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Head and Shoulders will not cause a gruesome skin injury. But a Facebook post that says, “You Will Not Use Head and Shoulders Shampoo After Watching This Video,” is nothing more than a scam designed to trick users into completing surveys.
The video includes a Photoshopped image of a festering sore on one’s skin. It also has a play button over it to entice people to click on it.
However, when users click on the the post, they’re taken to website that asks them to first share it before going further–a telltale sign of a scam website. The website is designed like Facebook to further trick people.
After that, users are asked to complete surveys. The surveys are how the scammers behind the website make their money.
“Sharing this web page will only help spread this scam to other Facebook users. And, completing the surveys will only generate revenue for the cybercriminals behind this scam,” reads security blog site Online Threat Alerts. “The victim on the other hand, will not be able to view the video that they were promised, because it doesn’t exist.”
If one has shared the post, it’s best to delete it from your Facebook wall and un-“like” it.
Regarding the image, it “itself is a hoax, a fabrication that imitates a fake photograph of a breast rash caused by ‘South American larvae’ which has been circulating on the Internet since 2003. This same fabricated image was earlier used as the subject of a Twitter jape,” Snopes.com says of the scam. The image appears to be of a lotus seed pod Photoshopped to look like skin.
According to another security blogger, Graham Clulely, Facebook has said it’s trying to deal with spam.
“Some stories in News Feed use inaccurate language or formatting to try and trick people into clicking through to a website that contains only ads or a combination of frequently circulated content and ads. For instance, often these stories claim to link to a photo album but instead take the viewer to a website with just ads,” Facebook said a few months ago.
However, there appears to be not much progress in this regard, with scams going viral on a regular basis.
“The fraudsters earn affiliate cash by getting you to complete a survey, and can trick the system further by resharing the link from your account to pass onto your online friends and family,” he writes. “Of course, the real YouTube site never asks you to complete a survey before watching a video.”
“So, I think Facebook has a lot of work to do still – right now the stream of information showing up in users’ newsfeeds still contains too much pollution.”


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European manufacturers stuck in reverse despite pick-up in activity around world
European manufacturers remained stuck in reverse last month despite a pick-up in activity around the world.
A string of surveys showed factory output fell in Germany, France, Britain, Italy and Spain – Europe’s five biggest economies.
But global production increased as businesses in the US and China forged ahead as their European rivals floundered.
‘The gulf between the US and other advanced economies is huge,’ said Andrew Kenningham, senior global economist at Capital Economics.
The so-called purchasing managers’ index for UK manufacturing – where anything below 50 represents decline – rose from a four-month low of 47.9 in February to a still weak 48.3 in March.
Exports fell for a 15th month in a row as weak demand from the eurozone took its toll, according to a Markit survey. It left hopes that Britain will avoid a triple-dip recession on a knife-edge.
The economy shrank by 0.3 per cent in the final quarter of 2012 and another quarter of decline at the start of 2013 would push the country back into recession.
Nida Ali, economic advisor to the Ernst & Young Item Club, said: ‘It is clear that UK firms need to rebalance away from their traditional export markets towards faster growing emerging nations.But that is easier said than done.’
The eurozone PMI fell from 47.9 in February to 46.8 in March. Germany and Ireland fell back into contraction although it was not as deep as in France, where factory output plummeted.
But the global manufacturing PMI rose to 51.2 in March from 50.9 in February despite the drag on output from Europe.
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The cannabis industry is composed of legal cultivators and producers, consumers, independent industrial standards bodies, ancillary products and services, regulators and researchers concerning cannabis and its industrial derivative, hemp. The cannabis industry has been inhibited by regulatory restrictions for most of recent history, but the legal market has emerged rapidly as more governments legalize medical and adult use. Uruguay became the first country to legalize recreational marijuana through legislation in December, 2013 Cannabis in Uruguay. Canada became the first country to legalize private sales of recreational marijuana with Bill C-45 in 2018 Cannabis in Canada.
The world economic market has been broken down as follows, showing that the cannabis industry can be considered a multibillion dollar component of a larger pharmaceutical industry. The exact value of cannabis sales worldwide remains unknown as the vast majority of the market remains illicit. With movement around legalisation of Cannabis, it is attracting more investments from alcohol and drug companies.
|Drug||Non-medical drug ("recreational")||hundreds of billions|
|Medical leaf and flower||tens of billions|
|Hemp food-fiber||Oilseed||hundreds of millions|
|Fiber||tens of millions|
|Biomass||hundreds of thousands|
|Other||Phytoremediation||tens of thousands|
Marijuana (drug) sales in North America reached $6.7 billion in 2016, representing 30% growth year-over-year . According to a report by university researcher Jon Gettman, cannabis is the United States' largest cash crop and "a pervasive and ineradicable part of the national economy". A 2015 ArcView Group report stated that it was the fastest growing industry in the United States. The industry in the United States is expected to grow from $2 billion in 2014 to as much as $10 billion in 2018, depending on legalization outcomes. By one estimate the industry in the United States could be $35 billion in 2020.
The national (non-psychoactive) hemp market was $600 million in 2015,:3 Accurate predictions of potential future legal markets for hemp are deemed impossible to predict due to "the absence since the 1950s of any commercial and unrestricted hemp production in the United States".:7
In a Huffington Post interview, Mark Kleiman, the "Pot Czar" of Washington state, said he was concerned that the National Cannabis Industry Association would favor profits over public health. He also said that it could become a predatory body like the lobbying arms of the tobacco and alcohol industries. Kleiman said: "The fact that the National Cannabis Industry Association has hired itself a K Street suit [lobbyist] is not a good sign."
Cannabis in Uruguay was legalized for adult use in December, 2013. Sales of marijuana are regulated through government distribution with a state-mandated price of $1.30 per gram . Access to marijuana is legal through four sources: medical marijuana through the Ministry of Health, home-grown marijuana, membership clubs, and sales to adults in drugstores .
Canada became the second country to legalize cannabis for adult use on October 17, 2018 Cannabis in Canada. As of December 2017, there were 79 licensed marijuana producers in Canada with most concentrated in Ontario and British Columbia. According Deloitte, the base retail market is valued at $4.9-$8.7 billion annually . Including ancillary opportunities, Deloitte estimates a market worth $12.7-$22.6 billion annually, demonstrating an upside of more than $20 billion .
Ancillary products and servicesEdit
The cannabis industry is supported by a network of ancillary products and services that do not "touch the plant". The most common ancillary services are professional services followed by information services, banking services, and security . Cultivation structures, installments, and equipment are the most common ancillary products followed by consumption devices, paraphernalia, packaging, processing equipment, software, security equipment, and laboratory supplies . The addition of ancillary products and services amounts to an economic impact that is estimated at four times the value of direct sales of cannabis. Based on this multiplier, the total economic impact of the cannabis industry in the United States was $16-$18 billion in 2016 and is expected to reach $47.6-$68.4 billion by 2021 .
Multiple trade associations have been incepted to cater to the emerging cannabis industry. In North America, the most prominent is the National Cannabis Industry Association which is focused on "advancing the interests of the legitimate and responsible cannabis industry". Other trade organizations include the National Association of Cannabis Businesses (NACB),  Cannabis Business Alliance (CBA), Marijuana Business Association (MJBA), Marijuana Industry Group. Niche organizations with more specific objectives have also emerged such as the Minority Cannabis Business Association (MCBA), with their mission to increase diversity in the cannabis industry. Other organizations are specific to particular states, such as Colorado Cannabis Chamber of Commerce and Colorado Badged Network (CBN)
Involvement from universities has increased as the industry gains legitimacy worldwide. Northern Michigan University initiated their Medicinal Plant Chemistry Program in 2017, the first undergraduate degree program preparing students for work related to the production, analysis, and distribution of medicinal plants . Daniele Piomelli, a professor at University of California-Irvine, developed an interdisciplinary cannabis research program called the Institute for the Study of Cannabis with the mission to advance cannabis knowledge in academia .
Green Wolverine, founded at the University of Michigan's Ross School of Business in 2017, is a nonprofit corporation composed of university student organizations centered on acquiring knowledge related to legal business activities in the cannabis industry. The mission is to discover opportunities for success for university students in cannabis or related fields through education, networking, and recruiting .
Selling accessories related to cannabis is not explicitly illegal in most countries, and such products has been gaining popularity for several decades. As legal cannabis continues to spread, accessory sales have been growing rapidly.
- Gurdus, Elizabeth (2018-09-18). "Investing in cannabis is 'a great hedge' for alcohol and drug companies, Tilray CEO says". CNBC. Retrieved 2018-09-30.
- Small 2016, table 15.1
- Nitya VENKATARAMAN (December 18, 2006), Marijuana Called Top U.S. Cash Crop, ABC News
- Marijuana Production in the United States (2006) by Jon Gettman – Executive Summary, Drug Science
- Jon Gettman, "Marijuana Production in the United States" (2006) cited in Small 2016
- Matt Ferner (January 26, 2015), "Legal Marijuana Is The Fastest-Growing Industry In The U.S.: Report", Huffington Post
- Linton Weeks (May 8, 2014), 13 Spliffy Jobs In The Marijuana Industry, NPR
- Christopher Ingraham (October 24, 2014), "The marijuana industry could be bigger than the NFL by 2020", The Washington Post
- AMANDA CHICAGO LEWIS (August 23, 2017), "The Great Pot Monopoly Mystery", GQ
- Renée Johnson (March 10, 2017), Hemp as an Agricultural Commodity (PDF), Congressional Research Service, CRS Report RL32725 – via Federation of American Scientists
- "7 Things That Could Totally Kill Weed Legalization's Buzz". Huffington Post. 18 April 2014.
- Colorado Badged Network
- Catherine DeMuro (2015). "COLORADO BADGED NETWORK". Seed to Sound. Retrieved 2018-11-09.
- Spencer J. Ward (2018). "Despite the rules, one cannabis industry group still thrives on Facebook". The Rooster. Retrieved 2018-11-09.
- Bart Schaneman (2017). "How to Hire, Train and Manage a Salesperson for Your Cannabis Company". Marijuana Business Magazine. Retrieved 2018-11-09.
- "Ontario Adds 6 Cannabis Suppliers and 10 Accessories Providers". New Cannabis Ventures. Retrieved 2018-09-30.
- "This company is the future of cannabis e-commerce - BNN Bloomberg". BNN. 2018-09-11. Retrieved 2018-09-30.


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As the severity of coronavirus has increased not only in India but all around the globe, suitable measures are also being taken. Education sector adapted to the situation as impactfully like other sectors. More than 50 per cent of the educational institutions have shifted to online schooling.
Shifting to online is a good alternative so that students do not lack behind and most importantly be productive and do the most with the time they have in hand. However, in a country such as India where access to the internet is pitifully low, this new education model may fail miserably, an article by Abhiroop Mukhopadhyay of the Indian Statistical Institute questions. Mukhopadhyay argues that this distinction between home and in-general access to the internet is important during the current crisis.
In states such as West Bengal and Bihar, only 7-8% of rural households have any access to the internet while the proportion that has access at home is minuscule. Hard times need hard measures.
Online schooling may not be the most practical solution considering the lack of internet availability for everyone, but it is one of the best out of the limited choices available. It is better to give students some work than to leave them idle. Named educational institutes like Amity University, Christ University and others are offering online courses with engaging contents and knowledgeable learning.


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There were emotional scenes in the Senate as tensions over struggling dairy farmers...
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The supermarkets say it's not profit driven.
It’s angered a lot of shoppers
Dairy farmers invited to supply Norco
Corporate watchdog files against former execs
Eight varieties of milk sold in Coles, Woolworths and IGA recalled
Norco confident Coles move won't impact their business
Milking fridge life of the white stuff to 90 days
Incumbent Ag Minister says plan raises spectre of wool debacle.
Dairy farmers have been fighting for this result since 2011
The industry continues to struggle with drought conditions.
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Farmers protest Coles’ decision to continue selling $1 a litre milk
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Coles’ surprise reaction to Woolies’ milk price rise
Woolworths to axe $1-a-litre fresh milk
“The clock has run out and it’s time to say goodbye"


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US remodeling industry business conditions on the rise, as NARI's Q1 Remodeling Business Pulse shows quarter-over-quarter increases across the board; many remodelers have backlog of projects well into fall
DES PLAINES, Illinois
April 22, 2013
– The National Association of the Remodeling Industry’s (NARI) first-quarter Remodeling Business Pulse (RBP) data of current and future remodeling business conditions is reaching new heights, as quarter-over-quarter increases are seen across all sub-components measuring remodeling activity.
As remodelers approach the busy season, overall current business conditions have seen steady increases since March of 2012, now at a statistically significant 5.97 rating compared with the 5.59 rating from one year before.
“Remodelers nationwide are not only experiencing increased activity right now, but many have a backlog of projects well into the fall,” says Tom O’Grady, CR, CKBR, chairman of NARI’s Strategic Planning & Research Committee and president of O’Grady Builders, based in Drexel Hill, Pa. “This current condition is world’s away from March of last year and suggests that the recovery is beginning to gain speed.”
Sharp increases in the number of inquiries and requests for bids point speak directly to an increase in consumer confidence, especially in housing.
“Homeowners are tired of waiting to make improvements—many have chosen to stay put—and better financial positioning has them actively approaching professionals to get work done and enhance long-term livability of the home,” O’Grady says.
More specifically, drivers of remodeling activity include needing improvements due to postponement of projects (83 percent reported this as a driver) and improving home prices with 59 percent reporting (an 8 percent jump from fourth quarter data).
“We knew that several things had to turn around in order for business to get better, and NARI members are finally feeling a holistic economic recovery outside and inside the housing market,” O’Grady says.
Whereas two-thirds of remodelers forecasted the next three months positively in December of 2012, now 76 percent of remodelers believe there will be growth in the next three months. Only 7 percent of respondents reported declines in the near future.
To review the research in its entirety, please send your request to email@example.com.
NARI is the source for homeowners seeking to hire a professional remodeling contractor. Members are full-time, dedicated remodelers who follow a strict code of ethics with high standards of honesty, integrity and responsibility.
Visit the NARI.org site to get tips on how to hire a remodeling professional and to search for NARI members in your area.
Click here to see an online version of this press release.
# # #
About NARI: The National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) is the only trade association dedicated solely to the remodeling industry. The Association, which represents 7,000 member companies nationwide—comprised of 63,000 remodeling contractors— is “The Voice of the Remodeling Industry.”™ To learn more about membership, visit www.NARI.org or contact national headquarters, based in Des Plaines, Ill., at (847) 298-9200.


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Toyota hopes to be the first automaker to launch an electric car with solid-state batteries, aiming to unveil a prototype next year, ahead of a production launch relatively soon after that, Nikkei Asia reported Thursday.
The automaker expects electric cars powered by solid-state batteries to have more than twice the range of vehicles using current lithium-ion battery chemistry, with the ability to fully recharge in just 10 minutes, according to the report, which also said Toyota has over 1,000 patents related to solid-state batteries.
While Toyota seems fairly far ahead of other Japanese automakers (Nissan doesn't plan to start real-world testing of solid-state batteries until 2028, the report said), the country's automotive suppliers appear to be gearing up for production.
Mitsui Mining and Smelting (also known as Mitsui Kinzoku) will build a pilot facility to make electrolyte for solid-state batteries, the report said. Located at an existing research and development center in Japan's Saitama Prefecture, the facility will be able to produce "dozens of tons" of solid electrolyte starting next year, enough to fulfill demand for prototypes, according to the report.
Concepts preview battery-electric cars being developed at Toyota
The timetable discussed in the report is accelerated from what a top Toyota executive suggested just this summer. In an interview with Automotive News in July, Keiji Kaita, executive vice president of Toyota's powertrain division, said limited production of solid-state batteries would start in 2025.
This report also suggests that solid-state battery cells could have much-improved energy density. That echoes a Samsung statement from earlier this year, suggesting its solid-state tech could double energy density.
Solid-state cells have become something of a trend among battery makers. Apple iPhone maker Foxconn is working on a solid-state battery for EVs due by 2024, and VW-backs QuantumScape—with ex-Tesla CTO JB Straubel on the board—recently suggested that its battery tech might be nearing the stage when it can be deployed in EVs.
Tesla itself sees solid-state technology as farther off, however. The company is looking at other technologies to achieve greater energy density, longer lifespan, and lower manufacturing costs.


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Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month 2015 is well underway, and the advocacy community has some awesome events planned designed to bring into the spotlight the fight against colon cancer.
Among the countless colon cancer advocacy organizations involved in this month-long initiative, there are hundreds of events across the country that will honor survivors, encourage discussion about current issues facing the colon cancer community, and educate people on the importance of screening and early detection.
We wanted to highlight just a fraction of these events and give you and idea of what some of the nation's largest advocacy groups have in store for you this March. So mark your calendars, get involved, and GO BLUE!
Dress in Blue Day
March 6th, 2015: Dig into your closet and find your best blue outfit for Dress in Blue Day! This annual, nationwide campaign will bring awareness to colon cancer and honor those fighting the disease.
Make sure to wear your blue (not white!) dress for Dress in Blue Day on Friday.
Fight Colorectal Cancer
March 2nd, 2015: Fight Colorectal cancer kicks off CRC Awareness Month with their One Million Strong March at Bayer HealthCare in Whippany, New Jersey.
Also on March 2nd, the "Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas" sign in Las Vegas, Nevada turns blue to bring awareness to colon cancer this month.
March 3rd, 2015: Fight Colorectal Cancer, Colon Cancer Alliance, Michael's Mission and Chris4Life collaborate to bring you Reason to Party: Never Too Young, a celebratory event hosted on the floor of the NASDAQ Stock Exchange in New York City. There will also be a special VIP meet-and-greet with fashion designer Carmen Marc Valvo.
Colon Cancer Challenge Foundation
March 21st, 2015: The Colon Cancer Challenge Foundation will host the first-ever Early Age Onset Colorectal Cancer Summit at the Rockerfeller Research Laboratories in NYC. The summit is a unique opportunity to learn about and impact the clinical and research agenda for early-onset colorectal cancer.
Colon Cancer Alliance
March 14th, 2015: Colon Cancer Alliance will host its 2nd Annual Survivorship Symposium in Scottsdale, AZ. This event will offer a forum to discuss the challenges and changes that arise before, during and after colorectal cancer.
Chris4Life Colon Cancer Foundation
March 7th, 2015: Chris4Life announced a special event hosted by fashion designer Elie Tahari. The Spring in “Blue” Fashion Fundraiser is an exclusive shopping event at the Elie Tahari Store in McLean, VA whose proceeds will benefit Chris4Life.
The Colon Club
This month marks the release of the brand new 2015 Colondar 2.0! The 1-year-old annual Colondar highlights young men and women living with colon cancer.
Source: The Colon Club
This March, find a way to get involved in in the colon cancer awareness campaign. It is so important to get the word out about this largely PREVENTABLE disease so that no one has to bear the burden that cancer brings.
March is also a great time to talk to your doctor and Be Seen, Get Screened!


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In October, the Port of Oakland named Mike Zampa as Director of Communications. He is responsible for all internal and external communications for the port. Mr. Zampa has more than 25 years of communications experience. He previously worked for Bank of America and most recently had an 8 year tenure at APL.
In November, the port named Beth Frisher its Manager of Maritime Business Development. She will be responsible for all sales, marketing, business development and customer relations at the port. Ms. Frisher is a former Maersk executive where she spent 18 years in various roles both in Denmark and the US. Her most recent assignment was Director of Marketing and Communications for Maersk Line Ltd, the company’s US government business subsidiary.


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Influences from abroad may first drive stocks, bonds and the dollar.» Read More
"I believe that a retrospective review is overdue," Mike Piwowar, a Republican member of the Securities and Exchange Commission, said. Piwowar's comments came at an SEC roundtable convened to explore bolstering the shareholder voting processes and retail participation. Later that year, the SEC made the rules mandatory without waiting to study the impact of the...
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Some of the names on the move ahead of the open.
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Check out which companies are making headlines after the bell Wednesday: Tesla, Cisco, Whole Foods & more.
Feb 11- Whole Foods Market Inc on Wednesday said same-store sales have accelerated, helped by stronger consumer confidence and shoppers' positive response to the upscale grocer's price cutting and its first national advertising campaign. Shares in the largest U.S. organic and natural food supermarket were up 2.1 percent in extended trading after the news...
Whole Foods delivered quarterly earnings that beat analysts' expectations on Wednesday, while sales figures were in line.
U.S. stocks turned higher on Wednesday, amid continued focus on developments in Greece's negotiations with the euro zone finance ministers.
NEW YORK, Feb 11- U.S. stocks edged lower on Wednesday as investors worried about how much risk they should take on while they waited for the outcomes of major talks involving Greece and Ukraine. Adding to the market's uncertainty, the leaders of France, Germany, Russia and Ukraine began peace talks in Belarus, while in Ukraine pro- Moscow separatists tightened the...
*Apple lifts Nasdaq after solar deal. *Rite Aid to buy EnvisionRx for about $2 billion. "We all know what the big problem is- if the Greeks exit, so can others and that would throw this whole EU thing into disarray," said Kim Forrest, senior equity research analyst at Fort Pitt Capital Group in Pittsburgh.
*Rite Aid to buy EnvisionRx for about $2 billion. NEW YORK, Feb 11- U.S. stocks were little changed on Wednesday, a day after the S&P 500 reached its highest level of the year and ahead of a meeting of euro zone finance ministers to discuss plans for Greece's debt. "It looks like we are kind of hanging in and waiting to see if there are any fireworks," said Peter Jankovskis,...
*PepsiCo climbs in premarket after results. *Rite Aid to buy EnvisionRx for about $2 billion. "It looks like we are kind of hanging in and waiting to see if there are any fireworks," said Peter Jankovskis, co-chief investment officer at OakBrook Investments LLC in Lisle, Illinois.
U.S. stock index futures signaled a lower open on Wednesday, ahead of a crucial meeting of European finance ministers to discuss Greece's bailout.


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As you must have read in our previous report, Hero MotoCorp had eliminated several products from its portfolio. The two-wheeler maker aims to focus on premium motorcycles and scooters and is reportedly working on introducing six new products in the current financial year. A senior company official told PTI that the Company is currently in the process of realigning and consolidating its product portfolio with an enhanced focus on scooters and the premium segment.
You May Like – Hero Motocorp Adjudged ‘Indian MNC Of The Year’ By All India Management Association
Two of those six products will be introduced in the market leading up to the festive season in September while an all-new 200cc motorcycle will follow around the Auto Expo 2018 said the company official. He also added that in-line with this strategic approach, the company has already introduced four new versions of existing models — Glamour, Maestro Edge, Duet and Pleasure.
Indian two-wheeler makers such as Bajaj Auto and TVS Motors are venturing into the premium two-wheeler segment with their respective products. Meanwhile, the flagship motorcycle from Hero MotoCorp’s stable, the Karizma ZMR, is not clocking sufficient sales. We hope to hear some more official announcement from Hero MotoCorp in the coming months. While we wait for that, let us know your views through the comments section below.


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The Motorola Photon Q 4G LTE is Becomes Official August 19th
The Photon Q 4G LTE is official! Toward the latter days of July a new keyboard clad Motorola phone hit the rumor mill with some press renderings and a long list of eye popping specs. Fast forward a few weeks and it look like the device has become official. Way back in June of last year Motorola was hitting android on all cylinders and came up with the generally popular Motorola Photon 4G. It was a rather bulky handset that packed in a dated 4G Wimax technologies and even came with a kickstand. But more recently the Photon has been selected for a Q make over that involves the likes of a tactile QWERTY keyboard and much more.
Last we heard of the Photon Q Sprint was giving the new world phone a coming “very soon” launch date. This week has gotten us one giant step closer to its official-ness. Monday morning brought the world official news on the release of the Photon Q as Sprint has issued a press release surrounding its release. The carrier announced that the Motorola Photon Q 4G LTE will be made available come Sunday August 19th. Its price tag will run you about 200 bucks. But what can you expect for that? Well a whole lot actually. The Photon Q as you know packs in a more than capable QWERTY keyboard that opens with a simple slide from under its screen. That screen in case you were wondering measures in at a perfect 4.3 inches and provides an excellent 540×960 pixel resolution and offers up ColorBoost technologies. Internally the Photon Q just gets better. It comes running a more than capable dual core 1.5 GHz chipset that is backed by an unnamed graphics processor 1 GB of RAM and 8 GB of ROM. Expandable micro SDHC memory is also an option up to 32 GB. Around back the new Photon Q sports an 8 mega pixel camera with LED flash and a few camera tricks. This same camera can record video in full 1080p HD at 30 frames per second. Up front a more than capable 1.3 megapixel shooter is available for all your video conferencing and or self portrait needs. Additional details confirm the Photon Q’s awesomeness. Add in the likes of Bluetooth version 4.0, A-GPS, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, micro USB, HDMI, NFC and DLNA connectivity and you have a picture perfect phone. With a phone like this, that packs in all the best features of its time its hard to pass it up as an option.
So for 200 bucks on a new contract, who’s interested in a new high end QWERTY from Motorola? I know we are. Sound off in the comments below and let us know what you think of this new keyboard friendly device from Moto. And remember, we carry the very best in Motorola accessories here.handset, QWERTY, Photon Q 4G LTE, world phone, processor


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Apple’s iPad will account for 73.4% of tablet sales worldwide this year.
That’s down from 83% in 2010.
But the company will continue to have more than 50% of the tablet market until 2014.
THOUGHT: Not much of a war, huh?
The iPad certainly is the tablet right now. The Android tablets I’ve tried don’t really compare when it comes to size and user experience but the advantage the iPad has, far and away, is the app ecosystem. There’s just way more of them for the iPad than in the Android universe.
The wildcard in the tablet race, though, is Amazon.
The company has invited select media to a press conference next Wednesday and it’s a good bet the news they’ll announce is the release of their much-anticipated entry into the tablet market with a $250 touchscreen color Kindle.
At that price point, it will compete directly with Barnes & Noble’s Nook eReader but will also compete with the iPad. I suspect there’s a sizable market of people for whom the idea of a tablet is appealing but who do not want to pay $499 for the bottom-shelf iPad (which, after taxes and some accessories is about six hundred bucks).
I’m betting the Kindle tablet will spur widespread adoption of these middle devices between a smart phone and your laptop and greatly hasten the transition from books to eBooks in the process.
For marketers, then, I’d take a serious look at self-publishing your content in book form. Food industry folks should start thinking about recipe books, manufacturers should look at converting their manuals, consultants are already publishing eBooks as thought-leadership marketing.
Vanity press is considered vain no longer.
WATCH: eBook Trends.
WATCH: Amazon Kindle Tablet.
Thank you for Frank Miller.
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President Donald Trump returned from his first trip abroad and tweeted a series of posts slamming so-called "fake news," NBC News reports. » Read More
By: Javier E. David
North Korea fired a new missile, according to the South Korean military, the latest act of provocation by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. » Read More
John Kelly said the United States planned to "raise the bar" on airline security, including tightening screening of carry-on items. » Read More
By: Daniella Silva
The victims were discovered in three separate locations, according to a Mississippi Bureau of Investigation spokesman. » Read More
Manufacturers in New York state expanded more quickly this month than in November, driven by a big jump in new orders.
Coffee giant Starbucks Coffee is out with a new spin on a gift closet staple.
Wage growth is the key to future interest rate moves by the Federal Reserve, strategist Boris Schlossberg says.
Authorities have called the scheme "securities fraud on cyber-steroids," reports NBC News.
As part of a new deal, Tiger Woods will play Bridgestone's B330-S golf balls.
NewArc Investments' Jeff Miller predicted in 2010 that the Dow would hit 20,000. Now that the index is nearly there, here’s what he sees.
The U.S. IPO market is expected to bounce back, fueled by a sunnier economic outlook and more certainty following the presidential election.
Eli Lilly forecast 2017 earnings and revenue above estimates as it sees strong demand for its recently launched drugs.
General Electric said it would sell its $3 billion industrial solutions business, as part of a push to focus on its core businesses.
Residents of the East Coast will feel the blast of arctic air that has swept across the U.S. Midwest this week.
Controlling health costs is the underlying theme behind many of the issues highlighted in PwC's 11th annual report on health-care trends.
Is your job on the chopping block?
Donald Trump formally announced Rick Perry as his choice to lead the U.S. Department of Energy.
The PwC study, which sampled more than 1,200 U.S. consumers, also found that customers were cutting the cord at a lower-than-expected rate.
Opponents from apparel makers to big retailers unite against a plan to penalize U.S. importers.
The rise of social media prompts baseball to institute new anti-hazing rules.
Amazon Prime Video, the e-commerce giant's streaming service, has expanded to 200 countries as it steps up its challenge to Netflix.
New sex harassment accusations against former Fox News network chief Roger Ailes were revealed in a lawsuit filed against 21st Century Fox.
Rate hike chatter will dominate coverage of the FOMC's two-day meeting this week, but not in the typical sense, NBC News reports.
Goldman Sachs's outsize influence in Washington is about to get larger.
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The Facebook CEO said billionaires should pay people to live so everyone can find their purpose.
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg told Harvard's 2017 graduating class to create collective sense of purpose, tears up when speaking of undocumented student
As Amazon shares neared a significant milestone, Wall Street analysts say it may have almost 10 percent more to go.
Billionaire Warren Buffett is listing his Laguna Beach, California vacation home for $11 million. It has six bedrooms, seven bathrooms and ocean views.
Amazon is quietly expanding its Prime Now free 2-hour delivery service.
Jim Cramer spoke with CEOs across the business spectrum about an unprecedented change in the economy.


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SEOUL, March 12 (Yonhap) -- Kwon Young-soo, chief of LG Energy Solution Ltd. (LGES), embarked on a business trip to China on Sunday to check on its electric vehicle (EV) battery plant in China, according to an industry source.
During the five-day trip, LGES CEO Kwon is expected to visit the company's battery-production facility in Nanjing, according to the source.
It marked his first business trip to China since he became the head of South Korea's top battery maker in 2021.
He is likely to check on the production line of cylindrical batteries, which are being supplied to Tesla, one of the company's main clients.
Kwon is also expected to review the progress of a plan to transform part of its Nanjing factory into the production line of lithium iron phosphate batteries (LFP). The move is aimed at producing batteries for the energy storage system (ESS).
The world's second-largest battery maker aims to increase its facility investment by more than 50 percent on-year in 2023 and raise annual sales by 25-30 percent this year from a year ago.
Source: Yonhap News Agency


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MCX Mentha Oil under fresh buying; Resistance seen at 1218.1
MCX Nickel under fresh buying; Support seen at 914.6
NCDEX Chana likely to move in a range of 4280-4350
MCX Zinc under short covering; Support seen at 192.4
MCX Copper under short covering; Resistance seen at 445.1
Technically MCX Aluminium is getting support at 141.6 and below same could see a test of 140.9 level, and resistance is now likely to be seen at 142.9, a move above could see prices testing 143.5.
Aluminium on MCX settled up 0.25% at 142.35 amid an economic slowdown and falling demand than supply issues. Also weighing on the metals market was disappointing wider trade data from top metals consumer China.
China’s overall exports fell in June as the United States ramped up trade pressure, while imports shrank more than expected, pointing to further weakness in the world’s second-largest economy and slackening global growth.
U.S. President Donald Trump said China was not living up to promises it made on buying agricultural products from American farmers, as the world’s two largest economies work to resolve a trade dispute. China’s June aluminium exports were 506,000 tonnes, the customs data showed. That was down 5.6% from May and down fractionally from 510,000 tonnes a year earlier.
However, first-half 2019 exports rose 10% from a year earlier to 2.98 million tonnes. China’s exports of unwrought aluminium and aluminium products shrank 30,000 mt from a month ago, to stand at 506,000 mt in June, after they rose 7.6% on the month in May, showed data from China Customs on Friday July 12.
On a yearly basis, exports stood 0.8% lower in June. Exports in the first half of the year, however, expanded 10% from a year ago and stood at 2.98 million mt. The US Labor Department said that its consumer price index (CPI) excluding the volatile food and energy components rose 0.3% in June.
–Aluminium trading range for the day is 140.9-143.5.
–Aluminium prices dropped as prices seen under pressure from an economic slowdown and falling demand than supply issues.
–Also weighing on the metals market was disappointing wider trade data from top metals consumer China.
–China’s overall exports fell in June as the United States ramped up trade pressure, while imports shrank more than expected.
Courtesy: Kedia Commodities


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So Spotify might not just be a paper tiger in the streaming music business — it might soon be a velociraptor in the streaming movie business as well.
According to BusinessInsider.com, Spotify’s intent to merge into the streaming movie business, currently dominated by Netflix and HBO, is moving steadily into the funding and partnering sector of their latest venture. And like the old business adage goes: If you move into the funding and partnering sector, that means you are, like, for-real serious. Of course, nobody is talking on-the-record yet, so good luck getting Spotify to admit what they are planning.
While popular with its fans, Spotify has yet to really resonate within the scope of its primary interest: music. So why is a music company who isn’t really succeeding in music suddenly going to try and navigate the predatory waters of the music business? Well, let’s call it “not quite a Hail Mary, but close to one.”
After several funding rounds last year, Spotify is flush with cash. Several true believers ponied up capital last year, including a $100 million investment from Coca Cola and Goldman Sachs — now industry analysts speculate that the company’s worth is around $3 billion. That kind of money buys a lot of face time in Hollywood. But while the music business is tough on Spotify, what with tiny margins, it is is believed that Hollywood margins are even tighter. So how does Spotify plan to crack that nut?
They are likely going to go with original content. It’s a gamble used initially by HBO, when they switched from running films to developing fresh original content like “Dream On,” “Sex & the City” and “The Sopranos.” Netflix too has picked up on it, releasing their own series, “House of Cards,” which they believe will lure in valuable subscribers who will stay long after the series has ended.
Spotify apparently believes that it too can adopt the original content model with television and movies. And they’ve got the cash to try it, so why not? I’m not going to argue with people fighting over better ways to deliver me interesting content. My only question is: Why didn’t Spotify try and do the whole “original content thing” with the music industry first?


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Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao said Bitcoin’s volatility is “probably less volatile” in comparison to some stocks, but data shows Bitcoin is the incontestable winner when adjusting the metric based on returns.
The blockchain sector has known for years that technical hurdles need to be eliminated for mass adoption to take place. Has any progress been made?
Bitpay prepaid Mastercard users can now connect with Apple Pay for purchases.
Apple Pay functionality will allow cardholders to make purchases in store and online using the crypto held in their BitPay wallet.
Tesla’s stock fell 7% following its announcement that it invested $1.5 billion of its cash reserves in the cryptocurrency.
MasterCard will allow its almost one billion users to spend cryptocurrencies at more 30 million merchants, although it hasn’t specified which coins will be supported.
A new analyst report from the Royal Bank of Canada thinks that with a small investment Apple could disrupt the crypto exchange space and pay for it by buying bitcoin.
Analysts at the largest bank in Canada have other suggestions for the iPhone maker, including developing an open system that uses a bitcoin wallet.
The tech giant had reportedly given the service 24 hours to address its concerns.
Do you really know how your data is used and monetized? If you did, you’d probably think twice about giving your personal details away so freely.


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THE United Kingdom has this week confirmed a positive case of BSE in its cattle herd, joining Brazil which confirmed two cases earlier this month after laboratory testing.
The UK detection was the classical form of BSE, detected in a six year old dairy cow from the county of Somerset. The cow was in-calf and close to calving, and the farmer had noticed abnormal behaviour including abnormal head carriage, knuckling of fetlocks and aggression.
The animal was humanely destroyed, and the case was disclosed during routine national BSE statutory surveillance and testing of all fallen stock aged over 48 months of age.
UK authorities said the animal was not presented for slaughter and did not enter the food chain, presenting no threat to food safety or human health.
All of the affected animal’s 300 cohorts and offspring on the farm were identified and placed under movement restrictions. All will be culled and screened for BSE.
A UK Food Standards Agency spokesperson said strict controls were in place to protect consumers from the risk of BSE, including controls on animal feed, and removal of the parts of cattle most likely to carry BSE infectivity.
“Consumers can be reassured that these important protection measures remain in place and that Food Standards Agency Official Veterinarians and Meat Hygiene Inspectors working in all abattoirs in England will continue to ensure that the safety of consumers remains the top priority,” the agency said.
There have been five cases of confirmed BSE in the UK since 2014, with the last reported a case in 2015.
Brazil faces suspensions
In Brazil’s case earlier this month, the detection of two atypical cases of BSE announced on September 4 led to a voluntary suspension of trade to China.
Brazil took similar action in its previous BSE case in June 2019, but re-opened trade a fortnight later. If that pattern was to follow in the latest event, its suggests Brazil was due to re-open trade to China on September 19, but there has been no indication yet by the Brazilian Government of any lifting of the suspension.
Since Brazil’s cases were first confirmed three weeks ago, six other countries have taken steps to suspend some, or all beef imports from Brazil, including Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Russia, the Phillipines and Iran.
In combination, China and the six additional customer countries account for about 71pc of Brazil’s beef exports this year. The Saudi Food and Drug Authority has since lifted its suspension of Brazilian meat imports.
Unlike Brazil, the UK is a relatively small beef exporter, shipping very small volumes of product into continental Europe.
The UK’s overall risk status for BSE applied by the OIE remains at ‘controlled’ and there was no risk to food safety or public health, the OIE said in a statement.
Classical vs atypical BSE
Two forms of BSE can be distinguished: the classical form, reported this week in the UK, which occurs in cattle after ingesting prion contaminated feed, and the atypical form reported in Brazil a fortnight ago, which is believed to occur spontaneously in all cattle populations. The classical form was first detected in 1986, and the implementation of appropriate control measures resulted in its decline worldwide. To date, the incidence of both forms is negligible and estimated to approach zero cases per million cattle.
UK beef interests attack Australian animal health and welfare standards
Just last week, UK farm sector interests attacked Australian beef’s animal health and welfare standards, after a prominent UK steak restaurant chain launched an eight-week Australian steak promotion.
The Miller & Carter steakhouse chain was condemned as ‘crass’ for its actions by some members of the UK beef industry.
The UK’s National Beef Association questioned the logic of “transporting meat from the other side of the planet when climate change and environmental responsibility is at the top of the industry’s agenda.”
The steakhouse chain’s promotion offered 50-day aged, grassfed Australian sirloin from Queensland, promising patrons the beef “won’t disappoint.”
In an open letter to the restaurant group, the National Beef Association described promoting the meat as a “short-sighted decision.”
NBA chief executive Neil Shand said the UK beef industry had “worked as tirelessly as ever through the pandemic, stepping-up to ensure a stable supply of food is available to our consumers.”
“In return, at the first available opportunity, you choose to buy your beef from Australia. UK beef is produced to the highest health and welfare standards, and is fully traceable to the farm from which it came. Can you guarantee that that the product you are importing is fully traceable?” he asked.
“The use of growth promoters (sic) continues to be openly acceptable in Australian beef production – a practice which is banned in the UK. This is an area of concern. Can you guarantee that the product you are advertising is free from growth promoters?” the NBA wrote.
This comment has left Australian industry stakeholders perplexed, as it is universally known throughout the UK beef industry that Australian imported beef must be HGP-free, and has been for the past 30 years – policed through the third-party audited EUCAS system.
Mr Shand said it was “hard to understand how transporting beef with lower health and welfare standards from the other side of the globe fits in with the image of food quality and environmental responsibility that a company like Miller & Carter would want to portray to its customers.”
A spokesperson for the restaurant chain told UK media it remained committed to supporting UK and Irish farmers, with 80pc of its supply coming from domestic sources.
“The Australian sirloin steak currently offered in our restaurants is available for a limited time only, as part of our Master Butcher’s Cut range. The Australian cattle that produce our new Master Butchers Cut are free-range, raised on natural pastures where they are free to roam and graze. The cattle are also free from hormones (sic), growth promoters and antibiotics, are fully lifetime traceable and Meat Standards Australia eligible,” it said.
Similar factually incorrect and emotive attacks on the animal welfare, safety and sustainability credibility of Australian beef were mounted by UK farm interests earlier this year, during the UK-Australia Free Trade Agreement negotiation phase. Some of those attacks targeted the grainfed beef sector, with claims of animal confinement and poor conditions compromising welfare.
At the same time, large numbers of cattle are held in close confinement in enclosed sheds for months each winter in the UK.


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Following Monday's (April 6) daily updates on Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) cases in Taiwan, the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) declared the island nation was on track to reach its goal of producing 15 million face masks per day by Sunday (April 12).
During a press interview at the Legislative Yuan, Economics Minister Shen Jong-chin (沈榮津) pointed out that Taiwan would soon be able to churn out 15 million masks daily to meet the increasing demand of protective equipment. He stated that Taiwan's supplies of non-woven fabric, the key raw material used in surgical masks, were sufficient for producing 20 million masks per day, so the public should not be concerned.
Regarding medical workers' demand for more N95 respirators, Shen promised the government would ramp up production if the pandemic worsened. He also mentioned that N95 masks required four times the amount of raw material and cost compared to regular face masks, so it was currently impossible and unnecessary to manufacture more of these higher quality masks, reported UDN.
Shen stressed that the MOEA would issue "stimulus coupons" for night markets, shops, and restaurants to boost Taiwan's economy once the outbreak ended. He explained that the ministry had originally planned to issue the coupons earlier, but decided to push the date back considering the adverse effects they might bring to the country's ongoing pandemic, reported Yahoo News.


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After launching a range of new products in August, Samsung is hosting another Galaxy Unpacked event on September 23rd where, speculations are, the Galaxy S20 FE might finally be unveiled.
Samsung teases the new smartphone in the invite for the event. This next event is called “Galaxy Unpacked for Every Fan,” which suggests that the new smartphone, the Galaxy S20 FE, or “Fan Edition,” might be unveiled at this event.
Samsung has refused to provide any other details about the upcoming event except that it will be live-streamed on the 23rd at 10 a.m. ET/7 a.m. PT.
The Galaxy S20 FE is supposedly a considerably more affordable version of the Galaxy S20+, according to recent leaks including information extracted from WinFuture. The smartphone retains the Snapdragon 865, 120Hz display, and triple-camera array and will come in six colors. Samsung’s official teaser image flaunts two of them.
The display has been cut down to 1080p in order to meet the cost of charging low price. The RAM has been brought down to just 6GB. Other specs such as the camera sensors have also been lessened. On the other hand, it’s good package deal considering it comes at a much lower price, which almost all users appreciate.


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Online television company WeDigTV is launching an online TV channel dedicated to advertising campaigns. It has signed up packaged goods giant Reckitt Benckiser as its first ad partner.
The channel launches with four rotating ad campaigns from Reckitt’s portfolio Gaviscon, Vanish, Cillit Bang and Strepsils. Each ad will include an interactive element to draw in viewers, a technique that WeDigTV says has proven its success over recent months with around 60% of the site’s 2.5 million unique monthly users taking the time to interact with ads between shows.
WeDigTV, which launched earlier this year, says the new channel aims to highlight that advertising can be entertainment in its own right. It adds that it is expected that the channel will become more popular as the level of interaction grows.
WeDigTV director Anthony Rushton says: “With traditional TV advertising response rates dropping like a stone, the potential that online ads offer for interactive, measurable campaigns is increasingly important to marketers. For a long time people have claimed that TV ads can’t work online, but the responses we’ve had since our site launched earlier this year suggest otherwise.”
He adds that the new channel aims to find out “exactly how far our viewers will let us take that idea” and that a standalone channel will help create more exciting interactive advertising.
The WeDigTV network includes eight programme-driven channels featuring shows such as Deal or No Deal and Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?. Each show includes one interactive ad break every five to seven minutes.


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TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Industrial Ministry together with businesses have drafted an action plan to improve the performance and competitiveness of the national furniture and handicraft industry.
"We will draft a more simple timber legality verification system [SVLK] with lower cost. Then we will conduct discussions with banks on how to improve the furniture and craft industry performance, such as providing microcredit program, bank financing, export financing, and [working] with regional development banks," said Industrial Minister Airlangga Hartarto on Thursday, April 6, 2017.
In a written statement dated Thursday, April 6, 2017, Minister Airlangga stated that his ministry will facilitate the establishment of a raw material center to fulfill domestic furniture and craft industry production-related needs.
"Regarding the material center, we will meet with PT Perusahaan Perdagangan Indonesia and PT Sarinah," Airlangga said.
As state-owned enterprises, PT Perusahaan Perdagangan Indonesia and PT Sarinah are expected to provide special support for small-medium enterprises, specifically in the field of promotion.
Another important factor, according to Minister Airlangga is the improvement of human resources competency by providing vocational training.
"We will draft a vocational education program, not only long-term [education], but also short-term such as training that only need one to three months," Airlangga said.
In addition, the Industrial Ministry will open a special polytechnic institution on the development of furniture in Semarang, Central Java. The Ministry, according to Airlangga, will also coordinate with the Environmental and Forestry Ministry to find a solution for businesses who often source their raw materials from community forest.
Airlangga also encourages furniture and craft industries to maintain their creativity and never stop innovating to increase the added value of their products.
"For 2017, we targeted that export value [of furniture and craft sector] can reach up to USD 2 billion. We are also committed to creating a conducive business climate," Airlangga stated.


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Mac users are the cream of the internet crop, according to recent research which found that the average Mac user is better educated, richer and more web savvy.
Recent statistics published by Nielsen/NetRatings found that 70 per cent of Mac users have a degree, compared with 54 per cent of all web users. They also tend to be at the higher end of the income bracket.
From a technical perspective, the Mac community seems to be more clued up and users are 58 per cent more likely to build their own website. They are also 53 per cent more likely to check out and buy products online.
The research found that Mac users tend to have been familiar with the technology for some time and are likely to stay faithful to Apple. They are also more creative with the use of their computer.
NetRatings said that, as a result, the Mac population represents a very attractive target for online and offline marketers.
"In many cases this is a market which advertisers are looking at when they are promoting new products or upscale products," the research firm said.
But the study also found that, although there are certain benefits to targeting the Mac population, the community is still very small and is difficult to target specifically.
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ARM plans 7nm 'Deimos' for 2019 and 5nm and 7nm 'Hercules' for 2020


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Atlanta-based Petrus Brands, which owns Shane's Rib Shack and Planet Smoothie, has named Gloria Garrett executive vice president of marketing. Garrett, who most recently served as senior vice president of brand management for casual-dining chain Olive Garden, will lead Petrus’ marketing efforts, including brand management, consumer insights, field marketing, growth initiatives and all-national integrated marketing, including advertising and public relations. "Gloria has one of ...
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IMEX sees sustained growth
Following sustained year-on-year growth since its inaugural exhibition, IMEX – the worldwide exhibition for the meetings and incentive travel industry – has today announced further growth for its 2008 exhibition with record numbers of exhibitors seeking bigger stands.
The hosted buyer programme is also expected to continue its worldwide expansion, due to significant increased demand. This expansion is supported by several years of steady, sustained growth in the global meetings industry, added to IMEX’s reputation for delivering new business opportunities each year.
The demand for increased exhibition space is across different territories and a variety of sectors. Spain, the Czech Republic, Malta, The Canaries, Argentina, Greece, Kuoni and Steigenberger Hotels are among those exhibitors who have already confirmed sizeable space increases for 2008.
New exhibitors confirmed include Capella Hotels & Resorts, GHM Hotels, China and the Chicago Convention & Tourism Bureau.
Explaining their decision to increase the size of their stand, Julia Hartmann, global sales support at The Steigenberger Hotel Group said, “We first exhibited at IMEX in 2005 and the show turned out to be a big success, so Steigenberger became a regular exhibitor. When all the Steigenberger brands came together to exhibit on one stand in 2007 the result was 650 client contacts with the potential for more than 2.5 million euros ($3.53 million) of business each year, a good reason to increase our IMEX stand 100 per cent.”
Continued growth of the reach and quality of the IMEX hosted buyer programme, which this year welcomed over 3,500 international buyers, including heightened demand for the long-haul programme from the US, Asia and Eastern Europe, appear to be among the reasons why exhibitors have responded so positively.
Said Ray Bloom, IMEX chairman, “Year on year we put an enormous effort into qualifying new buyers for our hosted programme to ensure that we maintain our high quality standards and deliver outstanding business opportunities for our exhibitors. This year in particular, the result of that focus has been a noticeably stronger appetite for increased space in 2008. This is also encouraging news for the wider meetings industry too. There’s a widespread buoyancy and eagerness to the market at the moment which is extremely rewarding to be a part of.”
The IMEX hosted buyer programme is also set to grow next year. It will be marked by a continued focus on all the main European markets with further expansion expected from across Eastern Europe. Buyer groups from North America, India, South Africa, Mexico, Brazil, Australia and the Middle East have already been confirmed.
IMEX 2008 will take place from April 22 to 24 in Hall 8, Messe Frankfurt, Germany.


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On Tuesday, the Palestinian government announced a West Bank blockade of products from five Israeli companies, citing a similar decision by the Jewish state.
Palestinian officials released a statement saying, "In response to the Israeli decision to ban the entry to Jerusalem of products from five Palestinian companies, the government decided to ban the entry of products from five Israeli companies to the West Bank. This decision takes effect immediately."
In previous years, Palestinians threatened to stop purchasing Israeli products, which constitute in excess of two-thirds of Palestinian imports, or nearly $6.5 billion per year. The decision, however, represents the first time an elected government of the Palestinian people has taken official action to sanction Israeli imports.
The five firms targeted are dairy companies Tnuva, Strauss and Tara, meat firm Zoglobeck and drink company Tapuzina. The action comes after Tel Aviv announced last month a ban on all products made by five Palestinian businesses.
A trade war with the Israeli government carries with it substantial economic risks for the Palestinian people. Presently, over 90% of Palestinian exports go to Israel because high transportation costs prohibit selling goods internationally. Further, Israel controls all borders to the West Bank, so any exports to the rest of the world must pass through Israel. If Tel Aviv institutes tariffs or additional restrictions on Palestinian goods the consequences could be catastrophic.
In 2015, an unofficial International Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) campaign was initiated in Palestine, calling for an economic boycott of Israel to force the country to end its occupation of the West Bank, which it occupied during the Six-Day War of 1967.
The Palestinian economy is much more reliant on Israel than vice versa, given Israel’s high degree of foreign imports and exports as well as its coastal access for shipping. Thus, BDS has so far created a primarily negative impact on the Palestinian population, but has had no discernible impact on Israel.


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China: the new top business and investment destination
When it comes to looking for foreign business and investment destinations, China is often front and centre in people’s minds. In many ways, it’s unique.Thisfast-growing Asian economy is by far one of the largest on earth, and it is a key investment location for many. This article will explain why China really is the new investment hotspot – and why businesses should consider it as their next choice.
Trade war ending
In recent months, attention has been focused on China’s status as a participant in the trade war it has endured against the US. The latter country has threatenedor actually placedtariffs on goods from various powerful economies, not just China. The reality is that China has managed to secure a phase one trade deal with the US, meaning that free trade between the US and China in many sectors is back on the cards, re-securing China’s spot as a top investment destination.
Another reason thatChina often surges in the minds of investors is because of its infrastructure. The Chinese government, unlike some others in Asia, hasgone to real lengths to ensure that everything from road connections to airports are as efficient as possible. The country has, for example, the world’s longest railway bridge in the form of the Danyang–Kunshan Grand Bridge which links Beijing and Shanghai. One key consequence of such good infrastructure means that workers can be more productive thanks to better travel to work, which has a positive knock-on effect for investors looking for a healthy return.
China has developed a wise approach to regulation in recent years, and it is one of the most successful countries in the world when it comes to balancing the interests of domestic firms with those of foreign investors. It offers clever incentives, such as cheap loans backed by the state, to foreign investors. Intelligent regulation has led to support for firms that are springing up across the country to help international businesses access specific sectors.For example, firms offering China clinical trials can help businesses enter the country’s pharmaceutical sector, whether it be to register a new drug or medical device.
Size and scale
China has a population of around 1.4bn people.Crucially, this means it also has an economy which has been designed to make the most of this phenomenal level of scale. This means that there is an almost unlimited supply of workers and land, which for a foreign investor or business leader helps mitigate risk somewhat. China enjoys an environment where so many key resources are plentiful, and this stands in contrast to other potential investment destinations where populations may be shrinking and where space may be at a premium.
There are all sorts of reasons why China is a great investment destination. From the promising resolution of the recent trade war to the infrastructure available, China has all kinds of things in favour of it being a place to open up a new logistics centre, drop off a chunk of investment or something else altogether.


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I can’t quite say it was inevitable, but — in some of the least surprising yet amusing tech news in the world — a Vietnam gadget enthusiast has managed to obtain a developer unit of the unannounced Pixel 7A smartphone.
But I digress. Vietnam’s Zing News (via Droid Life) has some stellar snapshots of the new phone, showing that it’s clearly different from the existing Pixel 7 and 7 Pro and its predecessor, the Pixel 6A. It’s got the distinctive metal camera bar found on the 7-series phones but with a smaller 6.1-inch display and twin 12-megapixel cameras instead of the 50-megapixel main sensor on the 7 and 7 Pro. You can see two antenna cuts on the top instead of one, spaced closer together than on the Pixel 6A, with a glass and metal frame.
There’s still no 3.5mm audio jack, only a single SIM slot, and it’s not clear if the device has eSIM. But it’ll likely still have IP67 water and dust resistance since Google’s got an O-ring on the SIM tray.
Intriguingly, the owner told Zing News that it has an option to refresh the screen at 90Hz, which would be a big improvement for Google’s midrange phone. Modders discovered that the earlier Pixel 6A technically shipped with a 90Hz screen — mine is running at 90Hz right now — but Google has yet to officially support it, and the mod gives my screen an annoying green tint.
Here’s hoping, but don’t be surprised if the 90Hz refresh rate and the neat pattern beneath this phone’s glass back are both exclusive to the developer prototype. Zing News says Google remotely locked the phone after screenshots leaked on the web. Pro tip: don’t post screenshots that show your device’s unique serial number.
Google is likely to announce this phone at its Google I/O developer conference on May 10th.


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Online shoppers are estimated to spend up to $1.5 billion during Cyber Monday – the virtual equivalent to Black Friday’s door-busting, post-Thanksgiving deals – and the packages that will subsequently be delivered are becoming a prime target for holiday-season thieves.
Thanks to the growing popularity of home surveillance cameras, it's easy to see examples of home delivery thefts. Dozens of videos have been posted on YouTube.
There's the one with the big flat screen TV being whisked away. There's the boxed up children's bicycle snatched by a man in a construction helmet. And the man who apparently lived next door doing something not-so-neighborly: grabbing a box right off the porch.
"If it's left on your doorstep, it's just kinda waving, 'Hey, here I am. Come and get me,'" said Sgt. Tom Lorenz, with the Glendale Police Department.
This year, on-line shopping for Cyber Monday alone will probably add up to $1.5 billion. Mirna Stanley, who is president of her local homeowners association, added her contribution. And now she knows that to close the deal, she must safely receive her delivery.
"It can happen anywhere, as you know," said Stanley. "I mean, people rob churches, for Pete's sake."
Stanley said she or her husband will always be home to accept an expected box. If not, their attentive guard dog, Boo, will be on high alert.
Police said delivery truck drivers are now trained to spot thieves who might be following them and large retailers will often give customers the option to deliver goods to the store instead of a house.
But if customers absolutely have to be away when a delivery is due, Lorenz offered this advice:
"Have it delivered to your office," he said. "There's someone there 24 hours, usually."


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(Mississauga Business Times – August 2008)
The theme of the third annual Business Law Summit will be “Economic Uncertainties: Prepare, Prevent & Protect — Mitigating the Risks and Discovering the Opportunities.” This is the only usiness law summit in the Western GTA.
This year’s summit will be held on Thursday, September 25, 2008 from 7:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Mississauga Grand, 35 Brunel Road.
Given the current Canadian economy with a high dollar, fluctuating stock markets, the auto sector in serious trouble, high commodity prices, and rising food prices, this year’s Summit will kick off with a panel discussion titled “Leaning Into the Headwinds.”
The panel, moderated by Rick Drennan, editor of the Brampton Business Times, will be comprised of economists and bankers including: Scotia McLeod’s legendary Fred Ketchen, TD’s Pascal Gauthier, and HSBC’s Stewart Hall. RBC has also agreed to participate.
After the panel discussion, about 10 lawyers from Mississauga and Brampton law firms will address legal topics to help business people mitigate risks and discover the opportunities of today’s changing economy. Areas covered include corporate, leasing, family, technology, criminal, tax, labour and employment, and insolvency and bankruptcy law.
“The law changes regularly and it is important to know your rights as well as your obligations. In today’s fast-paced business environment, keeping abreast of legal developments is vital because they have an impact on the business decisions our clients make every day and often represent opportunities,” says Pallett Valo LLP Managing Partner Anna Esposito.
“The 2008 Business Law Summit is a unique opportunity to get updated on current legal issues as they impact business and individuals, in just one half-day. For business executives and owner-managers in the Western GTA, that’s time well spent,” adds Esposito. The 2007 Business Law Summit was attended by about 100 business people from across Peel.
Contributing sponsors of the 2008 Business Law Summit include: Scotiabank, Connon & Iacobelli, DeRusha Law Firm, RBC, TD Bank Financial Group, HSBC, and lead sponsor Pallett Valo LLP, Mississauga’s largest law firm. Rogers Television and the Mississauga Business Times are the media sponsors.
The cost to attend the 2008 Business Law Summit has been set at $75 (plus GST) per participant to cover the conference room rental, breakfast, lunch, and coffee breaks.
Space is limited, so register early. For more information, or to register for the 2008 Business Law Summit, click on: www.businesslawsummit.com.


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Alienware’s forthcoming AW3423DW now has a confirmed release date and pricing information. The company first showcased this monitor at CES 2022, where it garnered much attention as the world’s first QD-OLED gaming monitor.
What’s it all about?
The AW3423DW has a 34-inch IPS display with a prominent R1800 curve. Its resolution is limited to WQHD 1440p, but the refresh rates and response times are exceptional at 175Hz and 0.1 milliseconds. Unsurprisingly it’s packed with gamer-friendly features like Nvidia G-Sync ultimate to reduce screen tearing and three customizable game modes.
Of course, the biggest feature is the new quantum dot organic light-emitting diode or QD-OLED display. This new technology combines OLED technology with QLED technology to get the best of both worlds when it comes to performance.
OLED displays tend to have deep blacks, with excellent contrast and fast response times. On the other hand, they are expensive to produce, have lower maximum brightness, and risk burn-in. QLED displays are brighter than OLED versions, but they have slower response times and aren’t as power efficient.
The new QD-OLED displays add a quantum dot layer with red, green, and blue subpixels and a blue light filter to an OLED screen. The result is deeper blacks, more accurate color reproduction, and improved efficiency for all-around better performance.
How much does it cost?
Alienware monitors don’t come cheap. The AW3423DW will have a starting price of around $1,299 and will be available from March 29, 2022. The pricing is much higher than alternatives like Gigabyte’s G34WQC at $579 and the Asus TUF Gaming VG34VQL1B at $529, but it’s expected for the latest monitor tech.
This article includes affiliate links, which may provide small compensation to Dot Esports.


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Tumblr becomes the first social platform to leverage Verity™, the only contextual solution with MRC content-level accreditation for contextual analysis, brand safety and suitability
London, UK – June 9th, 2022 – GumGum, a contextual-first global digital advertising platform, today announced a partnership with social network Tumblr, owned and operated by Automattic, to introduce GumGum’s advanced contextual targeting capabilities across the platform.
Tumblr now becomes the first social platform to be supported by GumGum’s proprietary contextual solution, Verity™. And Tumblr, which helped establish GIFs as a popular visual message, will now be able to access cutting-edge technologies that can read video, audio, text, and image signals on a frame-by-frame basis, allowing for greatly enhanced contextual and brand safety analysis and targeting. As part of this partnership, GumGum will be the first contextual provider to provide GIF support.
GumGum is the first independent ad tech provider to have achieved the Media Rating Council’s content-level accreditation for contextual analysis, brand safety and suitability. This recognises that GumGum’s contextual solution Verity™ is able to analyse all of the key data signals within digital environments, including text, image, video and audio.
“GumGum has always believed that the future of our digital ecosystem will rely on contextual targeting technology because it inherently eliminates the dependence on personal data while leveraging deep learning tools to serve relevant ads in the moments that matter. We’re thrilled to offer our proprietary technology to a social platform like Tumblr, making GumGum the first contextual platform to support GIF-based media,” said William Merchan, Head of Verity™ at GumGum.
“GumGum was the only partner who was capable of image-level contextual analysis that goes beyond metadata, making it the ideal partner for Tumblr’s image-centric platform. With Verity™, we will be able to support relevant, safe, and non-intrusive ads without sacrificing our users’ personal data,” said Julia Wilson, Vice President of Ad Partnerships at Automattic.
In addition to the partnership to enhance Tumblr’s brand safety and contextual targeting capabilities, Tumblr will now also be a media partner for GumGum, joining the contextual leader’s network of over 30,000 publishers and giving GumGum’s clients access to Tumblr’s unique inventory.
Over the coming months, Tumblr’s parent company, Automattic, intends to expand the partnership with GumGum by implementing Verity™ across WordPress.com, reaching hundreds of millions of users globally.
For more information, please reach out to firstname.lastname@example.org.
GumGum is a contextual-first global digital advertising platform that captures people’s attention, without the use of personal data. We believe that an advertising ecosystem based on understanding a consumer’s active frame of mind rather than behaviour builds a more equitable and safer future for consumers, publishers, and advertisers alike. Founded in 2008, GumGum is headquartered in Santa Monica, California and operates in 19 markets worldwide. For more information, please visit www.gumgum.com.
At Automattic, our goal is to make the web a better place. With products like WordPress.com, WooCommerce, Jetpack, Tumblr, and WordPress VIP, we help support customers through web hosting, eCommerce, security and backups, enterprise infrastructure, and more. Automattic is a distributed company with more than 1,900 employees working from 96 countries speaking 121 different languages. We believe in open source, and the vast majority of our work is available under the GPL. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube. For more, visit automattic.com.


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The collapse of the $35 billion merger of New York-based Omnicom with France's Publicis is likely to lead the world's biggest ad agencies to think small as they try to counter the challenge from internet giants like Google.
Advertising spending in the UK for the third quarter of 2013 has hit the fastest pace recorded according to a survey from IPA Bellwether, the Financial Times reported.
UK-based advertising firm M&C Saatchi divested a controlling stake of 75.1% in Walker Media for GBP36 million. M&C Saatchi sold its holding to French multinational advertising and public relations company Publicis.
The following bids, mergers, acquisitions and disposals were reported on Friday, including Microsoft, Comcast, Green Dot, Goldman Sachs and others.
The following bids, mergers, acquisitions and disposals were reported on Thursday including Omnicom, General Motors, Deutsche Telekom, Devon Energy and others
The scheduled $35.1 bilion tie-up of both advertising giants Omnicom and Publicis, would be pushed to mid-2014 as the latest date, as announced by both Chief Executives on Thursday.
Britain-based advertising group WPP denied a report from The Daily Mail's that the company is planning a takeover bid for US-based marketing group Interpublic (IPG).
The Publicis-Omnicom merger ensured a win in the ad market as soda rivals Coca-Cola Co and PepsiCo Inc share the same ad company.
A new giant was created through the merger of Publicis and Omnicom which overshadowed WPP's dominance of more than four years in the communications market.
The possible merger of French company Publicis with Omnicom is expected to topple competitor WPP from the top spot.
A source revealed that Publicis and Omnicom are in late-stage talks about a merger of equals.


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You can now pre-order Samsung’s latest flagship smartphone, the Galaxy S5, at Konga, one of Nigeria’s leading online shopping destination. Konga has not announced shipping date or pricing, but we hear Samsung Galaxy S5 pricing could start at around 110,000 Naira and shipping could commence in April 2014. Samsung Galaxy S7 is the latest flagship.
Where to Buy Samsung Phones
For now Konga is offering a signup page where customers who are interested in the Samsung Galaxy S5 will register their interest. Such consumers will be informed via email when the new device becomes available. Konga will also be offering consumers who order Samsung Galaxy S5 from the store free 250MB data from Etisalat.
Samsung Galaxy S5 features a 5.1-inch touchscreen with a 16 megapixels camera, pedometer, and heart rate monitor. The smartphone is dust proof and water resistant and features a fingerprint scanner.


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We are getting closer to employees asking for pay rises due to high inflation – said Piotr Soroczyński from the Polish Chamber of Commerce. According to Ernest Pytlarczyk from Bank Pekao, wage growth will be possible, but thanks to the demand for employees in prospering sectors.
Possible increases due to high inflation
– Many workers report that prices have increased significantly since they were hired: a year, two or eight years ago. It may therefore turn out that the time is approaching for wage indexation. The pressure from the workers is quite strong. On the other hand, the labor market is relatively absorbent. As there is no response from the current employer, employees go where they get better wages, noted Piotr Soroczyński, chief economist of the KIG.
In his opinion, we are getting closer and closer to the real, effective demand of employees for pay raises: either some plants will decide to index wages or employees will decide to move to competition. Soroczyński added that when we start introducing indexation mechanisms, not only for wages, it will mean that inflation will persist at an elevated level.
It will not be inflation, but the demand for employees that will influence the increases
Chief economist of Pekao, Ernest Pytlarczyk, assessed that inflation would not be the key factor behind wage increases. However, it will be a demand for an employee resulting from the good condition of a number of sectors, including the recovering service sector (HoReCa) and the industrial sector attracting new investments and enjoying a continuous increase in export orders. Pekao estimates that next year the wage dynamics will be in the range of 6-7 percent. yyyyy
Pytlarczyk noted that inflation in Poland is a combination of global and local factors as well as supply and demand factors. – The significance of these supply and global economies is proved by the fact of increased inflation in many European (3.9 percent in Germany) and American (5.4 percent) economies. Postovid opening of many sectors and delayed demand are factors that temporarily boost inflation. The so-called bottlenecks in world trade and high freight costs and the unavailability of many components may also have the same nature, emphasized the economist at Pekao.
Inflation in Poland in 2021
He pointed out that this was overlapped by local factors: the increase in energy prices resulting from CO2 emission allowances and the energy transformation, as well as the business cycle and rising wages. – In fact, we returned to the path of economic growth very quickly, and let us remember that the cycle had already left its mark on the price increase even before COVID (inflation was outside the range of acceptable deviations from the target at the beginning of 2020) – noted Pytlarczyk.
– Inflation has evidently escaped us – said Soroczyński. Among the higher costs of producing goods and services, which are conducive to high inflation, he also mentioned raising the minimum wage and the related pressure to increase wages close to the minimum wage; in addition, costs related to pandemic adaptation and sanitation.
The economist of the Polish Chamber of Commerce pointed to the high increase in industrial PPI inflation, up to 8%. y / y, which translates into consumer prices. He also noted that demand pressure began to emerge from May this year.
– In May, the deposits of the population dropped significantly, by almost PLN 6 billion. There was no rebound in the data for June and July, which may mean that due to high inflation and very low interest rates, we are starting to wonder if we can allow this money to depreciate and whether we should not convert some of it into commodity. In conjunction with the increase in wages, there was additional pressure on inflation from the demand – said Soroczyński.
He added that the weak zloty exchange rate does not help in fighting inflation, which instead of curbing inflation, it stimulates it.
According to the flash estimate of the Central Statistical Office, the prices of consumer goods and services increased in August by 5.4 percent. y / y and 0.2 percent. mdm. Inflation was last higher 20 years ago – in June 2001, when it was 6.2 percent. In July 2001, the price increase in Poland was 5.2 percent.
Main photo source: Shutterstock


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Matt Danilowicz has snapped up seven companies since he became chief executive of Vitec Videocom in 2012. And, as he tells George Bevir, he’s not putting away his cheque book any time soon.
If you exhibited at NAB and noticed Matt Danilowicz hanging around your stand in the Las Vegas Convention Centre, it’s possible the Vitec Videocom boss was sizing up your business.
Vitec has been busy adding companies to its group in recent years and Danilowicz isn’t putting away his cheque book just yet.
“There are a lot of exciting targets for us across the show floor,” Danilowicz tells Broadcast TECH at NAB.
“We have an opportunistic streak and are always looking for parts of the market place that have potential.”
Vitec has added companies that Danilowicz categorises as smaller businesses on the verge of “breaking out” (see box). “We picked them up at the right time, when they were just getting ready for growth and they needed the backing of a big company like ours to fund the expansion stage.
“That is where we can be a positive influence on the industry.”
Danilowicz is keen to take advantage of two trends he has identified: broadcasters outsourcing more of their operations; and what he describes as “independent content creators” who are not only increasingly working for traditional broadcasters but are also providing video content for a growing range of platforms and organisations.
It is hoped that growth in these areas will offset the ‘flat’ business of providing core broadcast products to traditional TV broadcasters.
“That doesn’t mean we are going to abandon those traditional customers – they are our bread and butter – but for us to keep growing as a business we have to look for new opportunities in the market,” says Danilowicz.
“We might not have called it broadcasting in the past, but every major company around the planet today is starting to take control of its visual communications and media output, and that is the bright horizon and exciting opportunity for us. “I’d be surprised if in another seven years, every Fortune 500 Company doesn’t have a really robust media department.
“They wouldn’t have spent $5m on a production suite in the past, but now these tools are affordable to them they could spend a few hundred thousand dollars and equip it with everything they need.”
Danilowicz was appointed to the role of chief executive of the Vitec Group’s Vitec Videocom division in 2012, when he replaced Joop Janssen, who left Vitec to join EVS.
One of his first tasks was to oversee the merger of Vitec broadcast services business Bexel with Vitec Videocom.
That culminated in the March launch of Bexel Global Broadcast Solutions (BGBS), which combined the portfolio of production services companies including Bexel with Autocue Hire, Camera Corps and The Camera Store.
At the same time, the company’s core product brands, such as Anton/ Bauer, Autocue, Autoscript, Litepanels, OConnor, Sachtler, Vinten and Vinten Radamec, were combined to form the production equipment unit, while the creative solutions division now comprises Teradek, SmallHD and Paralinx.
“For many years, we ran Bexel as a separate entity, and now the head of Bexel sits with the rest of my leadership team and they are constantly looking for ways we can leverage our technologies.
“Those guys [Bexel] tend to be out there at the forefront of what’s new and they are helping us understand the markets better.”
Getting Vitec’s various brands to work more closely together is top of Danilowicz’s list of priorities.
In the face of tighter margins and increased competition from manufacturers in the Far East and customers demanding kit at lower prices, the emphasis is on running a more efficient operation.
To achieve that, the company has merged its sales and marketing operations, but given the breadth of products within the group, ranging from bags to batteries and prompters to robotic camera systems, there is a balance to be struck that allows for closer collaboration without each division losing its own identity.
Danilowicz admits there is an ongoing debate within the company about getting rid of the various sub-brands in favour of one overarching entity, but he is reluctant for such well-known manufacturers to lose their identity.
“Some of my core businesses have been around for more than 100 years and I’d hate to let go of that history,” says Danilowicz, referring to tripod and pan and tilt head manufacturer Vinten, which was founded in 1910, and Sachtler, another camera support manufacturer that was founded in 1958.
“We are trying to find a middle path where we can extract synergies and get customers to better understand what Vitec is.
“They know Anton Bauer, OConnor and all of those brands, but a lot of people still don’t understand what Vitec is.”
It’s not only an issue of identity. With recent acquisitions largely of businesses set up by innovative operators, such as the cinematographers who established Paralinx, the company has to weigh up the aims of the overall group with the needs of its various manufacturers.
As Danilowicz acquires more companies, that issue is likely to become more critical.
“We try to nurture businesses and keep that entrepreneurial spirit alive. Our whole culture cherishes entrepreneurialism; we think the best results come from smaller units driven by leaders who are passionate about what they do.”
July 2012 Chief executive, Vitec Videocom and Bexel
January 2012 Chief executive, Bexel
2005 Vice-president and general manager broadcast division, Pinnacle Systems
2001 Vice-president market development, Thomson Grass Valley
1999 Chief executive, iNews
1996 Vice-president worldwide channels, Avid
Diary of a Dealmaker
US-based provider of wireless video systems Paralinx joins Teradek and SmallHD in Vitec’s Creative Solutions business unit.
Vitec acquires US-based on-camera field monitor manufacturer SmallHD to complement its existing video businesses. October 2014
Prompter firm Autocue is bought from venture capitalist Root Capital and joins its portfolio of products for the broadcast, pro-videography, corporate and public sectors.
SIS Live’s Special Camera division joins Vitec’s Camera Corps in a “multimillion-pound” deal.
California-based wireless HD video device manufacturer Teradek is snapped up as part of Vitec’s strategy “to bring forward innovative products and solutions that improve its customers’ operational efficiency”.
The Vitec Group negotiates a five-year, £100m refinancing package from a syndicate of banks coordinated by Barclays for use as an acquisitions war chest.
Vitec acquires Camera Corps in a deal it describes as “a key milestone” for the company that will enable it to supply Camera Corps’ pan and tilt camera systems to markets including sports, reality television and entertainment.
- This feature is taken from the May/June issue of Broadcast TECH. Click here to read the digital edition.


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Chipotle Paying for Employees’ Degree Programs
Chipotle will be paying for its employees to get a technology or business degree. The new program will be launching next month and is acting as the restaurant chain's latest attempt to attract and hang on to talent.
Employees who have been at the company for at least 120 days and work a minimum of 15 hours per week can choose from 75 different degree programs. The employees would stay with Chipotle while in school and the company asks them to remain there for at least six months after they earn their degrees.
Chipotle will be covering the costs 100 percent in full upfront for the 75 different programs. This is thanks to their partnership with Guild Education, which is one of the leading education benefits companies in the country. Chipotle says that they are giving their employees the opportunity to gain the skills and knowledge needed to thrive in the constantly evolving 21st-century job market.
Marissa Andrada, Chief People Officer at Chipotle says "Chipotle recognizes that financial barriers can be one of the biggest obstacles that impede our employees from achieving their fullest potential." The company is proud to be able to offer this opportunity to its employees.
Eligible employees will have the option of pursuing these degrees from some of the leading accredited, nonprofit universities. These include The University of Arizona, Bellevue University, Brandman University, Southern New Hampshire University, and Wilmington University. The company is also offering an Exiting Tuition Reimbursement Program. This will offer eligible employees the opportunity to be reimbursed up to $5,250 a year at the school of their choice.
Last year, Chipotle was able to promote more than 13,000 of its employees and the company wants to expand that number and continue to invest in its people with industry-leading benefits such as these programs.


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Datacentrix, a provider of ICT solutions, has been appointed as a Dell EMC Titanium Partner, joining a niche group of partners who are recognised for their expertise in the South African industry.
The Titanium tier of the Dell EMC Partner Program acknowledges partners who have demonstrated capability and resources, going above and beyond requirements to achieve expert levels in their designated areas of competency. In the case of Datacentrix, these include client-computing, networking, and server and storage.
Rudolf van der Gryp, Dell EMC business unit lead at Datacentrix is naturally pleased with the acknowledgement and believes it was the expected next step in the partnership between the two organisations.
“The synergies are apparent to both ourselves and our customers,” he says. “We have grown our Dell EMC business by more than 100 percent year-on-year over the past four years, and believe this is due to the fact that Dell EMC’s solution offering helps our customers overcome challenges easily and affordably.
“Our new Titanium status will afford Datacentrix the opportunity to work more closely with Dell EMC to meet our mutual customers’ needs in bigger and better ways.”
This level of partnership recognises the service and execution levels that Datacentrix customers have grown to expect, but it also enables the company to offer more by way of competitive pricing, early access to the latest technologies and training, and a roadmap to future growth with Dell EMC.
“The digital era is here – all that is left for us is to reach out and take charge of it,” says Doug Woolley, GM of Dell EMC South Africa. “But that’s easier said than done, and you need the best partners to go on that journey. I’m very glad that Datacentrix has decided to join Dell EMC in helping South African companies transform for the future. As a Titanium partner, they will create great gains for the country while growing their own business. We look forward to working with them in creating a society of which we’re all proud.”
Edited by Daniëlle Kruger
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