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The Big One Show 2019 | Eight hidden gems worth visiting.
Here are eight hidden gems that will be worth visiting at The Big One Show in 2019.
French carp fishery www.etangnegreloube.com is looking forward to its first-ever The Big One and will host a raffle for a free week’s fishing, along with discounted deals on holidays and free baiting needles.
Now in its 23rd year, Stoney and Friends will be attending The Big One, giving all visitors the chance to win cracking prizes on its raffle pegboard or in its newly introduced ‘Play your Carp Right’ card game. All monies raised go to Macmillan. More info at
Tom Leslie at finandgame.com has told us he will be showing off the new-for-2019 Costa Del Mar sunglasses range.
Visitors will be able to take some of the UK’s top bait boats for a spin on the demo lake each day – anyone for a race?
The lads at Cyberfishing will be unveiling a top new gadget at The Big One – a Smart Rod Sensor combining a lightweight sensor and smartphone app to help anglers record all the data from their fishing trips.
If you’re thinking of booking a French carp fishing trip this year then be sure to drop in to see David and the team from Domaine de la Ribiere. This English-run, 20-acre lake offfers 10 swims and a big head of carp to well over 70lb, including at least 13 fish over 60lb. It offers accommodation, a heated swimming pool, an on-site tackle shop and a top-quality food package. Book at the show and you can get 15kg of free bait to kick-start your trip.
Are you looking to stock up on PVA for the carp season ahead? Check out Carp Craze, as there are some serious deals on its stand all weekend.
Anglers who want to keep things cool this season must chack out the new coolboxes from dometic.com The team will have its passive iceboxes on display – we love the green version, as handy for keeping post-catch beers ice-cold as it is for bait!


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Elon Musk Admits Tesla Botched Launch Of Facelifted Model X
Tesla chief executive Elon Musk has acknowledged that the automaker “dropped the ball” with the launch of the facelifted Model X.
Tesla shut down the production line for the Model X at its Fremont factory in December 2020 to prepare for the launch of the facelifted variant. It wasn’t until October 2021 that the first updated Model Xs reached the hands of customers and even now, it is only customers in the U.S. that are receiving new Model Xs.
Prompted by a comment on Twitter suggesting that many Tesla fans are unable to criticize the car manufacturer, a Tesla investor stated that “the refreshed Model X rollout has been horrible & the lack of communication to customers who have been waiting for a year or more for their car & keep receiving delays is disappointing.”

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HTC is reported to launch a new handset in HTC One Series called HTC One X5. The device comes with a large 5.0-inch display. It seems that HTC One X5 is aimed to compete with Samsung Galaxy Note II that will be launched in the near future.
HTC One X5 is rumored to be powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro processor like the one on LG Optimus G. The phablet has a 5.0-inch display with a resolution of 1080p, the highest resolution in a smartphone up to date. A 12 megapixel camera is fitted on the rear and a 2 megapixel camera is fitted on the front. Although the design is super slim, it packs a 2500 mAh battery. The internal storage capacity is 64 GB and it supports LTE network.
Another rumor says that HTC One X5 will be the Google Nexus 5. It will be running on Android 4.1.2, which includes bug fixes, Project Butter improvement, and improved lockscreen.


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Alarming. That's the only word that comes to mind when I think of the restaurant and retail group right now. When Action Alerts PLUS portfolio holding Costco (COST), COSTCO!, disappoints as it did yesterday, with its +5 comps when the Street was looking for just a little better than that, gasoline adjusted, you better believe that things are anything but OK in retail land. When almost every restaurant save Bojangles is imploding in front of our eyes, you know that something's very wrong for the dining out crowd.
When Ralph Lauren (RL) is squeezed up huge, though, the money comes back into apparel. And when Michael Kors (KORS) and Kate (KATE) are so beaten down that they rally on so-so numbers, the buyers come right back -- ultimately, I believe to be disappointed again.
You would think with gasoline so low, with inflation relatively tame and with employment robust enough to support 18 million vehicles, coupled with still ultra-low mortgage payments, this would be a time to shine for these two important consumer groups.
However, that's just not panning out.
What's ailing the groups? I have a few theories.
First, I think that health care costs, the need to pay for health care coupled with higher premiums, have taken out about as much as gasoline might have put in.
Second, when it comes to restaurants, the prices have gone up for most items to cover ag complex inflation, and they have stayed up even as they should be coming down.
Third, everyone is scared of higher wages for workers. It's in the news, it's on the conference calls and it is undeniable.
So you have that unholy combination of higher wages, higher costs and less traffic. That's what's really happening to Whole Foods (WFM) and it is also what's happening to all the casual dining places. It's a huge headwind.
Then you have the weather. There are so many warm weather clothes in the stores right now, and there's no cold snap to entice buyers. It's truly a difficult situation that will lead to discounts at the worst possible time, the holiday season.
Finally, there's Growth Seeker portfolio holding Amazon.com (AMZN). That stock's going higher because it is the sum of all retail fears, a zero sum game against everyone else in the category. The restaurants are immune, but people are just staying home. They aren't going out. Not to eat. Not to shop. That combination is what makes for deadly numbers.
Don't I know it. I have waited for ages and points for Jack in the Box (JACK) to come down because it has really good numbers. Then, when it finally dropped 10% for the year, I picked some up for my charitable trust. Then it got the true windfall that you can only dream of: the Chipotle (CMG) e-coli problem that should boost its Qdobe division.
What happens? Hammered again. Just dreadful yesterday. So bad that anyone looking at it just has to say "it doesn't matter, these dogs won't hunt." I feel the exact same way about Macy's (M), which I felt was attractive below $50 after having been at $72 this past summer when we got a Delivering Alpha presentation from Starboard, the activist firm, that made me feel it could be worth a heck of a lot more if it REIT'ed, the way Darden (DRI) did.
Now I think it doesn't matter. The warm weather won't let it lift.
At a certain point these two groups will get too cheap to ignore. But one thing is for certain: we are not there yet!


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ACROSS MISSISSIPPI — Mississippi’s annual sales tax holiday begins at 12:01 a.m. Friday and ends at midnight Saturday.
Mississippi retailers are gearing up for one of their busiest times of the year.
Department of Revenue spokeswoman Kathy Waterbury says nothing has changed from previous years in which shoppers can save 7 percent on certain clothes and shoes that cost $100 or less per item.
“The sales tax holiday is like the day after Thanksgiving,” said Ron Aldridge, state director of the National Federation of Independent Business.
“It gets people fired up and in the mood to shop, and that’s exactly what our economy needs right now, especially with the additional savings to individuals and families for needed clothing and footwear,” he said.
Three towns — Crenshaw, Enterprise and Heidelberg — are not participating in the sales tax holiday, according to the Revenue Department. Businesses in those towns will be charging the 7 percent sales tax.
Again, as in the past, school supplies and computers are not on the list of sales tax-free items.
The state’s first sales tax holiday was in 2009.
“The items exempt from sales tax during the sales tax holiday are identical to those items exempt in prior years,” Waterbury said.
The Revenue Department rules show clothing and footwear items, meant to be worn next to the body and cost less than $100 per item, are exempt from sales tax.
Accessories such as jewelry, handbags, wallets, watches, backpacks, and similar items do not qualify for the sales tax holiday. Cleats and items worn in conjunction with an athletic or recreational activity are other sample items not eligible.
Some stores kicked off the holiday a little early.
Eight downtown Tupelo retailers kicked off the holiday Monday and others joined in yesterday.
“The 7 percent off isn’t that big of a deal, but when you put it with a 40 percent-off or a 30 percent-off, it becomes much more attractive,” said Jeff Snyder, general manager at The Mall at Barnes Crossing.
Snyder said he expects a huge turnout at the mall, as do other retailers around town.
Corner Shoe Store owner Tommy Lee said he has no complaints.
“Back-to-school gets bigger every year,” he said. “This year, people have been here shopping during the week, they’re here on Saturdays. … The tax-free holiday is getting bigger and better.”


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Spied: Likely Linea replacement, the Fiat Aegea
An undisguised pre-production Fiat Aegea was spotted testing recently. On appearances, the pre-production model is very similar to the concept that was unveiled earlier this year at the Istanbul Motor Show. Similar to the concept, the pre-production Aegea has neat creases running along the sides, the hood and the roof. The front end gets the same hexagonal grille that flows neatly into the headlamps. At the rear, almost everything, including the lamps, the integrated spoiler and the bumper, come straight out of the concept.
Powering the Fiat Aegea will be the company's MultiJet II engines. The diesel engines will be 1.3-litre and 1.5-litre units depending on the markets, while the petrol mill's capacity will be 1.4 litre. The power output figures are expected to be between 95PS and 120PS.
The Aegea will be manufactured at Fiat's Turkish plant with a capacity of around 7 lakh units, and will be exported from there. It will initially be sold in around 40 markets, including West Asia, Africa and Europe. While a right-hand drive version won't be available at first, it should be in the pipeline in order to enter the UK market. Currently, there aren't any plans of bringing the Aegea to India, however, it could eventually find its way here to replace the ageing Linea.
Image source: arabavcisi
Starts Rs 7.06 Lakhs
- Near-production Skoda Slavia spied ahead of early 2022 launch
- 2021 Toyota Innova Crysta Limited Edition launched with added tech features, prices unchanged
- Comparison review: Jeep Compass vs Citroen C5 Aircross
- Top 10 best selling cars in India 2021 - Maruti Suzuki and Hyundai dominate
- Do you save or lose money on owning an EV in India?


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The company behind the TikTok video app Bytedance is reportedly working on building its smartphone. The phone will come with ByteDance’s apps which include the news aggregator Jinri Toutiao, the ubiquitous TikTok, and according to some rumors, an unreleased streaming music service.
ByteDance is one of the world’s most famous startups, the Beijing based company has been working on many apps like Lark, an instant messenger called Feiliao as well as a music streaming app, apart from TikTok. Now the company has decided to take a further step and develop a phone. ByteDance spokesperson declined to comment on the news yet.
But it is quite evident from the company’s urgency to make more acquisition channels, and according to the Financial Times, CEO Zhang Yiming has always desired to build a smartphone full of preloaded apps. Earlier this year in January, ByteDance has also confirmed a deal with phone maker Smartisan. They have acquired a patent portfolio and hired some Smartisan employees, the company claimed that it would help them in discovering education business.
That was a curious statement because Smartisan business has nothing to do with education. From there many predicted that the company is up to manufacturing phones.
Furthermore, the report does not reveal other details about the phone, its design or the intended market. However, it talked about the concerns that ByteDance could be affected by the US government ban against the Chinese telecommunications market, while the company had also faced problems in India. Because in India TikTok becomes immensely popular among youth and teenagers, therefore, the Indian Government had banned it for promoting cultural degradation.


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NEW YORK (AP) — BIG LOSS: J.C. Penney reported it lost $123 million, or 56 cents per share, in the quarter ended Oct. 27. That compares with a loss of $143 million, or 67 cents per share, a year ago. Revenue dropped 26.6 percent to $2.93 billion in the quarter.
BEHIND THE RESULTS: Shoppers are still turned off by the company's pricing plan implemented in February that gets rid of hundreds of sales events in favor of everyday low prices.
WHAT'S NEXT: J.C. Penney is again tweaking its strategy and will begin to display on price tags the "suggested" price from manufacturers along with Penney's "everyday" price. It is also hoping to bring back customers with its big Black Friday sale.


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Aldi is adding grocery delivery to its Dayton locations.
Aldi has made significant expansion in recent months, including investing in technology for delivery, renovating and building stores and adding 40 percent to the fresh food section.
In the newest move, Aldi is expanding grocery delivery through Instacart to 5,000 new zip codes in 35 states and 75 major markets, including across Dayton and its immediate suburbs.
»PHOTOS: Here’s what local Meijer stores looked like Thanksgiving morning
»Find out if your local store will deliver HERE.
New-to Instacart shoppers can get $10 off their first three Aldi orders of $35 or more with the codeALDIDELIVERY461. Instacart costs $7.99 for one hour delivery and $5.99 for two-hour delivery, but price can increase during busy times. Shoppers can also get a yearly membership for $149, after which deliveries on order more than $35 will be free.
Other major businesses also use Instacart to deliver, including Kroger, Costco, CVS and Sam’s Club. A yearly membership covers all retailers.
FIVE FAST READS
How to protect yourself from cyber thieves this shopping season
• 5 ways new tech will change your holiday shopping experience this year
• Store hours: Here’s when retailers will open for Thanksgiving, Black Friday sales
• Here are major Black Friday deals you can get right now
• Here are the best Black Friday deals in the Dayton area


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Shopping online is so great because you can do it on your sofa, teeth unbrushed, while you keep half an eye on Dance Moms reruns and the other half on a carton of ice cream on your coffee table. Of course it’s become hugely popular, because who wants to go to a store when there’s a far lazier alternative? Naturally, the next step in e-commerce allows customers to extend even less effort. For those days when you don’t even feel like leaving your bed to get your laptop, you can just shop on your phone. Shopping via mobile device (or “m-shopping”) is really catching on these days, according to WWD:
In a report released by comScore Monday, 38 percent of smartphone owners have used a mobile device to make a purchase at least once. For the month of September specifically, clothing and accessories were the second-most popular category for smartphone device transactions (behind digital goods), with 37 percent of mobile users purchasing these items directly from retailers. As for location, 56 percent of mobile shopping occurred while users were at home, 42 percent while out of home in places such as restaurants and school, 42 percent while at work and 37 percent during traveling or commuting.
People choose m-shopping instead of e-shopping or shopping shopping because of its convenience, most likely, but also because it allows them to shop in places where bringing a laptop might be awkward. Like the dinner table, or the bathroom, or … a bar, after several drinks.


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- This past weeks over-reaction to Canon echoes the Sculpta Scare
- Nanoimprint has made huge strides but is still not at all competitive
- Shows basic lack of understanding of technology by some pundits
- Chip industry has been searching for alternatives that don’t exist
Much ado about nothing much…..
This past week we … Read More


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Thursday’s Headlines: Tesla Tops Wall Street's Expectations
Here were the biggest movers in the MyWallSt shortlist yesterday:
Moving Up ⬆
Pinterest (PINS) +12.8%
StoneCo (STNE) +5.1%
Baozun (BZUN) +4.3%
Ford Motor Company (F) +4.0%
IMAX (IMAX) +3.8%
Moving Down ⬇
Planet Fitness (PLNT) -5.0%
PayPal (PYPL) -4.9%
Tripadvisor (TRIP) -3.5%
Booking Holdings (BKNG) -3.2%
Upstart Holdings (UPST) -3.1%
1. Tesla's (TSLA) earnings smashed estimates last night after its deliveries, revenue, and profitability all set record highs. Beating the top and bottom line expectations, the famous EV maker reported adjusted earnings per share (EPS) of $1.86 on sales of $13.76 billion, up a staggering 57% year-over-year. Net income also made a significant leap to $1.62 billion, up from the $331 million it posted at the same time last year. Despite struggling with “semiconductor shortages, congestion at ports and rolling blackouts,” Tesla reiterated its prior guidance that it expects to “achieve 50% average annual growth in vehicle deliveries” over the next few years. See the full report here.
2. Shares of Pinterest (PINS) soared yesterday after reports emerged that PayPal (PYPL) was exploring the idea of purchasing it. The potential deal would have PayPal paying around $70 a share, valuing Pinterest at anywhere between $39 billion and $45 billion. Pinterest stock surged 12% to $62.68, while PayPal dropped 5% following the news. Pinterest has recently developed new features which further its potential as a discovery platform for online shopping. This could be one of the driving forces behind PayPal’s interest, as it looks to fend off pressure from Shopify (SHOP) in the e-commerce space. Read more here.
3. Spotify (SPOT) and Shopify have teamed up to help creators and artists design “fully realized” brands. Artists will be able to list their products and merchandise on their Spotify profiles and pick three featured items to spotlight, directing fans straight to their Shopify store. Shopify is also pushing new member growth, offering a 90-day free trial to those not already using its platform. This move follows a similar strategy Shopify has taken on the TikTok platform as it tries to make itself the “go-to” business platform for creators. It’s a good move for Spotify too, which will be keeping artists happy and giving them the tools to build and monetize their brands. Read more here.
There are two companies on the MyWallSt shortlist that will report earnings today:
Get this week’s full earnings calendar here.


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Some dealers believe a great way to get new and existing customers into a
tire dealership is by advertising and offering discounts for services - and that includes brake work. However,
approaches vary by dealership.
The auto care industry has a lot to look forward to in the coming decade. That was the message from a live question and answer session featuring Bret Robyck and Margaret Pittelkow during a packed opening day general session at the NAPA Expo in Las Vegas, Nev.
It’s a rare tire dealership that does not occasionally see a car with
an illuminated check engine light. In fact, 65% of respondents
to MTD’s latest Tire Dealer Automotive Service Study report
that they offer engine diagnostic services.
Last year was the sixth warmest on record. As temperatures continue to hover at high levels, more drivers will use their vehicles’ air conditioning systems - leading to more service opportunities for tire dealers.
With more than 30 locations, Flynn’s Tire & Auto Service is one of the largest and fastest-growing independent tire dealerships in the western Pennsylvania/eastern Ohio area. Joe Flynn III, the company's president, discusses the challenges that come with growth in this MTD exclusive.
March and April are ideal times to discuss vehicle maintenance with customers - using their summer driving plans as a jumping-off point, says Brett Matschke, owner of Richlonn’s Tire & Service Centers, a dealership that’s based in Muskego, Wis.
Two of the most frustrating things to hear in our industry are “I’m too busy to go out looking for techs” and “Well, it’s been slow, so I don’t think I can afford another tech right now.” As an industry, we need to go out looking for people who aren’t looking for us.
The Automotive Service Association (ASA) of Florida board of directors has announced that the organization will leave ASA and become the Florida Auto Care Alliance. It also will join forces with the Midwest Auto Care Alliance.
With the proliferation of tiers of tire brands, you are likely to survive those instances in which your preferred brands are not available. Automotive parts and lubricants, on the other hand, are another story.
The Federal Trade Commission has voted to enforce Right to Repair laws, "thereby ensuring that U.S. consumers will be able to repair their own electronic and automotive devices," according to the Tire Industry Association.
Sessions from last week's ASE Instructors Training Conference can still be accessed and viewed. More than 1,000 instructors, presenters and industry guests from across the country participated in the event.


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The administrators to Ethel Austin have earmarked half of the value retailer’s 270-store portfolio for closure.
Staff at Ethel Austin have been told today that 129 stores could close as part of the administration process.
The number of potential job losses is unknown but Ethel Austin employs 3,100 staff across all of its stores.
A further 404 full and part-time staff are facing redundancy at the retailer’s warehouse operations and 65 redundancies have been made at the retailer’s head office in Merseyside, Liverpool.
Ethel Austin Limited, which also owns homewares retailer Au Naturale, hit the buffers last week after being impacted by a lack of banking facilities compounded by a poor January’s trade.
90 of the stores earmarked for closure are Ethel Austin-branded and the remainder are Au Naturale stores.
Administrator MCR is continuing to search for a trade buyer for the remainder of the group.
Ethel Austin and Au Naturale were bought out of separate administration processes in 2008 by former MK One chief executive Elaine McPherson, who sought to build a value empire by combining both brands.
MCR partner Geoff Bouchier said: “MCR is now conducting a parallel strategy. All stores are to enter into a sale campaign commencing tomorrow while we continue to seek a purchaser for the Companies businesses.
“Specifically 129 of the companies’ stores have been identified as loss-making and as a consequence those stores will enter a closing down phase which will commence tomorrow. A rescue of these stores by a willing purchaser has not been ruled out.
“The distribution centre, which was operating on a much reduced basis prior to the administration, is to cease remaining operations and as a consequence 404 of the distribution centre employees have been made redundant with effect from today.
“The joint administrators have also undertaken a review of the head office function and consequently identified a further 65 positions which have become immediately redundant.
He added that all unpaid wages owing at the date of the administration will be paid in full in line with usual payment dates.


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Watch Carole Green's report
Bricks and mortar retail has undergone unprecedented change in the last 5 years with familiar anchors of our towns and city centres going bust or pulling out.
The decrease in the number of physical shops is mirrored by an increase in the amount we spend online.
This shift was already well underway before Coronavirus but has been quickened by the Pandemic.High street vacancies in Wales stand at nearly 1 in 5 shops, our shopping centres are faring even worse with 1 in 4 vacancies.
There is simply too much retail space for demand and this is unlikely to change.
Local authorities will need to look at planning and how this extra space can be used creatively - beyond retail. Otherwise, the depressing gaps will persist and drag down our town centres. We’re likely to see more former retail space converting to leisure, housing and green space, or “Green Infrastructure” - so important to people post-pandemic and in a Climate Emergency.
This shift is already underway. The number of new business start-ups in Wales is outperforming all other areas of the UK with an increase of 31% in quarter one of 2021 compared to the same period in 2020, according to the Development Bank of Wales.
Denbighshire Council is adding to the housing mix by building luxury flats with small retail units below in the gap left by Next on Rhyl High Street. All in an effort to create a new vision and breathe new life into our High Streets.Among the challenges, there are some positive trends and High Street winners.
Staying local has meant many of us have rediscovered what’s on our doorstep as local shops and services kept us going through Lockdowns.
Now there is an opportunity for our high streets to build on that momentum.These success stories are focused on the smaller town centres where the turn around task has not been so mammoth.
Prestatyn High Street - one street packed with a range largely of independents - has been voted the best in the UK. Ruthin too, an historic centre is in the UK’s top 10. In south Wales, Treorchy and Barry high streets have been leading the way.What’s their secret? Building loyalty, a sense of local community and good service all play their part. Crucially blending a physical store with an online presence reaps rewards.Other high streets though are still struggling to find a new purpose, a fresh identity and attract footfall.
In an attempt to kick start Retail recovery, the Welsh Government has announced a £110 million pounds 'Transforming Towns' fund.
In north Wales, one initiative, delivered through 'Enterprise Hub' is offering £10,000 to new businesses starting up in four towns: Wrexham, Rhyl, Colwyn Bay and Bangor.
These were the retail “go to” towns for locals and visitors. However, they’ve all seen shoppers switch to online, or choose to spend their time and money in rejuvenated smaller high streets packed with retail and leisure independents.For the four north Wales towns receiving funding, breaking up some of the larger retail units will be key.
New businesses need smaller spaces to try out their ideas, goods and services. Filling the large gaps left behind by the chain stores won’t be easy, but the golden hello together with the training available in running a business, just might be the shot in the arm our ailing high streets need.


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Ford Alliance On Agenda at July VW Group Board Meeting: Report
Volkswagen Group’s board will be talking about the Ford alliance at its meeting in two weeks, says a new report.
The agreement for VW and Ford to collaborate on vans and pickups that was announced earlier this year could be firmed up at the July board meeting, reports Automotive News. That alliance could extend to shared work on self-driving and electric car tech, according to AN’s sources.
VW declined to comment about the information. The board includes 20 representatives from key shareholders with the company as well as union reps. A Ford spokesperson, AN says, said discussions have been productive and that we’ll get updates as the details become firm.
A VW and Ford partnership will probably include a VW investment into Ford’s autonomous partner Argo AI. And that, AN reports, could be announced as soon as July.
VW CEO Herbert Diess said back in January, when initial plans were laid out, that there will not be equity ties between the two automakers. Instead, the need to cut costs on autonomous and electric development will win out along with the need to increase scale.
via Automotive News
Source: Read Full Article


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Throughout the two years of the COVID-19 pandemic, North America’s transportation companies have steadfastly upheld the old tagline of “Keep on Truckin’” — delivering the goods and supplies to sustain those locked in their homes and wondering what the future held.
Now, however, the industry COVID couldn’t stop is finding itself increasingly stalled by a lack of parts needed to build new rigs and keep existing ones running.
“We’ve experienced some parts and components challenges in years past, but I don’t know that at any time it’s been to the level that we are currently seeing, or to the amount of different parts that we’re seeing today,” said D.M. Bowman, Inc. President and 30-year industry veteran Jim Ward. Ward is immediate past chairman of the Truckload Carriers Association (TCA) and is leaving D.M. Bowman to become president of TCA.
“It’s across the board,” he explained. “It’s not only components for the tractors, like the various temp sensors and speed sensors. Tires are a problem for all the suppliers. Even oil; we deal with one major oil supplier, but we’re buying oil right now from anybody.”
The current parts crunch, which has affected every category of wheeled vehicle, was initially set off by the pandemic in 2020, but has no shortage of contributing factors. Some analysts point to semiconductor chip shortages, others to manufacturers of mechanical parts that are still struggling to ramp production to pre-COVID levels.
Heavy Duty Manufacturers Association (HDMA) then-President and COO Dave Giroux described the scope of the problem in a blog post in October.
“Our data highlights how the ongoing situation has permeated all HDMA-member companies,” he shared. “Member companies have reported shortages of componentry including semiconductors, steel, plastics, aluminum, rubber, and a variety of commoditized goods necessary in the manufacture of commercial vehicles.
“However, it is important to note that HDMA members say the supply chain problems are not just a function of inaccessibility of parts,” he continued. “The situation is unique and is comprised of lack of materials, the unavailability of freight and logistics — which is leading to widespread, lengthy, and sustained delays for both inbound goods and outbound shipments — labor shortages, and the inaccuracy of production and demand forecasts.”
TCA Profitability Program (TPP) Managing Director and Phoenix-based GPorter Group President Jack Porter lays much of the blame for longer wait times and higher prices at the feet of the nation’s continuing worker shortage.
“Shippers and carriers have developed a supply chain solution where drop trailers are a key component of expediting freight and keeping drivers moving,” he said. “The logistics problem boils down to manpower — people to load and unload these trailers expeditiously so that drop trailers are emptied and refilled for the carrier to execute the drop and hook strategy.
“Many carriers are seeing shippers low on manpower and space for completing their part of the equation, leading to inefficiencies and higher costs for carriers to complete the transaction. Simply put, we need people,” he added.
The current supply chain snarls are simultaneously impacting both new truck production and the OEM repair market, aggravating the situation from both ends. Fewer new trucks delivered means that older trucks are staying on the road longer. An increased number of older trucks on the road means more frequent breakdowns, with delayed repairs due to the parts situation.
That’s a particularly vicious cycle for a company like D.M. Bowman, which since its founding in 1959 has grown to a fleet of 380 trucks and seven locations predominantly east of the Mississippi, five of which are full-service maintenance facilities. The corporate presence in Maryland also includes a trailer shop and a body shop and the company also sells its own line of equipment.
“We’re pretty much self-contained, and we also offer maintenance service to many other motor carriers,” said Ward. “What we do on our equipment is preventative maintenance while providing the capacity to do work for other outside carriers.”
Ward added that the parts situation, which has yet to crest, is so severe it’s starting to affect other areas of operations outside of current hauling and service work.
“We’re in a business where up time and reliability are extremely important in servicing our customers,” he said. “But it’s probably even more important today for our commercial truck drivers from a retention perspective. I would take 60 drivers tomorrow if you could drop them off at my doorstep, but they want dependable equipment and want to work for a company who efficiently plans and executes their preventive maintenance.
“This parts and components issue, it just continues to be a moving target,” noted Ward. “Availability from week to week changes, and when you’re having these parts challenges, it can wreak havoc both on your customer relationships from an uptime perspective and reliability, and also to your commercial drivers with downtime.”
Solutions to the current problem are hard to come by in the industry, especially on the labor end. Porter said as refined as distribution networks and manufacturing technology have become, without people to feed them, the system is stuck in neutral.
“You can’t work-from-home to build or repair a truck. It’s a matter of being able to have people who are going to do that work,” he stated. “I really believe, on the supply side of the raw materials, we’ve gone through that before, and I think we’ll fix that. But this idea of A) trying to get people to work and B) what do we have to pay them to come into our industry, and then C) what is the impact of that going to be on the actual price of parts in the marketplace — those are the real questions.
“I’ve been around the dealership business and the trucking business since 1979, and I don’t remember any kind of chronic problem like we have now. This is not temporary in my mind,” shared Porter.
Ward agreed that the underlying issues are multi-tentacled, while noting the trucking industry has always been resourceful when it comes to meeting challenges. That has only intensified since the onset of COVID.
“We had a company here last week in our local area who literally called us because he couldn’t get any fuel filters,” he said. “He told us, ‘Look, I’ve got some ordered, but I don’t know when I’m going to get them.’ We said we’d give him some and when he got his in, he could get them back to us; we didn’t want to sell them to the guy. Lo and behold, a few days later he got in an order of fuel filters, and we got what he’d borrowed back. That’s the world we’re living in now.”
Listening to him tell the story, it’s clear Ward considers this sort of neighbor-helping-neighbor camaraderie satisfying. But you can also tell he’d like to see light at the end of the tunnel, something that has yet to come into view.
“You talk to the general public and most people outside of our industry know there is a parts shortage and all they’re talking about is the chips,” he said. “Yeah, the chip shortage has certainly disrupted heavy-duty truck production on new equipment, but the issue expands beyond semiconductors. Most people outside of our industry, I don’t think they realize that.
“I think things started to improve towards the end of last year as we all kind of worked through this process, and we all hoped this would be in our rearview mirror by now, but that’s certainly not the case. We’re still a long way off, I believe, from this issue coming back to some reasonable level of normalcy,” concluded Ward.
Dwain Hebda is a freelance journalist, author, editor and storyteller in Little Rock, Arkansas. In addition to The Trucker, his work appears in more than 35 publications across multiple states each year. Hebda’s writing has been awarded by the Society of Professional Journalists and a Finalist in Best Of Arkansas rankings by AY Magazine. He is president of Ya!Mule Wordsmiths, which provides editorial services to publications and companies.


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See the best-selling player jerseys on NFLShop.com. Shop jerseys and gear
from your favorite players at the official store of the NFL.
Jan 25, 2016 ... Forty-one of 50 of this year's top-selling jerseys are offensive players; 18 of those
are quarterbacks. So twice as many quarterbacks appear in ...
Jul 20, 2016 ... Ezekiel Elliott has #1 Selling NFL Jersey, Making America's Team Great ... Dez
Bryant and Jason Witten were both in the top 10 the year before.
Jul 20, 2016 ... 21 Cowboys jersey is the league's top-selling jersey based on sales from April 1-
June 30 on NFLShop.com. Brandon Wade/Fort Worth ...
May 6, 2016 ... No NFL rookie has sold more jerseys so far than Ezekiel Elliott. Zeke may have ...
Owner of the top-selling jersey since draft day. (USATSI).
Apr 25, 2016 ... NFL; NCAA FBTop 25 .... Seahawks dominate the top 50 in NFL jersey sales ...
30) as the best-selling rookie in terms of merchandise sales.
Dec 3, 2015 ... For the first time since the NFL Draft, the New England Patriots' Tom Brady has
surpassed CB Joe Haden as the top-selling jersey in the NFL ...
Feb 2, 2016 ... Cam Newton is hoping to come out on top in the Super Bowl, but he'll have to be
content with finishing second in the NFL's most recent list of ...
Feb 2, 2016 ... Top selling @NFL jerseys. pic.twitter.com/KYVoSCrB4T. — NFL345 (@NFL345)
February 2, 2016. With Peyton Manning potentially playing in ...
Aug 17, 2016 ... The jersey sales of an NFL player is a good way to gauge an individual's
popularity. Here's a look at the 12 players who are dominating 2016 ...


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Developer Bungie has released a new 7-minute gameplay trailer for Destiny featuring the Devil’s Lair.
Take a look at the new Destiny trailer below:
Destiny is scheduled to release September 9th for PS4, PS3, Xbox One and Xbox 360. You can pre-order Destiny now to get to the Beta.
Are you looking forward to playing?


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Clean Clothes Campaign report estimates garment workers lost up to 5.79 billion USD in wages in March-May 2020
“Un(der)paid in the pandemic. An estimate of what the garment industry owes its workers”, 08 August 2020
The report “Un(der)paid in the pandemic” analyses nonpayment of wages to garment workers … resulting from order cancellations by apparel brands, unpaid leave, and state-sanctioned wage cuts during the Covid-19 crisis… [W]e estimate that across South and Southeast Asia garment workers have received 38% less than their regular income … a conservative guess of wages lost by garment workers worldwide … would amount to between 3.19 and 5.79 billion USD.
Khalid Mahmood, of Labour Education Foundation in Pakistan, says: "Many workers in the garment and textile industry have not been paid or have been underpaid because of order cancellations and Covid-19 lockdowns…”
Clean Clothes Campaign calls on apparel brands, retailers, and etailers to take responsibility to ensure that all workers in their supply chains receive the full wages they are owed in accordance to labour law and/or international standards by publicly committing to a wage assurance…


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Latest ad campaigns
Specsavers' creative director Graham Daldry describes how his in-house team turned Luis Suarez biting an opponent into a viral ad for his brand in less than 16 hours.
Always' "like a girl" ad by Leo Burnett tops the Campaign Viral Chart for the second time in three weeks.
McDonald's UK is tonight launching the first ad in its 'Here's to What Matters' campaign, focusing on its charity work.
Premier Foods has picked McCann London to bring the Homepride brand mascot, Fred, back to TV advertising.
Ads targeting the affluent tend to be hackneyed affairs - so ditch the clichés and actually engage with these people, Richard Huntington says.
At what stage did you get involved with flight of the stories ? At the very rough animatic stage. The very succinct brief from the creative Paul Domenet was: "Each letter should have its own voice." So that s what I did. I was in the unusual ...
To be or not to be a separate country? That is the big debate for the Scots, who will head to the polls in just under two months' time. As the battle to win votes heats up ahead of the 18 September referendum, we asked two senior creatives in Scotlan...
As the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games kick off Campaign looks at some of the advertising that has aired in its run-up.
Virgin Holidays has launched a series of online videos supported by social media to back its summer campaign entitled 'The Caribbean Has Got it Covered'.
Captain Morgan, the Diageo rum brand, has been forced to pull a Facebook ad after the Advertising Standards Authority ruled that it implied alcohol conquered boredom.
How the Let's Stay Together campaign came together by MT Rainey.
AOL UK is claiming an industry "milestone" after making all of its online advertising available to be traded programmatically this week.
Creature London has created the winning image for Cosmopolitan's campaign to remember the victims of honour killings.
Suzuki is releasing a brand campaign for its Swift range of cars including a TV spot that breaks on Monday.
Now the gold tickertape has settled after Super Mario scored big time and Lionel made a Messi of his golden chance, it's a good time to work out who won the battle of the brands in terms of digital customer engagement over the four weeks of Brasil, B...
A grandma announces that she wants to "get pregnant" in a Fruittella TV ad launching nationwide tonight during Big Brother on Channel 5.
Heineken has postponed a special three-hour live TV show on CNBC that was set to promote its new @wherenext service, in the aftermath of the MH17 plane disaster in Ukraine.
Nike, Omega and Bose were among the brands to congratulate Rory McIlroy, the Northern Irish golfer, on winning the Open yesterday afternoon.
Crusha has continued its mix of cats and off-the-wall humour in its new TV and cinema campaign, despite changing creative agencies.
Magnum Mini has created a series of film-themed idents for its seven-figure sponsorship of the 9pm daily movie on Film4.
Latest jobs Jobs web feed
- Creative Production Controller (Maternity Cover) Asthma UK £34,361 - £36,169, London (Central), London (Greater)
- Commercial Market Analyst UCAS c.£35,000 , Cheltenham, Gloucestershire
- Senior Product Manager Ball & Hoolahan £50,000 per annum, London (Central), London (Greater) / London (City of), London (Greater)
- Marketing Brand Manager Clipper Ventures Circa £40k - dependent on experience, South East England / South West England / Gosport, Hampshire
- Customer Insight Manager Tottenham Hotspur Between £40,000-£45,000 per annum + benefits (dependant on experience), London (North), London (Greater)
- Sponsorship Manager Ball & Hoolahan £50,000 per annum, London (Central), London (Greater)


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Given how massive the mobile market has become in so short a time, with games such as PUBG Mobile and Genshin Impact (to name just a couple) raking in the cash on a ridiculous scale, it’s no surprise that everyone in the industry is sitting up to take notice. Psyonix’s Rocket League has been a force to be reckoned with in the PC and console space for a while now, and soon, it’s going to be making its mobile debut, with the newly announced Rocket League Sideswipe. It’s a standalone mobile title that will launch as a free-to-play release for iOS and Android later this year.
Rocket League Sideswipe will feature a new side-on camera perspective and focus on 1v1 or 2v2 matches. Matches are described as fast-paced 2-minute affairs, and though the gameplay and control scheme have been simplified for mobile devices, it will retain the core mechanics and physics of Rocket League. Rocket League Sideswipe has also entered a limited region alpha test in New Zealand and Australia for Android players.
Rocket League itself is available for PS5, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC. It went free-to-play last year as well.
Share Your Thoughts Below (Always follow our comments policy!)


text: Join procurement services in welcoming our vendors to Show-Me Shop by attending the vendor fair from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 1, in the St. Pat’s Ballroom of the Havener Center. The vendor fair will provide an opportunity for the campus to meet the vendors and view their products. Door prizes for the vendor fair include an HP Photosmart M737 digital camera and case, an HP Photosmart R847 digital camera and case, and an HP iPAQ 310 Travel Companion. Vendors may have additional give-aways or door prizes. For more information, contact campus procurement at 341-4266 or email@example.com.


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Columbia,SC(WLTX) - Trail Ridge Farm and Grade A Goat Dairy in Aiken is giving cows some competition.
What started out as a home school project with two goats, is now a family run business.
Eighteen years ago, Kelly Hammond and his wife got two goats to start making their own milk. Now Hammond and his family own about 60 goats and produce 17 varieties of cheeses.
The whole family is involved in the cheese making process from raising the kids, milking the goats, to selling the finished cheeses.
Trail Ridge Farm products can be purchased in Columbia at Soda City Market on Saturday mornings, Rosewood Market, and at the Sandhill Farmers Market beginning in May during the summer months.


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Following a restricted launch previous year, Facebook is enlarging the Off-Facebook activity tool because all the users can collect the data garnered from third-party sites and applications. The world’s leading social media giant is creating its Off-Facebook activity pool available globally after an initial drive in South Korea, Spain and Ireland in August 2019. This tool will permit users to clear information that has been connected to their account on the basis of their activity on other websites as well as applications.
Much of the broadcasting on the internet is offered to users on the basis of previous online observing habits, along with businesses serving for sites including Facebook to use this activity data to put adverts it assumes are appropriate to users.
With the help of Off-Facebook Activity tool, user can observe and eliminate information about themselves that has been sent to Facebook by other applications and websites and is utilized to serve adverts. When first declared, the global tech giant said the benefit allows users to disconnect off-Facebook activity future from their account, either in its wholly or just for particular application and sites.
Facebook also told that it anticipated the tool that could have some effect on its business, but admitted that offering user control over their information was more significant. The initialization of off-Facebook activity controls across the world coincides with data privacy day, which marked each year on 28th of January.
The founder and CEO of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg stated that, our firms’ key goal for the upcoming year is to establish much powerful privacy protections for everyone on the tech giant. We realize that we have a series of work to perform here, which is why this such a priority for our employers and for me individually. He also acquired the opportunity of Data privacy day share some extra privacy updates to the platform.


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: A team of game industry veterans has revealed PlayCanvas
, a cloud-hosted platform for HTML5 game creation that aims to solve numerous complexities within the HTML5 technology.
PlayCanvas was founded by Will Eastcott, formerly technical director at Activision and product manager for Criterion's RenderWare middleware, and Dave Evans, one of the founding members of Sony's PlayStation Home team.
The team has been working on PlayCanvas since early 2011, and has now launched it as a closed beta. Eastcott explained that, while the potential for HTML5 development is definitely there, developers are currently being held back by a lack of proper tools. With PlayCanvas, he hopes to change that.


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Research In Motion Ltd. shares surged in early trading Wednesday before pulling back to close 3.3% higher after a report the troubled BlackBerry maker is trying to revive strategic discussions with Samsung Electronics Co.
Jefferies analyst Peter Misek told clients that with RIM’s strategic review likely nearing an end, it appears to be realizing what Wall Street has been saying for some time: They desperately need a partner.
Samsung was rumoured to be interested in licensing RIM’s new BB10 operating system (OS) at the end of 2011, but indecision by management at the BlackBerry maker apparently caused talks to break off.
“When RIM’s new management reinitiated talks, we think RIM’s weakened positioned and the later time frame led Samsung to delay any decisions until after the launch of BB10,” Mr. Misek said.
“While we think RIM’s weakened positioned could lead to favourable licensing terms for Samsung, we think Samsung would fear being in the same situation with RIM in a few years.”
The analyst said he believes Samsung remains undecided as it is concerned about both Google Inc. and Microsoft Corp. eventually moving to bring together their software ecosystems and make smartphones of their own.
Nonetheless, he believes buying RIM could be the best option for a company that needs to address its OS issues. Samsung does have its own platform, Bada, but it has not received widespread support from developers and carriers don’t appear to be big fans.
“BB10 would provide insurance in case Microsoft and/or Google vertically integrate,” Mr. Misek said, noting BB10 has generally been well received, bringing both security and bandwidth consumption benefits that Android and Windows lack. “Samsung would have a compelling offering for the enterprise.”
However, the South Korean electronics maker doesn’t make acquisitions often and its last big purchase (SanDisk) didn’t end well.
Mr. Misek also highlighted the subpar browsing performance on RIM’s PlayBook 2.O OS.
“While RIM is currently trying to change, the company has not had much of a software culture (which was a major reason for its market share loss),” the analyst said.
The stock closed up 3.3% at $7.56 on the Toronto Stock Exchange.


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U.S. lost money on prescriptions for DOD civilians
January 23, 2007
YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan — U.S. civilians buying prescription drugs at on-base pharmacies likely got a little sticker shock last fall after the Department of Defense suddenly jacked the prices up.
Tricare Management Activity has raised pharmaceutical costs by an average of about 150 percent. The increases took effect in August.
The government hadn’t been charging pay patients enough for prescription drugs and was losing money selling them, according to officials from Tricare Management Activity who oversee the supply of medication to military hospitals.
Col. Mark Presson, the command surgeon for U.S. Forces Japan and commander of Yokota’s 374th Medical Group, said Friday the government had to change its cost formula to the median price to more accurately mirror what it pays for the medication.
“DOD had to make it a cost more reflective of what people are paying in the United States,” he said.
Active-duty servicemembers, retirees and their dependents are not affected by the rate table change because their medications are covered by Tricare, said Maj. Dave Walmsley, a pharmacist and commander of the 374th Medical Group’s Diagnostic and Therapeutics Flight at Yokota Air Base, Japan. The change affects DOD civilians, contractors, Department of Defense Dependents Schools teachers and their dependents who are eligible to receive care at military treatment facilities.
Under the former policy, pay patients were charged only the lowest prices at which the government could buy drugs — even though it actually purchased the medicines at a range of prices, said Rear Adm. Tom McGinnis, chief of pharmaceutical operations for Tricare Management Activity.
Officials saw a need to raise the rates for the August revision of the pharmacy rate table. Pharmaceutical prices in the U.S. had risen substantially and the government no longer could afford to allow pay patients to buy drugs at cost, McGinnis said.
The market has seen “double-digit price increases” in a trend that’s “not going to end anytime soon,” he added.
To recoup the cost, Tricare changed its policy to have pharmacies charge the median price at which it purchases medicine, raising charges across the board.
“We still don’t get everything we’re supposed to be getting … [but] we’re probably close,” McGinnis said.
From 2005 to 2006, he said, Congress’ allotment for Tricare to buy drugs for servicemembers and their dependents rose from $5.4 billion to $6.1 billion. That money was not supposed to include U.S. civilian employees.
“We’re supposed to bill at a reasonable cost to recoup our cost” from those patients, McGinnis said.
Even so, the military’s prices are lower than those at major American retail pharmacies, such as CVS or drugstore.com, McGinnis said.
McGinnis said patients always should ask their doctors if they can take a generic version of a drug instead of a well-known — and invariably more expensive — brand-name drug.
Examples of new prices vs. old prices under revised pharmacy rate table:


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About 90% of the 165,000 Web sites hosted by NaviSite that had been down for almost a week are back online, the company said. The sites were offline because of a failed data center migration involving the Web hosting company.
The problems occurred when NaviSite attempted to migrate and replace hundreds of servers operated by Alabanza, a Web hosting company that NaviSite acquired in August.
According to NaviSite spokesman Rathin Sinha, the remaining sites should be back online later. "Things are going as planned," Sinha said.
However, some NaviSite clients are threatening to find other Web hosting companies once they are back online and have retrieved all their files. Others are threatening class-action lawsuits. The law firm of Wolf Popper in New York confirmed that it had been contacted by NaviSite clients and was looking into the issue.
Joseph Blaney, CEO of Global School Sports, which yesterday announced it had selected the NaviSite Online Video Publishing Platform to deliver its content to its customers, said his company was in the process of working with NaviSite to get through this "mishap" and move forward.
"While it doesn't affect us directly ... thankfully, we have not launched," he added.
Asked if NaviSite planned to take steps to compensate customers who lost service for several days, Sinha said the migration was done to make sure customers were migrated to a better platform so that their Web site would have better performance and scalability.
"In fact, the customers that are already up -- we are getting some feedback that they are seeing the difference, that it is working better," he said. "Right now, our focus is on making sure all our customers' [Web sites] are back up and all issues are resolved, and we can get them back into their businesses. Then obviously to keep our customers, we want to make sure they are happy and they do business with us, so we would do whatever is possible and whatever is right and appropriate. But we just have not addressed those issues yet."
Sinha also said NaviSite, a publicly traded company, has not yet determined the cost of the failed migration.


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Apple reportedly bought VR startup Spaces, the tech giant’s eighth disclosed acquisition of the year. We discuss Apple’s moves in the VR space — including a patent for reducing motion sickness while working virtually in a vehicle.
Apple has shown continued interest in both virtual and augmented reality and has been reportedly testing headsets internally, but it has yet to release such a product publicly.
Apple confirmed the acquisition to Axios with the statement it usually offers in such cases. “Apple buys smaller technology companies from time to time and we generally do not discuss our purpose or plans.”
The company declined to comment further or say whether it will continue to offer Spaces’ video conferencing software.
Spaces posted a thank-you note to users on its website but didn’t offer additional details.
The big picture: Axios featured Spaces in an article last month on tech companies that were pivoting in the wake of the pandemic.
The company had raised substantial funding around the premise of creating destination virtual reality experiences that could go in theme parks or shopping malls.
With the pandemic putting that business in limbo, Spaces shifted its energy and created software that uses VR headsets to allow people to have more immersive experiences with Zoom and other video conferencing services.
HEADLINES YOU MIGHT HAVE MISSED FROM BRAND SPUR
British Apparel Company BLK Sport and The Nigeria Rugby Football Federation (NRFF) have signed an exclusive long-term kit sponsorship/partnership deal aligning with the Company’s global strategy.
IITA renovated and equipped the diagnostic laboratory of the National Agricultural Seed Council (NASC) at their headquarter in Sheda, Abuja, with equipment worth $100,000 for seed quality control and Seed Tracker e-certification system. A PCR for DNA amplification and other laboratory equipment will allow technicians of the seed regulatory agency to conduct diagnostics and seed quality testing in line with the amended existing standards for seed yam.
In line with its continuous commitment to youth development in Nigeria, MTN Foundation, the CSR arm of Nigeria’s leading ICT company, MTN Nigeria, has engaged leading minds in the Nigerian entertainment and media industry for this year’s edition of MTN’s Business of the Art Series.
The Lagos State Government has embarked on the training of youths and women on commercial Coconut Oil processing at the Farm Service Centre, Oko-Oba, Agege as part of efforts towards Making Lagos State a 21st Century Economy.
If we are not careful, we are in the beginning of the creativity of African music and artistry being captured and abused by the American corporate system?
The Nigerian National Oil Organization (NNPC), on Sunday, said it made a sum of $4.60billion from raw petroleum and gas sent out between June 2019 and 2020.
You won’t find too many jokes about ‘digital transformation’. It’s a serious business. And if you ask who is doing it, every corporate will raise their hands – but there’s little agreement around exactly what it is, the implications for the organisation, how to go about it. RMB’s recent retail client webinar, featuring Wits’ Prof Brian Armstrong, provided strong direction.
Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) decreased by -6.10% year-on-year) in real terms in the second quarter of 2020, ending the 3-year trend of low but positive real growth rates recorded since the 2016/17 recession.


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Financial and legal advisors have experienced several golden years in Sweden as the market for business deals has doubled. Almost 400 deals were closed last year at a value of SEK 411 billion.
Analyst Mergermarket has reviewed last year’s business deal climate and the Nordic region sticks out as an area in which they are booming. The Swedish market was almost as large as the combined business volumes for Norway, Finland and Denmark.
Some of the biggest deals involving Swedish companies last year included Atlas Copco’s hiving off of Epiroc at a value of SEK 100 billion, Autoliv selling Veoneer at SEK 26 billion and American Paypal’s acquisition of iZettle for almost SEK 20 billion.
We are a small, but qualified team of graduates in politics, economics, English and classics dedicated to providing quality news digests in English that offer readers a first-hand look at the most important topics covered by the Swedish press. Here you will find a selection of the articles that are published in our Swedish Press Review.


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Customers will be able to use the codes to track when a letter has arrived in the local processing centre and when it has reached its destination region, Deutsche Post said.
The codes, which are similar to QR codes, will sit alongside the traditional images in what will be “a new generation of stamps”, according to the company.
“Stamps with matrix codes make our service even more reliable — and the stamps more interesting,” said Tobias Meyer, head of the company's German post and parcel division.
The first stamps featuring the codes will be rolled out from Thursday, with more to follow later in the year.
By 2022, they will be featured on all German stamps.
However, the codes do not allow for full parcel-style tracking and they will not tell customers whether a letter has actually been delivered.
DHL owner Deutsche Post reported record results in January as the pandemic fuels a package boom spurred by online shopping.
Revenues climbed five percent year-on-year to €66.8, buoyed by strong performances from the parcels and express units.


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Global provider of advanced materials and additive manufacturing services, Henkel, has collaborated with dental product manufacturer Keystone to scale up 3D printing solutions for the dental industry.
The partnership will see Henkel add dental applications to its 3D printing portfolio, while Keystone will utilize the collaboration to increase its ongoing business in the sector.
“We are very pleased to find such a natural partner as Keystone,” said Ken Kisner, head of innovation for 3D printing at Henkel. “The combination of their longstanding know-how in the dental space with our broad material science expertise and market access will unlock new opportunities to develop and commercialize high-performance solutions for the dental markets.”
Additive manufacturing in the dental sector
By its nature, 3D printing is suited towards the development of retainers, dentures, custom implants, crowns, and more; intricate, customized solutions that would otherwise be produced by labor-intensive, subtractive manufacturing methods such as milling machines.
Firms like SmileDirectClub, a Nashville-based teledentistry company, have recognized the potential of 3D printing in the dental sector. After announcing a partnership with US retail giant Walmart in January, its stock price (NASDAQ: SDC) shot up by 21% three days prior. Last year, at RAPID + TCT, SmileDirectClub announced a partnership with HP to increase the production of its clear aligners, with the deployment of 49 Multi Jet Fusion systems at the company’s Tennessee facility, which it claimed made it the “largest 3D printing facility in the United States.”
Since then, there has been a number of advancements in 3D printing materials and solutions for the dental industry, such as Swiss dental resin manufacturer Saremco Dental‘s new photopolymer resin for 3D printed crowns, inlays, onlays, and veneers. In June, post-printing developer PostProcess Technologies announced a collaboration with one of North America’s largest orthodontic laboratories to automate the company’s powder removal and surface finishing process for 3D printed dental products.
Most recently, SLA 3D printer manufacturer Formlabs added three new additions to its dental family of resins in July, aiming to cover all bases of a dental professional’s workflow.
Henkel and Keystone’s collaboration
Well-known for developing and commercializing 3D printed solutions under its Loctite brand for the aerospace, automotive, engineering, and consumer goods markets, Henkel will now lean on Keystone’s polymer and ISO-compliant medical device manufacturing experience to add applications within the dental sector to its portfolio.
With more than a hundred years’ experience in the dental industry, Keystone offers a line of customized printing solutions under its KeyPrint brand. Keystone has long partnered with Molecule Corp, which was acquired by Henkel in 2019, however, the two firms enjoyed a longstanding business relationship prior to this.
As part of the extended collaboration, the companies will drive the penetration of Keystone’s KeyPrint line through increasing validations and partnerships with 3D printer firms alongside the innovation of new materials. It’s hoped the combination of the KeyPrint and Loctite brands will enable the efficient manufacturing of dental parts, while the two companies will also work together to develop opportunities, educate the marketplace, and market their 3D printing solutions on a global scale.
“We are excited to partner with a global industry leader and its professional team,” said Ira Rosenau, president at Keystone. “Henkel’s expertise and global presence will allow us to further bring our innovative 3D printing solutions to all corners of the dental market worldwide. The collaboration is a mutual fit for both companies presenting opportunities for further growth.”
Nominations for the 2020 3D Printing Industry Awards are still open, let us know who is leading the industry now.
The fourth edition of the 3D Printing Industry Awards Trophy Design Competition is now underway. Enter your design for the chance to win a CraftBot Flow 3D printer.
Are you looking for a job in the additive manufacturing industry? Visit 3D Printing Jobs for a selection of roles in the industry.
Featured image shows Henkel and Keystone collaborate for 3D printing solutions in the dental industry. Image via Henkel.


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Police say man tried to steal cash from Keene store
January 13. 2013 9:21PM
KEENE - Police are looking for a man who attempted to rob a convenience store and deli in Keene Saturday night.
Keene police say they were called to My Place Market and Deli on North Street at 8:30 p.m. Saturday to investigate a robbery. Police say a white male, described as being 5 feet 9 inches tall and wearing a hooded jacket, dark pants, red gloves and a black ski mask, walked to an unattended cash register and attempted to take money from it.
When approached by a store clerk, the two engaged in what was described as a "brief physical confrontation" and the man exited the store without taking any items or money from the store.
The incident remains under investigation. Anyone with information is asked to call Keene police at 357-9813.


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Capcom, Nippon Ichi, Gust, Namco and Idea Factory fans who totally want a crossover RPG featuring their favorite characters no longer need to invest in a PS3. Cross Edge is making the trip over to the Xbox 360 later this year in the form of Cross Edge Dash.
Released to Japan in 2008 and earlier this year in North America, the original Cross Edge was a crossover RPG featuring popular characters from games like Disgaea, Darkstalkers, and Spectral Souls. While this may seem like a fantastic idea, the game didn't rate too highly over at IGN PS3.
As indicated by the "Dash" in the 360 version's name, Compile Heart, the game's Japanese publisher, is giving 360 owners some bonuses. In addition to new event artwork, players can look forward to a new Colosseum Mode, where you face off against a string of powerful enemies.
In Japan, Cross Edge Dash is due for October 1 release. There's no word yet from NIS on a US release.


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We did go through difficult times last year—as every other automaker did—but at the end, we did not do as badly as expected. We tackled the crisis head on and survived. And, with the response we’ve received for the Fortuner, I am convinced that a reliable product that brings in customers good value for money will survive any recession.
We decided to tackle the slowdown from the dealers’ as well as the suppliers’ ends. They are far more vulnerable than us in a crisis because there is a sudden drop in cash flow. So, we ensured that suppliers got their money on time and dealers received supplies even as we cut production dramatically. We learnt that if you can manage positive cash flows, you can survive. Alongside, we controlled inventory and costs.
At plants where we had surplus capacity, we encouraged everyone to engage in skill improvement activities, which is primarily concentrated Kaizen (continuous improvement), a pillar of the Toyota Way. In the Tier II and Tier III towns, our sales continued strongly. We realised that the worst-affected were the big places closely connected with the rest of the world.
When the slowdown happened and affected Toyota globally, we were really worried about the future of our second plant and the compact car project. My biggest test was persuading the Toyota management to go ahead with our proposed second plant close to our existing plant in Bidadi.
One of the biggest lessons was never to put money in a 100 per cent export-oriented unit. That will only expose our investments to huge global risks. I would look at a good balance between exports and domestic market to manage the risk.
— Vikram Kirloskar, 51, Vice Chairman, Toyota Kirloskar Motor
As told to K.R. Balasubramanyam


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Learndirect has axed its sponsorship of The Jeremy Kyle Show just days after he was condemned as a “human form of bear baiting” by a judge. He made the comments after a guest on the programme became the first person convicted of assault on a British talk show. The Board of Ufi, which operates the […]
Prudential has promoted Ali Crossley, lifetime mortgages director, to its top marketing position following the departure of Angus MacIver to Morrisons. She will be the brand’s third marketing director in less than a year. Her previous role will be filled by Keith Haggart, who steps up from senior manager of business development for lifetime mortgages. […]
Unilever has signed up Marco Pierre White as the new face of Knorr stock cubes. It is understood that he will appear in ads over the next year. The move follows comments made by White, who was the youngest British chef to win three Michelin stars, about the brand. He described Knorr stock cubes as […]
Is all well in Sir Richard Bransons garden? The billionaire invited 200 guests to his Oxfordshire home yesterday for the launch of new television channel Virgin 1.
BMW Group has ruled out buying a rival or creating a fourth brand in the short term but says it may still look to make acquisitions in the future. The German manufacturer has been linked with Ford-owned marques Jaguar, Land Rover and Volvo in recent months. Announcing the company’s new strategy following a review of […]
The future of Virgin Radio remains uncertain as owner SMG claims to have received “significant interest” in the station but also refuses to rule out a flotation. The group announced that it planned to float the station this autumn in April but the plans has been delayed by the departure of chief executive Paul Jackson […]
Louise Redknapp has been unveiled as the new face of the Triumph lingerie brand in UK and Ireland. It marks the start of a major oush for the brand, which has also revamped its logo. The singer has signed a one-year contract with the company and will feature in outdoor and press advertising campaigns. She […]
The Government is launching its seasonal flu campaign this Monday (October 1), urging those most “at risk” to get their free flu jab. This year’s campaign will focus on young people, who may be vulnerable to the side effects of the virus. The Department of Health says that last year 58% of people “at risk” […]
Virgin 1 has signed PC World, the computer retailer, as the sponsor of its peak time drama. It will include shows such as The Riches – which stars Eddie Izzard and Minnie Driver – The Unit and Criminal Mind. The deal, which starts on October 8, will include sponsorship idents and will run until the […]
Virgin Radio, the SMG-owned national station, has appointed former LBC managing director David Lloyd as programme director. The move comes just weeks after Lloyd left the London talk station following a management reshuffle by its new owner Global Radio. The programme director role at Virgin has been vacant since the promotion of Paul Jackson to […]
The British Toy and Hobby Association has developed a six-point plan to tighten safety controls following the recent global recall of millions of Chinese-made toys.
BrightHouse, the hire-purchase household goods retailer, has signed a 12-month sponsorship deal with Five chat show The Trisha Goddard Show. BrightHouse will use the deal to introduce its new strapline “Your Weekly Payment Store”. The company’s business development director Hamish Paton says the sponsorship deal reinforces the company’s community approach. “We are working hard to […]


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Following in the footsteps of actors such as Kristen Stewart and Felicity Jones, Lea Seydoux is set to be Drake Doremus’ latest leading lady, as reports have come out that she will star alongside Charlie Hunnam in the director’s upcoming project.
Seydoux is the recipient of the Cannes Film Festival’s Palme d’Or, which she won for 2013’s “Blue Is the Warmest Color.” In addition to acting, the French actress has been a favorite of fashion brands. She appeared in Rag & Bone’s fall 2014 campaign alongside Michael Pitt and was featured in ads for Miu Miu in 2014 with “Blue Is the Warmest Color” costar Adèle Exarchopoulos. She then was the face of Prada’s Candy fragrance, before jumping ship for Louis Vuitton this year. She attended the 2016 Met Ball clad in a Nicolas Ghesquière design and appeared in ads for the brand, dressed in the pre-fall 2016 collection in the campaign photographed by Patrick Demarchelier. She is a Louis Vuitton ambassador, along with Alicia Vikander, Michelle Williams and Jennifer Connelly. Her first appearance for the brand was in January in at the UNICEF ball.
Hunnam, for his part, is known for “Sons of Anarchy,” and will appear in upcoming projects “Papillon” with Rami Malek, “The Lost City of Z” with Robert Pattinson and Sienna Miller, and ‘King Arthur: Legend of the Sword’ with Jude Law and Djimon Hounsou.
Doremus’ most recent work was this summer’s “Equals,” starring Stewart and Nicholas Hoult as star-crossed lovers in a futuristic society that has done away with emotions. The young director broke out with his 2011 Sundance hit “Like Crazy,” featuring Jones, Jennifer Lawrence, and the recently deceased Anton Yelchin.
Though very little is know about the project, Doremus did confirm to a follower that he was indeed working on a new film, before tweeting “new journeys on the horizon” while linking to a story on the casting news.


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According to The Wall Street Journal, the Trump administration has asked Beijing for a $100 billion reduction in the trade deficit. The paper, citing people familiar with the talks, reported that the US officials raised this request in a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping's top economic advisor Liu He when he was in Washington last week. Liu himself was quoted saying that that narrowing the vast bilateral trade deficit was in China’s interest as China moves away from an export-led growth model.
Liu, who reportedly enjoys the complete confidence of Xi in all matters economics, was on a mission to defuse the trade tensions between the two nations after Trump not only ratcheted up rhetoric on trade front but also translated it in to specific policy actions aimed at containing China.
Earlier this year, Trump administration has decided to slap a whopping 30 per cent tariff on solar cells and washing machines imported from China. The decision came in response to complaints from domestic United States (US) solar panel manufacturers that the Chinese government was massively subsidising production of solar panels and cells and leveraging the cost advantage to flood the US with cheaper models, making domestic manufacturing unviable.
As per estimate available last year, US trade deficit in goods with China stands at a whopping $375 billion. Trump is attempting to alter the terms of US-China trade. He has often blamed for China for wrecking American manufacturing and causing enormous loss of jobs.
A possible way for China to reduce the trade deficit is to buy more petroleum and agricultural products from the US and opening up new sectors of domestic economy to US investors.
Trump has also warned of impending action against China over intellectual property abuses.
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M&S links £850m loan to net-zero targets
M&S has signed a new £850m revolving credit facility (RCF) with BNP Paribas that will offer discounted interest rates based on performance against four key areas of the retailer's net-zero strategy.
Paradigm shift: How ‘unsatisfied customers’ are driving M&S’s sustainability progress
With Marks & Spencer (M&S) publishing the latest update to its Plan A sustainability strategy this week, the retailer’s director of sustainable business Mike Barry explains how mounting consumer pressures have helped to accelerate progress towards delivering sustainable products and packaging.
Hidden heroes: Identifying the leaders of the green industrial revolution
As part of edie's sustainability leadership month, Marks & Spencer's (M&S) director of sustainable business Mike Barry has penned this exclusive opinion piece, underlining the importance of adopting a leadership approach to green business against a turbulent political backdrop.
‘The world never stands still’: M&S continues green business evolution with Plan A update
Nearly three-quarters of products now have an 'eco' or ethical quality; retail food waste has significantly declined, and energy and water efficiency have greatly improved, capping off another hugely successful year of progress for Marks & Spencer's (M&S) Plan A sustainability programme.
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