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Preliminary Agenda Now Available for WMX Europe 2019
Just a quick reminder, prices for the World Mail & Express (WMX) Europe Conference will be going up this Friday (8th March).
That means you have just two days left to save €260 on Europe’s premier post and parcel conference!
This year’s conference is hosted by An Post, Ireland’s national post who are inviting the global post and parcel community to join them in Dublin for 3 days of networking, insight and entertainment.
We’ve just launched a preliminary agenda with a very strong line up of national posts taking the stage this year. Here’s a flavour of the senior execs you’ll hear from:
- Garrett Bridgeman, Managing Director, Mails and Parcels Division, An Post
- Ivan Culo, Chief Executive Officer, Hrvatska pošta
- Khalil Daoud, Chairman & Managing Director, LibanPost
- Andre Veskimeister, Member of the Board, Omniva
- Walter Oblins, Deputy CEO Österreichische Post
- Arno van Bijnen, Executive Committee Member PostNL
- Kenan Bozgeyik, CA Chairman of the Universal Postal Union (UPU) & CEO and General Manager Ptt Turkish Post
Don’t forget you have just 2 days left until the super early bird expires so book your place at the reduced price while you can!
More Conference News:
We are very pleased to announce that Mike Richmond, Chief Commercial Officer at Doddle will be speaking at the World Mail & Express Europe Conference 2019.
We are excited to announce that David McRedmond, CEO of An Post will be speaking at the World Mail & Express Europe Conference 2019
Ahead of the World Mail & Express Europe Conference in Dublin, we caught up with Georges Berzgal, VP & MD – EMEA, Commerce Service of Pitney Bowes.
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Subscribe to free email updates from #WMXEurope and you will receive the latest speaker news, sponsor updates and conference offers right to your inbox.


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— The Melaka branch of the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry (KPDNHEP) has, since Monday, issued four notices under Section 21 of the Price Control and Anti-Profiteering Act 2011 (AKHAP 2011) to four premises selling electronic devices such as laptops, tablets and mobile phones.
Its director Norena Jaafar said the notice was to obtain detailed information on the sale and cost price of the electronic devices for analysis purposes, and traders should provide the information within two days of the date of issuance.
She said it was to ensure that the prices of the electronic devices were reasonable and that traders did not increase prices at will.
“We take note of the current situation related to the increasing demand for electronic and communication equipment for home-based teaching and learning (PdPR) following the implementation of the Movement Control Order (MCO) recently.
“Since Monday, Melaka KPDNHEP has conducted inspections and monitoring at 10 premises selling electronic equipment for PdPR use, and four notices have been issued for further inspection,” she said when contacted by Bernama here today.
She also said that consumers should choose wisely and compare prices before making a purchase so as not to fall prey to errant traders, and KPDNHEP will continue to monitor the price of goods so that they are sold at reasonable prices.
Meanwhile, in KUALA TERENGGANU, Terengganu KDPNHEP has issued 10 notices under the AKHAP 2011 against traders selling computers, telecommunication and electronic devices.
Its director, Saharuddin Mohd Kia said it was the result of inspections conducted statewide under ‘Ops Catut’ since Tuesday, to curb misconduct or price manipulation by traders following the implementation of PdR during the MCO.
“Traders are reminded not to take advantage of the current situation by raising the price of goods at will in order to reap excessive profits,” he said in a statement today.
Saharuddin said that out of the 10 notices, three were issued in Kemaman, Besut (three), Kuala Terengganu (two) and Dungun (two).
“The notices issued require traders to provide feedback and detailed information within the next two days on the sale price and cost of goods for further investigation purposes, whether there is excessive profit taking or vice versa,” he said.
He added if convicted, individuals could be fined of up to RM100,000 or jailed for not more than three years or both, while companies could be fined of up to RM500,000.
Source: BERNAMA News Agency

domain: news


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Jind Fruit Co. is still shipping late-season nectarines to retailers in British Columbia, Alberta and Saskatchewan.
Osoyoos, British Columbia-based Jind’s Summer Fling nectarines can be found at retailers including Costco, Sobeys, Thrifty Foods, Real Canadian Superstore, No Frills and Extra Foods, according to a company news release.
The shipper’s summer fruit program also includes British Columbia-grown cherries, peaches, apples, plums and other fruit. Now in its second year of existence, Jind ships about 20 million pounds of fruit per season.
Jind focuses on small volumes and frequently experiments with new varieties chosen for quality and flavor.


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Takashimaya Archives - Inside Retail Singapore
Swiss luxury skincare retailer La Prairie has launched its first “reimagined” concept store in Singapore.
Six years in design and construction, Bangkok’s US$1.6 billion IconSiam development will finally be officially launched tonight.
Menswear label Ted Baker menswear has opened a pop-up at Takashimaya Shopping Centre, Singapore.
Israel-based bath and body brand Sabon opens its first Southeast Asia flagship boutique, in Singapore.
Just one of Japanese department store chain Takashimaya’s three overseas stores is currently trading at a profit.
The Dark Gallery has launched a second cafe and boutique on Orchard Road, featuring a menu that differs from its debut store at Millenia Walk.
Hera Singapore will launch at Takashimaya Department Store on May 10.
A winter garden ambience has been created for Diptyque Singapore’s boutique in Ngee Ann City.
Amore Pacific is to introduce its makeup and skincare brand Hera in Singapore with a counter at Takashimaya.
Japanese cookie brand Yoku Moku will open a Singapore flagship store in Ion Orchard next month.
After launching into Singapore via e-commerce this year, Mamonde has opened its first-ever global flagship store at Takashimaya Shopping Centre.
Parkson Retail Asia has had a lacklustre start to its fiscal year, its unaudited first-quarter figures show.


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Contact : Miranda Reiman Comprehensive tool for the holidays offers hands-on help in the kitchen WOOSTER, Ohio, December 11, 2018 – Beef roasts could become the centerpiece of more holiday meals, if only consumers could get more comfortable with cooking them. That’s according to a study by the Certified Angus Beef ® (CAB®) brand,…Read More
BEEF 509 will take ‘awareness’ and quality assurance to a whole new level for participants! The BEEF 509 program is held to raise the awareness level about the beef that is produced and what goes into producing a high-quality and consistent product. The program will take place on two consecutive Saturdays, February 16 and 23,…Read More
By : John F. Grimes, OSU Extension Beef Coordinator (originally published in The Ohio Cattleman) “Today’s consumer appears to be more willing than ever to pay for quality.” Few enterprises are as productive as American agriculture. The American farmer is very good at their specialization: efficient food production. Farmers and ranchers are at their best…Read More
Our Mission Statement: To provide readers with the most up-to-date information on the beef industry in concise, easy-to-read articles designed to increase overall awareness among the feedlot community.


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Zynga Looks to Build a Gaming Social Network of its Own
Zynga wants its 290 million monthly users to start connecting with a “different type of friend.” In other words, people they aren’t already connected with on Facebook.
At its annual product event in San Francisco yesterday, the company previewed a feature called Zynga With Friends, to be rolled out over the coming months. It will unify Zynga games across all devices and platforms, including Apple iOS, Android, Zynga.com, and Facebook, and will incorporate features—such as a “social lobby,” chats, and suggestions for new friends—that encourage users to build a network going beyond their real-life Facebook connections.
The new strategy is crucial because Zynga has struggled in recent months. At one point, as analysts worried over its long-term business model, the company’s stock dropped to below half the value of its December IPO. It has since bumped up and down as analysts debate the company’s long-term prospects. One bad day occurred when Cowen & Co. analyst Doug Creutz wrote that Zynga daily game use fell 8 percent in May. Growth of the hit mobile game Draw Something, which Zynga acquired in March by buying OMGPOP for $180 million, has also declined since the acquisition.
Zynga With Friends, along with others features introduced Tuesday, comes as the five-year-old company looks to grow on mobile devices and seeks to keep its base of casual gamers from moving on to other social distractions.
Executives said yesterday that people return to a game more often when they compete with others who share their skills and gaming interests—and those people may turn out to be complete strangers. Starting with the recent hit game Bubble Safari, Zynga is also introducing a multiplayer option so up to four people can interact while playing.
“Real-life friends don’t always match a gaming identity. We’re providing a new way to meet people,” says Reed Shaffner, Zynga’s director of product. However, the Zynga network will incorporate and build upon a player’s Facebook friends, rather than replacing the company’s close ties with the world’s largest social network, he emphasizes. “We believe that people should have the best people to play with on any platform.”
A pioneer of online social games, Zynga took in $1.1 billion in revenues last year selling virtual goods and advertising within a string of hit games like Farmville and Words With Friends. Yet most of its titles are played primarily on the Web, through Facebook, at a time when many people are using smart phones more.
On Tuesday, Zynga also detailed new efforts to attract outside game developers, especially for mobile devices. It launched an API that some third-party studios can use to build games that incorporate Zynga features and access its analytics. Over time, the integration could be made available more widely to all developers. Through a new program, Zynga Partners for Mobile, the company will directly cultivate mobile game developers such as Saba Transmedia, which previewed a new game, Rubber Tacos, yesterday.
Another important area for growth is China, where Facebook is blocked. Today, Zynga has more game players outside of the U.S. than inside the country, says Andy Tian, general manager of Zynga in China. He is focused on expanding Zynga’s presence in the world’s largest Web and mobile market, through partnerships with China’s Tencent and Weibo, the Twitter-like microblogging service. Last month, Zynga launched Draw Something in Chinese and 11 other languages. The China office also helped develop a game called Ruby Blast.
Tian says China has a strong game culture and a large potential for growth, despite roadblocks for other U.S. Internet companies. “There are always challenges in China as a foreign company,” says Tian. “But gaming and entertainment isn’t as controversial as the services provided by companies like Google or Facebook.”
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Can anti-aging breakthroughs add 10 healthy years to the human life span? The CEO of OpenAI is paying to find out.
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These rounds will help the US-based firm, present in 311 cities in 57 nations, to expand in India where it faces stiff competition from taxi hailing app Ola, which recently acquired TaxiForSure and raised $400 million.
"In the last couple of months, Uber has raised money with India and China in focus. These are very big markets and priority for us and we feel they will help us drive growth for the firm," Uber's Head of Asia Operations Allen Penn told PTI.
Uber looks at India as a major market, which in the past couple of years has seen a phenomenal growth in the number of taxi service providers, especially in metros and analysts are now pegging the market size to be as much as Rs 30,000 crore.
In December last year, Uber CEO Travis Kalanick in a blog post had said it has "raised a financing round of $1.2 billion, with additional capacity remaining for strategic investments.
"This financing will allow Uber to make substantial investments, particularly in the Asia Pacific region."
Market insiders said earlier this year Uber raised $600 million and $1 billion is separate fund raising rounds, topping the total Series E round to $2.8 billion.
So far, the firm has raised $5.6 billion and is valued at around $40 billion.
The company has introduced several firsts in the country, an indication that India is a priority market for Uber.
Yesterday, in a global first, Uber said it is introducing cash payment option in Hyderabad, as an experiment.
This is being done to gain a deeper understanding of the consumer behaviour as well as preferences and usage trends to develop a robust payment option for the local market.
Other India-specific firsts include uberGO for cheaper cab fares, uberAUTO for booking auto rickshaws as well as safety features like SOS button, Send Status and SOS alert solution for law enforcement.
In a bid to swell its cab driver base in India, the firm in November last year introduced Uber Vehicle Financing Programme.
In addition, it has also worked out exclusive discounts on vehicles with leading auto firms such as Mahindra & Mahindra, Maruti Suzuki, Tata Motors and Toyota.
Though the firm has not disclosed its cab driver base in India, analysts peg it in the range of 45,000-60,000.


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On trendy tacos and try something new
Is West Palm Beach ready for the battle of trendy taquerías? It could happen at the end of the year when two popular taco and tequila restaurants open in the downtown area.
This week, the owners of Delray’s funky Mexican restaurant El Camino and the bar announced the opening of a store in Rosemary Square. It will occupy the former space of Brother Jimmy on the second floor of the renovated square. South Beach hot spot two months ago Bodega Taquería y Tequila announced the opening of a Clematis Street store in the former Tapeo space. So it could be a spicy winter in downtown West Palm, if the opening plans for both restaurants hold true.
The latest announcement made me wonder about the status of Rosemary Square’s intimate taco pop-up, Taquería Bonitas. Taco master Niria Perez, who co-owns the place with her husband Ricky Perez, tells me their pop-up will be gone by the time El Camino arrives.
“Work on something exciting in the future. It’s been a long time coming!” She hinted in a text. She and Ricky also own the local cult Zipitios taco stand at the Grandview Public Market in West Palm where the chicken tinga tacos are my favorite. I can’t wait to see what this talented couple will do next. Watch this place.
Speaking of talented couples, have you heard of the local husband and wife who quit their corporate jobs to open a small sub-shop in downtown Lake Worth Beach? Makayla and Danny Clanton are building more than stacked sandwiches at L-Dub Subs – they are building community. Their story touches all the right notes: a desire that becomes a new career, a welcoming community, a sub-boutique that celebrates local products.
And on the theme of venturing into something new, Swedish café Johan’s Joe is now serves dinner. The menu was created by one of Palm Beach’s top chefs, Aaron Black of PB Catch. What a treat for downtown West Palm diners.
Let’s go to venture out and try new flavors.


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The manufacturers of probiotic yoghurts and yoghurt drinks claim their products can help relieve digestive irregularity and boost the immune system.
But it's worth noting that the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), which regulates food health claims, has recently found insufficient evidence for claims that probiotic products have a positive effect on the immune system and digestive health.
The food industry's probiotics sector has complained that EFSA uses excessively rigorous scientific standards, similar to those used in the pharmaceutical industry, to assess claims.
But their complaints don't help the consumer, who simply wants to know whether probiotic food products, which range from yoghurts and yoghurt drinks to dietary supplements, are likely to benefit their health.
Probiotic expert Professor Bob Rastall, head of Food and Nutritional Sciences at the University of Reading in the UK, firmly believes probiotics are useful for health.
He stresses that probiotics are considered by some as "functional foods" - products which have ingredients or components in them that can improve health or reduce disease risk in humans.
"But they're not drugs - they don't prevent or cure disease," he warns.
The gut is full of bacteria, and in the colon there's a very complex "bacterial ecosystem" involving hundreds of species.
Rastall says that some of the organisms in the gut are good for your health: they stimulate the immune system and can inhibit pathogens, but others are less beneficial, causing toxins.
Rastall explains that by increasing the population of the so-called good bacteria (probiotics), the health of the gut can be improved.
According to Dr Helen Crawley who works in Nutrition Policy at City University, most people who eat a good mixed diet, containing lots of vegetables, will have perfectly healthy functioning guts.
But there is some evidence that when people have been ill, or on antibiotics, they may benefit from foods which have probiotic properties.
"It's interesting to note that many foods have these," points out Dr Crawley.
"It's not limited to yoghurts and yoghurt drinks."
Probiotics have been shown in small studies to reduce the incidence of antibiotic-associated diarrhoea in nursing homes, and the incidence and/or severity of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), bloating, abdominal pain and flatulence in some people.
"The idea, really, is that probiotics are topping up the healthy bacteria in the gut," says Rastall.
He points out that several studies show the immune system is more responsive to pathogens after probiotic consumption.
"In a study on winter infections, people were fed probiotics and had the same incidence of infections like the common cold, but the duration was reduced by a couple of days.
"If you could potentially reduce suffering from a cold by two days simply by increasing the amount of probiotics in your diet, I would say that's a useful health benefit.
There are no known detrimental effects for normal people consuming probiotics.
"You're not going to do yourself any harm at all by eating a probiotic yoghurt. They're safe."
But he stresses probiotics aren't an alternative to a healthy diet.
"What I don't want people to think is that they can eat an unhealthy diet and lead an unhealthy lifestyle and then just have a probiotic yoghurt and everything will be fine.
"Clearly, that's nonsense - you can't undo the damage done by an unhealthy diet with probiotics, they're not drugs.
"A healthy diet is the starting point for everything - and probiotics are part of it."
Gastroenterologist Professor Peter Whorwell of Manchester University has just completed a review of 25 reputable clinical trials into the effect of probiotics on irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
He found that 20 of the trials had a positive result, in which one or more of the measured symptoms improved.
He has also run two trials on probiotics himself, and both had "strongly positive" results.
"That's statistically pretty convincing, and it certainly convinces me that something's going on."
He says the problem with probiotics is that they're not strong, so for someone with very bad IBS, for example, they will only "scratch the surface".
But for those with less severe IBS, probiotics are probably "quite a good idea", he says.
"The good side, for me, is that they're harmless, whereas drugs have side-effects.
"I think we can say that probiotics are safe, as long as they come from a reputable source - that way you'll know the organisms are the right strains and do something positive."
Whorwell tells patients they need to take probiotics in adequate doses so they get billions of organisms in their gut, and they should take them for at least a month before judging if they're making a difference.
Studies in his laboratory funded by Danone have found a reduction in bloating after a month's consumption of Activia probiotic yoghurt.
An effect on constipation, abdominal pain and other general gastrointestinal symptoms has also been found.
He says he can see no reason for people not to try probiotic products if they have digestive problems, and adds: "If you try one and it doesn't suit you, try another." Although the benefits for those without digestive disorders aren't clear.
And as for the stringent EFSA regulations about the health claims food manufacturers make for probiotics, he warns: "If we're not careful, we're going to lose potentially harmless and helpful products, which is very sad."
Rastall adds: "EFSA seem to want pharmaceutical levels of substantiation, but you're not going to get it.
"It's unreasonable to expect the food industry to do that, in my view.
"With these products there is science out there - there's not the same level of substantiation as there is with pharmaceuticals, but they're not drugs.
"They sit in the grey area between straightforward food and a drug, and cause lots of problems for regulators.
"I think the EFSA panel is doing untold damage to a very healthy sector of the food industry."
Yet other public health nutritionists believe EFSA are taking the right approach in minimising the claims that manufacturers can make about processed foods.
Dr Helen Crawley points out: "There are no claims on the basic foods we all need to eat well: cereals, vegetables, fruit, milk, eggs, meat etc... so to make claims about the special nature of some foods without very clear evidence of their benefit for the majority of the population is counter intuitive."
* There are 20 times more bacteria in our guts than there are human cells in the body.
* There's about 1kg of bacteria in our colons.
* We have more bacteria in our bodies than there have ever been people on the planet.
* Probiotic comes from the Greek words meaning "for life".
* The World Health Organisation defines probiotics as "live micro-organisms which, when administered in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit on the host".


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The 2018 Lexus RX 350 is a three-row, seven-seat version that will soon be released as Toyota expands its luxury arm of crossover vehicles. The most recent report has it that this crossover hits the Tokyo Motor Show in November this year. Apparently, it will become aesthetically appealing although it is not going to be much different from LX 570.
The Japanese brand keeps evolving this SUV in the quest to win more enthusiasts just like the previous releases. Hence, the 4th generation RX gets a third row to complement its corporate cousin, the Toyota Highlander.
2018 Lexus RX 350—Exterior and Interior Specifications
Based on a few spy shots, we can attest that the 2018 Lexus RX 350 maintains the same wheelbase as the current two-row prototype. However, there is the likelihood that it features an extended rear. Also, the roof remains flat near the rear rather than sloping down like on the two-row version. Lexus engineers aim at providing adequate headroom for the third row.
The commodious 2018 Lexus RX 350 features about 109.84-inch long wheelbase, which can accommodate a third row and two extra passengers. It also comes with an extended rear overhang that is said to be around 198.82 inches in length, up to 6.30 inches from the previous crossover. The Japanese publication claims the seven-seat version retains the current car’s rear window graphics. That means rear seat occupants will have a restricted view outwards.
It has a lightweight metallic framework and high strength aluminum bodywork that will make it sturdy yet light in weight. The automaker will also upgrade the grille and the headlights. It will come with a panoramic moonroof, and its door handles will get illuminated. The car’s bumper is going to be tweaked to give a stylish look.
The 2018 Lexus RX 350 showcases more aerodynamically streamlined lines and curves that offer improved resistance to the wind. It will be more robust, reliable and convenient than most of its equivalents. This crossover features L-shaped headlamps consisting of an intelligent high beam, which adjusts the intensity of light according to different conditions.
All Lexus RX editions will get the Lexus Safety System as standard. Besides, the cabin may also come packed with the extras such as lane departure alert, pre-collision system, adaptive cruise control, auto high beams and much more. The 2018 Lexus RX 350 has comfortable front seats and relaxing rear seats comprising of split-fold-recline seatbacks. It has excellent cargo space and impressive fit and finishes. The Lexus uses some avant-garde wood and leather upholstery.
The base RX models come equipped with synthetic leather, cruise control and power features. Nearly all of them also come with add on navigation, rear-seat DVD entertainment, premium audio among others.
Engine and Fuel Economy of the 2018 Lexus RX 350
The 2018 Lexus RX 350 is going to incorporate a 3.5-liter V-6 engine that churns out 295 horsepower at 6,300rpm and 267 pound-feet of torque at 4,700rpm. The EPA ratings for the Front-Wheel-Drive are 20 mpg in the city and 27 mpg on the highway. However, the All-Wheel-drive versions have their fuel economy rated at 19 mpg in the city and 26 mpg on the highway.
Expected Release Date and Cost
The 2018 Lexus RX 350 is scheduled to be launched in November this year. The actual price of the crossover is dependent upon the type of SUV package you choose. With that said, the basic model is likely to start at $40,000 while the F-Sport package may top out at $50,000. Potential rivals include the likes of Infiniti Q80, Audi Q7 and Volvo XC90.


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The high cost of steel, like the high cost of fuel, is starting to make a financial impact on fleets, such as increased costs for truck bodies, trailers, liftgates, and other upfit equipment. The price of steel is cyclical; however, in this cycle, the price of steel has increased sharply from $400 a ton to as high as $800 a ton. (By way of context, it takes about a ton-and-a-half of steel to build a car.) What has kept steel prices high so far this year has been resurgence in capital spending, a low inventory of steel as a result of the massive global consolidation of steel producers, and the emergence of China as a huge steel importer, which has created an enormous demand that barely existed in previous cycles. A June 2004 survey by Purchasing Magazine revealed that 72 percent of steel buyers polled expected steel prices to remain ele-vated through the third quarter. From the fleet perspective, upfit-ters are increasing equipment costs to compensate for their higher cost of steel. For instance, on Aug. 2, Utilimaster Corp. in Waka-rusa, Ind., raised the prices on all of its truck body and walk-in van product lines. “Escalating costs of raw materials – aluminum, steel, wood, and petroleum based products – require price in-creases in our product lines ranging between 6 and 8 percent,” said Utilimaster’s VP of Sales and Marketing Kevin Page.
Similarly, Supreme Industries, a manufacturer of specialized truck bodies headquartered in Goshen, Ind. has implemented an aggregate 11-percent price increase during the first seven months of 2004 to mitigate the escalating cost of steel, aluminum, and wood. “Since the cost of the major commodities used in our prod-ucts have not yet stabilized, we implemented an additional 5-percent price increase in July,” said Omer Kropf, president of Supreme Corp. Earlier, Supreme had raised prices 1 percent in March and 6 percent in early April. Strong Truck Demand Creates Long OTD
Demand for medium- and heavy-duty trucks is up 40 percent this year, according to Standard & Poor’s, which has prompted manufacturers to substantially boost output for the first time since the late 1990s. Ford plans to increase commercial truck production by 30 percent during the second half of the year. A second shift will begin producing TopKicks and Kodiaks in September at GM’s Flint Truck Assembly. Freightliner has added a third production shift at its Cleveland, N.C., assembly plant and another 100 jobs at a chassis and cab parts factory in Gastonia, N.C.
One example of the strong demand for work trucks is U-Haul International, which has added 5,000 10-foot GMC moving trucks to its fleet in the past year. According to U-Haul, it is witnessing an increase in moving activity all across the country, which it says is a strong indicator that the economy is improving. In addition, the average age of commercial trucks on the road is 5.9 years now — a 10-year high, which is triggering a strong replacement market. In other cases, some fleets are accelerating truck acquisition timetables so that they occur before the more stringent federal emission regulations covering diesel engines take effect in 2007.
The drawback for fleets, especially those predominately comprised of trucks, is that order-to-delivery times for medium-duty and heavy-duty trucks are starting to take 9-10 months. One fleet manager told me that he had cut a P.O. for his ordered trucks in November 2003 but was told he would not receive the trucks until mid-summer. Not only is there a shortage of medium-duty and heavy-duty trucks in the market, there is likewise a short supply of truck trailers.
The significant shortage of raw materials is also impacting Class 3-6 truck production. “The raw material shortage for both production parts and replacement parts to a certain extent is holding back the output of many manufacturers,” said Rainer Schmueckle, president and CEO of Freightliner LLC. “As the world economy starts to align and countries like China provide a significant strain on raw materials, we may struggle even more to reach the (truck) output in 2006, (meaning) the reductions in 2007 could be even graver than what we saw in 2002-2003.” Let me know how these issues are impacting you. firstname.lastname@example.org
Originally posted on Automotive Fleet


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A tablespoon of news. A cup of the latest dairy technology insights. A dash of innovation. We hope the dairy flavor insights and information we’ve collected here, from our team and other sources, serve a plateful of knowledge and success.
One of the biggest challenges with which food developers struggle is cheese. The world loves cheese, and we’re eating more of it. In 2020, the number of new cheese launches on the market increased to meet demand by 11% globally over 2019, according to Mintel’s The Future of Cheese: 2021 report. Especially in the US […]
2021 Top Trends: #1. A Focus on Food Transparency With unprecedented information at their fingertips and global issues like health and sustainability at the forefront of consumer minds, it’s no surprise that Innova listed Transparency as the number one trend to keep an eye on in 2021 for the Food & Beverage industry. If you […]
While the plant-based food market has a significant upside, these foods still face obstacles that manufacturers have struggled to overcome. Flavor houses specialize in helping food manufacturers overcome these common, and sometimes tricky, plant-based food challenges. Why is it so important to overcome these challenges? “The first challenge is getting consumers to make the initial […]
See How To Create Delicious Plant-Based Beverages Good news, new plant-based drink launches were up 2.8% in 2020* compared to in 2019, according to Mintel. And a recent Innova Consumer Survey indicated that the top four reasons for considering plant-based alternatives were health, diet variety, sustainability and taste. That means that when creating plant-based beverages it is […]
Taste. Consumers say it’s the #1 reason they purchase a food or beverage. But they also want to eat healthy. Fortunately, there are a variety of flavor technologies available to elevate the taste and richness of low-sugar, low-fat and low-sodium products so food manufacturers can create permissibly indulgent Better-For-You foods. In fact, with half of […]
Predicting the future of the food and beverage industry isn’t an easy task, especially after a tumultuous 2020 that turned the industry upside down. However, there are some key insights to be noted from the past year that will continue to impact 2021 and, likely, beyond. With 85% of consumers saying they’ve made changes to […]


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When the Horseshoe Bay Resort began upgrading its telephone system in 2005, it initially called phone companies.
But it eventually hired a telecom consulting firm, which recommended a voice-over-Internet-protocol, or VoIP, system that has enabled the 30-year-old resort to eliminate its old analog system.
Last year, the owners of the resort extended the system to a hotel when they took over management of the 349-room Horseshoe Bay Resort Marriott, which is also on the property in the Texas Hill Country. By combining Internet access with its phone system, the 14-building resort reduced operating costs by $7,000 on one monthly bill and typically 12 percent per month, Chief Information Officer Lyle Worthington said.
“Typically, a phone system is just a cost of doing business,” Worthington said. “It’s not very often you can say your new phone system is saving you money.”
Telephone systems are increasingly combined with Internet service, sending data and voice over the same lines. The shift has blurred what constitutes information technology and what has typically been telecommunications.
That blurring has prompted a burgeoning industry of businesses that bridge the two areas. In addition to telecom consultants, the industry is seeing more businesses calling themselves telecom management or technology expense companies, whose job is to help businesses save money and better manage their phone systems.
“This is a cottage industry, and there are many small firms,” said Jeff Kagan, an
Atlanta-based telecommunications industry analyst. “Some know more than others. But if you get the right people, they can save you significant dollars.”
Horseshoe Bay’s consultant, Brookside Technology Partners Inc., an Austin-based company founded in 2002, assesses such telephone systems. It then buys and installs equipment, leasing it to customers for an average of $1,500 a month, Regional Vice President Dan Parker said.
The approach enables companies to treat their phone systems as an operating expense rather than a capital investment that depreciates each year. It also means hiring telecom experts capable of assembling integrated systems instead of merely installing telephones, Parker said.
“Most people don’t realize that you can get so much more from a system than just taking a call and making a call,” he said. “It’s critical that management be able to manage.”
By that, Parker means that the latest systems enable businesses to track the number of calls and where they’re coming from and going to. Such metrics typically benefit companies with several locations and lines, he said.
Once systems are installed, companies such as Tangoe Inc., which operates its wireless division from Austin, monitor how the systems are used combined with the auditing of operating costs, said Wayne DeCesaris, vice president of managed solutions.
In addition to identifying billing errors, the increased use of mobile devices such as Blackberries has increased the need for tools to manage them, he said.
Lately, the recession has fueled the need for clients to reduce telecom costs just like they did when the dot-com bubble burst in the early 2000s, DeCesaris said.
“With trends in the economy, we’re seeing people reverting back,” he said.
In 2007, Connecticut-based Tangoe opened an Austin office through a merger with Traq-wireless Inc., a maker of mobile lifecycle management software. At the time, Traq-wireless employed 65 workers. The Austin location now has 110 people.
Last year, Tangoe closed a $13.5 million round of financing to enable the company to complete its second acquisition in a year.
Telecom expense management is a fragmented industry crowded with about 200 smaller vendors, which is projected to grow to 300 by 2013, according to Gartner Research Inc.
The U.S. market is worth an estimated $600 million, said Joseph Basili, managing director of the Telecom Expense Management Industry Association. The convergence of voice and data services — combined with increased use of mobile devices — is fueling need for such management firms, he said.
“People will always have access to the networks,” Basili said.
David Walsh, CEO of Austin-based Internet protocol service provider StarView Solutions LP, which launched in February, said businesses are increasingly combining data and voice. The migration is providing plenty of work for businesses that can help others do that best.
“It’s a good time to be in the space,” Walsh said.


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WATCH | 'Made by Africans, watched by the world': Netflix shines a light on African creatives
In the wake of African movies topping charts on Netflix, the streaming service has teamed up with some of the continent’s creatives to promote the importance of African stories.
Netflix released a video titled Made by Africans, Watched by the World featuring local stars, including the star of Queen Sono and Catching Feelings, Pearl Thusi, rising star Ama Qamata from Blood & Water, director Loyiso Lediga and Bontle Modiselle.
“Our aim at Netflix is to have stories that are made by Africans to be watched by the world,” said Netflix's manager of African Originals Dorothy Ghettuba.
“We are focused on giving our consumers in Africa, and globally, authentic African content. Having all of these incredible voices in the same room, and on the same platform going forward, is something to celebrate.
“We’ve always had our stories told by others from the outside-in but this time, we get to tell our own stories from the inside-out,” she added.
Watch the video below.
On Instagram, Pearl said she was honoured and proud of the campaign.
“Our stories are magic. Our stories are culture. Our stories are history. Our stories are the future," she wrote.
“These are just a fraction of the creatives on the African continent that you can count on to change the way African content is seen and understood on this planet.
“There are so many other incredible African creatives around the world that are going to raise a mirror not just for the world to see themselves through the eyes of black people, but a mirror will also be raised to show and remind black people how beautiful and magical they are.”


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This might be the fanciest McDonald’s in the world (Rotterdam, Netherlands)
June 11, 2015
Posted by on
“McDonald’s has opened a fancy new restaurant that looks like an Apple store in Rotterdam, Netherlands.
The glass-enclosed restaurant, designed by Dutch firm Mei Architects features “a perforated golden facade and a grand spiral staircase,” Dezeen Magazine reports.
The firm was hired to redesign the McDonald’s restaurant after residents named it the “ugliest building in Rotterdam” and city officials considered tearing it down, according to Dezeen.
The interior of the restaurant has leather couches and tons of lounging space.”
Read more @ http://www.businessinsider.com/fanciest-mcdonalds-in-the-world-2015-6
Languages do matter!


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Share markets in both Australia and the United States are in a skittish mood.
The slightest nudge, through a new economic statistic or a few words from the head of the central bank, can send stocks plummeting or skyrocketing.
The last few weeks have been especially brutal for ASX shares, with the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) plunging 6.6% since 21 April.
In such scary and volatile times, it’s worth looking back at the companies that changed our lives.
They once improved the way Australians do things so much that now we can’t imagine living without them.
Those “disruptors” could point to ASX shares that could roar back when markets return to optimism.
Disruptors that ‘revolutionised’ our lives
According to financial commentator Bob Kohut, there are three ASX-listed companies that fit the “disruptors” bill:
Carsales shares have risen more than 400% since listing in 2009, while Seek has gained a massive 950% since its 2005 float.
The REA stock price has skyrocketed more than 11,700% since 1999.
“Here in Australia, three companies revolutionised not only the way consumers bought homes and cars and found jobs, but also the way the businesses selling these commodities grabbed consumer attention,” Kohut said on The Bull.
“All three were founded in the mid-1990s.”
Bright future for the trio
And all three ASX shares have faced disruptor challengers themselves, and seen them off.
“[Seek] has broadened its scope to include Seek Learning, offering educational opportunities as well as Seek Business for the selling of business and franchising opportunities, and an investment vehicle – the Seek Growth Fund,” said Kohut.
“REA considers itself as much a technology company as a media company as through the years the company has used technology to provide value-added services for its entire customer base.”
Kohut noted, despite the spectacular growth over two decades, analysts feel like it has “petrol left in its tank”.
“In FY 2020, the company saw a slight dip in revenue while still increasing its profit before rising again in FY 2021 with an 18% increase in profit and a 13% revenue increase,” he said.
“Half-year 2022 results continue unabated, with revenues rising 25% and NPAT [net profit after tax] up 33%.”
Carsales’ latest results were a “cause for investor optimism”, Kohut added.
“Both reported revenue and profit were up 22% with the largest growth (38%) coming from private sellers and buyers, due in part to a reduction in use of public transport, international travel, and work commuting.”
Source: Read More


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Google introduced several measures to make its products secure-by-default and private-by-design at its I/O Developer Conference 2022, according to a blog post by the company. It also announced two new tools which allow users to control how their data is used by the company.
The first one lets users ask to purge their contact details — phone numbers, home, and email addresses — from Google Search results. This option can be used in the coming months by clicking on the three dots next to individual Google Search results, the company wrote.
Secondly, it introduced the ‘My Ad Centre’ which will permit users to control the ads they watch while using Google products. They will now be able to pick the ads they want to see more or less of and decide whether they want to personalise their ads. But these controls will only be rolled out later in the year.
“My Ad Centre gives you even more control over the ads you see on YouTube, Search, and your Discover feed, while still being able to block and report ads,” read the post by Google’s SVP for core systems and experiences Jen Fitzpatrick.
Google is a company whose model is cataloguing information and providing data to its users in a simplified manner. With these announcements, it seems to be moving towards using the information it collects from its users responsibly and offering users insight into how their personal data is processed by the company.
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Google’s tools to guard against cyber threats
The tech giant wrote that people are increasingly worried about the safety of their data online, and underscored the following measures for better protection:
- Virtual Cards: The company has announced virtual cards for Chrome and Android. “When you use autofill to enter your payment details at checkout, virtual cards will add an additional layer of security by replacing your actual card number with a distinct, virtual number,” read the post. Users will not need to enter details like CVV at checkout manually, and one can manage them at pay.google.com. The feature will be rolling out in the US for Visa, American Express, and Mastercard in the summer. Google did not say whether it will be available in other parts of the world.
- Account Safety Status: Google has also added safety status to apps so users do not have to worry about the security of their Google Account. It will sport a simple yellow alert icon on users’ profile picture that will flag actions they should take to secure their account.
- Phishing protections in Google Workspace: The company has extended its phishing and malware protections from Gmail to Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides.
- Automatic 2-Step Verification: Google is inching towards a passwordless option with 2-Step Verification (2SV) auto enrollment to help users instantly boost the security of their Google Accounts and reduce their risk of getting phished.
Google wrote about the introduction of Protected Computing — a “toolkit of technologies” that manages how, when, and where data is processed to technically ensure the privacy and safety of users’ data. It does so by implementing the following measures:
- Minimising data footprint: Google will use techniques like edge processing and ephemerality to shrink the amount of personally identifiable data.
- De-identifying data: By blurring and randomising identifiable signals in addition to a bunch of anonymisation techniques, the company will strip users’ identities from the data. It also adds statistical noise to it.
- Restricting access: No one will be able to access sensitive data as a result of technologies like end-to-end encryption and secure enclaves. Not even Google can access this sensitive data.
Update on Privacy Sandbox
Google also provided an update on its Privacy Sandbox. It said that it was testing trial versions of the Privacy Sandbox APIs in Chrome. “One of these is Federated Credential Management, a new way for browsers to support logins with any identity provider without relying on third-party cookies or libraries, making it easier for users to sign in or sign up on your site,” the company announced.
The company said that it will provide more updates on its Privacy Sandbox later this year.
Privacy Sandbox is a 2019 project by Google that restricts the use of activity-tracking cookies and instead, offers alternative tracking mechanisms outlined in a set of proposals that Google has dubbed ‘Privacy Sandbox’. Multiple marketers and publishers had criticised the move for being anti-competitive and a complaint was filed with the CMA, which triggered an investigation in January 2021.
Google announced in January this year that it was pulling the plug on Federated Learning of Cohorts (FLoC) and replacing it with Topics— a new Privacy Sandbox proposal for interest-based advertising, as per a blog post by Vinay Goel, Product Director, Privacy Sandbox, Chrome.
“Topics was informed by our learning and widespread community feedback from our earlier FLoC trials, and replaces our FLoC proposal,” the blog read.
Google began working on FLoC as an alternative to third-party cookies which the Chrome browser will be phasing out by 2023. The company said that it was launching a developer trial of Topics in Chrome soon for website developers and the ads industry that includes user controls.
Google Wallet for Android
The company rolled out Google Wallet which will be available in over 40 countries at first with plans to expand access to all Android users globally. Kevin Flanagan of Google explained that the company’s wallet will be able to store all kinds of credit and debit cards but it will not be limited to just cards.
What are its functions? “Users will be able to quickly access their passes when they need them, and (they) will never have to worry about selecting which cards to carry in their Google Wallet. They can store their loyalty cards, gift cards, maybe some special offers or event tickets, boarding passes, transit tickets, or vaccine cards.
Flanagan explained that Google Wallet will be a common platform that makes it easier for device makers to provide a digital wallet on every Android device. He added that Google Wallet will be accessible from the device lock screen and from the pulldown shade.
Flanagan also said that the company is working on allowing users to store their driver’s licence in the Google Wallet. He added that the company has provided developers with Generic Passes API to digitise passes of any kind.
How will Google protect sensitive financial data?
Google said that its Wallet comes laced with privacy and security controls. “While it brings all of the security features of Android as its first line of defence, such as authentication, find my phone, remote data wipe, and more, users can rest easy knowing that their valuables stored in Google Wallet are safe and secure,” Flanagan said.
Flanagan informed that payments made using the Wallet are encrypted and card information is never shared with third parties. ”Privacy controls allow users to maintain full control over their data with transparency about what is shared and who has access to it.”
This post is released under a CC-BY-SA 4.0 license. Please feel free to republish on your site, with attribution and a link. Adaptation and rewriting, though allowed, should be true to the original.
- Apple, Google, and Microsoft to ditch passwords sign-ins
- You can now ask Google to remove your phone number and address from Search Results
- Google asks app developers to declare privacy practices on Play Store
- Outdated apps to be cleared off from Google Play Store starting November this year
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WILTON, Conn. -- A Washington man accused of stealing mail in Wilton was indicted on fraud and identity theft charges.
A federal grand jury in New Haven returned a four-count indictment charging Elijah Chin, 27, of Federal Way, Washington, with fraud and identity theft offenses, according to Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut. The indictment was returned on Sept. 21 and announced Thursday.
Chin was arrested by Wilton Police in February after residents reported seeing him driving around town and stealing mail out of mail boxes.
Chin appeared before a magistrate judge in Hartford on Thursday and pleaded not guilty to the charges. He was released on a $250,000 bond.
The indictment charges that between December 2016 and February 2017, Chin was involved in a scheme in which credit card accounts were opened electronically using personal identifying information from Connecticut residents. After the credit car issuers mailed credit card to the victims' home addresses, Chin took the cards directly from the victims' mailboxes, Daly said. He then used them to purchase gift cards, pre-paid cards and other items at various retail establishments in Connecticut, according to Daly.
Chin was indicted on two counts of wire fraud, which carry a maximum term of 20 years in prison on each count, and two counts of aggravated identity theft, which carries a mandatory consecutive term of two years in prison.
This matter is being investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Wilton Police Department and Ridgefield Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ray Miller.
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A city councilwoman is proposing a moratorium on fast-food restaurants in south Los Angeles, which has more such eateries than any other part of the county.Big Brother casts his eye on the populace and decides that less freedom is better. So much easier to slap a negative law down (or to propose one) than to look at something positive ... such as reworking the city to create walking friendly neighborhoods, etc.
The ordinance proposed by Councilwoman Jan Perry would stop new fast-food restaurants from opening in the area for up to two years while the city establishes a long-term plan to deal with the restaurants that have been linked to health problems.
What's next? A stop on the scales before you can buy some Oreos?


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Colin Brinsden, AAP Economics and Business Correspondent
(Australian Associated Press)
Australians are worrying about cost of living pressures, fuelled by a jump in petrol prices to record highs, which may curb their future spending habits.
The weekly ANZ-Roy Morgan consumer survey found inflation expectations for the next two years jumped 0.3 percentage points to five per cent, the highest level since December 2014.
“The rise in average petrol prices of more than 10 per cent nationally in the past two weeks likely had an impact on household perceptions of price increases,” ANZ head of Australian economics David Plank said.
In the past week alone, the Australian average for unleaded petrol rose 8.8 cents per litre to a record of 169.5 cents.
Inflation expectations provide an indicator as to where price pressures may be heading, and can be used in setting prices and wages.
Commonwealth Securities senior economist Ryan Felsman believes households are also worrying about higher food prices, elevated utilities bills and annual insurance premium hikes.
“Rising costs of inputs and production, due to supply chain disruptions and labour shortages, could eventually lead businesses to pass-on these higher costs to consumers through price hikes,” Mr Felsman warned.
“Rising consumer inflation expectations could potentially dampen confidence with households reluctant to spend in the near-term, delaying ‘big-ticket’ purchases.”
Rising fuel costs are expected to feature in Wednesday’s release of the consumer price index for the September quarter.
Economists’ forecasts point to a 0.8 per cent rise in the quarter for an annual rate of 3.1 per cent, compared with the Reserve Bank of Australia’s two to three per cent inflation target.
However, underlying inflation – which smooths out excessive price swings and is more linked to interest rate decisions made by the RBA – is likely to remain subdued and below the target band.
Predictions centre on underlying inflation rising 0.5 per cent in the September quarter to 1.9 per cent annually.
Meanwhile, confidence among Melburnians rose 1.2 per cent, and across Victoria by 1.5 per cent, as the state reopened after more than two months of lockdown trying to contain the coronavirus.
However, there was a mixed picture across the rest of country, resulting in a 0.2 per cent decline in the consumer confidence index, and ending a six-week run of gains.
Consumer confidence is a pointer to future household spending.
Commonwealth Bank of Australia’s weekly credit and debit card spending data shows a rebound in spending as restrictions ended in NSW, Victoria and the ACT.
National spending rose three per cent for the week ending October 22, with a seven per cent lift in NSW and a two per cent increase in Victoria.
CBA chief economist Stephen Halmarick said national spending growth had now recovered to be only slightly below the pace recorded prior to the lockdowns.
Rising vaccination rates are also pointing to a faster-than-expected recovery, he said.
Across Australia more than 87 per cent of the eligible population aged over 16 have now had their first COVID-19 jab, while more than 74 per cent are fully vaccinated with two doses.


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John Fredriksen’s Ship Finance International has extended its series at Daehan Shipbuilding by ordering two plus two options 114,000 dwt LR2 product tankers, according to the latest market update from Clarkson Research.
The two firm units are due for delivery in the first quarter of 2018 and will be the third and fourth vessels in the series. No price has been revealed.
Elsewhere, Hyundai Mipo Dockyard, another Korean yard, has secured an order for one 50,000 dwt MR product tanker from Sangji Shipping, due for delivery in 2018. Sangji Shipping became a subsidiary company of GS
Caltex in 2009 and has another 38,986 dwt product tanker in its fleet.


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The sports industry is no stranger to technological innovation, and the previous few years have been a particularly fruitful moment in these two gargantuan industries’ ongoing collaboration. After all, sports fans are now driving perhaps the largest objective NFT market in the world today thanks to the success of NBA Top Shot and other related licensed blockchain-token sports stores. Elsewhere, smartphone users are increasingly making use of the free bet offers supplied by comparison platforms such as oddschecker on the latest odds and picks over patronizing brick-and-mortar establishments. And with the much lauded “metaverse” on the horizon, major sporting bodies are energetically maneuvering their brands to carve out a piece of the pie.
With respect to this latter prospect, it feels for many that it’s still too early to get a clear picture of how the metaverse will work in practice. It’s true that there have been noteworthy early examples of VR sports spectatorship, such as when San Siro stadium hosted the world’s first internationally broadcast club football match, between AC Milan and Fiorentina, in the Italian metaverse, The Nemesis, back in April. But this is still testing the waters, and while there may be some metaverse fanfare around this coming winter’s world cup, no major steps are being made to integrate Web3 with the top flight of any sporting event – yet.
A Largely Untapped Market
The major difference between the metaverse, and a slew of other emergent tech trends at present, from crypto to esports, is the lack of widespread consumer uptake. Very few people own a VR headset at present. CNBC reported back in 2020 that there were an estimated 26 million consumer VR headsets in circulation. Even allowing for that number to have grown markedly over the intervening years, this is a drop in the ocean when compared to smartphone ownership, or virtually any other mainstream consumer technology.
What’s more, the number of these headsets that could be considered “true VR”, that is, a headset featuring 6 degrees of freedom — enabling users to not just look around, but move through space, is likely a much smaller number still. After all, to date the best selling VR headset on the market, by a huge margin, are the early 3 degree-of-freedom Samsung Gear VR headsets.
Don’t Pin Your Hopes on Zuckerberg to Deliver the Metaverse
Of course Meta, aka Facebook, are hoping to change all of that, having acquired the world’s leading VR headset manufacturer, Oculus, back in 2014. While the latest headsets coming from them are indeed impressive, and represent the current pinnacle of consumer VR tech by any measure, Facebook has historically struggled to convert their 2 billion+ user base into consumers of its numerous failed forays in consumer tech.
As such, it’s far more likely that the first major VR headset to reach widespread public adoption will come from an established and trusted hardware manufacturer. Enter Apple, who have been quietly dropping hints that their upcoming “game-changing” mixed reality (AR/VR) headset will hit the shelves in January 2023. While much has been said about the headset’s supposed focus on AR, the fact that Apple has incorporated VR functionality at all is significant for the wider market.
The All-Pervasive Apple Effect
After all, if Apple builds it, they will come. The company’s ability to command impressive price-tags for novel technology has never hindered it in the past, and as such it’s unlikely that the supposed $3000 RRP for this upcoming headset will perturb their faithful consumers. Looking at the long game, the crucial point here is that, in much the same way the Air Pod set the template for what Bluetooth earphones could, and should, be like, Apple’s headset will rapidly become the template to emulate for other manufacturers.
The potential latent in the metaverse is not lost on the sports industry, which stands to benefit greatly from the ability to sell virtual event tickets and VR broadcast rights. As such, you can rest assured that major franchises in this sector will be watching Apple’s upcoming headset closely, looking for clear indications as to where widespread consumer adoption of VR will land.


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‘Fortnite’ Season 9 Final Showdown Live Event Countdown
Fortnite Season 9 is almost over, and that means there’s a new live event in the works. Sometimes dubbed the “Cattus vs Doggus” event, the Final Showdown festivities are expected to feature a major clash between the Loot Lake Monster and Pressure Plant Robot. Below we detail the event’s start time and everything we know about it.
When does the Fortnite event start?
The Final Showdown is expected to take place at approximately 2 p.m. EDT July 20. Shortly before it starts, matchmaking will be limited to funnel players toward a special Final Showdown lobby. Simply go there at the correct time to watch the event unfold.
‘Fortnite’s Final Showdown event takes place July 20 at 2 p.m. EDT. Sky Platforms will be available to offer the best view. ‘Fortnite’ is available on PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC and mobile.
For this particular event Epic will try to make it easy to watch by giving fans Hyperfuel Jetpacks and unfettered access to Sky Platforms. With these features in mind, it shouldn’t be difficult to find a good viewing spot.
What do we know about Fortnite’s Final Showdown event?
Compared to previous seasons where leakers have explicitly detailed almost everything about live events beforehand, the Fortnite datamining community has opted for a policy of collective silence when it comes to Season 9. With that in mind, there’s not a ton we can confirm about how the Final Showdown plays out.
This time around, much of our knowledge of the event relies on hints Epic has given players over the past few days. Earlier this week, fans were able to gift Monster and Robot banners to support their side in the fight. Epic has presumably set up two different victory scenarios, and one would guess that the team with the most support will come out on top. The true nature of these scenarios, however, remains unclear. Will different locations be destroyed based on the results of the battle? Fans will have to tune in to find out! For now, the completed Fortbyte Loading Screen is the best preview we’ve got.
‘Fortnite’s Fortbyte Loading Screen offers a preview of the Final Showdown event taking place July 20.
Epic Games/Jackknife Finnegan @ YouTube
Hype for the Final Showdown began at the end of May when a frozen monster eye was spotted at Polar Peak. The creature progressively moved its way to Loot Lake and hasn’t been seen since. All the while, the residents of Pressure Plant continued their work on a massive Teddy Bear robot. Its construction finished alongside the release of update 9.40 on Wednesday.
Fortnite is available now on PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC and mobile. The Final Showdown Live Event begins July 20 at 2 p.m. EDT.
Will you be watching the Fortnite Season 9 live event as it happens? Are you on team monster or team robot? Tell us in the comments section!


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Salon Spain Supercar Event at Ascari in Ronda
MarbellaAzul.com were at the official presentation of the Salon Spain event which took place at the Yusto Giner Gallery in Marbella on 26 April 2016.
The presentation was held at Yusto Giner which is currently exhibiting the works of Miguel Laino and we were given details of this exclusive motoring event which will take place at the Formula 1 Ascari circuit near Ronda on the 28 & 29 May 2016 (Saturday 10.00 – 18.00 and Sunday 10.00 – 20.00).
Hein Arts (organizer of the event), Melchor Durán (the general director of Ascari) and driver Álvaro Fontes (an ambassador for the event) and Marta Urrea (representing the gallery) explained in detail the exciting programme for the two days.
The Salon Spain supercar event is a gala for the sale of exclusive pre-used automobiles, organized by the business INCA which focuses on the top tier of the sector with brands such as Ferrari, Rolls Royce, Porsche, Maserati, Aston Martin, Lamborghini, Bugatti, Scotty, Viper and Bentley amongst others.
A unique event in Spain, owners and potential buyers will have the opportunity to see a selection of the current categories offered on the market. It will also be possible to buy, sell and drive the vehicles. You will also find motorbikes alongside other rare and valuable vehicles. During the two days, there will be an administrator in place and it will be possible to finalize deals and drive cars home on the day.
Tickets are available for this exclusive event from:
www.salonspain.com, www.salon-espana.com, www.eventbrite.com, www.elcorteingles.com.
or from El Corte Inglés shopping centres.
Depending on the package purchased you can choose:
To be a co-pilot to a professional driver in a car. To enjoy a high quality lunch available around the track. See demonstrations of race cars competing on the track. View a minimum of 100 spectacular cars in four different catagories – Special Cars, Extra Special Cars, Extraordinarily Special Cars and Luxury Motorbikes.
This is a very special event and one we look forward to. When the press conference finished, we wereoffered a drink and able to take photos with the race car exhibited at the gallery.


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MediaTek outstripped Qualcomm to become the biggest smartphone chipset vendor with 31-percent market share in the third quarter of 2020, according to a report. The Taiwanese chipmaker saw a strong performance in the $100 – $250 (roughly Rs. 7,000 – Rs. 18,000) price bracket. It also received significant growth in markets including India and China that helped it take on Qualcomm, that is said to still lead the market for 5G chipsets. Among other factors, MediaTek is believed to have leveraged the sluggish growth of Huawei due to the US sanctions to expand its market.
More than 100 million smartphones were sold globally in the third quarter with MediaTek chipsets, Counterpoint reports. This helped the Hsinchu, Taiwan-headquartered company expand its market share to 31 percent from 26 percent in the second quarter.
The growth of MediaTek put a dent on Qualcomm that dropped from the 31 percent share reported for the second quarter to 29 percent in the third quarter. However, the chipmaker that produces Snapdragon SoCs for mobile devices emerged as the biggest 5G chipset vendor with 39 percent share the same quarter, as per the research firm.
Qualcomm’s expansion in the 5G segment came from the launch of new phones supporting the next-generation networks. According to Counterpoint, the demand for 5G phones doubled in the third quarter, with 17 percent of all smartphones sold in the quarter supporting 5G connectivity. The trend is likely to continue with one-third of all smartphones shipped in the fourth quarter are expected to have 5G support.
Earlier this year, Qualcomm brought 5G-supported chipsets including Snapdragon 690, Snapdragon 750G, and Snapdragon 865 Plus that are so far limited to a handful of smartphone models. MediaTek, on the other hand, also expanded its chipset lineup across price segments and introduced its Dimensity range of 5G chipsets to counter the San Diego-based competitor. Nevertheless, Counterpoint noted that Qualcomm still has a chance to regain its top position by taking on MediaTek in the fourth quarter.
Counterpoint Research Director Dale Gai stated that the share of MediaTek chipsets on Xiaomi phones had increased by more than three times since the same period last year. The company also produced a list of affordable chipsets that became the first option for many handset makers to quickly fill the gap left by Huawei’s absence, the analyst said.
“MediaTek’s strong market share gain in Q3 2020 happened due to three reasons – strong performance in the mid-end smartphone price segment ($100 – $250) and emerging markets like LATAM and MEA, the US ban on Huawei and finally wins in leading OEMs like Samsung, Xiaomi, and Honor,” said Gai.
The restrictions on Huawei that resulted in supply constraints for its HiSilicon chipsets also helped Qualcomm gain some market share in the third quarter.
“Qualcomm and MediaTek have both reshuffled their portfolios, and consumer focus has played a key role here,” said Counterpoint Research Analyst Ankit Malhotra.
The analyst also underlined that the world’s cheapest 5G device, Realme V3, is powered by MediaTek.
Apart from MediaTek and Qualcomm, Samsung, Apple, and Huawei managed 12-percent market share each in the third quarter. While Huawei didn’t receive any growth during the quarter, Samsung’s share declined from the 16 percent and Apple’s share grew from the 11 percent reported for the second quarter.
Which is the bestselling Vivo smartphone in India? Why has Vivo not been making premium phones? We interviewed Vivo’s director of brand strategy Nipun Marya to find out, and to talk about the company’s strategy in India going forward. We discussed this on Orbital, our weekly technology podcast, which you can subscribe to via Apple Podcasts or RSS, download the episode, or just hit the play button below.
This article is auto-generated by Algorithm Source: gadgets.ndtv.com


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Also, New York's maple industry continues to grow.
WILLIAMSON — Sometimes, the federal, state and local government have to step in when it comes to matters of eating and drinking.
Yes, even when it comes to hard apple cider and its impact on the economy of “Apple Country.”
U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer visited Wayne County earlier this week to tackle what he called outdated federal regulations that are “taking a bite” out of New York’s apple cider industry.
Schumer, who is Senate minority leader, on Thursday visited DeFisher Fruit Farm’s Rootstock Ciderworks in Williamson to point out a regulatory problem that is costing cideries money.
Federal regulations force cideries to spend extra money for packaging of hard cider with an alcohol by volume of 6.9 percent to 8.5 percent because the product cannot be packaged in 12-ounce cans, like beer and cider with an ABV of less than 6.9 percent.
Instead, the higher alcohol cider has to be packaged in special wine-approved bottles or other containers, which costs more money.
Schumer called on the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax Trade Bureau to allow all cider up to 8.5 percent ABV to be packaged in 12-ounce cans.
As part of his visit, Schumer also urged the bureau to reverse a provision in a proposed rule that would mandate the use of the terms “sparkling” or “carbonated” for most of the state’s hard cider products.
Cider “mislabeled” as “carbonated” is too confusing for customers and hurts the state cider industry’s efforts to compete with beer, Schumer said.
Schumer in 2013 introduced the CIDER Act, bipartisan tax legislation that updated definitions for hard apple and pear cider and allowed the alcohol content by volume to increase from 7 percent to 8.5 percent, while being taxed in line with beer rather than higher-taxed wine and champagne.
Rootstock Ciderworks cans its products and owner David DeFisher, in a prepared statement, praised Schumer’s support in addressing a bureaucratic problem that stands in the way of growth of New York cideries.
And cider is big business and growing.
According to statistics provided by Schumer’s office from the New York Cider Association, the state boasts 90 cideries, more than any other state and 300 percent more than five years ago. The industry last year contributed more than $100 million to the state economy.
As many know, Wayne County is New York’s largest apple producer by county. The Finger Lakes region has over 250 apple farms.
Or is it the maple state?
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Friday that maple industry production has increased over the last five years, with the production this year of 806,000 gallons of maple syrup reaching a 74-year record.
To celebrate, Cuomo, a Democrat who is facing a reelection challenge this year from within and outside his party, said the New York State Fair will hold its first-ever Maple Day on Aug. 27.
Think maple cotton candy, maple doughnuts, pancakes and maple syrup, and more, all of which will be available to sample. Cooking demonstrations also are planned at the Wegmans Demonstration Kitchen.
Here are a few more eye-opening statistics:
According to the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service, New York's maple production constituted about 19 percent of the national total.
The number of maple taps also continues to climb, with more than 2.73 million taps in production in 2018, the highest number of taps since 1943. New York producers also benefited from a long season in 2018, which lasted 52 days, compared to 43 days in 2017.
State of agriculture
Canandaigua town officials also are providing a reminder of the agricultural sector’s responsibility for a significant portion of the state’s economy and how it supports livelihoods in many New York counties, including Ontario County.
The town of Canandaigua Agricultural Advisory Committee and Cornell Cooperative Extension of Ontario County will host a workshop on agriculture economic development in the county on Thursday, July 12.
The presentation will review the current state of the agricultural sector in the county and the economic contributions food and agricultural enterprises make to the county. Future agricultural trends, with a focus on local food, present opportunities for municipalities to plan for agricultural growth in an intentional way to achieve community and business development, town officials said.
The presentation is open to the public and will take place at 6 p.m. at the new town highway facility, 5440 Routes 5 and 20 West.


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Most Popular in:
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Euromonitor International reports that the global cosmetics and toiletries market experienced another year of strong growth in 2007.
Women are cynical about scientific claims from anti-aging products and are confused by the effectiveness of cosmeceuticals.
According to international spa expert Heinz Schletterer, the growth of hotel spas through the coming years will involve a faster pace, more specialization and an increasing diversity of treatment options.
The Natural Marketing Institute has released a study of what Baby Boomers will be like upon reaching age 70, noting a continued interest in technology and value.
More people are seeking aesthetic treatments from medical spas, as opposed to plastic surgeons, according to the International Association for Physicians in Aesthetic Medicine.
Looking to bring awareness and action against global climate change, the city of Chicago is holding Earth Hour, encouraging all of its residents to turn out their lights for one hour.
Illuminating statistics and data shed more light on the connection between the sun and skin care.
With warmer weather quickly approaching, the American Academy of Dermatology has released a statement encouraging people to be smart about their sun exposure in regard to skin health.
By Cathy Christensen
Ingrain oats into your spa meny for delicious results.
By David Suzuki
Recent advancements in the range of technological skin care offerings can give spas a leg up on the competition.


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Workers walk out over Orwellian TV monitors
It was known as the rag trade: a vibrant "patchwork" of textile shops in downtown Montreal and Toronto in the 1930s. But as the Depression wore on, clothing manufacturers began to exploit workers in what were already deplorable conditions. Female immigrants sweated in dimly lit factories, working up to 70 hours a week. A large group of textile workers decided to speak out. Their courage helped improve conditions in post-Second World War garment shops, until the introduction of free trade and a recession decades later.
• The number of employees that walked out was 220.
• Puretex president Gary Satok said the cameras were installed to hinder theft. In the 20 years that he was president, Satok noted 10 occasions of theft or suspected theft.
• An arbitrator ruled that the cameras were "anti-human" and ordered them removed by June 29, 1979.
• The ruling came two and a half years after the union first began their complaints about the cameras.
• The Canadian Textile and Chemical Union (CTCU) had filed two grievances with the company about the cameras. These were dropped. The union then worked for two years with the Ontario Human Rights Commission in an attempt to get the cameras removed.
• The arbitrator's decision did not include three storage room cameras, which he said could remain for theft prevention.
• At the time of this CBC News report, Madeleine Parent was treasurer-secretary of the CTCU. She and her husband Kent Rowley formed the union in 1952 in search of autonomy from American textile unions. On Nov. 11, 1946, Parent and Rowley established a Canadian arm of the United Textile Workers of America (UTWA).
• In 1946, the UTWA had 15,000 Canadian members.
• Parent continued her activism as a member of aboriginal and impoverished women's committees, and by becoming a founding member of the National Action Committee on the Status of Women. She retired from unionism in 1983.
• For more on the topic of Canadian video camera surveillance, see The Long Lens of the Law.
Program: The National
Broadcast Date: Dec. 28, 1978
Guest(s): Mirella Depiro, Madeleine Parent
Host: Knowlton Nash
Reporter: Frank Hilliard
Last updated: May 6, 2013
Page consulted on December 6, 2013
All Clips from this Topic
Conditions have improved for workers in Canada's garment districts, th...
Grace Hartman, Canada's first female union leader, addresses women's w...
Union leader talks to Barbara Frum about implications of knitting fact...
Managers refuse to remove surveillance cameras at a Toronto knitting f...
Union victorious as arbitrator rules cameras to be taken down from wor...
Women of the schmatte recall appalling pre-union conditions.
Madeleine Parent organizes a 6,000-strong walkout.
Management says 9,000-person strike will paralyze an already-weakened ...
The garment industry goes underground.
Cheap Mexican labour means layoffs for workers at Bovie Manufacturing.
Union pioneer Léa Roback praises textile workers for walking out durin...
An underground garment worker has her contract cut off.
It was known as the rag trade: a vibrant "patchwork" of textile shops ...


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Premium TV network Super Channel is accusing Best Buy, Staples, Canada Computers and London Drugs of copyright infringement, according to court documents.
The network, which filed its document in Federal Court, said the four retailers are selling “pirate devices” and teaching customers how to watch TV without paying for it, the CBC reported.
The document indicated that the retailers “are advertently contributing to the creation of a culture of widespread infringement and theft.” It added that “their actions are high-handed and unfair to their customers and causing damage to the plaintiff.”
The document listed defendants who bought the devices and got advice in stores. Super Channel doesn’t have the names of the customers but intends to get this information.
Super Channel also doesn’t name each pirate device, CBC reported, adding that the case includes Android boxes. It is worth adding that you can use special software, which is added to the box, in order to stream unauthorized content. Super Channel claims that it owns the rights to some of the content that can be streamed.
The network adds that it has more than 100 hours of video that it was able to obtain by using a private investigator. CBC reported that the investigators visited multiple stores and posed as customers.
CBC was able to get a hold of one of the videos, in which an employee said: “This gets you free content, like free TV and movies.”
Super Channel has indicated that it loses about $12 million a year because its subscribers go after pirated content instead.
In 2016, Rogers, Bell and Videotron previously launched a similar suite against smaller dealers who sell Android boxes that have pre-loaded software to enable piracy.


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iVoomi, another Chinese smartphone manufacturer, entered the India smartphone market with the launch of its budget smartphone iV505 at the beginning of March. While the smartphone failed to gather much attention, without being deterred, the company recently launched its iV SMART 4G, another budget smartphone in the market.
Now yet again, as the company has plans to establish itself as a premier provider of feature-packed smartphones at a budget-friendly price, iVoomi has launched two new smartphones, the Me and Me 1+ smartphones in the country. The affordable smartphones will be available on Shopclues from midnight of April 25 and will cost Rs 3,999 and Rs 4,999 respectively.
As for the smartphones, iVoomi Me comes with a 5-inch HD display with a resolution of 1280×720 pixels and features 2.5D curved glass design. The smartphone is powered by 1.2GHz quad-core processor which is coupled with 1GB RAM and 8GB internal memory. The storage can be expanded up to 128GB via a microSD card. iVoomi Me runs Android 6.0 Marshmallow.
This model sports a 5MP rear camera with LED flash and 5MP front camera. The smartphone is backed by a 3,000mAh battery and it also comes with Fast Charging support. iVoomi Me is available in black color option.
Coming to iVoomi Me 1+, this model also features a 5-inch HD IPS display with a resolution of 1280x20 pixels along with 2.5D curved glass design. The smartphone is powered by a 1.2GHz quad-core processor coupled with 2GB RAM and 16GB internal memory which is expandable up to 128GB via a microSD card. The smartphone runs Android 6.0 Marshmallow.
As for the cameras, the Me 1+ features an 8MP rear camera with LED flash and 5MP front camera. The handset is backed by a 3000mAh battery and also comes with Flash/Fast charge 2.0 technology. This variant is available in Rose Gold color.
Interestingly, both Me and Me 1+ models are 4G VoLTE-enabled and can be upgraded to Android 7.0 Nougat.


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Renovations begin at Chez-Del interiors store
Chez-Del is renovating its store on West Exchange Street, inside and out.
Interior renovations started about a month ago. Exterior renovations started last week.
Tim Del Medico, one of the owners of the family business, said the exterior work involves creating a new facade on three sides of the building. Currently workers are removing the old plaster, which will be replaced with a textured material that looks like stucco. The work will also include installation of new lighting and a new roof.
Inside, the company is renovating rooms, including taking up old carpet, refinishing wood floors and removing wallpaper.
The Five Points building dates to the turn of the 20th century and once housed Palmer Furniture Co. It was last renovated in 1979.
The bulk of the work is expected to be done by the end of June. The company will unveil it officially at a “re-grand opening” in September.


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HIS has announced its involvement in the TrackMania Nations Tournament 2010, which will be held on 11th December, 19:00 GMT. TrackMania is one of the most popular online racing games and the tournament will provide an incredible gaming phenomenon for gamers who obsessed with the fast pace of TrackMania. Read on to find out more.
Creative Technology has announced the new line of Tactic3D gaming headsets featuring THX TruStudio Pro technology for a completely immersive 3D audio experience. The Creative Sound Blaster Tactic3D Alpha and Creative Sound Blaster Tactic3D Sigma gaming headsets are the first Sound Blaster headsets to feature customizable profiles, for a precise audio experience every time.
World-leading graphics card and mainboard manufacturer MSI has announced the N580GTX-M2D15D5 graphics card, equipped with the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580 GPU. With real-time monitoring and overclocking available from MSI’s exclusive Afterburner utility, enthusaists can enjoy the most engaging and complete 3D gaming visual experience.
The wait has been long but it was well worth it. We have seen the trailers, concept arts and even the prologue of the game to keep us in our seats and it is arriving soon. Yes, we are talking about the upcoming Gran Turismo 5 for the Sony PlayStation 3, which will be retailing at the end of this year. We have some
Featuring the re-worked GF110 chipset, NVIDIA’s GeForce GTX 580 promises to be a speed demon while guzzling less power and not threatening to set your room on fire. The last time this much hype surrounded an upcoming NVIDIA graphics card, was the GeForce GTX 280 way back in 2008. Anyhow, we put our ASUS ENGTX580
Wanted to get your hands on a copy of StarCraft II but turned off by its pricetag? Well, here is your chance to play the game at completely no charge. From 19-21 November, Blizzard is opening the StarCraft II SEA server gates to one and all. Anyone with a working PC and an internet connection
Earlier on, we had information that AMD’s upcoming Radeon HD 6970 will be clocked at 860MHz and has 2GB of GDDR5 memory. New information leaked on the web suggests the HD 6970 will have 1536 stream processors, 32 ROPs and 96 texture units. However, sources are now saying that the HD 6970 will not make it
According to a Chinese forum posting, NVIDIA’s upcoming GeForce GTX 580 will be priced at US$599. Not only that, some will get to bring one home come November 9th. Confirmed: GeForce GTX 580 cards will hit retail on November 9, but prices may creep into the US$600+ range.
You might be scratching your head, wondering how ‘shouting’ and ‘entertainment’ can be remotely linked in any way. That was what we thought until we got wind about this game for the iPhone, which requires you to shout at your phone in order to take down the nasty boss. Here’s hoping you got a huge
GALAXY has announced a new GeForce GTX 460 1GB graphics card, but with a white printed circuit board (PCB) this time round. Besides having a white PCB, this GTX 460 will be stuffed with high-grade components and is expected to have a pretty high operating frequency straight out of the box.
Razer, leading manufacturer of high-end precision gaming and lifestyle peripherals, has announced the Anansi, targeting MMO gamers. Measuring 515 x 190 x 22mm, the keyboard features seven thumb modifier keys below the space bar, more than 100 programmable Hyperesponse keys, on-the-fly macro recording, 20 gaming profiles, one-button profile switching, five additional gaming keys, 6 million
If you are planning to get the Sony PSP Go this Christmas, here’s a piece of good news. The Japanese company is lowering the price of the handheld game console by 37%, meaning the new retail price will be around US$199 from its launch price of US$249.
Soon enough, you will be able to purchase Windows PC games from Microsoft marketplace. The software giant will be launching an online store on November 15 that allows consumers to buy e-copies of games to their PC. No need to download any special software like what you are doing today.
Is the retail price of S$109 for the recently-launched StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty game too expensive? For those who think that it is so, fret not: Blizzard has announced a new, alternative pricing that should appeal to more casual players. The company is releasing a series of prepaid game card options which will allow
ASUS unveils two new EAH6800 Series DirectX 11 graphics cards, the EAH6850 DirectCU and EAH6870. With sufficient cooling, both cards can be overclocked for up to 50% performance boost with ASUS’ exclusive Voltage Tweak utility. The EAH6850 DirectCU uses direct heat pipe contact for 20% better cooling performance compared to the reference design. The EAH6800
The Radeon HD 6800 Series is the first of AMD’s second-generation DirectX 11 graphics cards to be released. We have with us the Radeon HD 6870 and HD 6850 from ASUS and XFX. How do they fare against the HD 5850, HD 5870 and NVIDIA’s GeForce GTX 460?
Spire Corp has introduced the Savit 6003 chassis, targeted at gaming enthusiasts who are looking to build a high-end and well-ventilated system.
If you have yet to try out what the Playstation Move has to offer, you now have the chance to do so, as long as you do not have anything planned out for this Sunday. That is because Sony Computer Entertainment Hong Kong will be holding an event at Cineleisure on that day for members of the public
Good news for Android users! The popular game, Angry Birds, which was recently announced as a beta version on the Google mobile platform, is now available as a full version. No, we aren’t talking about the US$0.99 price you have to pay; the full version of Angry Birds is available free.
It is confirmed that AMD has changed its mind for the second time and will launch the Radeon HD 6000 Series on 22 October 2010. Cards are already making their way to retail channels across the globe, so expect a hard launch for this one.


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The news that appeared in the media the other day from the Russian project “Zavod of IT Startups” that he is ready to pay his employees with cryptocurrency has become one of the most discussed topics. Is it legal in Russia to pay salaries in cryptocurrency?
Is this accounting method suitable for freelancers, including those who live in other countries? And finally, how convenient and profitable is it for the employees themselves?
Western companies started using cryptocurrencies to pay salaries to their employees a few years ago, many do so quite officially. For example, the NBA professional basketball club “Sacramento Kings” offered its players the opportunity to receive a salary in cryptocurrency. The first joint-stock company, the CEO of which received a salary in Bitcoin, was the mining company Argo Blockchain (UK). Employees are paid in whole or in part in cryptocurrencies by the Japanese Internet company GMO Internet, the British fintech company Wirex, the software developer for the Internet and mobile devices Buffer Company (USA), as well as the first blockchain-based social blog platform in Russia golos.io .
In the IT industry in Europe and the USA, the payment of 20% of salaries by company tokens has become the norm at all, experts say.
The salary in the crypt was received by such personalities as the mayor of New York, the mayor of Miami and the famous Argentine footballer Lionel Messi.
There are Internet platforms and bulletin boards that publish vacancies with payment in cryptomonets. According to the media, there are vacancies not only for IT specialists – although there are an overwhelming majority of them – but also for advertising staff, videographers, designers and even musicians. Among the most popular services are Coinality, Cryptojobslist, Crypto.jobs and Cryptocurrencyjobs.co .
According to the recruitment portal ZipRecruiter, the average salary in cryptocurrency by November 2021 was 108 thousand US dollars. The most interesting conditions were offered by employers from the cities of Sunnyvale and Santa Rosa (California), as well as Cambridge (Massachusetts).
It is also useful to note that there are a number of states that have completely banned the trade and use of cryptocurrencies and are severely punished for violating these prohibitions, up to imprisonment – these are Vietnam, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, Vanuatu and a number of others.
Based on the results of online research, it can be argued that “Zavod of IT Startups” (a project of an entrepreneur from Yekaterinburg Alexander Protsyuk) is almost the first Russian company to officially announce the transfer of salaries to cryptocurrency. Since April, employees have been receiving salaries in cryptocurrency.
However, according to unofficial information, employees of many companies of the digital industry, cryptocurrency startups, mining companies, traders, financiers, etc. people living in Russia have been receiving salaries in the crypt for several years. It is clear that the existing laws, according to which cryptocurrency is not recognized as a means of payment in the Russian Federation, and the bills discussed from time to time, the authors of which propose a complete ban, do not contribute to the publication of such information. However, experts believe that paying salaries in cryptomonets to Russian employees is not a crime.
The Code of Domestic legislation does not prohibit transactions with them without recognizing cryptocurrencies as legal tender on the territory of the Russian Federation. 259-FZ of 2021 assigned cryptocurrency (the law uses the term “digital currency”) the status of the property. Accordingly, it can be used as an asset and receive income (or losses) from it. And although the law ignored such a point as the payment of salaries in cryptocurrency, experts believe that this does not contradict the legislation.
According to the Moscow expert on digital schools, Irina Murashchenkova, in Russia it is possible to pay salaries in non-monetary form, but, of course, not in full – the share of the “non-monetary” form should not exceed 20%, and this possibility must necessarily be fixed in a collective or employment contract. But not every accountant will figure out how to pay income tax from a “non-monetary” salary.
“In the Russian legislation, the crypt is now a big blind spot. Everyone understands that it is actively working, but they are in no hurry to legalize it. We would be happy to comply with all the rules and laws, but so far they simply do not exist, ” says the founder of Zavod IT Startups. – “As for the payment of mandatory contributions, such as VAT or contributions to the Pension Fund, we are clarifying this issue, the company is now consulting with lawyers.”
Do not forget that by the middle of 2021, according to experts, about 30-40% of Russians received an unofficial “gray” salary, and the annual volume of the “gray” salary fund in Russia exceeded 10 trillion rubles. Payments in cryptocurrencies also played a significant role here. Transactions in blockchain networks are anonymous, cannot be tracked, and cryptocurrency wallets are not subject to registration. This is what the recipients of “gray” salaries in the crypt use to avoid paying all kinds of taxes.
For IT companies operating in Russia, until recently, paying salaries to employees working remotely abroad was not a problem. The largest Visa and MasterCard payment systems were available to employers, as well as a significant number of money transfer systems abroad – WesternUnion, MoneyGram, Wise, OFX, PayPal, TransferGo, etc. With the cessation of their work in Russia, it became very difficult to transfer the earned funds to freelancers. And if, when calculating with employees living in most of the former CIS countries, the situation can be at least partially saved by the NSPK Mir card and the domestic money transfer systems Zolotaya Korona, Contact and Unistream, it became unclear how to settle with freelancers from Europe and the USA.
The situation was aggravated by the mass migration of IT personnel from Russia. According to the Russian Electronic Communications Association (RAEC), from February 24 to the end of March, 50 to 70 thousand IT specialists left Russia, and in April about 70 to 100 thousand would leave. The most popular destinations of IT migration from Russia were Turkey, Georgia, Cyprus, Montenegro, Lithuania and the USA. However, there is still no data on which part of those who left work with Western IT companies that have limited work in the Russian market and continue to work remotely with Russian companies.
According to Alexander Protsyuk, some employees of his startup also work from abroad – Azerbaijan, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and some European countries. In this situation, the digital currency is just a salvation, the founder of Zavod IT Startups is sure. Employees of this company can choose from one of the four most popular cryptocurrencies – Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), Ripple (XRP) and Tether (USDT). Transfers in cryptocurrencies are made in a matter of seconds, commissions in some blockchains are minimal.
Against the background of the daily tightening of sanctions against Russia, which practically paralyzed international settlements through the banking system, it is simply necessary to introduce digital instruments into the financial system of the Russian Federation, ” Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences and former assistant to the President of the Russian Federation Sergey Glazyev commented in the media. – Economic entities will still be forced to use them, if not in a legitimate way, then at a risk to themselves. Therefore, the use of digital currencies for cross-border settlements urgently needs to be legalized, the expert believes.
How to spend: the world
Paying with cryptocurrency abroad has not been a problem for a long time. According to the portal Crypto.ru Until the end of 2021, Bitcoin can be used as a means of payment in Denmark, Singapore, USA, Great Britain, Japan, Canada, Sweden, Australia, Czech Republic, Germany, some cantons of Switzerland, Malta, Estonia, Hong Kong and a number of EU countries (Slovenia, Czech Republic).
El Salvador legalized Bitcoin, giving it the status of a state currency, and now it is the official means of payment in the country.