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Someone once said, “An investment in knowledge always pays the best interest.” We at The Salvation Army agree. That’s what makes our back-to-school programs – which provide school supplies, backpacks and new clothes to thousands of low-income children in need each year- so special! There are a lot of investors involved in this annual program- [...]
I once read that volunteers are paid in six figures…S-M-I-L-E-S! That’s the satisfying form of compensation Salvation Army volunteers in Tarrytown, NY received last week from local kids when they spent an afternoon helping them shop for new clothes and school supplies courtesy of the Target School Spree. What’s the only thing that can make [...]
Like any program of The Salvation Army, our annual back-to-school initiatives are made possible by the hard work and generosity of a LOT of hands and hearts. That means anyone who facilitates generous partnerships with companies like Target, sponsors from local community individuals and businesses, Salvation Army employees, and last but definitely not least, the [...]
As much as it always hurt to say goodbye to summer, the beginning of the new school year was always a little exciting. New clothes, new crayons, new friendships! But for some kids, returning to school can be a reminder of what they don’t have.
So once again and with your help, The Salvation Army will be providing disadvantaged kids with the right tools and confidence for success in the classroom through our back-to-school initiatives.
Target’s Helping Santa Out!
The popular retailer and long-time supporter donated a whopping $250,000 in vouchers for the purchase of toys for Salvation Army Christmas programs! The generous donation is a huge help to filling an ever-rising need as well as increased requests for help this Christmas.
It may be the middle of summer, but more than 12,000 students today are actually excited to start school again in the fall!
That’s because Target stores across the country treated them to an amazing Back-to-School-Spree with the help of The Salvation Army this morning. The kids were each given an $80 Target Gift Card to choose their favorite school supplies, clothes, and other necessities for the upcoming academic year.
For some children, this is the first time they’ve ever had brand new school materials. For many, they have a new confidence knowing they don’t have to worry about being picked on or falling behind due to a lack of supplies. For all, the shopping event was a lot of fun!
We want to wish a huge THANKS to our partner Target for their $1 million donation that is supporting the education and development of thousands of Salvation Army youth program participants. Also, to our many volunteer chaperones who helped today, you rock!
Do you know what you’re asking for from Santa this year?
Maybe you haven’t had a chance to think about it, but now’s as good a time as any. Target is in the giving mood, and your holiday wish list can help people in need!
By submitting a Gift of Joy wish list on Target’s Facebook page, you will help them donate up to $50,000 to The Salvation Army. They’re contributing $5 per list, so get your friends and family involved!
Just visit Target on Facebook (www.facebook.com/target) and select the ‘Give Joy’ tab here.
Then pick 5 items from the selection for your Gift of Joy wish list.
Done. It’s that easy.
And as if that weren’t enough, you also get an opportunity to enter into a drawing for a chance to win a Target gift card!
That’s it. No buying, no wrapping, no nothing. Just tell Target what you’re wishing for and someone in need will have their holiday dreams come true, thanks to you.
Click here to Enter the Sweepstakes
Not that some of us out there need any additional incentive to go shopping, but this week Target has a promotion that makes it pretty hard to resist.
For each Target gift card of $20 or more purchased in store from Sunday, Nov. 14 – Saturday, Nov. 20, Target will donate $1 to The Salvation Army (up to $400,000 total).
It’s a good way for you to knock out some holiday shopping and a great way to give back to your local community. Plus, can you imagine the look on Aunt Sue’s face when she finds out her awesome present is also helping serve people in need?
The Salvation Army is thankful for Target’s generosity, and we hope you’ll let them know how much their efforts are appreciated next time you stop in their stores.
Remember, this promotion goes through the 20th, so there’s only 6 days left to help The Salvation Army with doing the most good by shopping the most good !
No child wants to have to think about going back to school after experiencing the freedom of summer vacation, but The Salvation Army is thinking ahead for them. Since some parents from low-income households may be unable to afford necessary back to school items for their children, we have been working all summer long in [...]


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There is clearly a common denominator in the kind of “solutions” that the State comes up with to deal with the problems that it caused (and that’s most problems). Not only are these remedies worse than the disease, but they are always extremely simplistic, reductionist and they never, ever, take into account anything else apart from the political “optics” and the populistic value of each new measure or piece of legislation. There is no consideration about the impact down the line, the price that the population as a whole would have to pay or the ways society itself could be affected.
In recent years, we saw this kind of flagrant irresponsibility and recklessness in the aftermath of the 2008 crisis, when all western governments and their central banks embraced QE and ZIRP & NIRP as a miracle cure, despite the obvious and entirely predictable toxic consequences it had. Same story with the covid crisis and the unprecedented printing and spending wave they unleashed to counter the results of their own lockdown and shutdown policies. And now, to deal with the obvious consequences of all that again, namely inflation and a global cost of living crisis, they are once again resorting to “easy fixes”, to populist tactics that only serve to pacify the public, but in no way actually solve any of the core issues.
We saw the “Inflation Reduction Act” in the US, which was basically a spending package, flooding the economy with even more money. In Europe, governments resorted to adding new subsidies and sending out more checks, just like the covid days, because what else could help rein in higher prices than giving people money to help them push said prices even higher? It might not come as a total surprise, but none of these measures helped – in fact, they made things worse. So now, with prices still pushing countless working households to the brink and paychecks being slashed by grocery bills, rent, and energy costs, a worryingly large part of the population has been forced into borrowing.
In the US, consumer debt passed $17 trillion for the first time in May. As Fortune highlighted: “total credit card debt remained flat in the first quarter, at $986 billion. While that might seem like a good thing, it’s actually a troubling sign of the times. After racking up credit card debt on gifts and get-togethers over the holidays, consumers typically spend the first few months of the new year paying that debt back down. But in 2023, that hasn’t been the case. Other balances, including retail cards and other consumer loans, also increased by $5 billion. Some experts believe this shows that the average person is relying on credit to cover their daily expenses, which have also seen record highs thanks to rampant inflation. The delinquency rate among the number of people who fell 30+ days behind on credit cards payments increased as well. And about 4.57% of credit card debt transitioned to “serious delinquency” last quarter, meaning cardholders were more than 90 days past due. That’s up from 3.04% in the first quarter of 2022.”
As the pressure keeps mounting and as the real economy keeps slowing down, what can possibly be done to support normal households and avert an economic disaster that will very predictably turn into a sociopolitical one? After all, when the State’s own finances are in disarray or when big banks go bust, nothing really happens – the news cycle simply moves on to the next “important story” and eventually people forget about it (even though mere denial doesn’t actually make problems go away). But when a growing number of real working households begin to experience practical difficulties in putting food on the table, it’s a very different story. The anger is quick to spread and politicians know this very well and justifiably fear it.
They obviously cannot adopt any realistically helpful solution at this point. It wouldn’t be politically survivable to cut spending, to fire public sector employees and to cancel unnecessary and wasteful government programs. Raising taxes (even more) would also spell career suicide. What they can do, however, is once again embrace the totally myopic, reckless and delusional way of solving real problems. If the public is carrying too much debt, why not just cancel it?
It might sound ridiculous, but a whole lot of other things sounded ridiculous too right up to the moment they actually came to pass and by now, became the “new normal”. The Biden administration’s student loan forgiveness set a politically expedient, yet very dangerous precedent. Just a few years ago, it would have been unthinkable that any government would force taxpayers to foot the bill for the consequences of the personal choices of a part of the population. It is a morally obscene idea and a direct insult to all those people who chose less privileged or high status jobs and avoided student loans, or saved and sacrificed for years to pay off their student debt. This isn’t just wealth redistribution, it is also personal responsibility redistribution.
Nevertheless, in the extreme situation that most western governments are facing today, extreme measures could very well be the only path forward. The fact that a “remedy” idea is simply ridiculous, plainly destructive and clearly counterproductive is not likely to stand in the way of its implementation – it never did before.
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Debenhams has said it will “give careful consideration” to Mike Ashley’s Sports Direct offer of a £150m loan.
Sports Direct, 61% owned by Mr Ashley, confirmed on Wednesday it had offered a loan to Debenhams as part of a deal which would make him chief executive.
Earlier on Wednesday, Sports Direct complained to the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) accusing the Debenhams board of misleading investors.
Debenhams rejected the complaint as “unfounded and self-serving”.
The department store chain is in the process of arranging additional loans of £150m with lenders.
The alternative deal, proposed by Sports Direct, which applies “on or before 31 March 2019”, includes a £150m loan.
However, in return, Sports Direct wants to be issued with about 5% of new shares and Mike Ashley be made a director and chief executive of Debenhams.
If the deal conditions were approved by shareholders, the £150m loan would be interest-free, Sports Direct said.
But if the conditions were not approved, the loan would bear 3% interest.
The department store chain said any such a loan would require the backing of current lenders and “material amendments” to existing facilities.
It added: “Nevertheless, the board will give careful consideration to the proposal and will engage with Sports Direct and other stakeholders regarding its feasibility in the interests of all parties.”
Sports Direct, a major Debenhams shareholder, is trying to remove all but one of the board members.
Along with fellow major shareholder Landmark Group it has already ousted Debenhams chief executive Sergio Bucher and chairman Sir Ian Cheshire from the board.
Sir Ian stepped down, while Mr Bucher remains in post.
Sports Direct wants to appoint Mr Ashley to run Debenhams.


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GARETH Southgate has backed the involvement of brands such as Coca-Cola and Heineken in the European Championship following the sponsor row that has developed at the tournament.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Italy midfielder Manuel Locatelli both moved bottles of Coca-Cola from view on the podium at post-match press conferences this week, while Paul Pogba removed a bottle of Heineken Zero, despite the fact that it contains no alcohol.
Southgate, in contrast, insisted he has no problem with fast-food and alcohol companies sponsoring events, and pointed out that much of the money they invest is used to improve facilities at grassroots level.
While not mentioning Coke or Heineken by name, the England boss made it clear he has no problem with their products as long as they are enjoyed in moderation.
Meanwhile, UEFA have warned players they could be fined if they follow Ronaldo and Pogba’s lead.
The governing body said in a statement: ‘Partnerships are integral to the delivery of the tournament and to ensuring the development of football across Europe.’
Asked if players should leave the bottles alone, tournament director Martin Kallen said: ‘They are obliged through their federation to follow the tournament regulations.’
On whether this reminder should be treated as a warning that disciplinary action may follow, Kallen added: ‘We have reminded them of their obligations and of course (fining them) is always a possibility.’
Regarding Pogba’s objection, he said: ‘If it’s for a religious reason then they don’t need to have a bottle (next to them).’
Southgate and his captain Harry Kane left the Coca-Cola bottles on display at their pre-match press conference, with the England boss offering a defence of sponsorship agreements.
‘There are lots of sponsors in sport and the impact of their money at all levels helps sport to function,’ said Southgate.
‘Particularly grassroots sport in our country requires a lot of investment and without some of those companies investing then it is very difficult to provide the facilities that we need.
‘Of course we are mindful of health and obesity in our country, but everything can be done in moderation. Anything that you take partake in, as long as it’s in moderation, is rarely a problem.
‘So I understand the concerns that people have and obviously the two guys had different rationale for the two stances they took, but there’s always a bigger picture to these things, I think.’
Kane — who has a sponsorship deal with Coca-Cola and posted an advertisement for them on Twitter earlier this month — also said sponsors should be rewarded with exposure for putting money into the game.
‘I totally agree,’ he said, following on from Southgate’s response.
‘The sponsors are entitled to have what they want if they pay the money to do so.’


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Leading outdoor adventure travel clothing brand, Craghoppers, and England’s most visited attraction outside London, Chester Zoo, are partnering up to fight for the future of threatened lemurs in Madagascar.
Chester Zoo is a global conservation charity delivering 80 projects across the world to prevent extinction. The zoo has been working to protect habitats for endangered lemurs in Madagascar. The team at Craghoppers have now joined the campaign, providing specialist equipment for conservationists in the field, as well as vital financial support.
To celebrate the launch of the partnership – and engage young families in wildlife conservation – Craghoppers and Chester Zoo are delivering a Madagascar Adventure Weekend at the zoo this May Bank Holiday, from Saturday 5 – Monday 7 May.
In a bid to immerse visitors in the wonders of Madagascar, the adventure weekend will offer a busy programme of mini expeditions; little explorer story-telling; gameshows; and adventure play.
Visitors at the zoo will be offered the chance to win their very own expedition kit courtesy of Craghoppers. Additionally, Craghoppers are offering the chance to win a family membership to the zoo on their social media pages this weekend.
Craghoppers will unveil an exclusive clothing range at the zoo as part of the launch weekend, giving visitors the opportunity to purchase the specialist adventure clothing which will be worn by zoo conservationists in the field.
Jim McNamara, Managing Director of Craghoppers, said: “We’re thrilled to be working with Chester Zoo on such a great conservation research project. As the leaders in adventure travel clothing, we understand the importance of encouraging the next generation of explorers to go out into the world and conserve its beauty.”
Rose Gelder, Corporate Giving Specialist at Chester Zoo, said: “Madagascar is an island of great diversity – from rich, lush rainforest to the dry, arid forest and coastal beaches. The African nation is home to a more diverse range of animal species than any other island on Earth.
“But habitat destruction and hunting pressures have seen the population of lemurs fall by more than 80% in the last 21 years.
“This partnership with Craghoppers will make an incredible impact. Not only will it kit out our conservationists in the field and deliver much needed financial support, but it has also inspired a weekend of adventure and learning for all of us right here in Chester.”
All activities as part of the Madagascar Adventure Weekend are free with normal zoo admission. www.chesterzoo.org/tickets


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NEW YORK (MarketWatch) -- Limited Brands Inc.'s quarterly profit fell 15%, and the specialty apparel retailer cut its forecast for February same-store sales, citing bad weather that hurt results at Victoria's Secret.
The company also said its profitability initiatives, such as shutting unproductive stores, expanding Express stores to include both genders, and increasing the size of Victoria's Secret stores, will not bear fruit until 2008.
"It's important to understand that we are not anticipating a positive impact on profitability in 2007 from these initiatives," Chief Financial Officer Martyn Redgrave said on a Thursday analyst call that was Webcast. "We do expect that this activity will begin contributing to profitability in 2008."
The company said the plan includes increasing the square footage of the average Victoria's Secret store by about 50% per store, and in 2007, it plans to open 35 new stores and remodel another 105 stores to the new larger store size. At Bath & Body Works, Limited plans to open roughly 55 new stores in 2007, resulting in square footage increase of about 3%.
Columbus, Ohio-based Limited LTD, +0.84% the parent of Victoria's Secret, Express and Bath & Body Works stores, late Wednesday posted net earnings of $439.8 million, or $1.08 a share, for the period ended Feb. 3, compared with $519.2 million, or $1.28 a share, in the year-ago quarter. The year-ago results included 29 cents a share in favorable one-time items -- 25 cents a share for the resolution of certain tax matters and 4 cents a share related to the recognition of gift card breakage.
Sales rose 13.6% to $4.02 billion in the latest quarter from $3.54 billion last year. Excluding the fourteenth week in the most recent quarter and the gift card breakage adjustment from last year, the sales increase from the comparable thirteen-week period last year was 10%, Limited said.
Analysts, on average, expected it to earn $1.08 a share on revenue of $4.01 billion, according to Thomson Financial.
Shares were down 2.4% at $38.59.
"We have several concerns entering the new year including open management slots in the apparel brands, increased competition in intimate apparel and high inventory levels across the enterprise at fiscal year end," Key Banc analyst Jeffrey Stein wrote in a note to clients.
Same-store sales, or sales at stores open at least one year, rose 8%.
Citing, in part, weather conditions that negatively impacted Valentine's Day sales at Victoria's Secret, and, to a lesser extent, Bath & Body Works, Limited said it expects February same-store sales to rise in the low to mid-single-digit range vs. its prior forecast for a high single-digit rise.
It forecast first-quarter per-share earnings of 25 cents to 28 cents vs. analysts' average 29-cent per-share outlook.
"Unfortunately, the quarter has gotten off to a slower start than we had initially forecasted, due in part to weather conditions that negatively impacted Valentine's Day sales at Victoria's Secret and to a lesser extent Bath & Body Works," Redgrave said on the conference call,
For 2007, Limited said it sees 2007 per-share earnings of $1.75 to $1.90. Analysts are currently looking for $1.90 a share.
The company recently saw a shakeup in its upper management ranks. Last month, Limited named Lori Greenly chief executive of its Victoria's Secret stores, and named Denise Landman as the president of its Pink division within Victoria's Secret.
The moves came on the heels of the departures of the CEO of its Victoria's Secret Direct division, the head of the Limited Stores chain, and the exit of two co-presidents at its casual clothing chain Express.


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About The Wall Street Journal. App
The Wall Street Journal. Features and Description
Stay ahead of the competition with the app as ambitious as you are. Get the trusted information and in-depth analysis you need from The Wall Street Journal, America’s most trusted journal, providing key decision makers around the world with unrivaled reporting since 1889. Download the WSJ app today and get instant access to award-winning Wall Street Journal journalism, including world-class coverage of stock market news and impactful companies – from the Trump administration to Brexit and beyond. Simple and easy to use, the WSJ app gives you the reliable information you need, where and when you need it. Access real-time quotes, the latest latest securities having an impact on business and finance. Plus, explore a wide range of dedicated sections with insightful articles including: Politics, Opinion, World News, Lifestyle, US News, Technology, Economics and more. Key benefits include: (+) Full access to the WSJ, WSJ.com and WSJ app. Magazine – our award-winning lifestyle publication. (+) Multiple ways to read the newspaper, including access to the Wall Street Journal’s global digital editions – US, Europe and Asia. (+) Reliable insight from a world-renowned newspaper, with over 125 years of outstanding reporting and award-winning journalism. (+) Unlimited access to a wide range of dedicated sections of the site including: Business, Markets, Politics, Opinion, World News, US News, Economy, Technology, Lifestyle and more. (+) World-class economic news and coverage of the economy, including real-time quotes, latest on mergers and acquisitions, and much more. (+) Global headlines, real-time news coverage and market quotes, plus in-depth analysis and insightful commentary from The Wall Street Journal. Key features are as follows: (+) News Feed: A real-time news feed, curated by award-winning Wall Street Journal journalists, featuring must-see global news on business, finance, politics and life. economy throughout the day. (+) Ability to print articles directly from your mobile device. (+) Save and share articles to read later. (+) Offline reading, allowing you to stay ambitious wherever you are. (+) Alerts and notifications for the latest news, story development and live updates, including the ability to follow your favorite journalists. Key Features for Apple Watch: (+) Get the latest Breaking news from around the world, instantly available on your watch screen, with the ability to save and play later on your iPhone or iPad. (+) Receive alerts and notifications with the latest news and updates from around the world, from America and Canada to Europe, Asia and more. You can now have the world-renowned and respected journalism of The Wall Street Journal, America’s most trusted newspaper. Available for a subscription for $ 36.99 per month and get unlimited digital access, including full access to WSJ.com, the WSJ app, and the WSJ. Digital edition of the magazine. Your subscription will auto-renew each month and payment will be charged to your iTunes account within 24 hours of the end of the current period. You can turn off auto-renewal by going to your account settings after purchase. No cancellation of your subscription is allowed during the active subscription period. Any unused portion of a free trial or introductory period, if offered, will be forfeited when you purchase a Wall Street Journal subscription, if applicable. By downloading the app, you agree to the Dow Jones Terms of Service, Privacy Notice, and Cookie Notice. Subscription Agreement and Terms of Service: https://www.wsj.com/policy/subscriber-agreement?headerFooter=off Privacy Notice: https://www.dowjones.com/privacy-notice/ Cookie Notice : https: // www.dowjones.com/cookie-notice/ https://www.facebook.com/wsj https://twitter.com/WSJ
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WASHINGTON (Oct. 15)
Secretary of Commerce Rogers Morton is telling American businessmen that they do not have to stop trading with Israel in order to sell to Arab countries. He coupled this statement with 15 “specific grounds” on which Arab countries boycott companies engaged with Israeli markets but did not mention discrimination against American companies with Jewish principals for which he continues under fire in Congress.
In an editorial in the current issue of “Commerce Today,” a bi-weekly publication of the Department of Commerce, Morton wrote “boycott sanctions are not applied by Arab countries against U.S. or other foreign firms which engage in routine commercial trade with Israel” and “the astute businessman aggressively looks for commercial opportunities in Israel as well as with her newly wealthy neighbors.” He said Israel represents “a billion dollar market” for American goods and services.”
Continuing, Morton stated: “Firms are boycotted by Arab countries on the more specific grounds of having a main or branch factory, joint venture, or assembly plant in Israel; holding shares in Israeli companies; licensing their technology patents or trade names to Israeli firms; providing certain technical and consultative services to Israel; exploring for natural resources in Israel; acting as agent or principal importer in the U.S. for Israeli products; or selling strategic equipment and materials directly to Israel.”


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- Analytics and Information Systems
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Thursday, August 20 2015 12:00am
It’s not every day that you’re asked to speak to 25 of the most accomplished young African leaders at an Ivy League institution, but for Beatrice Selotlegeng, director, Junior Executive Business Program, it’s becoming a pattern. This is the second year Selotlegeng was invited to speak to Mandela Washington Fellows at Dartmouth College. This year, she was given the honor of delivering the last speech.
Thursday, April 23 2015 12:00am
One major just wasn't enough for this ambitious Business Bobcat. Meet MIS, Entrepreneurship, and Management & Strategic Leadership sophomore Nathan Perry.
Thursday, April 16 2015 12:00am
No big deal, this Business Bobcat already has a job lined up for after graduation — and he is only a junior! Get to know Matthew Simpson, a Marketing and MIS major who is also working on a Sales certificate.
Wednesday, March 4 2015 12:00am
Jen Murphy steps into newly created role at College of Business
Thursday, February 12 2015 12:00am
After visiting a friend in Athens, marketing senior Hailey Hess left the city life for OHIO's beautiful campus. Find out why this Business Bobcat has loved her decision to transfer.
Thursday, February 5 2015 12:00am
This Business Bobcat turned an internship into a full-time job offer when she found a way to save the company $200,000. Get to know accounting/finance/pre-law senior Paige Fitzwater.
Friday, January 30 2015 02:00pm
USASBE Names Center for Entrepreneurship 2015 Outstanding Emerging Entrepreneurship Program Winner
Thursday, January 22 2015 12:00am
Meet one of our stand-out Business Bobcats, Marketing major Beth Cullen.
Friday, January 9 2015 12:00am
Meet one of our stand-out Business Bobcats, Accounting and Business Pre-Law major Maddie Berry.
Tuesday, November 18 2014 11:00am
There are few things on this planet that can strike fear into a person quite like one particular experience. Sweaty palms, cottonmouth, lightheadedness — all are symptoms of an anxiety that even one of Ohio University’s College of Business’ standout students had to tame: public speaking. For senior Laurel Monroe, chair of the Schey Sales Centre, the most effective way to dismantle her anxiety was to face it head on.


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New figures from Scottish Development International (SDI) show that support it provided to companies across Scotland in the past financial year will result in £1.44 billion of planned international sales over the next three years.
SDI, Scottish Enterprise’s international trade and investment arm, supported Scottish firms to enter 208 new markets in FY21-22, with a focus on the United States, China, Germany, Spain and France.
As part of this, 176 new products and services left Scotland for these markets last year.
The results, which combine company projects supported by SDI, Scottish Enterprise and its sister agencies Highlands and Islands Enterprise and South of Scotland Enterprise, were announced by Scottish Government Minister for Business, Trade, Tourism and Enterprise, Ivan McKee.
McKee said: “These latest results are extremely positive, and they highlight the demand for Scotland’s good and services across the globe.
“Trade and Investment plays an integral role to help us create new, sustainable jobs and grow our economy.
“The resilience of Scottish businesses over the last few years is testament of the approach set out in our Export Growth Plan – A Trading Nation.
“Despite the complications of the COVID-19 pandemic and the consequences of Brexit, Scottish companies have been able to export their goods to international markets resulting in over £1.44bn of estimated sales within the next three years.
“We want to make sure that we are delivering on the aims of the National Strategy for Economic Transformation by creating sustainable jobs and growing our economy.
“International trade and investment plays a major role in enabling us to meet these targets, so it is important that we continue to support Scottish companies in realising key markets across the world.”
SDI focused its trade activities on supporting companies within sectors where it said Scotland’s greatest export strengths currently lie — Consumer Industries, Science and Technology, and Energy and Low Carbon Transition.
Examples of firms SDI assisted over the past year include agritech innovator Intelligent Growth Solutions, marine energy management firm Verlume, and Boe Gin, a distillery which creates small batch gins and vodkas at their premises in the village of Throsk, near Stirling.
Scottish Enterprise CEO Adrian Gillespie said: “These are very positive results and show that despite a difficult environment for exporters, Scotland’s goods and services continue to be incredibly attractive to global markets and buyers.
“Scottish exporters have demonstrated enormous resilience over the past year to adjust to the challenges they have faced due to COVID-19, Brexit and now the conflict in Ukraine.
“Our SDI Trade colleagues have been there to support companies every step of the way, providing knowledge, skills and access to our international networks, enabling hundreds of firms to enter new markets overseas.
“Supporting innovative Scottish companies scale up and grow through exports is a priority for us. Not only is this a major contributor to Scotland’s economy, an international focus plays a vital role in encouraging the innovation and competitiveness that are essential to our future economy.
“With markets fully opening up and our exporters taking advantage of additional routes to overseas customers, we are positive about future trade opportunities for Scottish exporters.
“Through our values-led approach, Scottish Enterprise and our partners will continue to do what we can to support Scottish companies grow and develop internationally.”


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Google's Motorola division announced Project Ara back in 2013, giving the modular smartphone concept plenty of time to bake in Google's oven.
Eager audiences waited and salivated at the thought of a handset with pick-and-choose parts: Don't want a camera, but need extra battery? Just swap the parts. Need a big loudspeaker for an upcoming beach trip? Snap one in.
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Google Suspends Modular Smartphone Project
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Sources claim the company is looking to "streamline" many of its ongoing hardware projects.
But that doesn't mean Ara is officially over. While Google may not be interested in making the device anymore, it could license the technology if another firm wants to pick up the Web giant's torch.
That said, the setback is just one more in a long list for Ara. The smartphone initially promised a commercial launch target of 2015, but that got pushed back to 2016, and then 2017.
As the delays grew, Google even changed a bit of the Ara's modular design: Rather than having completely replaceable components -- like a CPU that you could swap out for an upgraded version every year -- Google ended up switching to a version of the Ara that had many key components .
In other words, parts like the Ara's CPU, GPU, antennas and battery could be supplemented with modular chips, but you couldn't replace them outright.
This week's reports come as a bit of a surprise, given Google's Ara push at this year's I/O developer conference, which included a demonstration of a fully functional Ara device, a tease of the 2017 commercial launch date and a promise that developer versions of the smartphone would start shipping this fall
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Ever since bitcoin or cryptocurrency has come to surface, some or other headline keeps on surfacing. The latest bitcoin headline is on the popularity surge of bitcoin search in South Africa.
South Africa: Bitcoin to Increase Economical Uncertainty
After electing their new president Cyril Ramaphosa, Africa is on a mountain of high concern for its economic struggle. The economic struggle as always is a high political agenda still under racist clouds, even though the apartheid is over.
Ramaphosa’s party, African National Congress (ANC) has taken an oath to bring a new constitution and the first change is distributing white-owned property to the black community that also with no compensation. This initiative is going to provide the black community also to have their own farmland in Africa.
Another factor that prevailed since time in Africa is the economical uncertainty. But, now looks like this is also about to change as bitcoin and cryptocurrency searches on Google have surged immensely in South Africa. Till date, South Africa has made it to the top 66 country search list of bitcoin and cryptocurrency on Google. In fact, over the past 12 months, South Africans have searched roughly from 100,000 to 1,000,000 times and the peer-to-peer bitcoin trade volume has also seen a significant surge with the weekly rand-value of local Bitcoins trade increased to an approximate of USD 1.7 million in January 2018.
Many African citizens are also facing obstacles as the conventional banking is not on a high surf and most of them don’t even have adequate foreign currency availability.
Bitcoin Termed as Heaven to End Economy Turmoil
Yes, bitcoin is being termed as the door to heaven that can end the economy turmoil, but this is not much of a surprise as bitcoin has the tendency to have a heavenly look. Those who are following bitcoin since 2012-13 will remember the Cyprus banking crisis and the BTC price spike as well. Even on Google Trends, South Africa has reached the top of Google search for bitcoin and cryptocurrency.
Matter of fact, Werner van Rooyen, head of marketing for cryptocurrency exchange Luno, South Africans are trading every week. Rough estimation bitcoin trade is at 1,000 BTC per week going on a trade rate of R11,086 per coin. As of 5th January 2018, nearly 965 BTC have been traded at R 212,000.
This exceptional growth has increased due to the sudden rise in the currency’s value and increase in the volume trade as well. Nevertheless, it’s still uncertain as to how much South African citizens intend to invest in what they already have invested in the bitcoin trade.
Apart from South Africa, Sudan and Kenya also seem to be following in the steps of South Africa in terms of bitcoin trade as per a report issued by the Wall Street Journal.


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The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, and TfL have unveiled a new plan to transform how deliveries are made throughout the capital, reducing road danger and helping to clean up London’s toxic air.
A key part of the plan includes offering more click and collect points at tube stations, with Tfl making land available for micro-distribution centres in key locations to support sustainable last mile deliveries to neighbourhoods across the city, including by bike. Online sales have doubled since 2012, with between 200,000-400,000 personal deliveries made to offices in central London every day.
Movements of goods vehicles in the capital have increased by around 20% since 2010, contributing to poor air quality, congestion and road danger. Lorries and vans account for one fifth of road traffic in London, and about one third in central London during the morning peak.
TfL research shows that heavy goods vehicles are involved in 63% of fatal collisions with cyclists, and 25% of fatal collisions with pedestrians, despite making up only 4% of the miles driven in the capital. Lorries and vans also account for around a third of all nitrogen oxide emissions in the city, having a damaging impact on the health of Londoners.
The Mayor’s Freight and Servicing Action plan aims to reduce the number of lorries and vans entering central London during the morning peak by 10% by 2026.
The plan also includes the launch of the Ultra Low Emission Zone in central London next month, which will implement stricter exhaust emission standards for most vehicles, including cars and lorries, while supporting boroughs in introducing local zero emission zones.
The world’s first Direct Vision Standard for HGVs is also part of the Mayor’s new plan, with the first permits under the scheme to be issued later this year.
Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London, said: “Freight in essential for London’s economy but for our future health and prosperity we need to be smarter about how we manage the millions of van and lorry journeys each week. By creating a pan-London network of micro-distribution centres and rolling out innovative click and collect points at more tube stations, we will enable more commuters to collect packages near their home – helping to reduce congestion across our city.
“Together with the introduction of our world-leading Direct Vision Standard and supporting businesses to switch to electric vans and cargo bikes, we will make freight more efficient while also reducing road danger and cleaning up London’s toxic air.”
Cllr Julian Bell, London Council’s Executive member for Transport and Environment, added: “As London’s population and economy grows, so does the need for efficient transportation of goods and services. We welcome the Freight and Servicing Plan, which sets out a much-needed collaborative approach for the better planning and management of freight and servicing for the capital.
“Boroughs look forward to working closely with TfL on this, particularly on addressing the safety and environmental impact of heavy goods vehicles through initiatives such as the proposed Direct Vision Standard and encouraging last mile deliveries by cycle freight.”


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TELUS has just made some changes to its SharePlus data pricing and data bucket structure. Customers can now get data starting at $20 per month for 500MB. The changes are below:
- $20 for 500MB (previously $15/250MB)
- $20 for 500MB + 500MB **promo**
- $25 for 1GB (previously $25 for 500MB) **promo**
- $50 for 3GB (brought back)
- $65 for 6GB (bought back)
- Ongoing promos: $30 for 2GB; $50 for 6GB
Back in September TELUS removed the 3GB and 6GB standalone options when they added the 2GB and 6GB promo options, but now they have returned. If you’re on one of the older plans you should call in and change to these revised plans, since you’ll be getting a better price on the new 500MB and 1GB plans.
Let us know if you’re going to jump on these!
Update: TELUS has just changed the 1GB plan to $25 ($5 off) as a promo.
Update 2 (Nov. 30/13): TELUS has added a new promo $20 plan, which has 500MB + 500MB
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China’s CBDC has been seen to receive a number of positive responses from the populace as the digital yuan (e-CNY) wallet has become one of China’s most popular apps just a week after it was made available to the public.
According to the South China Morning Post, which cited market researchers, its downloads surpassed those of Tencent’s Wechat on Wednesday, a day after its launch, and it became the most popular program on Apple’s iOS. It was the second most downloaded financial app in Xiaomi’s app store by Monday.
The e-CNY app is generally available for download, although it can currently only be utilized in a limited number of locations.
The software’s developer, the People’s Bank of China’s Digital Currency Research Institute, is working with officials in ten pilot cities, including Shanghai, Shenzhen, Xiongan, Chengdu, Suzhou, and Beijing, to distribute digital yuan amounts as part of red envelope campaigns.
According to the publication, the debut of the app is part of an effort to promote the Chinese central bank digital currency (CBDC) ahead of the Lunar New Year, which begins on February 1 and is a traditional period for giving red packets.
The Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics will begin on February 4 during the week-long break. Visitors to the capital’s venues will be able to utilize the e-CNY instead of opening a local bank account.
Chinese businesses accept the digital yuan
Other payment apps, such as Alipay and WeChat Pay, which account for 90% of China’s mobile payments industry, accept the digital yuan as well.
Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, Agricultural Bank of China, China Construction Bank, Bank of China, Bank of Communications, Postal Savings Bank of China, and China Merchants Bank all have CBDC applications accessible.
e-CNY payments have seen a “stratospheric growth” in the past week, according to a study by China.org.cn, since the currency became available across Chinese mobile apps.
The digital yuan and its wallet adoption
Following a connection between its app and the e-CNY wallet, Meituan, a local services firm, saw an almost 43% growth in digital yuan-denominated payments, according to the state-run news portal. The value of transactions increased by more than 64% in the week leading up to the debut.
China’s digital yuan is perhaps the most advanced CBDC in the world, far ahead of similar programs in the United States, the European Union, and Russia. In November, a PBOC official reported that the digital money had been utilized in roughly $10 billion in transactions.
Around 140 million Chinese people had opened a digital yuan account as of October. Last year, the Chinese government initiated a broad crackdown on cryptocurrencies and related activities while pushing the e-CNY.


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The numbers: Consumer confidence surged in May to a six-month high, spurred by a strong labor market, a new survey showed. Higher gas prices and a flareup in trade tensions with China appeared to do little to dampen the optimism of Americans.
The consumer confidence index climbed to 134.1 from 129.2 in April, the Conference Board said Tuesday.
What happened: The present situation index — or how Americans view the economy right now — rose to a 18-and-a-half-year high of 175.2. The last time the index was higher was in December 2000.
The future expectations index moved up to 106.6 from 102.7.
Big picture: The U.S. labor market has shown remarkable resilience in the past year, with companies continuing to add jobs despite somewhat slower growth at home and abroad. A robust jobs market is likely to fuel more consumer spending and keep the economy expanding at a stable pace.
What they are saying? “Consumers expect the economy to continue growing at a solid pace in the short-term,” said Lynn Franco, director of economic indicators at board, “And despite weak retail sales in April, these high levels of confidence suggest no significant pullback in consumer spending in the months ahead.”
Market reaction: The Dow Jones Industrial Average
and S&P 500
rose in Tuesday trades.
The 10-year Treasury yield
slipped to 2.29%. The yield has sunk from a seven-year high of 3.23% last October, and it’s been under pressure lately from a flareup in trade tensions between the U.S. and China.


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A shockwave of disbelief rippled across the globe with Steve Jobs resigning from his post as CEO of Apple. Incredulous fans tweeted frantically while news headlines were flooded with the news. Jobs has named Apple chief operating officer Tim Cook as the new CEO.
“I have always said if there ever came a day when I could no longer meet my duties and expectations as Apple’s C.E.O., I would be the first to let you know… Unfortunately, that day has come,” Jobs wrote. Following his announcement, Apple stock fell 5.4% in after-hours trading and left people wondering doubting the fate of the computer giant company.
At age 30 he was asked to leave Apple, but at 56 he resigned on his own terms! He will continue as Chairman of the Board, but a visionary like Steve Jobs can never be replaced in the role of CEO. He redefined Apple’s success with ever-new creations, each one better than the last. His aura always emanated dynamism and he would hold audiences spellbound with his ideas and creativity on stage and off it!
According to Walt Mossberg at AllThingsD, “Jobs, while seriously ill, is very much alive. Extremely well-informed sources at Apple say he intends to remain involved in developing major future products and strategy and intends to be an active chairman of the board, even while new CEO Tim Cook runs the company day to day.”
While critics predict a difficult journey ahead for Apple, this by no means is its end. Jobs has certainly given the company its strong foundations with sensational products like the iMac, iPod, iPhone and iPad and Cooks certainly has his work cut out for him, but Apple will hold its own in the end.


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Krishna N. Das and Aftab Ahmed
NEW DELHI, Sept 19 (Reuters) – Indian companies are hiring thousands of temporary workers, expanding into smaller cities and launching new products as the country prepares to celebrate its first absence of COVID-19 restrictions in three years. Holiday season.
During the Hindu Durga Puja and Diwali festivals from September to November, many in this country of 1.4 billion will flock to decorate their homes and decorate their homes during Durga Puja and Diwali. Buy new clothes, cars, cell phones and other items. E-commerce giants Amazon and Walmart-owned Flipkart have announced deep discounts.
The Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) said its 80 million small and medium business members have annual sales of more than $1.5 trillion, and this year’s Diwali sales are expected to be at least 30 percent higher than last year.
“Consumer sentiment is very positive after two years of restrictions,” said Praveen Khandelwal, CAIT secretary general, who has traveled to many parts of the country this month, urging traders to stock up and ensure they have a variety of products to compete with online players.
Demand for CAIT members has returned to more than 90% of pre-pandemic levels, he said.
While India’s annual retail inflation rate snapped a three-month downward trend in August, accelerating to 7%, the trick is to offer customers options that fit their budgets, says Khandelwal, who is holding meetings across the country for the businesses he represents .
Ecom Express, which delivers products on behalf of the e-commerce company, said its parcel handling capacity had doubled to 6 million a day, and it expects to soar to 65 percent over the festive season, with much of the increase coming from smaller cities.
Smartr Logistics, which started operations a year ago, said it is expanding into a dozen smaller cities, in addition to adding new centers in many other big cities such as New Delhi. It cites growing demand during the festive season, as well as the goal of connecting smaller cities.
Yogesh Dhingra, founder of Smartr, said: “Our goal is to enhance connectivity beyond the big cities and bring better accessibility and ease of doing business to SMEs in second- and third-tier cities.”
Dunzo, an online delivery platform backed by Indian retail energy group Reliance Industries, said August was a busy month due to numerous festivals, with demand typically rising by as much as 30% throughout Diwali.
Dunzo executive Mrunmayi Oke said: “We have planned our inventory so that we stock our assortment according to the festivals celebrated in each city.”
Logistics operator Delhivery Ltd said https://www.bseindia.com/xml-data/corpfiling/AttachLive/e190dcd6-6f76-4cd7-8450-ec537c4d2bd1.pdf end of last month to create more than 75,000 seasonal jobs around September , to meet the “significant increase in sales during the festive period”.
Automakers such as Tata Motors, Mahindra & Mahindra and Maruti Suzuki have recently or planned to launch new models.
The Association of Indian Automobile Manufacturers said earlier this month that while a good monsoon and the upcoming festive season could boost demand, high oil prices are a problem. (1 USD = 79.7130 INR)
(Additional reporting by Aditi Shah; Editing by Hugh Lawson)


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Hampton by Hilton Krakow, Poland
ul Dabska 5, Kraków, 31-572, Poland
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01.11.17Polish People Can’t Wait To Visit Krakow
With the trend for staycations continuing to rise, research1 by Hampton by Hilton has revealed the travel habits of Poles. Hilton's (NYSE: HLT) global brand of almost 2,200 mid-priced hotels, found that 73% of people surveyed planning a short trip in 2017, will do so within Poland and the second most sought after place to visit on the weekend is Krakow (62%).
05.07.15Krakow Welcomes First Hampton by Hilton Hotel
Hampton Hotels, Hilton Worldwide's global brand of more than 2,000 mid-priced Hampton by Hilton hotels, today announced the official opening of its newest complex, the 161-room Hampton by Hilton Krakow located at 5 Dabaska Street.


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The Pudong New Area of Shanghai in China is set to undergo a modernization plan, which includes various pilot projects for the digital yuan, China’s central bank digital currency (CBDC). The plan, published by the state-run Xinhua News Agency, outlines a five-year initiative issued by the Chinese Communist Party Central Committee and General Office of the State Council. The goal is to develop the Pudong New Area into an international hub with new trade facilities. This will involve the implementation of a commercial mediation system aligned with international standards and streamlined customs procedures. Improved supply chain management will be established to facilitate the smooth flow of goods through new port facilities, free trade zones, and the Shanghai Pudong International Airport.
In order to attract foreign talent from countries participating in China’s Belt & Road Initiative, the plan also highlights the establishment of world-class medical and educational facilities. These institutions will receive special intellectual property rights for research and development. The introduction of these innovations in the Pudong New Area is expected to create a favorable environment for the adoption of the digital yuan.
The plan specifically calls for the pilot use of the digital yuan in various sectors, such as trade settlement, e-commerce payments, carbon trading, and green power trading. The aim is to expand the application scenarios of the digital yuan in the use of fiscal funds. The document sets a target of achieving significant progress in institutional innovation and the construction of a high-standard market system and a new high-level open economic system by 2027.
China has been rapidly developing use cases for the digital yuan and has already integrated it with several foreign banks. The digital yuan has been utilized for gold and petroleum transactions on Shanghai exchanges. While China promotes its digital currency, it has cracked down on cryptocurrencies this year. The government has issued warnings against the use of stablecoins like Tether (USDT) and has banned crypto mining in the country. Some of the measures taken against crypto miners have been quite severe.
The United States has also shown concern over China’s CBDC progress. In November, Senator Rick Scott introduced the Chinese CBDC Prohibition Act in an effort to counter the expansion of the digital yuan. The US government has been taking steps to address the potential impact of China’s digital currency on the global financial system.
The modernization plan for the Pudong New Area in Shanghai aims to position it as an international hub with advanced trade facilities and innovative institutions. The adoption of the digital yuan is a key component of this plan, with various pilot projects being explored to expand its application. Concerns and regulatory actions surrounding cryptocurrencies in China and reactions from other countries highlight the challenges faced by the digital yuan as it continues to gain traction.


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PARIS — As Swiss watchmakers continue to adapt to a shifting landscape, industry heavyweight LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton said Monday it would take its labels Bulgari, Tag Heuer, Hublot and Zenith to Dubai next January for a media and retail show.
Explaining a need to present products to the media and retailers early in the year, executives also pledged loyalty to the Baselworld fair.
“We remain very supportive and loyal to Baselworld and the Swiss watchmaking industry. It was not possible for us to go 13 months without a global presentation of our products and brands,” said Stéphane Bianchi, president of the luxury group’s watch division.
The presentations will take place in the Dubai Bulgari Hotel in January next year.
“This early discovery of our strategies, news and novelties has allowed our media and retail partners to better plan the year ahead and as such we have decide on this set up for 2020 to balance the scheduling of other events,” said Jean-Christophe Babin, chief executive officer at Bulgari.
Marquee trade shows Baselworld and the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie, known as SIHH, shifted their calendars to take place back-to-back, starting in 2020 with SIHH, traditionally held in January in Geneva, moving to April 26 to 29. Baselworld, meanwhile, will take place in Basel from April 30 to May 5. Show organizers want to make it easier for visitors from outside Europe to attend both events.


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Vizzy to reward travellers who get airport delays
To take the sting out of holiday travel, Vizzy Hard Seltzer will reward travellers who experience airport delays during the busiest travel days of the season.
From December 21 to 23, the brand will award 5,000 fliers who experience delays with $8 gift card they can use toward the purchase of Vizzy.
Travellers can show proof of their delay at vizzyholidelaydrinks.com for a chance to receive the gift card.
“With flight delays and staff shortages, airline travel can be quite stressful this year. Vizzy’s a brand that always tries to bring positivity, so we want to make the most of a bad situation and spread holiday cheer when people need it most,” says Carol Krienik, associate marketing manager for Vizzy.
Vizzy will also pop up at two airports – Chicago-Midway International Airport and Denver International Airport – during the busy holiday week.
The bars will be decked out in Vizzy’s signature bright orange, and travellers 21 and older can stop in to sample its array of hard seltzer flavours.
Vizzy will be in Denver near gate G29 on Dec. 22, and at Midway near gate A7 on December 23.
“We hope consumers who have never tried Vizzy before will stop in for a drink on us,” says Krienik.


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KFC is celebrating 30 years of serving fried chicken in China with the launch of an exclusive limited-edition menu item: a “Finger Lickin’ Good” smartphone.
Story continues below
The KFC-branded Android smartphone is basically a deep-fried version the Huawei 7 Enjoy Plus that features a laser-etched image of the Colonel Sanders logo on the back.
KFC plans to make just 5,000 of the units available exclusively in China for around $162 USD each.
The phone features a 5.5-inch 720p display, Snapdragon 435 processor, a 12MP camera, 3GB of RAM, 32GB of storage, and a fingerprint sensor on the back.
It comes pre-loaded with the KFC China app along with 100,000 K dollars, a digital currency used by KFC in China.
Image – Yum China


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It’s an outcome no company wants for any product, let alone one with months of hype behind it: something new goes on sale, immediately suffers from glitches that play out in the media and has to be parked for months until a fix is found and deployed.
That’s exactly what happened nearly three months ago with the Chevrolet Blazer EV, one of General Motors’ most anticipated new electric models. Even worse for GM, the stop-sale order on the Blazer EV—which happened after both InsideEVs and Edmunds reported on debilitating problems during testing—raised more questions about the automaker’s planned software-driven, electric revolution.
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GM’s EV and software woes kick off a make-or-break 2024
General Motors has committed to going all-electric, but that goal has been deterred by delays and quality problems with its new Ultium platform EVs. But 2024 may be a kind of do-over year, with GM committing to building 200,000 to 300,000 EVs this year. It’s in a kind of urgent rush to execute on the future it wants.
But today, GM says a fix is in with the Blazer EV. And to hear Baris Cetinok tell it, it took some doing to get there.
“Some days, the fleet was putting 16,000 miles a day across the country, testing driving conditions, charging conditions and everything else under the sun,” Cetinok, GM’s vice president of product, software and services, told InsideEVs in an interview.
“As of this morning, we reached the point where we have the software all tested, validated, packaged, ready to be flashed and installed into our vehicles in our dealerships,” he said.
Whether these problems are truly starting to be in GM’s rearview mirror will likely be one of the defining stories of the EV market in 2024. But it’s why people like Cetinok are on board.
A longtime veteran of the tech space with tours at Apple, Microsoft, Amazon and cryptocurrency brokerage firm FalconX, Cetinok is one of several high-profile outside tech-savvy hires GM has brought on in recent months to help reverse its challenges in the battery and software world. (According to InsideEVs’ own accounting of GM’s woes with the electric Ultium platform, the automaker has been historically resistant to importing outside expertise, favoring in-house solutions instead; that now seems to be changing. It has also faced challenges with battery pack assembly as well, leading to additional EV delays.)
During a weeklong test of a Blazer EV in December, InsideEVs reporter Kevin Williams encountered a blinking and then blanking infotainment screen, which made operating some of the EV’s key functions especially difficult. But the biggest headache came when the car was essentially “bricked” when he tried to fast-charge at an Electrify America DC fast charger in rural Virginia. It ended up having to be towed home.
Cetinok confirmed that GM’s testing team encountered the same problems, as did some Blazer EV owners.
“We discovered, like you discovered and some of our customers [did], that there were intermittent issues with the in-vehicle screens, or some of them were kind of going dark,” he said. Additionally, “in rare instances, there were issues where [we] attempted to DC fast-charge at certain public stations. It was not all public stations, but it was certain public stations.” (A GM spokesperson declined to say which stations presented problems during charging.)
But Cetinok stressed that while the prevalence of these issues was low—”rare, but very disruptive,” he said—the automaker decided to “do the right thing” by issuing a stop-sale until they were confident a fix was in place. That meant driving 40 Blazer EVs across the country up to 400 miles per day, as well as more “virtualized” testing with software validation.
Cetinok said the glitches were software-related, not hardware-related, so no parts were replaced. He added that the issue wasn’t a single problem, but a “permutation of things coming together”; the screen and charging faults were also unrelated.
These issues were specifically tied to the Blazer EV and not other Ultium cars, Cetinok added. He also said that they were not related to GM’s decision not to use Apple CarPlay and Android Auto in its new electric cars.
Software has been a persistent source of woe for automakers big and small. Modern EVs, with their demands for new features, automated driving and charging and battery management, necessitate convoluted software setups—something often outside the core competencies of an industry that spent a century making gasoline engines and transmissions.
That’s not to say the startup, EV-focused brands haven’t had their own initial quality issues; many of them operate by getting a minimum viable product on the road and fixing things with over-the-air software updates later. But GM likely knows that it doesn’t have that sort of luxury; its customers may not put up the kind of “first adopter” problems that can often plague newcomer brands. Hence, the rigorous degree of testing involved before the Blazer EV could get back on the road.
Doing so will be key to GM’s near-term and long-term goals. Electric vehicle sales are growing, its top-selling Chevrolet Bolt has been discontinued, and it still aims to sell 200,000 to 300,000 EVs in 2024 while being “variable profit positive” on them by the second half of the year. In other words, Ultium-platform cars like the Blazer EV have to work.
The proof will be in the pudding, however, especially with the Blazer EV being more enticing than ever due to recent price cuts. But Cetinok seemed confident things are moving in the right direction now.
“We are very confident in the quality of the software,” he said. “I’m driving mine and I love it.”
Contact the author: firstname.lastname@example.org


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A new report out of Taiwan says that the Apple chip-making deal with GlobalFoundries and Samsung will produce chips for the iPhone 7 at Fab 8 in Malta, with Samsung collecting royalty fees.
The story, by the tech news source Digitimes, would appear to make the order a much bigger deal for GlobalFoundries. In the aftermath of the Times Union breaking the story Monday, some industry observers said that GlobalFoundries would just be providing “flex capacity” should Samsung not be able to deliver all of its order to Apple for iPhone and iPad chips, which are currently made in Austin, Texas at Samsung’s S2 fab.
The Digitimes story appears to describes a much more complex scenario that could potentially make Fab 8 a major source of the so-called A-series chips for the iPhone 7, which would be released in 2015.
“TSMC is believed to have secured contract manufacturing orders for Apple’s 20nm A8 processor chip slated for 2014, and stands a good chance of also securing orders for the A9 series that will be built using a 3D transistor (FinFET) design,” Digitimes reporters Josephine Lien and Jessie Shen wrote. “Nonetheless, rumors have it that Samsung plans to assist Globalfoundries in producing chips for Apple. Samsung will grant related patents for the manufacture of the A-series processors to the US foundry, which has a commitment to bring manufacturing jobs back to the country.”
The story continues:
“Globalfoundries will have its Fab 8 complex in Malta manufacture the reported A9 processor chips for Apple, while Samsung will collect royalties for licensing its patents, according to the rumors.”
The Times Union also reported last week that Samsung was poised to take a role at Fab 8, utilizing its new $2 billion Technology Development Center that will be complete next year. That scenario would explain what’s going on with the Apple deal. Samsung is going to bring the secret recipie for Apple’s chips to Malta, help perfect cooking it into silicon wafers at the TDC, and help GlobalFoundries launch production.
The iPhone 7 would use what’s known as the A9 chip, two generations after the current A7 chip made by Samsung that is used in the current iPhone and iPad.
It is expected that the A9 would be made using 14 nanometer design, with 3-D transistors what have a so-called “finfet” design, as in the fin of a shark. GlobalFoundries, Samsung and IBM have been perfecting that new type of transistor, and Fab 8 has been set up to do 14nm manufacturing.


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Update: Investigators No Longer Looking for Truck in Robbery Case
Campbell Co., VA - The Sheriff's Office says they are no longer looking for a white truck in connection with Wednesday morning's store robberies.
Authorities say they spoke with the owner of the truck and he lives in the area of the 7-11 on Route 460. They say he is not related to the robbery.
According to the Sheriff's Office, investigators have no reason to believe a second person is involved.
Campbell Co., VA - Investigators from Campbell County to Lynchburg are looking for an armed robber and his getaway driver.
Surveillance photos from the Shell station on Timberlake Road in the city show a masked man, holding a gun, entering the store around 2 a.m. Wednesday.
The Campbell County Sheriff's Office said the same man robbed the 7-11 on 460 about a half-hour earlier. The 7-11 clerk looked at the images from the other store and told investigators he is the person who held her up.
"It was pretty bold to commit two armed robberies in that length of time, that close together," said Maj. L.T. Guthrie, with the Campbell Co. Sheriff's Office. "When we have an incident such as this, obviously we would notify surrounding jurisdictions."
After reviewing surveillance from both stores investigators determined a second person, a getaway driver, was involved. Police say the person was driving a 90s model, light colored, Ford pick-up truck. Investigators say the suspects sat in both parking lots for several minutes, waiting for customers to leave before the robber would enter. They hope someone who saw them in the parking lot will come forward with information.
Investigators hope someone will recognize the robber's facial features through the hole in his mask. They believe the shirt he was wearing may be from American Eagle.
Investigators say the robber got away with cash from both stores and cigarettes from the 7-11. No one was hurt.
If you have information you're asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-888-798-5900.


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Silitech to benefit from Nokia shift to more component supplies from non-Japanese firms, says paper
Commercial Times, February 2; Steve Shen, DIGITIMES
Taiwan-based handset keypad maker Silitech Technology is expected to benefit from Nokia's plan to increase the supply of components from non-Japanese companies due to the fast appreciation of the Japanese yen, the Chinese-language Commercial Times...
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In US state of Oregon, 2 Chinese students deceived Apple nearly $1 million in iPhone replacements, they were undergoing trials in federal court for criminal charges.
Chinese engineering students Yangyang Zhou and Quan Jiang commenced this scam back in 2017 when they began to smuggle fake iPhone copies from China to the United States, The Verge reported on Thursday.
After that, they would send all those iPhone copies for repair or replace to Apple, claiming that their (fake) iPhones were not switching on.
Unfortunately, in many cases, Apple just replaced the fake ones with the real iPhones which cost Apple approximately $895,800. After that, the new iPhones they got were shipped to China.
Apple granted Quan Jiang 1,493 iPhones in replacements out of 3,069 claims he submitted. For this scheme, Apple lost nearly $900,000.
Yangyang Zhou is accused of exporting goods illegally, on the other hand, Quan Jiang is facing charges on illegally trafficking in copied goods and committing wire fraud.
Although both of them are out of custody, Quan Jiang is being monitored by GPS who was accused back in 2018.
Moreover, last year a Chinese student living in New Jersy on a student visa was caught for selling fake iPhones and iPods to customers for which he made nearly $1.1 million in sales revenue.
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GM recalls 44k+ 2012 Chevy Sonic over windshield washer issues
The 2012 Chevrolet Sonic windshield wiper washer system recall pertains specifically to those models built between May 5th 2011 and February 24th 2012, with 44,668 vehicles possibly affected by the problem. In these vehicles, the connection between the windshield washer fluid reservoir and the hoses that send the fluid to the “squirters” around the windshield may come loose. When the hose pulls away from the washer fluid reservoir, the windshield cleaning fluid will not be able to make it to the nozzles that spray it across the windshield. Depending on the situation, a driver who is unable to properly clean their windshield while driving is more likely to be involved in an accident and that makes this a safety issue.
The recall notice from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration doesn’t go into much detail as to what is causing the separation under the hood of the 2012 Chevrolet Sonic but it does mention that GM will “secure the hose to prevent separation” – which leads me to believe that this is caused by vibration working the hose loose or perhaps there is a fastener that is not holding up over time. In any case, the repairs should be very quick as the washer fluid reservoir is easily accessible and the fix is just a matter of clamping the hose down better where it meets the tank.
The good news is that the wipers of the 2012 Chevy Sonic still work just fine but if the driver finds him or herself in a situation where the windshield is very dirty – the washer system may not be able to help. Luckily, this isn’t like a wheel falling off or a vehicle accelerating on its own so the safety risk is far less significant than some other recalls. However, with a possibility of a problem, GM is making the right move and they are getting these vehicles back to dealerships for the quick and easy repairs. Honestly, this is the kind of recall that is more of an annoyance than a safety risk as the average consumer could probably locate and fix the problem on their own but since GM is willing to secure the line for free – it is worth a trip to your local Chevy dealership. If nothing else, it could save you some headache down the road.
The fresh 2012 Chevy Sonic recall is expected to formally begin on or around September 7th 2012 but owners can call the Chevrolet owner center at 1-866-694-6546 for more information. Should you make that call, the recall number is 12176.
This is the second recall for the hot selling 2012 Chevrolet Sonic. The first recall for the sporty little subcompact came late last year when it was found that a small batch of vehicles may not have one of the front brake pads. Just 4,296 units were affected by that recall.


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Hate ads? Download Brave web browser. Fast, secure, built in ad-blocking.
The second effort of Razer's mobile ambitions has led us to a new, literal glow. But beneath the light are a few quiet, but important engine tweaks.
Samsung has pulled out three rear cameras for its mid-range line of smartphones, but with a few quesitonable compromises.
The Singtech P10 features firmware linked to a Taiwanese company that sucks up all sorts of personal data and then sells ads against it.
This new phone from China has a servo motor that brings out the camera when you need them and hides them away when you don't.
It's more affordable than Samsung's Galaxy Note 8, but it's more than just a cheapo budget device with surround sound, a larger, sharper display and more.
Speed is the game, OnePlus is the name. Will its latest Android smartphone keep up? It has 480fps video capture, a new Snapdragon 845 chip and a new storage option. All for a little more money than the OnePlus 5T.
The year has to mean something, right? Well, there's no real change between years at all. That is except for a new memory configuration.
There's a standard version with 2GB of RAM and then there's an Android Go version — compact, cleaner and snappy. And all of this for about $100.
In many cases, these discounts are roughly in the range of US$20 to US$50, which makes Apple's claim about this iPad being "the most affordable" one pretty true. Just don't worry about the Apple Pencil.
Agencies in Indonesia, Singapore and Thailand have reportedly certified several of the devices in both series of Motorola-branded mid-rangers.
Fair enough, this oddly-positioned phone didn't sell terribly well, but it's still getting software support just as customers paid for.
It's less red, more pink and pretty pretty. LG intends this as a phone fitting for Valentine's Day. Whatever the case, we'll see it at CES 2018.
The Microsoft Store is selling a gaming phone and people can't get enough of it. Razer is also tapped to hit Singapore with an announcement.
Dual selfie cameras on the two main models with one getting more RAM than the other. The Youth loses out on the extra selfie shooter.
The single 20-megapixel camera on the back gets paired to those two selfie cameras in this spec leak from a Southeast Asian retailer.
Malaysia is set to get it soon. No firm timeline, but it's already launched within this part of the Asian neighborhood and we can extrapolate.
The gaming hardware manufacturer has partnered with the telco to open a new RazerStore and provide special mobile services for its fans.
The Blade V8 Lite is as diet as you can get for a whole-device experience in 2017 while the Blade V8 Mini has its camera for graces.
The city-state will ban sales of domestic-use 2G phones on the first of the year. Carriers have an April 1 deadline to shut their towers off.


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When Tristram Stuart was growing up on a farm in England, he raised pigs as a hobby. He saw that much of the thrown-out food he was feeding them was actually fit for humans. One day, having found an appetizing loaf of sun-dried tomato bread in the pile of waste, he sat down and ate lunch with his pigs.
Stuart recognized early — he was about 15 — the folly of food waste, and vowed to do something about it. “I grew up with a strong relationship with the land,” he said. “The pigs made me see how food waste and environmental degradation are so intertwined.”
The result was Toast Ale, a company that brews beer from unsold bread and the discarded heels of loaves from sandwich makers. All profits from Toast go to Feedback, an environmental advocacy organization Stuart founded to fight global food waste. Toast began in the UK in 2016 and in the United States this year. The company plans to launch soon in South Africa and Iceland.
“The biggest impact humans have on the environment is food production,” Stuart said. “Ending food waste does not require huge investment or structural change, and it can be achieved by simply valuing and enjoying our food.”
Statistics from the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization bear him out. About one-third of food produced globally for humans is lost or wasted. Fruits and vegetables have the highest rates of waste. At the retail level, large quantities of food are thrown out for cosmetic reasons. Consumers, conditioned to reject fruit and vegetables that are bruised or discolored, won’t buy them — marketers know this, so they toss them. Food waste also squanders water, land, energy and labor. It also contributes to climate change. When it decomposes, food produces methane, a powerful greenhouse gas.
Toast Ale (slogan: “the best thing since…”) is not alone in its efforts to “upcycle” discarded food. Increasingly, entrepreneurs are finding creative ways to transform old scraps into new food and drink, and even clean energy.
“We are careful to partner with established breweries to produce our beer, and our current brewer in the UK has strong environmental credentials,” said Stuart. “There are wind turbines on site that provide power, the spent grain is fed to the local pigs, and water is cleaned by reed beds.” The goal is to end waste, feed more people and improve the environment.
Rubies in the Rubble, a London-based condiment company, makes relish from fresh fruit and vegetables tossed out for cosmetic blemishes (“our ingredients have to pass a taste test, not a beauty contest”). Regrained makes nutrition bars with flavors like honey cinnamon and coffee chocolate stout from the spent grain left over from breweries (“eat beer”). Alaskan Brewing Co. uses its spent grain to make steam that powers the more beer production (“beer powered beer”). And, Baldor Fresh Cuts provides vegetable scraps to chefs that use them make nutritious new foods.
“The idea is to take an item that normally would be wasted and turn it into a consumer product,” said Tom McQuillan, director of food service sales and sustainability at Baldor, a specialty food company in the Bronx. “It’s a great way to get food into the hands of the food-insecure, and to people who should be eating healthy foods.”
The company’s subsidiary, Baldor Fresh Cuts, which supplies restaurants and other kitchens with cut-to-order produce, is turning its refuse — including carrot tops and peels, onion skins, celery tops, pineapple cores, string bean tips, romaine leaves and watermelon rinds — into cookies, juices, nutritional supplements, croutons and breadcrumbs, among other things.
The program, known as SparCs (“scraps” spelled backwards), takes 150,000 pounds of discarded scraps weekly that otherwise would go to a landfill, and turns them into food. “Initially, we thought we would send it to a composting facility and make dirt, but hauling it any long distance would cost a tremendous amount,” McQuillan said. “You cannot solve one sustainability problem by creating another one.”
If something can’t be made into a human food product, it becomes food for pigs and poultry. “We came up with a solution for 100 percent of our discarded products,” McQuillan said. “It either becomes human food or animal feed. That’s what gets us to zero landfill.”
For example, carrot peels go to Haven’s Kitchen, where they are ground and turned into carrot peel cookies. Carrot tips and romaine cores go to Misfit Juicery, a Washington D.C. company that uses surplus fruits and vegetables to make unusual juices.
Baldor also designed a nutritional supplement it sells under its private label, Urban Roots, that can be sprinkled on roasted vegetables and added to other foods — meatballs, for example — by dehydrating and pulverizing the leavings from 20 different vegetables. The same substance, when further ground, can be added to flour, or made into croutons and bread crumbs. “We’ve had a number of chefs test it, and they love it,” McQuillan said.
Regrained, which makes nutrition bars from spent grain, grew from the friendship of its two founders, Dan Kurzrock and Jordan Schwartz. The pair homebrewed beer during their college years. “We were blown away by how much grain was left behind,” Kurzrock said. “Jordan and I are both environmentally conscious, so we realized immediately that we were tossing what looked, smelled and tasted like a cafeteria-sized batch of oatmeal.”
At first they used it to make bread, selling loaves to their fraternity brothers to earn money to make more beer. “It was toward the end of college that we realized we could make this into a real business,” he said. “Since bread did not have too long of a shelf life, we decided to create something we love to eat that can be kept much longer — granola bars!”
Their grain comes from local San Francisco breweries, who otherwise would have to pay a waste management service to haul it away to a compost facility, “so any weight off their haul saves them money.” Kurzrock said.
The bars themselves are very nutritious. “During the brewing process, the sugar is extracted from the grain, but leaves behind a significant amount of protein, fiber, and other micronutrients,” he said. “Blended with other mostly local, wholesome ingredients, it makes for a low-calorie, low-sugar bar. We’ve received love from ultra-marathoners to weightlifters, to midday office snackers.”
The Alaskan Brewing Co. in Juneau uses their grain byproducts to make more beer. In 2011, the company developed a steam boiler fueled entirely by its spent grain. “We had a big problem with our waste spent grain — we were having to barge it to a farm in Washington State to be used as feed, and that was costing us money,” said Andy Kline, a spokesman for the company. “This new system is saving us money every day.”
Regrained’s Kurzrock believes it is sensible to find applications for food waste. “Food waste is arguably the world’s most solvable problem,” he said. “It makes no sense that so much food goes to waste at the same time millions of people go hungry. Ours is cradle-to-cradle thinking, the realization of the circular economy for food. Sustainability is baked into our business model. You could say that you can have your beer… and eat it too.”
Marlene Cimons writes for Nexus Media, a syndicated newswire covering climate, energy, policy, art and culture.


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Columbia, SC (WLTX) - A new restaurant wants to build where an old Burger King store once was located in Columbia.
PDQ would like to move to the site, which is across from Whole Foods on Devine Street in Columbia.
PDQ specializes in chicken tenders, salads, and hand-spun milk shakes. The chain's website calls it a fast casual restaurant.
Restaurant executives are asking the city for zoning approval to tear down the old BK building and replace it with a new design that includes a drive through window.


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rubbleA garment factory collapsed in the Bangladeshi city of Dhaka on Wednesday, killing more than 350 people. "Police in Bangladesh have detained two factory owners for criminal negligence over the deaths of at least 352 workers," according to The Guardian. On Tuesday, the owners had been warned the building was unsafe.
Read More »from Woman Gives Birth Among Rubble in Bangladesh Factory Collapse
30 more survivors were found today, "and police say that as many as 900 people remain missing, trapped dead and alive under the twisted steel and concrete," the paper reports. One of the survivors (found Wednesday) was a young woman, 26 or 27 years of age, who miraculously delivered a healthy baby among the rubble, The Telegraph reports. According to rescuers, "she did not appear to have suffered any serious injuries and was taken out from the debris, reunited with her relatives and taken to her family home."
Related: 25 powerful photos of women giving birth
This kind of factory disaster is nothing new in Bangladesh, a country where tons of clothing items sold in Europe


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CME: Cow, Sow Slaughter Likely to Stay Light04 December 2013
US - Producers are reducing the number of breeding animals they send to market because of lower feed costs and significantly improved margins write Steve Meyer and Len Steiner.
Since August, weekly cow and sow slaughter has been running significantly below year ago levels and the numbers will likely remain light for the foreseeable future. For the last four reported weeks, US weekly cow slaughter has averaged about 125,200 head, down 11 per cent from the previous year.
Weekly sow slaughter has averaged 59,500 head, down 4 per cent from last year. In the short term, the decline in the number of breeding animals going to slaughter will tend to reduce the supply of beef and (to a much lesser degree) pork.
For specific end users, such as those that use lean grinding beef (hamburger patty manufacturers) or sow trimmings (high quality sausage), the shift has a direct inflationary impact. Sometimes all one hears in the press is how lower feed costs will lead to lower meat prices, and eventually that may be the case. In the near term, however, prices for some beef and pork items will be higher, not lower.
Livestock producers welcome the decline in feed input costs but they have to contend with the overall decline in the number of cattle and hogs available for marketing. The quickest and least expensive way to expand production is to put more weight on animals.
Biological constraints limit the weight increases past a certain point and producers also have to contend with discounts for carcasses that have too much fat on them. Still, producers are doing their best to keep weights up and offset some of the decline from lower slaughter numbers.
Average steer weights for the week ending 16 November (latest available data) were pegged at 878 pounds per carcass, up 0.7 per cent higher than a year ago. Overall average cattle weights for the week ending 30 November were reported at 803 pounds per carcass, up about 5 pounds or 0.6 per cent from the previous year.
Hog carcass weight gains have been even more significant. The increase in hogs weighs is in part due to much cheaper and higher quality feed. Also as one of our readers correctly pointed out, some producers affected by PEDv now have more space in their barns and thus are able to grow some pigs out to heavier weights.
As we mentioned last week, the weight gains for packer owned hogs have been nothing short of astounding, with average carcass weights for packer owned hogs reported at 218 pounds on Friday. The overall average hog weights for the week (based on Mandatory Price Reporting system) were 213 pounds, up 2.8 per cent from a year ago.
Please note that this is higher than the preliminary estimate reported by USDA and included in the table below. Normally USDA will revise these numbers when all data is received and we think the 213 pound weights are closer to the reality on the ground.
With hog weights now running close to 3 per cent over a year ago and how slaughter about the same as in 2012, we are now seeing quite a bit more pork coming to market. The increase has affected some portions of the market more than others. The price of 72CL pork trimmings has declined sharply compared to October levels (-17 per cent) but still remains about 11 per cent higher than a year ago.
Other pork items, such as hams and bellies also have been pressured lower but remain above last year’s levels. In all, pork demand appears to be in good shape and has helped support overall pork pricing despite the increase in supplies.
TheMeatSite News Desk


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AUGUSTA (AP) – A new law gives the state another advantage in tracking down parents who owe child support payments.
Gov. John Baldacci on Tuesday signed a bill to give the state access to cellular phone records of “deadbeat parents.” The new law took effect immediately upon Baldacci’s signature.
The state will submit lists of parents who owe money to wireless service companies. The companies must return the lists with information including Social Security numbers and addresses and employers of those listed.
Wireless companies may assess reasonable fees to carry out the data searches.
A separate bill that was near enactment seeks to add privacy protections for cell phone customers. It would make Maine the latest state to ban the sale of personal cell phone records. That bill would also take effect immediately.
Bill no longer allows more liquor stores in smaller communities
AUGUSTA (AP) – Legislation that would have allowed more liquor stores in smaller Maine communities with fewer than 20,000 has been weakened to leave the current ceiling of three intact.
But the measure still includes one change: it no longer gives an advantage to large big-box stores in liquor license applications. The bill faced a final Senate vote.


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The Nasdaq Composite (^IXIC 0.29%) has been on fire for most of 2020, rebounding from the coronavirus bear market in February and March and posting returns that have crushed other stock market benchmarks.
Those who bet on Nasdaq stocks to defy the COVID-19 pandemic have been rewarded, while those who sought to profit from declines have largely been frustrated. Even with the Nasdaq Composite taking a bit of a breather from its bull run on Wednesday morning, falling about a quarter-percent just before noon EST, investors can't be upset about the benchmark's long-term performance.
Yet it's interesting to look more closely at stocks that investors think are most likely to lose ground. The Nasdaq makes short-interest figures available on the stocks that list there, and among the most frequently shorted stocks are two interesting companies with very different business models: Bed Bath & Beyond (BBBY) and National Beverage (FIZZ -4.28%). Let's look more closely at these two stocks to see the argument for and against their businesses.
Beyond retail woes
Bed Bath & Beyond has a huge mass of short-selling interest among investors. The home goods retailer has about 126 million shares outstanding, nearly 120 million of which are available for the public to trade. Of those, a whopping 66 million shares -- well over half the company's outstanding shares -- were sold short as of the most recent report from November.
For anyone who's watched Bed Bath & Beyond in recent years, that shouldn't come as a huge surprise. The retailer has struggled during the COVID-19 pandemic, which caused store closures and forced the company to promote its e-commerce channel much more aggressively. Even before the pandemic struck, Bed Bath & Beyond was having difficulty fending off competition from online-only rivals.
More recently, the stock has climbed to its best levels in more than a year, as the company has tried to come up with plans to mount a rebound effort. Yet many are still skeptical of Bed Bath & Beyond's ability to demonstrate any long-term competitive advantage over the many companies that do business in the same niche.
The holiday season will be important for those shorting Bed Bath & Beyond. A strong performance could lead to a massive short squeeze, while poor results could force Bed Bath & Beyond to face the reality that it could share the dire fates of many retailers that are no longer with us.
Too much fizz?
National Beverage is in a very different situation. By one measure, short interest in the maker of LaCroix sparkling water is relatively modest, with 7.78 million shares sold short out of nearly 47 million outstanding. However, the vast majority of National Beverage shares are held by private investors, making the number of shares actually available to public traders relatively small. As a result, roughly two-thirds of National Beverage's public float was sold short as of the most recent reporting date.
Anyone who shorted National Beverage early this year has met with big disappointment. The stock price had doubled in the past year and is up 150% from its March lows.
The sparkling water segment has been a huge blockbuster in the industry in recent years, and LaCroix's success vaulted National Beverage into the limelight. A big rise in the number of rival companies offering their own seltzers crushed the stock in late 2018 and 2019, though, and some questioned whether LaCroix had enough brand awareness to withstand heightened competition.
Now, National Beverage is seeing new interest in LaCroix, and that's driving the stock higher. Short-sellers think that another downturn is inevitable. But when you look at some of the players in the alcoholic seltzer industry and how far they've risen, you can see just how dangerous a bearish call it is to bet against National Beverage right now.
Be careful with your shorts
Short-selling has theoretically infinite risk with only finite reward, and that makes it a risky proposition for investors. Even with so many Nasdaq investors betting against National Beverage and Bed Bath & Beyond, there's no guarantee that those stocks won't defy their naysayers and keep on rising.


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1. 3. Grow your hair slightly longish, if it isn't naturally wavy (poor you), wear curlers to bed every night.
2. But, when the skeletal remains were analyzed, the researchers found that the tombs had been reused multiple times. Some of the tombs contain more than 10 occupants, and the"repeated multiple burials warrant further study," the researcherswrote.
3. Kim, it's so simple and entry-level Finishing School stuff: keep knees and ankles together and swivel.
4. 单词transportation 联想记忆：
6. The US remains home to the biggest brands and the value of its top 10 increased by 10 per cent to $1.3tn in 2016. The top 10 UK brands, headed by Vodafone, lost 8 per cent of their value. Those in continental Europe — led by Germany’s SAP software group — rose 5 per cent. Finally, the $360bn value of Asia’s top 10 brands, headed by Tencent, China Mobile and Alibaba, was only 10 per cent lower than the value of the top 10 in continental Europe and the UK combined.
西西软件园 However, we are sceptical that the strength of imports can be sustained given that the delayed impact of policy tightening and a cooling property market are set to weigh on Chinese demand for commodities in coming quarters.


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Wolf Trax Wins International Award
Wolf Trax recently earned a top marketing award for its new video, “A Bright Idea that Sparks the Power of Nature.”
The six-minute video was developed to explain the technology behind Wolf Trax’ unique DDP micronutrients. It won a gold award in the Marketing, Video/Film production category at the Ava 2008 international awards ceremony held in December in Arlington, TX. More than 2,200 entries from video/film producers, advertising agencies, and communications departments around the world were submitted to the competition.
“We are honored to receive the award, but more than that, we’re delighted with how well it has been received among our retail customers,” says Jereleen Brydon, Wolf Trax marketing manager. “This is just one way Wolf Trax demonstrates its commitment to technical and customer support.”
The videos are currently being used in Southern States’ retail locations. According to David Parker, manager, Fertilizer Merchandising for Southern States, “The video does a great job of helping us explain the benefits of this exciting new technology to our grower customers.”
To view the video, visit www.wolftrax.com.