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Tesla has again found itself facing a lawsuit alleging racism. This time though, the company is being sued by the state of California over allegations it discriminated against black employees and operated a “racially segregated workplace” within its Fremont, California factory, according to The Verge.
California’s Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH) said it filed the lawsuit in Alameda County Superior Court on Wednesday, but the suit hasn’t yet been made public.
Tesla was quick to call the lawsuit “misguided.”
Warning: the following contains racist language and slurs from the DFEH lawsuit.
The suit alleges that Tesla managers, workers and supervisors in the Fremont factory used racial slurs including the N-word, “monkey toes,” “porch monkey” and “hood rat.”
Black employees also allegedly saw racist graffiti throughout the factory, including phrases like “all monkeys work outside,” “fuck [N-words]” and “hang [N-words]” next to a drawing of a noose, The Verge reports.
The suit claims managers at the automaker either participated in or overlooked the racial abuse and gave black workers more gruelling work while passing them over for promotions.
In a statement, DFEH chief Kevin Kish said the suit was based on complaints from hundreds of Tesla workers.
“[We] found evidence that Tesla’s Fremont factory is a racially segregated workplace where Black workers are subjected to racial slurs and discriminated against in job assignments, discipline, pay, and promotion creating a hostile work environment,” Kish said.
In a blog post published February 9th, Tesla called the suit “misguided.”
“Tesla strongly opposes all forms of discrimination and harassment and has a dedicated Employee Relations team that responds to and investigates all complaints,” the company said.
It noted that the alleged misconduct occurred from 2015 to 2019.
“Tesla is also the last remaining automobile manufacturer in California,” the company added. “Yet, at a time when manufacturing jobs are leaving California, the DFEH has decided to sue Tesla instead of constructively working with us. This is both unfair and counterproductive, especially because the allegations focus on events from years ago.”
News of this suit comes just months after Tesla was ordered to pay $US137 ($190) million in damages to a black former contractor who said he suffered racist abuses at the Fremont factory from 2015 to 2016. This lawsuit also included allegations of racist graffiti and the use of the N-word.
Tesla is also being sued by a black, gay worker who claimed “festering” racism and other attacks at the company’s Lathrop sub-assembly plant.
Another chapter in this long story of racism within Tesla’s facilities is a 2017 letter CEO Elon Musk sent an email to employees that, in essence, told people to deal with the racism they encounter.
“Sometimes these things happen unintentionally, in which case you should apologise,” Musk wrote. “In fairness, if someone is a jerk to you, but sincerely apologizes, it is important to be thick-skinned and accept that apology.”
There’s no way of knowing what will eventually come out of this latest complaint. Hopefully it will be the last instance of Tesla management undermining their employees with racist, homophobic, sexist and all around terrible rhetoric.
The Cheapest NBN 50 Plans
It’s the most popular NBN speed in Australia for a reason. Here are the cheapest plans available.


text: Detailing our support of cross-platform app development and open standards-based ecosystems, Intel vice president Christos Georgiopoulos announced availability of Intel® XDK NEW during his keynote today at HTML5DevCon. The next-generation HTML5 cross-platform toolkit for Web and Hybrid apps will help enable developers to create innovative apps and shorten time from idea to app store. Enhancements include a streamlined workflow, a new integrated editor designed specifically for HTML5, a new round-trip UI-builder tool to help simplify responsive design, and expanded API support. With Intel XDK NEW, developers can more easily create and deploy Android, iOS, Microsoft Windows Phone 8, Windows 8 Store, Chrome OS, and Tizen store-ready apps. Intel XDK NEW is now available as a free download for Windows, OS X and Ubuntu Linux.

domain: news


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WATERLOO, WI (BRAIN) Jan 31, 11:00 MT— Trek Bicycle said Tuesday that it will pull out of the Eurobike trade show this year in lieu of hosting its own retailer-focused Trek World Europe in mid-July in Frankfurt, Germany.
TAIPEI, Taiwan (BRAIN) Jan 20, 17:42 MT — Bikes exported from Taiwan returned to 2009 levels last year, dropping 13.7 percent in units from 2010. But the value of those exports rose 10.7 percent an indicator of the island’s ongoing shift to higher quality, innovative products.
TAIPEI, Taiwan (BRAIN)—Taiwan voters’ re-election of President Ma Ying-jeou for a second and final term over the weekend bodes well for the future success of island bike manufacturers.
WASHINGTON, DC (BRAIN)—Usually by the time November rolls around suppliers have brought in well over 17 million bikes. But overly optimistic imports two years ago, coupled with poor sell-through last year, slowed down the bike business 22 percent from 2010.
TAIPEI, Taiwan (BRAIN)—Taiwan voters go to the polls this weekend to decide a close presidential race that bears implications for cross-strait relations between the island and mainland China.
TAIPEI, Taiwan (BRAIN)—Taiwan’s bike manufacturers reported modest revenue gains in 2011 in the face of rising raw material and labor costs, currency fluctuations and a global economic downturn.
Megan Tompkins sat down with Bonnie Tu, executive vice president and CFO, at the Liv / Giant store in Taipei to talk about what Giant has learned from its first dedicated women’s retail store.
NUNSPEET, Netherlands (BRAIN)—Shimano Europe has hired a new PR and events manger. Rudy Bouwmeester, 29, will take over the role vacated by Harald Troost last September.
By Nicole Formosa
TAICHUNG, Taiwan—Uncertainty over economic stability in Europe has Taiwanese manufacturers in wait-and-see mode as 2012 orders dip from suppliers in its most important export market.
TAIPEI, Taiwan (BRAIN)—China is playing an increasingly important role for Merida as the Taiwan manufacturer reported significant rises in units sold and revenue generated in the country during the first 11 months of the year.
TAICHUNG, Taiwan (BRAIN)—Giant Global has formally launched its bike touring division, called Giant Adventure.
BERN, Switzerland (BRAIN)—The World Federation of the Sporting Goods Industry has hired a bicycle manager to work with the association’s 40 or so bike members.
German native Florian Dammer, 28, formerly of KTM and Lowa, stepped into the position last month.
BEIJING, China (BRAIN)—A new industry show is scheduled next March in Beijing to help a handful of bike brands tap into the emerging high-end Chinese market.
WASHINGTON, DC (BRAIN)—Mass-market suppliers saddled with too much inventory and low expectations for this holiday season cut imports of kids' bikes—sidewalk and 20-inch—by 3.8 million units year to date through October.
MELBOURNE, Australia (BRAIN)—The Australian government is backing the cycling industry’s attempts to lower an import tax threshold that some say is threatening the viability of brick and mortar bike shops.
GENT, Belgium (BRAIN)—The trade group that represents European bicycle dealers won a small victory in its push to relax regulations for electric bicycles.
TAICHUNG, Taiwan (BRAIN)—Taichung Bike Week moves two weeks earlier next year as organizers strive for better balance between American and European spec calendars.
Editor's note: The following article appears in the December issue of Bicycle Retailer & Industry News. To subscribe to the magazine, click on the link at the upper right.
By Nicole Formosa


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Earth Day 2022 is a good time to look at the ways businesses are stepping up to the challenge of climate change. Here are three big areas that are having a significant and growing impact on reducing harmful emissions and protecting the environment.
1. The Circular Economy Goes Mainstream
The "circular economy" is a big, structural change requiring a shift in mindset and investments. Instead of mining and harvesting, manufacturing materials into products, using the products and discarding them, in a linear way, we can keep using the same materials over and over in a more circular way. The first advantage is cost savings: used materials are almost certainly cheaper than virgin materials. The second is availability: waste materials are as available as the products we are finished using. We don't have to import them from a war zone or a politically uncomfortable trading partner. The third is innovation: waste materials can solve problems in new ways.
Here's an example of applying the circular economy concept to tires: scrap tire material can be used in asphalt. The improved, rubberized asphalt has been found to respond better to temperature changes, producing less potholes, and to drain rainwater better than other asphalt. Both potholes and rain accumulation can be unsafe for drivers. So old tires not only can find a new use, avoiding landfill, but they can help make driving safer.
The fifth annual Circularity Gap Report, published by a group called Circle Economy, says that only 8.6% of the economy is circular, meaning more than 90% of materials extracted and used are thrown away. With rising consumption, materials use has nearly quadrupled in 50 years, according to the report. That means that over 90% of materials extracted and used represent a business opportunity: inventing new markets for them. Waste can be used to make new products, packaging, building materials, and more.
Accenture has estimated the circular economy to be a $4.5 trillion business opportunity, with all kinds of ways to transform a problem into a resource.
2. Renewable Energy is Growing
Renewable energy has come a long way, with prices down, job numbers up, and advancements in battery storage that now make it possible to rely on continuous energy. Engineers at Stanford University recently developed solar cells that can produce energy at night through a process involving temperature differences. A company called Re-wind is using scrap wind turbine blades in civil engineering projects, finding innovative ways to recycle them. Battery recycling is scaling fast, and US sales of plug-in electric vehicles nearly doubled between 2020 and 2021.
With gas prices up and supply chains in turmoil, the decarbonization transition represents an economic opportunity reminiscent of a war effort: such a spike in demand can supercharge the economy. In fact, President Biden has invoked the Defense Production Act to jumpstart domestic mining of materials needed in batteries: lithium, nickel, cobalt, graphite and manganese. America needs EV charging stations, grid upgrades, recycling facilities, organic materials, meat substitutes: an endless list of new products and services for a decarbonized world.
3. I Sing the Car Electric
A week on a small island driving a plug-in electric car past gas stations advertising $4.32 a gallon brings a pause for reflection. If energy were free, people could spend more money on food. The poverty rate would immediately decline. The island could invest in solar powered desalination plants to shore up scarce water supply. More fresh water would be good for agriculture.
The sun and wind are free and infinite. Investing in the innovation needed to deploy these sources of energy, and hydrogen and nuclear energy, makes enormous business sense. It also makes a lot of sense from the national security perspective of energy independence. What is difficult is shifting investments and government support from the entrenched fossil fuel industry into renewable energy infrastructure. Change doesn't come easily, even when it makes this much sense.
Since renewable energy, electric vehicles, circular economy, and other sustainability measures make such good business sense, investors are piling in for the money. Environmental, social and governance (ESG) funds continued to draw record investments. "U.S. sustainable funds netted nearly $70 billion for the year, a 35% increase over 2020's high-water mark," reported Morningstar.
Earth Day is in its 52nd year. It started at a time of rising consciousness about the evils of pollution, and after a massive oil spill in Santa Barbara in 1969. But this year, the buzz words are "invest," "business" and "innovation." Just as waste can be transformed from problem to resource, business can change from polluter to innovator.
That is the challenge in 2022, and success is a realistic possibility.


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German firm unveils ‘world’s first’ 3D-printed motorbike
German firm BigRep says it’s produced the first fully functioning motorbike make using a 3D printer. Julian Satterthwaite reports.
This might be the future of motorbikes.
Not because it looks like something Batman would ride. But because of the way it’s made.
German firm BigRep says the NERA is the first functioning two-wheeler made by 3D printing. Every part except the electrics made like this.
Plastic material laid down molecule by molecule. The technique is, quite literally, reinventing the wheel.
“If you ask me where I’m very proud, on the tyre is something we are very proud of because it’s an airless motorcycle tyre that is constructed out of a special geometry that you can see, which will take all the forces that occur during the ride by a special material grade and by the geometry that was designed. So it’s a completely new way of thinking about tyres,” Mowlab co-founder and managing director Daniel Beuning said.
3D-printing enables designers to turn ideas into solid objects in double-quick time.
The NERA went from conception to reality in 12 weeks. It has just 15 parts and printing makes possible shapes and forms impossible with traditional methods.
“In essence what we’re doing is we’re giving designers and engineers the opportunity to swipe away the limitations that they have been used to from classical manufacturing methods, like grinding, moulding those things,” said BigRep CEO Stephan Beyer.
The NERA isn’t about to go into production.
3D-printing is still too slow for mass manufacturing. But it’s already driving innovation.


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As previewed on our blog yesterday by an Anonymous poster, Kofax has sold its hardware business. The price is listed at $23.2 million, which seems startling low what was reported as a $126.6 million business for Kofax’s fiscal 2010 (ended June 30). Of course, the EBITDA was only $1.8 million, for a 1.4% margin, down from $8.8 million the previous year.
We all knew Kofax wanted to sell this hardware distribution business, which operates primarily in Europe, for some time. For a couple years, Reynolds Bish cited it as a profitable entity that helped contribute to Kofax’s bottom line, but those tight margins last year, were likely the tipping point that made Kofax finally go ahead with the sale.
I guess the Anonymous poster already pointed out the irony in the fact that Dicom, which was basically the distribution business, bought Kofax in 1999. A couple year’s ago, the entity’s name was changed to Kofax, and now Kofax is selling off the former Dicom business, which is going to be renamed Dicom.
According to the press release, “Joachim Froning, Senior Vice President of Hardware Distribution Sales at Kofax and the anticipated Chief Executive Officer of Dicom International AG.” The deal was mainly financed by Hannover Finanz, “a private equity firm headquartered in Germany.” We wish the new owners the best of luck and hope they will be able to reverse the trend of declining profits.
There was also this interesting quote in the press release (from Kofax CEO Reynold Bish): “The proceeds from this transaction and the planned restructuring will better position us to focus on and further grow our software business revenues and earnings both organically and via our acquisition strategy. This is particularly timely as we recently concluded a successful half year that is materially better than the expectations previously conveyed in our Interim Management Statement dated November 4, 2010. We look forward to announcing these results on February 7.”
As of this posting, Kofax’s stock shot up almost 5% following this morning’s (London time) announcement of the deal. I guess for Kofax this equals addition by subtraction.


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According to reliable insider Imran Khan, who previously stated we won't get any Elden Ring news in 2022, something new about FromSoftware's upcoming title will be showcased before E3 2021 event in June.
FromSoftware's upcoming action RPG Elden Ring is probably one of the most anticipated games of 2021 but the developer are yet to actually show us the game. Ever since that reveal trailer at E3 2019 we got nothing and fans of the FromSoftware's games have been craving to hear more about this fantasy RPG.
Many players expect to hear more about the game this year and according to a reliable insider Imran Khan, they could finally get something very soon. In one of his Twitch live-streams , Khan stated that he is quite convinced that we will see something new about Elden Ring before E3 2021, which should be hosted sometime in June 2021.
When his viewers tried to get more information about this, Imran stated that he cannot say more regarding Elden Ring. He did, however, share more on a potential release of Elden Ring. Khan stated that he's 80 per cent sure the game will release in 2021.
This seems like a lot of guesswork but unfortunately, it's all Elden Ring fans have at the moment since official news are non-existent. Hopefully, that will change very soon with a brand new trailer, some gameplay footage and release date. Fingers crossed!


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UK - According to the latest Porkwatch data, the number of British pork facings in July 2016 was 1 per cent back, to 82 per cent, on the same period a year earlier, although it was 3 per cent up, to 79 per cent, on the last survey conducted in May 2016.
AHDB Pork continually encourages retailers to source Quality Standard pork and pork products. Pork Watch is managed by AHDB, with store audits conducted by ESA Retail across a sample of stores.
Of all the major retailers, only Lidl increased the percentage of British pork facings on last year, by 7 per cent, to 95 per cent.
Asda and Tesco both reduced the percentage of British facings, by 6 per cent and 2 per cent respectively, to 57 per cent and 61 per cent.
All the other major retailers stood on at last year’s levels, and continued to offer exclusively 100 per cent British pork.
British bacon facings were 5 per cent back on the year earlier, to 46 per cent. This was largely driven by a fall from Aldi (-19 per cent), Sainsbury’s (-22 per cent) and Tesco (-10 per cent).
However, Asda and Lidl both posted increases in the percentage of their British bacon facings, by 20 per cent and 21 per cent respectively.
Only Marks & Spencer and Waitrose continued to offer exclusively British bacon.
British ham facings were back 2 per cent in July, to 65 per cent, on the year earlier, with a 24 per cent decline from Lidl being the largest mover of the retailers. Sausage facings stood on at last year’s levels, at 84 per cent.
|ThePigSite News Desk||Read more BPEX News here|
Top image via Shutterstock


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After VIVO exits from the 13th edition of Indian Premie League (IPL2020) title sponsorship, BCCI has sent SOS to various corporate houses but none of them is showing any interest.
According to the latest reports, Reliance Jio has no interest in IPL 2020 title sponsorship. The MI representative turned down the offer saying that “they are not exploring any association like that.”
According to market expert it would be very surprising if telecommunications brand Jio comes in, and that could be more to do with the good terms the owners share with the BCCI.
“See, Jio is already a brand that is individually associated with the eight teams,” the expert said.
“Why would it further want to get into the title sponsorship game? If they do, that would be more to do with the relationship they share with the BCCI. Also, as per statistics, they have been one of the most prominent brands in the IPL window ever since they associated themselves with the eight teams,” he explained.
“But then, you can never rule Jio out as the telecom industry has the capability if it wishes to. I would term them as the dark horse. For me, the favourites would be between an e-learning brand (Byju‘s or Unacademy) or an e-commerce (Amazon) one,” he added.
BCCI is also reaching out to its existing partners PayTM (BCCI’s Home Series Sponsor), Byju’s (Indian Team Jersey Partners) and also some of the IPL associate partners (Tata Motors, Dream11 and others) to check if they would be interested in the IPL 2020 title partnership. But they have received less than encouraging response from most of the parties.
“All of these companies are BCCI’s partners. They are Indian entities but we are little concerned about very strong Anti-China undercurrent. We don’t want to speculate on how people will react if any of them come on board,” said one of the BCCI official according to a report in InsideSport.


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News : PayPal Hiring Customer Service Reps This Week in Chandler
Chandler, AZ, USA, Sept 21, 2015 -- PayPal, an e-commerce firm, is continuing its hiring blitz for its Chandler facility.
In June, we told you that the company was adding 150 jobs in the coming months.
They’re looking for candidates with two or more years of customer service experience in a financial or tech call center industry, according to a press release from LocalWork.com.
At a hiring event, which is free for job seekers, candidates can meet with PayPal recruiters and start their application process.
2018 Top Ranking Performers Present:
CONTACT CENTER & CUSTOMER ENGAGEMENT
BERLIN - ORLANDO - MACAOFIND OUT MORE!
Posted by Veronica Silva Cusi, news correspondent
Today's Tip of the Day - New Furniture
More Editorial From PayPal
Published: Thursday, September 24, 2015
For over 30 years, CGS has enabled global enterprises, regional companies and government agencies to drive breakthrough performance through business applications, enterprise learning and outsourcing s...
|Blue Ocean Contact Centers|
We thrive on delivering critical customer service solutions that go beyond transactional interactions. As such, our goal is to enhance lifetime customer value, providing support that is a reflection o...
|Horizon Contact Centers|
Horizon is an on demand international Contact Center and (BPO) Company.


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Touring and adventure aggregator TourHound has released a travel agent tool to keep track of changes in touring and adventure suppliers’ pricing.
Tour Price Tracker, which can be found on TourHound’s website, provides a daily update of price changes from more than 50 of the UK’s operators as well as a history of all the changes for a specific tour.
Agents who have the free TourHound Pro technology can share information from the Tour Price Tracker with their customers using social media platforms including Facebook.
Calling the new tool “a game-changer”, chairman Laurence Hicks (pictured) said: “We are delighted to bring this technology to agents and homeworkers who are actively selling touring and adventure holidays.
“It will save retailers valuable time when sourcing deals and offers for their customers”
TourHound technology provides a free application that is embedded onto a retailer’s existing website or as a standalone white label website, providing real-time content from suppliers.


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Verifone Corporation to open up cryptocurrency access to customers
US retail payment solutions provider Verifone will provide merchants with the ability to accept cryptocurrency payments at shops and online e-commerce platforms in the US.
Cryptocurrency processor BitPay has partnered, according to a press release. The service will become available this year.
"Verifone's customer base includes many of the world's biggest and best-known brands looking to enter the growing cryptocurrency market," said BitPay co-founder and CEO Stephen Para.
Consumers will be able to use multiple wallets for payments, including Blockchain.com, BRD, MetaMask, BitPay and others.
The processing supports transactions in bitcoin, Ethereum (ETH), Dogecoin (DOGE), Bitcoin Cash (BCH), Wrapped Bitcoin (WBTC), Litecoin (LTC) and five dollar-linked stackablecoins: GUSD, USDC, PAX, DAI and BUSD.
Funds will be instantly credited to the merchant's fiat currency account.
"Together we have solved all potential problems for merchants: there is no risk of volatility or chargeback fraud, implementation costs are low and consumers will find the process very easy," said Jeremy Bialystock, head of payments at Verifone.
The company has more than 600,000 customers and processes over 10.4bn transactions with a value of $440bn annually, and has a network of around 35m terminals around the world.
The partnership gives Verifone the right to make strategic investments in BitPay.
Recall that between 28% of Arizonans and 37% in Texas and Wyoming support the use of cryptocurrencies as a means of payment, according to the survey.


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|The Daily launch event, picture from The Washington Post|
With so many dynamic options like blogs, online newspapers, social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook, you really wonder if a somewhat static tablet newspaper is actually the way forward. This really got me thinking personally and I remembered a quote that I'd given to some of our Sales Advisors right at the start of January as they got ready for a new year of sales from none other than Rupert Murdoch.
The world is changing very fast. Big will not beat small anymore. It will be the fast beating the slow. - Rupert Murdoch
At a time where we've seen big business try and battle it out with disruptive technologies, Murdoch has clearly recognized that he needs to move ahead of the curve. No one probably expected the Apple iPad to be as big a phenomenon as it turned out to be, but it did. The iPad was a disruptive technology and it altered unexpectedly the plan of many technology companies that were pitching the netbook as the next big frontier technology during a recessionary period.
Disruptive technologies like Napster (which changed the way music is now distributed), Skype (which has changed telephony) or Facebook (which has arguably been one of the biggest drivers of driving people to start accessing the Internet over a smartphone) all emerged in industries dominated by giants.
Murdoch knows that he's the biggest giant in his industry and before an unknown entity knocks him off his pedestal, it was probably best to pre-empt it with the launch of the The Daily. His quote clearly says its now not about size but speed.
Now it'll be a question of whether the first mover advantage works or not. There has been a lot of debate if strategically what Murdoch is doing is correct, including this discussion that was on Dubai Eye this morning between Jessica Swann and Alexander McNabb. In either case, we wait to see if this is the disruptive technology shift Murdoch expects it to be or whether it is a precursor to another piece of disruptive technology that comes in from an uknown entity.
All we can say right now though is, get your tablet if you can because you will surely be using it going forward.
Posted By: Ashish Panjabi, Chief Operating Officer, Jacky's Electronics


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Millions of men and women are plagued by ‘bacne’ – acne on their backs. The condition is more common among … More
Kendall Jenner showed off her naked ambition by posting a racy new photo on Instagram on Monday. The Victoria Secret … More
Lamar Odom is writing a new book. The former basketball great – who is divorced from Khloe Kardashian – told … More
Kendall Jenner has obtained a restraining order against a 22-year-old man who sent her threatening letters. According to TMZ, California … More
The Kardashians are known to stage an intervention whenever any one of them is going through some kind of problem, … More
As Kylie Jenner shared on Snapchat. The luxurious cars, which includes Ferraris, belong to her Kardashian sisters.
Kendall Jenner who admitted in the past that she liked to flash boobs, stepped out Thursday night braless, as she arrived on … More
The model showed off her nipples in a see through white dress as she enjoyed her day strolling around the … More
Chics exuding hotness!!!
Kourtney Kardashian has been parading her incredible body in a series of hot bikinis as she continues to enjoy Cannes … More
Kendall Jenner stepped out in a gold sheer hoodie, tiny black mini skirt and Louboutin heels for the 2017 Met … More
Model, Kendall Jenner shared this topless photo of herself, wearing over-the-top orange thigh high boots, on Instagram this afternoon and … More
Model Kendall Jenner, in the new issue of Harper’s Bazaar, insists that she has never liked to dress up as … More
Earlier today, Kendall Jenner’s debut advert for Pepsi generated serious backlash for the soda company. Pepsi was criticized for the … More
Kendall Jenner is the only Kardashian/Jenner sister who has not rocked blonde hair but the model remedied that this week … More
Their mom, Kris Jenner shared the photo on her Instagram page. Beautiful.
Kendall Jenner can be seen opening up for the first time about the terrifying moment she came face to face … More
Kendall Jenner looked stunning as she stepped out with her mum in a yellow ensemKendall Jenner looked stunningble..
The Moschino show was trash. Like, literally. Carrie Bradshaw had put a bird on her head, but Kendall Jenner just … More


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Archaeologists discovered a leather shoe that had been lost in a bog for 2,000 years and believe it may have fallen off the owner’s foot when they walked in the sticky muck by mistake.
The shoe was discovered alongside a wooden road estimated to be over two millennia old by researchers from the State Office for Monument Preservation in Lower Austria and the excavation company denkmal3D of Vechta, Germany.
The road is simply a collection of worn wooden planks that were originally placed over the wetlands to allow people to pass securely.
The wooden planks were put down to assist people to negotiate the marshes. In addition to the shoe, a broken axle was found, leading archeologists to believe that while changing it for a new one, the owner lost a shoe in the boggy ground.
Researchers who participated in the excavations think that the acidic conditions of the bog where the shoe was discovered allow for the preservation of materials such as skin, hair, nails, wool, and leather, all of which include the protein keratin.
The State Office for Monument Preservation reported that the shoe is a type of sandal, with a closed toe and a leather strap.
“Lower Saxony’s moorlands hold the testimonies of several thousands years of history,” said Lower Saxony Minister of Science and Culture Bjorn Thumle. “They are a unique archive, as they have not only preserved processed pieces and metal objects, but organic finds, too.”
‘The axle of a wooden cart, probably pulled by cattle, broke in two and the cart had an accident on the bumpy road,’ excavation company denkmal3D of Vechta, Germany, shared in a translated statement.
‘While doing this or trying to recover the car parts, the owner of the shoe fell or stepped beside the path and the shoe got stuck in the sticky mud.’
Lower Saxony’s Minister for Science and Culture, Björn Thümler said in the statement: ‘The best known are the bog corpses, but also wooden idols, long wooden paths and numerous other remnants of life at that time are part of it.’
‘A shoe that is lost and found again after 2,000 years, the oldest shoe from Lower Saxony to date, is an immensely personal testimony to a previous life.
The lone shoe resembles a sandal, with a closed toe and a leather strap connecting one side to the other.
As for the road itself, the archaic route between Lohne and Diepholz was built of wooden boards set next to each other for a distance of 2.5 miles (4 kilometers). The route, which is thought to date back to the Late Bronze Age, was unearthed in Lower Saxonian moorland in June 2019.
Cover Photo: (Niedersachsisches Landesamt fur Denkmalpflege (NLD):Zenger News)


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"Mobile payment alone accounted for 27% of US company opreated Transactions"
Maggie McGrath, Jan 26/17, Forbes
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"The UK's biggest pizza delivery company saw shares boosted by 10 per cent thanks to new stores and an increase in online orders"
Emma Featherstone, 10 October 2017, The Independent.uk.co
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"By the end of 2017, McDonald's plans to have mobile ordering in 14,000 US Restaurants. In addition, 6,000 others in Canada, UK, Germany anc Chine will receive the technology by years end."
Sarah Pereze, Mar 15/17, Techcrunch.com
Launch your very own pre-order and pay app!
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Time consuming phone orders


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The image-sharing platform seems to be gaining the right kind of attention on Wall Street. By Sindhu Sundar and Evan Clark
Pinterest made its pitch that it’s the future of advertising and seems to have found some believers — at least on Wall Street. The company, which expected to price its initial public offering at between $15 and $17, is coming in above that range, according to multiple reports, valuing the tech darling at over $9 billion.
That is a bet by the big-money crowd that the company will continue to grow quickly and pick up more advertising dollars as brands look to move their marketing budget online. Pinterest’s revenues shot up 60 percent to $755.9 million las year as it gained share of the ad market — but so far the company is more growth engine than profit engine, having logged net losses of $63 million las year. Users browse collections of recipes, craft and style ideas, among other things, on Pinterest and “pin” ideas and images to create their own virtual vision boards. For beauty brands, luxury goods and other consumer product companies, this sort of personalized curation offers an opportunity to directly target consumers.
“Especially with the fashion industry, they like it for the fact that there’s a lot of visual impact,” said Denning Rodriguez, of counsel at Holland & Knight LLP, who represents fashion and entertainment companies. “With platforms like Pinterest and Instagram, you can tell your sorry without using so many words to get it out there.” But popularity can be fleeting online. Snapchat, the shares of which soared when its disappearing photos were once all the rage, has found that investors can be jus as ephemeral. Its sock price has dipped to $11.75 from its IPO price of $17 as rival Instagram kept up the competitive heat.
“The success of Pinterest’s IPO will obviously determine how significant of a role the platform will play in a brands’ marketing or advertising strategy, going forward,” said Rodriguez. The image-sharing platform, which has 250 million users globally, is sill early in its plan to monetize the billions of searches it facilitates and has argued in regulatory flings that its users are uber desirable for brands and are in acquisition mode when they’re on Pinterest.
In the U.S., it captures 43 percent of Internet users. “This includes eight out of 10 moms, who are often the primary decision-makers when it comes to buying products and services for their household, as well as more than half of all U.S. Millennials,” the company said.
Pinterest also paints itself as that rare corner of the Internet where advertising is welcomed by users. “Ads do not compete with the content Pinners want to see — they are native content,” the company said. “The mutually beneficial alignment between advertisers and Pinners differentiates us from other platforms where ads can be distracting or annoying.” Once Pinterest does become public, it’s going to come under more pressure to make money of this happy positioning. The company is working to make sure ads on its platform are more relevant to users and is building products to help advertisers catch Pinners as they move toward purchases.
To illustrate its potential, Pinterest pointed to IDC data projecting the global digital advertising market will grow from $272 billion las year to $423 billion in 2022. “We have an opportunity to capture brand advertising dollars currently being spent in offline channels,” the company said. “People seeking inspiration use Pinterest in ways that mirror how they use magazines and catalogs. Traditional offline advertising options — specifically print, direct mail, television and radio — accounted for $378 billion in global advertising spend in 2018,” according to IDC. Sandra Honegan-Pounder, a partner at BurgherGray, said of Pinterest’s pitch to investors: “You want to project the best scenario, and a more positive outlook. But what will drive the price after the IPO is a combination of the business, if the market thinks the business is growing, and how the market looks at the company’s management.” But there’s also some pretty big competition out there trying to scoop up digital marketing dollars. Google’s advertising revenues topped $116 billion las year, while Facebook pulled in $55 billion. And Amazon is also growing fast in the area. The e-commerce giant reported revenues of $10.1 billion in its “other” category, which primarily includes sales of advertising services but also the company’s other service offerings.


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Extra cleaning, staggered film start times and a focus on online booking are some of the measures cinemas will be encouraged to implement as they re-open their doors.
Cinemas in England will be able to welcome back customers from July 4, after Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced the easing of the coronavirus lockdown.
In preparation, the UK Cinema Association (UKCA) has released guidance for the safe re-opening of movie theatres, following consultation with the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.
The advice, while dependent on any nation-specific restrictions, has been developed to ensure the continued safety of both audiences and staff, the UKCA said.
Guidance includes measures to ensure social distancing throughout cinemas, with an emphasis on auditoriums and enhanced cleaning and hygiene procedures.
Customers will be asked to use contactless payment where possible, the guidance said, while online booking will also be encouraged.
Plastic screens will be installed at “key contact points” and film schedules will be adjusted to allow cleaning of auditoriums between screenings and to avoid crowding in corridors.
The guidance is intended to apply to both cinemas in fixed buildings and mobile cinemas, the UKCA said, but it does not include drive-in cinemas and other open air screenings.
Phil Clapp, chief executive of the association, said: “Today’s launch represents an important next step in our efforts to once again bring the big screen experience to the cinema-going public.
“We know from recent surveys that a large proportion of our audience can’t wait to come back, but they understandably want to know the steps that cinemas will be taking to ensure their continued welfare.”
Showcase Cinemas said it will reopen on July 4 while Cineworld and Picturehouse cinemas have announced plans to reopen on July 10.
In Scotland, cinemas can reopen from July 15, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said.


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Nvidia lowers its standards – Their G-Sync Ultimate Specification has been Downgraded
Nvidia updates their G-Sync Ultimate Specification – Has it been Downgraded?
Nvidia has downgraded their G-Sync Ultimate standard, quietly dropping the specification’s HDR targets to allow the company to release a larger quantity of monitors and create a larger market for its latest G-Sync display modules.Â
PC Monitors on Twitter first spotted this change, noting that Nvidia changed their G-Sync Ultimate webpage from changing “Best HDR 1000 Nits” to “Lifelike HDR” within the past two months. Since then, Nvidia has revealed G-Sync Ultimate monitors that do not meet the VESA DisplayHDR 1000 standard.Â
Before now, Nvidia only listed the best HDR monitors as being G-Sync Ultimate, requiring a Full-Array Local Dimming (FALD) backlight, Nvidia’s G-Sync Ultimate Module and VESA DisplayHDR 1000-grade HDR. Now, Nvidia has revealed DisplayHDR 600 and DisplayHDR 400 monitors as G-Sync Ultimate displays.Â Â
Nvidia has not publicly confirmed that they have lowered their HDR Ultimate displays standards, but the evidence is out there. Based on these apparent downgrades to Nvidia’s DisplayHDR specification, it looks like Nvidia wants to release a large quantity of G-Sync Ultimate displays onto the market; and they are lowering their standards to achieve this goal.
With VESA DisplayHDR 1000 monitors being rare within the PC market, it makes sense for Nvidia to update their standards to make G-Sync Ultimate a more achievable standard. Most OLED TVs cannot meet DisplayHDR 1000’s brightness requirements, highlighting how over the top Nvidia’s standards are when it comes to brightness. Contrast matters more than brightness when it comes to HDR screen quality, as brighter highlights are meaningless if dark areas of the screen are over-brightened.Â Â
Look at the difference between this page (https://t.co/xbQ0rQDuQn) now vs. all the way back in… November 2020. Subtle removal of reference to ‘Best HDR 1000 nits’ and changed to ‘Lifelife HDR’ – without telling anybody. pic.twitter.com/mayHvebhfQ
â PC Monitors (@pcmonitors) January 17, 2021
We hope that Nvidia can clarify their updated HDR Ultimate specifications soon, as consumers deserve to know more about the ecosystem they are buying into.Â
Update – Nvidia has confirmed to us that Acer’s X34 S monitor (the DisplayHDR 400 monitor mentioned earlier in this article) was mistakenly listed as a G-Sync Ultimate monitor. Aside from that piece of information, we feel that everything else in this article remains accurate. There is more to HDR support than nits and more to G-Sync Ultimate than HDR support.Â
For more information, including Nvidia’s response to this article, please read out follow-up article here.


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Last week we heard plenty of rumors about Apple having cut orders for the new iPhone 5 due to lower than expected demand. Despite the rumors, the well-connected Ming-Chi Kuo of KGI Securities cites supply chain checks and says Apple shipped some 52 million iPhone units in Q4 to be up 93 percent quarter-on-quarter and up 41 percent year-to-year. The main product lines like the iPhone and iPad are expected to remain strong, specific devices within those lines may fall short of expected sales.
The shipments of the newest iPhone 5 hit more than 35 million units, while the iPhone 4S and 4 followed far behind at 9.5 million and 7.3 million, respectively. Overall, Apple is expected to have moved over 140 million smartphones in 2012, led by strong iPhone 4S shipments of some 74 million units during the first half of the year.


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A bill before the U.S. Senate would amend federal regulations to give the Food and Drug Administration more oversight and power over personal care products such as cosmetics and lotions, its sponsors say.
The nonprofit Environment Working Group says women apply an average of 12 products to their bodies daily, containing some 168 chemicals. Yet federal regulation of such products hasn't changed much since the 1930s, says bill sponsor Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif.
"From shampoo to lotion, the use of personal care products is widespread. However, there are very few protections in place to ensure their safety," she said in a statement.
As an example, she noted, the FDA cannot currently force cosmetic companies to recall a product nor can it require such companies to report any adverse health effects.
The Personal Care Products Safety Act, which Feinstein introduced with Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, the FDA would require companies to submit, within 15 days, any reports to them from consumers of "serious" health issues including disfigurement, hospitalizations or death. Companies also must report nonserious events, such as rashes, in annual reports.
The bill would also require the FDA to conduct reviews of chemicals widely used in personal care goods annually to evaluate their level of safety. It will be required to review 5 different chemicals for safety each year.
Feinstein and Collins have collaborated with the Environmental Working Group in formulating the bill. The nonprofit group has for the past 10 years maintained a Skin Deep database where consumers can find information on the chemical content of personal care preparations and whether included chemicals are considered to be health risks.
"These are basic tools that should have been granted to the FDA decades ago, but are only now being provided in the Feinstein-Collins bill," said Scott Faber, the Environmental Working Group's vice president of government affairs. "Cosmetics are sort of the last unregulated area of consumer products law. I can't overstate how little law is now on the books. The FDA virtually has no power to regulate the products we use every day."
Women aren't the only concern, the group says; men, although they use fewer individual products, still put an average of 85 chemicals on their bodies each and every day.
And teens are, predictably, heavy users of personal care products, employing an average of 17 products daily.
An industry trade group, the Personal Care Products Council, has expressed its support for the measure.
"While we believe our products are the safest category that FDA regulates, we also believe well-crafted, science-based reforms will enhance industry's ability to innovate and further strengthen consumer confidence in the products they trust and use every day," it said in a statement.
Photo: Holly Clark | Flickr


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On 21SEP, Ensemble execs from Canada and the U.S., travel advisors, hotel reps, and JTB execs - including guest of honour, Jamaica's Minister of Tourism, Edmund Bartlett - assembled at the St. Regis in downtown Toronto to toast a new partnership between Ensemble Travel and the Jamaica Tourist Board to promote the island as a luxury destination.
As Michael Johnson, President of Ensemble, told Open Jaw: “We are already dear friends of Jamaica and while we partner with many tourist boards, this is a strategic initiative to grow the luxury sector.”
Minister Bartlett told the audience that COVID: “made humanity realize that yes, we are one.” Recognizing Johnson and his Ensemble team, he added that they have established a new perspective on luxury travel in Jamaica.
“Over time we have been seen as a strong destination for a variety of affordability levels. But we have always had the discerning, upscale travellers including celebrities. We have had the reputation as being the playground of the rich and famous since the mid 20th century – and we are urging travellers to come back to luxury.”
Regarding Ensemble, he stated: “As North America’s leading travel agency consortium, they are an ideal partner.”
Clearly Jamaica is wishing to position itself along the lines of a St. Barths or Anguilla, ideal for even the most discerning client, and one who will have the biggest per capita impact on the local economy.
According to its fans, the island has what the luxury client is looking for: villas, boutique properties, authentic, bespoke experiences and even ways to experience the newest trend, “rustic luxury.” An excellent example is Round Hill Hotel and Villas, touted for its timeless elegance and enjoying a 44% repeat guest factor.
Other hotel reps present at the event included The Tryall Club, Chukka Caribbean Adventures and The Trident Hotel.
The partnership will include FAMs, training and selling tools for Ensemble advisors in both Canada and the US.


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FRANKFURT - German business software maker SAP on Monday cut its outlook for full-year operating profit amid an accelerating shift by customers to buy its software over the Internet rather than as packaged software, delaying recognition of those sales.
Recent Technology News
WASHINGTON - In the words of Buzz Lightyear, and U.S. Federal Communications Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel on Friday, U.S. regulators will look "to infinity and beyond" to harness new technology that can help build a new generation of mobile wireless connections.
SEOUL - South Korea is trying to ease worries about online privacy after a domestic chat app lost customers to a foreign rival because of fears prosecutors in one the world's most wired countries might get access to online conversations.
- Japan stocks see biggest gain this year, lead sharp Asia rebound
- Market action reinforces need for policy patience: Fed's Rosengren
- Credibility meets compromise in Europe's bank stress test
- Pilots extend Lufthansa strikes to long-haul flights
- StanChart readies to close thousands of UAE accounts as U.S. deadline looms
- Japan firms want government action if yen weakens: Reuters poll
- Adidas shares jump on report of bid for Reebok unit


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The world came to a grinding halt when it was announced last week that Shenmue would not make it's proposed October 28th release date in Japan. According to a release at shenmue.com, Sega was working on bugs and various other elements of the game, but the title would not see release until Spring of next year as a result.
Word around the streets of Japan is that the title, while still not making its October release date, may actually make it out in time for Christmas. Apparently, Sega of Japan is working around the clock at fixing all the bugs and play balance in the game. The source of these rumours seems to stem from a store display at a convenience store in Japan, which still lists the title as December.
Of course, it would be best, perhaps, to ignore these rumours until Sega makes an official statement. For now, the official word is that the game will arrive in Japan in Spring of next year. Still, we have every right to hope (and pray) that we can get our Shenmue just a wee bit before then (in part so that we can silence the Shenmue-naysayers here at the IGN offices).
-- Anoop Gantayat, IGNDC


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CHINA: Fonterra coy on Beijing "interest" in share fund
The fund gives external investors chance to buy into the co-op
Fonterra has refused to be drawn on speculation a Chinese state investment vehicle is in talks to invest in the dairy giant's new shareholder fund.
The New Zealand dairy giant is in discussions with China Investment Corp. over buying into a trust set up last month, The Wall Street Journal reported.
The Fonterra Shareholders' Fund is designed to give third-party shareholders exposure to the business for the first time through the purchase of units. Investors can buy non-voting units but can collect dividends and benefit from any growth in profits at the world's largest dairy exporter.
The fund will be listed on both the New Zealand and Australian stock exchanges, with a float expected this month.
Speaking to just-food, Fonterra refused to say whether it was in talks with the Chinese state fund.
"Fonterra and the joint lead managers [of the fund] have spoken with a large number of institutional investors, as would be expected for an offer like this. These meetings are confidential. Until the bookbuild process has been completed, it is impossible to know what any institution's ultimate intention might be," the company said.
Fonterra is building what it calls a "hub" of dairy production in China's northern Hebei province. Last month, it announced plans for two new farms in Hebei, creating a hub of five in the province. The five farms will produce 150m litres of milk a year. Fonterra wants to construct more hubs in China and is aiming to produce 1bn litres in the country by 2020.
Fonterra's first processing venture in China collapsed in 2008 after the group's local partner Sanlu was found to have sold infant milk formula contaminated with industrial chemical melamine.
The scandal, which killed six babies and sickened hundreds of thousands of others, hit China's fledgling dairy industry with over 20 companies caught up in the contamination.
Fonterra's venture involved a stake in Sanlu and, although the dairy giant denied approving the use of melamine and was cleared of any wrong-doing, it wrote off its investment in its partner.
The rapidly expanding Chinese food sector has long been a focus for multinationals looking beyond developed western markets for expansion. However, it isn't just the international food Goliaths - with...
- Rabobank's early view on Brexit impact on food
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Shares of mall operators were taking a beating in morning trade Thursday, after Macy's Inc. said it was closing 100 full-line stores. General Growth Properties' stock dropped 3.2%, which made it the biggest decliner among S&P 500 components. The second-biggest decline was Simon Property Group Inc.'s stock , which slumped 2%. The stores Macy's will close will be announced at a later date, but could include many that act as mall anchors. The closures highlight the decline in profitability in many of its brick-and-mortar locations, and an increased focus in digital sales. The 11 biggest decliners in the S&P 500 are real estate investment trusts, although not all are retail mall operators. Among the other shopping center REITs, shares of Macerich Co. shed 1.3% and Kimco Realty Corp. lost 1.2%. The iShares U.S. Real Estate ETF slid 0.9%. Meanwhile, Macy's stock soared 14% to pace the S&P 500 gainers.
Copyright © 2016 MarketWatch, Inc.
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Forza Horizon 2 has appeared on the Xbox Live Marketplace and we also have the install size for the game. The game will take a whopping 35.84 of your Xbox One HDD, and this is not a surprise considering most Xbox One games have been hovering at that size range.
The fact that the listing is up on the marketplace suggests that the game has gone gold as well. However, unless there’s an official confirmation nothing can be said about it.
The game comes out on September 30th for the Xbox One and Xbox 360, and is sequel to one of the most impressive and critically acclaimed racers of all time.
A demo for the game will be released on September 16th and it gives a “brief taste of what to expect” from the full game.
Tell us what you think in the comments section below.


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“Midnight Oil sang: “The rich get richer, The poor get the picture, The bombs never hit you, When you’re down so low, Bombers keeping coming, Engines softly humming, The stars and stripes are running, For their own big show.”
The iconic Aussie group may have singing about the early ’80s nuclear arms race led by ‘Ronald Raygun’ but these lyrics neatly apply to today’s online travel landscape where two seriously big and aggressive companies from the the United States, Priceline and Expedia, are pretty much taking over the world. Their world.”………..
In his article in Travel Trends Newsletter, Martin Kelly talks about the impact of the two major players, namely American giants Priceline and Expedia, on the online travel market.
He goes on to elaborate “According to analyst Douglas Quinby from PhocusWright, companies owned by Expedia and Priceline had 47% share of global online line travel agency sales in 2013, up from 38% in 2011.”
Comments are closed.


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How much would you spend on a consumer product that looks luxurious but doesn’t have the utility service it was originally designed for? Most of us probably wouldn’t spend a penny on such an item, but two giant brands, Gucci and Adidas, offered an umbrella worth Rs 1 lakh, and wait, it’s of no practical use. The two brands have teamed up to launch a new range of umbrellas priced at $1,290 or roughly Rs 1 lakh.
At this rate, you would expect umbrellas to protect you from the rain, right? But in fact, the canopy does not provide even minimal protection against precipitation. Umbrellas only serve to protect you from the sun’s rays or are used for decorative purposes.
On its website, Gucci said, “Part of the Adidas x Gucci collection, this sun umbrella features the Interlocking G and Trefoil print. Please note that this item is not waterproof and is intended for sun protection or decorative use.”
This umbrella is being talked about a lot on the Chinese social networking site Weibo at the moment, and users are upset by the idea of such an expensive umbrella, which does not offer minimal protection from the rain.
⚠ Warning！ 🤣⛽
Umbrellas are not waterproof#adidas Tweet embed Tweet embed #A virtual world #reality #blockchain #CryptocurrencyNews # metaverses #NFTCommunity #NFTcollectibles #Neftarti # Hahaha pic.twitter.com/xmudzHHxrW
– cubist👽🐼🧛♂🧟♂🧚♀🤖 (cubist_pg) May 13, 2022
Many have realized that the Gucci umbrella is more of a status symbol than anything else. Others, who did not believe that the canopy was not only expensive, but did not achieve its purpose, criticized the product.
Featuring a G-handle and a printed design that combines the Gucci and Adidas logos, the umbrellas have sparked controversy in China, which is on track to become the world’s largest luxury market by 2025.
In China, luxury firms are under closer scrutiny as part of a broader backlash against the extravagance sparked by Chinese President Xi Jinping’s push for “shared prosperity”.
Read all the latest news, breaking news and live updates for IPL 2022 here.


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Huawei to invest $200m in new UK R&D facilityUpdated: 2013-10-17 07:12
British Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne (left) and Huawei CEO and founder Ren Zhengfei talk at Huawei's headquarters in Shenzhen on Wednesday. [Photo / Provided to China Daily]
Center to have more than 300 researchers
Chinese telecom giant Huawei Technologies Co Ltd said it will invest $200 million to construct a new research and development center in the United Kingdom, according to Ren Zhengfei, the company's founder and chief executive officer.
In a company news release, Huawei made a rare move to disclose its founder's daily activities. The company said Ren met UK Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne, who paid a visit to Huawei's Shenzhen headquarters on Wednesday.
Ren said the new R&D center will be built near the current Ipswich research office, which has about 80 staff. By 2017, the new R&D center will have a senior researcher headcount of more than 300. The exact location of the new R&D center has yet to be decided.
The center will focus on areas of optoelectronics, terminal design and software development. Huawei will apply its research progress to serve clients in 140 markets worldwide, said the company.
Huawei said in September 2012 that it will invest 650 million pounds and spend a further 650 million pounds ($1.04 billion) on procurement in the UK over the next five years. It plans to nearly double the number of its UK employees to 1,500 by 2017.
Osborne said that despite other Western countries making it difficult for Huawei to do business abroad, such as the United States, Britain will remain open to investment from the Chinese networking giant.
He said the United Kingdom and China are progressing to build up an in-depth partnership and what is making people most excited is the cooperation of high-tech companies between both countries. "We welcome Huawei to make investments in the United Kingdom," Osborne said.


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We doubt that folks at Nokia have yet to stop basking in the glory of selling 200 million
of its 1100 models yet, but the baking glow just got a bit brighter thanks to a record setting order from China Postel. China's largest mobile phone wholesaler has reportedly sent in an order for $2.5 billion worth of Nokia phones over the course of 2007, which could eventually represent "more than 20 million mobiles." Of course, China is Nokia's number one market
, and it's no surprise to hear that more and more individuals in the country are slated to pick themselves up a new handset in the relatively near future. Interestingly, precise models on the PO weren't noted, but it was suggested that the bulk of them would be "low-end handsets
" that cater to such markets who desire basic, reliable handsets at a rock bottom price.


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The automobile industry is currently going through a massive transition to adapt to ever-tightening emissions control regulations across the globe. Many believe that this is the last decade of internal-combustion-powered cars before the world makes a decisive move towards electric and hybrid cars. However, some of the biggest names in the automobile industry have spawned absolutely stunning exotic cars in the last 10 years as their final attempt before these machines become a part of history books – some of which can be regularly found on CarPages. Here are our 7 favourite exotic cars that have been launched in the last decade.
Bugatti Chiron Super Sport 300+
Bugatti finally became the first automaker in history to breach the seemingly unsurmountable 300mph barrier, beating the likes of Hennessey and Koenigsegg to it. While the car that created history was a prototype derived from the standard Bugatti Chiron, the French automaker announced that it will sell 30 examples of the record-breaking car. Officially called the Bugatti Chiron Super Sport 300+, it is powered by the same quad-turbo 8.0-liter W16 engine found in the regular Chiron; however, the output has been boosted to 1578 horsepower. Other changed include a tweaked, lighter bodywork that features a different tail section giving it the “Longtail” nickname and specially developed tires by Michelin that can handle speeds more than 300mph. The Bugatti Chiron Super Sport 300+ is priced at a whopping $3.89 million.
To celebrate the 100th birthday of the Lamborghini’s founder, Ferruccio Lamborghini, the famed Italian automaker revealed a limited edition supercar at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show called the Centenario. Based on the Aventador SV, the Centenario was created by Lamborghini to showcase its evolving design language and the advancement of new technologies. It became the first Lamborghini to come with rear-wheel steering. While it retains the Aventador’s carbon monocoque chassis, the bodywork is made completely out of carbon fiber to make it as light as possible. Lamborghini upgraded the naturally-aspirated 6.5-liter V12 engine to 770 horsepower, making it the most powerful Lamborghini of its time. The Centenario also gets much more aggressive aerodynamic features including a massive rear wing and diffusor to increase downforce. Lamborghini built only 40 examples of the Centenario, 20 Coupes and 20 roadsters, and came with a starting price of $1.9 million.
The LaFerrari is considered by many as the best car of the 21st century. The LaFerrari along with the McLaren P1 and the Porsche 918 Spyder were dubbed as the holy trinity of hypercars that forever transformed the idea of hybrid cars. The LaFerrari made its debut at the 2013 Geneva Auto Show and was launched as a road-legal car with technology derived directly from Formula 1. The styling of the LaFerrari is an evolution of the design language of Ferrari’s Halo cars from the past, including the famed F40 and Ferrari Enzo. The hybrid hypercar is powered by a 6262cc V12 engine that churns out 800 horsepower and is assisted by electric motor provides an extra 163 horsepower, taking the total to 963hp. Ferrari created only 500 examples of the coupe version and followed it up with 200 units of an open-top version called the LaFerrari Aperta. It has a starting price of $1.69 million when it was launched in 2013.
The McLaren 720S is the flagship series-production supercar that was introduced by the British automaker at the 2017 Geneva Motor Show as a replacement for the 650S. It was also the first all-new car to be introduced by McLaren as a part of its new plan to launch 15 new cars into the market by 2022 and McLaren claims that it is 91% new as compared to its predecessor. The 720S has an ultra-lightweight all-carbon fiber chassis and is powered by the automaker’s twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8 that delivers 710 horsepower. The mid-engine supercar is wickedly fast and can rocket from 0 to 60mph in just 2.8 seconds. The McLaren was launched with a starting price of $285,000; however, the price can easily swell to a little below million dollars with all the optional extras.
The Lykan Hypersport is one of the most exotic hypercars that was launched in the last 10 years. Billed as Arabia’s first hypercar, the Lykan Hypersport is the creation of a Lebanon-based company called W Motors Dubai Motor Show. The wicked-looking hypercar made its debut at the 2013 Dubai Motor Show and has been featured in the Hollywood movie Furious 7. The Lykan Hypersport is also a part of the Dubai Police Department’s fleet of exotic patrol cars. It is also the first car in the world to have diamonds in its headlights. It is powered by a twin-turbocharged flat-six Porsche engine that is tuned to produce 750 horsepower. Only 7 examples of the outlandish hypercar were built and it carried a price-tag of $3.4 million, making it one of the most expensive production cars.
Revealed at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show, the Koenigsegg Regera is one of the most technologically advanced hybrid megacar with a power-to-weight ration of 1:1. Instead of traditional gearbox, the Regera has a single-speed, torque-convertor-style direct drive, making it the first-of-its-kind. The hybrid megacar is powered by a 1100hp twin-turbo V8 paired with three electric motors—one in front of the crankshaft, and one at each rear wheel. In total, the Regera makes 1500hp and 1475lb-ft of torque, which is enough to give it a well over 250mph top speed. In fact, the Koenigsegg Regera recently smashed the record for the fastest 0-400-0 km/h (0-249-0 mph) by completing it in a rather unbelievable 31.49 seconds. Koenigsegg said it will build only 80 examples of the record-breaking car that was launched with a price-tag of $1.89 million.
Pagani Huayra Roadster BC
Pagani revealed the Huayra Roadster BC earlier this year through the mobile game CSR Racing 2 ahead of its official debut at the 2019 Monterey Car Week. The open-top version of the Huayra BC is powered by the same Mercedes-AMG-sourced 6.0-liter twin-turbo V12 found in the BC coupe; however, the power has been increased from 750 horsepower to 790hp to offset the additional weight. The hypercar has been purpose-built to perform well on racetracks thanks to its ultra-lightweight and stiff monocoque chassis and big rear-spoiler and winglets all around the bodywork. Pagani will build on 40 examples of the Huayra Roadster BC and the starting price has been set at $3.4 million.


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Steady growth in global cruise tourism is reaching the South Pacific, and Papua New Guinea is no exception. In 2014 some 22.1m passengers boarded cruise ships, up from 21.3m in 2013, according to the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), which forecasts 23m for 2015. (oxfordbusinessgroup.com) One of the fastest-growing source markets is Australia, where passenger numbers rose 130.3% in the five years to end-2013. While most global cruises head for the Caribbean (37.3%), the Mediterranean (18.9%) or Northern Europe (11.1%), Asia, though it made up just 4.4% of 2013 traffic, was expected to see the highest surge in ship deployments of any region in 2014, at 31.6%. For Australasia the figure was 22%.
Pacific islands near the growing Australian source market, including PNG, are looking to capitalise on this. Many offer pristine natural settings and unique cultural attractions to any North American and European cruise travellers willing to venture farther from home. In anticipation of new visitors, they are thus ramping up their cruise facilities and promotional efforts. With just 1% of international cruisers visiting a Pacific island each year – about 220,000 – the South Pacific Tourism Organisation, an intergovernmental promotion and development body, has been sending delegations to the world’s leading trade shows as part of its Pacific Cruise Tourism Development Strategy 2015-19.
Aware of the segment’s potential, PNG launched its own cruise tourism strategy in 2010, focused on improving port facilities and promoting near-shore excursions. In the towns of Kitava and Kaibola in Milne Bay Province – well-known for its diving sites and home to the Kokodo Trail, which is popular with Australians – new jetties have been built. In Alotau, the province’s capital and already a port city, wharfs have been extended and new facilities added.
Besides building infrastructure, the PNG Tourism Authority (PNGTPA) is working to make docking easier by reducing paperwork and protocols. It is engaging with relevant state bodies – such as the PNG Ports Corporation, National Agriculture Quarantine Inspection Authority, National Maritime Safety Authority, PNG Customs Service, and the PNG Immigration and Citizenship Service Authority – to encourage cruise ships to dock, including at undeclared ports. Among the measures proposed or taken to draw more ships are waiving visa fees for cruise passengers and reducing pilot fees.
Over half of all cruise passengers that come to PNG are Australian, according to the PNGTPA. Not only is Australia the undisputed source market leader; it is also considered more lucrative. Many cruise itineraries arriving from Australia are one-way, so that passengers can opt to extend their stay with a land-based holiday before flying home.
P&O Cruises, which originated in the UK and is the largest cruise line operating out of Australia, currently visits five ports in PNG. For 2015, two more – Kavieng and Madang – have been added. The company also operates four PNG-only excursions, departing from Brisbane, Sidney and Cairns. “P&O’s return to PNG was possible because of the strong support of the national government and local authorities, particularly in relation to the provision of infrastructure to accommodate cruise ship visits,” Ann Sherry, the CEO, told the media in May 2015. “As the Australian cruise market grows and matures, our passengers are keen to experience new destinations and culture.” It is not just Australian cruise lines that are adding PNG to their itineraries; others that stop at PNG include NYK Cruises from Japan, Holland-America from Amsterdam, Paul Gaugain from French Polynesia and Princess Cruises from the US.
One general downside to cruise tourism, critics charge, is that it does not benefit the local hotel and restaurant trade, especially in the case of “all-inclusive” packages. In PNG, however, where reaching destinations outside major cities and finding suitable accommodation and amenities can be challenging, the opposite is true: cruise lines bring tourists to parts of the country that otherwise cannot be accessed and visited. This allows villages to receive a boost from cultural performances and handicraft sales.


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Acer's $200 15-inch Chromebook confirms it: The price of computing is falling to zero
Now that Moore's Law is 50 years old, we've come to the point where the price of computing itself -- at least for casual users -- is falling to zero.
The Intel Compute Stick is the right idea, but not the right execution
Now that the first round of reviews are out, it's clear Intel's got the right idea with the Compute Stick, but it's certainly not for everyone.
Intel Compute Stick vs. Asus Chromebit: Should you wait for Chrome OS?
The Intel Compute Stick is up for preorder, but the Asus Chromebit won't be around until this summer, according to Google. Clearly there's a showdown in the making here.
Google launches least expensive Chromebooks yet (just $149) and first convertible
Today Google unveiled a slew of new Chromebooks, including two that cost just $149 -- plus the first convertible Chromebook and a new Chromebit computer stick.


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News & Information
Watch out for Scamta Claus this year!
Remember the days of writing out a whopping long Christmas list, circling a parking lot for hours on end, and tackling a stampede of feisty shoppers so you could snatch up the goodies? We do too.
While we all knew it had to be done, this madness didn’t do much to put us in the Christmas spirit.
To some extent, this holiday dash is still the case. We all know someone who won’t start shopping until 4:45 pm on Christmas Eve, but online shopping has forever changed the consumer landscape. A major factor in driving that trend is the COVID pandemic.
Statistics show that last Christmas over 40% of all presents were bought online. In 2021, it is projected to decline somewhat, but with the recent news about variants, that remains to be seen this December.
Regardless of the trend, what it does mean, is that this huge sales period becomes a magnet for potential online scammers wanting to target you.
To avoid this, we thought we would lay out the best ways to stay safe when shopping online this year and always.
- Watch out for new stores advertising on social media sites claiming to sell brand name goods, such as clothing and jewellery
- Normally, if it is too good to be true, it likely is – why take the chance with your credit card?
- Check the website’s URL address. Scammers will often replicate the URL to look similar to a well-known site, with only minor spelling differences. Do these look like they are real?
- Beware of fake discount vouchers that circulate via email, SMS texts, and instant messaging apps
- If you’re interested in such an offer, the best thing to do is verify them by searching online or directly going to the retailer’s website
Finally, while protecting your broadband service and mobile devices helps avoid scams and internet fraud, the key is to really be alert to any unexpected links or dodgy website pop-up stores. Only ever shop from trusted and reputable online stores.
Follow these tips, and you’re unlikely to find Scamta Claus squeezing his way down your chimney with his sack of schemes, scams and cons this festive season.
When you subscribe to the blog, we will send you an e-mail when there are new updates on the site so you wouldn't miss them.


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DICE’s Johan Andersson has suggested that Wii U is unlikely to receive the company’s Star Wars games after the revelation that its new engine Frostbite 3 is not planned for the console. On Twitter, the Technical Director stated that the company had done tests with Frostbite 2 and the results were “not too promising.”
The announcement will be quite worrying for Nintendo, since third-party developers are a resource on which it’s currently running rather short. While the company may be able to manage without Star Wars games, it would be rather more problematic were it to miss out on even bigger titles like future Battlefield games.
Still, the third-party support for Nintendo has been slowly trickling in. Resident Evil: Revelations is to be released on the system, and Watch Dogs is a multiplatform title for all existing consoles, including Wii U. The 3DS continues to hold on well, since it currently has around 85% of the installed base for handhelds against the PS Vita’s 15%.
Source: Nintendo Life


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J.D. Power released its findings from the 2014 Canadian Wireless Total Ownership Experience Study today, revealing that Canadians are paying less for wireless service and are more satisfied with their carriers. There are over 30 million wireless subscribers in Canada, but these findings were based surveys with around 12,500 subscribers between October 2013 and March 2014.
According to the study, Canadians are paying $5 less per month than last year: $76 vs. $81. In addition, 32% of customers have signed up for 2-year contracts, leading to much higher satisfaction levels than those on 3-year terms. This was mainly caused by the CRTC’s implementation of Wireless Code of Conduct and a reduction of roaming rates. Smartphone penetration is reportedly sitting at 73% now, up 10% over last year.
The likely decline of monthly cost is from lower overage charges, as most 2-year contracts include unlimited national calling and texting, along with lower roaming rates for travel.
Source: JD Power


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A group of 11 Indian banks have joined together to create a blockchain-based digital ledger system aimed at improving access to credit for micro-, small-, and medium-sized businesses, according to a report in India’s Economic Times.
The banks’ new Blockchain Infrastructure Company (BIC) will also make credit more transparent, secure, and cheaper for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSME), which are underbanked and account for just 17.3 percent of the outstanding credit with Indian banks, the report said.
While describing the country’s 51 million MSME’s as “default-prone,” the Economic Times reported in March 2018 that they employ 40 percent of the workforce—117 million people—and account for 37 percent of GDP, according to the Ministry of Commerce. The credit requirements of these businesses reportedly ranges between $14,000 and $140,000.
The BIC will provide the lenders with better access to public data so they can better judge the creditworthiness of these businesses. The first phase of the project will be to set up a live network allowing supply chain vendors to register and digitise their records.
“All these supply-chain players, banks, logistics partners, customs, etc. have different technological platforms and technical competence,” the article quoted Akhil Handa, head of fintech and new business initiatives for the Bank of Boroda as saying. “[A] common blockchain network harmonises the requirements and lets everyone see the flow of the trade on a single platform.”
The point of the BIC is to facilitate communications between different banks, said Abhijeet Singh, head of business technology at ICICI Bank. “A blockchain network can only thrive if the entire ecosystem is working in synergy through a single network,” he added.
Along with ICICI Bank, the other consortium members that founded the BIC are HDFC Bank, Kotak Mahindra Bank, Axis Bank, Yes Bank, Standard Chartered Bank, RBL Bank, and South Indian Bank. IndusInd Bank, State Bank of India, and Bank of Boroda are outside members.
The Indian government has not been friendly to cryptocurrencies, with the Reserve Bank of India announcing in April 2018 that “entities regulated by RBI shall not deal with or provide services to any individual or business entities dealing with or settling VCs [virtual currencies].” Existing investors were given until this March to dispose of their cryptocurrency holdings.


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Photo: Instagram/bellahadid 23-year-old celebrity was wearing a dress, does not hide its charms
Dance the most beautiful woman in the world in spicy outfit was on video. The model shared the video in social networks.
American supermodel Palestinian origin Bella Hadid showed photos and videos taken during the New year. The model posted photos on his page in Instagram.
23-year-old celebrity, which was previously recognized as the most beautiful woman in the world posing in a very bold outfit of white color.
The girl skirt Maxi with a thigh-high slit and a mini-top with thin spaghetti straps. On the feet and hands of the model – the Golden bracelets.
View this post in Instagram
Swipe for my New Years kiss @jessejostark ?
As we wrote earlier, Bella Hadid showed the racy photos to the stellar calendar.
Also recall that Bella Hadid starred in advertising underwear Calvin Klein.
News from the Reporter.net Telegram. Subscribe to our channel https://t.me/korrespondentnet


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The Wildwoods - Irish Fall Festival North Wildwood, has sadly announced on their Facebook page, that the 2020 Irish Fall Festival held annually in North Wildwood NJ, has been canceled, Due to concerns for the safety of AOH members and entertainers.
2020 Irish Fall Festival Facebook Post
"Well, folks the decision has been made to cancel this year's Irish Fall Festival. With much thought and serious consideration, we regretfully announce the cancellation of the 2020 Irish Fall Festival."
"This decision is being made at this time to allow everyone ample notice to make or change plans. We hope to see you all September 24-26, 2021 for another fantastic Irish Fall Festival. In the meantime stay well and stay safe". - 2020 Irish Fall Festival Facebook Post
Jersey Shore Seafood Shacks - Nothing is better than visiting a rundown seafood shack on a hot summer day, and what seafood joints lack in glamour they make up for in food.
Steakhouses in South Jersey - From trendy traditional to high-end steakhouses, Jersey has its share of steakhouses and restaurants to enjoy steak.
South Jersey Burgers - South Jersey has its share of great burger shops, from the retro "Pop Shop" to busy counter service and old fashion burger joints.


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(TRENTON) — Legislation Assemblyman Matthew Milam and Assemblywoman Annette Quijano sponsored to protect consumer debit card account numbers is advancing in the Senate.
The bill (A-310) clarifies that both credit card and debit card account numbers must be truncated on sales receipts, including copies retained by merchants.
“This bill just makes common sense,” said Milam (D-Atlantic/Cape May/Cumberland). “In this day and age, when identity theft is proving all too common, there’s no reason why a consumer’s credit or debit card number should ever be made available to others. This is a simple step that protects consumers.”
“Since we provide this protection for credit cards, there’s no reason we shouldn’t also do it for debit cards,” said Quijano (D-Union). “This is a straightforward consumer protection measure.”
Under current law, a retail sales establishment may not electronically print more than the last five digits of a customer’s credit card account number or the expiration date of that credit card upon any sales receipt provided at the point of sale.
Milam and Quijano’s bill extends the prohibition against printing the whole account number or expiration date on sales receipts to include debit card information.
The bill also specifies that the prohibition applies to copies of sales receipts retained by the retail sales establishment, in addition to those physically provided to the customer. The bill provides a civil penalty up to $1,000 for violations.
The bill was approved 76-0 by the Assembly in February and was released Thursday by the Senate Commerce Committee.
On the Net:
The Assembly Democratic Office Web site
NJ Assembly Dems on YouTube
NJ Assembly Dems on Vimeo
NJ Assembly Dems on Facebook
NJ Assembly Dems on Twitter
NJ Assembly Dems on Flickr
NJ Assembly Dems e-mail alerts


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When Tesla And Apple Compete To Out-Do Each Other On Electric Cars, The Planet Wins
- Jul 7, 2018 9:23 pm GMT
The future of cars is finally upon us — and it is electrifying. The Wall Street Journal reports Apple is speeding up its efforts to build and ship an electric vehicle by 2019.
By that time, there should be at least three or four affordable EVs with a 200+ mile range on the market — along with thousands and thousands more charging stations, many of which can do most of their charging in 20 minutes or so. And thanks to Obama’s Clean Power Plan, the grid will be steadily reducing its carbon intensity, making EVs greener and greener with every passing year.
Tesla, the company that jumpstarted the 21st-century electric car industry, is now in a fight for technology and design leadership in what will be the biggest and most important new element of the automobile industry in the coming decades. Tesla has the lead in actually designing, manufacturing, and selling cutting edge electric vehicles — and promises an affordable mass-market Tesla by 2017.
But Apple became the biggest company in the world by reinventing and then taking over almost every market segment it has entered. It has a brand and reputation that is the envy of every company in the world. As the Journal notes, the company clearly sees the chance to become an auto industry leader “by applying expertise that it has honed in developing iPhones — in areas such as batteries, sensors and hardware-software integration — to the next generation of cars.”
Whatever the outcome of this fight — and there is room for both companies — the real winner will be the public and the planet. Because electric cars are by far the best bet for the carbon-free car of the future as we’ve discussed many times. If an affordable mass-market EV can be built, hydrogen fuel-cell cars don’t have a value proposition. Apple’s entry into the arena — including its decision to triple the size of its car team to 1,800 — makes the electric car future that much more likely.
And it was already pretty darn likely. Last year, UBS, a leading Investment bank, found “the 3-year total cost of ownership (TCO) of a Tesla S model is similar to that of a comparable petrol combustion engine car such as an Audi A7,” in places like Germany.
Even more revolutionary, UBS projects that “the payback time for unsubsidised investment in electric vehicles plus rooftop solar plus battery storage will be as low as 6-8 years by 2020.”
A key reason for all the excitement about EVs — and their explosive sales growth since 2010 — is that electric batteries have been declining in costs almost as rapidly as solar power has (see here). Batteries hit a major price point in 2015 that had not been predicted to happen until 2020.
Returning to Apple and Tesla, their seemingly inevitable fight has been a brewing cold war for a while now, with both poaching each other’s employees. As we reported back in February, Musk — whose Tesla bio lists him as “Co-Founder, CEO, and Product Architect” — has been amping up his efforts to be the next Steve Jobs and to make his electric car company, Tesla, the next Apple. At the time, Bloomberg reported that the 6,000-worker company “has hired at least 150 former Apple employees, more than from any other company, even carmakers.”
But will Tesla be the next Apple … or will Apple be the next Tesla? Apple has itself poached 50 Tesla employees, supposedly “offering $250,000 signing bonuses and 60 percent salary increases” — a heck of an incentive to work at a company so successful its market capitalization hit the all-time record of $700 billion. Apple also poached engineers from other companies in the EV space, such as now-defunct battery maker A123.
In May, Musk said there was no poaching war, but “if you look at the trailing 12 months, Tesla has recruited something like five times as many people from Apple as Apple has from Tesla.”
You can bet Apple — with $180 billion in cash — is wishing it had simply bought Tesla back in early 2013 when the entire market cap of the company was only $3 billion.
The post When Tesla And Apple Compete To Out-Do Each Other On Electric Cars, The Planet Wins appeared first on ThinkProgress.
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All-in-one-box 5G test kit designed for enterprises try outs Touts the ability to test various Industry 4.0 applications
AWS CEO Andy Jassy says only 4% of IT spend is on cloud computing Latest offerings include analytics, machine learning, IOT, edge computing Amazon Web Service's (AWS) annual re:Invent conference in Dec 2020 was in reality less about the huge technological strides it has made in the complicated year, and more about how its current incorporation of Industry 4.0 innovations is a reaffirmation of its current growth.
Higher demand driven by upgrades to infrastructure by telco companies Also seeing more edge computing, and more digitisation of companies
Akamai sees internet traffic up 30% since Covid-19 lockdowns 120 TB per second at peak, 50 million deliveries per second, trillions per day
Combination of 5G & edge computing in 2020 will supercharge influx of IoT devices Relocated APAC shared services unit to Malaysia with 230 people in Shared Services
75% of enterprise-generated data will be created & processed at the edge by 2025 In Malaysia only 9.1% of companies surveyed have a future interest in edge projects
2019 will be a year where businesses won’t doubt the need of analytics in the decision-making process.
We must stop looking at humans and machines as opposing forces and start imagining the new IT roles that will emerge because of automation and AI.
In Asia Pacific, it is expected that 8.6 billion connected devices will be found in this region by 2020.
Believes it can drive the future of IoT with its new business unit.


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So there is really only one way to break the following news, and that’s to do it quickly, to get it over with, so perhaps we can spend time finding a solution: Maryland is running out of Maryland turkeys.
Area farmers, riding a wave of interest in locally grown food, report demand for local turkeys this holiday season is overwhelming supply.
Sycamore Spring Farm in Frederick has just one turkey left. One!
“I’m finding more and more people calling every year wanting local turkeys, and it’s not just about supporting local farmers -- it’s about knowing how it was raised,” Sycamore Spring Farm owner Carol Rollman told the Frederick News-Post. “It’s becoming more about food safety and being health-conscious.”
Cathy Horst, who co-owns Jehovah-Jireh farm in Dickerson, told the News-Post, “We sold out two months ago and will slaughter them the week of Thanksgiving -- that’s fresh.”
Gotta love that Cathy. She certainly is an honest turkey talker.
If you’re interested in trying to procure a local turkey, the state has a Web site you should check out: Maryland’s Best. There are also recipes and guides to what’s in season locally.
And if you have any tips on finding a local turkey for Thanksgiving, please comment below. (The Post’s food section staff suggests these options.) Or just describe your favorite way to cook the bird. Talk turkey.


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One new source that is increasingly attracting the attention of Gulf traders is Peru. Hani Ayloush of Dubai-based trader Fruit Line Trading visited Peru on last year’s Fruitnet Peru-Asia Export Forum trade mission, which aimed to connect buyers from all over Asia with Peruvian exporters.
Now, according to Ayloush, the company has commenced shipments with the Latin American country. “We’re doing grapes and pomegranates at the moment,” he said, “and we’re also trying to finalise some mango shipments, but transit times are quite long. It takes 40-45 days. There is a window, though, so it is worth looking at.”
Peru is actively looking to open up in new markets, establishing protocols with potential trading partners, revealed Ayloush.
“There are good opportunities from Peru,” he said. “The country can now even compete with Chile, which has struggled with quality and water issues. There are many foreign companies investing in Peru, with large numbers of South African and US firms buying up farms.”


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Last week, Codemasters released three new screenshots from the upcoming F1 2012, showcasing some of the new car designs and specifications that will be included in the game.
The screens also gave us our first look at the new Circuit of the Americas track in Austin, Texas, with the developer also announcing that visitors to E3 would be able to race around the in-game track, months before the real-life Formula One teams and drivers get their chance in November.
Following in the slipstream of those screenshots, a new trailer has today been released, giving us our first look at the latest addition in the award-winning franchise in action.
Prepare to take pole position this September when F1 2012 races to a store near you.
We've got the full list of F1 2012 achievements - check the list for guides to unlocking them.
Check out our Best Xbox One Sports Games Available in 2019 article for a compilation of other great games in this genre.
Get the biggest Xbox news delivered straight to your inbox every week.


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The funding was led by Sandbridge Capital, with participation from Marcy Venture Partners. Madison Reed, which is known for its hair color delivery service, plans to scale its omnichannel business with the new funding, leveraging Sandbridge Capital and Marcy Venture Partners' global expertise across the modern retail and beauty space. Sandbridge’s portfolio includes skin care brands and fashion retailers.
The funding will also accelerate the growth of Madison Reed’s Hair Color Bar business, and the company plans to operate 80 retail locations by the end of 2022. Hair Color Bar allows customers to get their hair color applied by a licensed professional for a lower price than traditional salon experience.
"Madison Reed was built on the belief that salon-gorgeous hair color should be convenient, affordable and made with ingredients women can feel good about,” Amy Errett, CEO and founder of Madison Reed, said in a statement. “We have achieved this by showing women that Madison Reed products and services give them agency and autonomy when it comes to coloring their hair, with high-quality results through our at-home products or in our 60-plus nationwide Hair Color Bar locations.”
As the company grows its retail footprint, Madison Reed plans to hire 850 new colorists this year. The company boasted employees in this role can make three times the wages of a traditional salon. Madison Reed is targeting further expansion in key regions, including New York City, South Florida, California, Chicago, Washington, D.C. and Texas.
Beyond its Hair Color Bar business, the funding will support the company’s omnichannel growth, as well as expand the company's color, care and maintenance product portfolio. Madison Reed also plans to grow its wholesale retail business with Ulta and Ulta Beauty at Target, plus its direct-to-consumer channels on its website and on Amazon.
The news comes after Madison Reed tapped Jose Zuniga as its new chief digital officer in March. Zuniga joins the beauty brand from Dollar Shave Club. In his new role, he is responsible for driving Madison Reed's omnichannel expansion.


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The Italian carmaker faces new hazards due to potential delays to its two main strategies – relaunching its upmarket Alfa Romeo brand and taking full control of U.S. unit Chrysler.
And in a last minute move that could add to investor uncertainty, Fiat boss Sergio Marchionne cancelled his appearances at the Frankfurt car show on the eve of the event, due to “last minute unforeseen business commitments.” Also, he did not attend – as it was planned – the Ferrari Formula 1 home event in Monza this weekend.
Signs of life in even some of the long-suffering southern European economies have raised hopes that demand might finally start to pick up next year, and Fiat responded to the economic crisis by announcing new models for Alfa Romeo in a bid to grab a bigger slice of the more robust and higher-margin luxury car market, both in Europe and particularly Asia and the United States. It also aims to take full control of its profitable U.S. unit Chrysler to gain guaranteed and quick access to the cash flow and technology it needs to compete in a global market.
Now, sources familiar to the matter, however, say plans to start building the main models in the new Alfa Romeo range in Italy next year are facing delays. Also, the agreement to buy out Chrysler’s minority shareholder has become hostage to the outcome of a battle in a U.S. court, which could push the deal back to 2015.
“The two drivers of this story are Alfa and the Chrysler merger, and we’ve had very little news flow in recent months,” said a fund manager who owns Fiat stock, declining to be named. “I am expecting the speed of investment to pick up from now on, because if you want to have an adequate pipeline for next year you need to get moving now.”
Fiat’s stands at this month’s Frankfurt car show will be short of new products, while mass market competitors will grab the limelight; also, Marchionne has yet to sign off investment in the plant expected to build the likely biggest sellers of the new Alfa Romeo range, the executive E-Segment and the mid-sized Giulia, putting a question mark over whether the models will hit the showrooms next year as planned.