text:
Buy whomever decided to livestream yesterday’s epic finale of the U.S. Open a frosty Pabst Blue Ribbon. Tiger Woods’ nail-biting victory gave NBCSports.com its highest-trafficked day ever, with more than 9.1 million page views, more than 2 million unique users and over 1.5 million video streams that averaged more than 17 minutes(!) per use.
Live sports are often touted as a reason to cling to your oldteevee, but with all of yesterday’s action taking place while people were at work, the TV set wasn’t an option. There were a few technical hiccups, but this was an unplanned event as the tournament was supposed to end on Sunday. Yesterday’s online performance — and audience — bodes well for watching NBC’s upcoming coverage of the Summer Olympics on the web.
ESPN and the U.S. Golf Association also livestreamed the event. We’re checking in with them to get their stats and will update as soon as we get the numbers.
UPDATE: Ummm… We might want to upgrade that celebratory drink from a PBR to something classy, like MGD. Just got some numbers from USGA.org, and they are even more impressive.
Keep in mind that these are early figures. A USGA rep told me that they are bound to be bigger once they get the official stats, but here’s how the
USGA USOpen.com site did during the U.S. Open playoff yesterday:
- 600,000 concurrent users at its peak
- 2.5 million streams
- 3.5 million unique visitors, 16 million
pageviewsvisits for the entire site
And this was just for the (roughly) four hour live portion of the finals.
USGA didn’t have any time length per visit stat, but the rep said that during the tournament on Thursday and Friday of last week, the site generated 1.2 million streams with 85,000 concurrent users at its peak, with the average user spending 2.5 hours on the site.
For some sporting perspective, CBS said it got 4.8 million unique visitors for its streaming of the March Madness playoffs. NBC and the USGA combined got roughly 5.5 million in one day (though, admittedly there could be some overlap as people switched from one player to the other).
UPDATE 2: Another big winner from yesterday? American Express. While no revenue figures were disclosed, AMEX was one of four corporate partners that got exclusive marketing rights for the tournament. AMEX chose to focus on the video streaming as one of its primary tactics, getting a fifteen second pre-roll that ran in front of every one of the 2.5 million streams.
We’ve contacted NBC for any initial ad impression / revenue figures, but have not heard back. There was some chatter online about the network’s ads not working properly yesterday.


text:
Decline in industrial production worsened further in April
Text Mark Taylor Photo Lukas / Pexels
According to data published by Statistics Estonia, in April 2023, the total production of industrial enterprises decreased by 15.1 per cent at constant prices compared with the same month in 2022. Output fell in all three sectors: by 22.0 per cent in electricity production, by 14.7 per cent in manufacturing, and by 9.1 per cent in mining.
“The volume of industrial production fell in almost all manufacturing activities in April. Of the activities with larger shares, growth was recorded only in the production of shale oil (2.4 per cent) and motor vehicles, trailers and semi-trailers (12.8 per cent),” said Helle Bunder, a leading analyst at Statistics Estonia.
Bunder added that among the larger industries, as in the previous month, the manufacture of wood decreased the most (24.0 per cent), while output also declined in the manufacture of electrical equipment (6.8 per cent) and fabricated metal products (9.0 per cent). The fall was smaller in the manufacture of electronic products (2.3 per cent) and food products (1.4 per cent).
In April 2023, compared with April 2022, the sales of manufacturing production decreased by 11.9 per cent at current prices according to working-day adjusted data. Domestic sales fell by 14.1 per cent and export sales by 10.5 per cent.
Compared with March 2023, the seasonally adjusted total industrial production fell by 1.4 per cent and the production of manufacturing by 1.5 per cent.
In energy production, compared with April 2022, the volume of electricity production (in megawatt-hours) decreased by 27.4 per cent and the production of heat by 18.1 per cent.

domain: news


text:
The majority (82%) of event planners believe that vaccines are the most important factor in bringing back face-to-face events, according to the latest research from Global DMC Partners.
The results of the Q3 Meeting & Events Survey, which polled 447 respondents from the global meetings and events industry, come off the back of positive news regarding several vaccine trials, which could boost confidence in booking face-to-face events.
According to the survey, more than 90% reported that some or all of their 2020 events have been postponed to 2021, and nearly three-quarters of event planners are moving their face-to-face events to virtual or hybrid in 2021.
While most respondents predict that their face-to-face events will resume in the first half of 2021, many are planning to include a virtual option with their live event, indicating that 2021 will be a hybrid year.
While incentive trips remain largely irreplaceable and many are still just postponed, in Q3 more respondents reported offering additional alternatives to their incentive trip, such as a virtual incentive event or gifts. Sixty-four percent of participants report that 2021 incentive trips are still planned to take place.
For the majority of respondents, budgets for meetings, conferences and events are either decreasing or remaining the same for 2021. Thirty-eight percent of planners are reporting a decrease in their budgets from 2020-2021, and 32% are reporting no change.
When it comes to incentives budgets, 36% report no change, while 32% say they will have decreasing budgets for 2021.
The majority of survey participants indicated that general fear and uncertainty is the biggest current concern (32%), followed closely by travel and government restrictions (25%). Job security and health and well-being of planners and their family/friends also ranks high on the list.
Other than COVID-19, the second biggest industry concern at the moment appears to be financial and budget constraints, as noted by almost half of the respondents (45%).
Corporate travel restrictions
Regardless of geographic location, most companies are not currently allowing employees to freely travel for business. Forty-seven percent of US companies and 40% of non-US companies are not allowing travel.
Some (16-18%) are allowing C-level executives and other select personnel to travel. On a positive note, 55 percent of respondents believe that their companies will allow employee travel in Q1 or Q2 of 2021.
The majority of survey participants (63%) said they predict that their companies and/or clients will host live, in-person events, meetings and incentives in the first half of 2021, providing of course that markets are open, flights are available and health protocols are in place.


text:
3M Reports An 11-Percent Drop In April Sales Year Over Year
3M, which operates in the promotional products industry as supplier 3M Promotional Markets Department (PPAI 113638, S11), has reported April 2020 sales of $2.3 billion, a 11-percent drop compared the prior-year period. It withdrew its full-year 2020 outlook on April 28 due to the uncertain impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and has committed to providing monthly updates until it can better forecast future performance.
The St. Paul, Minnesota, company says that organic local-currency sales—which includes organic volume impacts and selling price changes, declined 12 percent, while acquisitions, net of divestitures, increased sales by three percent. Foreign currency translation sales fell two percent year-on-year.
“April sales results were largely in line with month-to-date trends we discussed during our first quarter earnings call,” says Mike Roman, 3M chairman and CEO. “We remain focused on ensuring the health and safety of our employees, delivering for our customers and increasing production of much-needed respirators as we fight this pandemic from all angles.”
Total sales grew five percent in health care, with declines of five percent in consumer, 11 percent in safety and industrial, and 20 percent in transportation and electronics. Organic local-currency sales declined three percent in consumer, seven percent in safety and industrial, 10 percent in health care, and 18 percent in transportation and electronics.
The company says that the COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact its businesses in several ways. 3M has continued to experience strong end-market demand specifically in personal safety, electronics (semiconductor and data center), general cleaning, food safety and biopharma filtration. At the same time, several other end markets have experienced significant weakness due to factors including social distancing and shelter-in-place mandates. These end markets include oral care, automotive original equipment manufacturer (OEM) and aftermarket, general industrial, commercial solutions, and stationery and office.
On a geographic basis, total sales declined five percent in Asia Pacific, 12 percent in EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa), and 13 percent in the Americas. Organic local-currency sales declined five percent in Asia Pacific (including a seven-percent increase in China and a five-percent decrease in Japan), EMEA declined 12 percent and the Americas declined 17 percent, which includes a 15-percent decrease in the U.S.


text:
Manufacturers of adhesives are now offering products that answer the specific needs and demands of the growing resilient category, using their expertise to create innovative products that save time, money and the environment.
HPS Schonox Roll and Go
According to Bob Ddamulira, vice president of operations, research and development, for W.F. Taylor, resilient adhesives represent a substantial portion of the company’s portfolio. When developing the products, the company first considered user-friendly attributes. Ddamulira explained that many adhesives are a two part mix and any unused portion must be discarded. W.F. Taylor looked to eliminate that by providing a product that, once opened and used, could be resealed and used again. “We wanted to offer our customers a solution that would make their job a whole lot easier,” said Ddamulira.
The company also hoped to provide a product that added to its eco-friendly line-up. To that end, it launched MS Plus Resilient — a one part, zero VOC, zero solvent, Isocyanate free adhesive with sound deadening and moisture barrier capabilities.
For the newly growing category, HPS Schönox offers its Schönox Roll and Go. According to Karen Bellinger, business development at HPS Schönox, what Schönox invented is a hybrid type adhesive that acts like a pressure sensitive but holds like a wet set. If an installer is doing an application that has time constraints, the flooring can be installed and immediately turned over to the end user, she said.
“This shows an example of the technology that Schönox is doing,” Bellinger said. “We’re listening to what the end consumer needs.” It also saves time for the installer, only requiring five to ten minutes before the flooring can be applied, with an open time of two hours.
Roll and Go offers another unique advantage — It is PH irrelevant. According to Bellinger a high PH can break down an adhesive and emulsify it. “Roll and Go has properties that combat that. It’s a newer technology that we’ve developed for each of the adhesives.”
DriTac offers a line of adhesives that not only stand up in terms of quality and performance but improve the bottom line with multi-functional capabilities, according to the company.
“Multi-functional adhesives are becoming very popular with retailers and distributors in the flooring industry, and gaining considerable market share for good reason,” said Larry Scott, vice president of field technical services at DriTac. “This allows retailers and distributors to cut down on SKUs and improve the efficiency of their business.”
According to Scott, Dri-Tac’s Eco-5500 spreads and cleans up easily while offering both wet-set and dry-set bond applications for multiple flooring options. Also, in accordance with DriTac’s eco-friendly philosophy, it contains rapidly renewable materials, zero VOCs, zero solvent attributes and more. “Eco-friendly flooring adhesives with the highest quality and performance characteristics are a top priority in today’s market,” said Scott.
As a resilient flooring manufacturer, Tarkett designs all of its adhesives specifically for use with its flooring. It offers solution-based products including a including a multi-purpose option. “We developed our Q-Bond One adhesive... simplifying the adhesive selection process for the retailer, installer and consumer,” said Don Styka, director of technical services at Tarkett.
Tarkett, however, emphasizes the merit of understanding the needs of the installation. According to Styka, technology continues to develop to create adhesives with specific working characteristics to complement new flooring solutions that are being introduced into the market, but educating retailers, contractors and installers is important. “Sales rely on education to ensure that ‘multi-purpose’ adhesives are not used in situations that could affect the long-term performance of the flooring material,” he said, adding that all of the company’s adhesive offerings are environmentally friendly and safe to use in occupied environments like hospitals, assisted living facilities and schools.
According to Eric Kurtz, market manager, hardwood and resilient flooring systems, Bostik consumer and construction business unit, Bostik’s customers were also asking for adhesives that would bond a wide variety of flooring materials. Kurtz said that while many of the company’s products are accomodating, it has taken a more pragmatic approach. “By developing products targeting different specific segments of the market, we are able to maintain high quality and innovative features,” Kurtz said.
FreeFit offers its proprietary loose lay LVT product which does not require an adhesive because it utilizes a patented design backing with suction technology. David Reichwein, president and CEO of FreeFit, said, however, that without a straight wall to install the product against, it may be difficult to properly install if the user is not a professional. As a result, Reichwein invented Gecko Tape.
Not only does this tape serve as a barrier against problematic chemicals that may break down glue lines, according to Reichwein, “You lay the tape along the wall, and then you can install [the floor] within a quarter inch between the product and the wall. The tape will keep the product in place and then you just loose lay the rest of the floor.”
According to Reichwein Gecko Tape has been used with LVT, laminate, sheet vinyl and even around the perimeter with wood. “The demand for it is growing, double digit growth from the previous month, because it works,” said Reichwein


text:
California’s ‘right to repair’ bill is now California’s ‘right to repair’ law
The state of California has enacted a new law known as the ‘right to repair’ law, which aims to provide consumers with greater freedom to repair their own electronic devices. The law requires manufacturers to provide access to repair information, tools, and replacement parts to both consumers and independent repair shops.
Background of the ‘Right to Repair’ Movement
The ‘right to repair’ movement has gained momentum in recent years as consumers become increasingly frustrated with the limited options available for repairing their electronic devices. Many manufacturers void warranties if a device is repaired by anyone other than an authorized service provider, effectively forcing consumers to pay steep prices for repairs or buy new devices altogether.
This movement has been particularly focused on electronics like smartphones, laptops, and tablets, which are often expensive to repair or replace. It has brought attention to the issue of planned obsolescence, where manufacturers intentionally design products to have a limited lifespan or make repairs difficult or costly.
The Implications of the New Law
California’s ‘right to repair’ law is a significant victory for consumers. It requires manufacturers to make available repair documentation, diagnostic software, and the necessary tools and replacement parts to individuals, smaller repair businesses, and third-party repair shops. This means that consumers will now have the option to repair their devices themselves or choose an independent repair professional without fear of voiding their warranty.
The law is expected to have a positive impact on the economy as well. It will spur the growth of independent repair businesses, creating jobs and stimulating local economies. Additionally, by promoting repairability, it may reduce electronic waste, as more devices can be fixed and kept in use rather than ending up in landfills.
Support and Opposition
The ‘right to repair’ law has received strong support from consumer advocates, environmental organizations, and independent repair shops. They argue that it increases consumer choice, reduces e-waste, and promotes a more sustainable and affordable approach to technology.
However, some manufacturers have expressed concerns about the law. They argue that it could compromise the security and safety of their products by making proprietary information and tools more widely available. Additionally, they claim that independent repairs may not meet the same level of quality and safety standards as authorized service centers.
California’s ‘right to repair’ law marks a significant milestone in the fight for consumer rights and sustainability. By giving consumers and independent repair shops access to necessary resources, the law empowers individuals to repair their own devices, reduces electronic waste, and stimulates local economies. While there are concerns from manufacturers about safety and security, the positive impact of the law on consumer choice and the environment cannot be ignored.


text:
Important: If in doubt, please seek professional financial advice. Investments can go down as well up. Past performance is not indicative of future results.
In the last week, due to various factors, the stock prices of various Tech-companies have been kicked in the nuts. On Friday last week, the combo of the US Job Growth report (more employment then expected), and the emergence of the Omicron variant in California prompted a mass sell off of…almost everything. Especially Tech. This presents a potentially great opportunity for gamers to own part of a gaming-related company and make a return on that investment in years to come.
Disclaimer: I’m invested in both Microsoft and more recently, Nvidia. For now, I’m focusing on them but feel free to mention other gaming companies in this thread.
This was on course to return to $340 before this week. Expected price next year is $410. MS not only includes Gaming (hello Xbox!), but also includes Cloud Computing/ AI (Azure), Surface Hardware and Enterprise Software (Office 365), and a popular operating system you may of heard of (Windows 10/11), along with an app store to go with it.
MS are on a mission to bring gaming to the masses, regardless of what platform you’re on. Xbox. PC. Mobile. 2021 has been the best year ever for Xbox and the year is ending strongly with the releases of FH5, Halo, and xCloud to current and legacy consoles.
Looking ahead, expect the 22 game studios in XGS to produce more great content, which in turn, will increase growth to Game Pass, and there’s plenty of room for more growth - Game Pass is still awaiting its smart-TV debut, and there’s also the Game Pass TV-streaming stick incoming at some point.
Gone are the days when Nvidia was just focused on making industry-leading GPUs loved by gamers. The parallel-processing capabilities of Nvidia’s GPU and CPU hardware is now used for AI, and in turn, that means Nvidia hardware is used in data centers around the world (including Microsoft Azure).
Various industries using Nvidia solutions include self-driving vehicles, Healthcare, Smart-City planning, Supercomputing, Telecommunications, Cloud Computing and Data Centres, among others. The Nvidia Omniverse is already being used by thousands of creative professionals. For instance, the SFX for Lucasfilm’s The Mandorian used the Nvidia Omniverse.
Back to gaming - yours truly had the chance to finally play X4: Foundations without needing the PC hardware to play it on – thanks to Nvidia’s GeForce Now, a cloud subscription gaming system which simulates a gaming PC in the cloud. In this age of semi-conductor shortages, inflation, and the struggle for many to purchase expensive gaming-spec PCs and the GPUs for them, GeForce Now is a great alternative, with multiple price points for entry, starting from free for a 60 minute gaming session.
Nvidia gaming GPUs are currently best-in-class for real time ray-tracing and image reconstruction, don’t expect that situation to change anytime soon.
The ARM deal being pursued by Nvidia is all but dead now, hence a drop in share price. More Omicron-related drops may follow. Expected share price down the road is $400 per share.


text:
Voltas is currently trading at Rs. 290.50, up by 5.80 points or 2.04% from its previous closing of Rs. 284.70 on the BSE.
The scrip opened at Rs. 284.00 and has touched a high and low of Rs. 291.90 and Rs. 283.00 respectively. So far 79132 shares were traded on the counter.
The BSE group 'A' stock of face value Rs. 1 has touched a 52 week high of Rs. 310.25 on 13-Apr-2015 and a 52 week low of Rs. 151.70 on 06-May-2014.
Last one week high and low of the scrip stood at Rs. 291.90 and Rs. 268.60 respectively. The current market cap of the company is Rs. 9597.31 crore.
The promoters holding in the company stood at 30.30% while Institutions and Non-Institutions held 48.56% and 21.14% respectively.
Voltas, India’s leading room air conditioner brand, has launched ‘Voltas Fresh-Air Coolers’. The new range comes with attractive features such as exclusive honeycomb cooling pads, carbonized dust filters and powerful air throw. With the launch of Voltas Fresh-Air Coolers, the company aims to bridge the wide gap between fans and ACs, and intends to be among top 3 brands in Air Coolers within next 3 years.
In parallel, the company has launched its new range of ‘All-Weather Smart’ ACs, offering an array of choices, and a number of distinctive features including: Smart Inverter Technology, which saves up to 63% power; a Smart (Android-based) mobile application that provides direct AC control from one’s handset; and Smart Sense technology, which can detect the ambient temperature and weather, and recommend the best AC settings. The new ‘All-Weather Smart’ AC line is expected to continue the growth momentum and sustain market supremacy.
Voltas is one of the world’s premier engineering solutions providers and project specialists. The company offers engineering solutions for a wide spectrum of industries in areas such as heating, ventilation and air conditioning, refrigeration, electro-mechanical projects, textile machinery, mining and construction equipment, materials handling equipment, water management & treatment, cold chain solutions, building management systems, and indoor air quality.


text:
This year marks the 100th anniversary of Pueblo Memorial Hall, and officials from the iconic Pueblo building want to partner with the city to put on a bash to commemorate the milestone.
"The goal we have for the 100-year anniversary is to get people to understand what a unique venue Memorial Hall is and what a special place it has been," Kevin Ortiz, the general manager for the venue, told the council this week.
Ortiz said he'd like to see the entertainment for the proposed celebration be all local acts and wants the city to be involved in the event in some capacity. A date for this celebration has not been set.
Ortiz also spoke at the work session about Memorial Hall's goals for this year from a marketing and revenue-generating perspective.
The sales and marketing plan for this year is to generate more revenue and increase awareness to what Memorial Hall has planned, and there will be a heavy emphasis on social media to accomplish that, Ortiz said.
"Social media is an extremely strong tool for Memorial Hall," Ortiz said, noting that a strategy has been put in place this year to shift more paid advertising to its social media channels as well as to grow brand awareness by increasing followers by 15 percent.
Ortiz said that in order to generate more revenue, Memorial Hall is going to offer sponsorship opportunities in certain areas of the facility. For instance, offering the chance for businesses to pay for a banner with its logo hanging above the stage for shows. This is a strategy also being considered at the Pueblo Convention Center.
Ticket sponsorships in which companies can have their logos appear on the back of tickets for shows at Memorial Hall also is being offered. One local business, Table 67, already has purchased that sponsorship for some shows, according to Ortiz.
"We want to be able to maximize our revenue streams and we feel these sponsorships would be a great way to do that without taking away the uniqueness of the building," Ortiz said.


text:
Berlin-based full-service gaming and esports marketing agency Freaks 4U Gaming announced Friday that it will transition the license to the Northern League of Legends Championship (NLC) to Denmark-based esports platform and organizer Leagues.gg—pending Riot Games approval—at the beginning of 2024.
In a statement released Friday, Freaks 4U noted that Leagues.gg had already been in operational control of the league during the 2023 season, but with this agreement, it will take over the full responsibility of the license.
In addition to being a marketing agency, Freaks4U Gaming is a global tournament organizer and is most active in the Western European countries of Germany, Austria, and Switzerland (DACH). The company secured the license to operate the league at the end of 2021.
Earlier this week, sources told The Esports Advocate that Freaks 4U was having some financial challenges and would end some of its esports activities as a result. Sources said the company would exit everything but the Prime League, the League of Legends esports ERL (European Regional League) for the DACH region founded in 2020 as the successor of the Premier Tour.
In addition to ending its NLC efforts, Freaks 4U lost its contract with ESL to run the ESL Meisterschaft – a national CS:GO championship in Germany – due to the Saudi Public Investment Fund-backed tournament organizer closing its ESL National Champions program with the launch of Counter-Strike 2. In a statement explaining the situation, Freaks 4U expressed its intention to develop a successor of that format.
When reached for comment earlier this week, a company representative told us:
“We consistently evaluate our portfolio of products and services to ensure alignment with the evolving needs and interests of our communities and clients in an ever-changing market. 2023 has been a challenging year for our industry and we are no exception. In order to remain financially sustainable, the company is currently undergoing the annual business strategy review and no decisions have been finalized, therefore any claims regarding changes in product ownership are premature. We appreciate your understanding as we navigate our ongoing strategic planning process.”
According to its announcement on Friday, Riot has already approved this transfer.
While sources claim that Freaks 4U Gaming is struggling financially, the company was one of the few to see revenue growth, even at the height of the COVID-19 global pandemic; In FY 2021, Freaks 4U Gaming reported revenues of €28.8M EUR ($31.3M USD) in 2021, a dramatic jump from €16M ($17.4M) in 2019, however, due to the economic situation, the company saw a €3.5M ($3.7M) profit in 2019 turn into a €141K ($153K) net loss in 2021.
Freaks 4U Gaming operates a marketing communications agency, runs video and content production services, does editorial work and community building for clients, and more. Over the years, Freaks 4U Gaming has worked with some of the biggest names and brands in esports and gaming including HyperX, LG, Electronic Arts, Amazon, AMD, ASUS, ESL FACEIT Group, Riot Games, Gigabyte, Gillette, Logitech G, Paysafecard, Red Bull, Sennheiser, ProSiebenSat 1 Media SE, and many others.


text:
Inflation eased to 5.7% in January, down from 5.9% the month prior — which was a hair’s breadth away from the ceiling of the South African Reserve Bank’s target range of 3% to 6%, it was announced on Wednesday.
According to Statistics South Africa, the main contributors to the 5.7% annual inflation rate were food and non-alcoholic beverages, housing and utilities, transport and miscellaneous goods and services.
The 5.9% annual increase in December was the highest since March 2017, when the rate was 6.1%. The January slowdown in inflation was helped by lower fuel prices.
South Africa’s inflation numbers come as advanced economies post record figures, which have served as further proof that elevated prices are a stubborn feature of the recovery from the Covid-induced economic slump.
Last week, the Bureau of Labour Statistics revealed that inflation in the US had climbed higher than expected to 7.5% in January — the highest levels in four decades. Inflation in the UK also bucked expectations, rising to 5.5% in January. The UK inflation rate was the highest recorded in three decades.
Elevated inflation, which central banks have said will be transitory, is the result of Covid-related supply bottlenecks.
With little indication that inflation will subside in advanced economies, policymakers have been forced to react by rolling back monetary stimulus. The US Federal Reserve’s seemingly more hawkish stance on inflation has stoked fears that it will roll back monetary policies that have been highly supportive of global economic growth.
The South African Reserve Bank pre-empted any move by the Fed by already raising rates in November last year. In January the Reserve Bank lifted the repo rate — which affects the cost of borrowing — for a second time, raising it to 4%.
In its January statement, the Reserve Bank’s monetary policy committee flagged high global inflation, and faster interest rate normalisation, as a risk to the economy.
“The risks to the inflation outlook are assessed to the upside. Global producer price and food price inflation continued to surprise higher in recent months and could do so again,” the statement read.
“Oil prices increased strongly through 2021 and are up sharply year to date. Current oil prices sit well above forecasted levels for this year. Electricity and other administered prices continue to present short- and medium-term risks.”
Fuel prices eased in January, but this relief was temporary. This month saw a hike in the cost of petrol, diesel and illuminating paraffin, which will likely reflect in February’s inflation figures.


text:
A historic landmark in Peoria has a new owner.
Hale Memorial Church was sold this morning to a Utah couple Colby and Michelle Carpenter. But the sale is not without controversy.
KDB Group Founder Kim Blickenstaff said he planned on buying the building after he learned it could be demolished.
But to his surprise, he said the building was already sold in an online auction yesterday.
“I’m disappointed,” Blickenstaff said. “I wonder what was the point of even engaging this and getting us started with lawyers and appraisers to get out there on site.”
The Carpenters bought the building for $22,000.
They have considered turning it into a book store or a maker space.
They will visit Peoria this weekend to see the building in person for the first time.


text:
Campbell Soup Co. has launched an egg-free, mayo-style spread under its Bolthouse Farms brand in the US.
Bolthouse Farms Maio has been made with yogurt at its base, which Campbell believes will appeal to consumers who want to eat mayonnaise but, the company said, are wary of the amount of fat and number of calories in the condiment.
“The popularity of traditional mayo has remained flat over recent years as consumers have steadily turned to alternative options, but they aren’t always satisfied with what they can find on-shelf,” Suzanne Ginestro, the general manager for Campbell’s C-Fresh innovation unit, said. “People like mayonnaise for the rich flavour and creamy texture, but are hesitant to indulge because of the calorie and fat content.”
Campbell said the spreads have 20 calories and one gram of fat “per serving”. The spreads, available in three varieties, have initially gone on sale in over 200 Safeway stores in northern California. The 8oz bottles have a suggested retail price of US$2.99.
A number of sectors in the US food industry have seen smaller companies offering products touted as healthier enter the fray and, to varying degrees, gain a foothold and shake up the established order.
The mayonnaise category has seen Just Mayo, an egg-free, mayo-style spread, make inroads. The product and owner Hampton Creek has attracted criticism. In 2014, Hellmann’s owner Unilever launched a lawsuit against Hampton Creek for its use of the words mayonnaise and mayo on the branding and packaging of the product. Unilever claimed federal regulations meant mayonnaise had to contain eggs. It claimed its smaller rival was “stealing market share from Hellmann’s”.
Within two months, Unilever had withdrawn the lawsuit. In 2015, the US Food and Drug Administration said Hampton Creek was breaking labelling rules and asked the company to “correct the current violations”. However, in December that year, an agreement between the FDA and Hampton Creek was announced that allowed the company to keep the Just Mayo name, with some changes to the labelling for the spread.
By February 2016, Unilever had launched a version of its Hellmann’s mayonnaise in the US that contained no eggs.


text:
Copyright © 2016
Tech news: Four men pleaded guilty yesterday to conspiracy to commit criminal copyright infringement as participants in the "warez scene."; Toshiba is showing off the latest version of its fuel cell for portable devices, but problems with the new technology have delayed its introduction until 2005; HP is offering users of rival Sun's Solaris $25,000 in free services and equipment as an incentive to switch to Linux-based HP systems; and New OpenSSL patches, already included in Mac OS X 10.2.8, have been released to fix three holes in the open-source software.
cmiStudios is offering three different DVD tutorials on Shake, Apple's compositing and effects solution for film and HD. The tutorials are 90 minutes in length and are designed for new, intermediate, and advanced users of Shake. Each is $50. The new and intermediate tutorials are available now, while Advanced Shake is due in mid-October. All are available with free international shipping. All three are available for $130. The company has also posted a free tutorial on Smoking Text.
MacSpeech has released ScriptPak for Microsoft Word X, which adds over 150 spoken commands to the company's flagship speech recognition product iListen. The Microsoft Word X ScriptPak includes commands that allow the user to control most of Word's functions with voice commands. It is $20. DCIT has released BusinessMind for Jewelers 3.10, an update to its SQL-based business software suite featuring dozens of new reporting, POS, and inventory management features, and ease-of-use improvements. The new version is available as separate products for jewelry Retailers, Wholesalers, and Manufacturers. Xupport 1.3.7 ($20) adds several new functions to the utility that offers a GUI for dozens of system functions. It adds a browser for using commands (using the 'man' unix engine), new delete and burn functions for Mac OS 9, and new preferences to change window transparencies, check for updates on launch, and enable audio effects. [387KB] MacChampion has released Scenario 1.0, a $10 shareware script launching utility which allows the user to trigger AppleScripts when certain events occur (log-in/log-out, sleep/wake, idle/stop idel, hot keys). It works as a Preference Pane for Mac OS X (10.2 and up). [1.7MB] Lightsoft has released Kairos 2.10, a $20 shareware that records the weather conditions for up to 3 locations and graphs the data. Kairos can be programmed with alerts that can send out emails and run scripts when triggered and also can speak the weather and display current conditions in the dock. [2.1MB] Geo-Calc 1.2 ($10) is a geometry calculator which computes the area, perimeter, sides, angles and the height of common 2D figures such as Ellipses, Rectangles, Triangles, Trapeziums, Parallelograms and Polygons, and the volume, surface, and sides of 3D figures such as Prisms, Cylinders, Cones, Pyramids and Spheres. [747KB] SubRosaSoft DesktopEarth 1.3 downloads real time global cloud maps, then superimposes them on the map of your choice (political, geographic, elevation etc...) and sets it as your desktop picture. [3.4MB]
Apple's Mall of America Apple Store in Bloomington, MN will be closed for nearly a month for remodeling: "From October 6 to November 11 at 6 p.m., our doors will be closed for remodeling. During this time, we’ll be making a few improvements, including a larger theater, to make your Apple Store experience better than ever." The Mall of America location was the fourth Apple retail store to open in the U.S on August 11, 2001. Another reader notes that the Tysons Corner store in McLean, VA will also be closed from October 13 through November 17.
Apple's Security Team has announced that the re-released Mac OS X 10.2.8 Update (Build 6R73) contains the same security enhancements as the first update, including previously undescribed enhancements for recently revealed OpenSSL announcements: "Fixes CAN-2003-0543, CAN-2003-0544, CAN-2003-0545 to address potential issues in certain ASN.1 structures and in certificate verification code. To deliver the update in a rapid and reliable manner, only the patches for the CVE IDs listed above were applied, and not the entire latest OpenSSL library." Apple has also posted all six updates on the Web...
Now AAPL Stock: 93.99 ( + 0.29 )
Apple to open R&D center in India
A new report says that Apple will be opening a new technology center in Hyderabad, India, helping to boost the city's growing reputation as a tech center. The facility would operate within the WaveRock facility, and create 4,500 new jobs at a cost of around $25 million. In 2015, India surpassed the $1 billion in yearly sales milestone, and Apple has recently received permission to open retail stores in the country under its own control, an exception to rules that usually block foreign ownership. http://zd.net/1SMBVu4
Google killing Picasa starting May 1
Google Photos head Anil Sabharwal confirmed in a blog post today that the search engine giant will be shutting down acquisition Picasa. Support and downloads for the desktop application will terminate on March 15 with the application continuing to work for the time being. The transition to Google Photos truly commences on May 1, with deprecation of some Picasa API calls happening shortly thereafter. Users that have Google Photos access will find their photos already migrated. A mass-download tool for users not wishing to use Google Photos will be available sometime after May 1. http://bit.ly/1SmV2KH
Rogue Amoeba Piezo updated, departing App Store
In order to continue working on audio capture tool Piezo, developer Rogue Amoeba has simultaneously updated the app to version 1.5, and announced that it will pull version 1.2.6 from the Mac App Store. Customers who own the Mac App Store version have a one-time migration process to the Rogue Amoeba-served version. The company notes that the sandboxing restriction placed on Mac App Store versions "effectively stopped our ability to upgrade Piezo in any meaningful way." [8.80MB] http://bit.ly/1PIjz7l
FCC spectrum auction will happen without Google
After throwing its hat in earlier, Google (and associated companies) has declared that it is not participating in this year's FCC spectrum auction. A company spokeswoman said of the auction that "like all those interested in improved connectivity and equitable access, we'll be following the upcoming spectrum auction closely. That said, we have not filed to participate." http://on.recode.net/1oy5LWk
iPad Air 3, iPhone 5se sold Friday after launch?
Reverting the way products are actually released by Apple after an announcement to the way it was a decade ago, reports are circulating that new products revealed at a March announcement will go on sale the Friday immediately following the unveil. Slated to appear at a conjectural Tuesday, March 15 event are a new Apple four-inch phone with more up to date internals currently referred to as the iPhone 5se, and a new iPad Air 3 model with Smart Connector and other enhancements. http://bit.ly/1o7mqiY
Lexmark prevails in toner import appeal
Printer manufacturer Lexmark has won an appeal on the third-party US resale of its printer cartridges originally destined for markets outside North America. The appeals court ruled in a 10-2 vote in favor of Lexmark's demand to stop the sale and against Impression Products, both on the toner cartridge resale matter, as well as a related matter regarding overturning the reseller's refilling one-use cartridges and selling those in the US market. The ruling has ramifications in the tech industry, as well as the pharmaceutical and medical technology markets. Impression Products promises an appeal before the supreme court. http://reut.rs/1SLVmmG
AT&T expands BOGO promo to iPhone 6s
Beginning today, new and existing AT&T customers can purchase a new iPhone 6s and get another one free when adding a second line. Over the weekend, customers must purchase two phones through AT&T Next (one can be an existing number), and add both phones to a qualified plan. AT&T notes that "after three bill cycles or less" the account will start to receive up to $650 spread out over 30 monthly bill credits to offset the cost of the installment plan for the phone. Taxes are due at time of sale. http://soc.att.com/1SLUP4k


text:
New Japanese food court called Japan Gourmet Hall Sora is set to open on the third level of Singapore’s Changi Airport Terminal 2.
According to Changi Airport Group (CAG) on Thursday (17 August), the 300-seater dining venue will cover 721 square metres of space, taking over former tenants Seafood Paradise and Fish & Co..
“Changi Airport Group is always on the lookout for innovative retail and dining concepts that will meet the needs of our passengers and attract locals to come to the airport to shop and dine… This is the first time that CAG has awarded a lease for two amalgamated units, making it the largest restaurant space within Changi Airport,” said CAG in an email to Yahoo Lifestyle Singapore. Japan Gourmet Hall Sora is a joint venture between SG Retail Pte Ltd and ANA Trading and Komars Group.
According to a media report by Nikkei Asian Review, Japan Gourmet Hall Sora will open as soon as November this year.
The report also mentioned the venue will feature six eateries under franchise contracts with Japanese restaurants and will offer dishes such as fresh seafood bowls and okonomiyaki pancakes.
Diners will be able to order from multiple restaurants and pay for everything at once.
ANA Trading and Komars Group are also behind the multi-concept dining enclave, Eat At Seven, at Suntec City.
Follow Yahoo Lifestyle Singapore on Facebook.


text:
Time is running out to enter the Supply Chain Excellence Awards – the deadline for entries is tomorrow – Friday 13th July.
Rapid change in the global retail and manufacturing environment is driving developments in supply chain. And in parallel with that the Awards have an increased focus on innovation, in terms of both strategy and technology. New innovation categories this year include City Logistics, Robotics, Technology, Transport, Automation, and Delivery.
Award winners will be revealed on 6th November at a glittering ceremony at London’s Park Lane Hilton attended by hundreds of supply chain leaders from right across Europe.
Since they were launched in 1997 the Awards have become the benchmark for supply chain best practice, attracting entries not only from the UK and Europe but all around the world.
The 2017 Supply Chain Excellence Awards saw strong competition for the Overall Winner’s crown between McVities Carlisle, Severn Trent, Turkcell, Elval, Euro Car Parts and Lesara. Ultimately it was Severn Trent that got the judge’s vote.
The 2018 Awards are sponsored by global supply chain leaders.
Clipper Logistics is sponsoring for the Supply Chain Operations Award. Clipper was founded in 1997 and since then has been a leader in retail logistics for more than two decades. It currently operates in over 44 sites within the UK and Europe, working with retailers such as John Lewis, ASOS, and Superdry.
The award for Supply Chain Operations Award will seek out projects that that demonstrate an improvement in the efficiency of a supply chain operation. This could involve warehousing, national and international transport by air, sea, rail or road – or any combination of these elements. The entry should evidence the benefits of the project to the Supply Chain.
Global supply chain software provider BluJay Solutions is the sponsor for the Supply Chain Visibility award.
BluJay’s Global Trade Network services 7,500 customers in over 100 countries. The company provides supply chain software and services to the world’s top retailers, manufacturers, distributors, freight forwarders, and logistics service providers as it connects them with more than 40,000 all over the world.
The Supply Chain Visibility award entries will be projects that can demonstrate an improvement in supply chain visibility right through the supply chain. Other award categories include Demand Forecasting & Planning Award and the Supply Chain Strategy & Design Award.
Flex, a global leader in design, manufacturing, distribution, and aftermarket services, is sponsoring the Supply Chain Innovation category in the Awards. Flex has more than 100 sites in 30 countries, and puts innovation at the heart of its strategy.
The Supply Chain Innovation Award is designed to highlight projects that demonstrate how an organisation is driving change by the adoption of new, innovative supply chain practices.
Full details here.


text:
of NFT so far they have escaped the regulations of the MiCa law, but the European Parliament is already in the process of correcting the situation.
The European Union prepares its framework for NFTs
NFTs may no longer enjoy the success they had when they first hit the crypto market, but their influence is still big enough to scare the authorities. While the French government has announced that it is interested in immutable tokens and that it intends invest in itThe European Parliament sees small digital images in a completely different way.
The MiCa law, which was supposed to regulate a large majority of the crypto sector, stands out even before its implementation from many gray areas. Indeed, the text did not extend to certain spheres of the industry such as sports betting or even NFT. However, they find more and more use cases that prompt the European Union to strike. Therefore it would be a new regulation soon in preparation.
Before the big discussions begin, the European Parliament is awaiting a report which should shed light on the state of the art of immutable tokens, on their use and on the impact they have on crypto. The document may not address various security issues and the flights that takes place in its market. In any case, this should enable the European Commission to give a customized status to NFTs and draft a regulation accordingly. According to the deputy and promoter of the project Eva Kaili, the latter should be based more on the activity around digital images than on the object itself.
However, unlike the MiCa law which resulted from a certain fear of cryptos, the other framework for NFTs should serve to curb fraud and protect consumers but it can also be positioned in favor of the industry. Indeed, Eva Kaili has already stood out as a blockchain advocate. Despite everything, the future regulation may be based on European laws and include some monitoring.
France also wants to crack down on fraud
In France, NFTs may also become subject to certain laws. The Minister of Digital Transition, Jean-Noël Barrot, recently indicated that public money could be re-injected into non-fungible tokens. This implies, contrary to some popular beliefs, that the funds will be invested in digital imaging technology and not in speculative collections such as BAYC. So, for example, we could see these replace tickets during public events, a proposal that was formulated in view of the upcoming 2024 Olympic Games.
The French government’s interest in this crypto sector is not without some regulation. Indeed, Jean-Noël Barrot seems to be working hard on the rise of cybercrime, a phenomenon that cryptocurrencies but also NFTs know very well. Therefore, the latter can be given a framework in accordance with next initiatives fight in favor of cyber security, in order to limit the abuses suffered by investors in immutable tokens.
We are witnessing a sharp growth and transformation of crime in cyberspace. However, this situation plunges our fellow citizens into a form of digital insecurity and undermines confidence in technologies that nonetheless hold promise and progress.
Extract from circle by Jean-Noël Barrot regarding cybercrime in France
By implementing a possible regulation, the French government hopes that the population will be better able to turn to new technologies, including blockchain, and that sectors such as crypto can develop more effectively.
All information on our website is published in good faith and for general information purposes only. Any action taken by the reader based on the information found on our website is entirely at his own risk.


text:
NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- The top-secret 10th anniversary Elmo, codenamed "Elmo T.M.X," will finally be unveiled to the world next Tuesday. But will it live up to the hype?
Fisher-Price, a division of No.1 toymaker Mattel, has been extremely tightlipped about the special Elmo. No one, except a handful of company executives and a few toy industry analysts have seen the toy.
Fisher-Price has even tweaked its packaging to play up "top-secret" nature of Elmo T.M.X.
However, Fisher-Price promises that this Elmo will do something that has never been seen before in a plush toy, including the nine Elmos that have preceded T.M.X. --CNN Money
--Elmo can read your mind
--Elmo foretells the exact date on which you'll die
--Elmo knows where your dad keeps the gun
--Elmo does special dance that conjures up


text:
In July, China’s Tencent reached a five-year, $1.5 billion deal to remain the league’s exclusive digital partner in China, and it is the NBA’s largest partnership outside of the U.S. CCTV has a lucrative financial partnership with the NBA televising multiple games live each week, including coverage of the playoffs.
What is the deal with the NBA and China?
WeChat is run by Tencent and the order claims that the app puts “national security, foreign policy, and the economy of the United States” at risk, and bans American companies from doing business with it. Per Young, Tencent has a five-year deal worth $1.5 billion dollars to stream NBA games in China.
Is the NBA owned by China?
Within days, both Tencent, the Chinese social media and tech giant that owns the NBA’s streaming rights in China, and CCTV, a state broadcaster that airs games on Chinese television, announced that they would cut Rockets games from their platforms.
Why does the NBA support China?
“We have great respect for the history and culture of China and hope that sports and the NBA can be used as a unifying force to bridge cultural divides and bring people together,” the NBA said.
Does the NBA get money from China?
NBA’s loss of China revenue estimated to exceed $200 million for season. The NBA’s loss of revenue typically generated from China this season is estimated to be at least $200 million, according to Kevin Arnovitz of ESPN.
Who owns the whole NBA?
Originally Answered: Who owns the whole NBA? Like the other major US Sports leagues, there’s no one overarching owner – the league is a collective group of all member franchises and thus owned equally by all 30 teams.
Is the NBA banned in China?
After the NBA was banned on Chinese TV, the US basketball association made a series of public and private gestures in China to quell political tensions that erupted from one NBA player’s infamous pro-Hong Kong tweet.
Does China own America?
For its part, China owned 191,000 acres worth $1.9 billion as of 2019. This might not sound like a lot, but Chinese ownership of American farmland has exploded dramatically over the last decade. … Six states — Hawaii, Iowa, Minnesota, Mississippi, North Dakota and Oklahoma — currently ban foreign ownership of farmland.
Is NBA big in China?
According to one study surveying Chinese internet users, the NBA is the most watched sports league in the country, even edging out the CBA and CSL. Tech giant Tencent has acquired the exclusive rights to broadcast NBA games through 2024-25 in China, in a deal worth $1.5 billion.


text:
YouTube celeb, makeup artist Desi Perkins to be featured guest at Fiesta de la Flor
Two years ago, Desi Perkins got her hands on the Selena MAC makeup line as soon as she could.
She did a Selena MAC makeup tutorial on Youtube and transformed herself while recreating the Queen of Tejano's look.
For Halloween last year, Perkins again transformed to Selena's likeness. Her videos often get more than 500,000 views.
In April, the Los Angeles-based YouTube celebrity and makeup artist will be in Corpus Christi at Fiesta de la Flor to talk about Selena's legacy and her influence on women.
She'll also do a makeup tutorial live on stage and give fans tips on how to add Selena's signature look to their style.
Selena's sister, Suzette Quintanilla Arriaga, announced Perkins will be a featured as part of the One Person Unites Us one-on-one talks during Fiesta de la Flor April 13.
Last year, guests included actresses Jackie Guerra and Jackie Cruz.
"It's a fun way to have a conversation of how important Selena is to women all over today and a way for fans to ask questions," Quintanilla Arriaga said. "This sit down gives you a chance to learn how Selena has inspired them and inspired us all."
The talk between Perkins and Quintanilla Arriaga will be at the American Bank Center Selena Auditorium.
"(Perkins) is a huge Selena fan and she has millions of fans who follow her on Youtube," Quintanilla Arriaga said. "She dressed up as Selena and she did an incredible transformation to look like my sister and I'm excited to have her."
The 30-year-old vlogger has been a YouTube sensation since 2013 and has about 3 million followers.
Desi Perkins Fiesta de la Flor schedule:
- A makeup tutorial by Perkins will be at 7 p.m. Friday April 13 at the Selena Auditorium
- One Person Unites Us featuring Desi Perkins, Becky G. and Suzette Quintanilla Arriaga will be at 2 p.m. Saturday April 14 at the Selena Auditorium.
Watch some of Desi Perkins Selena makeup tutorials:


text:
Luxury consumers will only get more demanding in the future, and the key to attracting a new generation of buyers will be greater personalisation.
So you think the luxury market is challenging now? Just wait until the year 2030 when Gen Zers become the largest spending group in the world.
Jing Daily forecasts the main developments affecting the luxury fashion industry in China next year.
Perhaps the biggest takeaway from 2019 is that many luxury brands are not adapting quickly enough to the shifting market.
TikTok is the ultimate destination for quirky short-videos, which makes it an ideal platform for brands to create video content to reach a possible younger consumer base.
To navigate the Chinese market, emerging brands must speak to local consumers, build genuine brand relevance and deliver exclusive experiences.
Top news, insights and analysis every weekday
Sign up for Campaign Bulletins


text:
The task force has commenced discussions with large multinationals operating in the state and other places to attract investments and take up expansion projects in the district
Arjun Prakash, chairman, district chapter of CII, said while nurturing existing business, it was also important to explore emerging business opportunities and prepare a point of penetration. “Electronics is definitely an area for Coimbatore, especially in view of the new talent pool that has shaped up in the district in this decade. We have the potential to capture 30%-40% of the state’s electronics manufacturing output, which is likely to be valued at $40 billion by 2025.”
Other senior functionaries of CII said while the district was known for foundry, pumps, valves, textiles, jewellery and wet grinders, the share of electronics has not been so high. But the district has great potential in electronics, with its capabilities in precision engineering and manufacturing.
CII functionaries also urged the industry players to utilize this space, which could provide direct employment to more than 10,000 people and indirect employment to 40,000 to 60,000 people, while boosting the local consumer economy.
Pointing out that healthcare was becoming increasingly digital driven, Prashanth S, vice-chairman, district chapter of CII, said a home-grown electronics industry that focuses on digital health could capture a significant portion of the market.
Industrialists said the CII was positioning the district as an important destination for channelling investments during meetings with state and central government authorities. “It aims to understand the challenges in electronics manufacturing and aid the growth of the industry by developing a road map,” they said.
On its part, CII is hoping to work for an electronics cluster in the district.
"My biggest priority is that India must reduce its imports. India imports 94% of electronics. The basic raw material for this is semiconductor and display glass. Both we import, spending about $16 billion. We (Vedanta) are in the glass business, we make optical fibre. We also make display glass in Japan, Korea, Taiwan, we are the fourth largest in the world. So, it was natural that everybody wanted to be our partner in semiconductor manufacturing. We chose Foxconn because it’s a $200 billion company, a very entrepreneurial company."
The deal, the single biggest investment of its kind in Maharashtra -- coveted by Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Telangana and Himachal Pradesh -- was signed in the presence of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.


text:
LAS VEGAS — The Venetian Resort announced this week the expansion of its Sands ECO360 recycling efforts as the first Las Vegas-based property, and one of the first in the country, to develop a program to recycle surgical face masks, which are being used by guests and resort employees as part of its Venetian Clean initiatives.
As part of this pilot project, in partnership with TerraCycle, the discarded masks are collected on-site at The Venetian Resort and sent to a recycling facility where they are separated, shredded, and densified into a crumb-like raw material. This material will be used to make repurposed products such as composite lumber for shipping pallets, railroad ties, and composite decking.
Since re-opening in June, The Venetian Resort began diverting discarded surgical face masks from other waste being sent to landfills through a trash-sorting initiative that takes place on property. In addition to this program, the resort actively sorts its trash, diverting 27 types of items that would otherwise be sent to landfills. Through this program, between 55-60 percent of waste is diverted from local landfills—a number that surpasses the national average of 32 percent and the state average of 23 percent.
“As a company that has put sustainability in the forefront of our operation, it was important to find a recycling solution for this PPE, to avoid sending them to our landfills,” said George Markantonis, president and COO of The Venetian Resort Las Vegas.
This project, part of the company’s Sands ECO360 initiative, will help provide “proof of concept” to encourage others to replicate the program. Currently, consumer masks are not recycled through mainstream or curbside recycling programs due to the complexity of the recycling process. Surgical face masks are made of multiple materials and need to be sorted and separated before recycling; a magnet is used to separate the metal nose strips, which can be melted and used in other recycled materials.
“Our responsibility to the planet is one of our company’s core values,” said Markantonis. “Our Sands ECO360 global sustainability initiative was designed to help minimize our environmental impact, and it reflects our vision as a leader in sustainable resort operations. We continue our journey to a more sustainable future as we seek innovative environmental solutions.”


text:
BEIJING — A senior Chinese official on Jan 20 voiced expectations for stronger economic cooperation between China and the United States after US President-elect Donald Trump takes office.
China and the United States have the world’s largest-scale bilateral trade and investment cooperation, which benefits both nations, Ning Jizhe, head of the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), told reporters ahead of Trump’s inauguration scheduled for Jan 20.
“I personally believe President-elect Trump will consider issues from the perspective of developing mutually beneficial bilateral ties and advance the long-lasting cooperation between the two major countries,” Ning said. “I have hopes for that.”
Sino-US trade volume reached $519.6 billion in 2016 while mutual investment exceeded $170 billion by the end of 2016, according to Ministry of Commerce figures.
Ning said China’s economy will continue to maintain a medium-high growth rate after the new US administration takes the reins.
China’s economic growth in the fourth quarter of 2016 came in at 6.8 percent, accelerating from the 6.7 percent in the third quarter, putting the annual growth rate at 6.7 percent, NBS data showed on Jan 20.


text:
TheStreet’s Action Alerts PLUS Portfolio Manager and host of CNBC’s ‘Mad Money‘ Jim Cramer talked about Procter & Gamble's (PG) earnings report when answering viewers questions from social media on Friday. Cramer said P&G's CEO is leaving and the organic growth there is nil, but P&G has a good dividend and the company has cut out a lot of fat. Cramer said he likes Procter only as a catch up trade, and added that Unilever (UN) is doing much better. A viewer wanted to know if Apple (AAPL) can do the same as Amazon (AMZN) and Google (GOOG) when it reports earnings next week. Cramer said the bar is high, but investors should own Apple and not trade it. Another viewer asked which stock is best positioned for growth, Johnson & Johnson (JNJ), Eli Lilly (LLY) or Gilead (GILD). Cramer said Lilly is his favorite right now because it has both an Alzheimer's and diabetes drug. He said JNJ has risen very nicely since its last quarter and it's become a 'darling' at $100. Cramer said Gilead will go higher. You can send Jim Cramer questions on Facebook and on Twitter, follow him @JimCramer and send questions using #CramerQ.
More from Video
How quickly do we find support, is what we'll want to know now, as the correction is occurring while economic optimism builds.
Despite the president's promise of no stimulus until after Nov. 3, there are no signs yet that this is the sort of correlated selling that leads to a deep correction.
Salesforce, Amgen and Honeywell will give a lift to the DJIA going forward.
CAG has hung onto the bulk of its recent gains, and could rise to the $50 area, according to the charts and indicators.


text:
Google Changes its Smartwatch Platform Name to ‘Wear OS’
As pointed out by The Verge, Google has just replaced its smartwatch platform name from Android Wear to ‘Wear OS’. According to Google’s website, Wear OS also has a new slogan: “Make every minute matter”.
Since Google’s smartwatch platform now works on both Android and iOS, it makes sense to give it a more flexible branding.
“We’re announcing a new name that better reflects our technology, vision, and most important of all — the people who wear our watches. We’re now Wear OS by Google, a wearables operating system for everyone,” Google’s Dennis Tropper said in a blog post. “You’ll begin to see the new name on your watch and phone app over the next few weeks.”
At its forthcoming I/O conference in early May, Google will most likely provide more details about its future ambitions with Wear OS and upcoming features. Although the existing version 2.0 of the software does need a lot of work.
With Baselworld expo kicking off next week, we’re expecting to see yet another wave of Wear OS products.


text:
7 of 10
With 800 million users, Facebook has become a part of daily life for many. We check it when we wake up, when we get to work, on our phones when we're away from our computer, and before we go to bed at night. True, the site is an opt-in social network, but with all the changes Facebook is constantly making, it's sometimes easy for Facebook users to unintentionally overshare personal information.
Take social plugins, for example. Kindle users that had signed up to Amazon's Public Notes service had their accounts automatically linked to Facebook and Twitter. So, each time the user finished a book, a notice was sent out on Facebook and Twitter for everyone to see. Then there's the facial recognition feature that Facebook users were automatically opted into back in June. When a Facebook user uploads a photo, Facebook can automatically make tag suggestions if it recognizes any of the people in the photo. Also, if you ever thought it was possible to join Facebook and then delete information, think again.
Facebook is, more or less, keeping a permanent record you’re your life. TechDirt reports that, thanks to European privacy and data rules, some people have asked for and received copies of all the data Facebook has on file for them. The results showed that Facebook doesn't delete much of anything. In the 880-page report, users found that Facebook records every computer you've ever logged in on. It also keeps all of your deleted messages. Those are just a few examples, but we recently reported on a number of other ways that Facebook's creeping us out.


text:
October 28, 2014
SnapCard, an online startup, provides a multi-currency, digital currency wallet to buy, store, send and receive digital currencies
Using SnapCard, users can avoid unnecessary logins on retailers’ websites. It offers a unique bookmarklet system through which users can gain information on products and further add them to SnapCard’s integrated shopping cart. In a certain way, SnapCard acts as a payment processor enabling users to checkout from their shopping carts and use linked virtual currency wallets or even traditional payment options.
Here is an illustration citing how SnapCard works:
SnapCard charges quite a low processing fee of 0.5% on per transaction basis. It also provides additional e-commerce oriented services like shipment tracking and order processing. It currently supports the top 4 digital currencies – Bitcoin, Litecoin, Dogecoin and Ripple. It currently offers a dedicated mobile-POS app and APIs as well for online integration. It works well with prominent retailers like Target, Best Buy, New Egg, Amazon and Walmart.
For merchants, SnapCard currently offers the following as part of a package deal:
The wallet service first came out of its beta back in November 2013. By the end of 2013, it had reached 1000 users and had completed transactions worth more than $10,000. The company recently ran a major campaign in San Francisco offering its services to 500 businesses. SnapCard recently raised $1.5 million in a seed round.


text:
Bookstore employees across town have braced themselves for the influx of students they see at the beginning of each semester.
Texas State’s enrollment numbers are growing each year. Bookstore employees have had to prepare for bigger crowds of students during the textbook buying rush. Preparation for the new semester rush begins in October after receiving book requests from the different departments across campus, according to Kim Estes, general manager for Colloquium Bookstore on Aquarena Springs Drive. The bookstores then order the textbooks from a publishing house.
“It gets really crazy at the beginning (of the semester),” said Bryanna Armstrong, employee at the Texas State Bookstore. “It only slows down after a few weeks.”
Armstrong said entire stores completely reorganize stock and layout every semester and hire new employees to cope with the mass influx of students to their establishments.
“We have to create, print and label hundreds of shelves for each item,” Armstrong said.
The beginning of the semester isn’t the only hectic period booksellers face, Armstrong said. The end of the semester is nearly as busy when finals begin to approach.
“Some people will come in after not needing the book all semester who now want it for finals,” Armstrong said. “Sales are strong on both ends of the semester.”
Some say e-books and e-readers are poised to overtake physical textbooks as technology becomes more commonplace in classrooms. However, Matt Banks, general manager of Textbook Solutions, said that was not the case for this semester. Banks said e-books have not affected the business at all.
“We’ve been around here for about three years now, and every semester we see our sales increase,” Banks said. “E-books are only slightly less expensive than the physical book, but a major reason why students aren’t using them is because you can’t sell them back.”
Resale is important to many students who use the money from the previous semester’s textbooks to fund their new materials.
“Textbooks are so expensive, especially because you only use them once,” said Katie Lipinski, elementary education sophomore. “I rely on being able to sell my books back so I can buy next semester’s books. Basically, I’m recycling my own money.”
Students have turned to renting as an alternative to purchasing textbooks. This option has become a preference for some students because renting is less expensive than buying the book new or used.
Some rented books were found to be less than half the cost of their buyable counterparts, according to Colloquium’s supplier, Neebo.com. For example, Organic Chemistry by Janice Smith is available for $193.60 to purchase. The same textbook is available at $71.80 to rent.
“Rentals make up about 50 percent of our sales, actually,” Estes said. “The students get all the benefits of buying the book but have to bring it back by the last day of finals.”


text:
Info Edge (India) has entered into agreement to invest Rs 21 crore in Metis Eduventure (Adda247) as primiary acquisition of shares. In October 2019, the company had invested Rs 7.06 crore in Adda247 through secondary purchase of shares.
This investment is part of the company's strategic plan to diversify its presence into new line of business within the internet services/ tech industry.
Adda247 is an online government jobs preparation platform. It is India's leading education-technology company that helps students prepare for several government jobs via its multiple platforms bankersaddacom, sscaddacom, Adda247 mobile app, Adda247 Youtube channel, ctetaddacom and Career Power.
Powered by Capital Market - Live News
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)


text:
6 Oct 2016
Advanced Technology Innovation Centre drives rapid growth
Architects Franklin Ellis and builders G F Tomlinson have created a striking, flexible work space enabling both new ventures and rapidly expanding companies to network and innovate. The flagship 3,000 sq m facility has attracted 35 high-tech companies from across the UK, contributing to a 28% increase in tenancies on the University’s Science and Enterprise Park (LUSEP).
LUSEP’s thriving community of almost 60 businesses, employing 2,000 people, enjoy an outstanding working environment on the University campus, alongside access to its world-class research base and skilled graduate supply. Amongst the ATIC companies to benefit are drug delivery developers Nemaura Pharma, and manufacturing supply chain specialists Segura Systems, both of which have grown exponentially since joining ATIC, attracting major investment and awards in recognition of their globally important work.
Steve Metcalf, Nemaura’s Director of Operations, said: “High-tech life-science companies such as Nemaura represent a key element in this country’s economic future. To realise their potential requires good ideas and good management, but can also be greatly helped by a positive environment for growth. As a location, ATIC ticks all the boxes, and offers companies such as ours the best possible chance of successfully developing and growing our cutting-edge technologies.”
Peter Needle, Segura’s CEO and Co-Founder, said: “With many businesses in ATIC at a similar stage to us, the networking with other CEOs has been really useful. Access to the University’s talent pool makes it easy to recruit graduates with the skills we need and engaging with the research base has opened up invaluable new markets for us.”
Professor Tracy Bhamra, the University’s Pro-Vice Chancellor for Enterprise, said: “Such high levels of demand for ATIC underpin the long-term development of LUSEP, as part of proposals for an exciting new Enterprise Zone for Leicestershire.”
Andy Sewards, managing director for G F Tomlinson said: “We’re proud to have delivered this innovation centre that supports economic growth in the Midlands and provides much-needed facilities for ambitious and rapidly-growing businesses.”
With the support of Charnwood Borough Council, Leicestershire County Council and the Leicester and Leicestershire Enterprise Partnership, LUSEP is undergoing a 35 hectare expansion to create a further 100,000 sq m floor space. The current development phase includes seven hectares of fully serviced plots, which are immediately available for exciting new design and build projects.


text:
Several former employees of such successful Internet companies as Yahoo, Excite, and Netscape – flush with money from their vested stock options – are launching a new online shopping service that will ask consumers for their e-pinions.
"Everyone has an opinion on something," said Nirav Tolia, one of the five co-founders of epinions.com, part of a new wave of Silicon Valley startups being founded by employees from first-generation Internet companies.
Epinions.com, based in Mountain View, California, will be an online buying guide based on word-of-mouth opinions contributed by users. It will focus initially on cars, computers, electronics, sports, outdoor travel, and books, and reviews will be ranked by other users, Tolia added.
"We are not saying that we are the editorial staff who knows it all, we are at the other end of the spectrum – that say consumers know best."
When it launches in August, the service will offer established consumer buying guides on the Web, eventually adding a database of opinions as the community grows.
Tolia was sketchy on how the company plans to make money, saying more details will be forthcoming. Like most content sites on the Web epinions.com will try to sign up sponsorships while offering free services to its community of users, he said.
The company will announce a slew of partnerships when it is launched.
Epinions.com was founded in April 1999 by a group of Internet "veterans" ranging in ages from 25 to 34, and coming from companies such as Yahoo, Excite (now ExciteAtHome), and Netscape Communications (now owned by America Online). It received US$8 million in a first round of venture financing from Benchmark Capital and August Capital.
The group also includes some founding members of a Silicon Valley entrepreneur's forum, called Round Zero, a monthly dinner gathering to share ideas about technology and network.
"We thought, we really can't run an organization for entrepreneurs if we are not really entrepreneurs ourselves," Tolia said. "We have been really lucky because the community we built around Round Zero has really helped."
Through the Round Zero meetings, Tolia learned of two others, including Netscape engineer Ramanathan Guha, who had similar ideas. They all joined forces to start one company.
"It's not an incredibly novel idea," Tolia conceded. But, he added, "It's an idea whose time has come."
Copyright 1999 Reuters Limited.


text:
As Web companies and government agencies analyze ever more information about our lives, it’s tempting to respond by passing new privacy laws or creating mechanisms that pay us for our data. Instead, we need a civic solution, because democracy is at risk.
A bold experiment by the One Laptop Per Child organization has shown “encouraging” results.
Sony and Microsoft release their first video-game consoles in seven years, but they’re battling for a world of play that is rapidly changing.
Microsoft Research’s Telepathwords demonstrates how strong (or weak) your passwords are by guessing them as you type.
Today’s medicines can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars a year. The story of how two companies set prices for their costly new drugs suggests that the way we determine the value of such treatments will help decide the future of our health-care system.
An RFID-reading, motion-sensing wristband buzzes to tell health-care workers if they are washing their hands properly.
Lithium-ion batteries have risks, but they can be managed to prevent fires in EVs.
Ducted turbine promises significant advances but delivery remains to be seen.
A simple way to print circuits on a wide range of flexible substrates using an inkjet printer has eluded materials scientists. Until now.


text:
Hilltop Theater Developer has Plans for Nearby Frankfort Avenue Properties
May 10, 2018 – Quotes & Mentions
Louisville Business First
"Clifford Ashburner, a Louisville attorney with Dinsmore & Shohl LLP, represents Deljoo on the rezoning proposals and submitted letters to the city stating that the home will be converted to retail or office use while the church property could become office space, restaurants or retail." Read the full article here.


text:
Dictation transcription – Demanding trade enforcement legislation at the same time that we consider fast-track authority for the largest trade deal ever isn’t obstructionism — it’s common sense. TPP will affect more than 40% of the world’s gross domestic product. It will eliminate tariffs on imports coming from Vietnam and elsewhere in Asia, and ask American workers to compete with workers making anywhere from 29 cents to $1.29 an hour.
TPP could undercut U.S. automakers by allowing a tidal wave of Japanese car imports. Though TPP could reduce trade barriers, Japan’s automotive import tariff is already at zero percent, but only six out of every 100 cars sold in the Japanese market is imported.
Download dictation audio mp3 – Use the “save link as” in right-click context menu.
- 261 words 120 wpm speed
- 261 words 125 wpm speed
- 261 words 130 wpm speed
- 261 words 135 wpm speed
- 261 words 140 wpm speed
- 261 words 145 wpm speed
- 261 words 150 wpm speed
And TPP could expand the ability of multinational corporations — such as Big Tobacco firms — to circumvent the legal process and challenge laws they don’t like in the name of free trade.
USA TODAY’s Editorial Board may argue that export opportunities through TPP could create American jobs. But the same promises were made during the South Korea free-trade agreeement, and we’ve seen $12 billion in new imports to the U.S. from Korea for only $1 billion worth of new exports for American companies.
By demanding increased trade enforcement in conjunction with fast track for TPP, we can crack down on countries that manipulate their currency to give their exports a price advantage over American-made products. We can give the steel industry and others new tools to fight back when foreign imports undercut their business. And we can put an end to the import of certain products made with forced or child labor.


text:
The liquid that chickpeas are cooked in does more than just keep the legumes nice and moist, like adding fluffiness and structure to a variety of plant-based recipes.
Get an exclusive look at how Bud Light's zero-carb beer is brewed.
On March 1-5, Seed St. Louis will offer its 13th annual Community Agriculture Conference. This year’s conference will have both in-person and virtual sessions, offering classes and panel discussions by experts from the agricultural community. All sessions will be free and open to the public, though registration is required.
Anheuser-Busch is launching a new zero-carb beer bearing the Bud Light name just in time for the Super Bowl. Get an inside look at how the company brews its latest innovation.
A few days ago, I dedicated one of my new livestreaming videos to one of the first building products used by man. Discovered thousands of years ago, hydrated lime is perhaps one of the most amazing multi-purpose building products ever put into widespread use.
Q: You recently wrote a column about condominium building’s reserve funds. You failed to mention that condo special assessments are an insurable risk. I just increased my coverage from a limit of $1,000 to $50,000 for an extra $10 per year. You should mention this to your readers.
Whether you forget or are trying to save a buck, there are consequences to not replacing certain worn out items in your home. Here are some items you should replace frequently. Buzz60’s Johana Restrepo has more.
ATMORE, Ala. (AP) — Alabama executed an inmate by lethal injection for a 1996 murder on Thursday after a divided U.S. Supreme Court sided with the state and rejected defense claims the man had an intellectual disability that cost him a chance to choose a less “torturous,” yet untried, execution method.
BEIJING (AP) — Holding his skis beside a bunny slope, Li Wei enthuses over his winter job as a farmer-turned-ski coach on the northwestern outskirts of Beijing.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Three random killings — a woman pushed in front of a train, another punched at a bus stop and a third stabbed to death while working alone in a store, all allegedly committed by homeless men — have reignited anger, fear and frustration with the intractable issue of homelessness in New York and Los Angeles.
If you’re having Italian food for dinner, this pull apart garlic bread loaf from @sweetdreamsdani needs to make an appearance on the table. Fresh rosemary, parsley, garlic salt, and mozzarella cheese give this delicious bread tons of flavor.
Let’s be honest—the breadsticks are the main (or even only) reason to go to Olive Garden. But now you can make them at home with this Olive Garden breadsticks recipe from @matthewinthekitchen.
TikTok creator @scheckeats claims that challah is one of the best bread recipes from beginners since it turns out more reliably in a home oven. See for yourself with this recipe.
Not a fan of watching people pour oil their morning cup of coffee? BreadTok is for you. These bakers are bringing the high carb content we all need with recipes you’ll want to try at home.
These pet products are unnecessary. Buzz60’s Keri Lumm shares veterinarian recommendations.
We love, cuddle, care for and even spoil our furkids. But all across America, staggering numbers of healthy, adoptable cats and dogs are living out very different lives than our beloved pets. Ultimately, many of these homeless pets are meeting tragic ends, often in astounding numbers.
What can you do to be a more responsible pet owner? Here are 10 tips from the American Kennel Club to maintain and improve your pet’s healthy life.


text:
In a pending deal, Icelandair agreed to purchase WOW air, its low-budget rival airline. The purchase still needs to be approved by Icelandic shareholders and is valued at about $18 million in shares. While the Icelandic rival would be under new ownership, the two airlines are expected to operate independently.
Founded in 2011, WOW air appealed to customers as a small airline offering affordable prices for flights between Europe and the United States. Additional charges for water, legroom, baggage and a slew of other services are tacked on to the price to fly.
While WOW air offers low-cost, no-frills service across the Atlantic onboard small, single-aisle aircraft, Icelandair is more of a traditional carrier. The full-service Icelandair operation appeals to business-class travelers expecting amenities and service, while WOW air operates more for the budget-friendly crowd willing to sacrifice comfort for cost.
TAP Air Portugal is adding 15 new weekly flights from the United States and Canada by summer 2020, a new record for the carrier of 71 weekly flights between North America and Portugal.
Welcome to Rhodes, a medieval treasure beautifully preserved throughout the centuries. Rhodes is the capital of the Dodecanese, an island ideal not only for those who want to relax, but also for those looking for an action-packed holiday! With its bright green hills, rich green valleys and uninterrupted line of golden beaches, Rhodes is truly a blessed place. “The sun island” has more sunshiny days and milder temperatures throughout the year than any other location in Greece. It is, after all, one of the country’s easternmost places and among the first to welcome summer on its impressive beaches. Add in the excellent facilities for tourism, the island’s special blend of cosmopolitan and traditional, and numerous cultural and archaeological sites, the most important being the Medieval (Old) Town, a UNESCO World Heritage site, and you’ve got the perfect holiday destination. While on Rhodes, don’t miss a daytrip to nearby Sými. An island of sponge divers and seamen, Sými used to have 30,000 inhabitants before the Second World War and was the richest island in the Dodecanese, despite its small size. Today, Sými attracts many visitors thanks to its beautifully preserved Neo-Classical buildings and the famous Archangel Michael monastery at Panormitis.
Attend one of the most acclaimed fall events, Autumn at the Arboretum, in Dallas. In its 14th year, the annual event is known as one of the best pumpkin festivals in the country, with its creative displays featuring more than 90,000 pumpkins, gourds and squash. The event takes place at Dallas Arboretum, Sept. 21 –Oct. 31. Alongside thousands of pumpkins, guests glimpse 150,000 autumn flowers across the 66-acre space.
United Airlines announces a number of new routes.