text:
Council is taking out the bins
ROCKHAMPTON Regional Council are taking out the trash, removing 360 unallocated bins from circulation in the CBD's laneways and correctly identifying the rest.
Rockhampton Region Environment Portfolio Chair, Councillor Drew Wickerson has thanked business owners who brought the issue of unsightly, unhygienic and hazardous bins to their attention.
Cr Wickerson said bins were constantly being knocked over, spilling refuse onto the lanes and frustrating business owners.
Once the laneways are clear, council will street sweep the lanes.
Bruce Woods is just one of the CBD business owners who has benefited from working in partnership with council to bring about a solution to the previously cluttered and unsightly laneways.
"I think it is fantastic how Cr Wickerson has initiated the cleaning up of the back lanes by matching bins to premises and taking out the surplus. Access has been improved for delivery drivers and what was an eye-sore has been addressed,” Mr Woods said.


text:
Censorship, Surveillance and Profits: A Hard Bargain for Apple in China
Monday May 17, 2021. 10:46 PM , from Slashdot/Apple
Apple has compromised on data security to placate Chinese authorities, the New York Times reported Monday, citing internal company documents and interviews with current and former Apple employees and security experts. An excerpt from the story: At the data center in Guiyang, which Apple hoped would be completed by next month, and another in the Inner Mongolia region, Apple has largely ceded control to the Chinese government. Chinese state employees physically manage the computers. Apple abandoned the encryption technology it used elsewhere after China would not allow it. And the digital keys that unlock information on those computers are stored in the data centers they're meant to secure.
In China, Apple has ceded legal ownership of its customers' data to Guizhou-Cloud Big Data, or GCBD, a company owned by the government of Guizhou Province, whose capital is Guiyang. Apple recently required its Chinese customers to accept new iCloud terms and conditions that list GCBD as the service provider and Apple as 'an additional party.' Apple told customers the change was to 'improve iCloud services in China mainland and comply with Chinese regulations.'
The terms and conditions included a new provision that does not appear in other countries: 'Apple and GCBD will have access to all data that you store on this service' and can share that data 'between each other under applicable law.' Under the new setup, Chinese authorities ask GCBD -- not Apple -- for Apple customers' data, Apple said. Apple believes that gives it a legal shield from American law, according to a person who helped create the arrangement. GCBD declined to answer questions about its Apple partnership. Matthew Green, who teaches cryptography at Johns Hopkins, commented on Times' story: 'Apple asked a lot of people to back them against the FBI in 2015. They used every tool in the legal arsenal to prevent the US from gaining access to their phones. Do they think anyone is going to give them the benefit of the doubt now?'
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Sep, Fri 24 - 02:02 CEST

domain: news


text:
HKU Business School Innovation and Entrepreneurship Forum
During times of economic uncertainty, what can you do to make your startup stand out in a crowd of competitors so that you can secure funding from investors?
On Saturday, October 10, 2020, more than 20 alumni entrepreneurs from various industries and business backgrounds attended the HKU Business School Innovation and Entrepreneurship Forum to discuss how startup founders can leverage investors to scale up their business and unlock success.
Mr. Vincent Chan, Senior Managing Director and Head of Asia of Samena Capital and Mr. K.O. Chia, Director of Grace Financial were invited to share their insights on how to venture on a journey to being an effective entrepreneur, and hopefully the founder of the next unicorn.
They both emphasized that one of the critical success factors is people. Mr. Chan suggested that it is important to build a strong team who trust each other, and love working together as investors will not only consider your product, but also the structure and dynamics of your team. Mr. Chia also pointed out that the success of startup lies in its ability to uphold the core of your business and leverage on technology.
At the forum, alumni treasured the opportunity to network with speakers. Ms. Yina Chan (BBA (Acc&Fin) 2015), Co-Founder of Bamboo Network, learned that the true growth of a startup comes from within the team who is able to collaboratively turn a great idea into a profitable business, whereas the exponential growth comes from investors who usually look beyond monetary terms, such as the quality of the founding team and customer-engagement model. Mr. Harris Cheng (BEcon&Fin 2017), Co-Founder and CEO of Freehunter was thrilled to reconnect with Mr. K.O. Chia, who inspired him to pursue his startup dream when he was a year-3 student struggling with his career path.
We believe Hong Kong people have what it takes to become an entrepreneur and innovator – resilience, industriousness and discipline. To realise these potentials, HKU Business School is developing an entrepreneurial ecosystem that helps support our students and alumni and fuel our economic growth.


text:
Microsoft has been touting their new cloud services for the Xbox One, and the company plans to have the service available in all all markets. Microsoft plans to have all of their data centers setup around the world, and they don’t want to have a service that’s just for certain countries.
“Microsoft has data centres around the world, so Cloud Compute Services are not something that you should think about on a country-by-country basis,” Microsoft’s Jeff Henshaw told Ausgamers during a Q&A session at E3.
“We have deployed our data centres geographically so that they can service the load for categories of countries all around the world. So we have some of the best reach of any other company on the planet to be able to make sure that the Cloud Services that we offer are what we consider [to be] ubiquitous and will be available [to] all markets.”
It’ll be interesting to see where Microsoft actually sets up their data centers, it’ll definitely impact the ping times in different areas. If you don’t have a strong enough internet connection, you’re probably going to be out of luck. Microsoft confirmed that you will need to have an internet connection in order to play your games, and it really hasn’t gone over very well with their consumers.


text:
Avery Dennison Label and Packaging Materials has announced that its machine direction orientation (MDO) and polyethylene (PE) films are confirmed compliant with the Association of Plastic Recyclers' (APR) critical guidance for high-density polyethylene (HDPE) recycling. In addition, Avery Dennison's biaxially oriented polypropylene (BOPP) and MDO films comply with APR critical guidance for flexible PE recycling.
The compliance means the company is able to offer a complete range of film solutions for brands and converters seeking to enhance the recyclability of rigid HDPE, while offering APR-recognized films for flexible PE plastics.
In short: labels can stay with their containers without impacting the recycling process, thereby making recycling easy for the consumer, particularly those shopping via e-commerce.
The compliance covers Avery Dennison’s clear and white MDO films, including Global MDO and Global CO-EX products and PE films.
Scott Saunders, GM at KW Plastics, said, “Having a full family of APR-recognized films for HDPE containers represents a significant development for plastic recyclers. Using these films will allow us to increase the percentage of plastic we are able to recycle.”
Tina Hart, vice president, strategic innovation, said, “Recyclability of e-commerce packaging has become a significant issue for consumers. This recognition helps companies address that challenge with recyclable labeling options for products being shipped in flexible PE packaging.”
Hart added, “We are committed to continuing to advance the circularity of our products and those of our customers. This announcement that our full film portfolio has been APR recognized represents a major milestone in our progress toward that goal and sets a new standard for the industry."


text:
The Dismal Science Meets a World of Opportunity
What we have here is a good news/bad news situation. The bad news is the global economy is still tanking. The good news, for individual travelers, is that travel providers - airlines, hotels, cruise ship lines - just keep cutting rates and offering enticing deals. For those with the means and desire to travel, there are incredible savings to be had.
More on that in a minute.
But first some dismal travel-related news about the dismal science: economics.
Harvard economics professor Robert J. Barro reported in a recent study that there is about a 20 percent chance of the U.S. economy, the worldd's largest, sliding into a depression, which he defines as at least a 10 percent contraction of per-person gross domestic product or consumption. That hasn't happened since the 1930s, but the really scary thought is that this decade could end up being the '30s with mobile phones.
Consider these travel-biz numbers:
* The International Air Transport Association, the trade organization for the world's airlines, reported that commercial airlines lost $8 billion in 2008, way up from the already bad $5 billion IATA expected as recently as December. Nearly half of the losses occurred in the fourth quarter of last year and were driven by a drop in consumer demand for air travel. IATA hiked its forecast of global airline losses in 2009 to $4.7 billion from an earlier estimate of $2.5 billion.
* Singapore, a major Southeast Asia hub for cruise ship lines and airline passengers, experienced a double-digit drop in visitor arrivals in early 2009 compared to the same period in 2008.
* British Airways, a leading trans-Atlantic carrier and one of Europe's biggest airlines, reported this week that the number of premium passengers in lucrative business- and first-class fell off some 17 percent this April from April 2008. BA said earlier it expects to lose some $212 million this year and is looking at making job cuts.
The silver lining in the gloom: These dire developments are prompting vendors to offer consumers the carrot of deals instead of the stick of sky-high prices.
Major hotels are, for example, offering fourth nights free - that's a de facto discount, though hotels still hold onto their higher official rack rates. Cruise ship lines are among the deepest discounters, cutting some prices in half for the rest of 2009. Cash-strapped airlines, battered by rising fuel prices last year and now hit by falling consumer demand, are slashing fares and offering hotel packages. Just one example: Travelocity reports that airfares for 100 popular destinations inside and outside the U.S. have dropped 40 percent since last year.
This is bad for travel providers, to be sure, but good for travelers.
Details of specific deals change constantly but when one deal expires, another seems to pop up. In this very fluid situation, the most important words to remember are 'fast' and 'flexible.' If you can move quickly and be open to considering a variety of destinations, these otherwise trying times are among the best of times to be in the sky, on the road or on the waves.


text:
The UK government plans to ban the use of plastic microbeads in cosmetics and personal care products next year.
Defra has launched a consultation which sets out its strategy to achieve the goal and seeks views on what more can be done to protect marine environment.
Microbeads are small particles of plastic and are used in some personal care products including face scrubs, toothpastes and washing powders.
They are washed down the drain but are too small to be completely filtered out in sewage treatment systems so a proportion goes into the marine environment.
In a statement, Defra said: “Government action will create a level playing field for industry, tackle inconsistency, provide consumer confidence and stop new products containing tiny pieces of plastic ending up in the marine environment.”
The consultation is open until February next year.


text:
Google’s Android remains the most dominant mobile operating system to date, but it still is difficult to get some paperwork done on any Android device. In fact, one of the biggest complaints about the mobile platform is its failure to accommodate for work. While a real solution is still in the works at the tech giant, Samsung has already come up with one.
Enter Samsung DeX, a brand new system the company introduced in its Unpacked Event Wednesday. The new feature, which puts Samsung on top of the smartphone race, aims to soothe these productivity woes. In case you missed it, here’s everything you need to know:
What is DeX?
Short for “desktop experience,” the company calls DeX a solution to improve productivity and “reduce the need to carry multiple computing devices.” The feature sees the new Samsung Galaxy S8 switch into running the familiar desktop version of Android, which the phone maker calls its DeX UI (user interface).
You’ll be able to run proper desktop software like Microsoft Excel and Adobe Acrobat Reader among others, and even use a traditional keyboard and mouse setup, if you’re in the mood to do something productive.
How does it work?
To access Samsung Dex, you’ll need what they call a DeX station. This is basically a small dock which sits on your desk and can be plugged into a monitor. This is reportedly sold separately from the flagship handset at €150/$160 but will go on sale alongside the Galaxy S8 on April 28. Of course, you need the new handset as well for it to work.
According to Android Central, the DeX dock comes with an HDMI port, two USB ports, Bluetooth, and a cooling fan to boot. Once plugged in, you can hook up other peripherals to start the computerization process. Docking your Galaxy S8 in the DeX Station also charges the handset at the same time.
What apps does the DeX run?
Samsung has collaborated with the likes of Microsoft and Adobe to make their important apps compatible with Samsung DeX compatible. It’s also capable of remotely accessing virtual desktops through partner services like Citrix, VMware, and Amazon Web Services. Then there’s Android.
Unfortunately, Windows and Mac apps aren’t supported yet in this computer wanna-be. It remains to be seen exactly how the DeX apps and Android apps will work together, and how the system will handle apps that aren’t designed to run on a bigger screen or in a windowed environment. But we should get more details about that in the coming days.
Is it a laptop/computer replacement?
The South Korean giant doesn’t seem to be promoting its new product as a replacement for laptops. Android Authority says Samsung designed DeX “with enterprise users in mind and as such supports virtual desktop environments.” The idea is that business users can have access to a much wider variety of work applications supported beyond Android by just plugging the phone should the need arise.
Regional availability for the Samsung DeX dock has not been announced yet. But we’ll be sure to update you once they do.


text:
South Korean officials say they will not provide Iranian and North Korean players with Samsung smartphones which are available free to all other athletes at the Winter Olympics starting Friday.
State news agency Yonhap quoted PyeongChang Olympic organizers as saying Wednesday that the decision had been taken in line with sanctions on the two countries.
According to the report, Samsung Electronics will offer some 4,000 units of the Galaxy Note 8 Olympic Edition to all athletes and International Olympic Committee officials, but not to 22 North Korean and four Iranian athletes.
The officials claimed that the smartphones could potentially be used for military purposes, violating the UN sanctions that ban providing the countries with luxury goods and products for such use.
The decision is set to anger Iran which is a key market for Samsung products in the Middle East, including smartphones and home appliances such as washing machines, televisions, air conditioners and telecommunications equipment.
Samsung is officially represented in Iran and runs after-sales service centers in major cities. The South Korean giant has invested in Iran’s consumer market which offers huge potential for business.
Iran’s largest Android app market, Café Bazaar, has released reports suggesting that 51% of its users in the country have handsets produced by the South Korean giant smartphone maker, which translates into 17.8 million users, according to The Financial Tribune.
In 2012, the South Korean electronics and appliance manufacturer raised a storm because of a controversial Israeli ad that made light of a series of explosions and assassinations of nuclear scientists in Iran. Iran holds the Israeli spying agency Mossad responsible for the terrorist acts.
The television spot was produced by HOT, an Israeli cable company that was offering the Samsung product free with a subscription.
The advertisement prompted senior Iranian lawmakers to call for a boycott of Samsung which said had nothing to do with the commercial.
In 2013, Samsung got mired in another controversy after Iranian users of mobile applications said the company had notified them that they would no longer have access to the company’s online store.
Owners of mobile phones and tablets said they had received messages via e-mail from the company which said it could not provide access to Samsung Apps in Iran because of “legal barriers”.


text:
AT&T said last week that it has begun marketing its AT&T Homezone, a service that combines high-speed Internet and satellite television in a single set-top box.
Homezone, which offers digital video recording, movies on demand, photo and music sharing, and Web-based remote access, is initially available in Ohio and San Antonio, TX, ahead of a broader launch in coming months, Reuters reported.
Homezone is meant to be an alternative to AT&T's Web-based television service U-Verse, which runs on fiber-optic networks, for customers who live in areas without fiber deployment, AT&T spokesman Fletcher Cook told Reuters.
AT&T has not announced any targets for Homezone sales. It is aiming for 19 million U-Verse customers by 2008. U-Verse offers more capacity for quicker downloads with interactive capabilities, and is already available in San Antonio, where the company's headquarters are located.
Homezone will be available at various prices depending on features such as long-distance calling, channels and Internet speed. Bundled packages will cost around $80-$140 per month, versus the $70-$120 per month for the U-Verse bundle.
The latest product and technology information
Future US's leading brands bring the most important, up-to-date information right to your inbox
Thank you for signing up to TV Tech. You will receive a verification email shortly.
There was a problem. Please refresh the page and try again.


text:
This school year, every single eatery on campus advertises big changes with big signs and claims. Sodexo and its different offerings have long been scrutinized by customers, but they seem to have reevaluated over the summer. While some changes improve efficiency in the food service, others are unwelcome and undetected by Marist customers.
For Sodexo management, these changes are a sign of a successful company. “Especially with big companies like Sodexo, there is always something coming down the line,” says Michael Deluca, manager of the dining hall and food service. He explains Sodexo’s interest in “a new way of doing things, new menu items, new equipment.”
According to Deluca, most of the stations in the dining hall have undergone minor changes since students last saw them. Some are more noticeable, such as the new grain bar, and the flat top grill, which makes the omelette line more manageable.
Deluca shares that the pizza and pasta stations now serve local marinara sauce and homemade pizza dough. However, these recipe changes go relatively unnoticed unless one reads the fine print in the station signs or inquires about the puffier pizza crust.
Sodexo also expresses a newfound interest in the environment. They made the switch to MSC certified fish, grass fed beef, and stopped wasting plastic cups at the dessert station. “We are always looking to be more sustainable and efficient,” says Deluca, proudly.
While the speedy omelet line is a welcome change, a lot of students miss the earlier stages of the dining hall. “My freshman year the dining hall was so much better,” says Cassie Carroll, now a senior. She believes Sodexo used to have a lot more variety, “there was self serve ice cream with all kinds of toppings, snack stands with popcorn and unlimited chicken nuggets,” Carroll says, listing a few of the luxuries she misses.
Kelly Stiebler, also a senior, finds the new additions to the dining hall just as repetitive as the old ones. “In the past couple years they’ve added different stations, like a vegetarian station, or the international station or the pizza station,” she admits, but adds, “what I’ve noticed is that these stations are always serving the same things.”
Perhaps the most noticeable change in dining options is the menu in the Cabaret. Once listing Sandella’s flat breads, sandwiches and salads, it now has a menu of Wholy Habaneros Mexican dishes. A lot of students are in and out of the Cab every day, and they express mixed feelings about the taco bar.
Die hard Chipotle fans, such as Liam Cullen, a sophomore, are excited about the change. “I can’t get enough of it,” Liam gushes.
Kelly Stiebler disagrees, “rest in peace Sandella’s,” she says. She finds little variety in the Wholy Habaneros options explaining, “you can have a taco, or a burrito, or a salad, but all with the same few ingredients.”
Brea Dyer, an employee at the cab has received negative feedback from student customers. Outside of Wholy Habaneros, she gets a lot of complaints about the revised grill menu. Dollar nuggets, a crowd favorite, is no longer on the menu, along with a number of sandwiches and fountain drinks. “People don’t seem happy,” she says, “they say they don’t have no more options.”
With the loss of fountain drinks, comes the loss of free water and ice from the soda dispenser. In fact, the Cabaret is now charging for a lot of items that used to be free. “If you want extra things, you have to pay for everything now,” Dyer explains, “like on your burgers if you want like lettuce tomato or something you have to pay for that.”
“It’s been really hard to try and stretch my budget to last the whole semester,” says Stiebler in response to the inflated prices. However, on a more positive note, the Cabaret has more variety in its breakfast menu. This now includes omelets and a full breakfast with pancakes, at relatively reasonable prices.
On the other side of campus, the Marketplace, formerly known as Jazzman’s, also started sporting this menu. Along with all day breakfast, the Marketplace now sells more bulk items and household goods, sort of like a convenience store. “Basically, outside of the name, there’s not much of a difference,” says Sodexo employee Sean Miller, of the new Jazzman’s.
“I don’t mind the new Marketplace,” says Cassie Carroll, “but none of it seems to constitute the fuss and the name change.”
The deli station in Donnelly has also undergone a name change, though the Donnelly Cafe appears relatively the same. The York Street Market advertises “sandwiches, wraps, salads and more,” which were all already offered last year. The only difference is that they now have weekly meal specials and a brand new sign for the same old menu.
When first asked about the changes in the cafe, Sodexo worker Emanuela replies, “there weren’t any changes.” Once she remembers the new York Street Marker, she displays the weekly specials, a grilled lemon chicken panini and chicken broccoli panini. “It’s the same menu it’s just a new board, it was redone” Emanuela explains, indicating the display, “and the prices are here.”
These minimal changes are probably for the best, since the Donnelly Cafe gets the best student reviews. The salad bar is a sort of hidden gem on campus, which most students only realize if they have a lot of classes in the building. “Donnelly has the best salad bar on campus,” raves Kelly Stiebler, who thinks a trip to Donnelly is worth it for their selection. “They’re the only place on campus that has a yogurt bar with fruit and cereal,” Stiebler adds.
She is also pleased with the renovations in the Dyson Cafe, which upgraded from a few soups and snacks to a full hot meal section. “It has a complete panini bar and nice breakfast sandwiches,” Stiebler says, elaborating “I went yesterday and there were like six different types of paninis that you could get.”
Dyson also reorganized the checkout line so that it no longer blocks customers from getting their food. In past years, getting in and out had been chaotic, but now the line runs smoothly through the cafe. Mary Robards, an employee at the Dyson Cafe, explains that the back wall was opened up to make room for the register. “I think everyone’s happy,” she says, considering the new menu and layout.
“I don’t know why they don’t have those options in their main services like the dining hall and the Cabaret,” Stiebler says of the extensive menus in Dyson and Donnelly.
Overall, students seem to agree that salad bars are the most sought after dining on campus. “I would like a salad bar in the Marketplace,” says Cassie Carroll, who lives on that side of campus. “I think this would help us make healthier choices and would also bring in a lot more business for them,” she explains.
“I definitely don’t eat like this at home,” says Kyle-Anne Bell, when asked her opinion on Sodexo’s food, “I grew up eating very organic,” she explains. She agrees with Carroll and Stiebler, saying, “I wish they had a salad bar at the cab.”
According to Michael Deluca, Sodexo takes these needs very seriously. A lot of the changes they have already made are based on student feedback and successes at other schools. Since the school year started, Sodexo brought back the waffle bar based on student suggestion. “This is all a result of a collaboration between ourselves, the students at Marist and the Marist community,” Deluca says of the changes thus far.


text:
Stores are paying 2.3 per cent of their turnover on the tariffs compared to the 0.6 per cent paid by internet outlets, according to the Centre for Retail Research.
Its director Joshua Bamfield described the new findings as "scandalous".
He told the Daily Mail: "The way rates are organised is such a burden on high streets that it’s one of the things driving shops out of business."
Both business chiefs and ministers have said business rates need to be reform or we risk the death of the British high street.
These duties determine how much a firm pays to rent a property, meaning those on sought-after high streets cost much more.
House of Fraser is reported to pay around £4.6million for its Oxford Street shop whereas Amazon pays much less for locating factories in cheaper regions.
Chancellor Philip Hammond was last night urged to slap a sales tax on web giants to save the high street as it emerged Amazon’s business rate bill is just £14 million.
New figures revealed the bill for the online titan’s distribution depot network for 2018-2019 is HALF the total faced by House of Fraser this year.
And the web giant is paying as little as £27 per square foot – up to 12 TIMES less than struggling high street chains – despite annual UK sales of £7 billion.
The figures come amid fears that as many as 382,500 high street jobs will go between now and the end of 2022 because of the business rate burden on shops.
Retail tsar Bill Grimsey said the entire business rate model was "broken", telling the Sun: "It’s just broken. I’d get rid of it altogether.
"A 2 per cent sales tax on online companies would raise £9 billion and that would more than cover the retail sector’s business rate bill."
Source: Read Full Article


text:
The Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Calcutta is offering an advanced programme in digital business leadership (APDBL) in online mode via TalentSprint, an edtech platform. The programme aims at helping experienced leaders steer the waves of the digital revolution and succeed in a highly disruptive business environment.
The 12-month intensive programme has been tailored for digital enthusiasts who are aspiring to grow into Chief Digital Officers and Digital CXOs. The classes, to be delivered in a hybrid format, are scheduled to start in April 2022. To apply for selection into the programme, applicants can visit the website the official website, talentsprint.com
The Digital Business Leadership programme by IIM Calcutta has been designed as an executive friendly, high-impact programme that enables business leaders to understand how new age digital technologies and business models are transforming functions, activities, structures, and strategies across industries, claims an official statement from TalentSprint.
According to Professor Manish Thakur, Dean of New Initiatives and External Relations, IIM Calcutta, “The unprecedented growth of the digital economy has unlocked multiple opportunities for those who are willing to transform and forge ahead. As digital disruption continues to reshape businesses, this program will equip current and aspiring business leaders to think strategically and successfully navigate the ongoing wave of digital evolution. We are excited about our association with TalentSprint to introduce this programme, which aims to develop leaders who can champion digital mindsets and digital structures in their organizations.”
Dr Santanu Paul, CEO and MD of TalentSprint said, “It aims to create future-ready leaders who will adapt to the digital ecosystem and go on to helm successful businesses. With its highly distinctive and immersive pedagogy that includes thoughtfully curated curriculum, capstone projects, campus immersions and industry connections, we are confident that the programme will help new age leaders build a digital mindset and drive organizational growth.”
Read all the Latest Education News here


text:
June 23 , 2015
Owners and executives from 10 of 24 companies that received more than $124 million in state grants, tax credits and loans without a formal review by the Walker administration contributed more than $104,000 to Republican Gov. Scott Walker since January 2010.
The state aid to the companies was provided by the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. (WEDC) between July 2011 and June 2013. Walker created the economic development and jobs-creation agency after he was elected governor in 2010. WEDC has been criticized in numerous state audits and media reports since it was created for failing to properly award, document and track millions of dollars in state aid to businesses.
The companies that received the state awards and the total individual contributions from their owners and executives to Walker between January 2010 and December 2014 were:
County Materials Corp., $51,000. This is a Marathon company that produces landscaping materials and received a $750,000 state award in April 2013;
KCS International, $22,175. This is a luxury boat maker in Oconto that received an $820,000 state award in April 2013;
Building Committee Inc., $10,000. This was a Milwaukee construction company that received a $500,000 state loan in September 2011;
Kohl’s Department Stores, $7,718. This Menomonee Falls-based retail chain received $62.5 million in tax credits in July 2012;
Milwaukee Electric Tool, $5,200. This Milwaukee tool maker received a $2 million state award in September 2012;
Baptista’s Bakery, $5,175. This is a Franklin snack foods maker that received a $2.26 million state award in February 2012;
Ruud Lighting, $1,500. This is a Racine lighting products manufacturer that received $4 million in state awards in November 2011;
Plexus Corp., $840. This Neenah electronics manufacturer received a $15 million state award in June 2012;
Spectrum Brands, $400. This Middleton battery maker received a $4 million state award in November 2011;
Blue7 Solutions, $120. This is a Milwaukee technology services company that received $3.75 million in state awards in December 2012.


text:
In February, it looked like Snap Inc. (SNAP 2.97%) had finally turned a corner as a publicly traded company. On the strength of better-than-expected fourth-quarter earnings, shares of the company rocketed past the company's $17 IPO price. Since then, shares of the company have trended down as Wall Street has become bearish on social media companies in light of the recent Facebook scandal.
Industry issues aside, Snap has company-specific concerns that give investors reason to pause. Last quarter, the company reported a free cash flow loss of $197 million, a worse result than the $188 million loss it reported in the year-ago quarter, even though the company grew its top line 72%. Adjusted EBITDA, a heavily watched supplemental metric, is also worsening, even though the company is growing.
Snap has been laying off employees and recently confirmed it was letting go roughly another 100 workers, mostly in the advertising and sales units. This latest round of layoffs may help metrics in the short run. But are they cutting to the bone?
Snap's latest job cuts are concerning
Snap's investors are used to layoffs. Last year the company laid off workers in its hardware division amid a $40 million charge-off related to its Spectacles product. Later, approximately 18 employees were laid off from the recruiting department. In January, it was reported that Snap laid off approximately 20 employees, with cuts affecting the content department. Then there was a cut of 120 emoployee on its engineering team, which occurred after the company's redesign failed to please.
The newest round of layoffs, the company's third in 2018, was recently announced. Snap is cutting 100 jobs in the advertising and sales division. The company has about 3,000 employees, according to S&P Capital IQ. In a filing with the SEC, the company said it expects to save approximately $34 million per year because of these recent layoffs. This latest round of job cuts is particularly worrisome for investors because it's in an area where Snap needs to be investing in.
Snap is the worst house on a decent block
Snap is situated in a growing industry as digital advertising is taking money from television advertising. Last year was the first year since 2009 that marketers spent less money on television than the prior year. The reason was last year's increased spend allocated to digital outlets, and this will likely continue. However, the digital advertising market remains a duopoly with Facebook and Alphabet taking approximately two-thirds of all digital ad spend.
Snap needs strong relationships with brands to break through and become a strong competitor as it lacks the user information and targeting prowess of the two giants. Firing salespeople appears to be a short-term solution to a long-term problem. Snap recently went to automated ad sales, which require less human interaction. However, it's likely that without a strong sales staff, brands are going to stick with Facebook and Alphabet's Google.
In the short run, investors may react favorably to the changes and Snap will continue to be the fastest-growing social media company in both MAUs and revenue on a percentage basis, but it's likely the company cannot cut its way to prosperity. At some point, investors must wonder if Snap is a viable business model on a unit-economics basis.


text:
OTTAWA — The Liberal and Conservative leaders are both in key election battlegrounds today, Justin Trudeau in B.C.’s Lower Mainland and Andrew Scheer in southwestern Ontario.Scheer starts his day just outside Niagara Falls before making stops in Cambridge, Kitchener and London, alongside Conservative candidates who are all trying to take ridings back from Liberals who won in previously Tory areas.Trudeau is making an announcement in mid-morning Pacific time, at a company in Burnaby working on cutting-edge battery technology for uses such as electric vehicles.The announcement is in the riding of Burnaby South, which is held now by NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh.Singh is doing some counterprogramming, making an announcement on climate change in Winnipeg and then continuing west to appear in his home district for a town hall by the end of the day.Meanwhile on the East Coast, Green Leader Elizabeth May is making a morning announcement at a post office in Sackville, N.B., before moving on to Halifax. The Canadian Press
$999 See It Aug 31 • Best places to sell your used electronics in 2019 See it Sprint $999 Apple See It reading • Apple says it spent $60 billion on parts from US suppliers in 2018 • See It Boost Mobile Apple says it spent over 10 percent more in 2018 on parts from US suppliers than 2017. Angela Lang/CNET Apple says its continuing to expand its investments in US manufacturing.The smartphone maker spent $60 billion with 9,000 American component suppliers and companies in 2018, the company said in a post Monday. That’s an increase of more than 10 percent from the year before. Apple highlighted several of its US-made components, including touch-sensitive glass for iPhone and iPad models made by Corning in Kentucky, as well as wireless communication hardware made in Colorado, Massachusetts and Oregon. Apple said the total number of jobs it’s created or supported since 2011 has tripled “from almost 600,000 to 2 million across all 50 states.” However, it’s not always easy to be “assembled in the USA.” In 2012, Apple CEO Tim Cook announced the company was moving some Mac production to the US. But when Apple started assembling the $3,000 Mac Pro in Texas, it reportedly ran into problems. Apple struggled to find US suppliers that could make enough screws for the Mac Pro, according to a report Monday from The New York Times. It was one of several problems that delayed sales of the Mac, according to the Times, and Apple ended up ordering screws from China. When reached for comment, an Apple spokeswoman pointed back to the company’s Monday post. Apple iPhone XS Best Buy Post a comment Preview • iPhone XS is the new $1,000 iPhone X 0 Mentioned Above Apple iPhone XS (64GB, space gray) Sep 1 • iPhone 11, Apple Watch 5 and more: The final rumors Aug 31 • Your phone screen is gross. Here’s how to clean it Share your voice CNET may get a commission from retail offers. Apple See All Review • iPhone XS review, updated: A few luxury upgrades over the XR Aug 31 • iPhone XR vs. iPhone 8 Plus: Which iPhone should you buy? $999 Tags Mobile Tech Industry Phones $999
P K Goyal, Director Finance, Indian Oil Corporation Limited flagged off the IndianOil sponsored Spirit of Freedom Motorbike Expedition of Pathfinders to Ladakh on Monday. T.S. Khwaja, General Manager Incharge, Delhi State Office, Indian Oil was also present on the occasion.As part of their motto, ‘Adventure for Social Outreach’, Pathfinders would donate laptops, stationery, sports gear, solar lamps and generators to government schools in its route along borders with Pakistan and China. Also Read – ‘Playing Jojo was emotionally exhausting’P K Goyal lauded the efforts of the Pathfinders in embarking on an expedition which promises to make a difference to the people living in remote Himalayan region. One of the notable clutch of schools is in Turtuk, the northernmost village in the country that was liberated from Pakistan in 1971. Another school worth mentioning is at Sato in Durbuk block run for children of nomadic tribes. Goyal handed over the items for the schools to bikers before flagging off the expedition in the presence of IndianOil GM In-Charge, Delhi and Haryana State Office, Talib S Khwaja. Also Read – Leslie doing new comedy special with NetflixThis year the expedition would visit Turtuk Village in Nurba Valley and Trishul village in Leh along with other locations. A troop of seven bikes with eleven members would roughly cover 3600 Kms in a span of 15 days. The aim of this expedition is to spread awareness about environment degradation in the Himayalas among the school children in the remote villages of Ladakh as well as to reach out to the underprivileged in these inaccessible and hilly areas. IndianOil has a long tradition of intense commitment towards sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility. The various CSR initiatives supported by IndianOil are all aimed to benefit the community and to fulfill the social responsibility.


text:
Apple’s smartphones have gained notoriety in recent years when it comes to data security, and the company refuses to unblock phones confiscated by the FBI. It seems that the iOS security system is largely impenetrable by traditional methods, especially on 64-bit processor devices. But if you have the “keys” of the system, the process can easily be done. At least this is what the company of a former Apple engineer can unlock for any iPhone on the market, including the new iPhone X with the GrayKey software.GrayKey iPhone unlocker serious security concerns.
A group of security specialists who worked for the US government together with a former Apple engineer founded Grayshift, which sells the GreyKey solution. This is a turnkey method for unlocking most of the iPhone, iPad, and iPod models on the market. The list of features includes unlocking deactivated phones, breaking 4, 6 or more passwords, full file system copying, and compatibility with the latest iOS versions
GrayKey exists in two variants. A web version that can be used to unlock 300 devices at a unique $ 15,000 per year price, and an offline version that can be used for unlimited unlocking at $ 30,000 a year. The price suggests that this solution is not dedicated to ordinary users but rather to US agencies who could use GreyKey in investigations
The iPhone models supported by GreyKey are iPhone 5S, iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone SE, iPhone 6S, iPhone 6S Plus, iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus, iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus and iPhone X, with iPhone 5 and 5C will come soon. iOS 11 and iOS 10 are currently compatible software versions, while iOS 9 support will come soon. Air iPad tablets to date are also vulnerable as well as iPod Touch 5 and 6.
This method of breaking Apple’s security system is not the first to emerge in the last few weeks. An Israeli company named Celebrite, who came to public attention a few years ago to offer unlocking services for an iPhone 5 for US services, has recently launched a similar solution.
Surely, Apple will try to identify and cover the vulnerability of its software, and all the affected phones are still on the list of devices with active software support, so an update like the next iOS 11.3 could stop GrayKey completely. It remains to wait for Apple’s reaction and its official position on the legality of these tools


text:
June 6, 2011
June 2, 2011
May 31, 2011
Are major chains diminishing the quality of 2D presentations by leaving 3D lenses on their projectors?
The online publication CinemaSpy, along with a considerable number of other online sources, is reporting that a number of major cinema chains are allowing inferior 2D presentations to occur regularly by not removing the 3D lenses from their projectors. Leaving the 3D lenses on the Sony digital projectors used by many of major exhibitors results in considerably dimmer image. When asked for comment, the chain spokepeople appear to offer ambiguous replies. The story that appeared in CinemaSpy can be read here and another story on the topic can be read at CinemaBlend.
May 4, 2011
NEW YORK, NY — The range of presentations being made available to digitally-equipped movie theaters in rapidly increasing. In addition to well-established offerings such the Metropolitan Opera Live in HD series and rock concert events, the options now include Broadway shows. The currently running Broadway musical “Memphis” will showing soon in about six hundred theaters as will “The Importance of Being Earnest” with undoubtedly more shows to follow. There is more in this story from Reuters.
In addition, more opera and ballet presentations are being made available by companies such as Emerging Pictures, which announced its offerings for 2011-12 here.
Another reflection of this trend is evident in the emergence of a new theater operator which calls itself Digiplex Destinations, which has acquired two theaters and intends on further expansion. Perhaps the day is coming when we shall no longer go to the movies, the cinema, or to a theater, but to a DEC – digital entertainment center. There is a story about Digiplex here.
April 25, 2011
LOS ANGELES, CA — The U.S. theater chain best known for showing independent and art house films is being – tentatively – put on the auction block. According to co-owner, Mark Cuban, the move is intended to determine how much the marketplace actually values the operation, and if the offers undervalue the the chain’s worth, the offer to sell will be withdrawn.
There is more in the Hollywood Reporter.
April 12, 2011
COAUTHOR: Ing. Ivana Hudakova, PhD., Department of Management, University of Economics in Bratislava
The Swedish venture capital company Ratos AB announced it has acquired 100 per cent of the shares of the film distribution and cinema company Finnkino Oy from the Finish media group Sanoma. For experts the transaction does not come as a big surprise. Sanoma tries to focus its activities on consumer and business-to-business media and Finnkino did not fit very well to this strategy.
Finnkino, established in 1986, has three business areas: cinema exhibition, theatrical distribution and DVD distribution and is active in Finland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. Finnkino’s cinema operations use the brand FINNKINO in Finland and FORUM CINEMAS in the Baltic countries. Their common logo is a simple letter “f”. The biggest Finnkino theater is Tennispalatsi Helsinki with 14 screens and 2,696 seats. The company also operates the oldest Finnish movie theater MAXIM Cinema.
Despite the recession, ticket sales reached record numbers in 2010. Online ticketing especially has really risen recently and will probably grow even more.
Online booking is a predominant trend for acquiring movie tickets in the US and Europe. As stated by the new market research report, United States and Europe account for a major share of the global Online movie ticketing services market. While online sales for movie tickets are increasing, they are yet pretty minimal in comparison to the standard walk-up box office, so online market has plenty of room for growth in the next five years, and much of that growth will come from beyond the developed nations where the number of home PC penetration, Internet cafes, and Internet usage are all on the rise.
Read more in the San Francisco Chronicle.
April 1, 2011
The Spanish Ministry of Culture published lately the cinema and exhibition statistics for the last year.
The number of cinema sites grew with nine new theaters to 860. The actual screen number is 4 080 (two screens less over December 31, 2009). The statistics neither included the number of digital screens nor 3D-capable screens in the country. According to Media Salles, a project operating within the European Union’s MEDIA Programme, Spain had 750 digital screens at the end of 2010, almost tripling the 2009’s count, but still less than one fifth of all the screens.
Every major movie market reports some specific statistics. Among those from Spain are the highest grossing screens of the country, but without concrete revenue numbers. The king of this indicator is the auditorium number 25 in the world largest theatre Kinepolis Madrid. In the top 10 Kinepolis has three more screens with screen #6 in Madrid at the eight position and screens #23 and #24, both in Valencia, at the ninth and tenth position. The second highest grossing screen in Spain is the winner for last four years, an IMAX screen located in Barcelona. A little surprise is on the fifth position, a screen located on the holiday island Tenerife (Yelmo Meridiano, screen #1).
March 29, 2011
BEIJING, CHINA — The IMAX Corporation, in partnership with China’s Wanda Theatres, will be a major part of China’s cinema building boom having announced that it intends to build seventy-five IMAX screens at multiplexes owned by Wanda. IMAX had earlier announced plans to add fifteen screens in South Korea.
“China has set its cultural industries as pillar industries,” said Wang Jianlin, chairman of the Wanda Group, the real estate giant that owns the cinema chain. China’s centrally planned economy now spends only about 3 percent of its GDP on cultural development, less than half the world average, Wang said: “The agreement with IMAX will help China achieve its 12th five-year plan.”
The full story is in the Hollywood Reporter.
March 28, 2011
SAN FRANCISCO, CA — Dolby Labs will soon be rolling out newer, lighter 3D glassses for use with its 3D projection system. In addition to being lighter in weight, the lenses will last longer after repeated cleanings.
The full story appeared at Ubergizmo.com.


text:
Towards the end of last month, satellite provider Dish joined with Viacom in announcing the finalization of a multiyear carriage deal. The agreement means Dish will continue to carry Viacom’s Television network bundle, and that there will not be a blackout like the provider threatened. Instead, the company’s 14 million subscribers will be able to watch the 18 channels from the Viacom station, including MTV, Nickelodeon, and Comedy Central.
Also, some more content from Viacom will be added to the Sling TV service, which is famous for offering an appealing alternative through its ‘slim’ programming packages. Pricing of Sling TV starts at $20 per month, and you can add specific genre programming packages to that for additional monthly fees. The terms of the deal have not been let out yet.
The agreement is a good thing for Viacom, which has been reeling at business for the past few months. Reports from the company mention weak earnings and management issues, and the threat of a blackout from Dish looked enough to decide the company’s fate. Apparently, it has been. Investors have been reassured by the news of an agreement between the two parties. This has a lot to do with the fact that over 80 percent of Viacom’s distribution is invested in long-term deals. The company said these deals would drive growth in the affiliate department.
With money brought in from cable, satellite and other digital distributors, it hopes to achieve “solid mid-single-digit” rates next year. In February, the company incited anxiety among investors by lowering projections of affiliate revenue to the “low mid-single-digit range” for the 2016 fiscal year, after having said this would be in the high single digits.
Dish CEO, Charles W. Ergen, made a statement that the deal would mean a 20-year relationship between companies, saying, “We appreciate Viacom’s willingness to continue with us on our journey as we work to deliver the best, most innovative television services available.” Dish meanwhile, is expanding service to include unlikely components such as mobile phone repair.


text:
OB1, the company behind the Bitcoin-powered digital marketplace OpenBazaar, announced today the completion of a $3,000,000 funding round that saw participation from Union Square Ventures (USV), Andreessen Horowitz and BlueYard Capital.
This new round of funding brings the total invested in OB1 to $4 million. In April of 2015, $1 million was injected into OB1 from USV, Horowitz and angel investor William Mougayar, to get OpenBazaar up and running.
OpenBazaar essentially allows eBay-style online commerce without the need for a corporate intermediary.
The press release states:
“By removing the intermediaries for commerce online, OpenBazaar enables its users to avoid paying fees or having their trade controlled by middlemen. OpenBazaar has been used by tens of thousands of people internationally since its launch in April of this year.”The project is open-source and the new funding will be used by OB1 to expand the functionality of platform and to roll out the new OpenBazaar 2.0, which will use the InterPlanetary File System (IPFS) for storing and maintaining listings.
OpenBazaar’s success over the past year was sufficient to prompt further investment from USV, “The reach and diversity of OpenBazaar usage shows the potential for decentralized applications: within a week of its release, buyers and sellers from 129 countries joined the network and began transacting with each other for free,” explained Brad Burnham, managing partner at USV.
The Berlin-based BlueYard Capital is also a firm supporter of the decentralization movement and backed OB1 to help bring the OpenBazaar platform into the mainstream, “If OB1 can develop OpenBazaar into a marketplace that is suitable for mainstream adoption and provide a substantially better business proposition to merchants and buyers, it could become a superior trade platform for large global markets,” states BlueYard Capital.
While the recently-formed, $120-million BlueYard Capital fund has only just started to back bitcoin startups, USV & Andreessen Horowitz have been pouring millions into the digital currency space over the last two years. More recently, Union Square Ventures and Andreessen Horowitz placed $10 million into cryptocurrency-focused hedge fund Polychain Capital.


text:
LOS ANGELES – April 1, 2017 – Debbies Book, Inc. today announced the all-new Debbies Book campaign ‘Left in the Dust’, bringing a revolutionary experience to those with non-dominant right hands. The campaign includes an updated printed book experience which will let you choose what hand you hold the book in as well as which […]
Just last Thursday Dec. 11, 2014 Philip and Laura’s separate classes of students came to the valley prop houses for a tour. Afterwards there was an hour demonstration by yours truly on the in and outs of prop houses as well as a breakdown of some of the tools available on our app! The students […]
Well, as I’ve said it a million times: THE DEBBIESBOOK APP IS HERE (on Android and iPhone of course)! Many users asked for voice navigated turn by turn directions (as opposed to the list of directions previously). Well now that is available so if you haven’t updated your app in the last few months go […]
Ever since the release of the iPhone app there has been a growing chant for an Android version. After a lot of hard work it’s here! Of course, before you ask, yes it’s free. Making a user account is easier than ever (brought it down to the very basic questions) and then you are good […]
Hazaa! Fireworks are shooting off, sparkling wine bottles are popping, and a new year has begun. Now let’s see how long my resolution to avoid brownies will last. A lot of changes are planned for this year. This includes the new 26th Edition of Debbies Book, free editions of our digital books, and the release […]
I’ve been receiving emails, Facebook messages, and phone calls since the release of the Debbies Book iPhone App, “When is it coming to the Android?” I’ve always said it was on the list, and now that list has gotten one item shorter. Users will still have the same flexible browsing everyone has come to appreciate […]
It’s here! The App for the iPhone is available in the iTunes store: • The same improved search options of our latest website release • Get instant directions to the companies you find • Call companies directly from the App Download it now, our database is updated daily.


text:
The awards recognise the achievements of family businesses across the UK and the contribution they make to the country’s economy.
The Entertainer has also recently been named as Zolfo Cooper ‘Growth Retailer of the Year’ for 2014 and has been crowned as ‘Best Online Retailer’ at the toy industry awards for the last two years running. The retailer’s success comes after it announced record-breaking results and plans for major expansion earlier this year.
In March The Entertainer reported its fifth year of top-line growth with profits increasing by 16% to £5.96m in its 2013/14 financial year. With 89 stores across the UK, The Entertainer attributed the performance to strong like-for-like sales, careful cost control and a drive for efficiency.
Last year, The Entertainer made its overseas debut by launching its first store in Dubai in partnership with franchisee Al Owais.
If you would like to receive our daily newsflash email, please enter your email address in the “sign-up” box at the top of the page; you can also follow us on Twitter and Facebook and request a print subscription here.


text:
A new 1-ounce .999 fine silver dollar from Fiji offers an artistic option for silver stackers and collectors alike: the 2017 coin from the Scottsdale Mint showcases the artwork of ukiyo-e artist Katsushika Hokusai with his most famous piece, The Great Wave off Kanagawa.
Osborne Coinage Co. in Cincinnati has released the first two 1-ounce and 5-ounce silver rounds in its planned 12-piece Angels and Demons Steampunk Coin Collection. The .999 fine silver rounds are produced in two finishes — Proof and Antique. The firm also refers to its Antique finish as Vintage. Osborne is producing each version in a limited mintage.
Mock-up renderings of the mandated designs for the 2017 American Eagle $25 palladium bullion coin were reviewed March 16 by the Commission of Fine Arts.
Why the sudden spike in demand for rhodium? Well, look no further than China. Last year, Chinese consumers spent more money on automobiles, at that market's fastest pace in three years.
A modern silver bullion coin just released harkens back to ancient coin art. The New Zealand Mint, in conjunction with A-Mark Precious Metals and the issuing nation of Niue, now offers the Athenian Owl Tetradrachm $2 bullion coin.
The first two weeks of March have not been kind to gold and silver spot prices. A major announcement from Federal Reserve Chairman Janet Yellen might have something to do with it.
The Red Dragon of Wales is the third subject in the Royal Mint’s Queen’s Beasts silver and gold bullion program. The quarter- and 1-ounce .9999 fine gold coins and 2-ounce .9999 fine silver coin will be available to purchase directly from the Royal Mint in mid-March.
India’s efforts to reclaim gold through recycling and thereby reduce the nation’s reliance on imports of the precious metal are falling short of expectations. Government experts speculate that over the 16 months since a recycling program was implemented, approximately 7 tons in gold from among a believed potential of 24,000 tons have been turned in, according to...
Developmental strikes for a palladium American Eagle bullion coin have been struck at the Philadelphia Mint using dies based on artwork that is similar in design to the planned production artwork mandated in the enabling legislation. U.S. Mint officials said March 8 that images illustrating the developmental strikes are not available for public release.
The Canadian Yukon is experiencing a resurgence in gold mining as precious metals producers hunt for lucrative veins in the region that spawned a massive gold rush more than a century ago. The world’s No. 2 gold producer, Newmont Mining Corp., based in Greenwood Village, Colo., is the latest concern to heavily invest in mining operations in the area.


text:
June 27, 2011
Nissan Unveils Power 88 Plan
June 27 -Yokohama- Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn unveiled Nissan Power 88 on Monday, the automaker’s new mid-term plan that aims to raise profit margins and worldwide market share to 8 percent by fiscal 2016.
To hit targets, Nissan's president says the company will add a new vehicle model about every six weeks, more than triple deliveries of Infiniti cars, with surging sales in emerging markets supporting expansion.
China, the world’s biggest car market, will likely lead the way with Nissan pledging to raise its current 6.2 percent market share to 10 percent, while in Brazil more than quadrupling share.
"This is the first time Nissan is starting a plan on the offensive instead of reconstructing something or defending something." Ghosn said. "It's the first time. That's why we feel very good."
Nissan introduced its battery-powered LEAF compact last year, and the plan targets 1.5 million EV sales with partner Renault by 2016.
"Electric cars demonstrate that what is good for the public and what is good for the planet is also good business," Ghosn said.
With an eye on the bottom line, Nissan also aims to trim costs by 5 percent a year, while garnering about 10 percent of the global market for premium vehicles by the time Nissan Power 88 powers down in fiscal 2016.


text:
Rocco Forte hotels group in loan talks after Verdura resort struggle
Hotelier Sir Rocco Forte is holding crunch talks with a key lender after his upmarket golf and spa resort in Sicily breached loan agreements with its bank.
Trading has been tough at the Verdura resort, which was forced to close temporarily shortly after opening in 2009 due to a lack of bookings.
In accounts filed at Companies House, Rocco Forte & Family warned: ‘Financial progress with the subsidiary has been slower than required to meet all the conditions of its existing facilities.
‘As a result, the long-term financing arrangements relating to Mediterranea [Verdura] are currently being renegotiated with Unicredit.’
While the £100m loan to this subsidiary is separate from the £200m Forte borrowed from Lloyds-owned Bank of Scotland for his 12 other upmarket properties, there was a worrying twist.
The accounts state that if a deal cannot be struck with Unicredit this could trigger a clause within the Bank of Scotland loans in which it could call in repayment of the £200m.
But Forte said discussions with Unicredit were going well and that he was also in talks with an unnamed third party who could take a strategic stake in Verdura.
Sir Rocco said: ‘In an annual report you have to paint an Armageddon scenario that just is not going to happen. I am completely relaxed that we can resolve the situation in a number of ways and that it is not going to be a problem at all.’
The privately-owned chain of 13 luxury hotels saw progress in trading over the year to April 30, 2011.
It said a move to online marketing and an improvement in the economy helped shrink the pre-tax loss to £9.6m from £24.9m.
Sales increased to £148.6m from £130m and managing director Richard Power said over the past 10 months to February revenues were up 6 per cent and profit 13 per cent.
Most watched Money videos
- Rolls-Royce release new £250,000 limo called Ghost
- Tesla's Autopilot discourages drivers for engaging when driving
- Porsche has given the iconic Panamera a mid-life refresh
- Morrisons CEO reveals opportunities given to those out of work
- Blue Whale manager: Facebook is good value but not Tesla
- Maserati's back! Italian brand releases first supercar for 15 years
- New £250,000 Ghost 'most technically advanced' Rolls-Royce ever
- VW launches clever new 'Caddy California' compact campervan
- The Shelby SuperCar Tuatara is the world's fastest road car
- Experts urge Government not to go ahead with hands-free driving
- Mercedes-Benz shows how hands-free Drive Pilot system works
- Renault reinvent The Lollipop Man to test for air pollution


text:
The government should have the option of banning convicted felons from running recreational cannabis businesses or transporting cannabis, according to the Cannabis Control Board, which on Wednesday continued discussing the proposed rules and regulations for the new industry.
As currently written, the rules and regulations state the government “may” revoke the government-issued cannabis I.D. card from “responsible individuals” and transporters who have been found guilty of a felony or a crime of moral turpitude.
Board member William Parkinson on Wednesday proposed removing that section from the rules and regulations to make it clear that felons shouldn't be prohibited from participating in the industry.
“Why should a felony bar people from entering the industry?” Parkinson said. “There are a lot of people who probably have felonies from trying to deal cannabis. ... This could be a second-chance industry for a lot of people.”
The board narrowly defeated Parkinson’s motion, voting 4-3 against it. Those who opposed the change stated the rules and regulations don’t entirely prohibit felons from participating in the industry, but give the government the option of banning participation on a case-by-case basis.
Board members said they will define crimes of “moral turpitude” during later discussions.
The board is working to create a final version of the rules and regulations for the recreational cannabis industry, incorporating the information and feedback it received during several public hearings in November.
Recreational cannabis has been legal on Guam since April 2019, and adults 21 years and older can legally consume it in private, possess it in public and grow it at home — with limits on the number of plants that can be grown at the same time. But selling it or trading it for anything of value remains illegal until the rules and regulations are in place and until the government’s seed-to-sale tracking system is operating.
Board Chairwoman Vanessa Williams shared information she received from the government’s banking insurance board, on the issue of whether the cannabis industry will be allowed to use local banks to conduct business.
According to Williams, the banking board stated it depends in large part on the final rules and regulations and the ability of the government to provide banks with information about the cannabis businesses.
Williams said each bank will decide, on its own, whether to have cannabis businesses as customers, after determining their risk based on local and federal law.
The board decided to meet again 1 p.m. Feb. 10 to continue discussing the rules and regulations.
This article originally appeared on Pacific Daily News: Cannabis board discusses banning felons from running pot industry


text:
Sample page only
"Jenny McCarthy is on a mission to create clean makeup! The 50-year-old just released the Elevate Mascara from her Formless Beauty line last week."
WWD- Women's Wear Daily
"EXCLUSIVE: Jenny McCarthy Talks Quirky Costumes on ‘The Masked Singer’ and New Mascara That Prevents ‘Spider Eye Lashes’"
"Jenny McCarthy’s Formless Beauty Brand Launches First Eyeshadow Palette 'For Everyday — and Glam!' (Exclusive)"


text:
Google introduced the Google Pixel 6a a few months ago in May at the Google I/O conference. However, the device was slow to make its first sales. Its availability has also been extended to a bunch of markets recently. Shortly after the first sales, Google rolled out the first software update for the smartphone. This is common behavior for some companies, continuous updates as soon as shipping begins. After all, these devices are sent to stores without ironed software. The Pixel 6a is no exception and is get under the hood upgrades with the update. A curious fact is that the security patch dates back to June 2022.
Google Pixel 6a gets June 2022 security patch as we enter August
It’s really intriguing to see some Samsung smartphones receiving the August 2022 patch, while Pixel 6a remains stuck in June 2022. Google could have at least triggered the July 2022 security patch, because it’s still July. However, he decided to deploy a super outdated security patch. Of course, we shouldn’t get too upset with that. After all, the company can easily roll out a small update patch with new security patches in the coming weeks. The company may even skip July 2022 altogether and roll out the August patch to Google Pixel 6a in a few days.
The software update is rolling out in batches for the global, Japanese, and US variants of the Pixel 6a. US variants include AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon versions. Of course, it will also depend on the operators to continue and advance the Google update patch. Some users will be prompted to update shortly after the initial setup. Those who did not receive the update notification on the Google Pixel 6a can check manually by going to the Settings >> System >> System update menu of the smartphone.
The Google Pixel 6a is a cost-effective way to enter the Pixel world. The Google Pixel 6a brings the same Tensor chipset but cuts a few corners in other departments such as the camera. However, the variant is welcomed.
Will this update fix random fingerprint behavior on Google Pixel 6a series? Time will tell us.


text:
Google unbundled the YouTube app from Android, releasing the newest version of the app today, version 2.1. With the app now unbundled, it should mean more frequent updates as it will no long require you to wait to update your Android OS to get the latest version.
The app will only work on Android 2.2 and above and is available now in the Android Market, and will come pre-installed on the Nexus S (the first Android 2.3 phone).
The new app is completely redone “from the ground up” as Google puts it, and has quite a bit of new features including in-page playback that allows you to watch videos on you mobile while browsing related videos, rating videos, and even post comments. YouTube has also simplified how video/channel subscriptions are updated, and subscriptions can now be viewed on the app’s homepage. Also, the new app now offers one other great feature: the ability to make a video full-screen on your phone just by rotating your handset, as well as new on-video controls while in portrait/full-screen mode.


text:
The Securities and Exchange Commission’s Rule 30e-3, adopted earlier this year, allows companies and broker-dealers to send investors investors full copies of shareholder reports via the internet instead of mailing them, thereby cutting costs.
And while the SEC estimates potential cost savings of over $230 million annually on paper, printing and postage, it’s going to be tough for some companies to switch over.
The new rule allows funds to begin using the new delivery option on Jan. 1, 2021, as long as they notify shareholders beginning on Jan. 1, 2019. Fund companies and BDs also have to quickly provide shareholders with a way to opt out of the notice delivery method. Lots of companies and BDs, however, may not be prepared for implementation of the new rule, even if they’re looking to cut the costs of delivering all those reports.
That’s where Broadridge comes in. It’s offering a universal solution to capture and manage shareholder preferences during the two-year notification period in the form of a centralized website to help firms manage delivery preferences. Shareholders can access the site for all funds via the unique identification numbers tied to their accounts.
FundReports will provide shareholders with an easy way to enroll in electronic delivery, thereby saving fund companies the costs of mailing the new notice.
“SEC Rule 30e-3 is a logical next step to reduce costs of paper, printing and postage,” Michael Liberatore, head of Broadridge’s Mutual Funds and Retirement Solutions business, said in a statement.
Liberatore added, “Under the rule, fund companies and broker-dealers are also permitted to include key information from the reports along with the notice. This can make the notice more user-friendly, more informative, and more engaging — thus leading to more e-delivery. Enhancing the notice also provides a better branding experience for funds and brokers. It can be a ‘win win’ for shareholders and the industry alike.”
At 2 p.m. on Wednesday, a Broadridge expert will be among the speakers in a NICSA webinar on key aspects and required action items related to the 30e-3 ruling. Details and registration can be accessed via this link.


text: 14 March 2016 Current Affairs: India has banned the manufacture and sale of more than 300 combination medicines, including two widely used cough syrups, being sold without government approval, a senior health ministry official.The move is aimed at curbing the misuse of such medicines in India, where nearly half the drugs sold in 2014 were so called "fixed dose combinations." Combination drugs are used worldwide to improve patients' compliance, as it is easier to get patients to take one drug rather than several. But inconsistent enforcement of drug laws has led to the proliferation of hundreds of such medicines entering the market based on approval from regulators of individual states, rather than the central government. In 2014, India set up a committee to review more than 6,000 combinations that had entered the market based only on state regulators' approval. Policymakers gave pharmaceutical companies a chance to retroactively prove the safety and efficacy of these drugs by submitting data on their drugs. The committee was tasked with classifying the drugs into rational, irrational, and those that need further studies The banned medicines include the codeine-based cough syrups Phensedyl and Corex, the Times of India said in a report earlier on Saturday, citing unnamed sources. Phensedyl, made by US drugmaker Abbott Laboratories , accounts for about a third of the Indian cough syrup market, and its sales are estimated to make up more than 3 percent of Abbott's $1 billion India revenue. Corex is sold by Pfizer Inc. Reuters reported in December how a powerful antibiotic cocktail being marketed in India by a unit of Abbott and many other local companies did not carry approval from the central government. The combination was not approved for sale in major markets such as the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Japan and Australia. Several medical experts said it did not make sense to prescribe the cocktail for cold symptoms. However, Abbott's former and current medical representatives said the combination was being promoted and administered as a treatment for a wide variety of illnesses, including colds and fevers.


text:
The first quantitative, economic analysis of the Johnson amendment to ban Packer-livestock ownership, done by Sparks Company, concludes it could cost the pork industry more than $7 billion. The study was requested and funded by the National Cattlemen's Beef Association and National Pork Producers Council.
“The Johnson amendment likely would result in immediate and long-term negative impacts for all sectors of the U.S. pork industry, from independent producers to packers,” says William Motes, Sparks senior vice president. “No segment can expect to benefit, and each would likely face significant losses. Losses for pork could be as high as $7.4 billion. Losses for hogs and cattle combined could be as high as $10.9 billion.” He does concede that the U.S. poultry industry, other countries and competing meat exporters could benefit.
The study examined the potential impact of the Johnson amendment– currently in the Senate Farm Bill– at all industry levels. Initial divestiture of related assets would be severe but temporary. "We took the numbers from the industry as it was in 2001," notes Motes, "and made analysts' judgments as to how it would apply to the industries in the future."
For pork, immediate costs could range from $600 million to $1.8 billion, depending on market conditions. Immediate impact would include:
- Increased capital costs across the industry as lenders increase their risk premium. For pork, the range would be $34 million to $133 million.
- The cost of reduced domestic demand for meats would trickle back to producers. For pork, the costs could range from $119 million to $595 million.
- Reduced export demand for meats. For pork, the range would be $188 million to $750 million.
- Transfer and relocation of significant amounts of pork production and packing capacity to Canada and Mexico. For pork, the costs could range from $100 million to $2 billion.
- Reduction of packers' operating efficiency and increased risk could result in pork industry costs of $55 million to $2.16 billion.
“The Sparks study makes it clear that the Johnson amendment would be detrimental to pork producers of every size and type,” says NPPC President Dave Roper. “We believe that given the study's results, the Johnson amendment should be withdrawn in favor of a more deliberate and careful study of the significant issues involved.”
NCBA and NPPC representatives have presented the report to Senate and House Farm Bill conferees, and have a meeting with the Bush Administration this afternoon (March 18).
"Overall, the pork industry would be smaller, with higher costs and smaller markets," notes Motes. "Consumer and export meat demand would fall, there would be lower quality meat products and fewer choices."
In terms of packers, Motes notes that with the decline in efficiencies their margins would drop, and they would pass those costs on to producers. Some packers would leave the business– or the country. They also would reduce their retail and branded product investments. The same goes for export-market efforts.
The study, conducted in late February and early March, is based on reviews of economic statistics, studies and reports; firsthand knowledge; interviews with agricultural lenders, producers, breeders, feeders, packers and other key industry players. Sparks is a broad-based agricultural and commodity market research, analysis and consulting company.
Source: National Pork Producers Council, National Cattlemen's Beef
Association, Sparks Company


text:
HIVE EXCLUSIVE: Launch-Pad Frenzy Nears as Nintendo's GameCube on Nov. 5 and Microsoft's Xbox on Nov. 8 Prepare to Challenge Sony3 Aug, 2001 By: John Gaudiosi
Nintendo has announced it will ship 1.1 million hardware units between the Nov. 5 launch of its next generation GameCube system, which will retail for $199, and year’s end.
Nintendo will ship 500,000 GameCube units for its Sept. 14 Japanese launch with an additional 900,000 units hitting retail shelves by theend of the year. Nintendo plans to ship 4 million GameCube units worldwide by March 2002.
Microsoft c.f.o. John Connors told analysts the company expects to ship 4.5 million to 6 million Xbox hardware units worldwide in the firsteight months. In the United States, Connors reiterated that Xbox will launch Nov. 8 for $299 with 600,000 to 800,000 units and ship between 1 million and 1.5 million hardware units by Christmas. Xbox will ship inJapan after it debuts in the United States, allowing the company to focus its attention on these shores and compete with Nintendo and Sony.
Connors explained that Microsoft’s entry into the console video game market will come at a price, as initial investments in marketing and losses on hardware will eventually pave the way to profitability.
“Both of these projection numbers are doable, assuming the companies don’t run into too many production problems that traditionally occur with the launch of a new gaming console,” says Anton Bruehl, president of the International Development Group, a video game consulting house. “I believe every hardware unit that Nintendo and Microsoft ship this year will be sold.”


text:
Some 10 million Americans are considered “unbanked,” often because they are believed to pose too high a credit risk for a bank to offer them a standard checking account. But the federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau believes many of these people could be brought into the fold if more banks were to offer lower-risk deposit accounts that provided the benefits …
Mortgages, credit reporting and debt collection grievances collectively represented 68 percent of all complaints submitted to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's complaint database in the last month of...
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau reached a $700,000 settlement with a “buy-here, pay-here” dealership earlier this month, part of the CFPB’s ongoing policing of alleged misleading advertising and marketing in auto lending. The CFPB directly regulates financing at buy-here, pay-here dealerships. As the name implies, those dealerships make their own loans, [...]
Critics who warned in 2010 that the odious Dodd-Frank law's Consumer Financial Protection Bureau would become a rogue agency which would become a largely unaccountable behemoth on a mission to create problems where none exist could not...Show More Summary
Now that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s (CFPB) Ability-to-Repay/Qualified Mortgage rule has been effective for two years, technology companies are working to provide tools that enable lenders to verify borrower information. The latest tool is VOE Xpress, a web-based solution developed by ComplianceEase that marries verification of employment, or VOE, and speed...
Since we last reported on the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and its controversial crusade to uncover racial discrimination by car dealers on interest rate markup on automobile loans, the agency has ordered over $100 million in fines and settlements against banks that some have deemed extortion. Show More Summary
The idea of a well-regulated financial system, with governmental oversight, that has some limits on how royally it can screw over the consumer, is just anathema to too many of our elected officials. You expect it from Republicans, but you don't expect it from Democrats. Show More Summary
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is having trouble giving away money. The latest controversy between the consumer watchdog agency and its mostly Republican critics in Congress involves an $80 million settlement Ally Financial Inc. paid, back in late 2013. Ally paid the money, plus a civil penalty of $18 million, to settle [...]
On January 12, 2016, four members of Congress--including Housing Financial Services Committee Ranking Member Maxine Waters--called on the U.S. Department of Justice and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to conduct an inquiry into...Show More Summary
Mitch Strohm Quick. At what age should you start collecting Social Security? It’s not an easy question to answer, right? Fortunately, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau recently put out a calculator that helps you decide. The tool allows you to explore how your claiming age impacts your retirement benefits. Show More Summary
Frederick J. Hanna & Associates, a Georgia-based 'lawsuit mill,' resolved a lawsuit brought against it by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. The CFPB's complaint alleged that the law firm and its three principal partners relied on faulty, questionable evidence and misleading court filings in order to continue operating a lawsuit......
Noted financial services expert Newt Gingrich was given the opportunity by congressional Republicans to testify about the horrors of consumer financial protection earlier this month. Because it's a Republican Congress and it's Newt Gingrich. Show More Summary
"Today, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is so far outside the historic American model of constitutionally limited government and the rule of law that it is the perfect case study of the pathologies that infect our bureaucracies...Show More Summary
When the real estate industry was preparing for TRID -- the new set of disclosure rules outlined by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) -- closing delays were the biggest industry concern. And although the delays have been...Show More Summary
The new TRID rules and forms took effect on October 3, 2015. The TRID rules are a result of the the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) integrated the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA) and Truth in Lending Act (TILA),...Show More Summary
A House hearing called out witness Newt Gingrich for his shady financial dealings seeking to undermine the work of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). Gingrich, who works as a Fox News contributor and Washington Times columnist,...Show More Summary
Although employees of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau overwhelmingly see their jobs as significant and satisfying, nearly half feel that compensation is not based on performance, according to a survey released this week. ...
Reforming the landmark financial regulation package would help protect consumers. So why is Liz Warren standing in its way?
Congress appears to think the U.S. economy has improved so much that it’s time to turn the screws on American households. Convinced that consumers and household borrowers needed more protection from the financial industry in the aftermath...Show More Summary
Lender liability is a hot topic these days, with TILA-RESPA Integrated Disclosure (TRID) in effect since Oct. 3. Although the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has said it will be lenient to those who show they are making a...Show More Summary


text:
Last Thursday at a private residence in East Hampton, a stylish group came together to celebrate all things Tod’s. The town recently welcomed a new Tod’s store on its tony Main Street and a celebration was in order. For the occasion, the Italian brand called upon pianist Chloe Flower to perform—and that she did directly on the beach just as the sun set.
The evening, which was co-hosted by Cristina Cuomo, Carolyn Tate Angel, Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi, Christina Lewis, and Loida Nicholas Lewis brought our guests including Casey Fremont, Charlotte Groeneveld, Lili Buffett, Tinamarie Clark, Jessica Wang, Isolde Brielmaier, Hank Willis Thomas, and Rujeko Hockley.
The fashion and art-heavy group started the night with cocktails and canapes on the oceanfront lawn before taking a seat at a wonderfully dressed table strewn in Tod’s signature orange hue. The highlight of the fete was undoubtedly Flower’s performance—donning a white dress that flowed in the ocean breeze, the musician and her set were positively magical.


text:
Drugs manufactured with 2016 date
|source via - google search, India news, drugs manufactured with the date of 2016 before 2016 arrives|
Only Headlines urge our community to open their eyes before purchasing any product or medicines from the market.
And also raise your voice against it, this is just playing with normal peoples life.
Its a drug which will effect very much to a consumer life if it is consumed. do share people do share its high time now to teach these company a lesson.


text:
The recession isn't doing Nvidia any favors. The firm has announced another quarterly loss: $201.3 million on revenue of $664.2 million for its first fiscal quarter, which ended on April 26.
Nvidia tinges the announcement with a note of positivity, saying revenue has grown 38% compared to its previous fiscal quarter. Of course, $664.2 million is still a far cry from the $1.2 billion it posted a year ago—Nvidia's "best first quarter ever." (A year before that, the firm posted a not-quite-as-impressive $844.3 million in sales.)
Net losses have also grown sequentially, from $147.7 million two quarters ago to $201.3 million last quarter, a 36% increase. There's more to that than meets the eye, however. Nvidia says it wrote off a one-time $140.2 million charge related to "a previously announced cash tender offer to purchase employee stock options." Non-GAAP net losses not including that charge are a somewhat scanter $46.7 million.
Nvidia CEO Jen-Hsun Huang wraps up the announcement by commenting, "We made good progress managing expenses and significantly reducing inventory, while continuing to invest in our growth strategies."
|Gigabyte has two A320 boards for bread-and-butter Ryzen builds||7|
|MSI GTX 1080 Ti Armor 11G is the first custom card on e-tail shelves||5|
|Google points deep-learning machines at audio effect subtitles||4|
|Throw a Quadro card on Gigabyte's Z270X-Designare||10|
|Deals of the week: an RX 480 4GB for $150 and more||20|
|Dell UltraSharp 32 8K embarrasses 4K monitors||52|
|EVGA readies a Hybrid Waterblock for Nvidia GP102 cards||6|
|Elgato Stream Deck lets streamers play news desk||7|
|Puppy Day Shortbread||27|
|I need this because of reasons.||+41|


text:
Along with hiking, canoeing, sailing, swimming and whitewater rafting, summer visitors take advantage of the area to paint, write, take photographs and decompress.
Trading was halted on Thursday at the company’s request due to allegations in a short-selling report.
Mastercard released its 2018 Rewards Panel Consumer Survey on shoppers’ loyalty and point redemption preferences.
The credits are part of a partnership with Empire State Development that will see Away create 249 new jobs over a five-year period.
Susan Easton of From the Road talks to WWD about threatened cultures and the preservation of ancient textile techniques.
XpresSpa opened its first off-airport spa location at the Oculus in the Westfield World Trade Center.
Having crossed the country on a skateboard, 26-year-old Calleigh Little is gearing up for the 24 Hour Homestead-Miami Ultraskate followed by a ride from the northern end of Florida to its southern end.
Tulum’s newest hotel targets guests looking to connect and interact.
On Aug. 21 the country will experience its first coast-to-coast total solar eclipse in 99 years.
The Tumi Global Locator helps consumers keep track of any luggage and travel bags.


text:
Sundance returns amid uncertain deal climate
Sundance Film Festival returns to Park City for its first in-person festival in three years, yet buyers and sellers are wading through an uncertain market amid recession fears.
Why it matters: Sundance is a dealmaking frenzy for the independent film industry and in recent years had become a key building block for streaming services to fill their libraries.
- It was also a way for streamers such as Netflix, Amazon and Apple to buy their way into awards contention with films like "Manchester by the Sea," which won two Oscars in 2017 after it was picked up by Amazon, and "CODA," Apple's reigning Best Picture winner.
The big picture: A shaky economy, a hazy outlook for streaming, and the recent struggles of Oscar-contending films at the box office are looming over the event.
- Oscar favorites like "Tár," "The Banshees of Inisherin" and Steven Spielberg's semi-autobiographical "The Fabelmans," have massively underperformed at the box office.
- "While there's absolutely a lot of troubling signs in the business, I also think there was a lot of innovation going on," Kent Sanderson, president of acquisitions and ancillary distribution at Bleecker Street, tells Axios.
Flashback: Sundance used to be known for all-night bidding wars between streamers, traditional distributors and major studios hoping to land the next Oscar favorite or surprise box office hit.
- "Everyone is a very educated buyer right now," says Erik Feig, founder and CEO of PictureStart, a film production and financing company. "They're a sober buyer. They're not a crazy drunken sailor."
- Last year, Apple bought "CODA" during the virtual Sundance in 2021 for $25 million, a record acquisition for the event.


text:
THE Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has declared local Lucky Me! products safe for consumption.
The FDA decision followed recent findings by an FDA-accredited international independent laboratory that Lucky Me! passed the standards for ethylene oxide (EtO).
“This result is consistent with our position that our products are and have always been safe. We are committed to being a source of high-quality food products and will remain so,” Monde Nissin Corporation said in a statement.
Monde Nissin also passed several rigid inspections by FDA teams sent to find out if EtO was present in the local Lucky Me! plants.
“We fully cooperated with the FDA in this effort at establishing food safety and were declared totally compliant with all the rules and requirements needed for the production of Lucky Me!,” it added.


text:
Lib Dems support tax breaks for games
As the election battle in the UK gears up for its final week, the Liberal Democrats have voiced their support for tax breaks for UK-based games developers.
As well as giving tax breaks their full support for the idea they also promised to implement the system as swiftly as possible once a system has been outlined.
Lib Dem Shadow Secretary for Culture, Media and Sport said: "Liberal Democrats support the introduction of a Games Tax Relief. Following consultation on the details, we would implement the Relief as soon as possible."
Dr Richard Wilson, CEO of TIGA, the independent games industry's representative body in the UK commented: "TIGA welcomes the Liberal Democrats commitment to support Games Tax Relief and to enact this tax measure as quickly as possible. There is a growing cross party consensus that Games Tax Relief is good for the UK development sector, good for the UK games industry, and good for the UK economy."
- Thomas Was Alone gets a release date for PS4 and Wii U
- New Warframe update adds space-flight to the gameplay with Archwing mode
- New poll indicates that people believe online gaming is “the least welcoming space” for women
- CD Projekt RED releases The Trail, the opening cinematic from The Witcher 3
- New Project CARS trailer pulls up to the starting grid
- Far Cry 4 dev says linear games will suffer in the new world of gameplay video sharing
- Almost 1,100 developers, students and journalists sign the new #gamediversity petition embracing diversity in games
- Felicia Day breaks her silence about #Gamergate, is almost immediately doxxed
- Ubisoft announces PC specs for Assassin's Creed: Unity and they're killer


text:
One of the biggest goods exported in the year 2019 was Canada, which is also marked as the US third-largest supplier of goods. The total estimated goods and services that came from Canada totaled $718.4 billion according to government figures.
And 70% of that trade is moved by using trucks.
Now, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is mandating to require COVID-19 vaccines for international truckers despite increasing pressure from critics who say it will exacerbate driver shortages and drive up the price of goods imported from the United States.
The mandate is the first policy measure taken since the pandemic began that could limit cross-border trucking traffic. Trucks crossed the border freely when the border was closed for 20 months because they were considered essential to keep supply chains flowing.
“We don’t anticipate significant disruptions or shortages for Canadians,” the source said.
Watch it here: WKBW TV/Youtube
Trudeau has championed a strict inoculation policy for civil servants and federally regulated workers, and the fast-spreading Omicron variant of the coronavirus appears to have strengthened his government’s resolve to stick with the policy.
Here’s a notice from the reader Trevor in Australia that you may look forward to:
You may be aware that various states in Australia (e.g. Queensland and Western Australia) have made vaccines mandatory for truck drivers. This has caused a supply chain crisis in Australia as supermarkets and shops are running out of goods. This photo was taken inside our local Coles supermarket today (10 January 2022).
This is what the US has to look forward to when the Biden administration bans truck drivers from going over the Canadian border.
Let’s Go Brandon!
“Everyone has been talking about inflation. And this is just going to continue to fuel that,” said Steve Bamford, chief executive of Bamford Produce, an importer and exporter of fresh fruit and vegetables based in Ontario.
The pandemic has caused to double the prices of goods coming from California and Arizona, this is due to the driver shortage, Bamford said. Fresh foods are sensitive to freight problems because they expire rapidly.
Supply chain disruptions drove Canada’s headline inflation rate to an 18-year high in November, and the Bank of Canada has signaled that it could hike it as soon as April.
“We’re going to see prices skyrocket for groceries, for everything, if we see tens of thousands of truckers unemployed,” Conservative Party leader Erin O’Toole said on Thursday, adding there could be “reasonable accommodations” like regular testing.