unpatched machines are particularly vulnerable. Merely visiting a page with the deckoutyourdeck.com banner ad causes a download of a Trojan horse program. Those who have installed the patch see a prompt asking to download a file called "exp.wmf" when visiting a page with the advertisement, Dunham said.Once it starts to run, the Trojan in the banner ad causes infected machines to contact multiple websites and download, among other unwanted programs, advertising software from PurityScan. The PurityScan software can cause unwanted pop-up windows to appear, and also tracks a user\u2019s online activity.Adware can be very difficult to remove, even for technically savvy users. "The problem is hackers are using a variety of exploits, especially WMF, to illegally and silently install this [adware] on users\u2019 computers," Dunham said.MySpace has increasingly been targeted by hackers because of its popularity. MySpace officials contacted in London Thursday afternoon had no immediate comment. iDefense\u2019s Dunham was not sure whether the banner advertisement has been taken down yet, but said that it could have been active for weeks.Websites that distribute adware are paid based on the number of machines that get infected with the software, and hackers have created ways to spread the adware without user consent, increasing their payments.iDefense estimated the number of infections caused by the deckoutyourdeck.com ad through a server in Turkey hosting the adware. The server appears to track the number of machines infected with the adware, and indicated that 1.07 million computers had downloaded the program, Dunham said.A Whois search for deckoutyourdeck.com leads to a winding trail of registrants. Dunham said hackers frequently use false credentials when registering a domain name to cloud inquiries.-Jeremy Kirk, IDG News Service (London Bureau)Check out our CIO News Alerts and Tech Informer pages for more updated news coverage.


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The Prime Minister of Fiji is very happy with a former BC Ferries manager's new motor vessel:
“The Lomaiviti Princess III is bigger and more comfortable”.
Those are the words of Prime Minister, Voreqe Bainimarama while launching the Goundar Shipping’s new ship, the Lomaiviti Princess III last night.
Bainimarama says this ship will carry more people and vehicles.
He says the Lomaiviti Princess III, is more than just a ship but it is part of our national communications network...
That's not all.
...Bainimarama says Goundar Shipping will get more ships in the next few years and a floating dock will also be built by the company.
One who has paying attention can only wonder....How much will the renovations for those boats cost
Need a little more background on this particular bit of cronification that the Lotuslandian proMedia has so little sustained interest in?....Well...Norm Farrell and his readers had the story nailed to the car deck floor back in September....Here...The kicker?...We are, apparently, in the process of selling off more boats.


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There are 141 item(s) tagged with the keyword "Announcement".
Displaying: 1 - 10 of 141
- 1. Citizen Science Exploration Grants
UK Research and innovation is launching a new £400,000 funding call to encourage researchers and innovators to experiment with citizen science.
- 2. Networks to prepare UK transport for a low carbon future
Five new networks will help to tackle climate change by removing barriers to low carbon transport in the UK, ranging from commercial flights using electric airplanes to decarbonised freight transport and hydrogen-fuelled cars.
- 3. Newton Prize 2019 shortlist announced
Twenty international research projects have been short-listed for the 2019 Newton Prize, which celebrates outstanding international research partnerships.
- 4. £5.4 million Future Fashion Factory launches in style
UK Research and Innovation’s Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) is investing £645,000 in the first nine projects to be funded under its £5.4 million Future Fashion Factory programme, an industry-led initiative supporting collaborative R&D in the UK fashion design and textile industry.
- 5. Clothes designed to grow as children age could mean savings for parents while cutting waste
Innovative businesses creating green alternatives to plastic bottles, cosmetic beads and synthetic materials are being backed by new funding from the Government and Sky.
- 6. More than £16 million Innovate UK and private equity investment into companies confirmed
More than £16 million Innovate UK and private equity investment into companies across the UK developing new precision medicine technologies has been confirmed today.
- 7. Ensuring research is effectively at the heart of achieving the UN's Sustainable Development Goals
UK Research and Innovation has commissioned a consortium of seven leading universities, research centres and the United Nations Development Programme to work together.
- 8. UKRI publishes Annual Report
UK Research and Innovation has published its Annual Report and Accounts, covering the financial year 2018-19.
- 9. £125 million cash boost for game-changing UK innovators
Businesses large and small across the UK are poised to receive a £125 million cash boost to turn their innovative ideas into new products and services on the market.
- 10. Prosperity Partnerships to address generational challenges across the globe
Pioneering new partnerships have been launched to speed up the production of medicines, utilise Artificial Intelligence to complete household tasks, develop ultra-high strength alloys for the automotive industry and create new materials that will not make a noise underwater, reducing its harmful impact on marine wildlife.
Displaying: 1 - 10 of 141


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Google has made it easier to stream from Apple Podcasts and others when searching for podcasts in Google Search. After earlier this year winding down a feature that let users play podcasts directly from search results, the company said it would “gradually” shift to a new design that would instead offer information about podcasts and links to listen on other platforms through its search results. Now, that change is rolling out, we’re told.
When people search for podcasts using generic terms like “kids podcasts” or “movie podcasts” via their iPhone or iPad, they’ll see an option to “Listen on Apple Podcasts,” Apple told us.
Currently, the feature is only available to Google Search users in the U.S. (We understand it will roll out to more markets over time, after the initial performance is assessed.)
When testing the changes by searching for “comedy podcasts” (sans quotes), we found a box near the top of the search results that showcased a number of popular titles. In addition to being about to filter for things like “stand-up comedy” or “TV” among others, you could also tap on filter buttons to limit results to those podcasts found on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Google Podcasts.
On the iPhone we tested on via Google mobile search, the Google Podcasts filter option was off to the side of the screen — it was not among the first set of filters.
After tapping on an individual show, you’re taken to a detail page where you can read a description and learn more about the program, like how frequently it releases, the average length of an episode, and see a listen of the latest episodes. Here, a “Listen now on Apple Podcasts” option is available and, when tapped, will directly launch the show in the Apple Podcasts app, courtesy of a deep link.
Apple isn’t the only beneficiary here, it seems, as the same functionality is available for Spotify, as well. To see Google Podcasts, you have to click another button — “All Listening Options” which reveals further choices. (No self-preferencing here, apparently!) Spotify said the feature has been live for its app for over a year.
This change may not be new to you, given the phased rollout. Often, that means some users will see changes before others. However, it was only this week being “officially” introduced.
Apple said the update is a recognition of the fact that people don’t want to listen to podcasts in-line — they would rather use the app of their choice.


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NZ Traders Making Significant Returns
15th May 2008
NZ Traders Making Significant Returns From Falling Dollar
New Zealand exporters are not the only ones benefiting from the falling New Zealand dollar.
According to Sargon Elias, General Manager, CMC Markets New Zealand a number of their clients involved in online FX trading have made significant profit in the last 24 hours as they had gone short on the New Zealand dollar.
“Our clients have obviously been watching the trends and various announcements around housing and retail figures closely because no-one has taken a long position on the New Zealand dollar.”
Elias believes that latest retail figures will mean Reserve Bank Governor Allan Bollard will cut interest rates if not in July definitely in September which is sooner than may expected.
“He has got the slow down he was looking for in housing and spending so he has room to move but the downside of falling dollar is that already high fuel prices will continue to climb and that has the potential to impact on inflation.”
As far as FX traders are concerned Elias expects them to continue to go short on NZD. “We believe the dollar will continue to drop as market data confirms the economic slow down.”
About CMC Markets
CMC Markets New Zealand Limited, an online trading company, is the largest share, index, sector and margin FX CFD provider in New Zealand. CMC Markets has operations in New Zealand, Australia, Canada, China, Germany, Hong Kong, Singapore, Sweden the UK and the US with clients in over 55 countries worldwide. It aims to offer the most cost effective trading solutions to retail investors.
Released on behalf of CMC Markets by Donovan Boyd Communications Ltd. For further information contact:


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With the economy in the doldrums, booking tickets for a play or concert might not be top of everyone's shopping list. So where does that leave the region's festivals?
Well, organisers of the Brighton one say they're working hard to ensure that many of the events are affordable, or even free. And today, they gave a flavour of what's in store when the Festival starts in May.
Malcolm Shaw reports and speaks to Andrew Comben, chief executive, and guest director Michael Rosen.
More top news
Both men pleaded guilty to possessing cocaine and cannabis with intent to supply.
A fire has ripped through a family home in Burghfield Common near Reading.
Take a look at the weather forecast with Kate Haskell.


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Barcelona - Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg on Monday fended off complaints that the hugely popular social network was getting a free ride out of telecom operators who host its service on smartphones.
Zuckerberg, 30, confronted tensions between internet giants such as Facebook and Google and telecom firms present at the Mobile World Congress, the world's biggest wireless phone fair, in Barcelona.
Executives have complained that some internet services' smartphone applications generate revenue while it is the telephone companies that are forced to invest in the networks that host them.
The Wall Street Journal on Sunday quoted Denis O'Brien, chairman of international wireless firm Digicel Group, as saying: “Mark Zuckerberg is like the guy who comes to your party and drinks your Champagne, and kisses your girls, and doesn't bring anything.”
Zuckerberg later defended himself in an appearance at the congress alongside the heads of several telecom companies with which he is working to launch smartphone Internet access in developing countries in Latin America, Africa and Asia.
“We have these services that people love and that are drivers of data usage... and we want to work this out so that way it's a profitable model for our partners,” Zuckerberg said.
The head of Norwegian company Telenor, Jon Fredrik Baksaas, said it was a “point of tension” that Facebook and the WhatsApp service that it owns offer free messaging which bypasses the phone companies' own paid services.
Telenor is one of the companies working to launch free access to Facebook's phone application in developing countries.
In those deals, Facebook is serving as an incentive to draw new customers since it is one of the most in-demand services for smartphone users in emerging markets.
“We need to find a balance because we are the ones that deploy resources locally, we work locally, we create a lot of employment locally, we pay government taxes locally,” Baksaas said.
“There is a financial formula that needs to be balanced in the long run.”


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IPhone, iPad, and IMAX Designer, who has helped Apple convert to one of the world's largest companies for more than 20 years, has decided to leave.
Designer Jonathan Ewe announced Apple's decision to establish his company this year, which will be Apple's first customer. The new company named Loveframe will launch next year and will be its headquarters in California.
"I'm not one of Apple's employees, but I have long been interested in it and I hope he will run for years," he told the Financial Times.
According to a statement posted on Apple's website, Jonath expressed his pride in participating in the company's design team and participating in "unique ways" to develop the culture and style of work.
Jonathan was considered "a natural and appropriate time for change", but in his departure, the company was going to pass along some changes. Sales director Angela Arandas also left the company in April.
There is concern that Jonathan's departure can hurt investors and consumers, many see him as Apple's most important mind.
But Apple's director Tim Cook simply spoke on the company's web site, saying that Jonathan was "unique" in the design design and said his role in Apple could not be ignored.
Apple founder Steve Jobs embraced and supported Jonathan Yves for his talent and strong faith in the company. For many years with work and creativity, they created some of the world's most famous electronics, which made Apple one of the world's most successful partnerships.
According to ABC News, in 2012, Jonathan Yavesh of Buckingham Palace in the UK was named Sir Sir.


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Nepal Rastra Bank has indicated to increase the limit of electronic payment. Announcing the semi-annual review report of the monetary policy for the fiscal year 2077/78, the central bank said that it would review the transaction limit in a timely manner to encourage electronic payment transactions.
NRB has already given in-principle approval to Nepal Clearing House Limited to set up a national payment switch to strengthen the payment system and maintain records of all types of electronic transactions.
The service charges charged by banks and financial institutions, payment service providers and payment system operators for providing electronic payment services have also been reviewed. In addition, the central bank has also made public the draft of the relevant criteria to manage the payments made through Quick Response (QR) code in electronic payments.
It will be finalized soon based on the opinions and suggestions of the stakeholders. Similarly, the NRB report states that necessary policy arrangements will be made for the promotion of electronic transactions including QR code.
NRB, which has been promoting and promoting e-commerce, has also announced that certain expenses incurred in e-literacy will be calculated under corporate social responsibility.


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Boingo expands hotel WLAN coverage
Adds 200 sites; 800 more coming by end 2005
Boingo has added a further 200 sites to its aggregated network of Wi-Fi hotspots courtesy of a tie-in with Arescom, a supplier of in-room Internet and entertainment systems for hotels.
The extra sites will not only be made available to Boingo subscribers but to the company's wholesale partners, it said.
Arescom's in-room service is currently available in 200 US hotels, a figure the company hopes to grow to 1000 by the end of 2005.
Meanwhile, Boingo also said it will work with service provision software supplier Motive to offer software that makes it easier for wholesalers to roll out Wi-Fi and broadband installations by simplifying the end-user PC set-up process. ®


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The Center announced this afternoon that central valley food business entrepreneurs will be creating and sharing their unique food items.
The Clovis Culinary Center is a nonprofit facility that provides a professional culinary service for food entrepreneurs who want to start or expand their business. The center has a state of the art certified commercial kitchen where entrepreneurs can utilize to create their specialty food items.
“Due to the shutdown of most valley special events, many of these budding entrepreneurs are left with no place to sell their goodies,” explained Jason Quigley, Clovis Culinary Center’s kitchen manager. “So we decided to have an event of our own. The event enables the public to stop, buy and purchase a variety of prepared food items for take-out, so it meets and exceeds all state and county guidelines for public safety.”
The event will feature food businesses like La Pina Casa, which produces a 100 percent vegan honey made with fermented pineapple as well as Nopales tamales with house made escabeche and salsa Verde; BP Fish, which produces a variety of gourmet smoked salmon as well as fresh AAA Grade Alaskan halibut, ling cod and red snapper; Maggie’s Salsa; Smokin’ Jokers BBQ, serving up tri tip and chicken sliders; and more.
“Most of the items available at this event are not available anywhere else,” said Quigley. “Everything is original, unique, creative and delicious.”
The event will take place on Saturday, July 25 from 4:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Clovis Culinary Center located on 3185 Willow Avenue, Clovis, CA 93612.
If anyone is planning to attend, please remember to follow current health guidelines and social distancing measures. If you are feeling sick, please stay home.
For more information, contact Shawn Miller at (559) 324-2083, (559) 307-8511 (cell), or email@example.com.


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The Silicon-Valley based company agreed to purchase Convergys at the end of June but the transaction was expected to close at the end of 2018 as it was subject to the approval of shareholders of both companies, regulatory requirements and closing conditions – which have now been fulfilled. The integration process has already begun and is expected to be completed over the next 12 months.
The new combined Concentrix organization will provide services in more than 70 languages from approximately 275 locations in over 40 countries across 6 continents.
“This transformational combination reinforces Concentrix’s market position in business services, broadening our global scale and scope, and presents opportunities for revenue and profitability growth,” said Dennis Polk, President and Chief Executive Officer at Synnex Corporation.
Earlier this year, it was not clear why Convergys was on the market, as it was seen to be rapidly expanding, especially after it acquired Stream Global Services in a landmark deal.
However, its CEO Andrea Ayers resigned after nearly 30 years at the company and reports say that it began looking for a buy-out following her departure. This was followed by its first-quarter revenue falling by 10% to US$674 million as companies began reducing business with the firm.
Synnex acquired Concentrix in 2006 and will now combine it with its new purchase to form one huge hybrid BPO.


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Japanese motorcycle manufacturer Kawasaki on Thursday launched its quarter-litre streetbike Z250, based on the Ninja 250R, and the 650cc ER-6n. The Z250 has been priced at Rs. 2.99 lakh... »
One of our nicest meals was in Café Venite in Panaji. Apart from the food, you have to visit the restaurant for its interiors – the colourful graffiti on the wall and beer bottles that act as chandel...
The fourth edition “Mrs. India Worldwide 2014” attracted contestants from diverse backgrounds »


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My son’s school is forcing parents to spend £10.50 on branded jumpers – I can’t afford it and it’s causing us misery
A mum has told of her fury after her sons’ school forced hardened parents to spend £10.50 on designer jumpers.
Marie Hodgson says Linthorpe Primary School’s uniform policies are causing “financial misery”.
Under new Middlesbrough School rules, children must wear school-branded PE jumpers and tops, which can only be purchased from one supplier at a cost of between £8.50 and £10 £.50 each.
The primary gave each of its students a free sweater and top each and introduced a payment plan to help.
But Marie, whose sons Simon, seven, and James, eight, go to Linthorpe, told Teesside Live the measures were not enough.
“It will impact my finances and then next year they will take the support away from me,” she said.
“I have two children, but there are a lot of people at school who have more.
“The school says it’s to make the kids look smarter, but they already look really smart in sweaters without a logo.”
Marie claims that when she spoke to the school, they told her she had spent “£10,000” on free jumpers.
“They could have spent more money on the kids, on things like books,” she said.
Most read in The Irish Sun
She now refuses to buy a new uniform unless it is strictly necessary.
“It’s going to cost a lot more people a lot more at a time when it shouldn’t,” she said.
“I hope they realize their parents don’t want this and change their minds.”
In November, the government issued guidance on the costs of school uniforms that said headteachers should “minimize branded items”.
Guidance from the Department for Education also advises that “schools should ensure their uniform is affordable”.
Linthorpe Community Primary School declined to comment.
However, the school has told parents that only pullovers or cardigans and PE shirts should be marked.
All other clothing items can be purchased elsewhere.
It has also launched a ‘pre-loved’ uniform sale, where mums and dads can buy second-hand clothes for £1 per item, and says parents can apply for additional financial support if needed.


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CAIRO – After turning to food vending to sustain their families, many Egyptians found themselves in a difficult situation after authorities approved in April a new tax on street food trucks and carts.
The new tax has long been a subject of discussion for the Local Management Committee. It has finally decided that the permit would cost the maximum of 20,000 pounds (EGP), or $1,135$, and allow vendors to operate in public spaces during a one-year period.
“The decision is final and will be applied in coordination with the localities,” Ali Etman, a member of the Local Management Committee told The Globe Post.
The aim was to protect consumers from any potentially hazardous foods, Etman added, clarifying that food carts would have fixed locations to keep roads aesthetic and in good shape.
According to the law, the cost of the permit depends on the location. Therefore, the law requires food truck owners to install GPS trackers. Permits get usually issued within 15 days of the receipt of the request, and cannot be relinquished to others without prior notification.
In the draft version of the bill presented to the House of Representatives, the government suggested the maximum tax of 10,000 EGP ($567) for every six months, but the lawmakers adjusted it before ratification.
During discussions, a representative of the Interior Ministry at the committee stipulated that food carts would have to meet safety requirements to be able to obtain a license. Meanwhile, Health Ministry representative Maysa Hamza was concerned over health-related issues. According to her, such food carts demonstrate inadequate food safety practices like poor hygiene and lack of sanitation. That’s why she urged caution in issuing any license.
Split over the Law
The increase of the permit’s cost from 10,000 EGP ($567) to 20,000 EGP ($1,135) caused a split in the House. The pro-increase representatives justified the move by saying there were some food carts making big money from selling highly priced food at high-end places. At the same time, other representatives warned against imposing unfair fees on food trucks catering to low-income neighborhoods.
“The government wants to merge the unofficial economy represented in the food vending business into the official economy,” Wael el-Nahas, an economic expert, told to The Globe Post.
In return, the government intends to subsidize these carts owners by selling groceries to them at good prices without oscillation, el-Nahas added.
Rashad Abdo, the head of the Egyptian Forum for Political and Economic Studies, told The Globe Post that permits will help owners of food carts to work legally without interferences and corrupt practices in some localities.
El-Nahas clarified, however, that the state did not need a new law but rather required a new system.
“The laws sometimes create corruption, and the laws magnify corruption,” he noted.
Rise of Food Vending Business
The food truck businesses have been widely growing across the country. However, there are no exact figures estimating the number of the food carts or the volume of profits. Meanwhile, such small businesses are booming amongst youth and became their outlet for dealing with the unemployment issue.
Egypt’s unemployment rate dropped to 11.3 percent in the fourth quarter of 2017, compared to 12.4 percent in the same period of 2016, according to the February 15 report by the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS).
Foul (fava beans) and falafel carts are common in Egypt and usually operate in the mornings near government buildings and other locations with heavy traffic. As these traditional carts have grown in popularity, other cart owners have come up with new designs and ideas to sell different types of ready-made food.
Khaled, a 24-year-old commerce graduate, is now running a small food business. He sets up his stand in front of an educational institution in Nasr City, east of Cairo.
“I know nothing about the new permit; I am just working here to boost my income,” he told The Globe Post.
Khaled uses his cousin’s small car as a mobile food unit. His menu, written on a small blackboard, doesn’t offer a lot of choices. He offers only two items, grilled meatball sandwiches and the Arabian tea made on charcoal.
Khaled said his project generates a net profit of 400 EGP ($22) a day, which is sufficient for him.
“I do not work all day long, just four hours. I target the institution’s students, and when I finish, I go to my second job at an air conditioning company close to my business,” he said.
Khaled admitted that he works without getting any permits or health certificates, just like many other vendors.
“However, no one complained about my sandwiches before, my food is delicious and clean,” he noted.


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The Ministry of Health in Barbados has taken the decision that the e-cigarette should be regarded as a cigarette and as a result will be taxed at the same level as regular cigarettes.
In addition, the provision of the legislation banning smoking in public places, as well as the ban on sales to and by minors, would apply.
This information has come in a statement from the ministry, which has also indicated that the e-cigarette should not be promoted as a cessation device for tobacco smokers.
The decision to regard the e-cigarette as a normal cigarette is in response to claims by some promoters that the device was a safe alternative to cigarette smoking for both users and third parties, as well as a way to assist persons to quit smoking.
The World Health Organisation has determined that these claims are not supported by evidence and has requested that these therapeutic claims be withdrawn by manufacturers and retailers until they can be validated by appropriate studies.
The Ministry of Health has also raised a number of concerns regarding the use of e-cigarettes. According to that department, research indicated that no set definition of the e-cigarette existed, as different manufacturers used a number of designs for the device, and varied the formulation of ingredients.
“Thus, results of analysis of one branded product may not be applicable to all.
“Analysis of cartridges of two brands of e-cigarettes by the United States Food and Drug Administration disclosed that the amounts of nicotine released by vaporisation fluctuated greatly not only across brands as would be expected, but also from cartridge to cartridge within brands, and from puff to puff on the same device. The amount of nicotine released was even different from what was advertised on the label.
“Some cartridges labelled ‘nicotine free’ also contained nicotine solutions [and] some devices also leaked solution while being used,” the statement explained.


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The final Operation Rainfall game Pandora’s Tower finally has a release date set in North America. XSEED announced that Pandora’s Tower will be released later this month on April 16th. It was originally thought that the April 16th date was just a place holder date for the game, but apparently that is not the case as it will be the official release date for Pandora’s Tower.
XSEED also announced the opening of the official website for Pandora’s Tower which has details on the games characters, weapons, gameplay, and story. Pandora’s Tower is quite different from the other two games released under the Operation Rainfall banner Xenoblade Chronocles and The Last Story.
Unlike the other two games which are more RPG focused gameplay, Pandora’s Tower has the player focus on saving the main female protagonist from becoming a monster. You spend your time as a player seeking out meat of the “thirteen monsters” that can prevent Elena from turning into a monster herself.
Pandora’s Tower will be released for only $40 on the Wii exclusively.


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A fashion and design student from the University of Central Lancashire (U.C.L.A.N) has won the chance to see her designs come to life, after winning Roland DG’s XT-640 textile pattern design competition last year.
Roland DG is delighted to announce that the latest addition to its advanced and versatile TrueVIS printer/cutter range, the TrueVIS SG Series, has won ‘Best Print & Cut Solution’ at the prestigious EDP (European Digital Press) awards.
Roland DG Corporation, a leading manufacturer of wide-format inkjet printers, printer/cutters and vinyl cutters worldwide, today announced the launch of the GR-640/540/420 professional vinyl cutters, the latest additions to its CAMM-1 series.
Visitors to the Roland booth at the upcoming International Dental Show (IDS) in Cologne (Hall 3.1 Booth L030/M029) are invited to discover the exciting clinical and commercial benefits of CAD/CAM in modern day dentistry and learn why so many dental professionals worldwide choose Roland milling ma
With the fast-growing desire of consumers and businesses for personalisation and bespoke goods and services, Roland DG has announced today an exciting new addition, that can help entrepreneurial printers capitalise on this trend: the VersaUV LEF-200 flatbed printer. Enabling on-demand small-lot customisation of an enormous range of items, objects and accessories, the LEF-200 is the latest in Roland DG’s benchtop UV-LED flatbed inkjet line-up.
Roland DG Corporation, a leading manufacturer of digital fabrication tools including 3D milling machines, 3D printers and engravers, today announced the launch of the METAZA MPX-95 DPM barcode impact printing solution, for the affordable track and trace of medical instruments.
Roland DG Corporation, a leading manufacturer of wide-format inkjet printers and printer/cutters worldwide, has announced that its recently introduced Roland VersaWorks Dual RIP and print management software now supports several additional Roland DG inkjet printers and printer/cutters.
Roland DG today announced the launch of the METAZA MPX-95, a new compact engraver and Gift Kit, for the profitable personalisation of metallicitems with photos, logos, images, names and messages. With its diamond stylus and powerful impact force, the MPX-95 can imprint on a wide variety of materials, including stainless steel, iron, titanium, platinum and softer substrates such as gold, silver, brass, copper, nickel and aluminium at highspeed and with pinpoint accuracy.Users can add value to a wide range of items including personalised pens and stationery, smart devices, jewellery and pendants, trophies and awards, watches, belt buckles and industrial plates.
Roland DG Corporation is proud to announce that it was honored with two prestigious Specialty Graphic Imaging Association (SGIA)Product of the Year awards at the recently held 2016 SGIA Expoin Las Vegas.


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The placing price is 15 times Wiseman's forecast earnings per share for this year. Shares in Unigate and Northern Foods - the closest quoted rivals - trade at between 10 and 11 times 1994 earnings.
Wiseman was widely complimented in the City yesterday for being efficiently run. However, some doubted that the shares deserved to trade at a 50 per cent premium to peers. One analyst said: 'The road ahead will be a lot tougher than the road behind. To an extent Wiseman is trading on past glories to get away with a price like this.'
The company, founded near Glasgow after the Second World War, is raising pounds 16m by selling a quarter of the equity. It will use the money to fund capital expenditure - particularly its first big venture south of the border. It has bought a Manchester distribution depot and plans a new dairy there.
Wiseman, which decorates its product packaging and distribution trucks to look like a black and white Friesian cow, concentrates on supplying milk to supermarkets.
Alan Wiseman, the chairman, said supermarkets exerted keen price pressure on milk suppliers. However, he said profit margins on milk were better than for produce supplied to make butter and cheese.
He added that Wiseman's attention to low-cost production meant it could widen profit margins. He dismissed the suggestion that Wiseman would expand into supplying milk for dairy produce.
The family owners of the business will receive pounds 4.5m from the float. Mr Wiseman's shares will be worth pounds 23.3m. Those of his brother, the chief executive Robert Wiseman, will be worth pounds 19m. Dealings are expected to start on 28 March.Reuse content


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Latest Alps Ventures News
Nov 19, 2013
Named after the King of Fruits, Duriana will show users products in their immediate vicinity and provide instant communication between sellers and buyers A new mobile location-based peer-to-peer marketplace app is in town. Named after the King of Fruits in Southeast Asia, Duriana announced its public release today on iOS and Android platforms. Duriana was first founded in October 2013, and jointly started by Alps Ventures, an incubator with offices in Singapore and Vienna, and former Managing
Alps Ventures Team
3 Team Members
Alps Ventures has 3 team members, including current Managing Partner, Markus Pichler.


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At Enterprise World 2019 in Toronto, our CEO and CTO Mark Barrenechea announced OpenText’s expanded strategic partnership with Google Cloud. The announcement marks a major inflection point in the evolution of our cloud business at OpenText™ and solidifies our relationship with Google.
But what does this mean for OpenText customers? Let’s unpack the details.
The Power of Preferred Partners
OpenText has named Google Cloud its preferred partner for enterprise cloud, and Google Cloud has selected OpenText as its preferred partner for Enterprise Information Management (EIM) Services.
This means that while we continue to enable broad customer choice under the OpenText Anywhere program, the Google Cloud Platform (GCP) is our preferred hyperscaler cloud option. The announcement includes new partnerships, services and product integrations designed to help customers move critical EIM workloads to Google Cloud.
The core message in this partnership? Industry-leading EIM applications and expert Managed Services from OpenText + world-class cloud infrastructure and intelligent services from Google = massive customer benefit.
Expanded Managed Services on GCP
Hundreds of customers trust OpenText to deploy, operate, manage and maintain business-critical EIM applications running in the OpenText Cloud. We are extending that same high-value Enterprise Managed Services (EMS) offering to the GCP.
This significant expansion of cloud managed services is made possible by the availability of containerized versions of our products. Containers enable us to install products more quickly, monitor them more extensively, and update them more easily with new levels of intelligent automation. The powerful “Never Upgrade Again” message of OpenText Release CE (Cloud Edition) relies on containerization and the ability it gives us to separate customizations from the base application in customer deployments.
Coming in fall 2019, OpenText Release 16 EP7 will include the first five products to be containerized for deployment on GCP, including our leading Enterprise Content Services offerings for archiving and document management. We are now able to offer these products as a managed service deployment in the Google Cloud with the same service level scope and commitment that we deliver to customers today in the OpenText Cloud. These first five products will be followed by more containerized releases in the lead-up to Release CE’s general availability date in April 2020.
As the list of containerized applications grows so does the opportunity to deploy EIM solutions in multiple clouds as a fully managed service. Anthos is the Google orchestration technology that we’re using to deploy and manage containerized EIM workloads in the OpenText Cloud, on GCP, and potentially in Azure and AWS as required.
More Disaster Recovery Service Options
Many OpenText Cloud customers located outside of the data zones serviced from our EMEA and USA twin data centers – such as customers in Canada and Australia – require their data to remain in-country. Our Google Cloud partnership enables us to expand our offerings and provide customers with a multi-cloud DR service, with the primary deployment in the OpenText data center and the DR instance running on GCP.
Massive Customer Benefit
The Google partnership announcement unveils a product co-innovation agenda that will extend the value that our customers derive from OpenText products with the addition of new services from Google. The service integrations will extend the capabilities of OpenText products in ways that can help our customers unlock the full value of their data and create an information advantage. Going forward, we’ll combine Google AI services with OpenText™ Magellan™ AI to ensure customers have the right analytics to solve their specific business problem. We demoed at Enterprise World that we can use Google services like the transcription and translation services to add more intelligence to our own Content Services. And we’ll integrate our portfolio of products with G Suite to create a seamless experience with various EIM activities.
I echo the sentiments that Rob Enslin, global head of sales at Google Cloud, shared in this blog post about the partnership with OpenText. We’re so excited for this transformative partnership with Google and can’t wait to bring these innovations to our joint customers.
You can read more about the partnership in our press release.
Join us on this amazing journey as we help our customers move their critical EIM workloads to the Google Cloud!


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A DNA test conducted in under an hour that claims to predict certain effects from cannabis that differ person to person has been launched in Alberta, Canada, The Vancouver Star reports.
The test is developed by Toronto company Lobo Genetics. Known as the Cube platform, the test uses oral swaps and then does a search of the DNA for certain markers identified by research to be associated with things like delayed onset, risk factors for mental illness, or whether the person is more likely to suffer memory loss. The test takes about an hour and costs $30.
“We’ve spoken to a lot of people that already thought there was something wrong with them – like they had taken cannabis before and they were the only one in their group where they had a strong reaction and then we test their genetics, and sure enough, they’re a slow metabolizer or they have one of the other [genetic] markers.” — John Lem, CEO of Lobo Genetics, via the Vancouver Star
Last week, Lobo Genetics set up five different stations at Nova Cannabis stores in Alberta, including two in Edmonton and one in each city of Calgary, Fort Saskatchewan, and Spruce Grove.
While an expert with the University of British Columbia was consulted about the development said that the technology is certainly based on science, he also said that most of the research has been on cells in a petri dish and not humans, which could be a limitation of the technology until more clinical research is completed.
The stations will remain in the Nova Cannabis stores for the rest of the month. As more brick and mortar cannabis stores are launched across Canada, Lobo Genetics hopes to expand their Cube stations to more provinces.
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Last week, global beauty company Coty, Inc. announced that based on the previous year’s success, it has renewed its long-term licensing agreement with global sporting goods industry leader adidas. The new agreement follows the successful launch of the adidas Active Skin and Mind Range, which was released last year.
About adidas Active Skin & Mind
“With the launch of the adidas Active Skin and Mind Range, we are positioning adidas as a leading premium body care line with superior ingredients and sustainable packaging,” stated Sue Nabi, Coty CEO in the company’s press release on the announcement.
Further, “the ambition to remain at the leading edge of personal care continues with the new Active Skin & Mind Range and its use of superior active ingredients, such as Hyaluronic Acid complex, and more sustainable sulphate-free formulas to enhance performance,” the release continued.
The collection, which includes a range of deodorants and shower products, features a clean formulation that is vegan and appropriate for all skin types, including those with sensitive skin. The inclusion of Hyaluronic Acid as a hero ingredient is designed to protect skin from dryness by increasing moisture retention and strengthening the skin’s barrier.
Additionally, “Coty and adidas’ shared commitment to sustainability remains a central feature of their extended agreement, evidenced in the development of the Active Skin & Mind Range,” said the release. For example, the product line’s packaging design features environmentally friendly materials like recycled glass and recycled plastic caps. Additionally, the range’s shower gels are designed to be refillable, and the shower sticks and deodorant bars are offered in plastic-free, paper options.
About the partnership agreement
“The partnership of adidas and Coty has been focused on the intersection of personal care, wellness, sports and sports lifestyle, with pioneering research and innovation into areas such as the impact of fragrance on sports performance,” shared the Coty release.
The partnership, bolstered by Coty’s experience and support as a successful global beauty company, have perfectly positioned adidas “to capitalize on the new well-being and athleisure trend in beauty amongst today’s consumers,” added Nabi.
She further shared that the Active Skin and Mind Range has, “in recent months, successfully elevated the body care equity of adidas, moving into products that are focused on enhancing sports and skin care credibility.”
Due to the launch’s positive reception by its targeted consumer demographic, Coty “looks forward to building on this progress with an exciting pipeline of further innovations and lines as we drive growth in new and existing markets in the future,” she continued.
Plans for further growth
As the Active Skin and Mind Range has already been successfully received by European consumers, adidas and Coty have now set sights on expanding and driving brand growth into the Chinese market. Recently, Chinese snowboarding Olympic gold medalist Su Yiming was confirmed as brand ambassador for Active Skin and Mind products as he “understands the demands on the skin of an active lifestyle in the extreme cold,” qualifying his experience as an athlete who is an “ideal choice for the brand as it looks to capture the attention of Chinese consumers,” the release shared.
Through Yiming, the companies hope to foster brand growth by capitalizing on “a digital strategy led by livestreaming on Douyin,” China’s most downloaded video-streaming app that is like the popular TikTok social media platform.


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Sebastian at Snowflakes in Hell is collaborating on a project to demonstrate vividly just how asinine the proposed ban on "high capacity" magazines* is.
A YouTube video showing that there's no meaningful speed difference between a 30-round mag and three 10-rounders? An analysis of the utter lack of public safety benefit from the 1994-2004 magazine ban? A visual representation of the tens of millions of untraceable full-capacity mags currently in circulation? Nope.
He and a friend are building a design for a 30-round magazine that anybody can feed into a consumer-grade 3D printer..
I will publish the design here, because I want it to spread far and wide. I’d like to see Paul Helmke try to argue we need to ban CAD drawings too, or restrict 3D printing technology. You can’t put the genie back in the bottle. We’re going to do our best to prove that.
It's pretty dumb when people get worked up trying to ban a simple device that can be made in any machine shop. It's dumber still when they try to prevent the manufacture of drugs you can synthesize from cough medicine. Restrictions on knives, which any human can make with a piece of scrap metal and a patch of concrete, are stupid beyond comment.
Is there any way to pretend the proposed magazine ban has a public safety benefit when anybody with a $1200 printer can mass produce them? And that's right now; in a few years, these printers will be cheaper and better. With some of the nascent metal printing technologies being developed out there, it may only be a decade before there are consumer printers that can make most of a gun from scratch.
Once that happens, you'll be able to tell a lot about your government from their response. Do they act like grown-ups and acknowledge that prohibition is pointless? Or do they start regulating the possession and transmission of CAD files and demanding lockouts, spying software, and "fingerprinting" technology in consumer printing equipment?
[* - Or, as the increasingly desperate anti-gun lobby has been trying in vain to brand them, "assault clips", or, I shit you not, "big bullet blasting boxes". Evidently the only talent they can still afford to hire is retired silver age comics writers.]


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IT buyers can now check the financial stability of suppliers online before negotiating contracts as Begbies Traynor makes its Red Flag Alert system available commercially.
The software has more than six million records about UK businesses which are updated constantly.
Through an online subscription IT buyers can for the first time gain the same insight as Begbies Traynor staff have previously had.
It will help businesses avoid ailing suppliers. This is more important in the tough economic, climate where IT suppliers of all sizes are at risk.
According to Red Flag Alert, 6,905 companies in the IT sector were experiencing "significant problems" in the third quarter of 2009, and 110 companies were experiencing critical problems.
"The IT sector has been one of the heaviest users of the HMRC 'Time to Pay' scheme, with indications that up to 16,000 businesses may have applied to defer their tax liabilities. As this temporary cash flow supports is unwound and as capital spending remains constrained across the UK economy, 2010 looks like being a tough year for the industry, with any recovery likely to be delayed until well into 2011," said Nick Hood, partner at Begbies Traynor.


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CULedger Credit Union-Owned CUSO Joins R3’s Global Blockchain Ecosystem
CULedger which was established as a credit union-owned by CUSO, one that mainly focuses on the delivery of innovative applications that are used by credit unions which is through the cross-border distributed ledger platform, is finally a member of R3’s global blockchain ecosystem.
The CULedger is based in Denver; it is a consortium of different credit unions that mainly focus on the delivery of innovative applications thanks to its distributed ledger platform. The company has been able to provide several advantages to credit unions plus their members; it is by ensuring they have reduced the risks that have been associated with cybersecurity together with fraud.
They have also been able to improve the experience for each member; this is not all as they have gone ahead to streamline the internal processes and also been able to reduce the cost associated with operations and administration.
The company is currently rolling out the pilot program they have been working on that is the company’s flagship product, which is the MyCUID. A product that has been considered to be one of the very first self-sovereign identification methods that could be used by the members of the credit union.
They Have Gone Ahead To Join R3’s Global
The company has joined the R3’s global network that is more than 200 of the largest financial service firms around the globe, central bank, technology companies, and the trade associations that are working together on Corda.
Corda has been designed as an enterprise-grade blockchain platform that has been able to remove the costly frictions that exist in business transactions; this is by enabling the institutions to transact directly by just using the smart contracts efficiently.
All this is being done while the platform is ensuring they have kept the highest level of privacy and security. The Corda Enterprise was recently launched by R3; it is to allow a commercial distribution of the Corda which has been optimized to meet the several demands that exist in the complex institutions.
A Little About R3
This is an enterprise blockchain software firm that has been able to work with a broad ecosystem, one that has been able to accommodate more than 200 partners and members that are spread across the globe in multiple industries, and this is both the public and private sector to help in the development of Corda. With the Corda Enterprise together with its open source blockchain platform for a commercial version of the Corda enterprise usage.
The R3 global team comprises of over 180 professionals who are located in different countries that have been supported by over 2,000 financial, technology and the legal experts that have been drawn from the company global member base.
The Corda platform has already been put to use in various industries; this is from the financial services to the healthcare, insurance, shipping, to name a few. It is able to manage, record and execute the institution's financial agreements that can easily be used, just to ensure there is frictionless commerce.
A Little About The CULedger
The company is Denver based and is a credit union-owned CUSCO, one that has been focusing on proper delivery of the innovative applications to the different credit unions. They have been able to make this possible through the use of the cross-border global distributed ledger platforms. The company has been working in a national consortium that has been made up of the trusted industry investors together with credit unions.
The company has been able to pioneer most of the new developments that have been related to the global self-sovereign, it is a digital identity that will be able to enhance the trust credit unions that they have with their current members.


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We still see the glass as half full, given likely decent global economic growth, healthy corporate p...
Hewlett Packard: "A Bet on Meg Whitman"
03/24/2017 2:50 am EST
Meg Whitman, CEO of Hewlett Packard Enterprises (HPE), has been engaged in a slew of M&A activity to slim down the company.
HPE is carving off areas of operation that are not part of its core business, buying businesses that give HPE added value and widen its portfolio of products.
This recommendation is basically a bet on the “jockey,” Meg Whitman. Whitman has had a wildly successful career in tech. Earlier in her career (1998), she headed EBay (EBAY) as president and CEO.
In less than 10 years she took EBay’s annual revenue from just $4 million a year to $8 billion, expanding the number of employees in that time from 30 to over 15,000.
In 2011, she joined Hewlett-Packard when it was on the brink after its catastrophic acquisition of Autonomy.
Despite the acquisition of Autonomy, Whitman has improved Hewlett-Packard’s profitability. In addition, in 2016 almost 95% of Whitman’s total compensation was tied to company performance.
As HPE continues to spin off its non-core and less profitable businesses, it makes a takeover even more probable.
The recent downward pressure on the stock due to an earnings miss is giving us a good opportunity to buy a pure-play enterprise company, run by a great manager.
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Egg Corporation under full investigation by the ACCC
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) is very interested in the workings of the egg industry and the peak industry body Australian Egg Corporation Limited (AECL) and they have been investigating both for some time now.
Cartel allegations reported in yesterday’s media are far more likely to stem from the industry’s practice of killing hens to reduce numbers and subsequent numbers of eggs laid to control prices rather than just ‘forced moulting’ alone.
AECL CEO, James Kellaway, tried to justify the need to increase stocking densities for free range egg laying hens from 1,500 to 20,000 birds per hectare because of the need to feed a growing population, but two weeks later he ordered the destruction of 500,000 healthy layer hens. He met with producers and distributed this request to all egg farmers via an AECL Newsletter. Kellaway feared that prices would drop if swift action was not taken to reduce supply, and many small producers felt pressured to kill their hens.
‘Forced moulting’ is also a method used to manipulate the availability of eggs by taking advantage of the hens natural moulting cycle. All hens will moult naturally each year, usually as the days become shorter, and they will stop laying for a short period of time. ‘Forced moulting’ previously meant increasing the stress levels of the birds by starving them for up to two weeks to trigger the moulting response, but the Model Code of Practice frowns on this practice. Instead, producers shock the hens with rapid changes to their diet with poor quality food, minimal nutrition and restricted water intake, still resulting in malnutrition for the hens and a rapid loss of condition and feathers.
Either way, egg producers’ profitability revolves around these cruel practices that inflict incredible stress on the birds. Under our new government things could perhaps become even worse for the welfare of these hens as the Coalition has already announced that the previously proposed Office of Animal Welfare would impose too great a regulatory burden on producers.
“Consumers and hens deserve a better deal,” said HSI Director Verna Simpson. “With Egg Corporation, Government and supermarkets determined to bring an end to the true free range industry we are just thankful that ACCC is vigorously investigating and trust that this will bring much needed clarity to the market place.”