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AUBURN HILLS, Mich. (AP) -- Chrysler Group LLC says it will recall about 490,000 cars and utility vehicles worldwide because of a problem with active head restraints intended to prevent neck injuries in rear-end collisions.
The carmaker said Wednesday that microcontrollers in the head restraint could be faulty and prevent the system from operating properly. Chrysler says it is unaware of accidents or injuries related to the problem.
Vehicles affected are the 2011-2013 Chrysler Sebring, 200 and Dodge Avenger midsize cars; 2011-2013 Jeep Liberty SUVs and 2011-2012 Dodge Nitro SUVs.
Chrysler is notifying customers and will replace the component or upgrade software at no cost.
Viewers with disabilities can get assistance accessing this station's FCC Public Inspection File by contacting the station with the information listed below. Questions or concerns relating to the accessibility of the FCC's online public file system should be directed to the FCC at 888-225-5322, 888-835-5322 (TTY), or firstname.lastname@example.org.


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Wednesday, May 22 2013 2:01 PM EDT2013-05-22 18:01:27 GMT
Animal shelters and organizations across Georgia are getting a boost from grants totaling $125,000. Department of Agriculture Commissioner Gary Black made the announcement Wednesday.More >>
Animal shelters and organizations across Georgia are getting a boost from grants totaling $125,000. Department of Agriculture Commissioner Gary Black made the announcement Wednesday that the Spay and NeuterMore >>
Wednesday, May 22 2013 1:45 PM EDT2013-05-22 17:45:10 GMT
The Albany Police Depart is engaged in a recruitment campaign to get its officer corps up to full strength. APD is budgeted for 214 officers, and right now is about 20 officers short of that level, andMore >>
The Albany Police Depart is engaged in a recruitment campaign to get its officer corps up to full strength. APD offers the training program for people who do not already have POST certification. Starting salary for a rookie officer is over $33,000 annually.More >>
Wednesday, May 22 2013 11:52 AM EDT2013-05-22 15:52:19 GMT
An Albany man is trying to get his stolen property returned, after it was taken from his Cumberland Lane home Tuesday, and his camera got a partial look at the culprits. He said that two people brokeMore >>
An Albany man is trying to get his stolen property returned, after it was taken from his Cumberland Lane home Tuesday, and his camera got a partial look at the culprits.More >>
Wednesday, May 22 2013 11:15 AM EDT2013-05-22 15:15:46 GMT
Information from Flowers Foods- Prior to the Flowers Foods (NYSE: FLO) annual shareholders meeting today, the company's board of directors declared a three-for-two split of the company's stock by meansMore >>
Flowers foods announces three-for-two stock split and increases annual dividend rate at shareholders meeting...More >>
September 14, 2005
Albany-- Hurricane evacuees in south Georgia can look forward to "a new day" at a store by that name. And talk about bargain hunting, they don't have to pay a dime.
Brandy Warner has shopping on her mind, and for a good reason. "We don't have anything. I mean, this is about it for us," she says.
But the New Orleans evacuee manages to find everything she needs: "Drinks, waters, toilettes, shoes, everything," says Warner.
And best of all "A New Day" lets her and other evacuees shop free.
"They tell you come back, whatever you need, come back," says Warner.
While there's plenty of clothing inside the store, that's not the only thing. There's also plenty of kids toys as well as gift cards for the evacuees.
"This is just fantastic," says a tearful Lydia Jochum, a New Orleans evacuee.
Jochum is amazed by the store's generosity. She say, "In everything that I've seen and lost, you come here, and it's so different, and the people are so nice. It's just incredible."
Wayne Carter opened the store two weeks ago. He says he wanted to do something to help victims of Hurricane Katrina get back on their feet.
"A lot of them seem to be slipping through the cracks as far as their personal needs go. We saw that the community would come together and try to help these people best we could," he says.
The store has received more than 2,000 donations so far.
"Anybody who's doing it out the goodness of their heart, God's going to repay them," says Jochum.
The store still needs donations, especially hygiene items, snacks, and school supplies. It's located on Dawson Road behind The Rocket.

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I spoke that have best industry analysts to ascertain whenever the present best hookup bars near me West Palm Beach soaring automobile costs might come back to pre-pandemic profile-in addition to their forecasts aren’t very. That does not mean you simply cannot still select a motor vehicle you love, whenever you are flexible.
- Customers repaid several.dos % a lot more for brand new vehicle into the , as well as the image was even even worse to own used vehicles, that happen to be upwards more forty percent year more year.
- COVID-19, the brand new resulting processor chip lack, and now the fresh Russian attack regarding Ukraine are common components of the trouble. People might end, however, predict the auto-to purchase feel is forever altered.
- If you like a motor vehicle, believe ahead to 2024, a date when experts told Vehicles and you will Rider anything would-be progressing of somewhat. Imagine in the future, as well, and you will decide to do browse after which acquisition the automobile your require. Simply do not quit. Autos continue to be exactly as very as usual, and this won’t alter.
Unless you’ve been preventing the development feast upon your own phone to possess for the past couple of months, you understand the sad facts from the auto rates: they’ve got leaped. According to U.S. Bureau regarding Work Statistics’ Individual Speed List Bottom line, purchase prices-what folks in fact covered its vehicle-were up by the 12.2 percent for new vehicles inside January as compared to annually ago. Prices for put trucks had been a good dizzying forty.5 per cent higher than in the January of just last year. New-auto looking webpages Edmunds reported that 82 percent of brand new-vehicle customers within the January repaid more sticker because of their the new vehicle; just last year, simply dos.8 % did. Gulp.
That’s the bad dated development. The greater pressing question for you is: whenever will car rates return to world, toward sensuous consumer’s-markets sales i watched in advance of COVID struck?
Considering better vehicles-globe experts: no actual go out in the near future. We’ll getting using superior costs for both new and you may made use of automobile for quite some time ahead.
Whenever Usually the fresh Processor chip Lack Level off?
«I really don’t get a hold of MSRPs going down,» states Stephanie Brinley, principal specialist from the IHS Markit. «But I do come across a number of the volatility having exchange pricing grading regarding once we score have nearer to consult.» When tend to automakers be able to generate adequate new car to initiate fulfilling that consult? «We have been speaking later 2023, early 2024,» forecasts Brinley.
The shortage of brand new auto, as we know chances are, try driven by COVID-19 pandemic, hence disturbed production of the silicon chips that run the wide variety from agreeable processors one manage sets from a beneficial car’s engine control to help you its infotainment system to the strength-chair memory services. Sadly, carmakers are nevertheless months regarding to be able to rating given that of several potato chips because they must go back to complete production.
«Just what I am reading away from my relationships in the semiconductor world,» claims Sam Abuelsamid, dominating expert at the Guidehouse Wisdom, «would be the fact, hopefully, by the very early part of next season things have a tendency to relax.» Which, Brinley states, means «you are to your last half out-of the following year» ahead of carmakers can cause sufficient the latest car making sure that dealers is actually begin building up the stocks.
It’s a great Domino Impact
«Probably we have passed the top away from cost,» claims Alex Yurchenko, elderly vp and you may master analysis science manager from the world analyst Black colored Guide, and that focuses their search heavily into put-vehicles rates. In which men and women costs are heading, says Yurchenko, «is a complicated matter and there are a variety of nuances so you can it. Our company is already enjoying refuses in wholesale costs. Adopting the next a couple months i be prepared to see shopping cost decreasing, including wholesale rates. Nevertheless fine print would be the fact, sure, costs are going to be coming down, however, we’re performing too high you to definitely we’re not getting to the pre-COVID peak any time later on.»


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Pocker- The Polish Dog-trotter” travels the world advocating dog adoption rather than buying one. This time, he visited Budapest, the Facebook page of Pocker wrote.
According to the page, “the woman behind the campaign is Polish animal lover and TV journalist Kasia Pisarska who has called to adopt rather than buy dogs”.
The mascot started his journey around the world on October 16, 2013.
There is a rule how you can adopt Pocker: according to the Facebook page, you can adopt him at least for one day and a maximum of 10 days. You have to send Kasia a minimum of one photo per day and you have to tell at least one person that they should adopt animals, instead of buying them. It is also important that Pocker has to go hand-to-hand with people, not be sent by post.
Here you can find the photos about Pocker’s journey.
Photos: Pocker Facebook page


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Massage therapy has long been the most utilized service at spas, and spas are the largest employer of massage therapists.
In fact, 31 percent of people received their most recent massage in a spa setting, according to a 2008 report by Associated Bodywork and Massage Professionals, the nation’s largest membership association for massage therapists.
A new textbook provides introductory information on the $250-billion global spa industry.
The International Spa Association Foundation along with The American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute have developed a new textbook titled “Spa: A Comprehensive Introduction.” This text takes an in-depth look at everything from the history and cultural development of spas, to daily spa operating procedures.
“As the spa industry continues to grow it is important to provide the necessary educational tools to the next generation of professionals,” said ISPA Foundation President Edwin H. Neill III. “Today’s industry leaders share their wisdom and experiences throughout this valuable resource, giving students a first hand account of what a spa looks like, how it is operated and how treatments are performed.”
For more information, visit ISPA’s website to order the book and a companion DVD, and see “Massage Therapy and the Spa Industry: A Symbiotic Relationship,” in MASSAGE Magazine’s January 2009 issue.


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Alon Chen, founder and CEO at Tastewise, the food items knowledge, statistics and developments platform, spoke about the possibility in social media advertising and marketing during a panel dialogue at the digital Foreseeable future Foods Tech event very last 7 days (Oct 1).
In the dialogue, on the subject matter of attaining shopper have confidence in when advertising and marketing health and fitness advertising and marketing foods, he spelled out that there is a large amount manufacturers can do to better personalise their item choices.
He argued social media delivers huge possibilities in terms of having to recognize shopper needs and the way solutions are consumed in actual time.
“I think there’s a large opportunity for brand names when it arrives to leveraging the ‘word of mouth’ or in other phrases, in today’s industry, social media.
“These internet sites make it possible for models to be close to people and near to the second of intake and it is a terrific way of obtaining out how your buyers are using your item from day-to-day.”
He states this may possibly be a significant component of the purpose why smaller sized startup brands are undertaking so very well today.
“There are a large amount of influencers that authentically have been impacted by a small manufacturer and are reporting on it.”
He notes that it is significant when getting into this location of marketing and advertising to be wary of not introducing to pretend news and to guarantee messages occur throughout as reliable.
“The faux news challenge is not heading to bypass the food and beverage sector. We have to do a better task of recognizing the health and fitness gurus and nutritionists with 1000’s of followers and teach them on the threats and options so they can discuss on behalf of our models about the gains we provide to the desk.
“If we can’t convince folks to acquire a vaccine to help you save their life how can we expect them to go through a label from a huge model and believe it?
“Educating people about science is crucial – it desires to be tested and unbiased.
“I consider there’s likely to be a great deal of community and non-public coming jointly to push the suitable scientific info for the reason that influencers are not often the appropriate individuals to discuss on the science but we have to be part of this improve and make absolutely sure we have the proper non-profits to get the concept throughout.”
But it can be not all about Instagram, Chen says that Tik Tok has a large influence on more youthful shoppers and tendencies on this platform are noticed by millions.
“We see large Tik Tok developments involving feta cheese and spaghetti. When will we see a Tik Tok pattern that pushes a actually healthier food stuff development?
“Brand have a enormous chance to participate in in that ballpark.”
Speaking about how customer desire in wellness has progressed by the pandemic, Chen states the ‘health’ trend has develop into a lot extra granular in this time.
“Something we saw in the beginning of COVID was that individuals stopped talking about excess weight decline which was shocking mainly because weight problems is a massive result in for demise in COVID but individuals grew to become more well educated and certain, so they ended up more granular when talking about balanced.
“It was no extended amazing to say ‘I’m feeding on this since it’s healthy’, you now need to have to say ‘I’m eating this for my gut health’ or ‘for my brain health’ for instance.”
On that observe, he pointed out that shoppers are now significantly more probable to be fascinated in substances connected with psychological overall health positive aspects than they have been in the past.
“If I had to pull out a precise ingredient inside that it would be adaptogenic mushrooms. Individuals imagine mushrooms will save the globe – these have so many diverse wellness applications relying on the variety of mushroom you are wanting at. And, in typical, botanicals are turning out to be a huge thing.”


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Alaska regulators have begun approving the first retail marijuana licenses under the state’s recreational cannabis law.
Frozen Budz, the first establishment, will be located in Fairbanks, the Associated Press reported. Frozen Budz’s co-owner, Destiny Neade, hopes to open her shop by about Oct. 1, assuming she can source enough marijuana from growers.
The Marijuana Control Board began approving cultivation and testing licenses in June, with the aim of getting growers and testing labs up and running before retailers, in the hopes of streamlining the industry’s rollout. Roughly 20 total retail licenses were up for review last week.
Neade is no longer sure how much money she and her husband have invested in their new venture; she said they stopped counting after they reached the $150,000 mark.


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We’ve gotten used to our space and now a new survey finds that two-quarters of people can no longer stand to be around crowds and other people now!
A survey of 2,000 people has found 65% cannot tolerate crowds and will do everything in their power to avoid standing in lines, especially at the airport.
The pandemic has also changed our tolerance for minor inconveniences. Sixty-one percent of people get annoyed easier now than ever before.
Simple tasks like eating and drinking (54%), unlocking their phone (49%), and wearing glasses (48%) are a struggle because of masks and gloves.
People would also rather text than talk to anyone at this point. Six in 10 would rather use their phone to message someone than speak to someone face-to-face (61%) and to solve annoying pandemic-era problems (63%).
WHAT’S EASIER NOW THAN BEFORE THE PANDEMIC?
- Standing in lines 48%
- Checking in to flights & hotels 46%
- Packing clothes 44%
- Waking up early 43%
- Boarding procedures 39%
- Talking to customer service 38%
- Spending money on snacks and food 36%
- Getting gas 32%
- Being timely 31%
- Getting a chance to relax or catch my breath 28%
- Being around other people 21%
- Planning out trips 18%
- Booking tickets 17%


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HAMILTON, Ontario, March 31, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Next Generation Manufacturing Canada (NGen), the industry-led organization leading Canada’s advanced manufacturing supercluster, announced $3.5 million in co-funding dollars for a collaborative project to bring additive manufacturing technologies from prototyping to the mass manufacturing market.
With its partners Objex Unlimited, ReDeTec Inc. and Athletic Knit, Mosaic Manufacturing has developed a new industrial additive manufacturing solution called Deploy. The new platform will be factory-ready, with an automated manufacturing cell comprised of independent multi-material 3D printers, a fully automated robotic operator, centralized ERP control software, and an array of engineering-grade production materials. .
“The growth of small, innovative companies like Mosaic is essential to building advanced manufacturing capabilities in Canada,” said Jayson Myers, CEO of NGen. “Array is a game-changing platform with the potential to revolutionize manufacturing through mass customization. He will play an important role in shaping the future of the industry and the solutions manufacturers bring to customers around the world. »
“Canada’s Advanced Manufacturing Supercluster has had incredible success in fostering collaborative partnerships between industry partners and small and medium enterprises to bring cutting-edge advanced manufacturing technologies to market faster,” declared the Honorable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry. “Array has the potential to provide Canadian companies with tangible solutions and competitive advantages, while encouraging them to manufacture products here in Canada.
“The Array product line represents an incredible leap forward in advanced manufacturing, making large-scale additive manufacturing possible for the first time.” Mitch Debora, CEO and Co-Founder of Mosaic Manufacturing, said, “None of this would have been possible without the support of NGen and the collaboration of consortium partners.
The deployment of Deploy has the potential to change the nature of Canada’s manufacturing landscape by catalyzing the adoption of 3D printing as a manufacturing tool. As a domestic production tool, Deploy will have an impact on reducing the need to import finished polymer products from overseas and will allow these products to be manufactured in Canada.
This collaboration represents the second NGen project undertaken by Mosaic, following their contract in 2020 to mass-produce 3D-printed medical-grade face shields for frontline workers at the start of the pandemic.
About NGen (Next Generation Manufacturing Canada)
NGen is the industry-led, not-for-profit organization that leads Canada’s Advanced Manufacturing Supercluster. Its mandate is to help build world-class advanced manufacturing capabilities in Canada for the benefit of Canadians. NGen strives to strengthen collaboration among its members of more than 3,300 manufacturers, technology companies, innovation centers and researchers, and provides funding and commercial support to industry-led initiatives that aim to develop, apply or scale transformative manufacturing solutions in Canada for commercialization in global markets.
About making mosaics
Mosaic Manufacturing Ltd. was founded in 2014 with a mission to bring 3D printing to the factory. Mosaic achieves this goal by revolutionizing the economics of large-scale 3D printing, with a focus on software and hardware process automation. The Toronto-based company believes that this transition to automated additive manufacturing is the beginning of the journey towards custom parts and products becoming accessible through the next generation of manufacturing.
Director of Strategic Communications
Co-founder & COO


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Variety reports Google (GOOG), via YouTube, has reached a deal to buy Twitch, a site that lets users live-stream their PC/Xbox/PlayStation gameplay, for over $1B in cash. But the WSJ reports Google's talks with Twitch are still "at an early stage;" the paper provides no acquisition price.
Twitch claims 45M+ monthly users, including over 1M who upload/stream videos, sometimes for widely-watched competitive events. The company claims its broadcaster count tripled in 2013, and that its average user watches 95 minutes/day.
Twitch also has a partner network of 4K+ content providers - it typically shares ad revenue with them - and integration deals with various game developers. Its user base skews heavily towards the 18-34 demographic whose love of online video has drawn the attention of advertisers.
Variety's sources state YouTube (1B+ MAUs) is prepping for a regulatory challenge to the Twitch deal. The online video giant is no stranger to hosting live game broadcasts, but its market share is well below Twitch's.
Update: The Verge reports Google is close to a $1B deal for Twitch, and that it beat out Microsoft and other would-be suitors.


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If there’s one thing we can all agree on in these increasingly divisive political times, it is that Brexit has triggered considerable divisions in our communities.
It is vital UK companies, service providers and individuals doing business in Europe understand how changes in legislation may affect them when the UK finally departs the EU.
So, what’s going on with China?
Brexit is set to have a big impact on life in the UK in several ways. The nature and extent of this, however, is impossible to predict.
With Brexit day fast-approaching, and no withdrawal agreement in sight, Marketing Director, SMB Online, Europe at Ingenico ePayments, Sangeetha Narasimhan, explains how UK businesses can still export to their European customers and thrive.
The UK’s exporters will have a lot to get to grips with in the coming weeks and months.
As Brexit negotiations are still ongoing, authorities are urging the government to deliver Export Vouchers to small businesses in order to help them stay afloat
Trade wars generally don’t end well. In fact, a tariff war exacerbated the impact of the US Great Depression in the 1930s and led to a decade of global economic stagnation.
As Sir Richard Branson famously said: “No new business is worth starting in these times unless it can go global.
Amid all the hand-wringing and second-guessing about what a ‘no-deal’ Brexit will mean for British business, one danger at least is clear


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Nintendo’s press conference at the Nokia Theatre was nowhere near done after the announcements regarding Epic Mickey and Kirby’s Epic Yarn. Soon after the details on these games, the LA audience was treated to a Metroid: Other M trailer, and the August 31 launch was repeated, so as to appease those who wondered whether another delay was on its way.
Then Retro Studios was mentioned, and a new game was announced: Donkey Kong Country Returns. The trailer showed some nice cinematic footage as well as gameplay that resembled the classic Super Nintendo Donkey Kong titles. Needless to say the audience let out a positive reaction for this one.
Donkey Kong Country Returns is slated for a release this holiday season, and it definitely looks like it caters to fans of the original Donkey Kong Country games. But Nintendo didn’t stop there. Join is here on GamerSyndrome as we recap the big announcement that closed the show.
Article from Gamersyndrome.com


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Along with a number of nice price drops on its Echo devices this morning, Amazon is offering the first discount on its latest Fire TV Cube for Prime Day 2018. Regularly $120, it’s now marked down to $89.99 shipped for Prime members only. Amazon’s latest Fire TV Cube delivers all of your favorite streaming services in an Alexa-controlled set-top box. I went hands-on earlier this summer and found it to be a suitable, albeit quirky, cord-cutting solution. If Siri isn’t your favorite, then Fire TV Cube is worth a look. Early reviews are mixed at Amazon, learn more in our coverage. More Fire TV deals below.
Other Fire TV discounts include:
We’ll have all of the best deals throughout Prime Day here at 9to5Toys. Be sure to give us a follow on Twitter where we’ll be sharing out all of the best deals.
Fire TV Cube is the first hands-free streaming media player with Alexa, delivering an all-in-one entertainment experience. From across the room just say, “Alexa, play Billions” and Fire TV Cube turns on your TV and starts playing the SHOWTIME drama, allowing you to control your entertainment with voice commands.
FTC: 9to5Toys is reader supported, we may earn income on affiliate links


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RAPAPORT... Zale's Celebration Fire is “the most brilliant diamond in the world,” according to Gil Hollander, the final witness to testify in a preliminary injunction hearing that kicked off its defense in a civil suit brought by its chief competitor, Sterling Jewelers.
In a court briefing filed by attorneys for Zale, Hollander testified that Celebration Fire would win its defense, using any test for brilliance discussed at trial. (Read Sterling's response that was filed yesterday.) Furthermore, Zale concluded that since Sterling admitted there was no industry standard for brilliance, and claimed that Zale's tests for brilliance were inadequate, Sterling contradicted its own marketing practice of relying only on GemEx to prove brilliance, according to Zale.
Zale contended that none of Sterling's witnesses contradicted its brilliance statement, because that would damage Sterling's own marketing claims and they made no effort to identify any cut of diamond that was as brilliant as the Celebration Fire. Instead, Sterling, according to Zale, took the ''absurd position that if there is a single diamond in the world that is more brilliant than any single Celebration Fire, then Zale should not be permitted to advertise the Celebration Fire diamond as 'the most brilliant.'''
Sterling's Solasfera Diamond, which is advertised as “the highest-performing diamond in the world on GemEx BrilliantScope tests,” and its Biro88, touted as the “world’s most brilliant diamond,” are both “accompanied by a GemEx® light performance report.” Star129 Diamonds are “proven to be the most brilliant diamonds cut today” and are also “accompanied by a GemEx Light Performance Analysis Certificate,” and the Leo Diamond “delivers measurably more brilliance than other diamonds of similar quality and grading” and comes with a GemEx Light Performance Report,'' all claims which give Sterling unclean hands, the defendant wrote.
Zale argued that consumers do not benefit from having its Celebration Fire campaign halted, when in fact Sterling and other competitors continue to make superiority claims regarding brilliance. ''It is the height of hypocrisy for Sterling, the market leader in advertising measurable brilliance, to ask this court to stop its major competitor from doing so,'' according to Zale.
While Zale agreed there may be isolated individual diamonds that shine brighter, such a case is irrelevant to an ad campaign that accurately tells the world that the Celebration Fire ''diamond cut is the most brilliant in the world,'' according to the company's brief.
''What is directly relevant is that Sterling’s own expert, the president of GemEx, conceded that the worst Celebration Fire diamond he tested was probably more brilliant than 99 percent of the diamonds in his 2.7 million diamond database.
''Sterling’s consumer survey expert also conceded that if Celebration Fire is in fact more brilliant than 99 percent of the diamonds available, then Zale’s advertising claim is true,'' the defendant wrote.
Zale also requested that the court deny Sterling's request for an injunction and urged for a prompt trial date.
In addition, Dr. Jose Sasian testified that brilliance is light return, such as an amount of light reflected from the diamond through the crown to the observer’s eye or a detector. ''This is a measurable effect, although there is no single industry standard for measuring it. Sterling agrees,'' Zale wrote.
''In its complaint, Sterling stated that 'the brilliance of a diamond is a recognized property within the jewelry industry and among jewelry consumers. It is not a statement of subjective opinion but is capable of being systematically, reliably and scientifically measured.' In the same way there are multiple ways to measure, for example, air pollution, one can measure light return in different ways, for example as gray-scale pixel values (ImaGem’s method) or as a percentage area of illuminated facets (GemEx’s method). Both are generally accepted in the diamond industry, but neither is an industry standard,'' Zale stated.
Citing similar cases in which an injunction was denied in favor of defendants, Zale stated that ''an establishment claim need not rely on an industry standard test to be truthful'' and cited the case of Gillette Co. versus Norelco Consumer Products Co. as an example. Norelco advertised its electric razor as being “clinically proven” to shave with “less irritation” than a wet razor and developed its own test for measuring razor irritation. The court denied Gillette’s motion for a preliminary injunction, noting that even though Norelco’s test was flawed in several respects, Gillette failed to prove the test had been unreliable. But Zale held steadfast that its own testing was not flawed as Sterling contended.
In Euro-Pro Operating versus TTI Floor Care North America, the court denied the plaintiff’s motion for a preliminary injunction where the defendant’s claim – that its vacuum was the “only one” that could vacuum under an 11.5-inch high-chair – was accurate based on the defendant’s own testing method, and not an industry standard, Zale argued. Similarly, the defendant cited cases where courts denied an injunction for products that had no industry standards including that of internal automobile air flow, diaper pail odor control and protective coverage provided by sunscreen.
Secondly, Zale argued that the purpose of this case was to determine whether or not it had violated the Lanham Act, not industry standards, which do not exist in the first place. Sasian testified on behalf of Zale that the ImaGem system used by PGGL to test the Celebration Fire accurately and reliably measured brilliance. The only evidence Sterling produced, to the contrary, was a declaration of GemEx’s Randall Wagner.
But Zale pointed out that Wagner's business was tied, both directly and indirectly, to Sterling and that ''moreover, Wagner is a direct competitor of ImaGem. Further, Wagner was hired and then fired by Zale, and he filed a lawsuit against Zale in 2008. Regardless, Wagner did not provide any scientifically based criticism of the ImaGem system,'' the defendant stated.
Sasian also testified that the PGGL test performed for Zale was accurately and reliably performed, whereas Sterling produced no evidence to the contrary, and Zale wrote that there was no evidence to suggest its 19 tested diamond cuts were not representative of the most brilliant diamond cuts on the market.
Nonetheless, if the court determines that an industry standard test is required for measuring brilliance, any injunction should be limited to simply removing the ad’s reference to testing, rendering the “most brilliant” claim non-actionable puffery, Zale suggested.
At the hearing, the court challenged Zale to assume the burden of brilliance by proving that the “most brilliant diamond in the world” claim is true, which the defendant claimed it had. In its filing, Zale stated that even if the court disagrees, the burden remains on Sterling to prove that the claim is false.
Where Sterling failed to defend its cause, according to Zale, ImaGem carried out testing and made statements to Zale in July: “We do understand that Shrenuj has processed few diamonds for light performance test to help you defend the claim ‘Celebration Fire is the Most Brilliant Diamond in the World.’ We support all the results for the test done on those stones by PGGL.”
''Sterling makes much of ImaGem’s disclaimer that ImaGem is not itself making a superiority claim such as most brilliant in the world. But as Dr. Aggarwal testified at deposition, this disclaimer is his policy for all clients,'' Zale wrote.
However, Zale stated that GemEx also has a disclaimer regarding marketing representations based on GemEx testing. While the test report itself may have some errors, such flaws do not render the test scientifically unreliable. Courts applying the “tests prove” standard “should give advertisers a fair amount of leeway, at least in the absence of a clear intent to deceive or substantial consumer confusion,'' Zale contended.
Hollander said that Zale did not include the Solasfera diamond in the test because, after an extensive search, he could not find any evidence that Sterling was still marketing the diamond. Sterling’s vice president of merchandising, Stuart Lee, testified that the Solasfera is available in only 80 of Sterling’s more than 1,300 stores.
The brief argued that ImaGem’s database of more than 2,000 Celebration Fire diamonds confirms that the diamond is the most brilliant. That data shows that Celebration Fire is considerably more brilliant than other diamonds and while there may be outliers that score lower, they are not representative of the brilliance score a Celebration Fire is likely to receive, 90 percent of which scored 175 or higher, according to Zale.
In the same way, a car company’s claim that its car is the “fastest” or “most reliable” is not false if the car tested is representative of the speed or reliability of the brand, the defendant stated.
''Sasian, the only truly independent expert in the courtroom, testified that because of the novel way the Celebration Fire is cut – with 71 facets producing 10 hearts and arrows, rather than the usual eight hearts and arrows in other exceptionally cut round brilliant diamonds – the Celebration Fire diamond has more pathways available for light to reflect back to the observer’s eye. He further testified that given two stones of equal color and clarity – one cut using the Celebration Fire design and the other cut using any other diamond design – he would expect the Celebration Fire to be more brilliant,'' Zale wrote.
But Sterling’s primary support was a declaration from a purported independent expert, Wagner of GemEx, and now in its post-hearing brief, Sterling does not mention, not even once, the results of GemEx’s tests, Zale pointed out. ''Instead, after originally introducing Wagner as a pioneer in the development of the technology to measure brilliance, Sterling cites to Wagner only for the proposition that there is no industry standard for defining or measuring brilliance.
''Sterling now appears to be minimizing the significance of the tests Wagner conducted. Sterling’s legal attack is completely contradicted by its own marketing practice of relying on GemEx to prove its claims for more brilliance.''
Zale argued that Sterling’s retreat from GemEx remained ''perfectly clear'' because Wagner highlighted the weakness of Sterling’s position. ''Despite substantial evidence demonstrating that Wagner is biased against Zale and ImaGem, and is beholden to Sterling, GemEx’s largest customer, his testimony actually was more favorable to Zale than to Sterling.''
Sasian testified that the GemEx system suffers from three limitations that are not found in the ImaGem system. First, GemEx uses direct light from only five illumination directions, while ImaGem uses diffuse light from a continuous range of illumination directions across a 14-degree arc. Zale argued that GemEx’s device gathers less information about the diamond and is not able to detect the brilliance of the diamond at intermediate positions. Second, the images produced by the GemEx system show clear signs of pixel saturation, meaning that the device is not well calibrated, Zale said. Third, GemEx does not count colored light in its measurement of brilliance, even though the colored light is contributing to the diamond’s total light return.
''Additionally, Wagner conceded that he did not follow his usual protocol when testing the Celebration Fire, contrary to Sterling’s statements to this court that the Celebration Fire diamonds were tested using the same procedures that GemEx has used in evaluating and certifying over 2.5 million diamonds.''
Wagner now admits that instead of testing each Celebration Fire diamond once, as he does with every other diamond, he took four separate measurements, turning the diamond 90 degrees four times, and calculated the average of those four measurements, Zale stated. Wagner conceded that this was “not the standard procedure that’s followed on every diamond through our database,” according to the brief.
''Wagner also conceded that his testing process permitted the tester to test as many times as they want until they get a score they like.''
Sterling’s expert Michael Rappeport testified that in extensive consumer interviews, many interviewees recognized that there was some degree of exaggeration in Zale’s “most brilliant diamond in the world” claim. Moreover, some people thought the ad referred to a single diamond, while others thought it referred to a class of diamonds, and still others thought it referred to the average brilliance of the Celebration Fire as compared to the average brilliance of other diamond brands, Zale stated.
''Because the ad conveys different messages to different people, it is ambiguous and cannot be literally false as a matter of law. As such, Sterling was required to produce evidence that consumers were actually deceived, such as a reliable consumer survey proving that the ad conveys the particular message Sterling alleges,'' Zale argued.
The defendant concluded that the Rappeport consumer survey on behalf of Sterling was completely unreliable because he tested an overly broad universe, did not test actual and prospective purchasers of diamonds, used an artificial survey stimulus that bears little resemblance to Zale's ads and only provided multiple choice questions that offered three possible responses, which Zale classified as incomplete answers.
Rappeport did not include ''not sure'' or ''don't know'' as responses, nor possible responses that reflect the heart of this case, such as whether the advertising statement is referring to the cut of the diamond, the average brilliance of diamond brands, or the brilliance of each individual diamond, Zale pointed out.
Zale also took issue with Sterling's use of this survey, produced on December 12, rather than with its motion papers, as Zale did not have time to conduct its own counter-survey or prepare a rebuttal expert report.
''At trial, Zale will be able to demonstrate through expert testimony the fatal flaws of Rappeport’s survey and introduce its own survey,'' attorneys wrote.
Arguing for the court to deny Sterling injunction, Zale said that Signet's U.S. division had not shown irreparable harm and rather than bring to witness an economist, it offered Lee, its vice president of merchandising.
Lee, however, testified to no particular expertise in evaluating the future impact of Zale’s advertising on plaintiff’s business. Nor did he explain how his experience in merchandising permits him to offer anything more than speculation on the subject, according to Zale.
Zale’s counsel retained Jacob Jacoby, who was denied the chance to testify, as a rebuttal expert immediately upon learning that Sterling intended to produce a consumer survey. But because of Jacoby’s prior commitments, he was unable to complete his report criticizing Rappeport’s survey until Sunday night, whereupon the report was immediately served on Sterling, the defendant stated. Sterling filed an immediate motion to deny Jacoby's testimony, claiming it had not time to question the witness before the preliminary injunction hearing.
''Indeed, Sterling has made clear through its litigation strategy that the public interest is not its concern; rather, its focus is on inflicting maximum disruption on its chief competitor during the busiest time of the year. For example, Sterling knew about the Celebration Fire campaign as early as October 5, yet it did not file its lawsuit for over five weeks. Then, instead of moving for a preliminary injunction at that time, Sterling waited another week – until two days before Thanksgiving – to do so, on the eve of the most important shopping season of the year for Zale. Sterling even included a motion for expedited discovery. As Sterling’s own witness conceded, a jewelry retailer who wanted to file a lawsuit against a competitor in the most disruptive way possible would proceed in essentially the same manner as Sterling has in this case,'' Zale wrote.
Zale pointed out, too, that Sterling had not taken action against other competitors who make ''most brilliant'' claims, but ''perhaps not coincidentally, those diamonds all claim support from GemEx – and in some cases are sold by plaintiff itself.''
Denying the injunction and setting a prompt trial date would adequately protect Sterling and would avoid the risk of harm to Zale from an improvidently issued injunction, the defendant claimed in its request.


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As Lunar New Year approaches on February 10, brands across fashion, beauty and lifestyle have eagerly unveiled their collections in honour of the auspicious Year of the Dragon. Among other trends, artistic collaborations and dragon-themed merchandise have become prominent feature in a diverse range of offerings.
Read on to see how brands are embracing Lunar New Year festivities in 2024.
Artistic collaborations are in fashion: Kering Group, Shanghai Tang, Asahi Super Dry
Luxury group Kering, renowned for its collaborations with Chinese artists during Lunar New Year campaigns, continues the tradition by inviting prominent contemporary Chinese artist Chen Ke to collaborate on an art project titled “Dragon Boat” for 2024, spanning original artwork as a New Year greeting card and other digital formats. Together, Kering and Chen Ke will unveil new works of art that the Group’s mission of “Empowering Imagination” and aligning with its core values of creativity, innovation, and the empowerment of women.
Shanghai Tang, on the other hand, celebrates its 30th anniversary alongside the Year of the Dragon. On its milestone year, the brand has embarked on a collaboration with artist Jacky Tsai, underscoring the artistic heritage seen as integral to Shanghai Tang’s brand identity. The ready-to-wear collection pays homage to the majestic dragon through its intricate dragon pattern. Drawing inspiration from the Chinese knot’s distinctive shape, reminiscent of knotting ropes to symbolise memory-keeping, it embodies the rich heritage of ancient Chinese culture.
Luxury fragrance brand Creed has joined hands with artist Zhang Ding, in collaboration with UCCA Lab under the UCCA Group, to create an exclusive limited fragrance collection for the upcoming Chinese New Year celebrations. A captivating interpretation of the dragon motif serves as the core element for the fragrance artist collection, offering a fresh portrayal of an iconic symbol deeply rooted in Chinese culture.
Also leveraging an artistic collaboration, Asahi Super Dry embraces the spirit of the Lunar New Year with a captivating limited edition Pixel Art packaging design, created in partnership with award-winning Japanese artist Hermippe. Celebrating the fusion of modernity and tradition, the collaborative packaging showcases a pixelated dragon amidst a vibrant cityscape, available as a limited offering only in Asia Pacific.
Localisation rules: Zara, Loewe
Zara has embraced the festive spirit by launching exclusive pop-up stores across mainland China to celebrate the Year of the Dragon. These special pop-ups, created in collaboration with Xi Xing Le, blend traditional symbolism and modern fashion.
“This collaboration can be viewed as Zara’s endeavour to further localise its brand image,” notes Jacopo Pesavento, founder and chief executive officer of Branding Records.
“By partnering with Xi Xing Le, an edgy Neo-Chinese style fashion brand, Zara aims to reach a broader audience that may not have been covered by mainstream fast fashion brands. From a brand and distribution perspective, Zara, a fast fashion giant, joining forces with Xi Xing Le, an indie designer brand, allows Zara to strengthen its identity as a fashion trendsetter — signalling to Chinese consumers that they always understand their preferences.”
Meanwhile on the high-end range, Spanish fashion house Loewe has collaborated with Chinese master jade carvers to craft a remarkable pendant series that showcases the art of jade sculpting: Xiaojin Yin, Qijing Qiu and Lei Cheng have fashioned pendants that symbolise fortune and abundance for the Year of the Dragon. These pieces will be exclusively available at Casa Loewe concept stores in Shanghai, Beijing, and Chengdu. Loewe’s Flamenco Purse Mini draws inspiration from the elegance of ancient jade carvings, boasting a variety of vibrant colours. What sets it apart is an interior pocket adorned with a precious jade stone (pictured above), carefully selected to match the bag’s hue.
Nostalgia is also creating desire among consumers, with developments such as Central Market, a historic, recently revamped lifestyle destination in Hong Kong, taking note. Central Market will mount various events such as the LT Duck display (in collaboration with Mr. L.T. Lam – the legendary “Father of the Yellow Rubber Duck), Hulu Toy Exhibition, an immersive exhibition presenting vintage and heritage toys, and a series of culture, sports and tourism-themed activities.
“Despite the resumption of overseas travel, we are noticing an increasing interest in the nostalgic Hong Kong culture in general, which align with the positioning and vision of Central Market. We are seeing a rising demand for refreshing collective memories among Hong Kong consumers and tourists,” says Angie Chung, general manager, Central Market, at Chinachem Group.
The dragon motif: Tag Heuer, Louis Vuitton, Tumi
This being the Year of the Dragon, use of the dragon motif holds immense allure for brands aiming to capture the attention and loyalty of Chinese consumers.
“We can see brands going above and beyond to showcase their creativity with distinct capsule collections, collaborations with artists, installations, innovative window displays and, of course, the increasingly decadent Lunar New Year red packet gifting,” says Lara Jefferies, founder and managing director of public relations firm Plug.
Presented in a luxurious and vibrant red box, adorned with the Chinese Dragon symbol in elegant beige, Tag Heuer‘s Carrera Chronograph’s Year of the Dragon edition aim to present the essence of Chinese culture. The capsule collection’s designs are intended to bring good fortune and prosperity, and will be exclusively available at Tag Heuer boutiques and select retail partners.
“From Louis Vuitton’s impressive large-scale, in-store dragon installations to Bottega Veneta’s Year of the Dragon-inspired iconic product iterations and Tumi’s artist collaboration with Weber Zhang for their 11-piece Dragon capsule, the luxury industry is putting significant effort and resources into these localised initiatives,” Jefferies says.
Citing examples, Jefferies continues: “Innovation can be seen across industries with brands such as Martell producing limited-edition Year of the Dragon-inspired bottles with bespoke gift packaging and Tea WG releasing a new limited-edition Grand Dragon Tea to welcome in the new year.”
Branding Records’ Jacopo Pesavento adds, “In China, the dragon holds a unique and significant position in the zodiac. The appearance of a pink dragon in front of landmarks in Shanghai during this event not only warms up the festive atmosphere, but also sparks discussions. In offline pop-up stores, apart from dragons, there are numerous pink peaches – a symbol of fortune and longevity in Chinese culture, adding youthful energy. As a brand, the purpose of launching activities is twofold. Firstly, it aims to witness a short-term growth in business, and secondly, it strives to expand the long-term brand power.”
Celebratory yet sustainable
In addition to special-edition launches, red packets and elaborate packaging have traditionally been part of Lunar New Year gifting. A survey by Delta Global unveils that 81 percent of luxury customers in Asia Pacific often retain their packaging after a purchase, with 63 percent repurposing it for storage of other items. Some brands are moving away from single-use packaging and adopting a more sustainable approach, by either minimising material use or crafting packages worth storing for years to come.
“Recently, there has been a growing demand for a more sustainable approach to Chinese New Year gifting and other significant celebratory moments. This Chinese New Year, in particular, has become an additional opportunity for brands to showcase their dedication to sustainability, thus strengthening their bond with their fans,” says Robert Lockyer, CEO of Delta Global.


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The Next Crossroad of SaaS: Vertical or Horizontal?
The SaaS (Software as a Service) industry has developed in China over nearly three decades. From horizontal SaaS formats to Vertical SaaS, great changes have taken place. Now the SaaS industry has entered a boom stage.
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Four leading A-Shares logistics companies – SF Express, YTO Express, Yunda Holdings and STO Express – report revenues of CNY 109.59 billion, CNY 23.42 billion, CNY 23.09 billion and CNY 14.71 billion respectively.
Nov 03, 2020 05:54 AM
The Commercialization of The Domestic AI industry in 2022
Oct 05, 2022 09:00 AM
China's Road to Tackle Autoimmune Diseases Globally
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15 Chinese Companies to Watch in September 2022 – New Consumption
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More and more industries are facing an unprecedented labor shortage according to a recently released report by the u s department of labor, the number of job openings reached 604 million, which is the highest level recorded since the government began monitoring this data in 2000. The bracero program (from the spanish term bracero, meaning manual laborer or one who works using his arms) was a series of laws and diplomatic agreements, initiated on august 4, 1942, when the united states signed the mexican farm labor agreement with mexico. According to the labor department's latest jobs report, we're in the strongest labor market in decadesbut that has left the country with a severe shortage of skilled workers in some rust belt. To estimate the impact of filling these shortages in specific industries across the economy, interviews were conducted with business and labor leaders in the accommodation, agriculture, food.
For now, the coming labor shortage is good news for workers we should root for it to continue it's undoubtedly a headache for some owners and managers but it's one they should, hopefully, be. Labor surplus, labor shortage, and the skills gap between by dr gary m green we have two significant problems with the job market in the current recovery -- a labor surplus and a labor shortage. The conference board has developed an index that helps companies forecast their risk of labor shortages in hundreds of occupations and industries in the us and europe this report discusses implications for companies and mitigating actions they can take. In economics, a shortage or excess demand is a situation in which the demand for a product or service exceeds its supply in a market it is the opposite of an excess supply ( surplus ) contents.
How bad is the labor shortage cities will pay you to move there towns with unfilled jobs are handing out money, student-debt relief and home-purchase assistance to lure potential employees–one. But labor shortages are weighing on overall economic growth, slowing the pace of expansion in northern utah and other fast-growing regions even as unemployment remains stubbornly high in rust belt. The nation added 15,145 restaurants, a net increase of 25 percent, just between the third quarters of 2016 and 2017, according to the united states bureau of labor statistics image orders. Therefore, if the unemployment rate is disqualified by lack of wage growth, and the labor shortage by extension, the boom simply disappears and if the boom disappears, then we are in the same boat as the boj is on japanese inflation , and banco do brasil on the question of backdoor swaps versus reserves. Labor shortages in the united states are getting worse, according to a report from the federal reserve labor shortages in the united states are getting worse, according to a report from the.
A labor shortage would force employers to pay more for their workers, helping to ease decades of income inequality but the dramatic nature of the demographic shift suggests something more than a. So-called labor shortages, argued mark krikorian, executive director of cis, is a sign, information for the employer that they need to change their way of doing business. For example, limoneira, one of the largest lemon producers in america, is experiencing a severe labor shortage even with new worker benefits, increased pay, and vastly improved living conditions. The us occupations at greatest risk of a labor shortage the us could run out of occupational therapists, railroad engineers and other workers, potentially leaving the economy in a long-term.
Some businesses are already experiencing the impact of labor shortages, including higher wages and pinched profits but others do not even have a plan for what promises to be a prolonged period of tight labor markets around the globe. The hardest jobs to fill in 2012 when the economy is tough and millions of people are pounding the pavement searching for jobs, you don’t expect to read about worker shortages. The fed notes that the labor shortages combined with the need to pay higher wages are “restraining growth” in some sectors like manufacturing, transportation and construction. Manufacturing employees, by the way, are already far more inclined than others to work long hours, reflecting the shortage – about 300 hours more than a typical us worker every year.
Labor shortage: more businesses are mellowing out over hiring marijuana smokers marijuana testing — a fixture at large american employers for at least 30 years — excludes too many potential. Kohl's is getting ahead of the pack to find workers as a labor crisis causes concern for the retail industry more than 300 of its 1,100 stores across the united states are hiring.
Labor shortage employers tap foreign workers, visas permitting the crackdown on illegal immigration is also affecting the sector nearly half of farm workers in the united states are. Trump’s immigration crackdown is supposed to help us citizens for california farmers, it’s worsening a desperate labor shortage. Us faces workforce shortages amid dismal participation rate with approximately 67 million job openings, us companies lack not only qualified workers, but also unqualified ones, cnbc noted at the same time, there are some 6 million people the bureau of labor statistics lists as unemployed.


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A former Apple employee allegedly stole commercial secrets from the company in order to give it to his new employer, according to a Mercury News publication. Secret information mainly concerned the technology of autonomous driving – a part of Apple that has been working for years in this area under extreme secrecy, away from the spotlight.
The person who stole the data is called Xiaolang Zhang, and was caught by federal agents at San Jose International Airport while purchasing a “last seconds” air ticket for China from Hainan Airlines.
According to a tweet by journalist Henry K. Lee, Zhang stole secret documents from Apple while working in the company, and explained to the authorities that he had placed the data on his wife’s laptop. The accused has been convicted today of the theft of commercial secrets by the US District Court in northern California.
Both sources claim that Zhang was about to work for XMotors, a company that claims to build “smart-coupled and power-driven cars of the next generation. The company is also known as Xiaopeng Motors.
XMotors has offices in Beijing and Quangchus, as well as in Mountain View, California, but it is a fact that it does not have a great history in its business. The company’s Twitter account reports there are big investors behind its venture, such as Alibaba, Foxconn and IDG Capital, and has developed an electric car called XPeng G3.
According to News Mercury, Zhang received “broad access to confidential internal databases” as part of his work in a group that develops autonomous cars. After informing Apple that he would leave the company and work for XMotors, Apple researchers secretly searched his two mobile phones and his laptop and discovered that he had downloaded confidential Apple files.
Zheng eventually admitted that he eventually stole the secret documents when he was arrested by the FBI.
A profile of LinkedIn apparently belonging to Zhang indicates that it has worked with Apple since December 2015 and that it has previously spent more than four years at Marvell Semiconductor. The specific documents and data received from Apple are unknown to the general public and may remain as a secret seal in the future as well.


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Starting from a strong order situation in the first quarter of 2011, new orders over the last four quarters have declined in a year-on-year comparison. In the first three months of 2012, the 290 Swissmem reporting members posted a year-on-year decline of 19.1% in foreign orders, whereas domestic orders were down 9.6%. Given the limited willingness of customers in key markets to invest, the majority of companies are currently expecting continued stagnation in the development of new orders. Overall, sales in the MEM industries were some 2.1% up in a year-on-year comparison, with positive domestic sales (+10.6%) offsetting the negative development in foreign sales (-0.5%). If new orders stabilize at a lower level, this could lead to a continued downtrend in foreign sales over the months ahead. The low valuation of the euro – which was still trading at an average of CHF 1.29 back in Q1 2011 – is continuing to weigh on company margins. Swissmem therefore expects the Swiss National Bank to defend the euro exchange rate level of CHF 1.20 and to review further measures to counteract the overvaluation of the Swiss franc.
Fewer stimuli from Asia
Whereas strong stimuli from the Asian markets were still apparent at the beginning of 2011, these were largely absent in the first quarter of this year. Although exports to Japan remained stable in Q1 2012, developments in the key markets of China (-40.0%), India (-18.1%) and South Korea (-16.3%) were strongly negative. However, it should be noted that a marked baseline effect applies in the case of China, as export developments were extremely positive in this market a year ago. In a comparison over a number of years, exports to China were at an average level similar to that achieved between 2007 and 2009.
One positive development in the first quarter of 2012 was the robustness of the US market, where export growth of 6.6% was recorded. By contrast, companies exported 7.1% less to the EU – still the most important trading partner of the Swiss MEM industries by far, accounting for more than 60% of exports – than they did in the first quarter of 2011. Although a double-digit decline in exports was recorded in many European countries, exports to the key market of Germany (27.6% of MEM exports) developed in a relatively stable manner (-2.5%). The investment climate is proving restrained as a result of the austerity policies in place in many European countries. The outlook for the EU as the MEM industries’ key market is therefore muted. Capacity utilization in the MEM industries was a healthy 89.9% in the first quarter of 2012, but declined to 85.2%, which is below the long-term average of 86.4%, at the start of the second quarter.
Uncertain situation: need to avoid additional burdens
Stagnating markets and a significant overvaluation of the franc have greatly increased the pressure on companies from the MEM industries to adapt over the last two years. Dwindling margins that have culminated in losses are forcing companies to make extra efforts in the area of innovation. Additional efficiency gains, cost reductions and increased flexibility at operating level are essential if companies are to regain their competitiveness. Swissmem is therefore calling for the following steps to be taken to support this process:
- Innovation activity needs to be further strengthened at tertiary education level, and the budget of the CTI should be increased. In the future, this innovation agency needs access to at least CHF 150 million for development projects with industry alone. In addition, the CTI needs to be given a new organizational form that offers more flexibility and allows for a long-term and sustainable innovation promotion strategy.
- The first package of measures for the implementation of the Energy Strategy 2050 put forward by the Federal Council envisages an increase in the fiscal burden of various energy sources (CO2 levy, compensatory feed-in remuneration), to which Swissmem is resolutely opposed. The planned massive price increases for electricity would further hamper the Swiss export industry in its efforts to compete internationally.
- High priority should be given to concluding the planned free trade agreements with China and India. In view of the anticipated long-term economic weakness in Europe, ensuring that MEM companies have customs-free access to these growth markets is extremely important.
- Switzerland’s relationships with its key trading partners – including its European neighbours, for example, which have a key role to play for companies in the MEM industries despite the ongoing debt crisis – need to be carefully cultivated at a political level. In this context, the current initiative «State treaties before the people!» by the AUNS (Movement for an Independent and Neutral Switzerland) is having a counter-productive effect, as it threatens jobs, weakens Switzerland’s negotiating positions, and thereby damages the open Swiss economy. Swissmem rejects this initiative.
Zurich, 24 May 2012
For further information, please contact:
Ivo Zimmermann, Head of Communications
Tel.: +41 (0)44 384 48 50 / mobile: +41 (0)79 580 04 84


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Over 300 stakeholders from across the Government, Banking and
To shape India’s continued ascendancy in FinTech, build the narrative for future strategy and policy efforts, and to deliberate steps for comprehensive financial inclusion, NITI Aayog organized a day-long FinTech Conclave in New Delhi today. The Conclave featuredrepresentatives from across the financial space – central ministries, regulators, bankers, startups, investors, service providers and entrepreneurs.
MrShaktikanta Das, Governor of RBI inaugurated the Conclave in the presence of Mr Amitabh Kant, CEO, NITI Aayog and MrSubhash Chandra Garg, Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance.
Giving the keynote address on ‘Opportunities and Challenges of FinTech’, Mr Das noted that FinTech has the potential to reshape the financial services and financial inclusion landscape in India in fundamental ways. He said, “We have to strike a subtle balance between effectively utilising FinTech while minimising its systemic impacts. By enabling technologies and managing risks, we can help create a new financial system which is more inclusive, cost-effective and resilient.”
Mr Kant noted the need to evolve regulatory and policy paradigms keeping in mind the need of nearly 450 million millennials of India to access institutional credit and charting out the future of fintech in India in light of digital technologies such as blockchain and artificial intelligence.
Government of India’s efforts focused on Digital India and developing India Stack including Voluntary Aadhaar for financial inclusion have evoked significant interest from various stakeholders in the area of Financial Technology (FinTech).
India is one of the fastest growing FinTech markets globally and industry research has projected that USD 1 Trillion or 60% of retail and SME credit, will be digitally disbursed by 2029. The Indian FinTech ecosystem is the third largest in the globe.
The Indian FinTech industry is creating cutting edge intellectual property assets in advanced risk management and artificial intelligence that will propel India forward in the global digital economy while simultaneously enabling paperless access to finance for every Indian.
The Conclave constituted parallel tracks, which looked into various dimensions of the future of the FinTech, particularly the areas of:
- Digital Onboarding of Customers and Merchants for Financial Inclusion
- Building Financial Products for Bharat
- Emerging Areas of FinTech
- Fast tracking investment in FinTech industry
- Financial Inclusion of MSMEs
The group on fast tracking investment in FinTech sector outlined the need for open banking to be introduced in India and data aggregation utilities be facilitated within innovative frameworks such as regulatory sandboxes. The group also sought to explore introduction of a new sub-class of Non-banking Finance Companies (NBFCs) exclusively for fintech-centric companies to encourage innovation and targeted policy, while also increasing avenues for investor capital.
The track dealing with digital onboarding of customers and merchants for financial inclusion recommended bringing clarity to existing policies, and ensuring consistent and formal guidelines are evolved through consensus among the regulators and the stakeholders. The group also explored the scalability and cost affordability of proposed solutions, with proper awareness generation with regard to risk mitigation and fraud prevention.
Looking at the emerging areas of FinTech, the group considered opening up access to data within a larger framework of informed consent and adequate privacy safeguards. The group discussed the need for India to lead the digital asset revolution, which shall boost India’s technical competitiveness and also create cutting-edge jobs. Expanding the roles of business correspondents to supply financial services rather than just banking services and establishing a single source of aggregated, anonymised, consent-governed data was recommended as crucial towards ensuring proper data governance.
To build financial products for Bharat, deliberations revolved around introducing 100% paperless and presence-less eKYC and eSign. Designing customised credit products for nearly 450 millennials, particularly the 2/3rds who continue to belong the underserved regions of the country, was deemed necessary to expand access. Light touch, integrated regulation to enhance inclusion to bottom-of-the-pyramid users without additional regulatory burden for NBFCs.
The group focussing on financial inclusion of MSMEs recommended increasing funding sources and capital supply for MSMEsby introducing sectoral caps and increased margin size. Building capacity by creation of ‘smart MSMEs’, expanding access to alternate data sources for underwriting and democratising access to government-led MSME ecosystem were other recommendations brought forward.
Going forward, the above recommendations shall be fleshed out and further detailed for feasibility of implementation through cross-sectoral consultations by the NITI Aayog, who has been mandated with expanding digital literacy and promoting financial inclusion.


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Albern Murty (pictured) has been appointed chief executive officer of Digi. Murty is a Digi veteran who has been with the company since 2002.
Murty was appointed chief operating officer in 2014 and prior to that, he was the chief marketing officer responsible for driving the company's overall revenue growth. He has held previous management roles as head of strategy & new business, and co-chief marketing officer.
Before Digi, Murty held key business and commercial management roles in Lucent Technologies across the Asian region.
"Murty has grown through the ranks of Digi, and has contributed strongly to the company's relentless customer focus and its innovative Internet for All approach. He has played a central role in driving the company's operations and results in his time with the senior management team at Digi, and is a proven and capable business leader," Sigve Brekke, chairman of Digi.Com Bhd and Head of region Asia, Telenor Group said.
Murty added: "DiGi has a strong market presence in Malaysia, and possesses a solid track record of performance excellence and innovation. I look forward to working with my highly talented and passionate colleagues in Digi to drive the next phase of our growth story, and most importantly to continue to delight and inspire our customers every day.”
Meanwhile current CEO Lars-Ake Norling will be assuming the role of CEO of Telenor's Thai business unit, dtac. Telenor Group is a 49% shareholder of Digi.
Earlier last month, Digi Telecommunications also launched a refreshed brand identity with a brand promise to be “the enabler of digital inspiration”. The brand refresh was rolled out across all customer touchpoints, including its website, social media channels, advertising, company infrastructures and retail outlets nationwide.


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As DogeCoin Competes With Bitcoin are we in the early stages of Commodity Boom, commodity shortages all over the world – April 22, 2021
One could argue in the modern era, even the Conservative Politicans in the Western World are Conservative in name only, with that said in the G7, Japan appears to have the most Conservaitve political leadership as Canada, France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom and even the United States have to a great degree gone Left.
What this equates to is a heavily regulated economic outlook, in which the government using the Al Gore derived scam, once called global warming now called ‘climate change’ or a ‘climate emergency’ can now be used to ramped-up government spending, increase government waste, tac on more bureaucracy and do to ALL commodities what’s already been done to the tobacco industry.
What does a new regulatory environmental-based world order look like? It means everything gets more expensive and there will be fewer options and more people and more entities dump physical labor for companies larger enough to navigate through all the Government red tape.
What this also means is that certain countries that might be run by dictators, may yield lots of financial opportunities, if you can handle the risk. It’s unlikely austerity measures will even be considered for the next 20 years. This means that a deflationary economy being covered up with central bank liquidity very well might be normalized, by normalized I mean higher prices for everything, which often means a boom time for commodities.
There hasn’t been a deflation period for tobacco, the government response to get people to stop smoking is to RAISE the price of cigarettes, I suspect, the government will take a similar approach to fossil fuels, they’re going to raise the prices, we already see that with carbon tax schemes, but I think this is only the beginning because what’s most likely going to happen is that companies are simply going to abandon the space, equating to a new economy, which has a lot more scarce resources.
The cryptocurrency community has recently helped the government by detailing the dirty way commodities like gold, silver, and copper are mined, they’re doing this mostly in hopes Bitcoin will rise, at present Dogecoin has been rising. DogeCoin began as a joke and most people in the Bitcoin space, don’t seem to comprehend that the world is fine with digital currencies, however, the world can’t function without PHYSICAL commodities.
Even in the digital space, I’d argue, the Microsoft products offer more value than cryptocurrencies? But Bitcoin is valued more than Apple and Microsoft. The believers in Bitcoin, appear to be creating a commodities boom as more people start to ask the question ‘if bitcoin disappeared, would anyone even care or even notice?’.
I like blockchain technology, it’s been around for a long time, I like that bitcoin helped to get it off the ground, but commodities is where the big boys play and although the central bankers appear to have the situation under control, what’s getting more obvious is inflation, which equates to fewer people having the ability to hoard dollars if they’re not invested cashflow producing liquid assets.
Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies, in general, don’t pay a dividend, don’t offer any cash flow, in fact, they want it to be deflationary and as more policymakers understand the cashout process of Bitcoin, if a person hoarding bitcoins cashes out, they’d be subject to taxes they get higher as the fiat dollar depreciates.
Many of us live off of commodity dividends and during a boom cycle, that’s usually when commodities really start paying good dividends. My personal portfolio is filled with commodities that paid me dividends during COVID-19. My crypto assets at best went up in value, I still hate the digital wallet with passion.
I’m not selling my crypto because I don’t need to, but when I read the comments of most people in crypto, they’re gambling on price inflation, and that screams ‘rookie investor’. I know some people with lots of money, hundreds of millions and billions and they’re capable of manipulating crypto prices because they’ve shown me.
What can’t be easily manipulated are physical commodity prices, even fiat dollars can’t manipulate commodity prices, as many people know, both silver and gold are sold out almost everywhere and at a discount because of government manipulation of price.
During a commodity shortage, it is what it is, the sticker price shouldn’t be confused with shortages, regulations are price controls, they might not be OVERT price controls, but they’re price controls and price controls simply mean that as an investor you’ll have to dig a bit deeper to know what’s really happening in a particular commodity market!
The ascension of DogeCoin should serve as a warning that the cryptocurrency markets might be manipulated. If this proves to be true, I’d argue we’re headed for a commodity price boom! For most people it’s hard to believe how smart some of these rich people are, I listen to rich people speak all the time, and bait and switch is how they operate, via your ignorance I can make you sell it to me at a much cheaper price.
Interesting times ahead!


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Connecting with Customers in a Competitive Marketplace: Spotlight on Australia
The declining performance of department stores and the growth in eCommerce have seen retailers realise exactly how critical customer engagement across multiple channels really is. With 32% of Australian consumers now spending as much online, as they do in store – according to the Connecting with Customers Report commissioned by LivePerson – retailers are starting to realise just how important a multi-channel customer strategy is to survival.
In fact, findings from Frost & Sullivan’s recent Online Shopping Market 2013 report for Australia predicts that online spending will reach AU$18 billion by the end of this year. The report also found that roughly 30% of Australian Internet users aged between 15 and 65 have bought physical goods through their smartphones in the last 12 months. Based on these findings it is hard to ignore that fact that investment in multi-channel strategies will allow retailers to enhance their cross-platform offerings and provide consumers with the benefits of an increasingly integrated and online shopping experience.
Don’t be fooled however - it’s not all easy sailing. The Connecting with the Customers report also revealed Australian shoppers are less likely to be satisfied with the customer service they receive online compared to in-store, with 73% of respondents indicating they are satisfied with customer service when shopping in store, and 64% are satisfied with online customer service. Retailers need to maximise the opportunities created by ‘channel blur’ - where there is often inconsistency in the level of service provided to customers across different channels. Retailers need to meet changes in consumer behaviour across different platforms. For example, whilst the mobile platform can often be seen as an add-on, this mind set needs to change given the exponential increase in the number of transactions being processed through this channel. Ultimately, all channels – regardless of platform and audience – need to provide the same look, feel and experience across each.
Customers are also becoming more demanding when it comes to seeking assistance when shopping online - but who can blame them? Retailers need to ensure that a multi-channel strategy isn’t implemented at the detriment of customer service. Adding new channels means new ways for engagement, so resources – both in terms of technology and people – need to be reflective of this. At the moment we are seeing a gap between customer service delivered in-store compared to that online. If you don’t understand what your customers are looking for online, and don’t offer help at the right time through a personalised approach, your customers are less likely to spend time on your site and may even abandon a purchase altogether. In fact, 53% of Australian online consumers will abandon a purchase if help isn’t received within the right time frame, according to the Connecting with the Customers report.
Customer engagement is known to increase customer spend and loyalty, and is paramount in the quest to reduce abandonment rates and enhance website ‘stickiness’. Ultimately, the purchasing decision is down to the customer but, as a retailer, being able to offer intelligent support and guidance in real-time where and how it’s required, such as through a live chat solution, will help create a better and more personalised experience for the customer. In turn, this will close the gap between service delivered online and in-store, ensuring the customer will return to your site, which will prove to be a serious competitive advantage for businesses.


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Digital mailbox service Kivra is first to introduce PSD2 account payment to Finland
The Kivra digital mailbox service that is used by over 3.5 million people in Sweden will arrive in Finland in the wake of the PSD2 directive. The service enables companies to quickly boost the efficiency of their invoicing and is an easy way for people to replace paper documents with more environmentally friendly choices. Kivra’s principal owners in Finland are Kivra AB, Telia Company and Resurs Bank.
Every year, half a billion documents are sent to private individuals by Finnish companies, public administration and other organisations. About 60% of these are still sent as paper documents, even though digital services would save money, boost the efficiency of processes and considerably reduce the environmental burden.
The new Kivra digital mailbox service aims to reduce paper mail transactions by a third from the current level within a couple of years. Kivra is the first provider in Finland to offer online payments enabled by the PSD2 Payment Services Directive directly from a personal bank account without a separate payment card. These payments can already be made from accounts at Nordea, OP, S-Pankki and Danske Bank, and the other banks will follow in the spring.
“We hope that the effortlessness of Kivra will inspire as many people as possible to switch their paper invoices to a new, environmentally friendly option.”Tuire Mäkelä, Telia’s Head of Commercial Payment Solutions
A number of large companies that send paper or email invoices to a total of 1.5 million customers are joining Kivra right from the beginning. One of these invoicing companies is Telia Finland, which will start communicating their customers about the new digital payment option from next week onwards.
“Kivra is an excellent example of new digital services helping us manage our daily lives. Even though the majority of our customers already receive their invoices digitally, we still send out over four million paper invoices annually. We hope that the effortlessness of Kivra will inspire as many people as possible to switch their paper invoices to a new, environmentally friendly option”, says Tuire Mäkelä, Telia’s Head of Commercial Payment Solutions.
Kivra started operations in Sweden in 2011 and is today the market leader in digital services in the country, with over 3.5 million users and 20,000 organisations sending messages through the service. In Sweden, Kivra is used by companies as well as public administrations, such as the tax authorities, health services and the police.
The owners of Kivra Oy are Kivra AB, Telia Company and Resurs Bank. The service’s partners include invoicing operators Ropo Capital, PostNord Strålfors and CGI, which handle the implementation of the service on behalf of the sender companies. Other invoicing operators will also be joining the service.
Kivra in a nutshell
- Kivra is a digital mailbox service for interaction between companies and consumers.
- With Kivra you can receive, process and archive invoices and other documents digitally and securely, while saving natural resources.
- Kivra is the first service in Finland to make payments according to the PSD2 directive from a personal bank account available to consumers.
- Kivra notifies users of new invoices and reminds them of upcoming due dates. Old invoices can easily be found in the invoicer-specific archive.
- The owners of Kivra Oy are Kivra AB, Telia Company and Resurs Bank. Kivra Oy was established in 2018. The service will be launched in February 2020.
- Kivra is the world’s first digital mailbox service to receive Climate Positive certification for its work to benefit the climate (Clipop.org).
- Kivra was voted the second most purposeful digital brand in Sweden by consumers in 2019 (Lynexeu, Purposeful Brands study).
Additional information and interview requests:
Marketing Director Maija Leivo, Kivra Oy, tel. +358 50 522 2322, email@example.com
Pictures and other background material can be found in the media bank: https://kivra.contenthub.fi/


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2 Popular Car Brands Are Seeing An Increase In Thefts Because Of A New TikTok Challenge
Social media is a fun way to learn about the happenings of the world. Whether It’s just a silly, entertaining video or something educational, scrolling apps like Instagram and TikTok are part of pretty much everyone’s daily lives. However, sometimes they can lead you down a bad path.
r example, there was the “shell on challenge” where teens would eat different foods while still in their packaging. Then there’s the “48-hour challenge” where teens would hide from their family for 48-hours. And how about the Benadryl challenge, where participants film themselves consuming large amounts of Benadryl (like 10-20 pills) at one time and post the videos on TikTok.
Now, there’s another dangerous challenge out there—one that’s literally making teenagers turn to thieves and steal cars straight off the street.
@jezdaking Kia boy makes a master key #kiaboy #trending #fyp #jezdaking #kia #masterkey ♬ Monkeys Spinning Monkeys – Kevin MacLeod & Kevin The Monkey
Specifically, teens are targeting specific makes and models of 2010-2021 Kia and Hyundai vehicles—the ones that take a mechanical key, not a key fob and push-button, to start the car. Ever since the challenge became known last year, stolen cars have increased extensively across the country.
Specifically, St. Petersburg, Florida discovered that more than a third of the city’s thefts were connected to the TikTok challenge. In fact, according to Los Angeles officials, the challenge has increased car theft of Hyundais and Kias to 85% compared with last year.
“In our jurisdiction alone, [thefts of certain models are] up over 800% in the last month,” said Chicago Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart. “We see no end in sight.”
So how does it work? The teens break into cars by popping off the steering wheel column before hot wiring the car using a USB cable. It’s pretty simple and only takes a short amount of time—which is why it’s grown to be as popular as it is.
The participants will take videos of themselves stealing and driving the cars, typically providing the hashtag “Kia Boys,” which currently has more than 33 million views on TikTok.
“The viral nature of how this has taken off on social media — it’s accelerated this like we’ve never seen,” Dart said. ”[The perpetrators are] doing it in 20 to 30 seconds. It literally is as old-fashioned as you can imagine.”
Another problem is sometimes the teens doing the challenge aren’t even old enough to drive—and the ones who are take the cars they steal on a joy ride and may even go off and commit other crimes, or abandon the car on the side of a random road.
@princessmehgan They broke into my car today 😔😔💔🙏🏽 this so messed up #explore ♬ original sound – Princess 👸🏾
“We had an 11-year-old who was one of our most prolific stealers … the notion that they can drive is a fantasy,” Dart said.
According to a statement by TikTok, the app “does not condone this behavior which violates our policies and will be removed if found on our platform.”
Have you heard of this challenge before? Do you know any teens who’ve participated in it?


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This event is now fully booked.
Barely a week goes by without a news story about artificial intelligence or robotics. From Amazon’s first checkout-free grocery store to algorithms helping with everything from medical diagnoses to movie selection, machines are completing tasks better than human beings.
For contact centres, AI and robotics offer enormous potential in the way they meet customer need and drive down costs. Last year, Curium Solutions worked with University of Birmingham MBA student Syed Munshi to review the impact of AI and robotics technologies on contact centres.
For contact centres, automation offers cost savings of up to 75%. It is repeatable, scalable and transformative. But, according to research, many in the contact centre world are yet to get a handle on these new technologies.
Curium has now joined forces with the UK CCF and Martin Hill-Wilson to run this exclusive event. In it, we’ll explore AI terminology and technologies, look at how contact centres can make the best use of AI and robotics, and discuss strategies for managing transformative change.


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iPhone 14 Pro Max design first look! It is coming for Galaxy S22’s bezels
iPhone 14 Pro Max leaked schematics reveal a new front design for the iPhone 14 Pro Max. Here are all details.
The iPhone 14 Pro is going to be a major upgrade in terms of design, suggest all the rumours surrounding Apple's next-gen iPhone. Why the biggest? That is because the iPhone has stuck to the display notch since 2017 and by now, it looks dated in comparison to the hole-cutouts and under-display camera tech. Rumours have it that the notch is going and in its place will sit punch-hole camera cutouts. Now, some schematics have leaked online, showing how the iPhone 14 Pro Max will look like from the front.
Alleged iPhone 14 Pro Max schematics shared by ShrimpApplePro on Twitter and spotted by the media suggest how the iPhone 14 Pro Max could look like. These are CAD renders and hence, most of it is plain lines depicting the dimensions. At the first glance, it looks unmistakably like an iPhone but the changes are welcome, especially coming from the iPhone 13 Pro Max and its bulky camera notch.
iPhone 14 Pro Max too look leaner
The iPhone 14 Pro Max CAD renders reveal a revamped new design at the front. The display notch is gone and in its place sits a weird cutout holding the Face ID sensors and the front camera. The side bezels are thinner too when compared to the iPhone 13 Pro Max. The display doesn't look as immersive as a Samsung Galaxy S22 in comparison but it is certainly a step in the right direction.
Note that these renders are not verified and hence, you should take it with a pinch of salt. Apple is yet to comment on this officially and given that there're lots of months left for the iPhone 14 to break cover, we should keep an eye for leaks coming from more trusted sources.
Rumours have it that the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max are going to get the biggest upgrades this year. The rear main camera is said tone updated to a 48MP main sensor from tech current 12MP main camera, while the other two cameras remain unchanged. The Pro variants will also get the A16 chip and a couple of other upgrades all around.
The base iPhone 14 is said to retain its 60Hz OLED display once again with the iPhone 13-like notch. The iPhone “mini” version will be discarded in favour of a new iPhone 14 Max, which is said to have a 6.7-inch display. These phones are less likely to get the A61 chip and could continue using the A15 chip for another year.


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LOS ANGELES, April 24, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Vcheck Instant LLC has launched a new consumer-based search service that makes it easier and more affordable to perform criminal and people searches.
Developed by the founders of Vcheck Global, a market leader in FCRA-compliant due diligence, investigations, background check, tenant and employment screening solutions, Chairman Shai Stern and CEO Michael Adams recognized the need for more transparency in the non-FCRA criminal record check market.
Responding to mounting criticism over industry policies of hidden subscription fees and teaser information, VcheckInstant.com has based their model on upfront rates, sample content, full disclosures, no recurring billing, and absolutely no re-selling of its customer details.
VcheckInstant also offers medical provider screening tools for those choosing a new physician or health care professional. Says Michael Adams, CEO, "The Affordable Care Act has prompted many families to seek out a trusted health care provider for the first time, and our unique service allows a one-stop solution to identify and weed out those who have been sanctioned by the government for fraud, patient assault, and unethical behavior."
VcheckInstant.com's criminal and sex offender records are offered exclusively to individual consumers for searches of babysitters, housekeepers, rideshare partners, youth coaches, new relationships, and other individuals that interact with family members. The company emphasizes that their product is not FCRA compliant and cannot be used for hiring, credit purposes, or other uses governed by the FTC and other agencies.
VcheckInstant also sets itself apart by offering prepaid bundle purchases. Customers can set up a one-time 'reserve bank', then search different types records at their convenience. Search costs as low as $.50 and special volume rates make the service very affordable.
"We have developed a better quality, friendlier, simpler, affordable, and trustworthy source for criminal record, sanctioned health professional and people searches," says Adams. "We are confident consumers will recognize our organization as a family-friendly, safe place to do business".
Very simple, very affordable, and very trustworthy. VcheckInstant.com.
SOURCE Vcheck Instant LLC


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The champagne powder is waiting for you at Big White Ski Resort along with a glass of red wine!
The 11th annual Big Reds Wine Festival lets you combine the best of both worlds - skiing and tasting delicious local red wine.
On Friday, December 7 as well as Saturday, December 8, Okanagan’s best winemakers will be on the mountain at the Village Centre Mall from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Come and learn about the wines made in British Columbia from the experts. This relaxed and informal setting will give visitors the time to interact and get inside the minds of the people behind the award-winning wines of the Okanagan Valley.
With a focus on red wine, this event will feature mouth-watering Merlots, rich Cabernets, elaborate blends, subtle pinot noirs, and more!
You don’t want to wait to grab these hot tickets either. “There are only 300 tickets available per night, with Saturday night already being sold out,” said Mason Buettner, communications manager at Big White Ski Resort. “This event always sells out!”
In addition to the 25 wineries showcasing their favourite sips, five local on-mountain food and beverage outlets will be hosting food tastings.
Tickets are $65 per person, per night. While single tickets for Saturday night are sold out, those who would like to take advantage of wine tasting through the whole weekend can still purchase two-night tickets for $120. You can get your tickets here.
Accommodation packages are also available for those who want to make it a fun weekend at one of BC’s winter wonderlands. See Big White’s ‘full-bodied’ specials here.


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Hewlett-Packard is redesigning the computer from the ground up. That includes an overhaul of operating system techology, which it believes has been "stagnant" for decades. Android is a major focus.
Hewlett-Packard talks about its project for reinventing a "stale, decades-old" computing paradigm at its Discover conference in Las Vegas.
Researchers have translated the behavior of slime mold into "emotions" and displayed them, just as you'd expect, on a creepy robot face.
Our new feature serves up some witty and thought-provoking comments from Crave readers.
Hynix signs on to manufacture the once-theoretical memory resistor developed in HP Labs. The first commercial product will arrive in "three to five years."
Discovery from HP Labs into the untapped potential of the memristor chip could open the door for major advancements in the design and processing power of computers.
Researchers at U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology have created a flexible memristor, which can be bent or twisted and remain functional.
What is man? What is a resistor? In a rare example of metaphysics helping physics, the idea of the memristor was born.
Over three decades ago, a Berkeley professor theorized that there should be a circuit that can remember what's happened to it. Now, HP is demonstrating it actually exists.
Yo' momma is so fat. How fat is she? She's so fat she has two Wiis, one for each...OK, never mind. In other news, Microsoft walked out on Yahoo. Is it for good this time?