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Shu Jueting: Friends from the press, good afternoon. Welcome to MOFCOM regular press conference. First, I have an announcement to make.
On the special ministerial conference of the Forum for Economic and Trade Co-operation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries
The special ministerial conference of the Forum for Economic and Trade Co-operation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries (Forum Macao) will be held in Macao on April 10, 2022. Government delegations from China and eight Portuguese-speaking countries, including Angola, Brazil, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique, Portugal, Sao Tome and Principe and Timor Leste, will attend this special conference online.
The theme of this special conference is "Fighting COVID-19 Together for Common Development". The major activities include the opening ceremony, the special conference and the inauguration ceremony of the China-Portugal Center for COVID-19 Response. Participants to the forum will also sign a Joint Declaration.
The Forum Macao, founded in Macao in October 2003, is an intergovernmental multilateral economic and trade cooperation mechanism with the theme of economic and trade promotion and development, launched and sponsored by the Central People's Government of China, organized by the government of Macao Special Administrative Region, and attended by eight Portuguese-speaking countries, including Angola, Brazil, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique, Portugal, Sao Tome and Principe and Timor Leste. The forum aims to give full play to Macao's role as a platform linking China and Portuguese-speaking countries, strengthen economic, trade and cultural exchanges between China and Portuguese-speaking countries, and promote the common development of the Mainland, Macao and Portuguese-speaking countries. This special conference will create new momentum for deepening mutually beneficial cooperation between China and Portuguese-speaking countries, cooperation against the pandemic, and the economic development of participating countries. It will also bring new opportunities for Macao to consolidate its position as a service platform for business cooperation between China and Portuguese-speaking countries and appropriately diversify its economy.
That concludes the announcement. Now I’m ready to take your questions.
The floor is open.
Phoenix TV: On March 25, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) of the United States announced that China Telecom Americas and China Mobile International (USA) Inc. were included in the list of communications equipment and services that pose a threat to national security (also known as the list of untrusted vendors). What's the comment of the Ministry of Commerce?
Shu Jueting: China has noticed the relevant reports. The FCC's move aims to suppress Chinese enterprises again after wantonly revoking Chinese companies’ section 214 authorization recently. The United States generalizes the concept of national security, puts Chinese companies on the so-called "list of untrusted vendors" with no factual basis, restricts the market access of business products and services, imposes sanctions on and suppresses enterprises by abusing the power of state, seriously violates the basic market principles and recognized international economic and trade rules, and damages the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese companies and their consumers, including American users. China firmly opposes this.
The U.S. side should immediately correct its wrongdoings, stop politicizing economic and trade issues, and provide a fair, stable and non-discriminatory market environment for the operation of companies from all countries, including China, in the United States. China will take necessary measures to resolutely safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese companies. Thank you.
The Paper: The European Commission has recently agreed on rules of Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM). After a transitional period, the EU will officially levy “carbon tariffs” starting from 2026. What’s MOFCOM’s comment on CBAM? Does MOFCOM regard it as covert trade protectionism? What are its possible impacts on China-EU trade?
Shu Jueting: We have noticed that the European Commission has recently reached an agreement on draft legislation of CBAM. China hopes that EU legislative measures should be in keeping with WTO rules and refrain from erecting new trade barriers, so as to liberalize and facilitate green trade and investment and foster synergy to combat the challenge of climate change. Thank you.
CNBC: This round of resurging domestic pandemic has stalled production in many places. How will it impact Chinese foreign trade companies, particularly the micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs)?
Shu Jueting: We are paying close attention to the impact of this round of Covid-19 reemergence on foreign trade businesses, MSMEs in particular. Judging from the feedback we have received, some foreign trade companies have faced such temporary issues as disrupted business activities and chocked logistics, as a result of the pandemic. Meanwhile, as problems including rising raw material costs, impeded cross-border maritime transport and clogged supply chains have not been substantially addressed, foreign trade businesses, especially MSMEs, are still faced with grave operational pressure.
In response to the difficulties and challenges of the businesses, MOFCOM will work with relevant authorities and local governments to make sure that policies to stabilize foreign trade are thoroughly implemented. We will carry out tax and fee cuts, improve the business environment, and help address logistics and transportation bottlenecks, to keep industrial and supply chains of foreign trade companies stable and unimpeded. Meanwhile, we will instruct local authorities to introduce supports tailored to their local conditions, to jointly help foreign trade companies overcome risks and challenges. Thank you.
The Reuters: U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai recently said that the U.S. would more actively pressure China and that the U.S. was preparing for a new approach to China trade policy. What’s MOFCOM’s response? Plus, What are the latest updates from the communication between Chinese and U.S. economic and trade teams?
Shu Jueting: We believe that the U.S., as a WTO member, should align its trade policies and practices with WTO rules, instead of starting it all over again and pursuing unilateralism and protectionism under the pretext of “new approach to trade policy”. For China and the U.S., with enormous common interests, cooperation is the only right choice. It is hoped that the U.S. adopt rational and practical China trade policies, work towards the same goals as China, and pursue sound and stable development of China-U.S. trade and economic relations in the spirit of mutual respect and mutual benefit. This serves the fundamental interests of the two peoples and meets the expectation of the international community.
Right now, our trade and economic teams are in normal contact. Thank you.
TASS: It is reported that Saudi Arabia is considering using RMB in settle oil deals with China. Some experts believe that in a complex international climate, such a step bears great political and strategic significance. Recently, Russia and China plan to expand the usage of their national currencies in bilateral and international trade. What’s MOFCOM’s outlook for the continuing use of rubles and RMB in China-Russia trade settlement? What’s China’s assessment on such a possibility?
Shu Jueting: As for settlement in national currencies, I would refer you to the competent authority. China will conduct normal trade and economic cooperation with countries in a spirit of mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit. Thank you.
Bloomberg: The U.S. Department of Commerce on Monday announced an investigation into solar panels imported from four Southeast Asian nations for alleged circumvention of tariffs by Chinese solar producers. What's the comment of MOFCOM?
Shu Jueting: The U.S. Department of Commerce has decided to launch an investigation into alleged circumvention of duties by PV makers in Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand and Cambodia at the request of an American PV company. We have noticed that this decision has been widely opposed by the PV industry in the U.S., which believes that this will seriously harm the development of PV power generation projects in the U.S., cause a huge blow to the solar energy market in the U.S., directly affect nearly 90% of the employment of the PV industry in the U.S., while undermining the efforts made by the U.S. to cope with climate change.
It is hoped that the U.S. will avoid trade protectionist measures, keep global PV industrial and supply chains stable, and promote cooperation against climate change. Thank you.
Shu Jueting: Are there any other questions? If not, this is the end of the press conference. Thank you.
(All information published on this website is authentic in Chinese. English is provided for reference only.)


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Altilia finalist at IBM Smart Camp 2014
July 3, 2014 | Milan, Italy
ALTILIA is one of the four startups selected as finalist at #IBMsmartcamp.
Join us on july 3 at IBM Client Center in Segrate, Milan. Sign in now!
ALTILIA has been selected as finalist in the italian edition of "Smart Camp 2014", the IBM project for startups. The winner will gain access to useful benefits and resources to progress the company in the international scenario.
Registration is needed to partecipate to the public event session:
IBM Client Center
July 3, 2014
02:00 p.m. - 06:00 p.m.
Central European Time
Via Circonvallazione Idroscalo
Forum , Auditorium
Innovation from the startup community is critical to building a smarter planet. This isn’t something IBM can do on our own. When you combine this innovation with the technology, scale and resources of IBM, everyone wins.
IBM has a deep commitment to the entrepreneurial community. Since launching the IBM Global Entrepreneur program focused on working with startups in 2010, we have helped launch hundreds of businesses. IBM SmartCamps, a part of IBM’s Global Entrepreneur program, offer a variety of ways for entrepreneurs to grow their business, get access to leading experts and technology, and ultimately get their products to market faster. SmartCamps judge the best startups around the globe, rewarding the winners with mentoring, services, access to industry experts and deeper partnership opportunities from IBM, industry partners and venture capital firms.
Be a part of the excitement. Register to join us at one of our SmartCamp events.

domain: news


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Videos and games available for download online are to be given age classifications under a new plan from the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC).
The plan, called BBFC.online, has been created in response to independent research that reports 74 percent of parents are concerned about the lack of ratings on downloads. It will introduce an "age verification or gate-keeping system" to help parents to monitor and control what their children are downloading.
Disney, Warner Brothers and Fox are among the studios that have already signed up. It is expected that by May more than 1,000 videos will have online certificates.
Peter Johnson, head of policy at the BBFC, explained that online games would not be affected by the system.
"If what you're doing is providing the game to the consumer and you're using the internet as a form of delivery, as an alternative to mail order or shops, then that's included in the scheme. If the gameplay is hosted online then that's not included in the scheme," he explained.
Johnson added the BBFC would work in conjunction with gaming industry body Pegi to regulate online gaming.
"We don't need to set up in rivalry with Pegi online. We can work cooperatively," he said.


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If you don’t have a Nexus device lying around but you do have an old Sony Xperia Z3, you can now give Android N a shot. Sony has released an official Android N Developer Preview build for the aging Z3 for developers to try their apps ... Read More »
Google recently announced a discount on the Pixel C tablet for developers. With the release of the Android N Developer Preview, Google wanted to give developers a chance to test their apps on the new version of Android ahead of ... Read More »
With the switch to Lollipop and Material Design, Android suddenly became whitewashed. All the menus were light-colored and bright, something a lot of people didn’t appreciate. I’m one of them, and I still haven’t really grown to like the white menus used in Lollipop (and TouchWiz for the last year). Read More »
Most Tweeted This Week
Despite the questionable future for the most well known smart eye-wear product, Google Glass, there seems to be plenty of companies looking to fill the void that Google has at least temporarily left behind.
Sony is looking to get their take on smart headgear out the door in early March, but to be ... Read More »
I was a little bummed when I learned this weekend that iOS would be getting the Pebble appstore first. I was mostly bumming because we were getting one of those “coming soon to Android” stories that we hear all the time which usually means it’s really not that close. However, Pebble did us Android users ... Read More »
The Android community is absolutely massive. You can select from dozens of ROMs for most devices, each ROM being unique and special in its own way. But the two biggest ROMs in the world are CyanogenMod and AOKP, in that order. Both are open source and thrive off of user submitted code, and both are ... Read More »
Today, Samsung has announced the Samsung Developer Conference 2013 where all sorts of developers can learn about what Samsung has to offer. Details are fairly light, but we do know that it will take place from October 27 to October 29 at the Westin St. Francis Hotel in San Francisco. So, what will be happening ... Read More »
It’s a pretty well-known fact that some Android apps out there lack a bit in the “pretty and easy-to-use” department. More often than not, these apps have well-designed counterparts on other platforms like iOS and Windows Phone. As a result, Android has always been thought of as the ugly duckling ... Read More »
The Android platform has been evolving rapidly, and Google keeps growing with its many services and products. These are two of the main reasons why Google I/O has become one of the biggest events in the tech industry. Last year, tickets sold out in less than an hour, and things are becoming quite difficult ... Read More »
As we count down to the release of the next version of Android, codenamed Ice Cream Sandwich, more clues are beginning to drop. Today Google made a post on the Android Developers blog that informs devs of how to prepare their apps for Ice Cream Sandwich.
Scott Main, lead tech writer for ... Read More »


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Airtel strikes back offering free data for 90 days for its 4G users
Reliance Jio has clearly put every Telecom network in India in a difficult position and now Airtel has begun doing what you might have already expected it to, by now.
And the first one to act is India’s largest Telecom service provider, Airtel.
Airtel has started offering free data for 90 days, exclusively for all of its 4G consumers.
ALL ABOUT THE NEW AIRTEL OFFER:
The offer is only for Airtel’s 4G users and it allows them free data for 90 days from the time of activation.
However, it’s not exactly free. Because the Fair Usage Policy (FUP) will be applicable.
Also Read : iPhone 7 for Rs.1700
The users will be allowed free data with a data cap of 30 GB over the 90 day period.
Which means, after the users have consumed 30 GB, data speeds will reduced to 2G.
AIRTEL 4G OFFER RATES:
Users who are already using Airtel 4G can claim this 3 month offer for Rs. 1495/-
While the new comers can obtain for Rs.1494/-
Airtel 4G offer got released today in Delhi. It will be available for the rest of the country in the next few days.
Also Read : LinkedIn Placement Online test
So, it’s basically the same rate that Mukesh Ambani recently said what Reliance Jio will charge its 4G data users : Rs.50 per GB, after its “3 month welcome offer” gets over.
HOW IS IT DIFFERENT FROM RELIANCE JIO?
You might be wondering how this can be an answer to Reliance Jio’s offer, because Jio is offering 4G data for free, but Airtel is charging initial costs for its 4G.
Well, it’s pretty simple.
Reliance Jio is allowing free data, free voice calls AND a free SIM without any initial charges because it is only an attempt to set up its network in the country by gaining as many data points(consumers) as possible.
Also Read : Google’s Allo texting app
Once those 3 months get over, Reliance Jio will start charging money for data usage just like any other regular service provider.
Reliance Jio is currently offering free 4G as part of its “Welcome offer” to Jio SIM holders until December 31st, with a daily data limit of 4GB. Once this is exceeded, data rates drop to 128 kbps.


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Surging Covid-19 infections have cash-strapped restaurant, bar owners wondering how long they can survive.
Restaurants that survived the coronavirus hit in March and April are reeling from a second punch that could put more eateries out of business. Many restaurants that were just starting to recover some sales are bracing for another, potentially existential round of restrictions as a resurgence in coronavirus cases in the U.S. prompts a pullback in reopening plans.
Numerous states, cities and counties have halted or rolled back reopening plans for bars and restaurants amid a surge in Covid-19 cases and suspicions by public-health officials that gathering in crowded eateries and nightspots may be contributing to the virus’ spread. The turnabout comes as many restaurant owners spent thousands of dollars to equip dining rooms and staff for a new normal and were starting to recover some sales lost during the spring.
“This is the rainy day a lot of businesses don’t prepare for,” said Diego Galicia, a co-owner of Mixtli, a restaurant in a renovated train car in San Antonio.
Restaurant sales that had been improving since hitting lows in April are now sputtering in the first states to log rising case counts such as Arizona, North Carolina and Nevada, according to market-research firm NPD Group Inc. Restaurant reservations peaked on Father’s Day, then slammed back to earth in markets such as Miami, Houston, and Scottsdale, Ariz., OpenTable data showed. McDonald’s Corp.
said Wednesday it was halting the return of dine-in service in the U.S. for three weeks. Restaurant owners say they understand the need to pull back and the public-health reasons behind it. Those who were banking on a gradual reopening for the rest of this year are now recalculating sales expectations, after investing in new equipment and training staff to host diners again. Many owners are turning again to to-go menus they threw together during the pandemic, but that only replaces so much business.
Restaurant owners who received loans from the federal Paycheck Protection Program say they are trying to stretch the money. A $120 billion rescue fund for restaurants has some bipartisan support in Congress. The $800 billion restaurant industry employed 15 million
U.S. workers last year, according to the National Restaurant Association trade group. Restaurateurs say some suppliers and bankers have relaxed terms on contracts and loans, but they have had less luck with landlords. Rent payments by sit-down restaurant chains
are trailing pre-virus levels, according to real-estate data company Datex Property Solutions.
And a new wave of restaurant closures is growing. Review site Yelp Inc. found last month hat 53% of the restaurants noted as closed on its site marked their closures as permanent. Chain operators such as Darden Restaurants Inc. has permanently closed some locations since the pandemic hit. Blackbird, a Chicago restaurant that sparked the careers of numerous high-profile chefs, said on its website this past week that it was closing for good. “Our hearts are broken,” the restaurant wrote.
From wsj.com Click here for the full article.


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A digest of the top business technology news stories from the past week, beginning with the call for a Digital Quarter for the City of Cork.
Cork City needs its own ‘Digital Quarter’, urge tech leaders
The City of Cork, which has a long-standing heritage in the global technology industry, needs to create its own Digital Quarter in order to foster innovation and create jobs, according to a think tank.
Denis Collins of IBM, who is also chairman of the board of it@Cork and the European Tech Cluster, led the call for a Digital Quarter for Cork during a recent meeting of key leaders in the region, convened through the EU-funded BeWiser project.
The think tank gathering focused on harvesting recommendations to increase digital literacy, expand ICT education and attract new business, thereby stimulating dynamic focused economic growth in the area.
Dublin tech firm in deal to bring CCTV video analytics to UK police
Dublin video analytics start-up Kinesense has partnered with Northgate Public Services to provide police in the UK with software to allow them to source video evidence from CCTV footage quickly and easily.
Video content analytics (VCA) technology allows investigators to save up to 95pc of the time normally spent sifting through CCTV footage to find key events, which the software finds automatically.
In the UK, it is estimated CCTV is used in more than 75pc of major investigations and in more than 64pc of all cases. However, the time and effort required to retrieve, view, analyse and report on video footage as evidence can be a huge drain on resources.
Twitter buys Android lockscreen player Cover for undisclosed sum
Social media giant Twitter has acquired lockscreen app maker Cover for an undisclosed sum.
Cover is an Android-only app that learns when and where a consumer uses different apps and places them on his or her device’s lockscreen for easy access.
“Twitter, like Cover, believes in the incredible potential of Android,” said Todd Jackson, founder of Cover. “They share our vision that smartphones can be a lot smarter – more useful and more contextual – and together we’re going to make that happen.”
Dropbox secures more than US$500m
Dropbox has secured more than US$500m in credit financing, which could be earmarked to improve the cloud storage company’s infrastructure and ensure its strength in an increasingly competitive online storage market.
Reports from Re/code and The Financial Times differ in speculating how this financing will be used, with the former reckoning it will be applied to the company’s general business while the latter sees it being invested in global infrastructure.
The Financial Times reported this credit facility led by JP Morgan makes Dropbox one of the best-financed private US internet start-ups, with more than US$1.1bn raised to date.
Mobile on curve to become world’s fourth largest advertising medium
Mobile advertising is growing six times faster than conventional desktop advertising and by 2016 is forecast to represent 28pc of internet expenditure and will leapfrog radio, magazines and outdoor to become the world’s fourth-largest medium.
Improvement in the global economy, the spread of programmatic buying, and the rapid rise of mobile advertising is to drive this growth, according to ZenithOptimedia’s new Advertising Expenditure Forecasts.
Global ad spend will be boosted this year by the three ‘semi-quadrennial’ events – the Winter Olympics, the football World Cup, and the mid-term elections in the US – which will benefit television in particular, according to the forecasts.
Shake-up at Apple – Jony Ive to lead software design as Christie departs
Apple’s senior vice-president of design Jony Ive is set to embrace a more expanded role at the technology giant following the retirement of long-time human interface chief Greg Christie.
The move will mean Ive, who played a critical role in the design of iOS 7, as well as leading the physical design of Apple’s hardware devices, such as Macs, iPhones and iPads, will assume total responsibility for Apple’s software design going forward, according to reports from both 9to5Mac and The Wall Street Journal.
The shake-up means all software engineers will work directly under Ive and alongside his industrial design group.
Financial results this week
Three high-profile tech companies are scheduled to release their first-quarter financial results this week. Chip giant Intel is to reveal its results on 15 April, while tech giant IBM and internet search titan Google are to release their results on 16 April.
Stay informed – get daily updates on the latest happenings in technology directly to your inbox.


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Last year Buff USA debuted the UVX Balaclava. This year they’ve upgraded the product with “insect-shield” protection. Matt Crawford of Buff explains the details of the product which should be available in the spring of 2015.
Latest Accessories News
Dj Bell from Yeti Coolers give a look at the company’s newest addition to its cooler line-up, the Hopper. Yeti calls the Hopper “a leakproof, ice-for-days, tough-as-nails portable cooler that allows you to go farther into the wild, and the … more
Polar Bear Coolers has announced the release of their new “EC” line of coolers. The Extreme Chill soft coolers will be available in March of 2015. Read more in the press release below.
DJ Bell of Yeti Coolers gives us the down-low on the company’s newest way to keep things cold, the Yeti Rambler/Tumbler. Yeti says,”we over-engineered our Rambler Tumblers with kitchen-grade 18/8 stainless steel and double-wall vacuum insulation. Rambler Tumblers keep ice … more
Finn Utility makes some absolutely gorgeous pieces of gear for the fly fishing world. The brand has that “gotta have it, even if you don’t need it” feel to it. In my humble opinion their latest piece, the Richmond Tube … more
Vac Rac has announced the release of the Quad rack, which allows anglers to securely mount up to four fully-assembled rods to any smooth vehicle or boat surface whether steel, aluminum, glass or composite. Read more in the press release … more
YETI has announced an upcoming limited edition run of pink coolers to support National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The Roadie 20 and Tundra 45 will be available beginning October 1, 2014. Read more in the press release below.
Martin Bawden talks about the details of the Fish Skull Fly Tester from Flymen Fishing Co. As the name implies, you can fasten flies to lines, float them on the surface, “drift” them under the surface, and even “swim” certain … more
Abel Reels took home top honor in the Accessory category at the recent IFTD show. The Abel “Zinger” is a fresh take and modern design of a classic accessory. Read more in the press release below.
New Zealand-based Smith Creek has announced new products for the year: the Middle Fork Fly Patch and the Rig Keeper. Both accessories are designed to be ergonomic and practical on the water without sacrificing style. Read more in the press … more


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It’s probably fair to say that Nokia Lumia 920 users firmly believe they’re rocking the best phone available (er, not sure what I’m basing that on, actually), but there’s been a growing number of dust-related complaints.
Specifically, dust has been getting into the Nokia Lumia 920’s front-facing camera and – even more irksome – the proximity sensor, but a fix is on the way.
That’s the story according to WMPoweruser and a reader called Marco, who presumably had a good old moan to Nokia about the Lumia 920 dust issue.
See, with dust bothering the Nokia Lumia 920’s proximity sensor, the phone was unsure when the user’s chubby cheek was nestled close to the display, causing issues while on calls and stuff. And no one likes a dusty camera.
We’re told that Nokia “acknowledges” the issue, and that future Lumia 920 units will have a “sheath placed around the front facing camera and proximity sensor to better insulate them from dust build-up.”
Better still, existing Nokia Lumia 920 users will be able to take advantage of the sheath by popping along to a Nokia Repair Centre. Good times.
Similarly, you can also grab free latex sheaths from your local health centre. Be safe out there, kids.


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Why not spend your next festive holiday getting to know the different cities in the UK? The ‘staycation’ is becoming an increasingly popular choice among families that could see you saving some pennies on your next trip – perfect for those last minute Christmas presents. Flights from the
East Midlands airport
are all available at particularly low prices this season.
Plus, staying closer to home gives you the chance to spend some quality time in new and exciting surroundings with your family without the hassle or expense of a long haul flight. And you won’t be alone in choosing to stay closer to home, as popular tourist website VisitBritain predicts that there will be a three per cent rise in UK tourism in the coming year.
The country’s cities are already glittering with bright lights, trees, markets and festive cheer, ready for shoppers to spend their hard earned cash in anticipation of Christmas day. But, like for like retailer sales are disappointingly down 0.4 per cent so far this year on 2011, according to analysis of sales by the British Retail Consortium. Many analysts, they noted, expected a better result, with an expected growth of 0.9 per cent. They also commented that people are spending more money on lower priced gifts, with a higher emphasis on good value due to cautious spending. There was, however, a notable increase in money spent on pets and warm clothing, so at least not everyone is missing out.
In spite of lower than expected sales, the UK is enjoying the first signs of economic recovery following the huge success of the 2012 Olympics and Jubilee celebrations. So spending your precious pounds within the UK rather than travelling abroad this winter is a great way to support the economy and have some fun while doing so.
VisitBritain chairman Christopher Rodrigues commented: “This country’s tourism offer is about much more than growth in visitor numbers. Tourism offers not just jobs but careers for life. It employs young people who are now in training to become Ambassadors for Britain, welcoming visitors to their hotels, attractions and shops – taking on the mantle of the Games Makers.”
Travel agents are strongly advising customers to book early to avoid disappointment. Millions of Brits are planning to travel to pastures new this winter and prices for hotels and attractions are rising every day. So if you’re feeling a little more patriotic than usual, now is the perfect time to find yourself a cosy UK hotel. Whether you choose to stay in a cosy log cabin in Dundee or a stylish apartment in Newcastle, there is bound to be something to suit everyone. The interest of UK consumers has been with great value deals, so get in early and bag yourself just that.


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Despite the weaker Rand, international tourist arrivals have not increased dramatically as one would have expected. Tourism Minister Derek Hanekom has encouraged locals, who are less likely to support international travel, to explore their own country instead.
Various Domestic Tourism ‘Sho’t Left’ marketing campaigns have been unsuccessful in encouraging Domestic Tourism, and we have criticized the campaigns as being ineffective in the past! SA Tourism has had to admit that these campaigns have not achieved the goal of increasing travel by locals. Addressing Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Tourism, Minister Hanekom said that his department will intensify their marketing campaign aimed at locals.
Minister Hanekom also stated that despite a difficult 2015, the Visa Regulation turn-around should improve international tourism to our country. For example, accredited travel agents in China can accept unabridged birth certificates when booking holidays for their clients in our country, without the family having to visit a South African mission personally. The situation in Russia and India ‘required more work‘, said the Minister.
The appointment of a new CEO for South African Tourism will commence shortly, according to the Minister.
Stats SA figures reveal that international arrivals in November 2015 decreased by 7% relative to the same period a year prior. Tourist numbers from the SA and Germany showed an increase, while those from the UK a small decrease. Tourist numbers to our country declined by 600000 until November 2015, compare to the twelve-month period before. Tourism growth has been minimal in the past two years, according to tourism consultancy Grant Thornton.
Internationally tourism growth has been 4% between November 2014 and 2015. Locally, Cape Town Tourism members have fed back in a survey that only 57% of its members experienced tourism growth, while 28% experienced no growth at all. In the last quarter of last year it appears that tourism to our city improved, with a 9% increase in arrivals at Cape Town Internatinal, the largest ever. Visitors to Cape Town appear to be younger, and enjoying the city’s adventure offering.
The Tourism Business Council of South Africa Tourism Business Index for the last quarter of 2015 was 106,5, an above-average performance, and the third highest 4th quarter performance since 2011. Expectations for the first quarter of this year is an Index of 95. Domestic tourism increased, and benefited KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape the most, especially over the Festive Season.
Business closures were mentioned, reducing the supply of accommodation establishments in 2015 in particular, and not a good reflection of the tourism industry, reflecting businesses being under ‘tremendous pressure’, due to cost increases, poor demand, and ‘uncertainty in government policies affecting the industry‘, no doubt referring to the Visa Regulation debacle. Given the importance of Tourism as a stimulant to growth in our economy, this is a worrying trend and one which should not continue.
Chris von Ulmenstein, WhaleTales Blog: www.whalecottage.com/blog Tel 082 55 11 323 Twitter:@WhaleCottage Facebook: click here


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Facelifted Renault Fluence sedan caught on test
Last Updated at
- 04:18 pm, June 28, 2012
The new 2013 Fluence sedan could be revealed at the upcoming Paris Motor Show in September.
The Renault Fluence, in spite of boasting a slightly unconventional design, is one elegant looking car. Ever since it was introduced last year here in India, the big French saloon has been getting positive reviews for its elegant albeit understated looks. However, the Fluence has been around the international market for about three years now and the design has been nearly left unchanged all the while; which is why Renault is working on an updated version of the car, as can be seen from the spy pictures of the face lifted version being tested on the roads of Romania.
The facelift might be more than just a different set of headlamps or taillights given all the camouflage on the test car. The Fluence in fact, will feature a completely different front-end design, including new bumper, headlamps, grille and fog-lamp design. At the back too, the car will get a restyled bumper and perhaps, an all-new taillight design.
The facelifted Fluence should be ready for a global debut at this year’s Paris Motor Show in September with sales scheduled to begin in first quarter of 2013. Renault might even consider launching the new Fluence in India soon after it's global launch.
Source - Carscoop.com
First Published on 04:18 pm, June 28, 2012
- Volkswagen CrossBlue and CrossBlue coupe to be made in China
- Gran Turismo 6 announced
- Skoda plans to discontinue Fabia
- Scoop: Upcoming BMW 2 Series caught undisguised
- Maruti Suzuki to foray into LCV segment with Y9T pick-up


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From theme parks to high speed rail development, China is improving and diversifying its tourism offering to great effect
As a growing contingent of Chinese hotel groups, travel companies and tour operators descend on ITB Berlin, Shi Xiang, Director of the China National Tourism Association (CNTA) Frankfurt Office, spoke to ITB Berlin News about the latest progress in the Chinese market.
The Chinese tourism market has been growing rapidly in recent years. The growing middle class in China is increasingly seeking travel experiences and leisure activities both within China and abroad. Therefore, Chinese travel companies, tour operators, hotel groups and theme parks have recorded impressive financial gains in the last years.
What are some of the key trends that are driving the Chinese tourism market forward?
Among the biggest trends are theme parks including the Disney theme parks or the Wanda theme parks, which each encompass huge areas that include entertainment, food and accommodation all in one place. Another growing trend is cruise holidays. Luxury and middle class trips on rivers in China and overseas, including Southeast Asia and various western countries, are highly requested at the moment.
Chinese companies are massively investing in European tourism infrastructure. How does this help bolster Chinese outbound tourist figures towards Europe?
By investing in the tourism infrastructure in Europe, Chinese companies are aiming to improve and simplify the conditions and experience for Chinese outbound tourists. In the future, this could also include paying and booking methods that could be more adjusted to Chinese needs. This would also help attract more tourists from China.
Speaking of infrastructure, in China we have seen the recent opening of your major east-west high speed rail link. What will this change for tourism in the less developed south-west of the country?
Infrastructure is a very important factor for the economy and especially for the tourism industry. Lately China has invested very strongly into the infrastructure of the country, especially to support and connect the less economically developed provinces in the western part of China with the prosperous east coast. Numerous high speed railways and highways have been opened in recent years, making the transport connections for tourists faster and easier.
Your government has recently announced a move to increase spending on tourism infrastructure by 20% per year by 2020 – when investment will total 2 trillion Yuan. What are the key goals of this increased investment?
The demand for tourism products in China has grown significantly. As a result, the tourism industry has huge market potential and is now a strong engine for economic growth. To fulfill this potential, infrastructure and public services require continued improvement. As the tourism industry has a very high demand for employees, supporting the industry will also contribute to an increase in Chinese GDP. Therefore, these investments will not only improve tourism products but create new jobs, improve the overall infrastructure, and support the broader economy.
How important is ITB Berlin as a global platform for your DMO and individual exhibitors?
The ITB is a very important opportunity for networking and connecting with international tour operators, touristic service providers and of course with the end consumer. In the international tourism market, ITB Berlin is a very highly valued and well-known event. That’s why we participate in the trade show every year and encourage individual Chinese exhibitors to take part in it as well


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The latest installment of CONEXPO-CON/AGG and IFPE took place in Las Vegas, Nevada, March 7-11. The trade show, which showcases the latest innovations in construction equipment and technology solutions, hosted nearly 128,000 attendees, with 26,000 international attendees from 150 countries. The show housed a record 2.8 million-plus net square feet of exhibits featuring 2,800-plus exhibitors from the leading United States and global manufacturers, including everything from multinational giants to small firms with specialized products.
Exhibitors saw strong traffic throughout the show and gathered insights from attendees. “Overall, contractors all seem positive about the economy and increase in work, while technology is becoming more and more important as they look to maximize productivity,” said Jason Gerig, ISOCLEAN business development manager at Chevron. At the show, Chevron showcased ISOCLEAN, a solution to fight particle contamination. Chevron offers both lubricants and services independently.
Takeuchi experienced a similar, positive increase in booth attendance and audience engagement. Clay Eubanks, president of Takeuchi-US, said the company saw an almost 15-percent increase in overall booth traffic, compared to CONEXPO 2014.
“We also noticed a larger number of senior-level attendees come through the booth, so there were more decision makers present,” Eubanks said. Takeuchi unveiled several new solutions at the show, including the Takeuchi TB216H, the first hybrid, dual-powered compact excavator in the company’s lineup, which features both an electric motor and a diesel engine with its own pump group to power the machine’s hydraulics.
The show’s theme, “Imagine What’s Next,” truly took center stage, showcasing forward-looking construction and infrastructure innovations, including the unveiling of the world’s first 3-D-printed excavator and the new “Tech Experience” pavilion. “Keeping pace with technology is critical for our industries’ success, and the 3-D-printed excavator featuring fluid power innovations is a perfect example of the show’s future-forward commitment to explore innovations happening now and the exciting possibilities ahead,” said Robert Mortensen, IFPE 2017 chair and president of HUSCO International. “From the new Tech Experience, which highlighted the vital connection between technology and construction to the culmination of AEM’s Infrastructure Vision 2050 Challenge, this year’s show demonstrated the rapid innovation in our industry,” said Rich Goldsbury, 2017 CONEXPO-CON/AGG chair and president and CEO of Doosan Bobcat North America & Oceania.
Exhibitors in every area of the industry embraced the tech focus. JLG, a manufacturer of lift equipment, incorporated the trend into its show setup. “Technology was a hot topic within our exhibit, where we showcased many advanced technologies you will see on JLG access equipment in the coming years. We also developed a visionary worksite of the future and gave visitors the chance to experience our virtual training,” said Jennifer Stiansen, JLG director of marketing, Americas.
Attendees purchased a record-breaking 52,000 tickets for education sessions at the show, a 26-percent increase from the 2014 show. The Tech Talks forum at the Tech Experience gave attendees a chance to hear from global innovators and technology leaders to discuss what lies ahead. The forum’s content-rich presentations aimed to inspire and inform attendees. “Our CEO Jake Macholtz participated in the series, giving a presentation titled ‘Adopt or Die: Kiewit’s Winning Technology Strategy,’” said Tad Bungener, executive vice president of marketing at InEight. InEight provides technology solutions that connect owners, operators and contractors to people, information and projects.
Tech solutions provider Autodesk hosted three different educational seminars at the show: “The Future of Making Things in Construction,” “BIM for Construction,” and “Harness the Power of Technology.” Autodesk also provided interactive demonstrations of tools, such as the company’s BIM 360 platform for vertical construction projects and AutoCAD Civil 3-D and InfraWorks 360 for horizontal construction, at its two booths throughout the week. Autodesk’s Construction Sales Enablement Manager Matt DePaolis said attendees were able to try out results of partnerships with industry hardware solutions providers at the two booths. “Several of our hardware partners, like DAQRI, Topcon and 3D-R, demonstrated how our cloud-based software tools put data at the center of the project to connect all of these devices and all teammates across the entire project,” DePaolis said.
To continue following the these tech trends and keep up with the latest industry innovations, mark your calendars for CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2020, which will take place March 10-14.


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Mumbai: Singapore-based e-commerce firm Shopmatic with a branch in India has announced an initiative through which sellers across the country can start an online store almost free of cost.
Under its Inspiring Entrepreneurship Programme, Shopmatic is offering tools to build an online store, manage their inventory, receive and fulfil orders and also process and receive payments from customers for just US$ 1 for the first three months. "After the first three months, the cost will be $20 per month", it said in a statement.
"There are many aspiring entrepreneurs in India who have an idea, a creative capability or an ability to build beautiful products and intend to make a business by selling online. We have removed the complexity from e-commerce by eliminating the technological barriers that some aspiring entrepreneurs may have", Anurag Avula, CEO and Co-Founder, Shopmatic, said.
Shopmatic Pro solution provides a customisable store builder, payment gateway integration, shipping and logistics integration, data insights and promotional tools. Other features under the program include inventory management, online store management, data insights and analytics, marketing and expansion, mobile app and e-commerce support.
Shopmatic Pro is set up by three former Paypal employees. It is dedicated to helping small entrepreneurs move to the online space with ease. It provides a full business solution, and hand-holds small businesses to scale up.
Shopmatic Pro has a presence in India, Singapore and Hong Kong, with around 85,000 customers on board. It also plans to enter Indonesia, Thailand, Philippines and Middle East in the next six to nine months.
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The NAFTA agreement series continues our focus on commodities with a look at trade in dairy and dairy products.
From hog producers in Iowa to apple growers in Washington state and winemakers in California, farmers expressed deep disappointment Friday over being put in the middle of a potential trade war with China by the president many of them helped elect. Read moreRead More »
A report released Monday by the BMO Financial Group, a Montreal-based financial services organization, said that the Canadian food and beverage industry would be highly vulnerable if the North American Free Trade Agreement is ended, and that Canadian and U.S. crop producers would face a moderate level of vulnerability. […]Read More »


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Apple will launch its new mid-range smartphone during the height of the coronavirus pandemic. Smart move or just desperate? | Image: Apple Inc. / AFP
- Apple launched its mid-range iPhone SE 2 four years after it launched the first iPhone SE in March 2016.
- The iPhone SE launched at a time when the world was grappling with the coronavirus pandemic and resulting economic recession.
- Apple is firing on all cylinders to boost its revenue from the iPhone and other services amid the pandemic.
Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) will make its iPhone SE 2 available in stores on Apr. 24. Last week, President Donald Trump talked about plans to reopen America after 30 days of lockdown. While the U.S. may take some time to resume, Apple’s other important market, China, is open.
But even when the lockdown ends, Apple will enter a market where many people are jobless, and consumer spending is low. People will be in constant fear of another lockdown or job losses if coronavirus cases increase.
In such times, upgrading a phone would be the last thing on a consumer’s shopping list. Apple understands that, so it has launched a $399 iPhone SE 2, which is an iPhone 11 in the body of the iPhone 8. The new iPhone doesn’t burn a hole in the pocket and brings more people in the Apple ecosystem.
Apple’s iPhone Sales Struggle During the Pandemic
The iPhone SE launch comes two months after Apple CEO Tim Cook acknowledged that the coronavirus outbreak in China would impact both the supply and demand of the iPhone.
Cook didn’t specify the magnitude of the impact but said that the company would not be able to meet its fiscal Q2 2020 revenue guidance of $63 billion. Apple earns 55% of its revenue from iPhones, and global supply constraints suggest the impact would be significant.
Apple originally planned to launch iPhone SE in March. The device is finally here, suggesting that iPhone supplies are gradually stabilizing as life in China returns to normal.
SE Shows Apple’s Desperation to Boost Sales
Apple was struggling to boost iPhone revenue before the pandemic. It faced intense competition from Android phones that offered premium features for a lower price.
In 2019, Apple reduced the entry-level iPhone 11 price, which increased its smartphone revenue by 7.4% year-over-year in fiscal Q1. The next item on the list was bringing back its mid-range iPhone SE.
Apple first launched the iPhone SE in March 2016. The idea was to take some components and design of its existing and previous iPhones and re-arrange them into a more affordable variant. The iPhone SE was not as popular as Apple’s other smartphones.
iPhone SE has the lowest share of Apple’s smartphone market. I Source Mixpanel
Will Desperation Be Enough?
Apple is increasingly focusing on its service segment to boost revenue. With the new iPhone SE 2, Apple could effectively target a broader mid-range smartphone market. As more people come under the Apple ecosystem, it will be able to offer services like Apple TV Plus and Apple Pay to a broader audience.
To lure people into buying iPhone SE, Apple is also offering a one-year subscription of Apple TV Plus for free.
These initiatives are likely to prove effective in the long run — provided that economic activity returns to normal. In the medium term, Apple’s sales will be impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, which has disrupted the work life of billions of people worldwide.
The sales of iPhone SE will be reflected in the company’s fiscal Q3 2020 earnings. Its upcoming fiscal Q2 2020 earnings call on Apr. 30 will likely reflect the highest impact of the coronavirus pandemic.
Disclaimer: This article represents the author’s opinion and should not be considered investment or trading advice from CCN.com.
This article was edited by Sam Bourgi.
Now Watch: CCN TV
Last modified: April 15, 2020 10:39 PM UTC


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Toshiba Information Systems has signed up CCI Distribution as one of its authorised UK storage distributors.
Harrogate-based CCI will stock 48 different lines of Toshiba external hard drives, including the StorE Art range of 2.5-inch personal hard drives and the StorE Steel 1.8-inch and 2.5-inch products.
“Toshiba is delighted to partner with a customer-focused specialist distributor such as CCI to further its growth aspirations in the external hard disk drive market. We are confident of a long and mutually beneficial partnership supplying world class storage products to our mutual channel partners,” Mark Reynolds, distribution sales manager at Toshiba, said.
CCI sales director Nick Preston added: “Storage is a vital component of our ever-expanding digital lifestyle – it is a growing market and a key area for CCI’s business, particularly since the launch of our Professional Storage range. Partnering with a world-class storage manufacturer like Toshiba will further enhance our strong product portfolio, offering a greater choice of high-capacity, high-performance storage solutions to our customer base.”


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Mexican Cuisine News
News on Mexican Cuisine continually updated from thousands of sources around the net.
20 min ago | The Victoria Advocate
Before becoming a Mexican restaurant, the Lupita's building was a barber shop. "My older customers have said they used to get haircuts here."
Trending on the Topix Network
5 hrs ago | Men's Journal
According to chef Roberto Santibaez salsas should be seen as spicy condiments, like steak sauce or ketchup, where a teaspoon is added to main dishes to "create an explosion on the palate."
6 hrs ago | Racked
Not since Taco Bell wooed B-list celebrities with love notes and rings has the internet seen such a collaboration between ostensibly Mexican food and fashion: The Hundreds and Taco Bell teamed up on socks.
Oop. Frank Ocean is no longer here for Chipotle. Just a few days ago, the Mexican cuisine eatery sued Ocean for going against a contract and pulling out of a song for an ad campaign.
We're lucky enough here at the Desert Dispatch that our office is within walking distance of Lola's Kitchen.
I have to tell you about this hidden gem out in Pleasant Hill, where you will find a charming restaurant serving delicious homemade Mexican cuisine.
Jennifer Aniston has one of the hottest bikini bodies but even the Hollywood actress would trade if she could.
Conventional thinking about the evolution of the taco puts its origins at the end of the 19th century, which is surprisingly recent for a dish that today serves as the foundation of Mexican cuisine.
For my 12th birthday, I dined on the lowest of nominally Mexican food in the highest-class restaurant on J Street.
Enrique Olvera is the superstar Mexican chef and owner of Pujol restaurant in Mexico City who has brought international attention and acclaim to Mexican cuisine and Mexico.
Any increase in the prices of the ingredients most critical to our menu, such as chicken, beef, cheese, avocados , beans, rice, tomatoes and pork, would adversely affect our operating results.
Learn about the history and culture of Mexican foods from the pre-Hispanic period to today while studying at La Universidad del Claustro de Sor Juana, a university housed in an old convent in the historic center of .
Despite a report in which Chipotle warns investors that climate change could impact the supply of avocados --resulting in guacamole being dropped from its menus -- the Mexican food chain on Wednesday said that the popular topping won't be going anywhere anytime soon.
The Book Review: Seasoned: Recipes and Essays from the Spiceman, Costas Halavrezos.
Although Edgar Munoz enjoyed his family's Mexican cuisine while growing up in Southern California, he initially decided that a business management degree from Pepperdine would lead him to his career path.


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Facebook is facing yet another incident of users’ data being exposed, this is the latest in a number of data breaches since 2018.
Australian cybersecurity company, UpGuard, discovered a large cache of data during routine checks on the Amazon S3 servers containing more than 540 million Facebook user records including account names, ID numbers, reactions, and comments. In UpGuard’s write-up of the incidents, the company stated that the dataset had originated from Mexico-based media company, Cultura Colectiva.
The information was accessible to anyone visiting the public servers and was available for a number of months. Cultura Colectiva told Reuters in a statement, “We are aware of the potential uses of data in current times, so we have reinforced our security measures to protect the data and privacy of our Facebook fan pages’ users.”
A second, smaller dataset was also found, originating from an app called “At The Pool” which exposed approximately 22,000 Facebook user passwords. According to UpGuard, At The Pool had ceased operating in 2014 leaving the data exposed for an unknown length of time.
Facebook has said their policies prohibit data being stored on databases that are accessible to the public and that Amazon has since assisted them in removing the sensitive information.
Facebook is still currently under investigation by the Federal Trade Commission and could still face a hefty fine after it was found that 87 Million users personal data had been collected by Cambridge Analytica.
The Facebook data was not the only find during UpGuard’s examination of the Amazon servers as they also discovered 14 million Verizon customer records and records of 1.8 million Chicago voters among other confidential information.


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CTIA is an international industry trade group that holds several trade shows a year. Traditionally their spring show is held in Las Vegas and then a second show is hosted later in the fall. This year the CTIA Wireless I.T. & Entertainment 2009 show is taking place in San Diego, California on October 7-9, 2009.
We were already planning to attend the Motodev Summit and decided at the last second to hit up the CTIA event since we would be in town. I was told that the CTIA fall show was smaller than the Las Vegas show and not to expect many new product announcements. However, we kept hearing that 15-20 new Android devices would be available by year’s end and I thought maybe a few would make an appearance at this event.
Many trade shows this year were expected to be coming out parties for Android, but they have disappointed so far. CTIA is the last big event of the year and it appears numerous Android phones will be present. All of the major United States carriers will be attending and showing off their latest phones for the holiday shopping season.
Several industry leaders will be giving keynote speeches including some members of the Open Handset Alliance.
- Ralph de la Vega, President & CEO of AT&T Mobilty
- David Ko, SVP of Yahoo! Mobile
- John Donovan, CTO of AT&T
- Dr. Irwin Mark Jacobs, Co-Founder of Qualcomm Incorporated
- Dr. Paul E. Jacobs, CEO of Qualcomm Incorporated
I have no idea what topics they will discuss, but I am really looking forward to hearing what Ralph de la Vega has to say. AT&T has been sitting on the Android fence for awhile, but he said they would consider using Android when it was open and they could remove the Google apps. I expect we will see AT&T update their stance on Android at this event.
New Android phones we are hoping to see include:
- AT&T – ??? (Surprise announcement)
- Sprint – HTC Hero, Samsung phone?
- T-Mobile – Motorola Cliq, Huawei Pulse?
- Verizon – Motorola Sholes
Samsung Mobile tipped us they were announcing a new phone, but we don’t know what it is yet. Motorola is holding their Motodev Summit the day before CTIA and we expect both the Cliq and Sholes will make an appearance. HTC has invited us to a Hero party and I expect someone might have a new Tattoo on hand. I’m also crossing my fingers that some of the new high end HTC phones might be revealed.
Check back later this week for new details on our roadtrip to California and more info on CTIA.


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Facilities services provider ABM Industries Inc. said its quarterly earnings were boosted by recent acquisitions, while G-III Apparel swung to a profit.
ABM Industries (NYSE: ABM) said its second-quarter earnings jumped 65 percent to $19.3 million, or 35 cents per share, from $11.7 million, or 21 cents per share, a year ago. Revenue for the quarter grew 11 percent to $1.17 billion, due to $97.7 million in contributions from recent acquisitions and growth from its janitorial, facility services and security businesses.
The New York-based company also raised its 2013 full-year forecast to income from continuing operations of $1.21 to $1.31 per share and adjusted income from continuing operations of $1.40 to $1.50 per share.
ABM shares were up more than 3 percent to $25.42 a share Tuesday afternoon.
Clothing maker G-III Apparel Group Ltd. (Nasdaq: GIII) said it earned $1.1 million, or 5 cents per share, in its first quarter, compared with a loss of $847,000, or 4 cents per share a year ago. The company, which sells clothing under the Andrew Marc, Marc New York, Jessica Howard, Black Rivet and G-III brands, said sales rose 19 percent to $272.6 million.
G-IIII shares were up more than 19 percent to $51 a share Tuesday.
Technology services company Verint Systems Inc. (Nasdaq: VRNT) said it had a fiscal first-quarter loss of $7.9 million, or 18 cents per share, compared with a profit of 11.6 million, or 16 cents per share a year ago. Revenue rose to $204.8 million from $196.6 million a syear ago.
Shares of Melville-based Verint were up 9 cents, or 0.3 percent, to $34.10 a share.


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Congratulations to our Holiday Haul winners!
- Monday, Dec. 9: Scott D., De Pere, WI (Hodag goody bag)
- Tuesday, Dec. 10: Hannah D., Milwaukee, WI, and Karolyn J., Milwaukee, WI (Men’s and women’s golf merchandise from Northwood Golf Club)
- Wednesday, Dec. 11: Deb G., Woodbury, MN ($50 prepaid Visa card)
- Thursday, Dec. 12: Kerry K., Kaukauna, WI (One-night stay at America’s Best Value Inn)
- Friday, Dec. 13 (grand prize): Missy N., Walworth, WI (Two tickets for Wisconsin River Cruises, one-night stay at America’s Best Value Inn)
Thank you to everybody who entered, and thank you to the local businesses for the great prize packages!


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Katlego Maphai and his Yoco co-founders saw “massive gaps” in the small business infrastructure in their home South Africa, and across the continent.
Helping African small (and micros) businesses accept card payments, something the big banks and payment platforms hadn’t prioritized, would be a transformational opportunity, for small businesses and for the broader economy.
In his powerful talk at the inaugural BigFive Summit in May, Katlego shared Yoco’s vision for enabling SMMEs not only to accept cards but to gain access to capital and the modern tools they need to run their businesses.
“SMEs account for 90% of businesses across the continent. They are driving employment,” Katlego said in his headline talk at the inaugural BigFive Summit. “They are the key to sustainable economic growth.”
To illustrate the extent of the gap and the opportunity, Katlego shared that only 6% of South African businesses accept cards, yet 75% of the adult population has a card.
The inability to accept cards helps small businesses remain small. Card acceptance is a key to moving millions of businesses out of subsistence and into prosperity, or at least a reasonable chance at it.
In this video excerpt from Katlego’s talk at the BigFive Summit, he describes the problem that Yoco identified and set out to solve for African SMMEs.
You can download Katlego’s BigFive presentation here:


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The newest issue of HGTV Magazine marks an important milestone for the brand — we’re turning the big 3-0! The May issue (out tomorrow!) is our 30th since we began publishing in fall 2011.
The magazine (and staff!) has grown exponentially, with each issue getting bigger, better and brighter than the last.
“I truly believe the magazine just gets better and better. I’m very proud of the fact that the staff is constantly creating fresh, new, never-been-done-before stories and layouts. We launched our premiere issue with that kind of thinking, and we still operate that way three years later.” — Sara Peterson, editor in chief
“Thank you to all of our advertisers for making our 2nd annual paint issue a tremendous success, and thank you to our readers for making HGTV Magazine one of the most successful magazine launches in recent history.” — Dan Fuchs, publisher and chief revenue officer
We’ve made a lot of creative strides in our short lifespan. We’ve created a kids-only mini-mag, shared a cover with Food Network, took you inside one incredible home after another, and now, for the second time, we’ve expanded our DIY content for a giant all-paint-everything section.
Inside, you’ll find 13 pages of hue-drenched rooms, color-rich DIYs and pro-picked shades (including a poster-size, fold-out paint index). So get your paintbrush ready, because we’re showing you nearly a dozen different ways you can paint almost anything.
BONUS: As you’re clicking through the story, don’t miss the links to exclusive online-only how-tos for many of the fun elements you see in each bold room. (There are 11 in all.) Happy painting!


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Surangel SuperCenter, the largest store outlet in Palau, will open its doors this Monday, September 5, 2022, at Ngetkib, Airai. The store invites everyone to join in its grand opening.
“The people of Palau are invited to join the momentous occasion celebrating the ‘Customer is King’ service,” states the press release from Surangel SuperCenter.
The grand opening event will include messages from the Whipps family, a giveaway of a Toyota Vanguard SUV, and over $75,000 dollars in prizes and promotions.
The Supercenter houses a “grocery store, hardware store, Toyota showroom, Chatime bubble tea shop, bakery/deli, and will soon feature a department store, furniture store, beauty salon, travel agency, construction, Toyota Service Center, surf shop, and food court to name a few.”
“Our success over the past 42 years has been because of our loyal customers and this new location will further enhance our services to them. We hope the upgraded building will provide a more enjoyable shopping experience to our customers. I am looking forward to seeing everybody at the opening ceremony,” said owner Surangel Whipps, Sr.
Meanwhile, the Surangel & Sons store in Koror will be closed on Monday and will re-open on Tuesday next week.
“Surangel and Sons is a diverse company located in the Republic of Palau. It was founded in 1980 when Surangel Whipps, Sr. opened a community store in his Ngerbeched home. The company has always focused on providing high quality products at fair and affordable prices, while striving to offer their employees benefits and opportunities for personal development. The company is now one of the largest and most comprehensive distributors of goods and services in Palau with over 600 employees working in retail, wholesale, travel, and construction.
Throughout their growth, Surangel and Sons Co. has remained privately owned and run by the Surangel family. “Our Christian faith and dedication to the Seventh-day Adventist Church have guided our business practices and played a key role in our success. We have remained true to our values by closing our stores during the Sabbath and being active members in the Palauan community,” said Surangel Whipps, Sr. The Surangel and Sons philanthropy promotes Christianity, education, and healthy living through its donations to churches and schools, including regular sponsorships of sports and various community events,” stated the company press release.


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Opt-outs of $7.2 bln credit card fee settlement face risks
Over the last few weeks, some of the largest retailers in the United States have split off from a proposed $7.2 billion class action settlement over an alleged conspiracy to inflate credit card fees, hoping they can do better on their own. But their path is not without significant risks.
Craig Wildfang of Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi, who has served as one of the lead lawyers for the class, said that merchants striking out on their own may not appreciate the novel nature of the claims made in the class action.
“I think they have greatly underestimated the risk of the case and probably overestimated their ability in the short and medium term of getting greater economic value in a settlement,” Wildfang said.


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The yield on the benchmark 10-year Treasury note fell to its lowest level since September 2017 as the Fed began its two-day policy meeting.Bondsread more
The move is part of a larger trend that saw the survey's 179 participants move away from risk and toward positions that reflect fear of a coming economic slowdown spurred by a...Marketsread more
Shares of Beyond Meat soared 18% in premarket trading Tuesday, surpassing $200 per share.Food & Beverageread more
Investors bracing themselves for lower Federal Reserve rates should think about loading up on health care stocks, history shows.Marketsread more
Trump went after Draghi for opening the door for more monetary stimulus in Europe, which would weaken the euro relative to the dollar.Marketsread more
Private equity billionaire David Rubenstein says he's spoken with U.S. and Chinese officials. "My view is both sides want a deal."Economyread more
The yoga-pants retailer is now selling such personal-care products as face moisturizer, dry shampoo, deodorant and lip balm.Retailread more
Hershey CEO Michele Buck said that the 125-year-old company is monitoring the trend but doesn't have any plans to add CBD to its food just yet.Food & Beverageread more
The chipmaker crush could persist and investors should be selective, but Nvidia looks like a clear buy, one market watcher says.Trading Nationread more
Restaurants have a hard time hiring and retaining dishwashers, but now there's a robot for that.At Workread more
Experts expect Facebook's cryptocurrency venture to alleviate some security issues, while introducing new ones.Technologyread more
"The United States economy is strong, it's growing," Moynihan said in an interview with CNBC's Wilfred Frost. "More people are working now than ever, the unemployment claims are low, wages are growing fast. ... It's a good place, right now."
Moynihan was interviewed ahead of his speech at the Consumer Bankers Association's annual conference. The 100-year-old Washington-based group represents the nation's big retail lenders.
The CEO was specifically responding to CNBC's question about whether the Fed needed to cut its benchmark interest rate immediately by 50 basis points, a suggestion made last week by Trump administration economic adviser Larry Kudlow.
"I don't think we need to juice it," Moynihan said, referring to the economy. "We're at a 2 percent-plus growth economy, we've got low unemployment, and wages are growing faster than people think, and people are spending."
While the world's economies have slowed this year, the U.S. has weathered the downturn better than most countries, and growth would recover if the administration's trade disputes are resolved, Moynihan said.
Separately, Bank of America's trading revenue probably dropped about 15 percent in the first quarter amid a slow start to the year, Moynihan said. Equities revenue dropped more than 20 percent, in part because of the U.S. government shutdown.


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More than 200 businesses on the Treasure Coast and in Okeechobeen County have been cited for selling alcohol to underage people, according to state records from January 2004 to August 2009. Some of those businesses were repeatedly cited.
“It’s a widespread problem,” Indian River County Sheriff Deryl Loar said.
A Scripps Treasure Coast Newspapers review of five years of citations from the state Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco show some stores stores have been cited three times — once each year.
Most of the businesses cited are gas stations/convenience stores because of their accessibility, Loar said.
Access of alcoholic beverages to people younger than 21 – the legal drinking age – has been in the news since the Aug. 4 crash that killed three Stuart teens. Crushed beer cans were found at the crash scene of U.S. 1 and Cove Road, where 18-year-olds Christopher Brigilo and Nicholas Coady and 16-year-old Connor Graver died.
The Florida Highway Patrol has yet to release toxicology reports on the three.
Days earlier on Aug. 1, crushed beer cans also were found in the bed of a pickup truck in Key West where three Okeechobee residents — two teens and a 20-year old — died in a head-on collision with a tractor trailer.
Any store that sells to one teen instantly becomes known by other teens, said Lt. Kevin Dietrich of the St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office.
“A few of them find out which business sell to kids and it spreads like wildfire,” he said.
Convenience store giant 7-Eleven had a total 12 citations on the Treasure Coast from 2004 to 2009, the most for any company, state records show.
Spokeswoman Margaret Chabris said the company is serious about training employees at corporation-owned stores and those franchises owned by individuals.
It is mandatory for all employees of corporate-owned stores to attend the Come of Age program, where employees learn about the laws for the sales of alcohol and tobacco products and do role playing during which employees practice refusing a sale, she said.
It’s not a requirement for employees of franchise-owned stores. However, if the franchise store is repeatedly cited for selling to minors, it could lose its franchise status, Chabris said.
Despite many of the businesses having a history of citations, their alcohol licenses have not been revoked and the stores have not been closed because they haven’t been cited more than three times in a calendar year, division spokeswoman Alexis Lambert said.
The first time a business is cited, it could be fined up to $1,000 and its alcohol license suspended up to seven days; the second time up to a $3,000 fine and suspended license up to 30 days; the third time in a year, its license can be revoked, she said.
The penalties are not meant to harm business owners, division Lt. Kent Stanton said.
“We don’t want to put stores out of business, but we want them to comply with the law,” he said.
Those penalties aren’t enough, said state officials with Mothers Against Drunk Driving.
“We need stricter consequences and more enforcement and stronger consequences for those who sell to minors,” said Don Murray, state executive director of MADD.
Dietrich said enforcement is needed as convenience stores stock up with energy drinks that contain alcohol and are popular with teens.
The division works with local law enforcement officers several times a year in undercover stings using minors and issuing citations for business caught selling to them, Stanton said.
When conducting the sting, authorities must use minors who look their age so not to trick store clerks, but to show if someone of average intelligence could decide if the buyer was underage, he said.
“We can’t pick the oldest-looking kid with facial hair,” Stanton said, “and the girls can’t dress provocatively.”
Store clerks making the sale are charged with a misdemeanor and in Indian River and St. Lucie counties, given a notice to appear in court. In Martin County, the seller is arrested and booked in the county jail, said Sgt. Mark Middleton of the Martin County Sheriff’s Office.
Loar said a citation is issued because there is not enough room in the Indian River County Jail.
Jail time is also a possibility for underage people caught with alcohol, said Adam Guzi, supervisor of court for the State’s Attorney Office in Martin County.
Minors are charged with a misdemeanor possession of alcohol and entered into the juvenile justice system and given the option to attend substance abuse counseling, he said.
While teens target convenience stores, most times getting alcohol is as simple as opening the refrigerator or the family’s liquor cabinet, Middleton said.
“At home, when parents open a bottle of wine they don’t keep track of how much they are drinking or how many beer cans are in the fridge,” he said.
Also, some teens craft a plan where they get alcohol from friends who work in convenience stores where alcohol is sold or restaurants where it is served, he said. If one friend works at convenience store or restaurant where alcohol is served, a group of friends would go to that store-only during the hours the teen works. The friend would only sell alcohol to friends in their circle and ask for identification from anyone else, Middleton said.
“This is something that’s been going on and on and on,” he said. “Today’s young people are no different than they were 30 years ago.”
Another technique teens use is to pay someone — a friend or stranger — to buy alcohol for them, Loar said.
“They would stop someone on the street and says here’s $20 or $40 and go buy me a bottle of wine and you can keep whatever is left,” he said.
Now that school is in session both Middleton and Loar said they typically see more attempts by teens to get their hands on alcohol because more house parties are taking place.
“During the summer the teens don’t get together too much because they have summer jobs or they are gone on a family vacation or something,” Middleton said.
BY THE NUMBERS
Number of alcohol licenses:
St. Lucie County: 543
Martin County: 439
Indian River County: 347
Okeechobee County: 121
Total alcohol licenses on the Treasure Coast and Okeechobee County: 1,450
Number of citations issued to businesses for selling to underage persons from January 2004 to August 2009: 263
Number of most citations issued to a company, 7-Eleven Inc.: 12
Number of citations issued to 29 Publix stores on the Treasure Coast and Okeechobee County: 0
Source: State Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco
Adam Guzi, supervisor of misdemeanor court for the State’s Attorney Office in Martin County:
Minors caught with alcohol are charged with a misdemeanor and entered into the juvenile justice system and given the option to attend substance abuse counseling.
Adults over 18 but under 21 are charged with a misdemeanor and can face up to 60 days in county jail, up to a $500 fine or both. Because the person is an adult they will have a criminal record, Guzi said.
According to Mothers Against Drunk Driving, about 5,000 people a year die from underage drinking.
In 2008, Martin County youths between 12-17 ranked first in the state in admitting alcohol usage, said Tina Levene, program specialist state chapter of MADD.
In July 1984 federal law set 21 as the national minimum legal drinking age, according to MADD. Federal highway construction money were withheld for states that failed to adopt the new law. By 1988, all states had adopted the new drinking age.


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Nicholas Heinemann: China, Nepal, India and Chile all Classify their Landraces as Industrial Cannabis, SA Should do the Same
Afrostar’s Nicholas Heinemann is a consultant helping the DTIC with its cannabis strategy. He says there is no international convention that specifies THC levels in hemp or industrial cannabis and that those countries that have chosen to do so have shaped such policies out of a prohibitionist mindset.
13 June 2023 at 13:00:00
Heinemann added his voice to the commentary on the hemp provisions of the Cannabis for Private Purposes Bill in Parliament on 23 May 2023. He said in his view the new hemp provisions in the Bill were “overly-restrictive, counter-revolutionary, anti-development, anti-black, not pro-poor with no sound reasoning following this approach”.
He told the Justice and Correctional Services Portfolio Committee members that China, India, Nepal had all classified their landraces as industrial cannabis and were successful hemp producers. He said the adoption by European and American countries of THC% limits in hemp, was born out of a prohibitionist mindset and not determined by international conventions.
He said South Africa should classify its indigenous landraces as industrial cannabis as this would exempt the country from its international reporting obligations which would then be limited to seizures of illegal cannabis and medical cannabis compliance measures.
Heinemann pointed out that The UN Convention on Drugs said very clearly that whether a cannabis plant had 0,2% THC or 20%, it could be classified as industrial cannabis if used for industrial purposes. “Therefore, if you say its for industrial purposes and part of the plant is used for industrial purposes, then it is industrial cannabis”.
He said by defining landraces as industrial cannabis, South Africa could come up with its own regulations, which is what the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC) was working on.
“The Committee has to understand what we have and what we can unlock, and we are not going to unlock that by placing western THC limits on ourselves, it’s not going to work, it’s never going to work, because it excludes our traditional farmers” he said.
“If you are going to regulate for industrial purposes, you don’t regulate the plant in the ground”.
He said there should be no THC limits in South African industrial hemp and that regulations should be enforced at the point of processing and not at cultivation.
Redefining “hemp” as "industrial cannabis" would enable South Africa to competitively position itself by making use of its well-endowed resources.
“We have more cannabis growing in South Africa than all the legal hemp grown in Europe. Our competitive advantage is scale of production, drought tolerant species, the experience of our small-scale farmers and naturalized genetics”.
Heinemann said it was essential that small scale farmers be incorporated in a legal cannabis framework and that this could be achieved by defining all South African landraces as industrial cannabis.
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MADELINE JUPP will appear in a new BBC documentary about the history of shop girls in department stores.
The 82-year-old, of Mill Road, Worthing, started work in the 1950s at the age of 18, and was employed by Peter Robinson in London.
After marrying in 1955, Mrs Jupp moved to Worthing, where she worked part-time at Bentalls in South Street, which is now Beales, for 20 years.
She said: “The Worthing store wasn’t as big as the one in London, it was a different type, but it was a nice store and lots of people came in that I knew. They did look after their staff – it had the feeling of being one big family.
“I do not feel that the younger staff coming into the store today have the training and they have less time to spend with you.
“The retail business today is so changed from when I started in the 1950s.”
Mrs Jupp’s story will be told in the three-part series, Shopgirls: The True Story Of Life Behind The Counter, which chronicles the history of the role of women in department stores.
She said: “Filming for the programme was an interesting experience - they wanted to know all about my career and how it has changed.
“While conditions were certainly different in my day, the staff were treated fairly, working reasonable hours, being paid commission and having on-site nurses, cooked meals and even hairdressers.
“Customer service was the number one priority at these department stores.
“Staff had to be trained for three months before being allowed to approach a customer.
But she said she would not be happy to work in the retail industry in more modern times.
Mrs Jupp said: “I was always trained that the customer is the most important person as without them the shop wouldn’t have the money and would fail. It is so different today where you have to do it with technology.
“You do get some nice assistants who are very, very obliging, it is just a different world now and everything is quicker.”
BBC2’s Shopgirls follows the journey of the shopgirl from an almost invisible figure in Victorian stores, to being the beating heart of our glossy, modern shops. The episode featuring Mrs Jupp will air July 8 at 9pm.


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Pak Suzuki has announced the closure of its assembly plant for another 3 days. According to the notification, the company said it would suspend its operations from October 24 to October 26, 2022.
This is the 8th time during the last 2 months that Pak Suzuki has announced a schedule of non-production days. The company had previously halted production from August 18 to August 19, August 22 to August 26, August 29 to August 31, September 6 to September 9, September 19 to September 23 as well as 19th to 21st October 2022.
The company blames the mechanism introduced by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) for prior approval for import under the HS code 8703 category (including CKDs) through a circular issued on May 20, 2022, as the reason behind the hampered assembly operations. The company notification reads:
“Restrictions had adversely impacted clearance of import consignment which resultantly affected the inventory levels. Therefore, due to the shortage of inventory level, the management of the company has decided to shut down its automobile plant from October 24, 2022, to October 26, 2022. However, the motorcycle plant will remain operative.”
Other assemblers are also facing similar issues and the end to this problem is not in sight either. Which means the disruptions in CKD assembly operations will likely be there in the months to come.
A computer animation professional with over 23 years of industry experience having served in leading organizations, TV channels & production facilities in Pakistan. An avid car enthusiast and petrolhead with an affection to deliver quality content to help shape opinions. Formerly written for PakWheels as well as major publications including Dawn. Founder of CarSpiritPK.com


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There’s been a lot of chatter around why customers engage in a brand and whether brands can remain relevant in a rapidly changing retail landscape.
Movable Ink CEO Vivek Sharma addressed those issues when we interviewed him for 2018 Trends: Predictions From Ecommerce Marketing Experts. He said he believes machine learning is key to personalizing the brand experience because it has the potential to help people see how a brand fits into their lifestyle – at least one key to unlocking the Apple Pay and Venmo accounts of millennials.
“The smart retailers are going to start creating an experience around the product,” Sharma says. But that begs the questions: Whose lifestyle? And what experience? Should the leather jacket be shown as a component of a chic outfit or on the shoulders of a model wearing jeans and a t-shirt? Sharma says the beauty of machine learning is that it can study individual customer behavior and select the image and content that would likely appeal to them.
“Computers are finally starting to understand what our images are about. You’re talking about something very visual and trying to infer metadata from unstructured content (the image) and trying to understand what it is about,’’ Sharma says.
Machines Versus Marketers
So how does this relate to email? It’s all about getting more performance out of email marketing campaigns. Sharma provided another example related to travel. There are specific images associated with island getaways – palm trees, sunsets, white sand beaches and the ocean. But no two people select a resort for the same reasons. Young honeymooners might be more swayed by romantic sunsets, while athletic beachgoers want to see people on paddleboards. If you have data on the individual you’re sending an email to – what they’ve booked, what they’ve browsed on, what images they’ve lingered on – machine learning can automate the image (or multiple images) that go with the email.
“There are thousands of such experiences that no marketer can keep up with. We think there’s a big opportunity for machines to help generate those completely unique experiences,’’ Sharma says.
But what about the role of creativity for a designer or content editor to say, “Hmm, let’s take a chance that our shade-loving clients might want to know about the guided kayak trips?”
Sharma said he doesn’t believe machine learning is about replacing human creativity outright. The promise of machine learning is in the ability to scale human creativity in ways physically impossible for any human. It’s about automating the repetitive tasks to free marketers up for strategic planning and coming up with even more creative ideas.
The reason this kind of marketing is so critical is because it gives the marketer power. Sharma says you need to think about how Apple controls the context of what it sells. “There is a reason you can’t buy iPhone on Amazon. Apple cares deeply about experience and putting that product in the context of how you might use it.” Offering products curated with machine-driven personalization is something that a company like Amazon (or Jet) can’t do for millions of products, Sharma says.
That is, in fact why social sites like Houzz and Pinterest can capture so much interest. But as I learned when trying to plan a kitchen remodel, those sites are rather limited. What I really wanted after deciding on natural maple cabinets were some curated suggestions for countertops, light fixtures and a range hood. I would have been happy with computer-generated looks (instead of user-supplied images or professional showroom pictures). But the few options I found couldn’t quite put it all together.
What’s the Effect on Your Email Strategy?
For many products and services, the potential is there. I’ve signed up for a lot of emails from home goods retailers, paint stores and the like. If they’re capturing what I’m searching on, they could certainly personalize their email content. “The intriguing aspect of visual personalization is that it doesn’t require the message to be constantly changed out. You could conceivably breathe a bit of life into what is, technically, a batch-and-batch email – just one that will automatically render differently depending on the recipient,’’ Sharma says.
Applying machine learning in this way speaks to the idea that marketers need to shift to behavior-based approaches. Many email tactics already employ these approaches (something as simple as segmenting messages by gender). Right now, Sharma estimates that only 3% to 5% of emails are based on behavior. “I imagine a world in five years where 80% is behavior-based with emails being sent based upon machines making decisions and adapting the content.’’
“The No. 1 lesson from the promise of machine learning to introduce deeper and more meaningful personalization is that seven or eight years ago, people thought that’s it, all the big email innovations had happened,’’ Sharma says. “The sending and segmentation of the email are certainly important and foundational. But it’s interesting to see all the innovation that’s still happening in email as a platform.”
To read more from Vivek Sharma and other thought leaders, check out 2018 Trends: Predictions From Ecommerce Marketing Experts.


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Some Black Friday shoppers have been cutting in line, grabbing carts, coming to blows, and wielding pepper spray. What the Black Friday hunt for the perfect Christmas present says about the shopper within.
This is "Small Business Saturday" when shoppers are urged to visit local businesses. Getting away from the malls and out of the big box stores helps the local economy since more of the money spent stays in the community.
Cyber Monday 2009 is not the biggest online shopping day of the holiday season. But if the hype continues, it could yet become just that.


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ATLANTA — Supply chain problems aren’t just impacting car buyers, but also causing issues for people trying to get their cars repaired.
“It just keeps changing and I’m supposed to just continue to wait,” Pachon Donaldson said.
Her 2018 Honda Pilot has been sitting in the shop at the dealer for the past three months, waiting on a back-ordered part.
“I can’t be without a car. I’m a single parent with two kids,” Donaldson said.
Her car was constantly turning itself on and off and running while she slept, draining the battery.
It is the keyless control unit that needs to be replaced. In normal times, that is a quick fix.
But after being told the part would be available in a few days back in November, Donaldson is still waiting.
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“Everything can’t be blamed on the pandemic,” she said.
But Bill Rimmer, owner of Cooper Lake Automotive says he’s seeing these kinds of part shortages with all makes and models.
And it’s everything from computer parts to simple things like oil filters.
“Some of these modules are getting hard to find. They’ll tell us, we don’t know maybe a year. Never turns out to be that long, maybe a month or two, which is still insanely long,” Rimmer said.
Channel 2 consumer advisor Clark Howard says in a supply chain crunch, you need to be an advocate for yourself.
“You need to get a second opinion just like you would with something wrong in your own body,” Howard said.
Donaldson started searching for her delayed part herself. She finally tracked it down at a dealership in Arizona. It’s now being sent here to Georgia to be installed.
“Just don’t take no for an answer,” Donaldson said.
IN OTHER NEWS:
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AMD Zen 5 is now officially a thing, and the company’s future gen chips are scheduled to arrive in two years’ time. The red team includes its best gaming CPU contender in a new roadmap alongside upcoming Zen 3+ and Zen 4 lineups, including gaming PC and laptop variants.
Revealed during the company’s Financial Analyst Day 2022, the AMD Zen 5 roadmap doesn’t cover the CPU range’s potential release date, price, specs, or benchmarks. Previous rumours suggest they could use TSMC 3nm process, replacing Zen 4’s 5nm nodes.
AMD has shared roadmaps for future ‘Strix Point’ APUs and desktop ‘Granite Ridge’ CPUs, all of which are expected to release between now and 2024. In addition, the company’s release graphic also confirms Zen 4 Threadripper chips are on the horizon, and updated Zen 3+ laptop processors will also pop up down the line.
While the prospect of Zen 5 is intriguing, it’s perhaps wiser to reserve your excitement for AMD Zen 4, as CEO Dr Lisa Su says we should hear more in the coming months. A next-gen processor has seemingly already made its way into enthusiast palms, as one modder has shared delidded photos that resemble Fallout 4 junk.
The gaming PC giant hasn’t provided solid release dates for any of its upcoming chips, so it’s hard to estimate exactly when Zen 5 CPUs will show up. The future gen processor’s potential ETA means it should show up in time to help Zen 4 compete with Intel’s Meteor Lake, which is expected to “reluctantly” release in 2023.


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A British Columbia couple is bucking the trend in southwestern Nova Scotia by getting set to open a new bed and breakfast as other tourism-based businesses close their doors.
Paul Jespersen said months after he and his wife began the construction process in Yarmouth nearly three years ago, the CAT ferry — which used to run between Yarmouth and Bar Harbor and Portland, Maine — stopped running.
"I never thought of cutting and running, so to speak, because we fell in love with the area," Jespersen told CBC News.
"Yarmouth, the Acadian shore, has something very unique, very special to offer."
Jespersen said the couple continued to spend money — more than $500,000 — to renovate Churchill Mansion, even as other tourism-based businesses collapsed in the wake of the ferry cancellation.
The original plan for a large inn was downsized and Churchill Mansion is now a five-star bed and breakfast.
Susan Jespersen said she believes it's possible to operate a successful tourism-based business in the area with attention to detail and making sure the product is ready before it's taken to the market.
"We need to do more to support businesses, tourism businesses and we really need to make sure we're prepared that when tourists come here, that we have something to offer," she said.
Last week, the provincial government announced the creation of a team of local community, tourism and business leaders to improve and promote the tourism experience in southwestern Nova Scotia.
Jespersen said the new committee should shed any political involvement and add more small business owners. Every business person in the industry has suggestions on what to offer, she said.
The CAT ferry stopped running after the provincial government cancelled a subsidy that had kept the Bay Ferries Ltd. ferries running, effectively ending a service that had lasted more than a decade.
After months of negotiations and reports, the Nova Scotia government rejected proposals from two bidders interested in restarting the service and said last month it would not give up on finding a new ferry service for Yarmouth.


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CPN News reports on the latest Canon pro photo and video products and announcements, major events and exhibitions, plus the key professional photography stories hitting the headlines.
10/14 Canon has revealed the CN20x 50 IAS H E1/P1 cine-servo zoom that boasts a stunning 50-1500mm focal length range and superb 4K image quality.
10/14 Canon has launched a new XEED projector, the WUX6000, featuring a stunning 6000 lumens brightness and 2000:1 contrast ratio.
09/14 Canon has updated its H- and M-series with new Full HD and 1.3MP cameras, replacing the current line-up in December 2014.
09/14 Canon launches the EOS 7D Mark II APS-C DSLR, which boasts fastest-ever autofocus and a host of innovative new features.
09/14 Canon announces the new EF400mm f/4 DO IS II USM super-telephoto lens, which uses third generation Diffractive Optic (DO) technology.
09/14 Canon launches the PowerShot G7 X, a pocketable large sensor compact with EOS-inspired performance, delivering superb quality images.
06/14 Canon has announced an all-new version of its free RAW image editing software, Digital Photo Professional 4.0, is now available for download.
06/14 Canon announces the launch of the VB-S805D ultra-compact Minidome and VB-S905F Mini Fixed Boxed network cameras.