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WOLFSBURG, Germany (AFP) - Volkswagen said on Thursday that the roots of its massive pollution-cheating scandal go back to 2005, and while the current situation was difficult, it would not break the company.
At a news conference to present the latest developments in the auto giant's investigation into the affair, Volkswagen supervisory board chief Hans Dieter Poetsch and chief executive Matthias Mueller said evidence suggested the scam was the work of just a small group of engineers.
There was "no evidence to suggest that supervisory board members or management board members are implicated," Poetsch said.
Volkswagen was plunged into its deepest-ever scandal in September, when it was forced to admit it had installed emission-cheating software into 11 million diesel engine vehicles worldwide.
The revelations sent shockwaves through the world's auto sector and there were fears the scandal could also hit the wider German economy.
The costs facing Volkswagen, once seen as the paragon of German industry, are still incalculable, not only in terms of reputation and global earnings, but with regard to the potential billions in possible fines and legal costs as well.
Chief executive Mueller, brought in to resolve the crisis, said Volkswagen was "currently doing everything it can to limit the effect the current situation has on its business performance." But the group was sticking to its latest targets.
"Overall, the situation is not dramatic, but, as was to be expected, it's tense," said the 62-year-old.
"Although the current situation is serious, this company will not be broken by it," he insisted.
Supervisory board chief Poetsch said the scam was "not attributable to a one-off error, but an unbroken chain of errors," dating back to 2005, when Volkswagen launched a massive new campaign to sell diesel engine vehicles in the United States.
Volkswagen, which had looked set to overtake Toyota this year as the world's biggest carmaker in terms of sales, confessed to systematically fitting so-called defeat devices into its diesel cars in order to meet the rigorous emission standards in the US.
Defeat devices are sophisticated software designed to turn on pollution controls when the car is undergoing testing, and turn them off when the car is back on the road, allowing it to spew out harmful levels of nitrogen oxide.
US authorities had been alerted to Volkswagen's cheating practices by a non-profit group called the International Council on Clean Transportation.
A slew of different investigations, both criminal and regulatory, followed in a number of different countries, all of which are still ongoing.
Volkswagen, too, launched internal and external inquiries of its own.
Mueller and Poetsch said it was still too soon to pinpoint exactly who were the masterminds behind the scam.
But Volkswagen has said that around 50 employees have come forward so far to testify. The carmaker employs a global workforce of around 600,000.
Eight employees have been suspended.
The head of development at Volkswagen's luxury brand Audi, Ulrich Hackenberg, had been rumoured to be among those responsible. His departure was announced by the carmaker last week, but Volkswagen did not provide any reason.
Mueller's predecessor, Martin Winterkorn, also took his hat, even if he insisted he knew nothing of the scam.
The auto giant has drawn up the battle plans for a massive recall operation for the millions of cars affected, with the necessary remedial action ranging from a simple software update in some cases to the insertion of new hardware in others.
Volkswagen was nevertheless afforded some welcome respite from its woes this week, when it said that allegations it had lied about the carbon emissions of some of its cars had proven to be unfounded.
In addition to the manipulated engine software, Volkswagen admitted in November that "inconsistencies" had been uncovered on its cars' carbon emissions.
Carbon dioxide or CO2 is a greenhouse gas which traps heat from the sun and is blamed for man-made climate change.
And tackling CO2 is becoming a rising priority in many countries, especially in Europe, where cars are often taxed according to their carbon emissions.
But "extensive" investigations had shown that the carbon emission values were largely correct and that there would be no consequences for customers, Volkswagen said.
That news had pushed Volkswagen shares up strongly on Wednesday. And by late afternoon in Frankfurt on Thursday, they were showing a gain of 0.53 per cent in a slightly firmer market.


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The music industry changes rapidly. And in the late 1990s, electronic dance music, or EDM, gave birth to raves and gave djs a chance to get out from behind the scenes and launch their own careers. The EDM movement lost some momentum during the early 2000s, but in the past few years has again been beating the drum of success.
Major brands have begun taking notice, too. And not just small underground labels, either. Fortune 500 companies are now looking at this space and trying to figure out the most effective way to market to the EDM generation, including Hyundai, which last October funded the Re:generation project, a documentary about electronic music that included top djs like Skrillex and Crystal Method. Here’s a closer look at his burgeoning platform, and the brands riding its coattails.
Artist endorsements aren’t new to the music industry, but they are gaining momentum in this space thanks to brands like Monster Energy and Sol Republic Headphones, which sponsor dj Calculus and dj Tom Thump, respectively, among others. Armani Exchange recently got in on the trend, holding in-store consumer facing events and releasing exclusive music through its apparel stores.
Proprietary events are popular, too. The Red Bull Music Academy is a global series of music workshops and festivals featuring two groups of 30 EDM artists, which will visit New York City this summer for two weeks of recording sessions, lectures by music legends and late night jams, all designed to pair Red Bull with some of the hottest rising stars in EDM before they get huge.
One of the earliest believers in the potential power of EDM as a brand activation platform was Heineken USA, which is a long-time sponsor of the Ultra Music Festival, one of the largest EDM festivals in the world. The brand first got involved in the space in the 1990s and today sponsors Tiesto, arguably the world’s biggest dj and certainly one of the most recognized. According to Pattie Falch, brand director-sponsorships and activation at Heineken, “Our consumers are really passionate about music and EDM allows Heineken to engage with them at their passion points.”
Zev Norotsky, executive publisher of a new EDM publication called elektro magazine, which featured Tiesto on its inaugural cover, calls djs the “new rock stars” because they create the tracks that pop stars get famous for singing and consumers are starting to recognize that. The EDM consumer, he says, is 18 to 25 years old and well-off (or dedicated) enough to pay the high ticket prices, which can run around $250 per event. “It’s a valuable, trendy consumer base that is willing to put their pocketbooks behind their passions,” he says.
Heineken got involved in EDM in Europe, where electro has remained popular even while it languished in the United States. Heineken in Holland, the brand’s home turf, got involved with Tiesto (he’s Dutch) right at the beginning of his career, and stayed with him through his rise. “As he got bigger, we were able to work with him,” Falch says. “We’ve had our pulse on EDM since before anyone else, partially because we’re a global brand and because our consumers are so interested in discovering new music. These partnerships give us the opportunity to give our consumers a unique and enhanced experience with the music and the djs.
The Ultra Music Festival is also one of Heineken’s biggest activations in the space. This year, the festival changed its venue to account for the incredible growth of the scene, and to match, Heineken revamped its traditional experience, too. The festival took over (and closed) Miami’s Biscayne Avenue for the weekend, so the brand set out to give attendees who were spending all weekend on their feet, dancing till dawn and walking around from stage to stage to catch as many of the djs as possible a VIP-style break. To do that, the brand scrapped its old, domed indoor stage set from previous years, and built a branded two-story structure, equipped with a Heineken bar, couches, other comfy seating and screens where attendees could watch some of the performances. A photo activation put images of consumers up on an outdoor LED screen for all to see how much fun was going on inside the branded space, and a video capture experience let guests dance to some hot tunes “inside” Heineken’s new EDM logo, which looks like a graphic equalizer.
“Since Ultra was in a new location, we saw an opportunity to look for a new way to go with our activation,” Falch says. “There’s just so much amazing music at Ultra and we wanted to give consumers more than just the music. We wanted to give them an amazing experience as well.”
She says the whole scene is a natural for Heineken because it’s all about fans discovering new talent, and that’s what the brand really wants to support. “There’s something about being part of that culture that helps the consumers feel that we’re a brand that’s in the know and is helping them have that experience, too.”
Now that’s music to our ears.

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Samsung is expected to launch the Galaxy S21 next month but that does not mean we don’t know what the smartphone is going to look like. There have been plenty of credible rumours and leaks that have already given us a closer look at the upcoming smartphone. Based on these leaks, Giuseppe Spinelli (also known as Snoreyn) has teamed up with LetsGoDigital to give us a glimpse of how the phones are going to look when launched next month.
The images published by LetsGoDigital give us the most realistic representation of the phone before we get to see the real thing. Judging from these images, the Galaxy S21 may just be one of the hottest phones Samsung has made in years. The phone is expected to have a 6.8-inch QHD+ rounded OLED screen while the rear of the phone features a unique camera module. This time around the camera bump integrates with the top left corner and is a departure from traditional smartphone design we’ve all been used to so far. The phone will come with a quad-camera setup that includes a 108-megapixel main camera, a 12-megapixel ultra-wide-angle camera, a 10-megapixel telephoto camera with 10x zoom, and finally a 10-megapixel telephoto camera with 3x zoom.
The phone is also expected to use features from the Note series where users will be able to use the S-Pen as a stylus on the phone. It isn’t official whether the stylus will ship with the phone, but it seems like it will be sold separately. There have also been rumours that Samsung will not be shipping a charger brick with the phone similar to Apple’s move with the iPhone 12 Series.
While it isn’t clear which colours the upcoming smartphone will be available in, LetsGoDigital took the liberty to represent the phone in the classic black and silver variants. Other colours also include the Phantom Brown and Phantom Blue variant, however the two colours are based on previous launches by Samsung and are not set in stone.
These images by LetsGoDigital are probably the most accurate representation of the phone based on CAD and other leaks such as press images. It would be interesting to see if Samsung’s final design would look anything similar to what LetsGoDigital has come up with. Having said that, if the final design of the phone is similar to these renditions, it will probably be the most unique phone Samsung has launched in years.
If you want to know more about the Galaxy S21, check out our previous coverage of leaks here


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What you need to know
- In 2018, it was discovered that all four major carriers in the U.S. were selling your real-time location data to third parties.
- Further investigations later revealed that the data could sell for as little as $300 and end up in the hands of private individuals or businesses, including bounty hunters.
- The FCC is expected to propose a fine of at least $200 million on AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, and Verizon over the sharing of your location data.
Back in 2018, it was revealed that all four major U.S. carriers were selling your real-time location data to third parties. Then, in 2019, an investigation by Motherboard uncovered that your location can be worth as little as $300, and the data had ended up in the hands of businesses or private individuals, including bounty hunters.
As you can expect, this practice of selling off your real-time location upset consumers as well as lawmakers. So much so, that Democratic Senator Ron Wyden called for the FCC to investigate into the issue. Now, Reuters is reporting that the FCC is proposing a fine on AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, and Verizon over the sharing of your location data.
The fine is expected to be at least $200 million and the FCC will most likely officially announce it on February 28, 2020. However, the amount still hasn't been finalized, and it could change, but sources say that it is "expected to total just over $200 million." T-Mobile is expected to have the largest fine of all the carriers and is currently in the process of merging with Sprint.
In response to the reports of the fines, Wyden suggested that Pai "failed to protect American consumers at every stage of the game."
He further commented on the fines calling them "comically inadequate" and saying it won't "stop phone companies from abusing Americans' privacy the next time they can make a quick buck."
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NEW YORK — A near-panic amongst consumers that appeared to set-in with reports that there might be a shortage of kosher poultry this coming Passover season (which begins on the eve of March 25th), appears to have been premature and contrary to the number of chickens that will actually be slaughtered, a KosherToday investigation revealed.
The concern by consumers seemed to have been triggered by media reports that the Empire Kosher plant in Mifflintown PA had shut down for at least one day last week due to a shortage of chickens that qualified for kosher slaughter as a result of a disproportionate number of birds with broken tendons that render the birds unfit for kosher slaughter. Other kosher poultry producers have also noticed an uptick in the number of birds with broken tendons but apparently nowhere near the number found at Empire and none had experienced any major disruption of production.
Kosher food sources say that despite some reports of significantly higher prices (as much as 20%) at some locations, there will be an ample supply of chickens for the holiday. Empire Kosher is said to have resumed production today and the market will also quickly benefit from the re-emergence of Mehadrin Poultry in Birdsboro PA which closed its doors in July 2012. A group of investors is said to have funded the reopening of the plant which industry sources may add as much as 35,000 kosher birds a day.
In addition to certification by the Orthodox Union (OU), Mehadrin is certified by the Central Rabbinical Congress, associated with the Satmar group in Williamsburg. Sources also expect an increase in production by Marvid Poultry, a Montreal-based kosher poultry company that exports to the US, as well as KJ Poultry (Upstate New York) and AgriStar (Postville IA). “If my math is correct,” said a leading expert in kosher poultry, “there will be even more supply than last year.” He admitted, however, that as “things get sorted out, the customer in many instances will be faced with higher prices.” He said that prices had already been higher due to increased commodity prices for feed.Photo courtesy of Empire Kosher


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Published: December 22, 1989
* Cablevision Systems Corp., Woodbury, L.I., said it would buy Gateway Cable from Gilbert Media Associates L.P. for $102.5 million. Gateway serves Newark and South Orange, N.J., and is close to other Cablevision operations in New Jersey.
* Chicago West Pullman Corp., Cincinnati, a railroad and steel company, said it had withdrawn its bid for American Steel and Wire Corp., Cuyahoga Heights, Ohio, but it reserved the right to resubmit a proposal to American Steel's special committee or to shareholders.
* Cipher Data Products Inc., San Diego, a maker of digital magnetic tape drives, said its board would consider the $7.50-a-share tender offer made by Archive Corp., Costa Mesa, Calif., a maker of tape drives for computer systems.
* Dexter Corp., Windsor Locks, Conn., a specialty-products producer, said it would repurchase up to one million of its 24.8 million shares outstanding.
* Placer Dome Inc., Vancouver, British Columbia, an energy and minerals company, said it was seeking buyers for its oil and gas operations and had retained Morgan Stanley & Co. to assist it.
* Procter & Gamble Co., Cincinnati, and Agrolimen Group, Barcelona, Spain, a consumer-products company, formed a joint venture to manufacture disposable baby diapers, sanitary napkins and other personal-care products. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
* Reliance Electric Co., Cleveland, a maker of electric, electronic and mechanical systems, said its $370-a-share tender offer for about 18.2 percent of its class A common shares, which expired Wednesday, was oversubscribed.
* Scandinavian Airlines System said it had ordered eight more McDonnell Douglas MD-80 twin jets, bringing its total number of firm orders for MD-80 aircraft to 69. Terms of the order were not disclosed.
* A. O. Smith Corp., Milwaukee, a diversified manufacturer, began a restructuring program that will result in the reduction of 10 percent of its U.S. work force.
* Unicorp Canada Corp., Toronto, and its partner, Cara Operations Ltd., ended their bid for Dunkin' Donuts Inc. and will tender the 860,000 shares they own to a competing bidder, Allied-Lyons P.L.C.


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Australia-based 3D Printing Systems has announced a new price for their UP Mini 3D Printer, now available for purchase for $695 — making it the cheapest available 3D printer on the Australian market.
“The new price point of the Mini is a real game changer. This is the desktop 3D printer hobbyists or schools have been looking for — reliability, productivity, accuracy, operational simplicity and affordability — every man shed can now afford a 3D printer,” said Bruce Jackson, CEO at 3D Printing Systems.
According to the “The Wohlers Report 2014”, 2013’s year on year growth of the 3D printing industry was 34.9% — the highest in 17 years — and the market is expected to grow to $16.2 billion by 2018.
Staggering numbers for the industry, but also staggering numbers for consumers, as the high cost of 3D printers is a bump on the road for many 3D-hobbyists who want to purchase a 3D printer and start printing all sorts of products, for business or fun.
The UP Mini Desktop 3D Printer uses additive manufacturing technology to lay down layer after layer of ABS and build up a printed 3D model. Another great feature of the UP Mini Desktop 3D Printer is that it’s ready for use right out of the box.
The printer comes with clever 3D Print software that works out where the 3D model needs support and prints out the support material in a lower density while printing the part of the model. All users have to do is simply break away the support material after the model has been printed.
For those who want to print larger models, the printer allows them to slice and print their models into several components that can be glued together later. Aside from printing larger models, the printer also builds moving parts and coloured models, with a minimum of 10 available colours.
The Heat Retention chamber traps the heat generated by the heated build platform, allowing for stable temperature levels during printing.
For more information, visit www.3dprintingsystems.com


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We had a (thankfully brief) scare in our portfolio last week: one of our companies temporarily lost control of its domain. An overseas third-party “bad actor” was able to convince the company’s domain name registrar to transfer control of the company’s domain without the company’s knowledge. Fortunately, our company was able to regain control of its domain before any actual changes to its DNS settings were made.
After speaking to some people in the network security business and polling our own portfolio, it turns out that this sort of occurrence is far more common than one might suspect. In today’s world, a company’s domain name is literally its crown jewels. If a nefarious party gains control of a company’s domain, the potential damage is massive and it could literally destroy a company’s business if a cyber criminal were to implement a large scale phishing attack or simply shut down the company’s site. Every minute of downtime equates to lost revenue and an erosion of customer trust.
To further underscore the vulnerabilities around DNS, I noticed this morning an article on hackers in Brazil using a technique called DNS cache poisoning attacks on major ISPs in Brazil to redirect users headed to brand-name sites like Google, YouTube and Hotmail to malware-infected sites. DNS is crucially important to the functioning of the net, but unfortunately it remains vulnerable to various exploits, including the hardest to eradicate, “social engineering”.
Some attacks (like DNS cache poisoning) are not anything a single company can protect against, but there are internal controls and procedures a company can put into place to make their domains safer. One simple example is to conduct an audit of all your domains: are they controlled by a single individual within the company? Are there policies and procedures in place around renewing domain names, controlling DNS updates, etc.?
Many times, founders buy domains on their personal credit cards early in the life of their company. Often, this is forgotten about until there is some reason to make a change to DNS settings. Clearly this is an untenable position — a founder could depart the company, have their credit card on file with the registrar expire, simply miss the renewal emails, get hit buy a bus, etc., leaving the company scrambling to deal with this after the fact.
While many early stage companies are a bit allergic to “big company” process and procedures, this is one area where every company should exert some process discipline to make sure domains are controlled by the company, that the contact email addresses filed with the registrar are carefully monitored, that automation is in place to detect unexpected transfers of domain, etc.
I’ll follow up in a later post with a more exhaustive list of best practices around domain name management, but in the meantime take a moment to reflect on how your company controls its domains and whether your internal safeguards are sufficient to prevent what could be a catastrophic loss.
Update: turns out my partner Seth Levine also posted about this incident this morning. Read more here.


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Acids in 'New Generation Candy' can harm teeth
Last updated 10/23/2008 at Noon
The candy most kids eat today is not the kind of candy their parents ate as kids. While kids today like to go trick-or-treating as much as their parents did, the effects of eating all that candy have grown worse.
Leaving aside the risks of obesity and diabetes, the more immediate health concern caused by eating candy is the amount of sour acid ingredients in many candies today.
In a recent press release, the California Dental Hygienists’ Association (CDHA), stated that “While this new generation of candy is highly popular, most of it contains acid levels so high that it approaches the...


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Frankie & Benny’s is giving away free kids meals to families who agree to hand over their mobile phones to staff at the door.
In a bid to encourage families to enjoy quality time together while eating, the Italian-American chain is trialling their ‘No Phone Zones’ campaign from today (29 Nov) to Friday 7 December at all of its 250 restaurants.
Those who do not wish to take part will not be forced to do so – but as an incentive to families who do agree to part with their phones, kids up to the age of 14 will be able to order from the children’s menu free of charge.
The i newsletter latest news and analysis
Locking phones away during meals
Those who take part in the week-long scheme will be given a box in which they can lock their mobiles during their meal, with the intention of keeping it there for the duration of their visit.
The decision comes after new research revealed that 72 per cent of children wish their parents would spend less time on their phones, while a further 70 per cent said they thought their parents were glued to a screen more than them.
The trial could be rolled out permanently if it proves successful.
Encouraging quality time
A spokesman for Frankie & Benny’s said, “We looked at various ways we could encourage people to engage more at the dinner table, and we’ve found giving families the chance to part with their devices for a mere couple of hours is a great way to bring them closer and embrace family time.
“Our staff will be actively encouraging customers and families to take part in the initiative but of course, we can’t force them to hand over their phones.”


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John Carmack, the programming genius who cofounded id Software and created titles like Doom and Quake, has left the company. He has taken a full-time job at Oculus VR as its chief technology officer.
Oculus makes the Rift virtual-reality 3D headset, a Kickstarter success story that has reignited the interest in VR and 3D in gaming.
Carmack raised eyebrows earlier when he announced he was joining Oculus, but he left his employment status at id unclear. Bethesda Softworks, which owns id, said that Carmack had not resigned.
But now that has changed.
“John Carmack, who has become interested in focusing on things other than game development at id, has resigned from the studio. John’s work on id Tech 5 and the technology for the current development work at id is complete, and his departure will not affect any current projects,” said Tim Willits, the studio director at id Software. “We are fortunate to have a brilliant group of programmers at id who worked with John and will carry on id’s tradition of making great games with cutting-edge technology. As colleagues of John for many years, we wish him well.”
Brendan Iribe, the chief executive of Oculus VR, recently told us that Carmack was focused on making a mobile version of the Oculus Rift virtual reality goggles.
In a tweet, Carmack said, “I wanted to remain a technical adviser for Id, but it just didn’t work out. Probably for the best, as the divided focus was challenging.”
Carmack started making games in the late 1980s but id Software was formally created in 1991. The company became famous for pioneering the first-person shooter genre with Wolfenstein 3D and Doom. It was acquired by Bethesda in 2009, and it has been working on the latest installment of the Doom series.
GamesBeat Black Friday Gift Guide: Everything we recommend this holiday season


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Celebrity designer, Tom Ford was recently interviewed on ABC talk show The View. During the interview, he was asked on whether he’ll like to dress Melania Trump. Amazingly, his reply was negative
A cautious looking Ford paused for a moment before responding to the question, saying: “I don’t know. I was asked to dress her quite a few years ago and I declined.”
He revealed that he would also not be dressing Melania even in the White House, saying his clothes are ‘too expensive’ for a first lady to wear because they have to ‘relate to everybody.’
Recall that Tom Ford had dressed Michelle Obama in a custom-made ivory evening gown back in 2011, for a dinner with the royal family at Buckingham Palace. The price of the one-of-a-kind dress was not stated but Ford’s gowns tend to start around $5,000.
When prodded a bit more about whether Melania should really stop wearing expensive clothes once her husband takes office, Ford simply said: “I’ll leave that to Melania.”


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'Devil May Cry 5' or 'DmC 2'? New Game Possibly In The Works As Capcom Plans To Revive 'Dormant' IP's
Fans of "Devil May Cry" may expect great news soon as Capcom is possibly preparing to work on its highly anticipated follow up. But would it be a sequel to "Devil May Cry 4," or the recent "DmC" reboot?
Capcom To Revive Dormant IP's
Capcom has recently announced its plans to revive some of the publisher's neglected franchises, following the suprise reveal of "Marvel Vs. Capcom: Infinite." The IP has had a title drought for almost five years.
"Capcom is currently focused on reviving series that have not had new entries recently, or otherwise dormant IP," the publisher said in a press release. "Beginning with 'Marvel Vs. Capcom: Infinite,' a return for the series following a five-year hiatus, Capcom looks to enhance its corporate value even further by utilizing its library of rich contents."
"Devil May Cry 5" Or "DmC 2"?
"Prior to this announcement, there has been a lot of speculations about a possible "Devil May Cry 5," which is rumored to do away with Ninja Theory's "DmC" reboot.
Capcom released "DmC: Devil May Cry" in 2010, serving as a reboot for the whole series. It was said that Japanese Capcom staff encouraged the Western staff to take the franchise to a different direction, due to the fact that "Devil May Cry 4" fared poorly sales wise compared to other action games, according to Eurogamer.
The reboot initially received negative response especially from the fans of "DmC." The game, however, received generally positive reviews when it was released eventually.
Despite the positive reception, some fans still want the franchise to pick up where "Devil May Cry 4" has left off, instead of continuing Ninja Theory's reboot of the game.
Apart from "Devil May Cry," Capcom may also look at reviving the PS1 classic game "Dino Crisis," which will definitely a great move for the publisher. The company may possibly be working on a new "Mega Man" video game as well, but these are mere speculations at this point.
So will it be "Devil May Cry 5" or "DmC 2"? We will find out soon so stay tuned.


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Listen to the article
The pandemic eliminated many everyday occurrences that required paper, causing the already struggling paper industry to experience drastic changes. 2015 saw global demand for graphic paper decline for the first time. The steep decline in demand for paper products in North America and Europe over the past five years is falling even further than experts predicted.
Many tasks that traditionally depended on paper went digital. Paperless living means no mailed bank statements, no receipts, and event planners, to name a few.
Even shifts in wedding procedures caused the paper industry to slow down. Wedding invitations are not only going digital but were being eliminated in full due to thousands of wedding cancellations due to restrictions in 2020 and 2021. The average cost of a wedding in a pandemic society is $19,000, according to a recent study by The Knot. This is a $9,000 drop from the average cost in 2019, around $28,000.
However, due to sustainability concerns and TikTok catalyzing more indie makeup brands, paper makeup packaging could be the market’s savior.
The New Cosmetics Industry
The cosmetics industry has experienced many shifts throughout the past few decades. The rise of beauty bloggers in the early aughts was a mere preview of how saturated the market would eventually become with influencers shilling products. TikTok took this concept and sprinted with it. According to a study by TikTok, 52% of users now say they discover new products on the app. Additionally, 61% of TikTok users feel that advertising on TikTok is unique from top social and video platforms.
Now more than ever, the masses are interested in cosmetics thanks to the virality of “life-changing” products on the market. With such an increase in demand, manufacturers have worked tirelessly to meet consumers’ needs. However, such an influx in new products creates heavy saturation in the market, so brands have to find new ways to stand out in each campaign. This is where the importance of packaging plays a crucial role.
With so much content churned out daily on TikTok and other popular platforms like Instagram, users’ attention spans are becoming shorter. First impressions are everything and more nowadays. Doug Dorah, VP of Sales and Marketing at packaging company Oliver Inc. notes, “Luxe brands need to be cognizant of how their products appear on shelf—and elevate the user’s unboxing experience to ensure it matches the quality of the product,” Dorah continues, “Whether it’s a luxury fragrance, skincare serum, or just a bar of soap—the carton or paper tube surrounding it sends a message to the consumer about the brand. And secondary packaging becomes even more important for brands sold online.”
Packaging is Crucial in Today’s Cosmetic Climate
According to Statista, the global paper and paperboard packaging market size was estimated at $199.8 billion in 2021 and is forecasted to increase to more than $250 billion by 2026. Much of this growth is expected to come from the eCommerce industry’s growing demand for corrugated boxes.
Suppliers in the beauty industry are noticing a spike in demand. Mitchell Kaneff, CEO of sustainable packaging company Arkay, says, “More beauty brands are increasingly looking for paperboard packaging—and we source sustainable raw materials whenever possible in an ongoing effort to address eco-conscious concerns.”
The minimalism trend affecting branding everywhere is also essential in the shift in packaging needs. Benjamin Cohen, creative and innovation director of Knoll Printing & Packaging, observes, “Beauty brands are moving away from using glitter and lots of stamping on cartons—and this is inspiring us to find other more innovative ways to attract attention.”
Widespread innovation and an increased focus on sustainability are helping the paper industry. More beauty brands are moving away from using foils that are harmful to the environment. Flashy packaging like Pat Mcgrath’s iconic style is slowly becoming a thing of the past. Today, less is more.
Will Innovation Hurt or Help?
According to research from McKinsey, wood is a biomaterial with exciting properties, from the log on down to fibers, micro-and nanofibers, and sugar molecules. A lowkey niche industry making bio-products has existed alongside large-volume pulp, paper, and board products for many years. We are in the midst of a boom in research activity to develop new bio-products, like applications for nanofibers to composite materials and lignin-based carbon fiber. The company also reports that unique processes are being designed to extract hemicellulose as feedstock for sugars and chemical production while still keeping the cellulose parts of the wood chip for pulp products, which is insurmountably better for the environment.
Additionally, molded pulp is a new(ish) eco-friendly material that can be an alternative to paperboard. It’s a mixture of bamboo, sugarcane, and wood fibers, and the process is easily adjustable.
But, companies are still choosing paper for makeup palettes, lipstick tubes, and more. Packaging innovator Balance Inc. is a supplier offering a sustainable twist. The company’s Friction-Fit Palettes feature a removable paper tray—consumers can extract the pans so that the base can be reused or recycled. The company’s paper components are made using FSC-certified materials and contain 40% post-consumer waste.
It seems that simple paper packaging is very in demand with sustainability concerns and minimalism preferences. At a time when the paper industry is coming off of a period of struggle due to the pandemic’s effect on paper product demand, makeup packaging is making up for losses. The staggering rise in cosmetic interest comes at a perfect time for the paper and pulp industry, and the numbers will most likely continue to rise.


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TOKYO: SoftBank Group Corp. Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Masayoshi Son pledged Thursday that the company will promote fund procurement steadily under its 4.5-trillion-yen asset sale plan.
At a regular shareholders' meeting, Son reassured investors that the company has secured almost 80 percent of the funds planned to be procured under the plan.
"We will steadily carry out the rest," Son said, referring to the asset sale plan, which was compiled after the technology investor's financial standing deteriorated due to losses from its investment operations.
All items on the agenda, including the appointments of 13 board members, including Son, were approved by shareholders at the meeting.
Son answered questions from shareholders in an online conference.
Responding to a shareholder who expressed concerns over the massive losses, Son said, "The prices of the shares owned by SBG (SoftBank Group) have not fallen very much (amid the spread of the new coronavirus), and they are rather rising."
SoftBank Group incurred a consolidated operating loss of 1,364.6 billion yen in fiscal 2019, as its 10-trillion-yen-plus Vision Fund investment portfolio suffered a drop in valuation.
The company has drawn up the asset sale plan to reduce debts and repurchase own shares.
On Tuesday, SoftBank Group announced that it will sell shares in T-Mobile US Inc., an equity-method affiliate, to procure up to 20.1 billion dollars.
In addition, SoftBank Group has decided to raise funds using its shareholdings in major Chinese information technology company Alibaba Group Holdings Ltd. It now expects to procure a total of 3.6 trillion yen, or 80 percent of the targeted sum.


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Google Accidentally Outs Android 4.1 "Jelly Bean"
The Google Play store today briefly displayed a description for the Galaxy Nexus that included "Soon the first phone with Android 4.1 Jelly Bean". That version of Android has yet to be officially announced, but is expected next week at Google's I/O developer conference.
Google Reveals When Nexus Phones Will Cease Receiving Android Updates
Google revised its Nexus support page and provided more information on how long Nexus-branded phones will receive future software updates. Google says Nexus devices will get Android version updates (Lollipop, Marshmallow, etc.) for at least two years from when the device became available on the Google Store.
Google Finalizes Android O Developer Tools, Releases 3rd Beta
Google today released all the tools developers need to create applications and update apps for Android O. The company made the final Android O APIs available through an updated SDK.
Google Drops Android O Release Candidate
Google today made Android O Developer Preview 4 available to application developers and said this is the final preview before Google releases Android O to consumers later this year. This build contains the final user interface system behaviors, the latest bug fixes and optimizations, and the final set of APIs.
Google Play Store Update Hitting Android Devices
Google has redesigned the Play Store and is pushing the new version to Android devices this week. The refreshed content store is significantly altered and makes locating apps, games, movies, TV, and music easier on the eyes thanks to new tabs.
Jelly Bean D:


text: Samsung Electronics posted another record profit of $9.6 billion in the third quarter. Samsung's market cap is approaching half of Apple's. Profits at Samsung's chip business doubled to almost $2 billion - the highest in three years. But smartphone sales growth is slowing sharply, and Samsung expects prices to remain flat. Competitor LG Electronics has seen its mobile unit slip into the red. And sources say Taiwan's cash-strapped HTC has shut down at least one production line.


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Satoru Iwata, Nintendo’s Japanese overseer has been looking a little sullen lately. Probably has something to do with Nintendo’s first profit decline in six years. Not only are Wii sales flagging worldwide – although most notably in Japan, but PS3 sales are up. Way up! So much so that Iwata’s had to concede the fact that they’re now competing directly with Sony in their home territory.
The console race is indeed a lot closer than it was just a year ago; In a meeting with investors, none of who can be presumed to be smiling, Iwata explained that "A notable dip can be seen in sales of Wii this yearâ€¦â€ Notable, in that they’ve sold about half as many units this year as they did the year previous.
Continuing, Iwata noted â€œOn the other hand, Sony’s PS3 showed a good transition and they increased the unit sales by about 50%…Although we held more than a 60% hardware market share through last year – Wii has 42% and PS3 40% share thus far this year – so both machines are neck and neck in Japan."
Things are slightly different in the US though. Microsoft’s Xbox 360 is still the reigning champion, and the only console in that region that’s yet to see a marked sales decline. Iwata reckons that American momentum will grow following the recent price cut, but I’m not entirely sure. It’s starting to look like everybody who wanted a Wii pretty much already has one – and without all that much in the way of desirable software bound for the system it’s hardly an enticing prospect.
Of course, we’ll have to see if New Super Mario Bros really does have the pull that Pachter expects it to.
Conversely, the PS3 is picking up steam stateside; and with its lower price and bevy of blockbuster exclusives it’s not hard to see why.
Source : Spong
Last Updated: November 3, 2009


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Under fire from blockchain upstarts and big tech firms that are trying to chip away at its dominance among video influencers and other content creators, YouTube today has announced several enhancements to the ways its content creators can generate revenue.
The announcements came at the VidCon convention in Anaheim, Calif. The products include:
*** Super Stickers: Launching in the next few months, fans will be able to purchase animated stickers during live streams and premieres in order to demonstrate their love for creators and their content;
*** Enhanced Channel Memberships: YouTube already allows creators to set up subscriptions allowing users to gain access to special features. It’s now expanding that into levels, where creators can set up to five different price points for memberships, each level carrying different incentives. Fans can now opt to pay a $4.99 Channel Membership subscription for badges, emojis and access to exclusive live streams and extra videos.
*** Enhanced Merch Shelf Partners: YouTube already helps creators sell t-shirts, hats and other merchandise. Now, it has added more partners, including Crowdmade, DFTBA, Fanjoy, Represent and Rooster Teeth.
*** Learning Playlists: A new feature that allows educational video creators to divide videos into chapters, spotlighting key concepts and allowing progress from beginners through advanced. YouTube has enlisted a limited number of partners for the new feature, including Khan Academy, TED-Ed, The Coding Train and Crash Course.
*** YouTube Giving – This fundraising tool is exiting beta and will launch in the next few months. Fans can click a donate button to send money to the nonprofit the content creator wants to spotlight.
YouTube also announced some changes to its copyright infringement tools. Copyright owners must now indicate the timestamp in the video using their content, while content creators can use an enhanced tool to more easily remove any infringing material.


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|October 29, 2013
In this Issue:
|Spear phishers hit close to home||All that glitters isn't gold||NFA to speak on panels at FIA Expo 2013||Visit NFA at the AAII Investor Conference & Traders Expo Las Vegas||Recent enforcement actions|
It was extremely disconcerting for NFA to learn earlier this month that fraudsters were soliciting customers and creditors of Peregrine Financial Group (PFG) who currently are awaiting the resolution of their claims by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court.
Former PFG customers called NFA to inquire about the legitimacy of an email that was sent on October 4. The email requested personal information from the recipients, and insinuated that if this information was provided, they would receive $250,000.
Upon learning of the email, NFA immediately worked with the PFG bankruptcy trustee to verify that it was a fraud, and sent an announcement to PFG's customers to notify them of the email's illegitimacy. NFA also posted a notice from the trustee about the deceptive email on the homepage of its website to warn visitors and Members of the fraud.
This type of online scam is known as "spear phishing"—where fraudsters target specific groups of people who share a commonality and trick them into divulging their personal information via email. Perpetrators typically get hold of some form of inside information to deceive the list of recipients, like the list of PFG customers, and then send a legitimate-looking message, typically citing urgent and plausible-sounding explanations as to why they need your personal data.
Once the fraudsters have your personal information, they can access your bank accounts, credit cards and even create new identities.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation suggests keeping the following points in mind to avoid becoming a spear phishing victim:
Additionally, October is National Cyber Security Awareness month for the National Consumers League, the Department of Homeland Security and the National Cyber Security Alliance. According to their list of the top 10 reported scams of 2012, phishing ranked No. 4—the second-most common form of online fraud. The group suggests people take note of the following online safety habits to avoid falling prey to scammers.
You likely have heard the famous adage, "there is no honor among thieves." The venerable Sir John Falstaff bemoaned this very point in "Henry IV, Part 1." So please beware when you receive seemingly legitimate emails that request any personal information.
You know the old saw. So did Chaucer and Shakespeare, whose famous line in "The Merchant of Venice" has helped to keep it fresh in peoples' minds for centuries. Therefore, you might think that no one falls victim to precious metals fraud all these years later. Unfortunately, that's not the case.
In these days of economic uncertainty, advertisements abound touting the primacy of gold and precious metals as a safe—if not extremely lucrative—investment. But don't buy into the hype—there are many reasons why this may not be true, and also could be a means of defrauding you of your hard-earned ducats.
The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), which has been vigilant in policing precious metal schemes, in late September, filed an enforcement action against a triad of companies and their principal, alleging that they scammed customers out of $2.4 million in precious metals transactions and made illegal, off-exchange commodity transactions over the past two years.
The CFTC claims Lions Wealth Holdings Inc., Lions Wealth Services Inc., 20/20 Precious Metals Inc. and Bharat Adatia falsely asserted to sell gold, silver, platinum and palladium to retail customers in retail commodity transactions. The CFTC also alleges that they offered to arrange for loans to customers to purchase physical metals and the storage and transfer of customers' physical metals to an independent depository.
Instead, the CFTC says the group did not sell or transfer ownership of any physical metals, disburse funds as loans or cause any metals to be stored in depositories for, or on behalf of, Lions Wealth and 20/20 Metals customers. The defendants purportedly forwarded customer funds to a third-party, which also did not purchase or hold metals in the customers' names, and then charged the customers for storage fees and other charges on metals that did not exist, as well as interest on loans that were never made.
Thanks to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, which took effect on July 16, 2011, off-exchange precious metals transactions such as these are illegal. However, between when the law went into effect and Feb. 22, 2013, at least 74 Lions Wealth and 20/20 Metals retail customers collectively incurred nearly $2.4 million in trading losses, commissions, interest charges and other fees.
To help protect retail customers against this type of fraud, especially in response to the increase in companies offering investors the opportunity to purchase precious metals, the CFTC issued a Precious Metals Fraud Advisory. The advisory also warns that companies frequently fail to purchase physical metals for customers and, instead, just keep customers' funds. Additionally, the advisory cautions consumers that leveraged commodity transactions are unlawful unless executed on a regulated exchange.
People who wish to purchase precious metals definitely should do their due diligence prior to their investment. Be sure to check the registration status and disciplinary history of any futures firm or broker in NFA's Background Affiliation Status Information Center (BASIC). Also, read the following alerts on investing in gold, bullion and bullion coins and collectible coins from the Federal Trade Commission.
The Futures Industry Association's (FIA) Expo 2013 is coming up next week. The convention, which showcases products, services and information for market professionals and participants, will be held at the Hilton Chicago, located in Chicago, Ill., on November 6 and 7.
The annual convention offers a variety of sessions that allow attendees–ranging from business, operations and technology professionals and traders–to discuss industry trends, hear expert views on key issues, improve trading skills and learn about new products, systems and practices. NFA staff members will appear on panels at the following sessions:
Additionally, NFA staff members will be on hand in the exhibit hall at booth 216. Expo attendees are welcome to stop by to ask questions and pick up information materials.
To register for FIA Expo 2013, click here.
Investors can meet with NFA staff members in both Florida and Nevada in the month of November. NFA will be on hand at the 2013 AAII Investor Conference, located at the Loews Royal Pacific Resort in Orlando, Fla. November 15 to 17.
NFA is scheduled to host a presentation, "Diversifying Portfolios with Managed Futures and Forex: What Investors Need to Know." The presentation, which will run from 9:00 to 10:15 a.m. on November 17, will discuss the reasons why individual investors trade futures and forex, what risks are involved, how to conduct due diligence and what questions to ask before trading.
NFA also will be represented in the exhibit hall at booth 117.
Just a few days later, NFA will attend the 2013 International Traders Expo at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas, Nevada, from November 20 to 23. The Traders Expo offers traders an opportunity to meet face-to-face with, learn from and ask specific questions of a long list of trading experts.
NFA will be set up in the exhibit hall at booth 410.
Attendees are welcome to stop by, ask questions and pick up informational materials at both conferences.
In the third quarter of 2013, NFA issued Decisions, Member Responsibility Actions, Final Orders in Registration Cases and Complaints against the following NFA Member firms and individuals. Click on the name for more detailed information.
Decisions in Disciplinary Cases
Let us know what you think about this newsletter
You can check the registration status and disciplinary history of any futures firm or individual.
You can file a complaint online. Be sure to include as much information as you can.
Subscribe to receive NFA communications such as Notices to Members, press releases and Web updates via email.


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Celesio cuts goodwill for retail and raises its EBITDA forecast
This article was originally published in Scrip
Celesio has reduced the amount of goodwill in its patient and consumer solutions division by €274 million and raised its forecast for earning before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) for the whole year to €625 million.
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Poland's president, Bronislaw Komorowski, has signed a reimbursement bill into the law which will come into force on 1 January.
In the past two years, most multinational pharmaceutical companies announced plans to create production facilities in Russia. They had been ignoring such an opportunity for years, and there were reasons for that. They included risks to investments, administrative barriers, unclear regulations assuming various interpretations and corruption.
Russia's president Dmitriy Medvedev has requested that his government start talks with the US and the EU on the mutual recognition of clinical trial results (including paediatric trials) and prepare proposals for corresponding amendments of existing regulations.


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A Retiring Glance At Trade – Past, Present And Future
As my tenure at UK Trade & Investment draws to a close, it’s time for a little reflection…
8 April 2010
The UK economy is forecast to outstrip its G7 peers in the second quarter of this year, says the Organisation for Economic
Co-operation and Development.
The OECD predicted the UK would grow at an annualised rate of 3.1% in the second quarter of 2010.
Such a rate would put the UK ahead of the US, Japan, Germany, France and Italy - but not Canada.
The British Chambers of Commerce also said the UK had avoided a double-dip recession in the first quarter of 2010.
However, the BCC warned that the UK's recovery was weak and there remained a risks of setbacks in the future.
On a global level, the OECD cautioned that overall growth would be slower in the main industrialised nations during the first half of 2010.
"Despite some encouraging signs on activity, the fragility of the recovery, a frail labour market and possible headwinds coming from financial markets underscore the need for caution in the removal of policy support," its report said.
The British Chambers of Commerce survey of 5,500 UK businesses suggested the service sector was the main bright spot in the UK economy.
A separate report on the service sector, in the form of the purchasing managers index (PMI), suggested that it slowed down in the last month of the quarter, although that was compared to a particularly strong figure in February.
The two are not strictly comparable. Unlike the BCC, the PMI does not include retailers and also only covers the month of March.
Where the two reports do agree is that the economy is brightening, although it remains patchy and fragile.
The director general of the BCC, David Frost, told the BBC: "Any thoughts we may have slipped back have not materialised, but the recovery needs to be nurtured."
It warned that the recovery was weak and "serious risks of a setback remain", with the manufacturing sector still struggling.
Paul Smith, senior economist at Markit, which co-produces the PMI, said: "The UK recovery remains on track, with the service sector posting a pace of expansion consistent with those seen at the end of 2009."
Manufacturing orders for the first three months of this year were little higher than in the previous three months, according to the BCC, but new orders continued to fall and employment in the sector suffered a setback after an encouraging fourth quarter in 2009.
The UK economy emerged from recession in the final quarter of last year, after six consecutive quarters of contraction.
The latest official figures show the economy grew by 0.4% in the last three months of 2009, up from the original estimate of 0.1%.


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Malaysia's gross domestic product is expected to expand at a slower pace of 4% this year due to a moderation in global economic growth, lower private consumption, and high inflation environment. According to Maybank Investment Bank (Maybank IB), the country's moderate growth is corroborated by high-frequency indicators like the manufacturing PMI for Malaysia, which has dropped since Q4 of 2022. Maybank IB, however, said there is mitigation to the downside risk to growth and preventing the economy from dipping into recession. This includes the central bank's monetary stance that has shifted from accommodative to neutral and not restrictive.
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MARION, AR - Hino Motors is to hold a formal grand opening Thursday for its parts plant in Marion.
The Marion facility produces axles for Toyota Tundra pickups and opened in March 2006. The factory reached its production goals of 1,200 axles per day last May. Hino is investing an additional $70 million at the plant, which now has 600 workers.
Toyota is the majority owner of Hino.
Marion economic development director Kay Brockwell says about 200 people are expected to attend the ceremony, including Governor Beebe and a number of executives from Hino, Toyota and their suppliers.
Brockwell says the event will help the state promote Marion as a good site for a full auto assembly plant.


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By CCN.com: One of Japan’s largest online brokerages, Monex, may soon allow retail investors to buy bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies on its platform.
Monex claims the move into cryptocurrency will help claw back its diminishing market share.
Speaking to Bloomberg, Monex Securities president Yuko Seimei said:
“We’ve fallen a little behind — we can’t deny that… If we keep doing things the way we have, we may not be able to close the gap.”
Monex has fallen behind its rivals SBI and Rakuten in market share of online retail investors. Source: Bloomberg
Monex: Banking on Bitcoin?
Monex was once the leading online brokerage in Japan, but its market share has been eaten away by rivals SBI and Rakuten, both of which have embraced cryptocurrencies in a big way.
Monex now commands just 5.1 percent of the Japanese digital brokerage market compared to SBI’s 36.3 percent and Rakuten’s 18.7 percent.


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Supplier confidence in the energy efficiency sector has dropped to its lowest point in five years according to the latest report on trends in the market.
The EEVS & Bloomberg survey found that a combination of supplier order books, staffing levels, sales prices and government action had seen confidence fall to -38 points in its market monitor for Q2 2016.
This follows a decline of 21 points in the previous quarter to -4 and is the lowest dip since the trends survey began in 2012.
As well a overall declines in confidence and UK orders – down for the sixth consecutive quarter – the survey also showed faith in government management of energy efficiency policy had also fallen, with more respondents deeming policy to be “ineffective”.
In addition to the 34 suppliers, responses from consumers showed a series of changes in the market, including the one of the biggest drops in high energy efficiency lighting deployment to date.
It fell from a rolling four-quarter average of 70% down to 59% while both Building Energy Management Systems (BEMS) and smart metering have both seen a material increase in uptake.
This shift in technologies is also thought to have been reflected in median project costs, which rose from £47,000 last quarter to around £145,000.
Overall industry confidence has also been hit by the UK’s decision to leave the EU. According to a Bloomberg EEVS survey conducted before the vote, both consumers and suppliers in the energy efficiency sector favoured a remain vote in the upcoming EU referendum.
The vote to leave has been reflected on the supply side the most, with 56% of supplier respondents claiming the outcome will impact their business, most notably on consumer demand.
Ian Jeffries, director at EEVS, said: “The fall in supplier confidence can be directly linked to lacklustre order book growth, but it is likely to have been exacerbated by the Brexit uncertainty.”
Richard Singleton, managing director, corporate at Bellrock added: “Without doubt the Brexit decision has created uncertainty whether or not organisations have international reach.
“The universal response is to be cautious and focus on business as usual. Reducing energy bills and creating more certainty for operating costs is a positive response for helping to stabilise for a positive future.”
This view is reflected by the outcome of this latest survey, with over half (55%) of consumer respondents expecting energy costs to increase. In addition, around a third (32%) also believed the cost of energy efficiency measures would also rise.


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SINGAPORE, May 5 (Reuters) - Singapore’s manufacturing activity expanded at the fastest pace in six months in April on higher new orders and new export orders, but growth in the electronics sector slowed.
The Singapore Institute of Purchasing & Materials Management’s Purchasing Managers’ index (PMI) rose to 51.1, the highest since October and up from 50.8 in March.
A reading above 50 indicates that activity is generally expanding, while one below that points to a contraction.
“The increase in the overall PMI was attributed to higher new orders and new export orders as well as further expansion in production output and inventory,” the institute said in a statement.
The solid number came even as a private survey showed China’s manufacturing activity in April contracted for a fourth consecutive month.
However, Singaporean electronics sector’s PMI slipped to 50.4 in April from 51.6 in March.
Sub-indices for electronics new orders, new export orders and production all fell.
In March, Singapore’s exports fell more than expected as electronics shipments declined.
The city-state’s electronics manufacturers have struggled to tap surging demand for smartphones, unlike rivals in South Korea and Taiwan.
Last year, the manufacturing sector made up roughly 19 percent of Singapore’s economy, with electronics accounting for 30 percent of total manufacturing activity.
Reporting by Jongwoo Cheon; Editing by Kim Coghill


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Last week, I signed an E-petition supporting a campaign to shut down mileage correction firms.
Across the UK, these companies are turning back the miles on used cars, helping certain sellers push up the price of vehicles. The leading mileage check company HPI estimate 1 in 20 cars checked with them show the wrong mileage, and this figure has risen by 10% in the last 5 years.
Clocking itself isn’t illegal, but selling a ‘clocked’ car without declaring its true mileage is. There is rarely a legitimate reason to alter the mileage on a vehicle, and in the unusual instance this does need to be done, a reputable car dealership can do this for you. However, Trading Standards estimates there are 50 mileage correction firms operating in Britain. Some of these companies will be exploiting a legal loophole that could help unscrupulous sellers con used car buyers out of their hard-earned cash and I think the law should be changed.
Lower mileage can add hundreds or even thousands of pounds to the perceived value of a vehicle, so buyers have a lot to lose. Not only could they pay more than the vehicle is worth, but the car may need servicing and repairs sooner than the tampered mileage suggests. Digital odometers make clocking easier than ever to do and almost impossible to spot. Mileage correction firms are the main suspects believed to be fueling this fraudulent activity and it’s time to close them down.
TIPS ON SPOTTING A POTENTIALLY CLOCKED VEHICLE


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The price of packaged beer is about to go up across NSW as brewers pass on the costs of the state's new container deposit scheme, brewers have warned.
Under the scheme, consumers can claim back 10 cents per drink container at collection points and reverse vending machines across the state from December 1.
The scheme is aimed at reducing the amount of container litter across the state, which costs more than $162 million to manage.
But Chris McNamara from the Independent Brewers Association fears consumers do not realise the scheme will bring price rises of up to $4 on a carton of beer.
"The consumers of NSW would be surprised to know that it's three weeks away because nobody has been told about it," Mr McNamara said.
Chief executive of NSW EPA Barry Buffier believes there is strong public demand for a container deposit scheme.
"We're very excited about the scheme. The community are really keen to have this," he said.
The scheme will allow consumers of beer, cider and soft drink at home to take their empty containers to a collection point to claim 10 cents back per container.
But rebates for empty containers left in kerbside recycling collection will go to the council or waste handler.
Brewers frustrated with wine exemption
There are some exemptions, including wine bottles, mirroring the rules of a scheme that's been running in South Australia for 40 years.
The EPA said wine bottles are exempt in the SA and NSW schemes because they are less likely to end up in the litter stream.
But Topher Boehm from Wildflower Brewing and Blending, a small brewery in Sydney's inner-west, said a lot of time has already been "wasted" dealing with the scheme.
The beer at his brewery is sold in wine bottles, but unlike wine producers his company does not qualify for exemption.
Ashley Huntington from the Two Metre Tall brewery in Tasmania is also frustrated with the list of products excluded from the scheme.
He said the exemptions on wine bottles mean the scheme amounts to little more than a tax on beer, cider and soft drink producers.
"The vast majority of liquids being sold in containers in this country are exempt," he said.
Each drink producer needs to register for the scheme at a cost of $80 per product, a cost Mr Huntington said is too high.
"We have to register every single product in every single bottle variant we produce," Mr Huntington said.
"By the time we've finished, as a small producer selling a lot of different products at small volume into the market, that's going to end up well over $3,000."


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Shereen Marisol Meraji
Dec 11, 2012 The history of the tax deduction for charitable giving and why charities are worried it could change.
Nov 22, 2012 Marketplace tech looks at the digital form of something called “sock puppeting,” and how one Silicon Valley success story thinks start ups should be more involved in philanthropy.
Nov 16, 2012 Mt. Sinai Medical School in New York renames itself after business magnate/corporate raider Carl Icahn after his $200 million donation.
Oct 19, 2012 'Citizen Awareness Project' based in Colorado
Oct 18, 2012 The New York mayor's new super PAC isn't the first time he's tried to change things nationally and around the world.
Jul 20, 2012 Sifting through years of stuff is one of the most difficult parts of moving. A new start-up will empty your house of all its clutter for a minor fee.
Jul 13, 2012 In Santa Fe, New Mexico this weekend, artists from all around the globe are gathering for the world's largest folk art market. For artisans, the market is a chance to make money, but also receive retail business training and mentorship.
Jul 10, 2012 The philanthropist and co-chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation discusses why her latest effort is to provide contraceptive options for women around the globe.
Mar 30, 2012 Despite pressure to show uses ads and make hay from their personal data, CaringBridge refuses. They're a special case, but are there lessons here for other social networks?


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Square Enix released two new Japanese TV commercials for Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin! The first commercial focuses on the game’s story while the second focuses on gameplay. Check them out below:
Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin releases March 18th for PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Epic Games Store. Stay tuned at Final Weapon for the latest Japanese gaming news and updates!


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Discover and Flywire are joining forces to help students and their families worldwide pay for their education. The new partnership will allow parents and students to use their Discover, Diners Club, or network alliance cards to pay tuition and fees wherever Flywire international education payments are accepted worldwide.
Flywire and Discover Partner on Global Education Payments
Flywire is the payment provider of choice for educational institutions around the world. The company’s payment solutions allow institutions to offer students a highly-tailored, convenient, and secure online payment experience. A fully customizable solution, the Flywire service solution also enables institutions to create unique payment plans to provide students and families with greater flexibility.
Now, Flywire and Discover are joining forces to provide students and schools worldwide with digital options for education payments. Students -and their families – can now use Discover, Diners Club International, or other network alliance debit and credit cards to pay their tuition and fees at more than 2,000 institutions globally.
Initially, the new Discover and Flywire partnership will only be available to students in seven countries and six different currencies:
- Colombia – COP
- Ecuador and the United States – USD
- India – INR
- Japan – JPY
- South Korea – KRW
- Peru – PEN
While Flywire and Discover are working on new countries and currencies, the initial offerings represent some of the fastest-growing markets for students studying abroad – and the Discover network is a popular payment method in each.
“Increasing Payment Options and Convenience”
Both Flywire and Discover hailed the new partnership in a press release announcing its formation:
“Discover is a leading digital bank and payments provider, and we’re very pleased to offer their popular Discover Global Network card brands as a payment option for the first time,” said Mohit Kansal, vice president of global payments for Flywire. “For client schools, it solves both sides of the payment equation—increasing payment options and convenience for their students and families, while minimizing the cost and complexity of reconciliation on their end.”
“Being a part of Flywire’s solution complements our goal of ensuring our cardholders can pay however and wherever they want,” said Ellie Smith, global head of digital acceptance at Discover. “Flywire’s impressive growth in the education industry and unique business model unlocks additional payment options for our cardholders across the globe.”
Flywire is a global payments enablement and software company. Flywire combines its proprietary international payments network, next-gen payments platform, and vertical-specific software to deliver the most important and complex payments for its clients and their customers.
Discover is a digital banking and payment services company with one of the most recognized brands in U.S. financial services. Since its inception in 1986, the company has become one of the largest card issuers in the United States.
Featured photo by Matthew Henry/ Burst
Editorial Disclosure – The opinions expressed on BestCards.com's reviews, articles, and all other content on or relating to the website are solely those of the content’s author(s). These opinions do not reflect those of any card issuer or financial institution, and editorial content on our site has not been reviewed or approved by these entities unless noted otherwise. Further, BestCards.com lists credit card offers that are frequently updated with information believed to be accurate to the best of our team's knowledge. However, please review the information provided directly by the credit card issuer or related financial institution for full details.


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SMART Communications, Inc. and the enterprise business arm of PLDT, Inc. have teamed up with multinational telecommunications company Nokia Corp. for an Internet-of-Things (IoT) platform aimed at accelerating the digital transformation of businesses in the country.
PLDT said in a statement e-mailed to reporters on Aug. 21 that PLDT Enterprise, Smart Communications and Nokia teamed up to introduce a powerful solution that will transform the way IoT applications are deployed and managed in the country.
It said the move is expected to allow businesses “to accelerate their digital transformation goals and provide next-level customer experience beyond just connectivity.”
“A first in the Philippines, the Smart IoT Platform, powered by Nokia’s Worldwide IoT Network Grid (WING) will further enhance businesses to have full real-time visibility and control to up to hundreds of thousands of connected devices,” it added.
The IoT platform allows businesses to “effectively oversee to automate the connectivity and usage” of their mobile assets. PLDT said the objectives are to ensure optimum performance and increase operational efficiency.
ePLDT President and Chief Executive Officer Juan Victor I. Hernandez said: “For PLDT-Smart, this is so much more than IoT, as it opens up a lot of possibilities that were previously only a dream.”
The PLDT-Nokia partnership this year is focused on seeking to help build IoT-enabled industries. They intend to provide business solutions for the efficient management of interconnected devices.
“We put this vision forward with the Philippines’ first localized IoT offer, and we believe that this will ultimately pave the way for the Philippines’ transformation to a nation of smart cities,” said Mr. Hernandez, who also serves as senior vice-president and head of PLDT and Smart Enterprise Business Groups.
For his part, Nokia Philippines Head Carlos Reyes said: “As a partner, we not only bring just a platform, but also the business experience we have around the world, providing technology and business solutions to help drive enterprise growth.”
Hastings Holdings, Inc., a unit of PLDT Beneficial Trust Fund subsidiary MediaQuest Holdings, Inc., has a majority stake in BusinessWorld through the Philippine Star Group, which it controls. — Arjay L. Balinbin


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In the BT SIM only SALE, BT Broadband customers have until the 22nd of May 2018 to secure BT’s brand new 5GB SIM only deal for just £12 a month at the bt.com/simonly website. They’ll also qualify for a FREE £25 BT Reward card that they can use to spend on what they like.
Customers subscribing to a BT SIM only deal will also qualify for a £50 discount on a range of 3G and 4G mobile phones on sale at the BT Shop, including the Samsung Galaxy S8 – which they can use with their new BT SIM only plan. Those customers wishing to take a BT Mobile monthly phone contract can currently secure the iPhone SE from just £17 a month at the BT Mobile website. This offer also expires on the 22nd of May 2018.
The best Virgin Media deals for new customers in May 2018 are now available with 1 year of WELCOME DISCOUNTS being offered across its popular entertainment bundles containing Broadband, Phone Line Rental, Calls & Digital TV.
New customers can secure a great value broadband and TV entertainment bundle by ordering online at the virginmedia.com/bundles website. Prices start from just £29 a month for the Player bundle, which includes phone line rental and generates a saving of £180 in the first year.
There’s still time for new TalkTalk customers to secure the HALF PRICE TalkTalk TV Plus box offer worth £25 AND the FREE set up offer that comes with TalkTalk’s TV Plus with Faster Fibre package. Orders must be placed online at talktalk.co.uk/tv by midnight on the 31st of May 2018 to qualify.
Featuring the TV Select boost with 15 of the nation’s favourite TV channels, including 6 Sky channels, the TalkTalk TV Plus package has also been reduced in price to just £29.50 a month and includes Faster Fibre broadband, phone line rental, plus around 110 TV channels to enjoy.
Best Sky Broadband Deals For New Customers May 2018 – £18 A Month Sky Broadband + £50 Prepaid MasterCard
Sky is offering new customers its Sky Broadband Unlimited package with Sky phone line rental included for just £18 a month (usually £28.99p/m) when they order online at the sky.com/broadbandoffer website in May 2018.
This is Sky’s best ever price for Sky Broadband Unlimited and includes a FREE £50 prepaid MasterCard. Sky Broadband Shield, Sky’s Internet Protection for all internet-connected devices in the home is also included, while a one-off £9.95 broadband setup fee applies.
The new Plusnet SIM only deals offering impressive bundles of calls, texts and data are now available at the plus.net/mobile website until the 25th of May 2018.
Using the EE network, Plusnet Mobile covers 99% of the UK population and is backed up by Plusnet’s award-winning UK based customer service. Prices start from £6 a month for 500MB’s of data & 250 minutes, while for a limited time, 6GB’s of data is available for £13 a month and comes with 3,000 call minutes and unlimited texts. There’s also no additional charges for tethering your laptop or other devices.
Following the launch of its BIG Broadband SALE at talktalk.co.uk last week where Fibre prices were reduced to £25 a month, TalkTalk has announced that its two ultrafast broadband packages, with speeds up to 300Mb, are now available to new and existing customers in 11 areas across the country.
The two packages called Faster 150 Fibre and Faster 300 Fibre use the latest G.fast technology from Openreach which can transfer much higher broadband speeds over shorter distances in areas where Fibre to the Cabinet exists. Prices start from £40 a month for either an 18 or 24 month contract.


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Oracle is selling US$10 billion in bonds, in a move that could signal the vendor is planning to ramp up its already steady pace of acquisitions.
Oracle has joined the ranks of ERP (enterprise resource planning) software vendors hoping to capitalize on uncertainty among customers of SAP's Business ByDesign software, offering to waive one year of subscription fees to those who migrate to Oracle...
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First impression on unpacking the Q702 test unit was the solid feel and clean, minimalist styling.


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Local power poles will be turned into electric vehicle (EV) charging stations in an Australian first trial being rolled out across the Sydney and Hunter regions of New South Wales.
Fifty streetside locations will be selected for the EV Streetside Charging Project, with each EV charging station to be connected directly to the overhead electricity supply and energy use matched with 100% GreenPower.
Smart metering and data intelligence provider Intellihub will lead the project, which is being delivered by several energy and EV businesses in partnership with local councils.
Related article: AGL partners with Kaluza for EV charging offer
The project is being supported by the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) with a $871,000 grant.
Schneider Electric is providing EV chargers for the project and Origin Energy is providing 100% GreenPower, meaning all the energy used by the EV charges will be matched with the equivalent amount of certified renewable energy added to the grid.
The charging station sites will be nominated by up to nine local councils taking part in the project. Nominations will be based on feedback from residents, expected demand, traffic access, and parking availability.
Intellihub CEO Wes Ballantine said the project would help tackle the lack of public access to EV chargers, particularly for the one in four Australian households which do not have off street parking.
“It’s expected that as many as 10% of new car sales in Australia will be electric vehicles by 2025,” he said.
“That equates to an extra 120,000 new EVs on our local streets each year. It is likely that many of these car owners may be unable to charge their EVs from home.
“Power poles line most of our public streets and that presents an opportunity for the EV charging market.
“They’re an accessible, safe, and practical option for EV charging.
“They’ll be installed in front of the meter making them a controllable resource for grid operators looking to better manage the increasing penetration of renewables connected to the electricity network.”
Potential locations for charging stations include areas near apartment buildings and high-density single dwelling suburban streets, shopping strips, bus or train stations, sporting facilities and hospitals.
EV charging specialist at Withywindle David Anstee said there was potential for 190,000 public street-side EV charging stations across the country.
“Thousands of power or light pole-based EV chargers have already been successfully deployed across London, Germany, Canada, and the United States,” Anstee said.
“This trial will help us understand and overcome any regulatory barriers and build a commercial model that is fit for purpose for Australian conditions.
“It will uncover the charging habits of Australian EV owners across different locations and with different incentives.
Related article: JOLT and Endeavour Energy deliver free, fast EV charging
“And it will give energy suppliers insights into how to use electric vehicles to soak up excess rooftop solar power during high generation periods.”
The trial is also expected to provide safer ways for EV owners without off street parking to charge their cars. Local councils are receiving regular reports of cars being charged via extension cords strung from homes to cars parked on the street.


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Today is the day that the iPad Pro goes on sale in more than forty countries.
The success of the next evolution iPad in the shape of the ‘Pro’ will be shaped today. Coincidentally, today is considered the busiest shopping day, known as ‘Singles Day’ in China too. Singles Day was an idea started by retail giant Alibaba in 2009. And its huge!
Celebrity heavyweights weigh in with Kevin Spacey AKA Frank Underwood of House of Cards fame on Netflix even recording a message to prospective purchasers. And even James Bond himself, Daniel Craig, appeared on stage with Alibaba chairman Jack Ma. Suffice to say no expense was spared for this online bonanza.
To give you an idea of the scale of the operation, Alibaba says it still plans to deploy 1.7 million delivery personnel, 400,000 vehicles, 5,000 warehouses, and 200 airplanes to take care of package deliveries. Consumers had spent close to $6 billion in the first 90 minutes of Singles Day according to the company. Of that $6 billion dollar spend, 75% is spent on mobile phones! I know, its hard to comprehend the numbers!
Perhaps Apple are trying to get a piece of that action too and that is the reason for the launch today coinciding with Singles Day. With the popularity of the iPhone in China and 75% of the 6 billion dollars being spent on mobile phones, well, you do the math. We ‘re off to buy some Apple shares…….!
You can read more about the mind blowing numbers here in this article published in the Telegraph today.


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We already told you a few times that ATI's next generation graphics will be two chips on single card but ATI has two codenames for it. One and most commonly used was R670 but in the last few months ATI started using R680 codenames.
R680 is nothing else than a different codename for R670 or should we say dual chip card. In middle 2008 ATI plans to introduce R700 a brand new marchitecture so this will be the new chip and not the R680 as some people thinks.
We just wanted to get that behind us.


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Sports chain Footasylum to raise £150million in stock market float next month as it aims to double number of stores
- The planned £150m listing on the stock exchange is set for November
- The company is aiming for 10 new outlets a year with a target of at least 150
John Wardle co-founder of Footasylum is spearheading expansion of the sports retailer
Sports retailer Footasylum plans to float on the London Stock Exchange in a move that could value the firm at £150 million and lead to it doubling the number of its stores.
The company, owned by the founders of JD Sports, is expected to begin trading on London's junior AIM market in November.
The money raised during the float will be used to plough money into opening 10 outlets a year with a target of at least 150.
Footasylum boss Clare Nesbitt commenting on the float said: 'This is a logical next step in Footasylum's upward trajectory as we seek to build on our exciting product-led, multi-channel expansion strategy.
'We pride ourselves on being a dynamic, adaptive and fast-moving business with a strong competitive position, a great stable of third party and own brands, and a disciplined approach to delivering sustainable growth.
'We see substantial opportunities ahead across our retail, online and wholesales channels, and believe that we have the people, products and strategy to realise them.'
Footasylum aimed at 16 to 24 year fashion conscious customers enjoyed £147m in revenue during 2016
The firm founded by David Makin and John Wardle in 2005 currently has 60 stores.
Footasylum's products are aimed at 16 to 24-year-old fashion conscious customers, with the company dividing its shoppers into six core 'tribes'.
Each tribe, Footasylum said, has a 'nuanced demographic and regional profile'.
Last year the firm reaped £147 million in revenue and booked an operating profit of £11.2 million.
Menswear accounted for 71% in the period compared with 8% for womenswear and 18.5% for childrenswear.
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One guy decided to pop the question to his girlfriend with the help of Super Mario Maker.
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Dennis Dyack says Shadow of the Eternals is still a thing, despite the two failed crowdfunding campaigns back in 2013.
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Following up on the sketch released on Molly Saleen’s Facebook page come more pictures and details about the upcoming Saleen Tesla Model S.
Browsing the "Model S EV" Tag
When Tesla Motors got its start, it offered for sale just a single vehicle; the Lotus Elise-based Tesla Roadster. The Roadster model, and name, has been retired, though CEO Elon Musk has already suggested that it will return. And when the two-seat electric sports car makes a comeback, it will be called the Tesla Model R.
Say what you will regarding Elon Musk’s electric car company Tesla Motors, but there is no denying that the man and his company have a flair for the dramatic. So it was in typically Tesla form that the new “supercharging” network was revealed last night to much fanfare and house music (I assume, as I wasn’t there). In a nutshell, the new Superchargers will provide clean, free, and fast charging for drivers of the Tesla Model S up and down the West Coast.


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We all know the feeling of picking out your favourite dress to wear to a party – only to notice five minutes later that there's a HUGE stain on the front.
You look at the tag and it's dry clean only. Your problem? You have no time to get to the dry cleaners yourself!
Yep, that dreaded gut-punch scenario has happened to the best of us. But it won't anymore!
Irish start-up, Laundrie, has launched Ireland's first dry cleaning on-demand app.
The smart phone service will allow users to get their dresses cleaned and clothing pressed with just a few clicks on the app!
The extremely convenient service will see Laundrie pick up your items at the location specified by the customer. It's also available seven days a week, at the time and date of the customers choosing.
Even better, Laundrie is a fully Irish-owned business. Evan Gray spotted an opportunity in the market as people's lives are becoming increasingly busy.
We can all admit it's often a hindrance from your day-to-day schedule to drop into a dry cleaners; but this way you will save time and money. Score!
The premium dry cleaning service collects and delivers within a 48 hour turn around time. The app also provides free delivery and collection for all orders over €20.
Initially launching in Dublin, Laundrie plans to expand to the rest of Ireland in the coming months.
Speaking about the launch of Laundrie, Evan Gray said: "Following a number of years working in the white-collar industry, I saw a gap in the market for a more convenient way to service the cleaning needs of wearing a suit 5 days a week."
“Laundrie is basically like Hailo for your laundry requirements."
We like the sound of this one! Laundrie is currently available for free on AppStore.


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Many people are unknowingly consuming harmful ingredients, a new study has found.
People who consistently drink alcohol moderately within recommended health guidelines could be benefiting their heart health
Cockroach milk is believed to contain vital fats, sugars and proteins that are beneficial to humans.
Some fruit juice contains nearly the same levels of sugar as a can of Coke.
Cutting processed meats and alcohol is one of many ways the risk of cancer can be reduced, according to the World Cancer Research Fund.
It’s not about telling people what they can and can’t drink, but simply equipping readers with information so they can make a decision based on their own lifestyles and health circumstances.
They make for a great afternoon tea snack and are perfect for picnics.
We got the info from a guy who knows everything about tea (the company Dilmah is named after him!).
If it's good enough for the Queen, it's good enough for the rest of us.
For every study, there's one that contradicts it, and this is a chronic case!


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Now that Dreamforce 2008 is over, the Developer Force team are back out on the road and currently in Tel Aviv, Israel for the IGT 2008 World Summit of Cloud Computing. In addition to exhibiting at the event, the team delivered a keynote presentation and a hands-on workshop. Jon Mountjoy – community manager and editor-in-chief at Developer Force – presented "Cloud Computing in Practice: Fast Application Development and Delivery on Force.com" whilst the Force.com Workshop provided attendees the chance to walk through the Force.com Workbook and get started with the platform.
In addition to Jon's session, Amazon presented a great introduction to Amazon Web Services – which Force.com plays nicely with thanks to the Force.com for Amazon Web Services toolkit – and there are more great sessions to come.
There is a great buzz at the event so if you're here please stop by and say hi!


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Brad Robideau says:
American Public Media recently launched Budget Hero–our newest interactive game that lets people explore the major issues of the election by changing the federal budget to match their stands on issues and their values
Budget Hero tries to bring a level of clarity and simplicity to the federal budget. It is bound to be controversial since the game puts numbers against issues like bringing home troops from Iraq soon or gradually or not at all and providing options on taxes, Social Security and Medicare. American Public Media worked closely with the Congressional Budget Office, GAO and others on the data and devoted months of reporter and researcher time to creating the game.
On Monday, the Supreme Court will hear Apple Inc. v. Pepper, in which the plaintiffs argue that Apple has established a monopoly over apps for Ios (this part is actually incontrovertible, as Apple has used both technology and law to prevent rival app stores from operating), and that Iphone and Ipad owners have a right […]
I’ve mentioned it online before, but here we go: Two years ago, my wife and I decided to leave our rented home behind and move into a 40-foot RV. We spend our spring and summer in Alberta, Canada where she has a job for six months of the year working as an addictions counselor. The […]
Androkavo tests some of the cheap eBay solder against the brand-name stuff; it gets there in the end, but it’s surely not the advertized 60/40 alloy and needs to be close to 400° before it behaves itself.
The human eye is a powerful thing, but it’s not so great at seeing in the dark or around tight spaces, which is partially why most of us struggle with unplugging drains, cleaning under the fridge, and other hard-to-reach jobs. This 1080p HD Waterproof WiFi Wireless Endoscopic Camera, however, gives you the flexibility necessary to get […]
Macs are undeniably some of the most versatile computers on the market, but they can do so much more than what their stock apps allow. For those looking to get the most out of their Mac hardware, the Pay What You Want 2018 Super Mac Bundle features 10 of the industry’s top apps, including photo editors and […]
Salesforce has reinvented the way companies manage customer information, close deals, and ultimately drive revenue, so it should come as no surprise that it’s one of the more valuable skills you can list on your resume today. In fact, according to research from Burning Glass, this platform is now the 7th most in-demand software skill, beating out […]