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Sustainability leaders, experts, industry and innovators from Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific came together to share their knowledge on sustainability challenges and opportunities in the Oceania region as part of a major international sustainability event.
Coordinated by Future Earth Australia, Australian Academia and government partners hosted the sustainability-focused event in Brisbane from 29 June – 1 July 2022.
Sessions were held over three days and covered any aspects of sustainability: climate change, Indigenous knowledges, coastal resilience, urban sustainability, synthetic biology and more. It will focus on sustainability issues and challenges unique to Oceania.
The Oceania Satellite Event built on the outcomes of the inaugural SRI2021 Congress last year in Brisbane, that featured more than 2000 attendees from over 100 countries.
Wellbeing Economies through Fashion
0:04 Welcome from Moderator : Assoc. Prof. Samantha Sharpe
Some commentators have suggested that foreign companies that (in)directly profit from the systematic exploitation of Uyghurs in China must choose between profit and principle.
It seems like a straightforward question: do companies want to profit from the state-organised repression, exploitation and extermination of an ethnic minority, or do companies condemn the treatment of Uyghur people in China and deal with the backlash?
The conundrum underlying the question is as old as capitalism itself: what social costs are we willing to accept in order for companies to make a profit?
Prominent Australian retailers been caught out again for “unsavoury” behaviour during the coronavirus pandemic – including asking for discounts and pushing back orders from struggling suppliers overseas.
Kmart has backflipped on its request for a 30 per cent discount it forced on its Bangladeshi suppliers, but is still enforcing tight turnarounds.
Mosaic Brands, which owns Crossroads, Millers, Noni B and more, has told its suppliers, also in Bangladesh, that it won’t be meeting some of its payments for eight months, according to the ABC.
Mosaic was called out early in the pandemic for its pushy sales techniques, peddling hand sanitiser and face masks to shoppers to capitalise on the panic-buying surge.
The behaviour is nothing short of bullying, business ethics expert Martijn Boersma said.
The Queensland University of Technology and the University of Technology Sydney have been funded by the Cotton Research and Development Corporation to research “Strategies for improving labour conditions within the Australian cotton value chain” (2019-2022).
Non-Government Organisations are active in pressuring fashion brands to be accountable for their social and environmental claims. Labour is currently in the spotlight. Over 20 million employees in garment manufacturing in Asia Pacific are paid below the minimum wage. ILO ratification in Australia’s export countries is low and non-compliance high (up to 90%). This project will provide information to enable the cotton industry to understand labour issues along its value chain and recommend strategies for the industry to explore.
Phase 1 produced a heat map, based on secondary data, which provides an overview of labour issues affecting the textile and apparel industry in primary export destinations in the Australian cotton value chain. Click on the image below to see the full interactive heat maps which were created using Tableau.
Australian fashion companies lack transparency around their supply chain or do not have full knowledge of where their raw materials are being sourced from, leaving workers including children at risk of exploitation, an audit has found.


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This week has been a mixture of triumph and downfall in the startup industry. And this week have recorded some evolution in the Digital payment realm. Starting from the negatives, Aditya Birla group has decided the shut-down of its e-commerce venture Abof.com by the end of the year reasoning their inability to compete against the ruling giants Flipkart and Amazon. They announced that their employees will be credited with a four-and-a-half months’ salary as compensation if they decided to quit the company.
As we all know, this week had been a highly anticipated one because of the much-awaited flagship sales of the e-commerce lions. Since the day one, a competition prevailed on smartphone sales between Amazon and Flipkart. The Flipkart even claimed to have taken the lead over Amazon in smartphone sales on the opening day of the sales. However, the one mobile company seems to have made much out of the clash. Xiaomi has been sitting pretty having sold over one million smartphones within a span of 48 hours. They kind of took the saying ‘make hay while the sun shines’ way too seriously.
Google’s Tez app has been launched in India this week and claimed its success having raked over 410,000 active users who made transactions up to 1.8 crores within the first twenty hours of its launch. Since the digital payments have become an inevitable in our hectic-scheduled life, there had been a lot of expectations for the launch of Tez. Since it is based on UPI (United Payment Interface), now the users will be able to link more than one bank account and make the online transactions in a more secure and faster manner. The Google CEO has envisaged that this application would contribute toward the country’s digital transformation.
The Airtel Payment bank has announced the UPI integration recently with an aim to boost up its customer’s convenience. Now the users will be able to connect their Airtel payment bank accounts with the BHIM (Bharat Interface for Money) application so that they can make all their secured online transactions through the UPI.
The Razorpay has announced four new products on its transformation to Razorpay 2.0 enhancing the digital payment automation. The products include Razorpay Route, Razorpay Smart Collect, Razorpay Subscriptions, and Invoices. Through these products, the company plans to reach the needful small businesses and help increase their market shares.
Another Big contribution from Google is that it has launched a new website ‘Startup with Google‘ for the startups, providing all the necessary resources including many of its own services to make them grow in their venture breaking all barriers. The starters will get everything they need to proceed with their ideas in this one-stop destination for all the startup needs.
The Zomato which seems to retain its good luck since its acquisition of the Runnr announced its ‘Zero commission model’ recently, setting its partner restaurants in a cloud nine mood. The company is claimed to be a profitable one making a good fortune out of all its branches over 24 Countries. Hence, the zero commission model is an encouragement to all its partner restaurant owners making them contribute more toward the Zomato’s growth. Change is the only constant. This week has seen a lot of changes in the Indian Startup ecosystem and it will continue in the weeks to come.

domain: news


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The firm gave its outdated manual fraud management system the boot, took on an intelligent trust platform and ran with it
With more than 750 stores and 36 websites, Australia and New Zealand’s largest footwear retailer, Accent Group has been supplying brands such as Platypus, Hype DC, The Athlete’s Foot, Skechers and Vans to consumers across the region.
With its digital business having grown to more than 24% of its total sales across a customer base of more than 9m customers, the firm wanted to scale this segment of its business to support growing partnerships, new acquisitions and consumer buying patterns.
However, amid the strong digital sales, one problem it was facing in fraud management was that the manual review process was flagging too many good customers as risky, causing unnecessary delays and customer experience incidents.
The obvious solution was to digitalize the fraud management process to embody automation, data-driven decisions to improve accuracy, and AI and ML to keep fine-tuning and personalizing customer profiles to preempt fraud and speed up detection and intervention.
Said Martin Hourigan, General Manager (Commercial), Accent Group: “Digital channels play a critical role in enabling our customers to shop with us any way they want. Our partnership with Forter means we now have a fraud platform that can support our continued innovation and growth while blocking fraud attempts and delivering a superior customer experience.”
With this move, Accent Group is continually improving ways to stop fraudsters and ensure that good customers can always complete their online transactions. According to Joe Lee, Vice President (APAC), Forter, some research has indicated that if a new online customer is declined, 40% of respondents may never patronize the e-commerce brand again. “Retailers like Accent Group understand that, in order to scale, they need a fully automated fraud solution that addresses the end-to-end buyer’s journey. We’re excited to work with Accent Group to help drive business and improve customer experience.”


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Equities research analysts expect Mercadolibre Inc (NASDAQ:MELI) to post $497.58 million in sales for the current fiscal quarter, according to Zacks. Four analysts have provided estimates for Mercadolibre’s earnings. The highest sales estimate is $505.40 million and the lowest is $491.70 million. Mercadolibre reported sales of $335.38 million during the same quarter last year, which indicates a positive year over year growth rate of 48.4%. The company is expected to announce its next earnings results on Wednesday, August 14th.
On average, analysts expect that Mercadolibre will report full-year sales of $2.15 billion for the current year, with estimates ranging from $2.07 billion to $2.21 billion. For the next fiscal year, analysts forecast that the firm will report sales of $2.99 billion, with estimates ranging from $2.80 billion to $3.19 billion. Zacks Investment Research’s sales averages are a mean average based on a survey of sell-side research firms that cover Mercadolibre.
Mercadolibre (NASDAQ:MELI) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, May 2nd. The company reported $0.13 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of ($0.01) by $0.14. Mercadolibre had a negative return on equity of 1.55% and a negative net margin of 0.74%. The business had revenue of $474.00 million during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $423.19 million. During the same quarter last year, the company posted ($0.29) earnings per share. Mercadolibre’s quarterly revenue was up 47.7% on a year-over-year basis.
A number of large investors have recently made changes to their positions in MELI. Harvest Group Wealth Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Mercadolibre in the first quarter worth $28,000. Icon Wealth Partners LLC bought a new stake in shares of Mercadolibre in the first quarter worth $32,000. Shine Investment Advisory Services Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Mercadolibre in the first quarter worth $34,000. Carroll Financial Associates Inc. grew its stake in shares of Mercadolibre by 59.5% in the first quarter. Carroll Financial Associates Inc. now owns 67 shares of the company’s stock worth $34,000 after purchasing an additional 25 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Advisory Alpha LLC bought a new stake in shares of Mercadolibre in the first quarter worth $37,000. 84.68% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.
Mercadolibre stock traded up $9.98 during midday trading on Friday, reaching $623.28. 25,785 shares of the company’s stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 646,896. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.34, a quick ratio of 2.82 and a current ratio of 2.82. The stock has a market capitalization of $30.73 billion, a P/E ratio of -767.32 and a beta of 1.84. Mercadolibre has a 52 week low of $257.52 and a 52 week high of $634.00.
MercadoLibre, Inc operates online commerce platforms in Latin America. It operates MercadoLibre Marketplace, an automated online commerce platform that enables businesses and individuals to list merchandise and conduct sales and purchases online; and MercadoPago FinTech, a financial technology solution platform, which facilitates transactions on and off its marketplaces by providing a mechanism that allows its users to send and receive payments online, and allows merchants to process transactions via their Websites and mobile apps, as well as in their brick-and-mortar stores through QR and mobile points of sale.
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Philadelphia Federal Reserve Bank President Charles Plosser, one of the sharpest internal critics of the central bank's loose monetary policy, will retire next year, in a departure that could ease pressure to raise interest rates more quickly.
The Obama administration's tougher rules on offshore corporate inversions had an immediate effect Tuesday, pushing down the stock prices of companies considering such moves.
A computer monitor sits near a display of appliances at a Home Depot Inc. store in Peoria, Illinois, U.S. The retailer released an estimate for affected cards last week, saying hackers' software may have infected its systems from April to this month.
Investors had to wait more than a decade for a bank offering the size of Citizens Financial Group Inc.'s $3 billion initial stock sale.
Soda makers Coca Cola, PepsiCo, and the Dr Pepper Snapple Group have pledged to cut the calories consumed from their sugary drink offerings by 20 percent over the next decade.


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The U.S. Federal Communications Commission should investigate Verizon Wireless for allegedly blocking Google Wallet on a new smartphone available to the carrier’s customers, a law professor has said.
In a letter dated Monday, Professor Barbara van Schewick, director of Stanford Law School’s Center for Internet and Society, called on the FCC to look into potential net neutrality violations by Verizon for its decision to leave Google Wallet off the Samsung Galaxy Nexus 4G LTE smartphone. The smartphone went on sale last week.
Verizon’s decision to block Google Wallet on the new phone appears to violate net neutrality, or open access, conditions that the FCC tagged onto 700MHz spectrum that Verizon won in an auction in 2008, van Schewick said. There is “great uncertainty about what exactly” is happening with Google Wallet on the smartphone, she wrote.
“I am writing to ask the commission to investigate the situation as quickly as possible and to send a signal to the market — innovators, consumers, and licensees — that the openness conditions will be enforced,” she wrote in the letter to the agency.
Google Wallet competes with a mobile payment, called Isis, developed by Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile, van Schewick said. Isis is scheduled to launch in the U.S. in 2012.
“Verizon’s behavior looks like an attempt to stall a competing mobile payment application until Verizon’s own application is launched,” van Schewick said in an email. “Verizon’s behavior … threatens competition and innovation in the emerging market for mobile payments. If Sprint, the nation’s third largest wireless carrier, remains the only carrier that supports Google Wallet, Google Wallet will be dead upon arrival.”
Verizon has denied blocking Google’s mobile payment service. For Google Wallet to work, the app “needs to be integrated into a new, secure and proprietary hardware element in our phones,” Verizon said earlier this month. A Verizon spokeswoman declined to comment on van Schewick’s complaint to the FCC.
It appears that Verizon is blocking Google Wallet from accessing the so-called secure element of the new smartphones, van Schewick said in her letter the FCC. Without that access, the app will not be able to function, she said.
“Verizon has not explained the motivation for its behavior,” she wrote. “There do not seem to be any technical reasons. In particular, the technology does not seem to pose any threats to the security or integrity of the wireless network.”
An earlier version of the phone, the Sprint Nexus S, includes Google Wallet and has worked without problems, van Schewick added.
Grant Gross covers technology and telecom policy in the U.S. government for The IDG News Service. Follow Grant on Twitter at GrantGross. Grant’s e-mail address is email@example.com.


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Thousand Oaks, Calif. — Outdoor TV resource SunBriteTV introduced Monday a pair of new affordably priced Signature-series models in 32- and 46-inch screen sizes.
Models SB-3270HD ($1,495 suggested retail) and SB-4760HD ($2,895) are available now and add a host of upgrades to the initial Signature series.
The new-generation pieces include 50 percent slimmer profiles using LED rear-screen lighting technology.
“We’ve taken the best-selling outdoor TV in the world and improved it by leaps and bounds,” said Tom Dixon, SunBriteTV marketing VP. “Our new design features powder-coated aluminum casings that make the new Signature-series models 50 percent thinner but actually stronger and more durable. By adding newer, brighter LED displays, SunBriteTV will take the outdoor viewing experience to a new level.”
SunBriteTV’s new design employs a patented cooling system that allows for a thinner design while actually improving the unit’s ability to operate in extreme heat (up to 130 degrees F).
Both units also add new powder-coated aluminum exteriors for improved durability.
“The outdoor living market is expanding rapidly as more consumer technology products become optimized for outdoor use,” said Dixon. “It’s critical to consider not only performance, but also how these products are integrated aesthetically into existing backyards.”
SunBriteTV pointed out that its models outperform indoor televisions used outdoors on a number of important variables: all models withstand temperatures from -24 degrees to 122 degrees F; are completely weather sealed to resist rain, snow, dust and insects; and offer insulated electronics and specialized sealing technology reduce the risk of personal injuries associated with using electronic equipment outside.
The new models are now available in black, silver and white. They include a two-year warranty, weatherproof remote and 20-watt built-in speakers.
Optional accessories include a variety of weatherproof wall-, ceiling-, or deck pole-mount installation solutions, wireless HD transceivers and weatherproof media box enclosures.


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Frito-Lay honored for sustainability practices
The winning companies were announced Thursday in Milwaukee.
Frito-Lay won a Grand Award in the sustainability category.
The program, now in its 22nd year, recognizes Wisconsin companies that demonstrate a commitment to business excellence, which has a positive impact on the company and the state, making Wisconsin a better place to live, work and play.
“Frito-Lay has an attitude of continuous improvement,” said Bob Karnauskas, president of BL3 Strategies in Milwaukee and one of 15 judges. “Their sustainable business practices illustrate their view that whatever they have done in terms of their sustainable initiatives is not good enough and they will keep driving forward to be even better.”
Frito-Lay reduced its landfill contributions by 37 percent last year.
Through the company’s use of technology best practices, including high efficiency lighting, Frito-Lay’s electrical consumption was down 26 percent per pound of finished product.
And through technology investments in its packaging department, it was able to minimize the transport of product, and avoid more than 368 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions per year.
The company’s Beloit facility opened in 1973 on 15 acres of land with fewer than 300 employees.
The plant now tops 500,000 square feet, and it employs more than 700.
Last updated: 12:48 pm Thursday, December 13, 2012


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Abraaj Capital to Buy Riyada Ventures, Focus on SME investments
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Riyada Ventures, which was set up in the Jordanian capital of Amman in 2005, will be integrated by Abraaj into its newly launched regional SME and entrepreneurship initiative. Khaldoon Tabaza will continue as the CEO of the new business line of Abraaj.
Tabaza has worked in the MENA venture capital industry since 2000, prior to which he set up several entrepreneurial ventures.
Abraaj has previously invested in the SME space, having backed Maktoob.com, an Arab language portal recently acquired by Yahoo!. It also invested in Arabtec, Aramex and Amwal at the early stages of their growth stories.
The MENA-focused private equity firm will allocate a portion of the funds it raises for SME investments for philanthropic uses by partnering with sustainable development funds.


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Blockchain startup Radar announces the launch of DEPLOY - a service for developers to launch their own nodes in Bitcoin and Ethereum networks.
According to Radar representatives, any services or applications, such as wallets, DeFi applications and exchanges, can be built on DEPLOY.
Radar team presented a tool fordevelopers, which has "blockchain infrastructure control panels, turnkey solutions for promotion, monitoring and node management." According to the developers, DEPLOY is an easy way to create blockchain applications.
Blockchain startup previously attracted more than 13 milliondollars of venture financing. The company's product line includes the decentralized exchange Radar Relay, built on Ethereum, and Radar Ion, the Bitcoin Lightning Network app store.


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Hit hard by the prolonged lockdown and changed consumer behaviors, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have turned their focus on adjusting to the fast-changing scenario to remain viable.
SMEs, which comprise 94% of all companies in the UAE, are going digital in a big way to keep their operations running and to tap into the ever-growing online consumer base. It is no secret that the functioning of all organizations has taken a 360° turn with virtual meetings, conferences, and remote work becoming the new normal. Many companies are relying heavily on cloud-based document collaboration apps and real-time workspaces for teams to manage operations and keep the business going.
Wes Schwalje, COO of Tahseen Consulting, was quoted saying, “With small businesses undergoing a rapid digital transformation, it’s important they adopt technological solutions to lessen the economic hardships presented by the COVID pandemic. Foraying into the digital landscape makes SMEs vulnerable to hackers. The focus on remote access security and virtual private networks in protecting critical and proprietary data is of paramount importance.” Some have already taken a step in this direction, as ZenHR, a cloud-based human resources management system, is offering companies safe and secure workplaces via its Geolocation Attendance Module.
eCommerce has also undergone many changes with extended lockdowns and increase in online shopping, forcing SMEs to explore digital marketing strategies to increase their customers virtually. UAE-licensed home businesses and SMEs are making use of eCommerce platforms like DubaiStore, which are offering them equal opportunities as the big eCommerce players, allowing them to increase their online market share.
The challenging times have also opened up opportunities for SMEs and startups in health, wellbeing, agri-tech, in-home entertainment, cybersecurity, virtual reality, food, and online delivery. Companies like Allegion Middle East have unveiled a comprehensive portfolio of smart, secure, and touchless access solutions with a focus on multifamily properties, healthcare facilities, commercial offices, and education campuses.
Funding initiatives by private entities in Abu Dhabi and Dubai are injecting investment into the ecosystem to help new ventures remain viable and buoyant. For example, AstroLabs Founding Partner Louis Lebbos has committed over $60,000 each in grants to help former tech employees launch new startups in Dubai and Riyadh. Shorooq Partners is also welcoming aspiring entrepreneurs to guide them on their entrepreneurship vision while BECO Capital has funded $150,000 for “the next generation of MENA entrepreneurs.”
The stimulus package developed by the Dubai Government includes 15 initiatives focused on the commercial sector, retail, external trade, tourism, and the energy sector. Over the next three months, the package is expected to have both a direct and indirect positive impact on all other sectors as well.
Like the rest of the world, the SMEs in the Emirates are learning to live with the new reality by turning the unprecedented challenges into opportunities as they try to free themselves from COVID’s stranglehold. Exports News is also working to bring more information to guide you during these challenging times. Subscribe to our newsletter today and stay informed.
Ireland to Extend Business Energy Supports to Newly Opened Businesses
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The Sony Xperia Z1 Compact is now on sale in the US, after launching overseas earlier this year.
The 4.3-inch water- and dust-resistant smartphone sells for about $550 unlocked and comes in black, white, or pink.
Sony has had a difficult time gaining traction with US customers, as the electronics company and many others have had to fight against Apple and Samsung Electronics, which now dominate the smartphone market. Sony also has struggled to garner support from US carriers, with T-Mobile being its only major backer recently.
With a lack of carriers, Sony has been trying to sell unlocked phones directly to consumers -- as it's doing with the Xperia Z1 Compact -- but it has had mixed results, as many US consumers are used to subsidies that lower the upfront cost of their phones.
All the latest Apple news, featuring developments on the iPhone, iPad, Macbooks, OS X and much more.
Feb 24iPad Pro 2: Everything we know so far about the next edition of Apple's iconic tablet
Feb 24Apple iPhone 7 Plus fire caught on video
Feb 24A world free of charging cables? It's all up to Apple
Feb 235 games you can play on your MacBook Pro's Touch Bar


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We found 2316 items for the tag: MS
ADATA Technology Sets its Sights on Ultra-Thin Notebook Supply Chain
Oct 12, 2011 7:49 am
RumorTT: Samsung and Google's Ice Cream Sandwich event, rescheduled for October 19th?
Oct 12, 2011 5:15 am
RumorTT: Samsung and Google ICS/Nexus Prime event rescheduled for October 19th?
Samsung Galaxy S II wins Phone of the Year award against Apple's iPhone at T3 awards
Oct 12, 2011 3:09 am
Samsung beats Apple at T3 awards, claims victory
Futuremark and ECS kick off a new 3DMark 11 Overclock Shootout Competition
Oct 11, 2011 4:19 pm
Now running - ends November 7.
Futuremark and ECS Announce 3DMark 11 Overclock Shootout Competition
Oct 11, 2011 12:53 pm
Samsung breakthrough, putting an LED in your window and a window in your LED
Oct 11, 2011 11:20 am
Samsung engineers have an achievement that will allow them to make massive LEDs from normal glass
Samsung's Stratosphere smart phone avail. through Verizon on Oct 13
Oct 11, 2011 6:40 am
Featuring 4G LTE support and a slide-out QWERTY keyboard.
Intel winding up its SSD development for a busy 2012
Oct 11, 2011 5:01 am
Latest roadmap reveals plenty of new products on the cards.
Nexus Prime passes through the FCC, now we just need an official announcement
Oct 10, 2011 11:12 am
Samsung I9250, Nexus Prime has been seen at the FCC
Crucial m4 512GB Solid State Drive w/ the 0009 Update Review
Oct 10, 2011 6:58 am
Crucial released a performance update for their m4 product line, but is it enough to displace Team SandForce on the mound?
RAGE gets updated, fixes many of the games issues
Oct 10, 2011 4:24 am
RAGE gets patched, most launch issues sorted
Qualcomm releases Snapdragon S4 SoC deets, sports improved battery life, true world compatibility
Oct 10, 2011 3:42 am
Qualcomm outs their next-gen SoC, S4 MSM8960
Nexus Prime specs leaked, something BIG is definitely coming, but Samsung have pulled the smartphone launch
Oct 8, 2011 5:24 am
Samsung Galaxy Nexus - could this be the new name of Samsung's Android 4.0 next-gen Google phone?
Sharkoon Intros Two New Micro-ATX Gaming Cases Supporting Long Graphics Cards
Oct 5, 2011 4:32 pm
Samsung to block iPhone 4S sales in France, Italy, lay the smackdown on Apple's big day
Oct 5, 2011 10:15 am
Samsung file lawsuit to block sales of Apple's iPhone 4S in France and Italy
SAMSUNG Mobile Unpacked 2011 - Google Episode - teaser video
Oct 5, 2011 8:00 am
Samsung tease next-gen Android, as well as next-gen Samsung smartphone in teaser video
Mushkin Chronos Deluxe 120GB Solid State Drive Review
Oct 5, 2011 3:18 am
Mushkin brings a rare combination to the table by pairing the SF-2281 with 32nm Toshiba Toggle Flash.
Samsung's new Series 7 23-inch All-In-One arrives
Oct 3, 2011 5:34 pm
Available in the US from Oct 10th.
New beta release of MSI Afterburner has a hefty change log
Oct 3, 2011 2:30 pm
2.2.0 Beta 8 now up for grabs over at Guru3D.
Corsair Force GT 240GB Solid State Drive Review
Oct 3, 2011 9:15 am
Corsair has a new custom PCB for better signal integrity, but is it enough to make this SandForce drive the one you should buy today?
Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus unveiled, 7-inch Honeycomb tablet
Oct 2, 2011 8:30 pm
Samsung unveils 7-inch Honeycomb-powered tablet, Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus
Microsoft to receive $444 million per year from Android patent licensees, making cash like a boss
Oct 2, 2011 7:30 pm
$444 million per year to enter Microsoft's bank thanks to Android patent licensees


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While the energy and transportation sectors may be the hot spots for green investment opportunities, environmentally aware investors shouldn't overlook consumer discretionary stocks. Fidelity portfolio manager Katherine Shaw says that when it comes to monitoring carbon emissions, minimizing packaging materials, and using water wisely, a trio of brands and retailers stand out.
“Lululemon Athletica (LULU), Nike (NKE), and TJX (parent company of TJ Maxx, Marshalls, and HomeGoods, among others) are getting it right in this regard and, partly as a result, they’re earning a higher stock premium for their attention to the environment,” says Shaw, who manages Fidelity® Select Consumer Discretionary Portfolio (FSCPX).
Apparel company Lululemon, Shaw says, seeks to power all company-owned operations with 100% recycled electricity this year, and by 2025, plans to make its products with 75% sustainable materials. They are also testing nylon-dying techniques that use at least 75% less water.
Taking care of the environment is also part of the TJX ethos, says Shaw. She explains that the company lags Lululemon and Nike in its efforts to reduce carbon emissions, but that TJX is a standout in minimizing packaging materials and waste. In 2019, the company diverted more than 75,000 metric tons of waste out of landfills, according to Shaw, and is seeking ways to recycle more than just cardboard—including scrap metal, paper, glass, and the hangers and fixtures used in its stores.
“It’s clear to me that environmental, social, and other important stakeholder concerns are integrated into all 3 of these companies’ business models,” Shaw says.
Fidelity® Select Consumer Discretionary Portfolio held securities mentioned in this article as of its most recent holdings disclosure. For specific fund information, including holdings, please click on the fund trading symbol above.


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Key to investor-startup relationship? 'Absolute proactive candor'
The Skinny: Veteran venture capitalist Kip Frey has been on both sides of the startup financing challenges. As he leaves Intersouth to become CEO at startup Zemph, he shares insight into how investors and entrepreneurs can improve their relationships – and wearing socks to board meetings....
Copyright 2015 WRAL TechWire. All rights reserved.
WRAL TechWire Publisher and Editor Rick Smith dishes out tidbits from the local technology sector. Read more articles…
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SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- Darden Restaurants Inc. DRI, +1.13% late Tuesday reported fiscal first-quarter earnings of $105.9 million, or 72 cents a share, compared with $88.5 million, or 59 cents a share, a year ago. Sales at the restaurant chain operator rose to $1.47 billion from $1.36 billion. Earnings from continuing operations were 73 cents a share. Analysts surveyed by Thomson Financial had expected earnings of 70 cents a share on revenue of $1.46 billion. Darden also confirmed its 2008 outlook, including its view of total sales growth from existing businesses of between 6% and 7%.
Darden 1Q net earns 72c vs 59c; sales rise to $1.47 Bln


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Round-Up - Constellation Brands' FY Results
In April, global wine, beer and spirits maker Constellation Brands released its full-year results for fiscal 2014. Here's the full round-up of just-drinks' coverage.
Constellation Brands has reported a big jump in full-year profits and sales after its newly-acquired beer business drove growth.
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The head of Constellation Brands has said the company is paying a “premium” to speed up a capacity upgrade on its Mexican brewery.
Constellation Brands will report its fourth-quarter and full-year results on Wednesday (April 9). Here just-drinks takes a look at the group's highs and lows in the three months to the end of February.
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Apple Investors Take It on the Chin and 3 Hot Stocks Turning Heads
Bank of America (NYSE:BAC): Current price $11.55
According to the Wall Street Journal, Bank of America has cut back their mortgage business, but is still making a lot of money from it. In the fourth quarter of 2012, BofA made about $22 billion, about a third of what they produced in the first quarter of 2011. The bank’s gain-on-sale margin, or the revenue they booked, divided by the value of mortgages originated was 4.33%, compared with about 2.85% at JPMorgan Chase (NYSE:JPM), 2.56% at Wells Fargo (NYSE:WFC) and about 2.13% at U.S. Bancorp (NYSE:USB). The trouble is, BofA may be hard-pressed to sustain this performance, especially if interest rates on government bonds continue to rise. That will put more pressure on the bank to boost their share of the mortgage market so that they can maintain this revenue source.
Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL): Current price $449.17
According to the Wall Street Journal, investors who hold large stakes in Apple Inc. are taking it on the chin. Since peaking at $705.07 in September 2012, Apple shares have declined 36%, erasing over $236 billion in market value. About 60% of actively managed United States stock mutual funds that invest in big companies owned at least some Apple shares at the end of the year, according to Morningstar Inc. While some Apple investors are getting out for good, others are staying put or even buying more and some are glad they avoided the stock altogether.
Nokia Corporation (NYSE:NOK): Current price $3.9080
According to new mobile research from StatCounter, the independent website analytics company, Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) dislodged Nokia Corporation in January for the first time as the most popular worldwide mobile internet usage vendor with 25.86%. Samsung also climbed ahead of Nokia Corporation with 22.15% to take second place behind Apple on a global basis.
Sysco Corp. (NYSE:SYY): Current price $30.81
Food cost inflation was 2.5% as measured by the estimated change in Sysco Corp.’s product costs, driven mainly by inflation in the poultry and meat categories. In addition, sales from acquisitions within the last 12 months increased sales by 1.1% and the impact of changes in foreign exchange rates for the second quarter increased sales by 0.3%. Case volume for the company’s Broadline and SYGMA operations combined grew 2.8% during the second quarter including acquisitions and approximately 1.8% excluding acquisitions.
Don’t Miss: Will This Make Apple’s Stock Shine Again?


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SILK thread imports for textile weaving dropped by 25 percent in 2010, the Khmer Silk Village Association has said.
Kae Muny, general secretary of the association, said spiralling silk thread prices in 2010 fuelled a significant reduction in the import of thread, with amounts dropping by a quarter on 2009 to just 300 tonnes.
“We imported less silk thread last year because silk weavers had cut down their production due to the high price of raw materials,” Kae Muny said.
In 2010, imported raw silk cost on average US$41 per kilogramme, $11 higher than in 2009. The cost of raw silk has continued to rise this year, with imported silk thread valued at $52 per kilogramme at the end of January this year.
Kae Muny said there was unlikely to be any relief for silk weavers if prices remain high, impacting on the quantity of silk imported from countries such as China and Vietnam.
“It is difficult to estimate the amount of silk thread that will be imported this year, as today the silk price has soared and we don’t know when it will go down.”
Men Sineurn, executive director of the Cambodian Craftsman Association, said rising silk prices in late 2010 signalled that raw silk imports would continue to decline.
Men Sineurn told The Post last year Cambodian silk weavers had little option but to use imported thread, as locally produced raw silk could only meet one percent of market demand. In August, industry sources said as many as half the Kingdom’s silk weavers had abandoned their jobs in the two months previous as prices rose.


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26 August 2020
Blue Finance started issuing online loans in Denmark following successful Spanish launch based on Corezoid
It took us only 3 months to issue the first online loan in Spain in spring 2020. Now, two months later we are announcing the launch of the new platform in Denmark. Blue Finance plans to continue cooperation with Middleware Inc. as a technology partner across the EU markets.


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Sony will launch a laser projector that can turn your living room wall into a giant, 147-inch 4K display with ultra high definition.
Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer got some help from "Saturday Night Live" cast members Tuesday when she took the stage at the International CES to announce a new app called Yahoo News Digest.
Sony's new streaming video service, due to launch in the U.S. later this year, isn't intended as a direct competitor to cable television, CEO Kaz Hirai said Tuesday.
Toshiba in the second quarter of this year will start making flash drives for smartphones and tablets that are substantially faster, smaller and more power-efficient than current NAND flash, the company said on Tuesday.
Ultra-high-definition televisions, also called "4K" sets, have been on the market less than two years but already make up at least 10 percent of revenue at Sony's TV business, its chief executive said Tuesday.
Consumers looking for a cheap tablet later this year will find some devices loaded with both Android and Windows 8, a new trend among Chinese manufacturers.
More PC makers are bringing Android to desktops as users increasingly turn to the Internet for apps, storage and entertainment.
When AT&T technology and network chief John Donovan said on Monday that he felt good about the carrier's spectrum position, he had an extra reason for his optimism.
Sony sold more than 4 million PlayStation 4 units in December, putting it on top in the console war with Microsoft, Sony announced at International CES 2014 on Tuesday.
Banking on its deep expertise in mathematical analysis and visualization, Wolfram Research is extending its set of tools so they can be used by portable device manufacturers to offer richer, more interactive data to their users.
With all the smartphones on the market, Chinese company ZTE is hoping to set its phones apart by bringing voice-assistant technology to its newest flagship device, the Grand S II.
Car makers such as Audi and GM are integrating LTE wireless technology in their new models, offering customers faster access to the Internet but not much choice since they have both signed deals with AT&T.
Advanced Micro Devices is looking to move away from providing CPU-only chips for gaming machines, instead switching over to accelerated processing units (APUs) that integrate CPUs with graphics cores.
AMD said Monday that the two new members of its A-series "Kaveri" chips are now available for preorder, and launching January 14 in the US. But the biggest update to its new hybrid CPUs with integrated graphics may be one of terminology.
Intel's CEO, battling to keep the company relevant as computing moves beyond the PC, introduced a new line of wearable computers Monday night, including a connected smartwatch and a pair of earbuds with a built-in heart monitor.
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Source: Bloomberg – Gold No Slam-Dunk Sell in China as Aunties Buy Bullion
Yang Cuiyan, a 41-year-old housekeeper from Anhui province, is one reason China is poised to topple India as the world’s top consumer of gold even as investors desert the metal.
Standing outside Beijing’s busiest jewelry store, wearing a thick coat against the autumn chill, she clasps a gold necklace that cost her 10,000 yuan ($1,640), or five months’ wages.
“I don’t know anything about the stock market and I don’t have enough money to buy property, so I figured gold is the safest choice,” she said. “I can put it on when I go back home to show everyone that I’m doing well.”
Yang, who made the 650-mile (1,000-kilometer) journey to the capital from her rural home to visit relatives and shop, is one of the legions of middle-aged Chinese women, respectfully referred to as aunties, who bought coins and jewelry this year, bringing support to a market shunned by many professional investors who began doubting the metal as a store of value.
Bullion consumption in the world’s second-largest economy will surge 29 percent to a record 1,000 metric tons in 2013, according to the median of 13 estimates from analysts, traders and gold producers in China surveyed by Bloomberg News. Demand that may ease 2.4 percent in 2014 from this peak still points to purchases greater than any other nation and more than the U.S., Europe and the Middle East combined.
China’s demand for jewelry, bars and coins rose 30 percent to 996.3 tons in the 12 months to September, while usage in India gained 24 percent to 977.6 tons, according to the London-based World Gold Council. India was No. 1 for calendar 2012.
Images in Chinese media of aunties clearing shelves in gold shops after a 14 percent plunge in prices in two days in April illustrate an appetite for bullion that defies the views of the biggest banks in the West and points to limited investment choices in China. Warren Buffett, the world’s most successful investor, said the metal has no appeal, and Jeffrey Currie, the Goldman Sachs Group Inc. commodities research chief who correctly forecast the rout this year, on Oct. 8 called it a “slam dunk” sell for 2014.
“In China, you look around and see very few places to put your money,” said Duan Shihua, a partner at Shanghai Leading Investment Management Co. “With the share market down and the government nudging people away from real estate, gold will remain a favored choice.”
Bullion is 34 percent below the record set in 2011 and on course for its first annual loss since 2000 after falling 24 percent to $1,276.29 an ounce in London this year. The Standard & Poor’s GSCI gauge of 24 commodities fell 5.2 percent since the end of December, and the Bloomberg U.S. Treasury Bond Index lost 2.1 percent. While the MSCI All-Country World Index of equities surged 18 percent over the same period, the Shanghai Composite Index slumped 3.4 percent.
Bullion will average $1,175 in the third quarter of next year, according to the median of estimates from the 10 most-accurate precious metals analysts tracked by Bloomberg in a survey published last month. Prices were last at that level in 2010. Goldman expects prices at $1,050 by the end of 2014.
Policy makers clamped down on property investments in March to cool the housing market, ordering the central bank to raise down-payment requirements for second mortgages in cities with excessive cost gains. New home prices in China’s four major cities in October jumped the most since January 2011, the National Bureau of Statistics said yesterday.
Societe Generale SA, which correctly predicted gold’s slump this year, sees prices averaging $1,125 next year, the lowest since 2009, because an eventual slowing of U.S. stimulus as the economy strengthens will cut demand. Credit Suisse Group AG forecasts an average of $1,180 for next year and $1,200 for 2015. Bank of America Corp. is more bullish, predicting $1,294 in 2014 and $1,356 the year after. Barclays Plc predicts China’s demand growth will slow to 5 percent next year from 15 percent this year.
“The Federal Reserve will eventually reduce quantitative easing and that will drive up bond yields there,” said Wang Weimin, a gold analyst at Dalian Fortune Futures Co. in Dalian, northeast China. “Funding costs have been rising inside China, all bearish for investment in gold.”
The premium to take immediate delivery of gold in China has declined to $1.30 an ounce from an average of $19.70 this year and a record $109.29 in April, according to data from the Shanghai Gold Exchange. Any annual decline in Chinese consumption would be the first since 2002, when the government lifted a ban on bullion trading and opened the Shanghai bullion bourse.
While China overtook South Africa to be the world’s largest gold producer in 2007, domestic output failed to keep up with the nation’s consumption, said Shanghai Leading Investment Management’s Duan. Production of 403 tons in 2012 compares with domestic demand of 776 tons, according to the China Gold Association.
Net gold imports to China via Hong Kong more than doubled to 826 tons in the first nine months of the year, according to data from the Hong Kong Census and Statistics Department. Global gold ETP holdings tumbled 29 percent this year, reaching the lowest since 2010 last week, while more than $64 billion was wiped from the assets, data compiled by Bloomberg show.
China may allow more companies to import and export gold next year as it seeks to open its financial markets, according to draft rules released by the central bank on Sept. 30. It’s considering allowing foreign financial institutions and companies that produce more than 10 tons of gold a year to import and export.
“We can’t sell gold now in China produced in our overseas mines,” said Lan Fusheng, vice chairman at Zijin Mining Group Co. (2899), China’s largest gold miner by market value. “We would definitely welcome this change.”
The company has projects in Tajikistan and Australia and produces 6 tons to 7 tons outside of China annually, Lan said.
The People’s Bank of China, which imports gold for foreign-exchange reserves, hasn’t given an update on its holdings since April 2009, when they stood at 1,054 tons. China’s government may have accumulated about 300 tons of gold to diversify the state reserves during the first six months of the year, said Philip Klapwijk, the founder of Precious Metals Insights Ltd., who spent 25 years monitoring the market.
Central banks added almost 535 tons to reserves last year, the most since 1964, and may buy a further 350 tons this year, the WGC estimates.
Russia raised bullion reserves about 57.4 tons this year, while Kazakhstan added 20.3 tons and South Korea’s climbed by 20 tons, according to Bloomberg calculations based on International Monetary Fund data.
In Shanghai, China’s center for gold trading, Malca-Amit Global Ltd. said it opened a vault this month big enough to store 2,000 tons of the metal, as well as diamonds and jewelry. The company’s Hong Kong facility, which can hold 1,000 tons, opened in September.
“I don’t want to put my money in a bank,” said Yang, the auntie from Anhui. “I want to keep up with my relatives and friends back home. We all like to compete to see whose necklace is thicker.”


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Apple extending TV+ trials to February 2021
By Matt Collins Article may include affiliate links
Previously this year, the company started offering select content for free during the first wave of the pandemic — so this could be a move to provide that same type of opportunity again.
Then again, it could also be a sign that subscriber numbers, which Apple does not release, haven’t hit targets and the company is hoping to rope viewers in with the newer original content that has been added over the past year.
Customers who bought select Apple devices during select times in 2019 were offered a free year of the service — and most of those who jumped on the offer right away will be up for renewal at the end of October 2020 (though this depends on when the trial was activated).
At this point, multiple Apple TV+ subscribers have reported receiving emails from Apple extending the free trail until February 2021.
“We’re giving you extra time to discover the latest Apple Originals and catch up on shows returning for a second season. You don’t have to do anything — just keep watching for free until February 2021,” reads the emails obtained by MixDex.
The message goes on to say “It’s been an incredible debut year. Audiences are loving the Emmy Award winner The Morning Show, the blockbuster WWII thriller Greyhound, the heartwarming comedy Ted Lasso, and so much more. Be on the lookout for new premieres, hit movies like On the Rocks, the eye-opening docuseries Tiny World, and Season 2 of Servant, For All Mankind, and Peabody winner Dickinson.”
It’s not immediately clear if all users are getting the same extension.
Cynics could also view this as a sneaky way for customers to “forget” the new renewal date (which, according to the email, has not been posted to Apple accounts yet) and perhaps keep paying the $4.99 monthly fee.
Savvy consumers, however, will add a reminder in their calendars to cancel a few days before the expiration date once it becomes available.
It’s also worth noting that Apple plans to launch Apple One something “this fall,” which will bundle Apple TV+ with other premium subscriptions services such as Apple Music, Apple Arcade and upgrade iCloud storage.
The lowest tier will sell for $14.95 a month for a single person and included Apple TV+ (in fact, all Apple One plans include TV+).
What this means is that users who see value in the One service will essentially start paying for TV+ and the other services, albeit at a slightly discounted rate, whenever Apple gets around to launching the service.
Expanding the initial free trial to February 2021 also gives users a chance to keep enjoying the service until the “coming fall 2020” date is finally announced and hits — plus give users some extra time to keep using TV+ while also potentially marketing Apple One to them and hopefully getting them to sign up for that and thus continuing to be a TV+ subscriber.


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MAY 13, 2022
APRIL 1, 2022
The new Gentlemen Rogues single “Francy” is OFFICIALLY OUT!
Thanks to Kevin Butler at Test Tube Audio for making us sound like a better band than we actually are!
Thanks to Chuck Coffey at Snappy Little Numbers Quality Audio Recordings for wanting to do another single and putting this thing out into the world!
Thanks to long time homeboy Matt Johnston, from the awesome The First Part, for laying his vocal pipes on these tunes and harmonizing with me!
MARCH 19, 2022
40 of the 50 pre-order copies of the new “Francy” 7″ that include a limited edition numbered art print have sold out, but Green Noise Records will have the remaining 10 copies available on the release date of April 1st. Thanks to everyone who picked one up already!
There are still plenty of the non-art print versions available, and these are also pressed on tri-color striped vinyl and packaged in the same retro gold sleeve.
FEBRUARY 9, 2022
Gentlemen Rogues will be releasing a brand new 7″ single titled “Francy” on Friday, April 1st!
The single will be released by Snappy Little Numbers on tri-color striped vinyl and will be available for pre-order on Friday, March 4th.
The B-side is a reinvented cover of They Might Be Giants’ brilliant deep cut “I’ve Got a Match” from their 1988 album, Lincoln.
MOHAWK \\ AUSTIN, TX
Hot Luck Fest


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Washington "What do greyhounds like?" a shopper asks the manager at Three Dog Bakery, a stylish suburban shop that sells cookies, shampoos, coats and gifts for four-legged friends.
There is no correct answer, as far as we humans know. But what's become clear is that shopping for our pets for the holidays has become as complicated as shopping for people. More than 53 percent of America's dog owners purchase gifts for their pets, according to the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association. Millions of cat owners, bird owners and fish owners do, too, pampering their furry and feathered friends the way they would dote on a beloved relative.
Because more than 63 million of the 105 million American households own at least one pet, we're talking big bucks, especially during the holidays. Owners are remembering their pets with such things as massagers, pearl necklaces, energy-saving aquarium pumps and monogrammed food bowls. And they're looking for good design and quality materials. While some might be trimming their gift lists in these dicey economic times, the faithful family pet is unlikely to be cut off this year.
"It takes so little to please dogs and cats :quot; that is one of the reasons people really enjoy giving to them," says Warren Eckstein, an expert in pet psychology who has a syndicated radio show. "I honestly don't know anybody who has a pet who doesn't give it a gift, but maybe the people I know are more eccentric than the average person."
Well, shopping for them sure is more fun that it used to be. Remember when all there were were those "Daily Growl" newspaper-shaped rubber chew toys hanging on supermarket shelves above the Alpo? Each year, my niece Samantha, 10, delights in selecting a new Beastie Band, a soft Velcro-closing collar, for our cat, Gus. Last year it was a funky red collar covered with black ants. Go figure. Of course, that means we must come up with an equally chic gift for Samantha's two Siamese cats, Green and Blue. I'm thinking of getting green and blue catnip-scented Orbee Mouses, rubbery mice engineered for swattability, from Planet Dog (www.planetdog.com).
The Portland, Maine-based retailer's Web site is worth a look for its high-style, innovative products for dogs and cats, starting with travel towels, hemp collars and everything you need to bake a bone-shaped birthday cake. The company's surveys show that 59 percent of dog owners celebrate their "best friend's" birthday. The tailored black cotton rectangular dog bed ($99 in large) won't look tacky on your $8,000 Tibetan rug. But watch out for slobber.
Many pets now have their own stocking hung by the chimney with care. Shawn Underwood, spokesman for Petco's 600 national superstores, says one of the biggest-selling items in December is still the traditional prepackaged dog and cat stockings stuffed with little goodies. "Often the gifts aren't extravagant, but it may be a simple chew toy so the pet isn't left out on Christmas morning," says Underwood, who says the pet industry hasn't suffered during the post-Sept. 11 economic downturn since so many Americans have turned to their pets for friendship and consolation during tough times.
A generation ago, few consumers would admit to purchasing gifts for their dogs, cats or ferrets (which, believe it or not, have their own line of clothing). The $30 billion that Americans will spend on pets this year is almost double the amount spent in 1994. Eckstein says people aren't ashamed anymore.
"The baby-boomer generation is coming into their own and are comfortable admitting a lot of things now, like having a relationship with our pets," he says. "It's the one thing that makes us feel good all the time, and we are willing to spend whatever it costs."


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tech2 News StaffNov 06, 2018 17:39:50 IST
A Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 phone suddenly caught fire, injuring its user in Andhra Pradesh.
Bhavana Suryakiran sustained minor burn injuries on his thigh as the phone he was carrying in his trouser pocket caught fire. The incident occurred in Ravulapalem town in East Godavari district on 14 August.
Suryakiran, a small trader, was riding his motorbike when the phone caught fire. He told a Telugu television channel that by the time he stopped the motorcycle, pulled out and threw away the handset, he had sustained the burn injury. He claimed that he purchased the phone around 20 days ago. He said he would approach the court to claim compensation.
As per a report by the Hindustan Times, Xiaomi responded to the incident saying,“We take such matters seriously as customer safety is of utmost importance for Xiaomi. All of our devices go through stringent quality tests.”
According to the spokesperson, the company is trying to contact the customer to procure the product damaged as a part of the investigation.
Meanwhile, images and specifications of the upcoming Xiaomi Redmi Note 5A have leaked online. The Redmi Note A series phones will be the more affordable variants of the Note series devices and come with lower-end hardware.
(With inputs from IANS)
Find latest and upcoming tech gadgets online on Tech2 Gadgets. Get technology news, gadgets reviews & ratings. Popular gadgets including laptop, tablet and mobile specifications, features, prices, comparison.


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Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, e-commerce has been on a tear. Lockdowns, a move to remote work and other impacts of COVID pushed a great number of global citizens to spend more of their money online through e-commerce sites and on-demand services.
For companies like Shopify, the period since March 2020 has proven a bonanza. The Canadian e-commerce giant spent last March bouncing between $350 and $420 per share. Today, the company is worth $1,554.74 per share.
The Exchange explores startups, markets and money.
Other players saw their businesses scale as consumers spent more time buying online and less time in stores. Instacart’s grocery delivery business accelerated. DoorDash went public on the back of a demand surge. Roblox usage skyrocketed, sending it to the public markets on a high. The list goes on.
Black Friday and earnings warnings
While I despise astroturfed holidays that revolve around shopping, they can provide useful data points. You will not be shocked that Black Friday was a bit of a bust in terms of U.S. retail foot traffic. New COVID variants will do that, frankly.
But it may surprise you that online shopping as part of the Black Friday fauxliday fell compared to 2020 levels. Not that the declines were severe, but seeing online spending drift to $8.9 billion this year from $9.0 billion last year made me sit up and take note.
Perhaps we should not have been surprised. There were warning signs.
Shopify’s Q3 earnings, reported October 28, 2021, were a letdown. The company’s posted revenues of $1.12 billion missed estimates, despite posting 46% year-over-year growth. Earnings per share and gross merchandise volume also missed analyst guesses.


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Cedar Crest Ice Cream now accepting applications for new flavor from 4-H clubs
Cedar Crest Ice Cream and the Wisconsin 4-H Foundation are partnering to give Wisconsin 4-H club members the chance to create their new ice cream flavor.
A press release said 1,600 clubs are eligible to create the new recipe for the flavor set to come out next summer. 4-H members are encouraged to work together to create their own recipe from scratch and give it a unique name.
Some of Cedar Crest's flavors have already been created by 4-H clubs, including this year's flavor "Road Trip Wisconsin," submitted by Trail Blazers 4-H Club of Holmen.
"The most exciting part of the contest is the winning flavor will be available through Cedar Crest beginning next July," said Brenda Scheider, executive director of the Wisconsin 4-H Foundation.
Cedar Crest produces over 80 flavors of ice cream, sherbet, custard and sorbet. Other 4-H favorites include Deep Woods, from Badger Boosters 4-H Club of West Bend, and Wisconsin Campfire S’mores, from Springbrook 4-H Club of New Richmond.
A panel of "ice cream experts" will serve as judges for the contest. Entry information can be found on the Cedar Crest website. Entries are due November 13 and the winning club will be announced in December.


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Europe’s efforts to build its own unmanned aerial vehicle, known as the Eurodrone, got a boost with new funding from the European Union this summer, but that will not save the project from obsolescence. Large drones are going global, rapidly becoming more weaponized and diverse, but European countries are still muddling through with the development of their own indigenous, long-endurance drone.
Even with the additional $115 million that was announced in June through the EU’s European Defense Fund, the large, fully European-made surveillance drones will only be available for delivery to customers by 2029. That is almost 35 years after the first deployment of U.S.-made Predator drones in the early 1990s.
Long-endurance drones remain scarce in Europe, and those that are in operation are imported. As of this year, only five European countries—the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Germany and Greece—operate rather small fleets of various versions of either the American MQ-9 Reapers or Israeli Herons. European countries continue to depend on American and Israeli technology for large, long-endurance drones that are operated via satellite links; carry large payloads like sensors, cameras and weapons; and require significant supporting infrastructure. This technological dependence limits European autonomy of action.


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Thalwil, Switzerland-based u-blox UBXN] has partnered aerospace information and communications company Geespace to expand augmentation services for high precision applications. The new memorandum of understanding allows the companies to extend their service offering to the U.S., European, and Chinese markets, primarily in the automotive sector.
The companies say that while GNSS accuracy has improved to open new automotive and industrial markets, global adoption has been delayed by fragmentation of augmentation services. The MoU between u-blox and Geespace will create a new combined product that will offer precision positioning software and hardware solutions across worldwide markets.
The deal will allow Geespace, which provides automotive GNSS augmentation services to its parent company Geely Group, to use the u-blox PointPerfect GNSS augmentation service to grow its coverage to the company’s automotive brands. The partnership also opens up other opportunities for u-blox for its PointPerfect service in other Chinese markets.
“This partnership with Geespace is a cornerstone to our plans of expanding our services and solutions in the APAC region. With this expansion u-blox will be able to offer PointPerfect and high precision solutions to all our American and European customers that have products ready for the Chinese market,” said Franco de Lorenzo, u-blox Product Center Services’ principal product owner, in a statement.
Contact: Natacha Seitz, u-blox, 41 76 436 0788, firstname.lastname@example.org, www.u-blox.com.


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Inflation did not take a late summer vacation. Here are the five things we learned from U.S. economic data released during the week ending October 1.
Consumer spending and prices gained in August. Real personal consumption expenditures (PCE) jumped a seasonally adjusted 0.4 percent during the month after dropping 0.5 percent in July. The Bureau of Economic Analysis notes that spending on goods advanced 0.6 percent (as a 1.7 percent jump in nondurable goods expenditures counterbalanced a 1.3 percent slump for durables). Spending on services increased 0.3 percent. Nominal (not price adjusted) PCE jumped 0.8 percent, funded by a 0.2 percent gain in nominal personal income and a 0.1 percent bump in nominal disposable personal income. After inflation adjustments, real disposable income fell 0.3 percent. As a result, the saving rate narrowed by 7/10ths of a percentage point to +9.4 percent. Inflation continues to ripple through the U.S. economy: the PCE deflator grew 0.4 percent in August, while the core PCE deflator (net of energy and food) gained 0.3 percent. Over the past year, prices have surged 4.3 percent while core prices were up 3.6 percent.
Another data revision continues to find robust Q2 economic activity. The third estimate of Q2 Gross Domestic Product (GDP) has the U.S. expanding at a seasonally adjusted annualized rate of 6.7 percent. The Bureau of Economic Analysis’s revision represented a 1/10th of a point improvement from the prior month’s estimate. The most significant contributors to Q2 economic growth came from (in declining order) consumer spending, business investment, exports, and state/local government spending. Making negative contributions to GDP were (in declining order) the change in private inventories, imports, residential investment (housing), and federal government spending. Corporate profits surged an annualized 10.5 percent during Q2 and were up 45.1 percent from a year earlier (which was the early days of the pandemic). We will see the first estimate of Q3 economic activity on October 28.
Durable goods orders rose in August. The Census Bureau estimates new orders for manufactured durable goods surged 1.8 percent during the month to a seasonally adjusted $263.5 billion. Orders have risen in 15 of the past 16 months. Transportation goods (particularly civilian aircraft orders) led the way with a 5.5 percent bounce. Net of transportation goods, core orders increased 0.2 percent. Increasing were orders for fabricated metal products (+2.0 percent), computers/electronics (+1.4 percent), and electrical equipment/appliances (+1.3 percent). Falling were orders for primary metals (-1.5 percent) and machinery (-1.2 percent). A proxy for business investment—civilian nonaircraft capital goods orders—increased 0.5 percent in August.
Manufacturing activity held firm in September. Manufacturing PMI, from the Institute for Supply Management, added 1.2 points during the month to a reading of 61.1. The measure has remained above a reading of 50.0—the threshold between an expanding and contracting manufacturing sector—for 16 consecutive months. Whereas the measure for new orders held steady and the one for production declined, indices tracking employment and supplier deliveries gained in September. Seventeen of 18 tracked manufacturing industries expanded in September, led by furniture, petroleum/coal products, and machinery. The one outlier industry was wood products. The press release noted that “demand remains at strong levels, despite increasing prices.”
Sentiment wobbled in September. The Conference Board’s Consumer Confidence Index lost 5.9 points during the month to a seasonally adjusted 109.3 (1985=100). The measure has plummeted by 19.6 points since its pandemic peak in June. The current conditions index shed 4.5 points to 143.4 and the expectations index fell by 6.2 points to 86.6. The press release stated that “confidence is still high by historical levels” but noted that “the spread of the Delta variant continued to dampen optimism.” 19.3 percent of survey respondents said business conditions were “good” (versus 25.4 percent that saw them as “bad”), while 55.9 percent of consumers agreed that jobs were “plentiful” (versus 13.4 percent that said they were “hard to get”).
The University of Michigan’s Index of Consumer Sentiment added 2.5 points in September to a seasonally adjusted 72.8 (1966Q1=100). The measure has lost 15.5 points since its pandemic peak in April. The current conditions index added 1.6 points to 80.1 while the expectation index rose by three full points to 68.1. (Both indices are significantly below year-ago levels.) The press release blames recent weakness in sentiment on the Delta variant, inflation, and “unfavorable” long-term expectations for the economy.
Other U.S. economic data released over the past week:
- Jobless Claims (Week ending September 25, 2021, First-Time Claims, seasonally adjusted): 362,000, +11,000 vs. the previous week, -441,000 vs. the same week a year earlier). 4-week moving average: 340,000 (-60.0% vs. the same week a year earlier).
- Pending Home Sales (August 2021, Index (2001=100), seasonally adjusted): 119.5 (+8.1% vs. July 2021, -8.3% vs. August 2020).
- Case-Shiller House Price Index (July 2021, 20-City Index, seasonally adjusted): +1.5% vs. June 2021, +19.9% vs. July 2020.
- FHFA House Price Index (July 2021, Purchase-Only Index, seasonally adjusted): +1.4% vs. June 2021, +19.2% vs. July 2020.
- Construction Spending (August 2021, Value of Construction Put in Place, seasonally adjusted annualized rate): $1.584 trillion (Unchanged vs. July 2021, +8.9% vs. August 2020).
- Agricultural Prices (August 2021, Prices Received by Farmers, not seasonally adjusted): +2.3% vs. July 2021, +26.0% vs. August 2020.
The opinions expressed here are not necessarily those of Kevin’s current employer. No endorsements are implied.


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Apple has announced this morning WWDC will take place June 5-9 this year, (more…)
Waterlogue by Tinrocket (normally $2.99) is currently available as a free download via the Apple Store app.
Apple’s Photos app has mysteriously disappeared from its iCloud site.
Apple retail store locations across Japan have begun sales of the Fukubukuro.
Facebook’s Messenger app has a temporary feature to allow for 2015 holiday selfies.
Digital addiction is a condition when users just can’t separate themselves from a smartphone, computer or gaming device.
Selfie sticks have surged in popularity, especially over Christmas.
Thieves assaulted a Hamilton man and then stole his iPhone.
The latest stats from the American Consumer Satisfaction Index show Samsung slightly beating out Apple.
The lawsuit alleges Apple doesn’t inform users just how much storage its new operating system will eat up.
Drivers will soon be able to use their smartphones to pay for their parking tickets in the city of New York.
Apple has started a new campaign titled ‘Start Something New’ on its websites across the globe.


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- NATO security certification opens new markets for Australia's Senetas
- Senator wants Whisper to explain how it tracks users, shares their data
- The 'Backoff' malware linked to data breaches is spreading
- Cyberespionage group launches sophisticated phishing attacks against Outlook Web App users
- Disaster as CryptoWall encrypts US firm's entire server installation
None - News, Features, and Slideshows
Is the dawn of the age of ubiquitous e-payments finally here? Can we throw away our credit cards yet?
Cisco says small cell technology is primed for explosive growth as it plans to connect 3G and LTE cellular networks to Wi-Fi access points that are already widely deployed in many enterprise facilities.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has launched a Web portal aimed at assisting software developers in vetting their code for weaknesses hackers can exploit. The DHS calls this portal the Software Assurance Marketplace, or SWAMP for short. It's not a ‘marketplace' in the sense that money is changing hands for products and services, but rather more a place to share tools, techniques and information.
NASA's $17.5 billion proposed fiscal 2015 budget would maintain the U.S. space agency's plan to send humans to Mars by 2030, to study near-Earth asteroids and to send astronauts to the International Space Station.
Mozilla and China-based chip maker Spreadtrum Sunday unveiled a chipset designed for $25 smartphones running the open source Firefox operating system.
From the social network in business to the 'success' of the Chromebook to the launch of iTV, the pundits got it wrong, wrong, wrong
Apple yesterday gave its strongest signal yet that it will continue to support OS X Snow Leopard with patches for the foreseeable future rather than retire the still-active operating system.
CEOs have long used executive coaches to take their leadership to the next level. Now IT pros are following suit.
- 5 great examples of augmented reality in marketing
- Catch of the Day retailer hooks fresh customer insight with NPS
- Tourism Australia's Nick Baker wins AMI Marketer of the Year
- Content marketing can't be measured on the last-click: Outbrain CEO
- Latest crowdsourced guide rates top A/B testing vendors for marketers


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Small Business Associations Join Forces to Strengthen Advocacy
The Small Business Roundtable includes six associations representing self-employed workers, women, and entrepreneurs from black and Asian/Pacific Islander communities.
As small business concerns are threatened to become lost amid other Congressional and White House priorities, six associations have united to better promote the role of their members in the American economy.
The Small Business Roundtable, launched last week, is designed to “advocate for policies that foster American entrepreneurship,” said Todd McCracken, president and CEO of the National Small Business Association (NSBA), in a statement. By joining forces, SBR hopes to give the member associations a “more cohesive voice on public policy [and] allow small business leaders a place to share information and increase their influence.”
The group’s six founding members are NSBA, the Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council (SBE Council), the National Association for the Self-Employed, National Association of Women Business Owners, the U.S. Black Chambers, and the Asian/Pacific Islander American Chamber of Commerce & Entrepreneurship (National ACE).
NSBA already advocates on behalf of its members, but VP of Public Affairs Molly Day said that a consortium of groups can help provide better visibility to the concerns of small businesses around issues such as infrastructure, healthcare, and automation. “Our belief is that [SBR] amplifies those goals and amplifies the voice with which we’re talking about those goals,” she said. “I think it expands our footprint a bit, bringing some different players to the mix.”
To that point, the Roundtable brought in a number of identity-related groups to be among its founding members. “All too often, Asian and Pacific Islander Americans are left out of policy-making discussions,” said Chiling Tong, president and CEO of National ACE, in a statement. “National ACE looks forward to providing critical input to ensure the needs our communities’ small businesses are met and that the next generation of millennial entrepreneurs have the resources they need to succeed.”
That inclusiveness, Day said, was essential for understanding the scope of concerns in the small business arena both for SBR and NSBA. “There are unique goals and unique challenges that different diverse populations face,” she said. “This allows us to be more in tune to some of the challenges they’re facing, so that we can then work with our membership on that as well.”
Though SBR hasn’t announced a set of specific policy goals, it arrives under some concern that the White House and Congress are giving the small business community short shrift. For instance, this year the Trump administration proposed a 25 percent budget cut for the Small Business Administration, and though the final budget that passed Congress and was signed by President Trump preserved SBA’s funding, it left unresolved matters such as employer liability for subcontractors, a pressing issue in the small business community.
“Meaningful action on the real small business policy agenda oftentimes takes a back seat to rhetoric or narrow special interests,” said Karen Kerrigan, SBR chair and president and CEO of SBE Council. “SBR plans to transform that narrative.”
(JamesBrey/E+/Getty Images Plus)


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From John Carrico at Bank of the Ozarks: Today’s information regarding retail sales was good, not great but seems to be enough to boost confidence in the market as some believe it is on an upward trend. There will be a report midday that will give an outlook for the economy. The 10 yr treasure bills are up today nearly 10 points from where they closed yesterday. We should see how these affect the investors’ confidence in rates later this morning.
Dollar Gains as Increase in Retail Sales Boosts Fed-Taper Bets
By Joseph Ciolli – Aug 13, 2013, Bloomberg News
The dollar gained versus most of its major peers after a report showed retail sales increased in July for a fourth consecutive month, adding to speculation that theFederal Reserve will reduce the pace of monthly bond purchases.
U.S. Stocks Fall as Retail Sales in July Miss Forecasts
By Lu Wang and Nick Taborek – Aug 13, 2013, Bloomberg News
Data today showed retail sales rose 0.2 percent in July, following a 0.6 percent gain in June that was larger than previously reported, according to Commerce Department figures. The median forecast of 81 economists surveyed by Bloomberg called for a 0.3 percent advance.
Fed Bank of Atlanta President Dennis Lockhart will give a speech at 12:45 p.m. on the outlook for the U.S. economy. Lockhart said in an interview with Market News International on Aug. 7 that the Fed may reduce its bond purchases as early as September.
“The progress to date is pretty impressive and certainly should be factored into the readiness of the economy to move forward without asset purchases,” he said in the article.


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The Chinese billionaire founder of Alibaba, Jack Ma, has gone missing after calling for economic reform, according to media reports that questioned the reasons for his departure from the limelight relatively recently.
Billionaire Jack Ma, one of the richest men in China and founder of the e-commerce giant Alibaba, has not appeared in public for more than two months. For a report published by Yahoo Finance and published by “Foxbusiness”.
Ma’s disappearance came after he called for economic reform in an October 24 speech in Shanghai. Despite the pandemic, the performance of the factory sector in China increased in December and remained at pre-epidemic levels.
The billionaire, who disappeared from the spotlight, said, “The financial system today is the legacy of the industrial age. We must create a new generation of young people, and we must reform the current system.”
A company reported Yahoo Finance Jack was not supposed to participate in the November final episode of “Africa’s Business Heroes”, a competition for African entrepreneurs, but was replaced by an Alibaba CEO.
Alibaba and Ant Group, the financial services company, were subjected to Chinese government oversight after Jack Ma’s speech, and Alibaba is facing an antitrust investigation that began in December, while the Ant Group’s initial public offering has been suspended, and the company has been informed of the restructuring.
Jack Ma, whose fortune is estimated at $ 58.4 billion, has committed millions of dollars to fighting the coronavirus pandemic.
He said that he will grant $ 14.4 million from his foundation to finance the development of a vaccine for the Coronavirus in Wuhan, and an additional $ 2.15 million has been allocated to develop a vaccine at the Institute for Infection and Immunology in Australia.


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Crypto exchange Binance is eyeing the launch of a new trading platform dedicated to the Japanese market.
According to a blog announcement on Thursday, the firm said it is discussing a strategic partnership with Z Corporation and existing Japan-based exchange TaoTao to work together to provide "trading services" in the country.
Z Corporation is a wholly owned subsidiary of Z Holdings Corporation, itself a subsidiary of Tokyo-based multinational Softbank (formerly Yahoo Japan).
The three firms would harness Binance's technologies in order to build out the new service, according to the announcement. The two Japanese firms will take on the responsibility of working with the Japanese regulator, the Financial Service Agency, to ensure the new venture is compliant with local rules.
The news comes just days after Binance made an investment in South Korean stablecoin issuer BxB, saying the firm would work to support a new support center it will set up for local exchange users.
CoinDesk is an award-winning media outlet that covers the cryptocurrency industry. Its journalists abide by a strict set of editorial policies. In November 2023, CoinDesk was acquired by the Bullish group, owner of Bullish, a regulated, digital assets exchange. The Bullish group is majority-owned by Block.one; both companies have interests in a variety of blockchain and digital asset businesses and significant holdings of digital assets, including bitcoin. CoinDesk operates as an independent subsidiary with an editorial committee to protect journalistic independence. CoinDesk employees, including journalists, may receive options in the Bullish group as part of their compensation.


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TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) – With weather varying between warm and cold temperatures lately. Gardening can be a difficult task if you don’t know how to prepare.
We spoke with Tom Cummins Co-Owner of The Apple House in Terre Haute, to see what tips and tricks he has picked up over the years. Cummins said with the warm temps in February, it’s nothing to get too worried about.
Some flowers are tougher than you may think. One of their most popular flowers, pansies, can actually survive during temps in the upper 20s. If it’s any colder than that, Cummins suggests to cover them with a cloth covering.
When it comes to vegetables, he also said it’s nothing to worry about.
“If you’re looking at doing some landscaping, things of that nature. Getting it in the ground sooner rather than later is the way to go. That way you can get more root growth before the hot summer weather gets here,” Cummins said.
For more information about The Apple House or gardening, you can visit their website at the apple house dot com.


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Huron-Bruce MP Ben Lobb wants the federal government to protect supply management during any NAFTA talks.
Huron-Bruce MP Ben Lobb feels there could soon be an opportunity to review a number of agricultural programs.
U.S. dairy producers want soy and rice-based products to no longer be able to use “milk” in their labeling.
The province is offering $425,000 in prizes for agri-food innovation.
An apple a day keeps the doctor away and is apparently also good for the economy.
The President of the Huron County Federation of Agriculture says this year’s Meet the Members Day shows how important ag is to the region.
Canadian grocery retailers are actively buying beef and will feature it in many ads this spring.
A beef farmer from Dundalk is the 2017 Mapleseed Pasture Award winner.
Canada’s Minister of Agriculture will lead a trade mission to Vietnam and India looking to expand key markets.
The Alternative Land Use Solutions group is looking to get established in Huron County.


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The MMLC surveyed 700 U.S. executives in the first quarters of 2015 and 2016 to provide year-over-year comparisons on questions revolving around security. The goal was to learn how firms are evolving in their perception and handling of threats to sensitive company and customer information.
While the number of firms reporting data breaches doubled from 5% to 10% in the past year, 61% said they feel an incident is “somewhat unlikely” or “very unlikely” to happen at their company. “Many middle-market organizations feel they are too small to suffer a breach, but in today’s environment, all information has value,” said Damion Geopfert, RSM Leader for Security and Privacy Services.
Middle-market firms are certainly at risk. Companies with revenues between $50 million and $1 billion accounted for nearly half of all cyber claims, according to the NetDiligence/McGladrey 2015 Annual Cyber Claims study. The median claim per company was nearly $77,000.
Debra Innocenti, partner with the Strasburger & Price law firm in Dallas, Texas, told the Dallas Business Journal that many middle-market companies think they don’t have valuable data. She said companies are especially at risk when they are vendors for larger organizations. Those vendors need to accept responsibility for due diligence to prevent breaches and view data security measures not as cost centers but as efforts that can save money and boost opportunities. Due to rising risks, larger organizations are now taking a closer look at data security efforts of the middle-market companies they do business with.
“If they are a vendor for a large company, like (recently breached) Home Depot or Target, they are a target,” she said. “These larger businesses are learning that they need to police their own vendors so they don’t subject themselves to risk.”
The MMLC survey showed that companies are responding to the threats in a number of ways. Between the first quarter of 2015 and the first quarter of 2016, most mid-marketers increased their security initiatives. Fifty-six percent said they had updated security protocols and nearly half said they had purchased new or upgraded software. The biggest changes were that 23% added security staff compared to only 8% the year before. Many companies had also updated privacy policies.


text: FDA has investigated more than 500 cases of dilated cardiomyopathy in dogs and has identified 16 brands of dog food which had the most frequent reported cases. The top three brands, according to the FDA, are Acana, named in 67 reports; Zignature, named in 64, and Taste of the Wild, named in 53 reports. 'We know it can be devastating to suddenly learn that your previously healthy pet has a potentially life-threatening disease. FDA is committed to continuing our collaborative scientific investigation into links between DCM and certain pet foods,' said Dr. Steven M. Solomon, director, FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine. If DCM is caught early, heart function improves in cases not linked to genetics with veterinary treatment and dietary modification, according to the FDA.


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The transportation and energy emissions involved in online shopping experience are not as green as you have been led to believe.
While the marketers are selling you the idea of converting to online shopping, you can be sure that they had been appealing to your good nature.
Buy Now: Sony PlaysStation VR In Stock Here
They told you that it is easy, convenient, you will have way more time for other things including hanging out with family and friends and you will also save the planet.
The environmental movement which is already on the rise, is a nagging concern for every ordinary citizen. So if someone tells you that you will be saving the environment by shopping online. Well that’s all great and good.
You’re not getting in the car, driving to the mall, producing a carbon footprint and all that because you think that online shopping is just selecting items on you laptop or phone, ordering it and paying the bill on delivery. That’s half of the process.
The other process includes your order being transported in big delivery trucks that go around the country. They are huge trucks eating as much petrol as twenty cars put together, they are taking space, emitting a huge carbon footprint and blocking traffic and roads on those tiny downtown streets that were never made for driving bug trucks in.
All of this has been proven by a study conducted in which focused on the city of Newark, Delaware. Led by Arde Faghri, professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and director of the Delaware Center for Transportation (DCT) and co-author Mingxin Li, a researcher at DCT.
The study included data collection through a survey to identify shopping behavior and summary of the survey results by product category, followed by simulation and analysis.
The results of the study showed that the online shopping behavior put extra load on the transportation agencies. The transport companies burden include the four measures established in the study including, travel time, delay, average speed, and greenhouse gas emissions.
The authors pointed out that while online shopping reduces individual effort and energy consumption, the delivery trucks more that make up for both factors in bulk.
"The increase in online shopping also affects land use patterns such as the number and size of stores in large shopping malls with vast parking spaces, as well as changes in labor markets, with, for example, less demand for sales personnel and more for truck drivers," he says.
The study has been focused on a very small area and the researchers agree that they will have to factor in more variables and a wider geographical area to find out whether their results are true for the entire population.
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Meanwhile they have published the study documented in a paper, "Impacts of Home Shopping on Vehicle Operations and Greenhouse Gas Emissions," in the International Journal of Sustainable Development and World Ecology.


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April 1, 2004
A Colquitt County manufacturing facility goes against the grain of modern day business thinking, and it thrives.
Not many people go to work hearing birds chirping, with roosters crowing, but Bill Suber and his son, Lester, hear the sounds frequently, including the sound of a young goat on occasion. "Twenty-five years, plus, "says Bill Suber when asked how long he has built outdoor furniture.
"It's a family business," says Bill, and business that includes his wife, son, daughter-in-law and grandson. He hopes the grandson will one day follow in his father's and grandfather's professional footsteps. Bill proudly says his grandson is the next swing maker, pointing to a picture in the shop.
You could describe their enterprise as a backyard business, as well. Bill and Lester spend their workdays in a building with no windows to deter break-ins or air conditioning a few feet from Bill's house.
Their small manufacturing facility looks more like an old, wood box. It frequently gets 100 degrees inside during the summer, and they take the low-tech way to stay cool. "Just turn on the fan and keep working," says Lester, as he assembles a swing.
Their business doesn't measure up with others when it comes to high tech equipment. "We don't have a computer," says Bill between cutting parts for a chair. And, no set working hours. "From can to can't, six days a week," says Bill.
They use ordinary woodworking equipment many people have in their hobby shops. "We got what we need," says Bill proudly. More fans than light bulbs. "You can see pretty good, can't you?" says Bill with a laugh.
He says he could have afforded a modern manufacturing building years ago, but didn't, preferring to keep it in his backyard, so he could keep an eye on his business. The Subers got into the outdoor furniture market literally by accident almost 30 years ago when a swing he and his wife were in broke.
Right then Bill saw the need for a better product and he could make it, and he started making them. It caused him to swing into action, designing his own, much improved swing, using only cypress wood that he air dries in the backyard.
Why just cypress? "Considered a more decay resistant wood," says Bill. He tried other woods like pine and oak, but, in the end, he stayed with cypress. Bill looks at his products differently than many manufacturers. "Right," says Bill.
Some would say he overbuilds, putting six staples, five screws and one bolt in a chair, explaining how he wants his customers safe when using his products, even though many of them will never notice the extra craftsmanship. It makes you wonder if their accident years ago prompted him to include an extra margin of safety.
Many companies would put in one bolt and leave it at that, a cost cutting measure. "Yes," agrees Bill. He might be old fashioned with his manufacturing, but he listens to his customers, changing his furniture's design based on customer research. "You'd be surprised at how little changes can make people more interested in it," says Bill.
He does his own research anytime he is around potential customers. "I listen to people," says Bill, giving them what they want, and he wants happy customers. "I don't want them to buy the same thing again. I want them to buy something else," says Bill, who remembers a repeat customer who bought one of his swings 18 years ago.
The Subers have customers in three states, with one customer, in particular, carrying one of Bill's pieces to Washington state. He doesn't have a formal showroom, but a show house with many of his finished products sit ready for sale and a storage area of cypress boards.
Bill sells his products in an unusual way, at community festivals. So, don't be surprised to see his work at a show near you.
Bill Suber's business is: Swing 'n Things, 229-985-1005 or 229-985-5774.


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With regards to internet dating, guys are prone to result in the move that is first pursue females with a high quantities of self-rated attractiveness.
This is certainly in accordance with a significant brand brand brand new research through the Oxford Web Institute, University of Oxford and eharmony, which monitored changing choices and interaction habits among solitary Brits within the decade that is past. Scientists analysed 150K profiles into the study that is biggest into dating styles of their sort вЂ“ marking the internet dating platformвЂ™s 10-year British anniversary.
Despite marked changed to your online landscape that is dating like the emergence of more software based platforms вЂ“ researchers unearthed that conventional sex functions and objectives persist. In reality, the sheer number of males conversations that are initiating has increased, from 6% in 2008 to 30per cent in 2018.