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SANTA CLARA, Calif., May 27, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- It's no surprise that people will go to extremes to make their pets comfortable, and buying a home -- often the largest financial decision most people ever make -- is no exception. A recent survey by realtor.com® found that more than two-thirds of pet-owning home buyers would forgo their perfect home if it wasn't right for their furry friend.
"At realtor.com®, we believe that a home is so much more than a roof and four walls. It is where family and friends come together and memories are made. The results of this survey reinforce that our pets are our family and an important part of what makes a house a home," said Nate Johnson, chief marketing officer of realtor.com®.
The results are based on an online survey conducted in March of more than 2,000 people who planned to purchase a home in the next 12 months and are fairly consistent with a similar survey realtor.com conducted in August 2018.
Most home shoppers are pet owners and they are shopping with their pet in mind
Of those surveyed, 82 percent of the respondents identified themselves as pet owners. Dogs were the most common pet (61 percent), followed by cats (45 percent), fish (12 percent), and birds (9 percent).
Of those home buyers who own a pet, nearly 95 percent indicated that the needs of their faithful companions would be at least a somewhat important consideration during their home search. Approximately 84 percent ranked their animals' needs "extremely important" or "very important" in their home-search (55 and 29 percent, respectively). Less than 5 percent said their needs were unimportant.
The needs of their pets factored into the home purchase decisions of pet owners of all ages with 96 percent of 18- to 34-year-olds, 97 percent of 35- to 54-year-olds and 87 percent of 55+ buyers indicating that their animal would be at least a "somewhat important" factor during their home search.
Although one might think that dogs and cats might influence a home buyer's decision more than non traditional pets, that's not the case. While 87 percent of dog and cat owners said their pets' needs were extremely important or very important during their home search, 89 percent of bird owners, 85 percent of fish owners, 80 percent of reptile owners, 79 percent of rodent owners and 74 percent of horse owners, indicated their pet would factor into their decision.
If it's not right for their pet, it's not the right home
Pets' needs play such an important role in buying a home, more than two-thirds (68 percent) of home buyers said they would "forgo an otherwise perfect home" if it did not meet their pets' needs. Those aged 35 to 54 were most likely to pass on a home if it wasn't right for the pet (72 percent), compared with 66 percent of buyers between the ages of 18 to 34 years old and 51 percent of those 55+.
Although people with children (71 percent) felt more strongly that the home needed to accommodate their pet than people without children (59 percent), pet owners across the board – including fish, rodent and reptile owners – said they would pass up an otherwise perfect home if it didn't meet their pets' needs.
A yard and outdoor space rank high for pet owners
Home buyers were asked to rank the three home features they considered to be the most important for the needs of their pets. The top five features were: A large yard (38 percent), any outdoor space (29 percent), a garage (24 percent), a dog run (22 percent), close proximity to outdoor spaces (21 percent) and large square footage (20 percent).
Realtor.com® makes buying, selling and living in homes easier and more rewarding for everyone. Realtor.com® pioneered the world of digital real estate 20 years ago, and today through its website and mobile apps is a trusted source for the information, tools and professional expertise that help people move confidently through every step of their home journey. Using proprietary data science and machine learning technology, realtor.com® pairs buyers and sellers with local agents in their market, helping take the guesswork out of buying and selling a home. For professionals, realtor.com® is a trusted provider of consumer connections and branding solutions that help them succeed in today's on-demand world. Realtor.com® is operated by News Corp [Nasdaq: NWS, NWSA] [ASX: NWS, NWSLV] subsidiary Move, Inc. under a perpetual license from the National Association of REALTORS®. For more information, visit realtor.com®.
Media contact: Janice McDill, [email protected], 312.307.3134


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New Delhi: Renowned author Jeff Kinney has come out with a new book — “Diary of an Awesome Friendly Kid: Rowley Jefferson’s Journal”, publishers Puffin, the children’s imprint of Penguin Books, announced on Thursday.
It is Kinney’s first book outside of his “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” series.
“It is written from the point of view of Rowley Jefferson, the best friend of ‘Diary of a Wimpy Kid’ protagonist Greg Heffley,” Puffin said in a statement.
In the new book, Greg’s undauntedly cheerful best friend Rowley agrees to take on the role of a biographer, recording his pal’s life story.
But, it turns out Rowley is a poor choice for the job, and his “biography” of Greg ends up saying more about himself than it does about his friend.
The book, written in Kinney’s trademark humour, will also feature over 350 black-and-white illustrations.
“We couldn’t be more excited to start 2019 with one of the biggest announcements in children’s publishing. Very few series have had the phenomenal global success of ‘Diary of a Wimpy Kid’ and we are thrilled to continue the journey by bringing a sensational new book from bestselling author Jeff Kinney to millions of fans,” said Francesca Dow, Managing Director of Penguin Random House Children’s.
The book will be followed by the publication of the fourteenth book in the “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” series later this year.

domain: news


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Last week, Apple emailed invites for its next product-introduction event to select members of the tech press (no, we didn't get one, but then again we're not surprised). The soiree, dubbed "Spring Forward" by Apple and taking place at San Francisco's Yerba Buena Center for the Arts as well as streaming live, is scheduled for 10 a.m. PT Monday, March 9. That's one day after the periodic switch to Daylight Saving Time in the US, which at least in part explains the clever "Spring Forward" title. But what else might be Apple alluding to?
MORE FROM DESIGN NEWS: What Will it Take for Apple's Next Big Thing to be a Car?
MORE FROM DESIGN NEWS: Teardown: Apple's iPhone 6
From wearables to design changes to rumors of a car, Apple has multiple things cooking up in its kitchen. Go to our sister site, EDN.com to see six possibilities regarding Apple's forthcoming announcements.
What do you think Apple might have going on: Apple TV, the rumored car, a new iPad? Tell us in the comments section below.


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Bird company of sharing motorcycles is adding an electric moped to fleets in "select markets" this summer. Called the "Cruise", it is the first seated vehicle that Bird has offered.
The Cruiser can be used as a bicycle, with the electric motor that offers assistance to facilitate the pedaling. But customers can also simply travel with their feet on the pegs, according to Bird. The company says the cruise ship will carry a 52 V battery that will last up to 50 miles per charge. It will have disc brakes, a padded seat and an LCD screen that will presumably show information about the speed and the remaining battery.
Bird did not share any information about how much it will cost to travel on the cruise, where the deployment will begin, how far the moped plans to expand or who is building it, although it is confirmed in The Verge that the moped was designed with a third party and will be exclusive to your fleet. The company also did not say what the maximum speed will be, only that it will comply with local regulations for vehicles like this one, which means that it is likely not to break 30 miles per hour.
Known for being the company that shares motorcycles It has sought to expand its business in recent months. In May, he launched a completely new custom scooter that is supposed to be much more durable than the ones he used previously, which were built by companies like Okai, Xiaomi and Segway-Ninebot. The longer duration scooters are one of the ways in which Bird is finally trying to make money with the shared trips it offers. Bird also announced plans to sell the new custom scooter to customers for $ 1,299.
The cruise should help Bird compete with other shared fleet companies as they expand their businesses. Uber and Lyft, for example, offer cars, bicycles and scooters within their applications.
Update 9:44 AM ET: Added information about the range.


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Another food scandal news rocked China after authorities confiscated 100,000 of expired meat while waiting to be shipped to Hong Kong. Officials said the meat – including pig trotters from 1970s, and chicken 1980s, had begun to decompose.
According to Live Leak, the smuggled meat first came under scrutiny about a month ago. A total of 3 billion Yuan or $484 million dollar contraband was seized by China’s customs according to the report.
GB Times reported that all of the meat products are expired, and the oldest ones were produced as early as 1967.
This year, the Chinese government launched a crackdown on beef and other frozen meat smuggling, in addition to a campaign last year to stamp out the smuggling of farm products. In February, state news agency Xinhua reported that 33 suspects had been arrested for importing beef illegally in one crackdown.
The latest bust took place this month across 14 provinces and regions, resulting in the arrest of 14 gangs charged with importing products that pose “huge health risks”, the General Administration of Customs said.
“It was smelly, and I nearly threw up when I opened the door,” said Zhang Tao, an administration official.
“What if the frozen meat had some kind of virus? Those merchants only chase profits and don’t care about anything else. I hope they receive a severe punishment,” said another, named Youthfulness Small.
Six hundred seventy tons (670) of the said “zombie meat” had already been destroyed by the Chinese government.
Health experts still couldn’t imagine the dangers if the decomposing meat reached the market and consumed by people.
China is known to produce fake, poisonous, and dangerous foods, and the discovery of these “zombie meats” is just another slap to the communist country and its lose regulations on food safety.


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News & Update
DITP and GIT all set for the great comeback of Bangkok Gems & Jewelry Fair
Bangkok, 9 August 2022 - Mr. Phusit Ratanakul Sereroengrit, Director-General of the Department of International Trade Promotion (DITP), and Mr. Sumeth Prasongpongchai, Director of the Gem and Jewelry Institute of Thailand (Public Organization) or GIT, jointly presided over the press conference of the launch of the 67th Bangkok Gems and Jewelry Fair (BGJF), scheduled to take place between 7-11 September at Challenger Hall 1-3, IMPACT Muang Thong Thani, Bangkok, Thailand. The fair, the first full-scale physical event after a long pause for almost two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, will be attended by over 800 exhibitors and include over 1,800 booths. At least 10,000 visitors and at least 1,200 million baht of revenue are expected.
The 67th Bangkok Gems and Jewelry Fair presents a great opportunity for entrepreneurs and those in the gems and jewelry industry from across the world to reconnect and expand business opportunities after the Covid-19 pandemic. In this event, buyers and importers will meet over 800 leading manufacturers, distributors and exporters from Thailand and other countries from across the world, while the products cover all ranges of gems and jewelry products in the industry from upstream to downstream, from gemstones, gold and silver jewelry to packaging, equipment, tools and machinery.
“While the gems and jewelry sector faced challenges from all sides over the past two years, now that the COVID-19 situation has improved and restrictions on international travel have eased, we are back to business as usual. We hope the 67th Bangkok Gems and Jewelry Fair will contribute to the export of Thai gems and jewelry products and secure Thailand’s place as a global hub of gem and jewelry trade,” said Mr. Phusit.
During the first and second quarters this year (January to June), exports of gems and jewelry products (excluding gold that has not been made into ornaments) amounted to USD 3,884.21 million, an increase of 40.96% from the same period in 2021. Exports are expected to surge further in the remainder of this year, in line with growing demand due to the reopening of borders and resumption of economic activity in major trading partners including tourism recovery. Total exports for the entire year are expected to amount to USD 7,392.49 million, an increase of 20%.
Mr. Sumet Prasongpongchai, GIT Director, said that this fair is more special than the previous ones as DIPT has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with GIT to co-organize the Bangkok Gems and Jewelry Fair. To ensure success of the event, both organizations have pledged to employ their strengths, networks, and allies to promote it and invite prominent figures in the industry to participate in the fair. He assures that the fair will return to its former splendor and be worth the two-year wait.
There will also be a host of interesting exhibitions and activities at the fair. These include The Jewel Wonders, an exhibition of highlights from up-and-coming exhibitors and jewelry trends; The Jewellers, which showcases works of new jewelry designers; and The New Faces, which presents the jewelry works from leading SMEs from all over Thailand. Additionally, there will be discussion panels on various topics led by experts, jewelry-making demonstrations by artisans and other fun workshops throughout the five days of the fair.
The 67th Bangkok Gems and Jewelry Fair is scheduled to be held on 7-11 September 2022. Business negotiations will take place on 7-9 September 2022 (10.00-18.00 hours), and the event will be open to the public on 10 September (10.00-18.00 hours) and 11 September 2022 (10.00-17.00 hours), at Impact Muang Thong Thani. For more information, please visit www.bkkgems.com or facebook.com/Bangkokgemsofficial.


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ONTARIO, Calif. -- Robert Carreon has sold video surveillance equipment to law-enforcement agencies around the country.
Now, the Rancho Cucamonga manufacturer wants to expand his horizons beyond U.S. borders.
Insight Video Net has a $3 million contract with IBM to install digital video cameras in 100 banks in Mexico.
But Carreon isUunfamiliar with the ins andUouts of doing business south of the border.
"My biggest fear is getting the product into the country," said Carreon, who expects to net $6 million to $8 million in sales this year.
To get answers, Carreon joined about 60 business owners at a seminar Wednesday at the Marriott Ontario Airport.
The event is part of an export initiative organized by the Inland Empire Minority Business Development Center.
Lawyers, accountants and customs brokers explained how to set up shelter companies and manufacturing plants in Tijuana, the Mexican border city of two million people about 120 miles from San Bernardino.
Mexico is the second-largest U.S. trading partner after Canada. U.S.-Mexico trade reached $235.5 billion last year. California exports about $14 billion worth of goods to Mexico a year.
Understanding Mexican culture is key to a successful operation, said Fernando Cervantes, a Tijuana lawyer.
Under Mexican labor law, employers can't fire workers whenever they want, Cervantes said. Because the legal and tax systems are different, it is helpful to hire Spanish-speaking human resources directors who can communicate effectively with Mexican workers and U.S. managers, he said.
"You're in a different country," Cervantes said. "You cannot deal with your employees in Mexico the same way you deal with your employees in the United States."
Incorporating a business in Mexico can take from two weeks to two months, he said.
Companies are required to provide socialAsecurity, housing allowances and other employee benefits.
In Tijuana, about 140,000 employees work in 572 foreign manufacturing plants known as maquiladoras, said Alejandro Rivera, director of the Tijuana Economic Development Corp.
Maquiladoras are foreign-owned companies in Mexico that import goods duty-free for assembly and export the finished products to the United States and other countries.
Mattel, which opened a 1.2 million-square-foot distribution center at San Bernardino International Airport in April, employs 3,000 people at its toy manufacturing plant in Tijuana.
Mexico is an attractive investment because of its low wages and proximity to the United States, said Roberto Gallegos, a U.S. customs broker.
"The advantage of Mexico over China is logistics," Gallegos said.
Goods will be moved across the border in minutes through an express trucking lane that opens next month, he said.
The minimum wage in Tijuana is about $4 per day, with the average factory worker earning $10 or $11 per day, Rivera said.
John Riley, who helps U.S. companies set up shelter operations in Mexico, said prospective employers should do a cost-benefit analysis before making their decision.
"There is a tendency to emphasize the risk and you miss the benefit," said Riley, owner of ABC Manufacturing in Tijuana. "You can do virtually anything there."
Ray Nieves, a Highland businessman, wants to set up a distribution center at the border and sell discontinued household items in Mexico.
"It's a good way to assist our neighbors in Mexico to get a discount rate for our products," said Nieves.
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ISRO briefly aborted the launch of the first uncrewed test flight (TV-D1 Flight Test) in the Gaganyaan Mission.
Erisha E Mobility on Friday announced the launch of E-Superior Electric Cargo Loader, E-Supreme Electric Delivery Van and E-Smart Electric Passenger vehicle, three-wheeler auto in L5 category including EV charging stations.
Erisha E Mobility is an entity of Rana Group that envisions manufacturing, distributing and exporting all electric vehicles segment and hydrogen fuel cell buses.
Darshan Rana, Chairman and Managing Director, Rana Group, said, “We are targeting all different segments in the EV.”
“Initially, we are going to launch eight products under EV segment in Phase 1- Electric 3 Wheelers (L5 segment) – Passenger – HD and Compact, Cargo, Delivery Van and Electric AC chargers/ charging stations with rating 3.3KW, 7.2KW, 10KWand 14KW respectively.”
“We are also committed to develop the ecosystem for electric charging stations pan India to support the electric vehicles,” added Rana.


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Toyota Motor Corporation is issuing an auto defect recall for more than 650 2013 Lexus GS 350 cars because of potential flaws with the steering software. According to a Detroit News report, the steering wheel in these vehicles could be “dramatically off-center” because of the software flaws. The steering control programming could cause the steering wheel to become off-centered by a maximum of 110 degrees when restarting immediately after the vehicle is parked with the steering wheel turned. When this occurs and the driver does not realize it, the vehicle could veer in an unexpected direction and crash. Toyota engineers apparently discovered this problem in February during an in-house test drive.
Toyota told the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) that if the ignition is turned on again shortly after the ignition is turned off, the system may default to 0 degrees. This could cause the steering wheel to become off-centered. The software system was updated on February 23, 2012 to eliminate this problem. Owners are expected to be notified next month.
Vehicle Recall Statistics
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, automakers recalled about 15.5 million vehicles in 2011 compared to 20 million in 2010. Honda and Acura led the list with 3.9 million vehicles recalled while Toyota ranked second with 3.5 million vehicles. Toyota was followed by Ford (3.3 million), Chrysler (773,000) and General Motors (500,000).
Timely Recall is Critical
Based on this news report, the recalled Toyota vehicles could go out of control due to flaws in the steering software. These are no doubt serious auto defects that could result in major injury collisions. Timely recalls of defective vehicles is critical to ensure that these deadly car accidents are prevented. Toyota was fined nearly $50 million by NHTSA for failing to promptly recall millions of vehicles for sudden acceleration problems.
Auto Product Liability Issues
If you have been injured by a defective vehicle, please preserve the vehicle so it can be thoroughly examined by an expert for defects, malfunctions and other evidence. Injured victims can seek compensation from the vehicle manufacturer for damages such as medical expenses, lost wages, cost of hospitalization, rehabilitation and pain and suffering. Victims would be well advised to seek the counsel of an experienced California personal injury lawyer who has successfully handled auto products liability cases against large automakers.


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SOMERS, N.Y. - International Business Machines Corp. said it has agreed to buy Mainspring, a digital business consulting firm in Cambridge, Mass., in a deal valued at about $80 million.
IBM is to pay $4 per share for all outstanding Mainspring common stock. It says its goal in the deal, which was announced April 19 and is expected to be completed by mid-June, is to strengthen the consulting capabilities of its global services division.
Mainspring, founded in summer 1996 and public since July 2000, helps companies develop online and offline strategies aimed at exploiting new markets, business models, and technologies.
Tom Hawk, IBM global services' general manager for business innovation services in the Americas, said the acquisition "will expand our business strategy capabilities."


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When the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the major tenets of the Affordable Care Act in June, it also upheld faster new legal pathways for the creation of generic versions of biotech drugs.
More accurately described as biosimilars (it’s not possible to make identical generic versions of biologics), these generic biotech medications were not included in a 1984 law that allowed for generic versions of traditional drugs.
Biosimilars are “highly similar” to the originals, and the new law makes it possible for manufacturers to bring these products to market with less clinical testing than is required of the original drug, and at a lower cost.
Most in the industry seem to support the changes the law created, even though it means their intellectual property has an expiration date.
I haven't found any Seattle-area biotechs with immediate plans to develop biosimilars; the FDA just recently released beginning guidelines for the process of getting biosimilars approved and to market.
“The gray area has sort of kept us thinking twice about getting into it,” said Mark Litton, chief business officer and treasurer of Bothell-based Alder Biopharmaceuticals. “Because you can spend millions and millions of dollars and then the FDA can say, ‘That’s not the same; you have to do a full development program.’ ”
The Biologics Price Competition and Innovation Act, upheld along with the Affordable Care Act, provides 12 years of protection for biologic innovations before other companies can use their research to produce biosimilars. Some in the industry were concerned that a shorter, 5-year period of exclusivity would make it difficult to profit off of innovations.
“The 12-year exclusion from competition for the innovator was something that was heavily negotiated and lobbied on both sides,” said Steve Gillis, managing director of Arch Venture partners and a longtime leader in Seattle’s biotech industry. “In general, the biotechnology industry is pleased with that particular outcome.”
Still, not everyone is satisfied.
“From a personal belief standpoint, I’m against this entire thing,” said Carl Weissman, chairman and CEO of Accelerator Corp. and managing director at OVP Venture Partners. Accelerator is a Seattle-based venture capitalist group. “I don’t think people’s intellectual property should be diluted this way.”
The process of getting biosimilars to market will never be as cheap as it is to make generic versions of simple, small-molecule drugs. Many experts think it will be the big pharmaceutical companies that will have the resources to test the process and its profitability.
“Nobody’s tried the regulatory path yet, and it may be so difficult that it’s the same as trying to get a new biologic approved” Weissman said. “I don’t think anybody knows that yet. But if it turns out to be profitable, I think it could happen here (in Seattle).”
Despite Weissman’s opposition, he said biosimilars and biobetters (improvements on existing biotech treatments) could be profitable for Seattle businesses, or at least for big biotechs with a Seattle presence, such as Amgen, Gilead and Novo Nordisk.


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- Researchers at Google’s cybersecurity division Project Zero discovered a handful of websites that were being used to hack iPhones.
- Once visited, the websites would plant a “monitoring implant” on the device, which could then steal messages, photos, and real-time GPS location data.
- The hacks spanned iOS 10 through 12, which Project Zero said indicates they took place over the course of two years.
- Visit Business Insider’s homepage for more stories.
Google researchers found a handful of hacked websites that were being quietly used to infiltrate iPhones for at least the last two years.
Analysts at Google’s cybersecurity division Project Zero published a deep-dive technical blog Thursday night detailing their findings.
“There was no target discrimination; simply visiting the hacked site was enough for the exploit server to attack your device, and if it was successful, install a monitoring implant,” security researcher Ian Beer wrote in the blog. Once inside the iPhone, this implant was able to steal messages, photos, and GPS location data in real-time.
Although the blog post didn’t say exactly how many of these websites they were, the researchers estimated each one received thousands of visitors a week. The hacks spanned iOS 10 through 12, which Beer said indicated a “sustained effort” to hack iPhones over a period of two years.
Read more: Apple accidentally reopened a security flaw that makes the iPhone vulnerable to hackers
The websites gained access to the iPhones through five different methods or “exploit chains.” The researchers found 14 separate vulnerabilities which made these exploit chains possible. Seven of these vulnerabilities were found in Safari, iPhones’ default web browser.
The researchers told Apple about their findings in February, and gave the company a seven-day deadline to fix the vulnerabilities. Six days later, Apple updated the security on iOS 12. Google gave Apple a much tighter deadline than is usual in security disclosure, which the norm being 90 days to patch issues.
Generally Apple has a strong reputation when it comes to security, and earlier this month the company upped the amount of money it’s willing to shell out for bug bounties — vulnerabilities found by security researchers — to $1 million.
Apple declined to comment when contacted by Business Insider.
SEE ALSO: To prevent disasters like the Capital One hack from happening again, experts say Amazon Web Services could do more to protect customers from themselves
Join the conversation about this story »
NOW WATCH: If you want an emoji that isn’t available, you can create it. Here’s how everyday people send their submissions.


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The Indian retail sector is witnessing rapid growth with a higher disposable income amongst citizens and changing consumer tastes and preferences. We can see domestic and global players such as Reliance Industries, Amazon, and Walmart entering into a heavy competition to obtain more customers. These firms have primarily focused on revolutionising our country’s e-commerce space, […]
The Christmas season is officially upon us. Over the years, we have been witnessing a special phenomenon in stock markets during this period- the Santa Claus Rally! In this article, we explain this interesting concept and also show how markets tend to perform during December. We have also analysed certain stock that could show a rally during the Christmas period.
About Aditya Birla Fashion & Retail Limited Mumbai-headquartered Aditya Birla Fashion & Retail Limited (ABFRL) is an Indian clothing retail chain. ABFRL emerged after the consolidation of two businesses in 2005. These two businesses were Pantaloons Fashion and Retail (PFRL) and Madura Fashion & Lifestyle (MFL). The company has 3,000+ brand stores and 25,000 multi-brand […]
The retail sector in our country is filled with a lot of companies that compete with each other to reach the top. And at a time when global players like Amazon and Walmart are competing for customers in India, it is no surprise that India’s biggest business houses would want to get into the scene […]


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Bank South Pacific Visa Debit card users in Samoa will now be issued cards that come equipped with chips on them.
The EMV Europay, Mastercard and Visa chip is a global standard for cards equipped with computer chips as advanced technology to authenticate card transactions.
This new enhancement will be implemented, to counter and protect customers and the bank against security breaches and counterfeit card fraud.
Most major card issuers around the world have migrated to this new technology to protect consumers and reduce the costs of fraud and BSP will also be migrating into this new technology.
“These new and improved cards are being deployed to improve payment security, making it more difficult for fraudsters to counterfeit cards,” said Robin Fleming, BSP Group CEO.
“It’s used worldwide and is an important step forward for BSP.”
EMV-enabled cards offer several benefits over the current magnetic-stripe cards. The chip cards will have a small, metallic square you will see on new BSP Visa Debit Cards. That is a computer chip, and it is what sets it apart from the rest of the cards.
Taitu’uga Maryann Lameko-Vaai, BSP Samoa Country Manager said the magnetic stripes on cards store unchanging data which leads to inherent risks that this new technology will eliminate.
“Whoever accesses that data gains the sensitive card and cardholder information necessary to make purchases;
“That makes traditional cards prime targets for counterfeiters, who convert stolen card data to cash,” explains Taitu’uga.
“If someone copies a mag stripe, they can easily replicate that data over and over again because it doesn’t change. Unlike magnetic-stripe cards, every time an EMV card is used for payment, the card chip creates a unique transaction code that can only be used once,”
“If a hacker stole the chip information from one specific point of sale, typical card duplication would never work because the stolen transaction number created in that instance cannot be used again and so the card would just get denied, “ she further added.
For many countries in the world, fraudsters have shied away from countries that have already transitioned to EMV cards, however, this has increased exposure for card users and issuers in countries like Samoa who still use the magnetic stripe cards,” said Mr Fleming.
“With the introduction to the new BSP chip enabled Visa Debit Cards, it adds an added security level that matches world class standards,” said Mr Fleming.
For merchants and financial institutions, the switch to EMV means adding new in-store technology, internal processing systems, and complying with new liability rules. For consumers, it means learning a new payment process.
The chip enabled cards are now available for BSP Visa Debit Card users. All BSP Visa Debit Card holders are requested to uplift your new replacement card from the BSP main office in Apia.
For more information, call the BSP Customer Service Centre on 66100 or Email:firstname.lastname@example.org.


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June 01, 2017 | Revenue & Economic Update
Recent data confirm a significant revenue shortfall for the current fiscal year relative to official projections. A primary factor that drives that result is weak sales tax revenues. Through April 2017, total sales tax collections increased by only 0.7 percent from the same period in the prior fiscal year. For the latest three months, collections have increased by only 0.8 percent. Sales tax revenues are critical to the state budget because each percentage point of growth generates roughly $100 million of new revenues.
Weak sales tax revenues are not limited to Pennsylvania. As shown by the table, some adjacent states have also experienced modest (or negative) growth of sales tax revenues. Four factors impact spending trends and could motivate that result.
First, PA consumers could be paying down debt. However, recent data from the Federal Reserve Board of New York show that PA per capita consumer debt levels increased (1.3%) during the past nine months. An increase in credit card, auto and student loan debt more than offset a slight decline in mortgage debt.
Second, the PA labor market could be weak, generating few jobs and minor gains in take home pay. However, data for January to April 2017 suggest a strong labor market that created 63,000 net new jobs (annualized rate), compared to 52,200 for CY 2016. Moreover, withholding tax revenues show solid growth in take home pay, growing roughly 3.5% for the first three quarters of FY 2016-17.
Third, consumers could be impacted by “wealth effects” if the stock market is performing poorly or home values are stagnant. However, the S&P 500 Index has increased by 14.8% since July 2016. Data from the U.S. Federal Housing Finance Agency show that median PA home values increased by 4.0% in 2017 Q1 on a year-over-year basis.
A final factor could be weak business spending. Analysts estimate that business purchases may comprise one-third of the PA sales tax base. Unfortunately, state-level business profit or purchases data are not available. Hence, it is not clear why PA sales tax revenues continue to lag other key economic metrics, or U.S. consumer spending generally. Consumer spending will need to accelerate for the PA economy to break from its tepid economic expansion. Sales tax revenues for May were encouraging (3.2% growth), but additional data are needed to establish a new trend.


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Latest Hair restoration Stories
Dr. Sanusi Umar of Derm Hair Clinic in Los Angeles is a hair restoration specialist in Advanced Follicular Unit Extraction.
Dr. Sanusi Umar of Derm Hair Clinic is a hair transplant specialist who has developed his own surgical system known as uGraft.
Dr. Sanusi Umar, a Los Angeles hair transplant specialist, was recently featured in a Hollywood Reporter article discussing what A list celebrities will do to fight male pattern baldness.
Los Angeles hair restoration clinic Beverly Hills Hair Restoration conducted extensive research on patient satisfaction, and concluded that 98% were highly satisfied with services rendered.
The latest Hollywood hair restoration testimonials presented in the offices of US Hair Restoration have helped remove the stigma associated with hair loss. Los
Dr. Parsa Mohebi, Hair Transplant Surgeon and Medical Director of US Hair Restoration, unveiled a new procedure that can maximize the effect of hair restoration for hair loss patients.
More people are benefiting from hair restoration with a new procedure that combines a hair replacement system with hair transplant. Los Angeles, CA (PRWEB) October
Los Angeles hair transplant surgeon, Doctor Parsa Mohebi started an unprecedented hair transplant technician training program at US Hair Restoration Offices. Los
Scientists have created a new hair restoration method that can generate human hair using a patient's own cells. The new method doesn't just redistribute hair from one part of the scalp to another, but generates new human hair growth altogether.
Reputable hair transplant surgeon, Dr.
- Sleep; the state or condition of being asleep.


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After months of deliberation, LVMH finally announced the winner of the 2023 LVMH Prize. Of the nine finalists vying for the coveted accolade (and a cash prize of 300,000 euros), it’s Japanese designer Satoshi Kuwata who came out on top today. Along with the impressive sum of cash, Kuwata will also receive mentorship from LVMH’s team of experts who will guide the designer's growth with Setchu.
Setchu comes from the Japanese word ‘wayo setchu’ which roughly translates to compromise between Japan and the West. An apt name considering Setchu’s design ethos is rooted in merging Japanese and Western aesthetics. While Kuwata was born and raised in Japan, he established his label in Milan after living in London, New York and Paris. Among the 2,400 applicants for this year’s prize, Kuwata impressed the jury (including Kim Jones, Nicholas Ghesquire, Stella McCartney and more) with his conceptual unisex aesthetic.
The prizes were announced by Delphine Arnault, Xin Liu, and Gal Gadot. Upon receiving the grand prize trophy from the Wonderwoman actress, Kuwata lovingly told the audience, 'I was a really naughty boy and my mom was really worried. Now, I can make my mom really happy.'
Arnault and Liu presented the two Karl Lagerfeld Prizes to Julie Pelipas of Bettter and Luca Magliano who will both receive 150,000 euros and their own mentorship. While not the grand prize, the two equally deserve their accolades for building brands from two wholly unique perspectives.
Magliano’s irreverent tailoring and queer culture references have made him a favourite at Milan Fashion Week. Earlier this year, he told SHOWstudio editor Hetty Mahlich that his goal is to ’represent an Italy that is often untold’. As for Pelipas, the former Vogue Ukraine editor has built her own loyal following, thanks to Bettter’s sustainable initiatives that include sourcing and upcycling deadstock fabrics. Pelipas also provided her expertise in our haute couture live panel discussion earlier this year.


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Amazon will stop selling Washington Redskins merchandise after the football team said it would undergo a review of its name, which is considered a racial slur, the AP reports. The Seattle-based online shopping giant informed sellers Wednesday morning that it would be pulling Redskins merchandise from its online marketplace. Other major retailers, including Walmart, have also stopped selling the team's merchandise. The recent national conversation on race has renewed opposition to the name, prompting its sponsors to speak up. The name review, which the team announced last week, could lead to a name change.
On Wednesday, Washington state Attorney General Bob Ferguson commended Amazon for “taking this swift action to support this long overdue change.” Earlier in the day, Ferguson published a letter to Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos pressing the company to drop the team’s merchandise. Also Wednesday, Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan said he believes the name of the team, which plays in his state, “probably should be changed." He supported the team's name when he ran for governor in 2014, the AP reports. "It’s got a lot of history associated with the name, but I understand it’s a hurtful name, and in today’s context it probably should be changed," said Hogan, a moderate Republican and a critic of President Trump, on Today. (Needless to say, Trump is not a fan of the name change idea.)


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- Cape businessman known for starting NARS dies at 49 (2/23/17)9
- Apparent punch at girls basketball game propels lawmaker into action (2/21/17)4
- Business notebook: Owners ready to roll out the Barrel 131 (2/20/17)7
- Japanese restaurant up and running; owner surprised by fondness of sushi here (2/24/17)
- SoutheastHEALTH, Washington University School of Medicine announce collaboration (2/24/17)18
- Missouri bill would limit transgender school bathroom access (2/22/17)48
- MSHP: McLendon shot in side; autopsy refutes witness account (2/19/17)23
- Annual father-daughter dance provides some fun bonding time (2/19/17)1
- City issues precautionary boil order near Arena Park (2/23/17)
- $22M bond issue would alter Jackson schools (2/22/17)13
Food distributor halts shipments to Kmart
DALLAS -- A major food distributor said Monday that it has cut off most shipments to Kmart after the troubled discounter failed to make its regular weekly payment for deliveries.
Fleming Cos. said Kmart, its largest customer, owes $78 million.
Kmart chief executive Charles Conaway said the company was negotiating a plan to resume shipments from Fleming, once Kmart officials work through "financial issues and are able to provide Fleming with adequate assurance of payment."
Kmart's credit rating and stock plunged this month after the company said it did no better than break even in 2001, blaming disappointing holiday sales. It also said it was in discussions with its lenders about financing.
Fleming, the nation's second-largest wholesale food distributor behind Supervalu, supplies about 3,000 supermarkets, 6,800 convenience stores and 2,000 mass merchandisers.
Just a week ago, Fleming said its relationship with Kmart was strong. But this week, the company said it has stopped all shipments except some perishable food that was already en route to Kmart stores and Super Kmarts.


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This Is the Best Hybrid Car According to U.S. News
The results are in, and U.S. News has officially released its list of 2020’s best hybrid cars. Topping the list this year is the Toyota Camry Hybrid, which has managed to beat out incredibly popular candidates such as the Honda Accord Hybrid and the Toyota Prius. So just what is it that makes the Camry Hybrid such a knockout?
The Camry’s powertrain combines an electric motor with a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine, resulting in a respectable 208 hp. It has an automatic transmission that functions smoothly, and the base trim gets 53 miles per gallon on the highway and 51 miles per gallon in the city.
Although some of its competitors can achieve slightly better numbers here, the Camry’s fuel economy is still incredibly impressive for a hybrid vehicle. It can also seat five people and has 15.1 cubic feet of cargo space.
As far as infotainment goes, a seven-inch touchscreen comes standard on the Camry Hybrid. The 2020 model now also has standard Android Auto for the first time, as well as Apple CarPlay, Amazon Alexa, and a WiFi hotspot. The touchscreen is overall responsive and intuitive to use.
Impressive safety ratings
One of the best things about the Camry Hybrid is its perfect crash test scores. It received an overall rating of five out five from the NHTSA. Additionally, the IIHS named the Camry Hybrid a Top Safety Pick+, giving it the highest possible score in all of its crash tests.
This vehicle comes with quite a few standard safety features included as part of the Toyota Safety Sense package. Among the included features are adaptive cruise control, automatic high-beam headlights, lane departure warning, and forward automatic emergency braking.
In addition to these standard features, the Camry Hybrid offers a range of optional safety technology. Among these are reverse automatic emergency braking, a surround-view parking camera system, blind-spot monitoring, and adaptive headlights.
What sets the Camry Hybrid above the rest?
There are a lot of great hybrid options — so what exactly is it that pushes the Camry to the head of the pack? One of its standout qualities is its reliability. J.D. Power ranks the quality and reliability of this hybrid as 88/100, placing it firmly above average.
In fact, according to J.D. Power, there really isn’t anything that the Camry Hybrid lacks — it received an overall score of 85/100 after thousands of owners reported their experiences driving it.
When compared to two of its major competitors — the Honda Accord Hybrid and the Toyota Prius — the Camry manages to edge just slightly ahead. It has a better reliability rating than the Accord, and more cargo space than the Prius. U.S. News also notes that the Camry is slightly more fun to drive than the Prius, and has a sleeker, more stylish interior.
Additionally, the Camry handles very well. It can easily turn corners and offers a comfortable ride even on long road trips. Its only detriments here are that the steering is slightly over-assisted and the regenerative braking system can be a difficult adjustment for anyone new to driving hybrids.
Overall, it’s hard to go wrong with any of the top-rated hybrids for 2020 — they all offer excellent fuel economy, good safety ratings, and pleasant driving experiences. The Camry Hybrid has made its way to the top of the list based largely on its combination of standard features, cargo space, and price.
Its stellar ratings mean that consumers can feel pretty secure choosing it. Overall, the comfortable ride and stylish interior make it feel well worth the $30,000 price tag.


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Google Pixel 2
LAST UPDATED : Jan 23, 2019, 05:45 AM IST
- China pumps in $2.2 billion in Pakistan's dwindling forex reserves
China on Monday pumped-in $2.2 billion to cash-strapped Pakistan to shore up its close ally's foreign currency reserves and help avert a possible default on external debt payments. With the Chinese assistance, Pakistan has so far received a total of $9.1 billion in financial assistance packages from friendly countries during the current fiscal year.
- Zubaan: The love ballad from ‘Manje Bistre 2’ is out
After releasing ‘Current’, which was a bhangra track, the makers of ‘Manje Bistre 2’ have presented a romantic melody to hook the audience. Titled ‘Zubaan’, the song captures the moment of sweet innocent romance brewing between Gippy Grewal and Simi Chahal.
- Moglix aims gross revenue of up to Rs 2,000 cr next fiscal
New Delhi, Mar 25 () Artificial intelligence firm Moglix expects 3-4 times growth in revenue by the end of the next financial year on account of overseas expansion following a global deal it signed with FMCG major Unilever and an increase in domestic client base.
- Naagin 3 actress Anita Hassanandani's latest post hints at '2 cute babies'; fans wonder if she's pregnant with twins
Anita Hassanandani, who is currently seen in Naagin 3 as Vishakha, recently wished her husband on his birthday with a cryptic post. It hinted that the couple is all set to welcome '2 cute cute babies soon'.
- Electric 2-3 wheelers must produce public transport permit to avail FAME-II incentives
Starting April 1, electric three-wheelers and four-wheelers will have to produce a valid permit from a government agency stating that the vehicle will be used only for public transport purposes, to avail incentives under the Rs 10,000 crore FAME India scheme.
- Best diabetic shoes for men to prevent diabetes-related foot problems and injuries
Diabetic shoes are therapeutic shoes that are specially designed to provide comfort and protect the feet of the people suffering from Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes. Choose from top brands like New Balance, Skechers, Hush Puppies, Orthofeet and more for proper diabetic foot care.
- Tamannaah Bhatia: 'Baahubali' made me a lot more brave
Down with two releases already in 2019, Tamannaah Bhatia has a growing kitty of projects across genres and languages. The actress says being a part of epic two-part drama 'Baahubali' not just made her adventurous physically, but also brave in terms of decision making in life.


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Comedian Kevin Hart released a video announcement on his Twitter that he'll be running this year's NYC Marathon on Nov. 5.
Being a speedy runner and talented musician are two inseparable aspects of RAC's Liz Anjos.
Nike's Breaking2 attempt will take place this Saturday, May 6, in Monza, Italy, and here's what breaking the 2-hour marathon barrier will
The top three podium finishers for the women's race all have one thing in common: this was their Boston Marathon debut race.
Tracksmith founder and CEO Matt Taylor gives us a tour of their first retail store, the Trackhouse, opened just days before the Boston
If you are on the hunt for a savory treat, it's time to get your protein from these meat bars that you can eat on-the-go.
Defending American champions, Molly Huddle and Ben True, return to Boston to claim their fourth B.A.A. 5K titles.
The new retail store, the Trackhouse, will reside on Boston's Newbury Street, and become a community hub for runners.
This year, 30,000 participants will toe the start line of the Boston Marathon. Here are the stories of five newcomers to the race.


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The main reason for shopping with your smartphone instead of a computer is that it is often closer at hand. A large number of the population never has their mobile more than an arm's length away, which makes it increasingly more common as a purchase tool.
E-commerce is experiencing strong growth with continuously increasing online sales. Throughout 2015, sales have increased every quarter and are expected to end at around 50 billion SEK. Source HUI Research
The biggest drivers of online shopping are convenience, price and supply. Three out of four customers mentioned any of these factors as reasons for their latest online purchase.


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Cruise Edinburgh adds its weight to Cruise Scotland’s marketing efforts
Cruise Edinburgh, a public and private sector initiative that aims to attract up to 40 per cent more cruise passengers into Scotland’s capital by 2013 is the latest member to join Cruise Scotland, the national marketing organisation, increasing the membership roll to sixteen.
With increasing numbers departing the UK for destinations such as the Baltic, Norwegian Fjords and British Isles tours, Edinburgh is well placed to cater for this growing interest in cruising the Northern European region.
Along with support from Forth Ports and other private sector members, the Cruise Edinburgh initiative is also supported by Scotland’s tourism agency VisitScotland.
Richard Alexander, Chairman of Cruise Scotland said “Scotland is the leading sector of the British Isles (38%) for inbound cruise tourism and has a great opportunity to maintain this pole position in the future. We are delighted that Cruise Edinburgh has joined us in our efforts to develop inbound cruise tourism in the years ahead.”
Michelle MacLeod, Deputy Centre Manager – Ocean Terminal of Cruise Edinburgh commented “Scotland has tremendous potential to grow its cruise business, with the growing southern European source market, notably Italy, Spain and France, yet to be developed. We look forward to working together with Cruise Scotland in our efforts to attract more cruise business and passengers to Scotland.”
For details of how to become a member of Cruise Scotland you can e-mail Gordon Ireland, Market Development Manager - Gordon.Ireland@highland.gov.uk


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WOODBRIDGE, N.J. -- Pathmark Stores here said earnings more than doubled while sales rose slightly for the first quarter ended April 29.
Net income for the 13-week quarter increased 135% to $4 million, while sales rose 0.3% to $1.03 billion. Same-store sales, including replacement stores, increased 0.8%.
Operating cash flow was up 17% to $65.4 million, or 6.3% of sales, compared with $55.8 million, or 5.4% of sales, a year ago.
Operating earnings rose 14.7% to $44.6 million, including an after-tax loss of $2.3 million relating to Plainbridge, a subsidiary of PTK Holdings, Pathmark's parent company. Plainbridge consists of a warehouse, transportation and real estate operation that serves Pathmark exclusively.
Excluding the loss, the company said operating earnings would have been up 20.6% to $46.9 million.
Gary Giblen, managing director of Smith Barney, New York, said net earnings benefited "from the steady progress Pathmark is making in improving its balance sheet, particularly with regard to incurring less interest expense."
The small sales increase came after several periods of slightly negative results, Giblen added, "so it represents a good improvement, particularly given the tough economic and competitive environment in the Northeast in general and the New York metropolitan area in particular."
On a long-term basis, the company's investment in its Pathmark 2000 format is likely to deliver positive sales gains, Giblen said, "though the short-term outlook is less positive because sales momentum in the second quarter has been sluggish."
Giblen also said he doubted that gains of 17% in operating cash flow are sustainable. "That level shows progress in same-store sales and margin improvements, but it comes off a weak quarter a year ago," he noted. "Cash-flow comparisons for the second quarter will be a lot tougher."
Jack Futterman, chairman and chief executive officer, said Pathmark expects to open six new stores during the current year. He said the chain has four new stores under construction and expects to begin construction on four more during the second quarter.
Pathmark operates 142 supermarkets, including 32 Pathmark 2000 prototypes, and 36 freestanding drug stores in the New York-New Jersey-Philadelphia metropolitan areas.


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Writer: Yan Hao
YY.com, an Chinese online entertainment-focused company which saw its stock price quadruple in the past year, is dipping its toes in offline entertainment.
Self-service facilities are one of the main areas of investment for 2017. Among them is mini karaoke, which has gained particular traction with entrepreneurs and already seen the emergence of a dozen startups.
Now, a new player is set to join the fray: Kr-Asia has learned from the supplier of YY.com’s self-service equipment that, after a three-month internal test, YY.com is officially rolling out its mini karaoke booths.
Unlike other mini karaoke operators, in addition to delivering optimal karaoke experience, YY.com has incorporated social networking features into its products. It allegedly plans to deploy 10,000 mini karaoke booths in 2018.
On top of the functions of a typical mini karaoke booth, YY.com’s product supports additional features like live streaming, singing invitation, song editing and souvenir cards.
Above all, YY.com will use the booths as an offline user acquisition channel for its voice-based social networking platform “Hello”.
YY.com has put a lot of energy into building the platform, which offers a wide range of services from voice chat and live streaming to teaming for online games and karaoke. But “Hello” has so far failed to stand out from the many other voice social networking platforms in the market.
The thing is: applications of voice services are rather limited, the most common one being teaming in online games. In this sense, YY.com’s entry into the mini karaoke market may be seen as part of its effort to explore for possible offline applications for its voice social networking service.
In essence, mini karaoke can be seen as an extension of YY.com’s online services in that it allows users to expand their interaction from online to offline. Meanwhile, since users of the karaoke booths can choose to live stream their singing, it also serves as a source of content for YY.com’s live streaming platform.
Because of such significance attached to the service, YY.com’s deployment strategy is much more aggressive than its competitors.
Its booths will be sold at 20,000 yuan per unit, but it plans to offer some to distributors for free. As for revenue split, operators will collect 50% and will bear the cost of rent and utilities, while YY.com and distributors split the other half 40/60. YY.com is also mulling introducing a 600 yuan minimum monthly income in case of fluctuations in sales.
YY.com will work together with WeChat marketing platform Leyaoyao (乐摇摇) to promote its mini karaoke booths. The latter is a hardware and SaaS solution provider which built up its business by offering mobile payment services for claw crane games.
Despite its recent popularity, mini karaoke is seen by some as a market with limited potential or just a flash in the plan. YY.com’s entry may change that because its massive online resources are a guarantee for offline sales and users acquired through the karaoke service can in turn be steered to its online services.
The public’s attention was occupied by the many businesses that promise quick returns this year (bitcoin, for example), but some companies have built up their fortunes quietly. YY.com, for example, has seen its stock price quadruple this year and has grown into an online entertainment giant. It’s only natural that it wants to expand its offline presence.
In the meantime, Quanmin Karaoke, a karaoke app developed by Tencent Music Entertainment, is also promoting its self-service karaoke booths lately.
The mini karaoke market is set to see major changes in 2018.


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Ford Europe is in the midst of a major transformation that will see it transition its entire passenger vehicle lineup to EVs by 2030 or sooner, a process that involves discontinuing a number of ICE-powered models, as well as converting some assembly plants and shuttering others. Ultimately, FoMoCo decided to convert the Valencia Assembly plant in Spain for the production of future EVs, and at the same time, close the Ford Saarlouis Assembly plant in Germany in 2025. As is usually the case, Ford has been looking to sell that particular site, and may have found a buyer in BYD, China’s largest EV manufacturer – which it already has a relationship with – according to the Wall Street Journal.
BYD is reportedly engaged in negotiations with The Blue Oval with the intent of purchasing the Ford Saarlouis Assembly plant, according to the report. Some Ford brass will reportedly travel to China next week to discuss the matter with BYD executives in person, though terms of the potential deal – including a prospective sales price – are currently unclear.
These talks are still in the preliminary stages, which means that a deal could be reached, or it may be nixed completely. Ford reportedly has interest from 15 different entities – each of which is exploring the idea of buying the Saarlouis plant – ranging from investors to manufacturers.
Currently, the Ford Saarlouis Assembly plant builds the Ford Focus, but as Ford Authority reported last month, that long-running model has been discontinued, while the plant itself will cease production altogether in 2025. Meanwhile, Ford has instead chosen to produce vehicles on its next-generation electric vehicle architecture at the Valencia plant instead of Saarlouis, though the reduced complexity of EVs means that the facility will experience “significant” job cuts as part of this conversion.


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The cars we drive are changing, in their capabilities, in how they’re made, and how they look. Autonomous vehicles are beginning to appear on the roads, and more and more cars are being made with 3D printed parts. Electric and hybrid cars are slowly becoming more affordable and numerous. Eventually, we may be looking at roadways full of electric, autonomous, 3D printed cars – safer, more environmentally friendly and customizable.
The LSEV has two out of three – it’s not autonomous, but it is electric and 3D printed. Mostly 3D printed, anyway – the two-seater car from Italian manufacturer XEV has all of its visible parts 3D printed except for the chassis, seats and glass. The car was developed in collaboration with Polymaker, which was responsible for the R&D of the material used to 3D print the LSEV. Using 3D printing enabled the manufacturers to reduce the number of parts in the car from over 2,000 to only 57, while research and development time was shortened by two thirds. Investment costs were also reduced by more than 70 percent in comparison to a traditionally manufactured vehicle.
“The research and development process of a car model conventionally takes between three to five years, but 3D-printed cars like XEV only take between three months to 12 months,” said Luo Xiaofan, Founder and CEO of Polymaker.
The LSEV is also much lighter than conventionally manufactured cars of its size – about 450 kilograms as opposed to a ton or more. Unlike other 3D printed cars that have appeared, the LSEV can be mass produced, and will be. Already, the car has received 7,000 pre-orders, including from such organizations as the Italian National Post Service and car rental company ARVAL.The Post Service says that it wants to use the LSEV as the “Last Mile” delivery vehicle. The reduced number of seats leaves more room for storage, and the high position of the driver’s seat makes it easy to get in and out of the car.
XEV plans to make a small production run at the end of this year, with the LSEV available by April 2019. Judging by the reception and the number of pre-orders already, it will be eagerly awaited. Eventually, the company wants to offer customers several customization options for the car as well, and it will undergo regular improvements based on market feedback. This is far more than a concept car – the level of interest shows that many people are ready for alternatively powered cars, as well as 3D printed ones. Even 3D printed cars with conventional fuel are more eco-friendly – and economical – as their light weight greatly reduces the amount of fuel required to power them, and reduces emissions.
The LSEV was introduced in China at the China 3D Printing Cultural Museum, which was opened last June in Shanghai’s Baoshan District. The educational, research and cultural facility consists of nine sections including a 3D printing research center, an additive library and an innovation library. The LSEV drew a great deal of attention at the Cultural Museum, and several Chinese organizations have expressed interest in the car.
Discuss this and other 3D printing topics at 3DPrintBoard.com or share your thoughts below.[Sources: China Daily, Ninja-Prototype, Yicai Global / Images: Cheyun]
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UK factory activity boosted by frail pound
UK manufacturing surged to a three-year high last month, highlighting the boost the weak pound is giving Britain's factories.
The Irish and European manufacturing sectors also enjoyed a strong month, with the latter appearing to shrug off the uncertainty posed by the French election, with activity increasing at the fastest rate for six years.
Rates of expansion in the UK sector in output, total new orders, and new export work all gathered pace, underpinned by strong business confidence.
In contrast to signs of weakening consumer demand in the UK as inflation rises quickly, new orders in the manufacturing sector poured in at the fastest rate since January 2014, while growth in orders from abroad was at a seven-month high, according to the latest Purchasing Managers Index for the sector.
"While the major political parties debate how best to leave Europe, British manufacturers have continued to increase their exports to the Continent," said Duncan Brock of the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply.
"A weaker pound has kept British products competitive on the world stage and encouraged the twelfth successive rise in manufacturing exports. The British manufacturing industry is moving at such a pace that's suppliers are struggling to keep up with demand."
The PMI produced by financial services information firm Markit rose to a three-year high of 57.3 in April, up from March's four month low of 54.2.
Meanwhile, the health of the Irish manufacturing sector improved markedly during April, helped by stronger expansions in output, new orders and employment.
Firms noted particular success in export markets during the month, according to the latest PMI survey report.
The seasonally-adjusted PMI report for the sector produced by specialist bank Investec rose to 55 last month, from 53.6 in March.
It was the strongest expansion in three months.
Philip O'Sullivan, Investec economist, said the data showed a bright start to the second quarter for the sector.
"One of the key highlights of the release is the New Export Orders index, which indicates the fastest rate of growth in overseas orders since July 2015. Firms continue to invest in providing additional resources to meet this rising client demand," he said.
Eurozone manufacturers began the second quarter at a blistering pace, increasing activity at the fastest rate for six years as demand remained strong despite rising prices.
IHS Markit's Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index for the eurozone jumped to 56.7 in April from March's 56.2, reaching its highest level since April 2011.
The figure was one tick down from a preliminary reading of 56.8.


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Head of Zeus are delighted to announce the acquisition of two new books from Kate Kerrigan – the bestselling Irish author. The first book The Dress will be published in September 2015 and is a wonderful story of an iconic 1950s dress and its relationship with three women over 70 years.
Set between New York; London and Ireland, the novel interweaves the stories of Joy a 1950s socialite; Lily a vintage fashion blogger and Honor an extraordinary Irish seamstress and dress designer.
Amanda Ridout, Head of Zeus CEO, who acquired the books from Marianne Gunn O’Connor, says ‘We are thrilled to welcome Kate Kerrigan to the Head of Zeus list with this fascinating, warm and emotional novel. The compelling subject matter of three generations of women and their relationship with fashion has inspired our packaging and marketing plans and we know will capture the imaginations of readers worldwide.’
Kate Kerrigan says ‘I am delighted to be joining Head of Zeus. It has been a huge privilege working with the legendary editor, Rosie de Courcy, on this novel and I am really looking forward to putting it out in the world under the guardianship of this dynamic, talented, and creative publishing team.


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"Natural" and organic petfood sales are expected to hit US$2.6 billion by 2014, up from about $1.7 billion in 2009, according to the Boston Globe .
Human organic food sales are not seeing the same growth and actually declined 0.3% in 2009, market research firm Mintel International Group estimated.
One possible reason for the increased organic petfood sales is that owners are willing to scale back on their own food during the recession in order to pay a premium for their pets' food.
While cat trends continue, the pandemic has added to overall slow-growth treatment of the cat food market.
Premiumization and humanization, as well as automation, fueled continued operation growth in spite of the COVID-19 pandemic.


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High school teachers now have free online access to entrepreneurship course materials, under a new program launched by the National Federation of Independent Business’ Young Entrepreneur Foundation.
The new curriculum module, called “Entrepreneur in the Classroom,” includes a series of teachers’ notes, activities, overhead slides, and quizzes, all in PDF format, available for download.
“We determined there was a need for this type of curriculum after speaking with many teachers and NFIB members around the country,” said Hank Kopcial, executive director of the Young Entrepreneur Foundation, part of the Washington-based advocacy group representing 600,000 small businesses.
Photo by Bekit.
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(PRWEB) August 16, 2014
Recently, iFitDress.com, one of the most famous dress suppliers in the world, has added 200 new items to its selection of “vintage style evening gowns”. In addition, the company has launched a big sale for these fabulous products; all of them are now offered with discounted prices, from 22 to 62 percent off.
True enough, all the firm’s new products are very cheap now. Take a lace outfit for example. It was previously priced at $242, while is sold at a new discounted price of $128.99. iFitDress.com is striving to save time and money for chic ladies from every part of the world.
“We are very excited to release our new range of vintage evening gowns. We will continuously release more fashionable items in the coming months. By offering the brand new and trendy outfits, we want to experience further growth. Along with the beautiful products, we also offer a fantastic shopping experience for ladies worldwide. Please note that the current sale will last until August 23,” the company’s sales manager says.
He adds, “In addition, our top experts insist on offering top quality products, and all our dresses feature gorgeous looks and delicate craftsmanship. The new vintage evening dress collection is no exception.”
iFitDress.com is a leading online shop of inexpensive special occasion gowns; its popular items include hot cocktail dresses, elegant wedding gowns, beautiful evening dresses, cute prom dresses and so on. The company insists on offering top quality dresses for ladies from home and abroad. Its customer service department is always there to resolve problems. Customer satisfaction is a top priority for the company.
For more details about its fashionable outfits, please visit http://www.ifitdress.com/.


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Online gaming industry awaits final decision on GST
New Delhi: After the two-day GST council meeting held on July 23-24 at Bengaluru, the GST Council’s Group of Ministers (GoM) discussed the tax rates levied on the online gaming industry from 18 to 28 per cent.
The online skill-based games are being clubbed with casinos, horse racing, lottery, betting, and other chance-based games. This, along with the increase of tax rates being imposed on the whole contest entry amount (CEA), has caused upheaval in the online gaming industry.
As of now, the 18 per cent GST is levied on the platform’s commission taken from the pool of money invested by the players in small amounts on skill-based games, which is known as the Gross Gaming Revenue.
However, with the new tax policies being discussed, 28 per cent GST can be levied on the full Contest Entry Amount. The increase in tax slab may negatively affect the gaming platforms’ profit margins and the overall gaming ecosystem.
Moreover, clubbing of skill-based games with chance-based games for the new taxation policies blur the distinction between the two, which has been made and upheld by Indian courts for over 60 years. The two are different in terms of law as well as practice, and therefore can’t be treated at par with each other.
The GoM, led by Meghalaya CM Conrad Sangama, have made efforts to understand the functioning of the online gaming industry and have held meetings with the industry leaders to address the concerns raised by them to reconsider the tax rates.
As per industry sources, these issues have been raised by the All India Gaming Federation (AIGF) during their meeting with the GoM, whose representatives, according to sources, stated that such form of taxation will be catastrophic for the gaming industry and will nip out the slightest potential the industry has towards contributing to the Indian economy.
There has been no decision with regards to reconsideration of tax rates yet. However, the GoM will meet again in the first week of August and have been given time till August 10 to submit their final report, and the industry is awaiting the final decision with bated breath.


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... And understand why we are giving away a T50 Ointment Mill.
Starting up a business is getting harder. Young entrepreneurs who lack in real world business tactics oftentimes face various challenges and need more supports from successful entrepreneurs. The CEO of my company, Ken Kuang, recently published an article in the Wall Street Journal about this critical issue and has received overwhelmingly positive feedback (Read more:http://on.wsj.com/1hJtNKo).
He talked about the disbanding of the Moxie Center at UC San Diego, which was designed to fund students and help them pursue their early entrepreneur dreams. In his opinion, the Moxie Center failed to teach its budding entrepreneurs the two most basic survival skills for startups: understanding the concept of “win-win” and how to forecast profits and losses. Besides seeing it as huge regret, he has revealed the fundamental reason of Moxie’s downfall. It was due to a poor business model embedded with no returns on investment and lack of start-up support.
Here, we are living by his ideals. And here is how we decided to help those looking to start up a compounding pharmacy or those looking to find the right tool for their next big idea. Torrey Hills Technologies is giving away a free T50 ointment mill in September. Businesses can easily participate by clicking this webpage http://www.threerollmill.com/ointmentmillgiveaway.html, and simply fill in four multiple choices questions by September 14.
You may think to yourself “how is this a return on investment?” By giving away this award-winning machine to our winner, we can help them with their very first step of pursuing their dreams of starting up a business. When they grow, we welcome them to turn to us for future needs. The initiative also helps build a strong bond between us and the pharmacy compounding community. That would be our return on investment. Overall, it is up to the lucky entrepreneur that wins this machine to decide what they do or if they succeed, but we are here to help give them the seeds to grow themselves.


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Sample6 today announced the launch of an easy-to-use CONTROL™ iOS application to address the needs of today’s workers and give food companies a way to equip their staff with all of the safety testing data they need on the fly. The new Sample6 CONTROL™ Basic iPad app allows users to rapidly create test points and delivers the rich testing data users need to quickly find and correct potential safety concerns.
“With FSMA on the horizon, demand for proactive pathogen detection and remediation is rising. Food companies are trying to find and correct any potential safety concerns before their products enter the food chain while trying to keep up with mass consumerization in the workplace,” says Sample6 CEO Tim Curran. “We are helping the food industry respond to increasing regulatory pressures, while doing our part to secure the global food chain. Sample6 delivers the absolute simplest, fastest, most advanced way to detect harmful pathogens and prevent massive recalls or illness outbreaks--saving some compliance headaches along the way.”
Fully integrated with the CONTROL web application, the mobile app clearly displays testing results, schedule status, as well as the ability to generate and collect testing schedules. Its flexible, user-friendly interface also proactively prompts users, flags issues and detects conditions to reduce common errors.
“Sample6 is setting a new standard for food safety programs. We have been floored by how much faster and simpler pathogen detection is with Sample6. However, the iPad app will further streamline our proactive food safety efforts and make the testing and reporting process even more intuitive,” notes Tiffany Ptaszkiewicz, manager of Food Safety and Quality for Norpaco.


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On-the-go Technology Resonates with ‘Early Settlers’
Original Article Published on USAToday.com
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — In a coffee shop deep in the South, music pulsates from a bright red circular speaker the size of a small umbrella.
Libratone’s (loose translation: “liberating music”) 360-degree speaker, the handiwork of a Danish company several thousand miles away, is portable and possesses plenty of battery juice, which means the owners of Octane Coffee can place it pretty much anywhere — even outdoors.
The mobility, design and versatility of the speaker underscores what is fast becoming the “early settler” lifestyle of the 25- to 35-year-old demographic, heavy-duty tech users who are taking their visually appealing technology with them — whether at home, at the beach or at work.
“If you find the products that help you live this lifestyle, without impacting quality of life,” says Jan McNair, CEO of Libratone, maker of the lightweight, mobile speakers that are fast gaining popularity in the U.S.
A Libratone sighting in a non-traditional tech setting such as Birmingham speaks to its appeal to an emerging “flexible lifestyle” among the under-35 set. Initially, the company focused on wireless speakers for the home, but it is now expanding to portable wireless speakers and forthcoming premium ear buds, according to Libratone president Mike Culver.
The 6-year-old company literally has designs on redefining the $5 billion wireless speaker market worldwide, one in which behemoths Bose, Sony and Sonos are not as firmly entrenched as they are in the traditional market for larger speakers. The advent of smartphones and streaming music services turned the industry on its collective ear, ushering in a new era of head phones, and Bluetooth and WiFi speakers.


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Consumers are being urged to exercise caution when buying parts and accessories for their cars, with Toyota Australia uncovering hundreds of cases of counterfeit and fake automotive parts being sold to unsuspecting Aussie buyers.
Since 2016, Toyota Australia's Brand Protection team has successfully investigated and stopped more than 100 cases of fake, unsafe parts and accessories from being sold as Genuine Toyota Parts.
The fake products range from bogus badges and floor mats, to unsafe counterfeit brake pads.
Head of Public Affairs, Brodie Bott, said Toyota Australia took a multi-pronged approach to stop the sale of these counterfeit parts and accessories.
"Our Brand Protection team works closely with the Australian Border Force (ABF) to train their officers to identify and stop shipments of counterfeit parts and accessories from entering Australia," Mr Bott said.
"We always try to determine the source of the counterfeit parts and work closely with Toyota affiliates overseas to stop the parts at the source."
Mr Bott said Toyota Australia regularly carries out test purchases of parts marketed as 'Toyota Genuine' from online platforms.
"Our Brand Protection team also constantly monitors the market for counterfeit parts, including online stores such as eBay, then investigates offending businesses and takes action to stop them.
"Based on our monitoring and investigations, we have found that if you buy online and it is not from an authorised dealer, there is a 35% chance you are buying a counterfeit part," he said.
Besides costing the automotive industry millions of dollars each year, Mr Bott said counterfeit automotive parts also present a huge risk to public safety.
"Counterfeit parts are often packaged up to look like genuine Toyota parts with Toyota's logo, but they have not been designed, developed or tested for Toyota vehicles or to safety standards."
Mr Bott also said that using counterfeit parts could cause expensive damage that won't be covered by the manufacturer's warranty.
"Toyota Genuine Parts sourced from authorised Australian Toyota dealers are the only parts approved and warranted by Toyota, and the only way to guarantee that the parts you are buying are genuine is to source them from one of Toyota Australia's national network of over 285 authorised dealers," he said.
Toyota is a key supporter of the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries' Genuine Is Best initiative, focused on the safety, performance and durability benefits delivered by genuine replacement parts for cars and motorcycles.
This national, public education program also highlights the risks associated with the use of counterfeit, parallel, salvage and non-genuine aftermarket parts. For more information visit: genuineisbest.com.au.


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2022 In Review
At Precision Fermentation we love data, and the turn of the year offers a wonderful time to reflect and analyze information. Here’s a look at 2022 by the numbers.
BrewMonitor Customers are located in:
24 countries and 39 US states and territories
Country with the most BrewMonitor users outside the US: Australia
Top 10 Fermentation Styles of 2022:
American Pale Ale
American Wheat Beer
Greatest increase from 2021 by # of fermentations:
American Pale Ale
Greatest increase from 2021 by %:
Most Popular Fermentation Start Day: Wednesday
Most Popular Fermentation End Day: Monday
Most Common Yeast Strain Used in Fermentations:
Average Starting Gravity: 13.24 Plato
Average Ending Gravity: 3.46 Plato
Average Starting DO: 12.5 mg/ml
Hours of fermentation monitored: 675,024 hours
A few highlights of Precision Fermentation or BrewMonitor in the news:
- What’s Going on in There? Looking at the Tech that Looks into Your Fermentors
- This BrewMonitor software oversees nearly everything in the brewing process from yeast vitality to pH
- Bell Brothers Brewing – Loving Living Local Fox 21
- Oklahoma’s Cooper and Mill Brewing explains how remote fermentation monitoring helped a father and son brew together
Our customers have also seen success this year. With BrewMonitor:
- One customer added 5-6 generations to his yeast usage, cutting his annual yeast bill in half.
- Another customer used data from BrewMonitor to alter their process, allowing them to double their monthly production volume by saving up to a week in tank time.
- A customer received an automated alert when a glycol failure occurred, allowing them to save the batch
We’ve also been working diligently behind the scenes to make updates to our console and monitor based on customer feedback. Check out our recent announcement of BrewIQ, the next generation of our fermentation management system.
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A new report claims that Apple is working on refreshing its entire AirPods line, with new models coming soon for AirPods, AirPods Pro arriving in 2022, and maybe even new colors for AirPods Max.
According to Bloomberg, Apple is preparing a new version of its entry-level AirPods and they are intended to go on sale before the end of 2021. Unspecified sources echo previous reports that the new design will feature a revised case, and shorter stem, resembling the current AirPods Pro.
AirPods Pro are reportedly gaining a redesign that adds updated motion trackers for greater fitness applications. The sources say that the the revised AirPods Pro will ship some time in 2022.
Apple is not currently working on a second-generation AirPods Max, but the company is reportedly considering offering new colors. This is the least certain of the reported rumors.
New AirPods, referred to as “AirPods 3,” have repeatedly been predicted to be coming, with various release dates including mid-May 2021.
Similarly, the AirPods Pro have often been said to be getting a new design, most recently with the claimed addition of two different models.
Separately, Apple has recently been rumored to be working on a new, proprietary high-fidelity audio format to facilitate lossless Apple Music streaming to AirPods.
Stay on top of all Apple news right from your HomePod. Say, “Hey, Siri, play AppleInsider,” and you’ll get latest AppleInsider Podcast. Or ask your HomePod mini for “AppleInsider Daily” instead and you’ll hear a fast update direct from our news team. And, if you’re interested in Apple-centric home automation, say “Hey, Siri, play HomeKit Insider,” and you’ll be listening to our newest specialized podcast in moments.
AppleInsider has affiliate partnerships and may earn commission on products purchased through affiliate links. These partnerships do not influence our editorial content.


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Samsung backed start-up Neon has shown off “artificial humans” virtual characters.
Samsung Neon has displayed virtual characters at the CES tech show in Las Vegas.
Neon aims to make its virtual characters to work like digital “friends”.
Neon’s chief executive Pranav Mistry says that new virtual characters reflect a new-life form.
He told, “There are millions of species on our planet and we hope to add one more,”
He also explained that these characters can show emotions and intelligence and can also speak a variety of languages.
However, it seemed from the international media source that one technology company was not happy with this.
Ben Wood of CSS Insight told, “It was not the revolution that I was expecting.”
Ben Wood said, “They could get people to shake their head or do selfie pose or whatever but that’s the sort of things you can preprogram in a video of an actor.”
“Expectations were exceedingly high. On visiting, it was hard to get excited at this stage.”
After the California-based outfit posted a teaser campaign at social media platforms in the lead-up to the expo, people have increased their interest in Neon
Reddit users got access to top links of videos of characters that were not shown on the firm’s website.
Neon has been displaying a few of its “artificial humans” to CES attendees even those that have been removed.


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Frontline staff at banks and shops give better service when they are allowed to go 'off script'
Businesses that let sales assistants or customer service personnel chat away under their own initiative leaves customers with higher levels of satisfaction.
Many organisations require staff to follow "a script" or protocol when dealing with the public.
The study said bosses should invest in the creativity of their staff to get the most out of them, which in turns benefits their customers and bottom line.
It looked at how creativity-orientated HR practices influence customer satisfaction in.
Researchers from the University of East Anglia, Aston University and King's College London said staff creativity was little researched.
They interviewed frontline employees and their managers in 53 branches of two international banking and cosmetic brands in Lithuania.
They found branches that on average were more creative as rated by their managers received higher satisfaction evaluations from their customers.
The study said bosses should invest in the creativity of their staff
In branches where employees perceived there to be more HR practices in place for creativity, staff expressed higher levels of their needs being satisfied - for example having control in their work, feeling competent, feeling connected to people in their team - which was in turn positively related to creative performance.
Lead author Dr Ieva Martinaityte, a lecturer in business and management at UEA's Norwich Business School, said: "We are living in a constantly changing environment and companies need to adapt to changes in technology and customer needs.
Customers want a more personal service
"Customers want a more personal service and we show that a more creative approach is a way to enhance their experience.
"Delighting the customer will increasingly stem from frontline employees' creative rather than scripted role performance.
"Service organisations must aim to understand the drivers of creative performance.
Businesses that let sales assistants or customer service personnel chat away have happier customers
"Our findings suggest that this may be supported by adopting a set of HR practices that are geared towards the environments and skills necessary to motivate creative performance.
"By helping employees to be more confident and enabling them to have control over their own work they will engage in creative efforts."
Research was conducted at several universities including the University of East Anglia
The study published in the Journal of Management. involved 329 employees and 51 branch managers who were questioned about creativity.
Data on customer satisfaction was collected from company records for the six months before to six months after the quarter of survey data collection.


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How many games companies are there in Scotland? 10? 50? 500? Incredibly, we really don't know. It looks like we may have lost as many as 65% of studios in the last 5 x years. So here's what we're going to do about it...
Join BAFTA Award winning developer NO CODE for a complete walk through of their multi-award winning sci-fi thriller OBSERVATION, today at 2pm. Organised by BAFTA, tickets are free. Sign up now.
Coming Soon: CYGNI by Keelworks
A brand new twin-stick bullet hell shooter, with incredible cinematic visuals, Cygni displays its creators screen industry experience.
You can add Cygni to your Steam wishlist now.
To help companies struggling with development during the Covid-19 crisis, Software testing company Proper QA is now offering its services on an hourly basis.
UPDATE: BAFTA GURU LIVE EVENTS HAVE BEEN CANCELLED Statement from BAFTA Scotland: We’ve come to the difficult decision to cancel our upcoming Guru Live Glasgow event on Saturday 28 March.... Continue Reading →
Congratualtions to the team at NoCode, who picked up the BAFTA Scotland Games award at last night's glittering, star-studded ceremony in central Glasgow. The company fought off stiff competition from... Continue Reading →
The next Games|Drinks events, organised by All4Games' Colin MacDonald, are taking place in early November in Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow.
PLAY Expo Hits Scotland for the 3rd time on June 9th & 10th 2018. Organisers are looking for indie developers who want to demo their games to the 4000 people expected to attend.
GamesIndustry.biz has just published it's first list of the top 100 most influential people in the games industry. Covering the AAA console sector, mobile gaming, indie games, eSports, retail &... Continue Reading →


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BAKU, Azerbaijan, Jan. 18
By Tamilla Mammadova – Trend:
Exports of tangerines from Georgian have increased by 22 percent year-on-year in the last six months and amounted to 35,400 tons, Trend reports via the Environment Protection and Agriculture Ministry.
As reported, export is bringing in $17.3 million which is a 16 percent increase compared to the same period of the previous year.
Tangerines were exported mostly to Russia – 20,500 tons, Ukraine – 5,300 tons.
Georgian tangerines were also exported to Moldova, Turkmenistan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Lithuania, Slovenia, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Azerbaijan, the US and Germany.
Harvest forecast - up to 40,000 tons. The tangerine harvest in Georgia this year is small, but the quality has improved.
The appropriate headquarters is working to organize the harvest and placement. Custom tangerines are delivered, processed, controlled, and registered electronically.
Up to 7,000 tons of non-standard tangerines are expected this year.
Follow the author on Twitter: @Mila61979356


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Scientists Say Devices Essentially a 'Car Antenna Mounted on a Plastic Box'
The Iraqi government today accused a device manufacturer of supplying the nation with fake bomb detectors and said that it plans to sue. They are also investigating those responsible for its importation.
The ADE 651, manufactured by British company ATSC, was sold to Iraq and other nations as a portable substance detector, at prices as high as $60,000 per unit. The device’s complete ineffectiveness has been a matter of growing scrutiny and the butt of several jokes.
Scientists say that the units amount to little more than a “car antenna mounted on a plastic box” and that they don’t do anything. The special “substance detection cards” inserted in the device to detect specialized chemicals were said to be nothing more than a plastic card with a standard RFID tag, like the kind used to detect shoplifters, attached to them. The “card reader” was said to be literally an empty plastic box with a slot and no electronics inside.
The Iraqi government had been championing the device’s effectiveness for years, despite growing evidence that it didn’t actually do anything. The manufacturer declined comment, citing the pending legal action.
Last 5 posts by Jason Ditz
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- DHS Wants Same Surveillance Powers as NSA - June 18th, 2013


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Oculus will release a low-priced, stand-alone virtual reality headset in 2018 called Oculus Go, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced today at Oculus Connect. In the case of Oculus Rift and HTC Vive, the headsets plug directly into a powerful (often expensive) PC. Interestingly, Oculus claims that the headset+controller combo "bring the power of Rift and Touch to the standalone category". Facebook VP of VR Hugo Barra even declares it "hands-down the easiest way for developers" to get in with VR.
With Oculus Go, there is no external device required. The pricing of the headset promises to perk up the ears of the still-nascent VR headset market, though.
In true Facebook fashion, Zuckerberg said that he wants to get "1 billion people in virtual reality". So, it has the same wide field of view as the Rift, but with significantly reduced glare. The headset uses new lenses that are meant to reduce flare, coupled with a 2560x1440 "fast-switch" LCD screen that's meant to offer sharp text and visuals.
There's also built-in spatial audio, so you really are getting nearly everything in one package here. There's also built-in cameras, which use computer vision tech to determine positional tracking. The headset's also only $199 and shipping early next year. That'll apply to Oculus' next-generation controllers, too.
Facebook has just opened up another way into its VR ecosystem with its first standalone headset, Oculus Go.


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From day one, Ford was sure it had a hit on its hands with the 2022 Maverick. It projected it'd sell out of the launch year's 40+ mpg hybrid models in November, and it was right. Ford has confirmed to The Drive that all 2022 Maverick hybrids have been scooped up, and that order books are closed until the second half of next year.
The news was initially posted on the Maverick Chat forum, where a user cited an acquaintance who sells Fords as saying the option to order hybrid Mavericks had vanished from their dealer system. For them, that meant that deposits customers had already made on hybrid Mavericks couldn't be fulfilled any time soon, with mid-2022 being speculated as the soonest order banks would reopen. This would be confirmed to us by a Ford spokesperson.
"Due to high demand, we are now fully reserved on Maverick Hybrid," commented Dawn McKenzie, Ford's truck communications manager. "Ordering will reopen next Summer for the 2023 model year."
Ford originally predicted order books would fill in early November, though the milestone itself doesn't appear to have been reached until the end of the month. Not quite the feverish pace Ford anticipated, but it appears to be the only way in which the Maverick hasn't met—or exceeded—expectations. As recent torture testing has shown, it'll haul 1,300 pounds of logs in the bed over rough terrain, even with just the front-drive hybrid powertrain.
So, while it'll disappoint many buyers to hear the hybrid model will be unavailable for several months, knowing that the more capable turbo engine is still in stock will be a solid consolation prize—doubly so seeing as it's a cheaper option on the Ford than on Hyundai's comparable Santa Cruz. Not that you're at all badly off if you pick the Korean pickup, of course.
Got a tip or question for the author? You can reach them here: email@example.com


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Helped by an increase in business travel, Bogotá’s hotel industry reported its highest average daily rate (ADR) and revenue per available
- Occupancy: 69.8%
- Average daily rate (ADR): COP 406,329.13
- Revenue per available room (RevPAR): COP 283,530.04
The market’s occupancy level was its highest since November 2022. Daily data shows five days with the metric above the 80% mark, with the highest level reported on Wednesday, 22 March (85.3%), further pointing to recovery in business demand.