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With each passing day, the situation around the new coronavirus (Covid-19) epidemic becomes more severe. Because of the unpredictable nature of the current situation, PG SOFT has given 250,000 face masks to businesses and consumers in order to offer a helping hand to the unsung heroes who are working tirelessly to contain the epidemic across the world.
We are aware that many of our international customers and businesses are currently engaged in the fight against the pandemic, and as a result of rising demand, materials required to combat the virus in many areas are becoming increasingly scarce, and the demand for face masks has increased explosively, resulting in a worldwide battle to halt the virus outbreak.
PG SOFT is strong in its belief that, in times of crisis, it is the duty of everyone in the worldwide community to come together and work together to combat the epidemic! With this unwavering commitment to making a positive contribution to the worldwide anti-pandemic cause, PG SOFT has chosen to launch our face mask donation campaign!
While it was not an easy task to purchase a large number of face masks in such a tight supply of materials everywhere, PG SOFT was able to successfully purchase 250,000 face masks through our continuous persistence in contacting and coordinating with multiple resources, and was able to quickly deliver the face masks to enterprises and customers who required them! Whatever the length of time this pandemic crisis lasts, PG SOFT will continue to do all we can to provide face masks to people in need!
Ken Zhang, the managing director and co-founder of PG SOFT, has said that the company’s corporate culture has always been based on “trustworthiness, reciprocity, and high integrity.” It is our hope that the face masks that PG SOFT is giving will be able to make a difference in the worldwide battle against the pandemic during this very difficult pandemic prevention and control period.”
PG SOFT will actively monitor the development of the pandemic and will continue to provide contributions to the battle against the pandemic in the coming months.. Let us all be strong and work together to conquer this!
THE NEWEST GAME FROM PG SOFT, ‘BIKINI PARADISE,’ LETS YOU SURFER WITH THE BIKINI LADIES
With the silky white sand under his feet, he raises his sunglasses to get a glimpse of the stunning sunset. The sea sparkles like a diamond as a result of the sunshine bouncing off of it, enhancing the beauty of the surrounding landscape even more.
As he makes his way towards the beach bar, he passes past a large number of attractive women, many of whom are still sunbathing on the beach in bikinis. He waves his hand to welcome them, and a couple of them exchange winks and smiles with him as he does so.
Hawaii is unquestionably a paradise unlike any other!
In this 5-reel, 4-row video slot, you’ll find Stacked Wild symbols with multipliers, as well as other bonus features. It is possible to increase your winnings by up to 5000x if one or more Stacked Wild symbols show completely on any reels throughout the game. In addition, you may earn up to 20 free spins by activating the Free Spins Feature.


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Pictures of the Keita Maruyama Tokyo Paris 2012 S/S Collection runway show at Tokyo Midtown during Japan Fashion Week in Tokyo.
bags Japanese Street FashionBrowsing
A look at the various school bags that Tokyo’s famous gyaru and gyaru-o will be carrying to class this year.
LeSportsac is opening their first Artist In Residence popup shop on Cat Street in Harajuku. Three international artists will be featured in the new store.
Pictures of the LeSportsac Japan x Barbie bag collection released in Tokyo this week. The collection features pink and black Barbie handbags, purses, totes, and wallets.
Information on – and pictures of – the Tokyo release of a new messenger bag collaboration between streetwear brand X-Girl and bag brand Manhattan Portage.
A look at the upcoming Atmos Tokyo x Chums streetwear collaboration – featuring pictures & prices of the bags and jackets in the collection.
A new collaboration between two popular Japanese streetwear brands – Atmos footwear and Porter bags – along with famous women’s lingerie brand Peach John.
As part of the Hello Kitty 35th anniversary celebration, 20 different brands have collaborated with Japanese website Zozo Town to release limited edition Kitty gear.
Information on the new collaboration bag collection between Japanese fashion brand Comme des Garcons and The Beatles.
Japanese bag brand Crystal Ball has launched a new line of Hello Kitty bags and purses called the Sweet Chocolate Collection. We’ve got pictures, prices, and more info for you.

domain: news


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Months after the business closed, a Miami businessman’s organic hemp company was approved for a federal paycheck protection program for a federal loan worth $ 150,000 to $ 350,000, according to a lawsuit filed last Friday by investors in the company .
In addition, investors claim that businessman Patrick Horsman bought a private plane for more than $ 1 million after the CBD business crashed and burned – and after applying for the loan from the program, an integral part of the state COVID-19 relief package designed to help troubled small businesses keep their employees on payroll.
The loans are waived when used on payroll and other approved expenses. The program that allowed banks to take borrowers at their word for much of the financial information they were required to provide was largely down the line viewed by experts as particularly at risk to fraud.
Federal data shows that one of Horsman. owned company based in Montana a Canadair Challenger 600 aircraft registered on April 28, the day before its hemp company Integrated CBD was awarded a PPP loan.
Investors say Horsman and two Integrated CBD partners misled them about the company’s prospects, conducted self-business, and used the company’s funds to pay personal expenses, including Horsman’s credit card bills.
(Horsman initially declined to comment before it was published, but after the story was published he responded first through a legal representative, then through a public relations expert, and then directly. He said the plane was bought with his own money – not through business proceeds – to protect his family during the COVID-19 pandemic.)
(He said his intentions were to go back to business and reinstate employees, but he could not do this because the creditors had frozen the company’s assets, including the PPP loan proceeds. As a result, the loan proceeds were several days repaid after filing the lawsuit. and the story was made public.)
Horsman owns two apartments on Bay Harbor Islands, including a penthouse with a private terrace and unobstructed views of Biscayne Bay, which he bought last year for nearly $ 1.6 million.
Horsman, a seasoned investment manager specializing in connecting investors to niche investing, was 2017 from FINRA. censored, the regulator for investment brokers, for violating rules governing IPO investments and for failing to disclose several brokerage accounts for his company Blue Sand Securities in writing for several months. Horsman was fined $ 20,000 and the profits on his IPO investments were repaid and suspended for 10 days.
The hemp company was based in Arizona, and Horsman and its partners Jeffrey Dreyer and Ari Schiff announced to investors in 2019 that they had access to 10,000 acres of organic farmland that they would use to grow organic hemp and extract CBD .
The Arizona lawsuit, filed in Maricopa County, claims that Horsman’s group overestimated the amount of land they control and the quality of the land – claiming that the country was already successfully producing hemp when it was not.
In addition, investors say Horsman and its partners overestimated how much money they received from other sources, and announced in late 2019 that they had raised $ 50 million in secured debt.
But in January 2020, Horsman told investors that the company had burned all of its cash and needed more cash to continue. When investors examined the company’s financial records, they found that the company had used company funds to pay approximately $ 2 million credit card bills on Horsman’s behalf.
(Horsman responded after the story was posted online, saying the expenses on the company’s AMEX card were not his alone, provided a spreadsheet of individual settlements under various names, adding that it was definitely for legitimate business purposes .)
And investors say Horsman and his employees also made millions of dollars on a plan where companies they controlled bought the Arizona farmland that the company was supposed to use and then leased it back to the company at an inflated price .
The lawsuit alleges that Horsman fired all Integrated CBD employees by February 2020 at the latest, but still applied for and received the PPP loan in late April.
The U.S. Small Business Administration, which manages the program, said it would not comment on any pending litigation.
In early April, the company an auction planned for its agricultural and processing equipment. When asked by the Miami Herald as to whether the auction took place and was successful, the two auction companies did not respond.
One of the abandoned investors said in the lawsuit that when Horsman confronted Horsman with alleged misappropriation of funds, he replied, “[W]What do you care, you’ve only lost 50 grand? “
This article has been updated to include comments from Patrick Horsman, who declined before posting it online but did so afterwards.
This story was originally published October 6, 2020 7:30 a.m.


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Rick Kelley is today’s first speaker. Rick is Facebook’s Head of Mid Market Sales EMEA and has started his keynote speech by explaining the massive changes that have taken place since the very first banner ad appeared on the internet in 1994.
It is not just the internet that has changed since then either: physical brands like Crest toothpaste are tapping in to the web in a way that was not even possible in the pre-Facebook age.
Social media has revolutionised the internet by personalising it. People these days display their real names, their real hobbies and interact with their real friends. They are also interacting with their favourite companies too.
The three decades of the internet have been characterised by the development from browsing, to searching, and now to discovering. The difference being that web surfing in the 90s was a passive stroll through cyberspace; while the search revolution that Google brought in the 2000s saw a targeted approach and the social media of the 2010s is bringing discovery; whereby people are discovering the music, news, videos etc that their friends and family find interesting.
Rick is now explaining some of the benefits for businesses which not only use social media, but actually listen to the feedback. Companies like Vitamin Water and Threadless are using public-power to dictate the products they make.
If we take Oreo cookies as an example, they have 16 million ‘likes’ on Facebook and they actively engage their fans on a daily basis without even trying to market to them — just to be a presence in their lives. This compares to a mere 150,000 who actively choose to visit oreo.com. A Massive difference and a boon for Oreo and Facebook.
During last year’s Eyjafjallajökull eruption in Iceland, KLM actually used their Facebook wall to re-book people’s flights. By simply adding their booking number to the wall; the airline would process and help customers without the need for telephones. In fact Delta Airlines now allows you to book a flight with them without even leaving Facebook.
Facebook is also a great raw marketing tool — for example Toyota’s Facebook plea for videos about why the Carolla is a good car drew thousands of responses. The best ended up on television.
Next, Rick goes on to talk about the three types of media: owned, paid and earned. To earn the media exposure is obviously the hardest — but also the most successful. One amazing way of doing this is when people like or recommend something on Facebook. If it spreads to friends of friends on their news feed, your company potentially stands to reach millions of people. Similarly, when friends recommend products and services, we are much more likely to take notice.
The targeted nature of Facebook advertisements is a real draw because of the way it is tailored to individuals. For example, if your profile says you like skiing, it is very easy for a small ski resort to cheaply advertise to you in the knowledge that you are a likely potential customer.
The new ‘sponsored story’ feature on Facebook allows sponsored ‘likes’ to be put on the right of the page because items fall off people’s fast-moving news feeds very quickly.
Rick closed his speech with a short recap and then opened the floor to questions.


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GAC Motor Wows at the Detroit Auto Show
Detroit -- February 16, 2015: GAC Motor’s display of its globalization drive and the latest models at the North American International Auto Show ticked all the right boxes as the leading automotive manufacturer in China built up intimacy with international customers, dealers and business partners. GAC put its best foot forward in reinforcing its ambitions of making cars for the world as it shed the light on its go–outbound campaign during the international auto exhibition in Detroit that concluded on January 25, 2015.
“After meticulous planning and careful studies, we start to create our own brands by adopting international standards,” said Wu Song, general manager of GAC Motor. “We are confident that GAC Motor can churn out world-class vehicles to compete in the international market.”
GAC exhibited three own-brand cars – a high–performance compact sport-utility vehicle GS4, a high–quality sedan GA6 and a high-tech concept model WITSTAR – at the Detroit show, which provided a vivid snapshot of the Chinese carmaker’s strenuous efforts to explore the world market.
The GAC models and its globalization were well received by customers and dealers while drawing rave reviews from top international media attracted by the Chinese auto giant’s expected move to consolidate overseas footholds.
In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Wu revealed GAC’s plan to establish overseas plants as it initially targeted at setting up production facilities in Eastern Europe and the Middle East.
Wu said GAC would make a final decision on its first out-bound investment this year as was inspired by a flood of positive feedbacks about the company’s own-brand vehicles outside China.
During the Detroit auto show, GAC’s models and events attracted about 20 overseas media organizations including the Associated Press, the Wall Street Journal and USA Today. The news about GAC’s participation in the exhibition were picked up and followed up by more than 200 media, a fresh sign of the Chinese auto manufacturer’s increasing profile in the global market.
Information about GAC also widely spread via the internet as millions of internet surfers accessed news about the company’s products and strategy through major US online social networking services such as Facebook and Twitter during the show.
GAC intends to launch a combined 20 own-brand vehicles including several energy–efficient cars by 2020 when sales of the models are expected to hit 1 million units.
Wu told the Wall Street Journal that 20 percent of the sales would derive from the foreign markets buoyed by GAC’s enhanced development capabilities and consolidated tie–ups with foreign partners.
GAC pioneered the Chinese automotive industry’s go-global campaign in tandem with its long–term cooperations with big–name automakers including Fiat Chrysler and Toyota.
The company launched its self–owned brand in 2010 and rose into global prominence buoyed by the successes of the high–performance models that are on par with the international products.
American dealers have shown keen interest in creating partnerships with GAC as they were convinced of the GAC models’ quality and performance on the auto show.
“North American market is our dream for the future business development,” said Yuan Zhongrong, vice chairman of GAC Group, parent of GAC Motor. “We would like everyone here to witness how this dream comes true.”
GAC pledged that its own–brand vehicles would hit the US market before 2017 after dealers and customers endorsed the products during the auto show.
GAC has honed its image as a highly competitive player in the world’s automotive industry as visitors to the show grasped a better understanding of the products’ quality and the Chinese automakers’ strengthened efforts on research and development.
“GAC is the best representative of China’s rising power in the global automotive industry,” said Wang Xia, chairman of the automotive committee under the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade. “It will spearhead Chinese automakers’ move to bring a sea change to the international auto market.”
According to JD Power’s quality study report on new vehicles in China released last October, GAC Motor was ranked the 14th among 62 Chinese and foreign brands, and it remained in the first place among all Chinese brands.
The whole line of GAC Motor’s vehicles scored the 5–star in C–NCAP Crash Assessment.


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The bezel-less smartphone has become a new attraction for the smartphone lovers. The company like the Samsung and the iPhone already launched there premium frameless smartphone in the market. The look and display of bezel-less phone is fantastic, however, the problem with such amazing devices is that they are way costlier than you think!
So to give the taste of these smartphones to the budget user, a no of Chinese companies have launched their budget bezel-less or almost bezel-less smartphone in the market. Some of the well-known names are Doogee Mix 2, VK World Mix, Bluboo S8 etc.
Recently one more Chinese smartphone company ‘Vernee’, has launched it’s the most awaited Vernee Mix2 4G Phablet in the market. So you may think what is different in this phone from others.
let me tell you first, this phone has 6 inches superlarge almost Bezel-less screen, which you will hardly see in any other budget bezel-less smartphone. There are many more thing you need to know before buying this smartphone
Read full post here:


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Shaping global rules: the UK in the 21st century global economy
The 21st century world economy looks rather than different than the previous century. The fast growing areas of services and digital trade are less well governed than trade in goods. For the UK, which is the world’s second largest exporter of services and one of the top 10 countries in terms of ICT as a share of its economy, this provides an opportunity to help shape the global rules in these areas.
Services trade is covered by GATS in the World Trade Organization (WTO) but it has less teeth than the provisions for goods trade. As a result, a group of countries launched a round in 2013, the Trade in Services Agreement (TiSA), to liberalise and open up global markets in services. Services comprise 70% of world and EU GDP but only 25% of world and EU trade. Some services are non-tradeable, such as consuming a meal locally, so it is different than goods. But there is still significant scope to increase trade in services which would benefit many and particularly advanced economies since they are mostly services-based economies.
TiSA has stalled with the change in U.S. administration. But this offers an opportunity for the UK. As the world’s second biggest services exporter, the UK has considerable expertise with which to push to restart TiSA. Trade in services is unlike trade in goods in that tariffs are not a major consideration. Services trade is known as the “invisible balance” because it deals in the intangible economy which is governed by standards, regulations, rules and norms. As a leading international financial and business hub, Britain has long-standing experience in working with global companies as well as regulating them.
It is similar for trade in the digital arena. This area has grown so rapidly that a new round of talks has been launched in January centred on agreeing rules to open up and regulate e-commerce, data localisation rules, as well as combat spam, among others. This pluralistic approach bears many similar to TiSA in that rather than waiting for unanimous agreement, a group initiates the process.
There are also numerous global bodies in which rules around ICT and technology, such as 5G, are set. They are the new battlegrounds between the economic superpowers, the United States and China, who are vying to set the standards that will govern globally.
Their impasse opens up an opportunity for the UK. In areas like FinTech as well as a number of other tech arenas, the UK ranks highly alongside the US and China. Thus, it has the expertise to help shape global rules and with less of the political tensions.
Shaping global rules, particularly in the ICT area, is not solely the preserve of governments. Leading companies who have the know-how are significant contributors to global rule-setting bodies. This is also where the UK with a comparatively large ICT sector has an advantage. By working with leading British firms, the UK is in a strong position to introduce the private-sector perspective as well as bring considerable regulatory experience to the negotiating table. That combination would be highly effective and necessary in becoming an influential voice in setting global rules and standards.
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- Read the latest edition of Business Chief Europe edition, here
Not operating alone would also be important. As discussed earlier with TiSA and digital trade initiatives, working with a group of similarly situated countries is important in trying to push for change in the current system. Working with the European Union after Brexit would provide a partnership with the largest economic bloc that is not the United States or China who are at loggerheads with each other. A partnership with Japan, Canada, Australia, South Korea and other advanced economies would be similarly beneficial as it would be a group of countries who were joining together to set global rules.
And there is the bigger picture. The global rules-based order is under strain. Supra-national organisations such as the WTO and others are in need of reform to adjust to the 21st century global economy that will be increasingly characterised by services and digital trade and investment. By working to set global rules together with partners, the UK would be improving and therefore helping to secure the viability of the rules-based international system. Having globally recognised rules that are adopted by major economies would go a long way toward creating a new version of the international rules-based system.
Such a system where countries such as the UK takes the lead along with the EU and others might even offer a way for the U.S. and China to be enticed to the table. Any global rules that the U.S. and China do not sign up to would be problematic. Having only one of them risks polarisation of the world economy.
This might just be the time for the UK and others to take the lead and build a consensual approach to global rule-setting and bolster the international rules-based system.
For more information on all business in Europe, please take a look at the latest edition of Business Chief Europe.
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Ford debuts the new 2015 Ford Expedition that boasts new features and engine options.
Read This Article
There's no need to spend vast sums of money to get a safe new car.
Rumors of an ultra-powerful Ford Focus RS here in America have been floating around for some time, but a new report in the UK's Auto Express gives us some specifics.
It was a good year for the Blue Oval boys as Ford Motor Company made a net income of $20.26 billion in 2011 courtesy of a one-time "special item" accounting maneuver.


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- Dr. Pedro Lopes, who heads the Human Computer Integration lab at the University of Chicago, is developing a wearable that uses electrical stimulation to help a user's muscles perform tasks.
- It could be used to improve human reflexes and train people on various tasks at home and in the workplace.
- Roughly 60 million Americans use wearable devices — from fitness trackers and smart watches to hearables and smart clothing — at least once a month to simplify and enhance their life.
A professor at the University of Chicago believes he is on his way to creating a wearable for market that will manipulate your muscles with electrical impulses to cause you to move involuntarily so you can perform a physical task you otherwise didn't know how to do, like playing a musical instrument or operating machinery.
Dr. Pedro Lopes, who heads the Human Computer Integration lab at the university, is all about integrating humans and computers, closing the gap between human and machine. His team, which focuses on engineering the next generation of wearable and haptic devices, is exploring the endless possibilities if wearables could intentionally share parts of our body for input and output, allowing computers to be more directly interwoven in our bodily senses and actuators.
Lopes' vision: a wearable EMS device that would look like a sleeve and be able to send electrical impulses in the right timing and in the right fashion to make a user's muscles move involuntarily to perform a physical task. EMS stands for electrical muscle stimulation.
Think training people to operate tools they are not familiar with, he said, or speeding up a user's reaction time to train someone to have better reflexes. According to Dr. Lopes, by speeding up a user's muscle stimulation, they could, for instance, have superhuman reflexes and be so fast that they could take a picture of a flying baseball. The technology can also teach people to play musical instruments, use tools and operate machinery, for example.
"The wearables you buy today are pretty much all only a reduced smartphone. You shrink the smartphone display, put it on a wristwatch, and you have it," said Lopes at the CNBC Evolve Summit in Chicago on Tuesday. "But what if we take that to the next step. What if these devices can not only read signals from the human body but also intersect and interject signals into the human body?"
He added that "if a wearable is able to move our muscles, we've just unlocked a very different way to learn a physical skill. Instead of learning a skill by reading a book about it or seeing a YouTube video about how to do this carpentry movement or how to juggle or play a musical instrument, in the future we may be learning how to do it by having a wearable device control our muscles."
Tracking day-to-day activities using wearables has become a way of life. Roughly 60 million Americans will use a wearable device at least once a month in 2019, from fitness trackers and smart watches to hearables, smart clothing and now even smart glasses.
As the technology gets smarter, the wearables are getting edgier, as designers continuously looking for new ways to integrate the technology into all kinds of clothing and accessories. Among them: a smart tattoo dubbed DuoSkin, which is a collaboration between MIT's Media Lab and Microsoft Research. The skin interface is made of gold metal leaf and enables users to control their mobile devices, display information and store information on their skin while serving as a statement of personal style. Google and Levi's partnered to come out with a jean jacket with touchscreen functionality. The Levi's Commuter Trucker Jacket with Jacquard has microthin conductive threads sewn into the left sleeve of the jacket, which senses your touch and links to your mobile device via Bluetooth.
There are also wearables the size of a drop of water that stick to your fingernail and coordinate with your smartphone to alert you if you are being exposed to too much UVA and UVB light, smart swimsuits to track your activity in the water, and yoga pants that tell you when your pose needs refining.
It's no surprise, then, that by 2022 the market value for wearables is predicted to be valued at a whopping $27 billion, with 233 million devices expected to be sold that year, up from 117 million devices in 2018, according to CCS Insight in its latest forecast.
For more on iconic global companies and executives embracing change and transforming for the future, join us live on Sept. 24 in Chicago at CNBC Evolve, a summit for business decision makers seeking to innovate.
If you've never used a particular tool before, especially a power tool, learning from an instruction manual can be rather difficult. That's because physical objects, such as the tools around us, can't easily communicate how they should be used properly, especially if it involves motion or many steps.
Lopes' solution: to control the user's movements by altering their arm poses using electrical muscle stimulation. Muscle stimulation is a technique with origins in medical rehabilitation, typically used to assist those that have impaired motor functions — for instance, patients who have lost mobility as a result of a spinal cord injury.
Lopes uses the same technology to allow objects to come alive and communicate to their user the instructions on how to operate them. However, the twist is that rather than reading an instruction manual, the user's muscles receive pain-free electrical impulses to make them move.
Lopes' system accomplishes this by having users wear a device on their arm that is able to stimulate their hand and finger muscles by means of electrodes. The tool that user's want to interact with is equipped with a simple RFID tag, similar to the one in your credit card, programmed with the motions your muscles need to properly use the tool.
Lopes' system is able to nudge a user to perform hand gestures such as squeeze, turn, repel, drop, shake and raise. Complex actions are achieved by combining these actions. For instance, in a controlled laboratory experiment, Lopes used his device to assist participants in operating a spray can (e.g., remember to shake before use) and open a door handle.
"There is an RFID tag attached, so the moment the antenna in the device you are wearing senses the object, it will start," said Lopes. "We are trying to teach people to play the trombone. Imagine the trombone has an RFID. You essentially download the trombone program the moment you grab the trombone, and you start playing the correct notes."
Lopes said he and his team are still in the early stages and have a ways to go to fine-tune the muscle control. But they have run several successful trials since 2015 in which participants wore the device to perform such motions as peeling an avocado, using a spray can and using a magnetic sweeper.
Nevertheless, he's optimistic about the future of his technology: "It's a new form of learning that is very embodied rather than watching a video or reading a label, an interesting way to learn any physical task. It's not the interface for someone to learn to use Microsoft Word, but more in a factory setting, carpentry, music-making — any physical skill," he said. "The implications are going to be large."


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The term "contemporary Chinese architecture" conjures up imagery of hyper-modern steel-and-glass showpieces like the CCTV building designed by Rem Koolhaas or the Bird’s Nest constructed for the 2008 Summer Olympics. But, for patrons who can afford it, a very different kind of new architecture is currently being constructed in China—buildings that look like they were transplanted from a Parisian arrondissement or an Austrian village. Tech writer Bianca Bosker spends time in China researching the country's architectural nostalgia and has just published a book about her findings entitled Original Copies: Architectural Mimicry in Contemporary China, which explores this concept of "duplitecture."
The copying mania in China is not embraced by all architects there. Some, like last year’s Pritzker Prize winner Wang Shu, are on a quest to create buildings that draw on Chinese traditions while being unabashedly modern. That’s according to Qingyun Ma, head of USC’s architecture school, who explains the dilemma the copycat architecture presents to the Chinese intelligentsia.
A rendering for the Wangjing SOHO in Bejing designed by Zaha Hadid, which is currently being copied in Chongqing
But it's not just traditional architecture that's being copied. In Chongqing, a knock-off of a Beijing building designed by Zaha Hadid is actually being built faster than the original. And, in one of the more famous examples of Chinese copying, Apple found that its stores and branding had been duplicated so convincingly in China that people working in the fake stores thought they were Apple employees. In a bid to try and thwart this kind of copying both at home and overseas, Apple has managed to trademark the design of its stores. The trademark includes "a clear glass storefront surrounded by a paneled facade" and, within the store, an "oblong table with stools... set below video screens flush mounted on the back wall." Marissa Gluck follows piracy issues as an advisor to new media and design companies and explains the difference between trademark and copyright protection.
Top image: One of many White House-inspired buildings in China, photo by China Daily


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According to multiple reports, the sales of VW Polo have been suspended with immediate effect. The dealers are reported to have received a letter from Volkswagen, asking them to stop the sales of all variants of the Polo hatchback.
(Image of the letter, courtesy of The Economic Times.)
While the reason behind the move remains unclear, a VW official has, in a reply to Autocar India, confirmed that the stoppage of sales is not related to the whole ‘diesel gate’ saga going around. A PTI report, on the other hand, hints at it being due to a a different ‘technical issue’.
A formal reply from the company is expected soon. Since the Polo shares its platform with a number of products in India, had there been a flaw, VW could have stopped the sales of Vento and Skoda Rapid, as well. But that hasn’t happened yet, so it’s likely to be a smaller issue than what most investigative minds might make you believe.
A statement by Volkswagen mentions that the sales are stopped due to
“a technical reason which is currently under evaluation. This concerns a limited number of cars out of a specific production period. Volkswagen further confirms that deliveries for the non-impacted Polo range continues as schedule.
Volkswagen would like to clarify that the temporary hold on deliveries is not related to the ongoing EA 189 diesel engine topic.”
How Volkswagen cheated America and the world


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Given the unprecedented situation regarding COVID-19, we wanted to update you on the steps that the band and the organisers are taking to keep you safe.
We are continuing to follow official guidance from the government and health authorities.
Most bookings are private, sorry, but where there is the availability to purchase tickets or the event is FREE, then it will be advertised on this page.
Look forward to seeing you there.
The Sandwich booking (Dancing in the Street)
is now also CANCELLED due to the restrictions and is now planned for 2021.


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Breaking Golf News and Viral Content
All the latest in Breaking News for the golfing world.
Viral Golfing content from around the web for your viewing pleasure!
Welcome to the MyGolfSpy Ask Me Anything section of the forum. We are excited to bring industry experts, equipment manufacturer representatives, and influential people in the golf industry to answer your most pressing questions.


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IBM shared their 100th anniversary with the world [June 16, 1911-2011]. The company has also released a new book, “Making the World Work Better: The Ideas That Shaped a Century and a Company,” What’s next…inspiring a more social aware and collaborative business discipline.
IBM is looking to help businesses be more authentic,more connected within social media, but will this be enough to truly shape the next 100 years and the role of People? [Image source: IBM]
IBM has created IBM Social Business Platform and certainly they understand the importance of new social responsibilities for business; needing to be more agile, more responsive. Connections provides real-time monitoring of social data. IBM will advance collaborative innovation [B2B] with more useful data, tracked, filtered and put-into-play for clients, partners and employees.
Still, I’m curious to see how IBM will help to nurture the “other” social mindset of businesses…connecting with real people. Brands struggle with developing organic ideas. Co-creating future products and services is often a source of fear and unrest. Listening and absorbing depth within social content, without disrupting the natural process of sharing and influence…almost impossible.
What should follow…
Responding with conviction and adapting strategy with an almost intuitive understanding of what people want and need.


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The Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE) has welcomed the creation of a new innovation centre for industrial biotechnology (IB) to be hosted at the UK's
The centre will create 1,500 jobs over the next five years and is being funded by the
The centre is to be chaired by former IChemE president
Shott was also chair of the
IB involves the use of biological substances, systems and processes to produce intermediate and final products such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, materials and energy - both cost-effectively and with minimal adverse environmental impact.
Though the industry is still in its early stages, it is estimated that the global market for IB will be worth Pounds150bn-360bn by 2025, of which
IChemE's chief executive, Dr
"The new innovation centre, which is supported by a strong partnership and package of investment, is warmly welcomed by IChemE and we look forward to giving it our full support."
CC AutoTriage1pm-140211-30TagarumaMar-4632107 30TagarumaMar
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The BBC goes on to speculate... It suggested that this information could be an anti-piracy measure as it could help work out who was putting downloads on file-sharing sites. But it also added that the user information was found on all the tracks that people buy on iTunes whether free of DRM or not.
The BBC has contacted Apple seeking comment but so far the company has not responded.
Other websites said it was only a matter of time before a utility program was produced that which stripped out the identifying information. At this point it is not yet clear how deeply the user data is buried in the track or how easy it is to remove. Lets hope it's soon
Jaknet writes: The UK government is at it again with attempts to track and charge extreme amounts for using the roads. If your from the UK please sign up at the petition site below
The government's proposal to introduce road pricing will mean you having to purchase a tracking device for your car and paying a monthly bill to use it.
The tracking device will cost about £200 and in a recent study by the BBC, the lowest MONTHLY bill was £28 for a rural florist and £194 for a delivery drive. The road tax at the moment is about £110 for small cars and £170 for all other cars PER YEAR
On top of this massive increase in tax, you will be tracked. Somebody will know where you are at all times. They will also know how fast you have been going, so even if you accidentally creep over a speed limit you can expect a speeding fine and points on your licence with your monthly bill.
If you care about our freedoms and stopping the constant bashing of the car driver, please sign the petition on No 10's new website:
Jaknet writes: Not only ID cards but now we can end up being fingerprinted on the streets. From the BBC http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/6170070.stm Ok at the moment it claims to be voluntary and at the moment they won't be recorded. Be interesting to see what happens when you refuse to be fingerprinted.


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Dell said today it has finalised the acquisition of Force 10 Networks, a specialist in data centre networking. The move enables Dell to deliver virtual network services infrastructure.
In addition to strategic acquisitions, such as Force10, Dell expects to hire several hundred new team members in engineering, sales and marketing, and services jobs at the Dell Silicon Valley R&D Center.
Dell Force10’s technology allows firms to transform network infrastructures into an open, reliable and scalable data centre and cloud computing fabric.
Dell Force10’s customers include leading web 2.0 and Fortune 100 companies, internet portals, global carriers, leading research laboratories and government organisations with some of the world’s most demanding network environments.
“The addition of Force10 Networks technology gives Dell a data center-class networking portfolio, enabling the company to deliver on converged infrastructure,” said Cindy Borovick, research vice president, data centre networking, IDC.
“Force10 Networks technology architecture will integrate well within Dell’s virtual data centre vision.


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Looks like the recent roaring success of Android has drawn attention to some of the slightly shadier practices of a few developers, with a DMCA copyright claim filed with Google today wiping an astonishing 35 Tetris clones from the Android Market.
The complaint has been explained, in part, by the developer who’s responsible for one such homage to the ancient puzzle game, over on Slashdot:
“I am one of the developers of FallingBlocks, a game with the same gameplay concepts as Tetris.
“This night, I have received an email warning that my game was suspended from Android Market due to a violation of the Developer Content Policy. When I received the email, I already imagined that it had something to do with it being a Tetris clone, but besides having the same gameplay as Tetris, which i believe cannot be copyrighted, the game uses its own name, graphics and sounds. There’s no reference to “Tetris” in our game.
“I have emailed Google asking what is the reason for the application removal. Google promptly answered that The Tetris Company, LLC notified them under DMCA to remove various Tetris clones from Android Market. My app was removed together with other 35 Tetris clones”
And here’s Falling Blocks. You can understand why the Tetris copyright holders might be a little bit annoyed:
Expect the fallout from this to be rather huge. Falling Blocks is a very popular – and free – Android game, which has racked up over 50,000 downloads so far, according to third-party Market monitoring tools. It’s removal is going to leave an extremely large, L-shaped hole.
Link via AndroidGuys.


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Hours after Adobe Systems (NAS: ADBE) announced it will halt ongoing development of its browser-based Flash Player application runtime for mobile devices, Research In Motion (NAS: RIMM) stated it will continue to support developers who have created Flash-based applications on its BlackBerry platform.
Adobe confirmed its plans Wednesday morning, stating it will focus its efforts on the fast-growing HTML5 web standard and enabling Flash developers to package native applications with its Adobe AIR runtime for all the major app stores. "We will no longer continue to develop Flash Player in the browser to work with new mobile device configurations (chipset, browser, OS version, etc.) following the upcoming release of Flash Player 11.1 for Android and BlackBerry PlayBook," wrote Adobe Interactive Development vice president and general manager Danny Winokur on the Adobe Featured Blog.
Research In Motion soon responded with an Inside BlackBerry Developer's Blog entry of its own in a move to assuage developer concerns. "What I would like our developer community to know is that RIM will continue to support developers who have built Adobe Flash-based apps on our platform," vice president of developer relations and ecosystem development Alec Saunders writes. "As an Adobe source code licensee, we have a lot of leverage through our own integration and support of Adobe Flash and will continue to provide our desktop-class Flash experience to our customers. On its end, Adobe will continue to support the current BlackBerry PlayBook tablet configuration." Saunders adds that all BlackBerry platforms support HTML5 browsing capability, based on the WebKit engine.
Adobe Systems released Flash Player 11 and AIR 3 just last month, promising publishers the tools to deliver console-quality 2D and 3D gaming experiences to mobile platforms including RIM's BlackBerry Tablet OS as well as Google's (NAS: GOOG) Android and Apple's (NAS: AAPL) iOS (via the AIR runtime). A superset of Flash Player, AIR enables developers to leverage existing code to build standalone applications across devices and platforms -- AIR extensions add support for unique device features and native code libraries, giving developers the flexibility to mix and match elements of Flash, HTML5 and native code.
RIM released an updated version of its BlackBerry PlayBook OS v2.0 Developer Beta last week, touting support for BlackBerry Runtime for Android Apps as well as the latest versions of the BlackBerry WebWorks and Adobe AIR SDKs. RIM recently announced it will delay the official release version of BlackBerry PlayBook OS v2.0 until February 2012, further casting doubt on the manufacturer's ability to effectively compete with market leader Apple in the fast-moving tablet segment. RIM initially stated it would release version 2.0 of the PlayBook OS sometime in October.
At the time thisarticle was published The Motley Fool owns shares of Google and Apple. Motley Fool newsletter services have recommended buying shares of Apple, Adobe Systems, and Google. Motley Fool newsletter services have recommended creating a bull call spread position in Apple. Motley Fool newsletter services have recommended creating a diagonal call position in Adobe Systems. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
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By Harriet Torry
BERLIN--Germany hit back at U.S. criticism of its export-led economic policies Thursday, describing it as "incomprehensible," and said the country's trade surpluses were the result of the "strong competitiveness of Germany's economy and international demand for quality products."
A report from the U.S. Treasury published Wednesday openly criticized Germany's economic policies and blamed the euro-zone powerhouse for dragging down its neighbors and the rest of the global economy.
"Germany's anemic pace of domestic demand growth and dependence on exports have hampered rebalancing at a time when many other euro-area countries have been under severe pressure to curb demand and compress imports in order to promote adjustment," the treasury said in its report.
The German Economics Ministry rejected the criticism in a statement Thursday, saying both domestic investment and consumer demand were increasing.
"Incidentally the International Monetary Fund also doesn't see economic policy distortions as the reason for the German trade surplus," the ministry concluded.
Write to Harriet Torry at email@example.com


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Tyson Foods is report first quarter net income of $552 million. That’s down from $1.6 billion one year ago. The sales volume for chicken increased, but the average prices declined. Beef sales volume declined, but export and domestic demand remains strong. With tight margins, Tyson pork sales volume also declined. Tyson President and CEO Noel White said China’s problem with African Swine Fever is likely worse that what is being reported. Tyson officials indicate that could result in an increase in pork sales to China.
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Next led a share rally in the retail sector last night as Citigroup said that share prices in the sector had bottomed out and that it was time to “relight the fire”.
Next closed with gains of more than 7 per cent, up 98p, after Citi said that for the first time in two years retail sector earnings have an “upside forecast risk”. Citi analyst xRichard Edwards said that household cash flow and subsequent consumer demand should improve throughout this year and the next.
Edwards said that if the sales trend revealed in recent British Retail Consortium figures continued, like-for-like sales were likely to be flat in the second half for most high street retailers.
Citi said: “In assessing the valuation of Next, the share price debate centres on the trade-off between the likelihood management can deliver earnings recovery going forward following four years of sharp like-for-like sales declines, and the group’s modest forward valuation multiples.
“In the wake of our macroeconomic analysis, illustrating the likely improvement in real UK household cash flow in 2010, we argue that the Next earnings forecast agenda is more credible, despite currency-driven input cost pressures”.


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Microsoft joins Google and Apple with fragmentation.
Microsoft has long been known as a company who continues to support older equipment with their OS software. They have done that for many years with their backward compatible phrase which meant that the latest version of the OS would work with your computer. Even now as they start to have hardware requirements which require you to make sure that your computer is compatible, they did not leave people hanging. That is until it came to announcing the latest version of the Windows Phone OS. And with that, they are announcing that there is no upgrade path for Windows Phone 7 owners.
What this all means is that only new hardware will be able to support Windows Phone 8. Any phone which is sold with Windows Phone 7 is stuck with that version and has no hope of upgrading to the latest OS from Microsoft which is coming this year. That is horrible news for those who have purchased their phone in the last 6 months. Even Google with their Android OS has provided an upgrade path to Ice Cream Sandwich for most of the phones recently purchased. Apple, who does things much better than Google, supports back to the iPhone 3GS with the latest version of iOS.
While we do expect to see some fragmentation over time where some owners are able to upgrade their smart phone to the latest OS and others purchase a new phone which contains the latest OS, we have not seen this kind of a situation quite like this. It is unlike Microsoft to deliver horrible news to those who have recently purchased a Windows Phone OS mobile device.
That is unless you look at Nokia who has abandoned their Symbian OS to partner with Microsoft and their Windows Phone 7. Even those who have purchased the recent Nokia handsets are out of luck for Windows Phone 8 and do not have an upgrade path. What they will get is a Windows Phone 7.8 version which is supposed to have a closer look and feel to Windows Phone 8. Not much consolation for them.
It is very unlike Microsoft to draw a line in the sand like this and create this kind of fragmentation which Google has been taking heat over for a long time. If this is the “New” Microsoft, they are going to be doing similar things in the future which may leave some people hanging when Microsoft comes out with new versions of their software.


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Kingdom Come: Deliverance 1.5 Update Released; DLC Will Be Showcased at E3
Kingdom Come: Deliverance got a 1.5 update which addresses issues and introduces new features. Additionally, a new DLC is to be showcased at this years E3.
Warhorse Studios announced that the latest update for Kingdom Come: Deliverance has now launched and has brought some new content with it. They also tease the upcoming DLC that is planned to be showcased at this year’s E3.
The 1.5 update that launched yesterday now allows Henry to wash away his sins and improve his reputation by paying for indulgences through the churches. There are also sixteen new lore books that have been scattered around the world.
Despawned or forgotten quests are now moved to the gravedigger’s chest and players will be notified through a new quest known as, “Lost and Found”. Physically simulated women’s clothing has also now been added.
A large list of issues that have now been fixed are also detailed with the full list being found here. Here’s a few I’ve picked out.
- Any remaining issues with going through doors should be fixed.
- Archery tournament no longer causes inability to save.
- The game now consistently autosaves before critical story events.
- NPCs now reacts to player aiming at them with a bow and will try to get to him faster, instead of only reacting to being shot at as previously.
- Executioner Hermann no longer keeps beating the player unconscious when he is angry.
A Kingdom Come: Deliverance – Absolution trailer was released that can be found below, and at the end of that we see the upcoming From The Ashes DLC teased. Details are said to be announced at this year E3 2018 as stated by Creative Director, Daniel Vávra towards the end of the behind the scenes video that was also released yesterday.
Martin Fryvaldsky CEO at Warhorse Studios also said in a press release,
“We are all very proud on the performance of the game and delighted by the feedback we get from our fans every day. With the latest patch we are improving the game even further and look forward to the player’s reaction to it. And to tease a bit – fans can expect some further news around our upcoming DLCs at E3 2018.”
Kingdom Come: Deliverance is available for PC, Xbox One, and PS4.


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Tue, 27 Nov 2012 15:43:12 GMT — ConAgra Foods is buying private-label food producer Ralcorp for about $4.95 billion, which will make it the biggest private-label packaged food business in North America. ConAgra says the acquisition will strengthen its overall position in the North American packaged food business. ConAgra brands include Chef Boyardee, Egg Beaters, Peter Pan and Reddi-wip. ConAgra Foods Inc. said Tuesday that it will pay Ralcorp Holdings Inc. stockholders $90 per share, a 28 percent premium to its Monday closing price. Ralcorp's stock jumped 26.5 percent in premarket trading. The combined company will have total sales of about $18 billion annually. The companies value the transaction at about $6.8 billion when debt is included. The deal is expected to close by March 31, 2013 and needs Ralcorp shareholder approval.
KTVO.com provides news, sports and weather coverage and serves the area around Kirksville, Missouri and Ottumwa, Iowa, including Greentop, Lancaster, Downing, Memphis, Rutledge, Baring, Edina, Novelty, La Plata, Atlanta, Macon, Elmer, New Boston, Browning, Milan, Green City, Novinger, Pollock and Unionville, Missouri and Bloomfield, Floris, Eldon, Moulton, Blakesburg, Moravia, Eddyville, Oskaloosa, Ollie, Sigourney, Burlington and What Cheer, Iowa


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What’s next for Snapchat? Will it reach beyond the heights of Facebook, or stagnate like Twitter? Snap Inc., the parent company of Snapchat, went public on Thursday. Snap was one of the biggest offerings in the tech sector since Alibaba.
However, many venture capital and private equity firms are steering clear of the 15-year startup sector for now. Startups like Friendster, which once had over 75 million users, or Yik-Yak, the former viral gossiping app, cut down on costs and laid off the majority of its staff last December, seeing stalling growth and a plateauing user base.
This threat does not just affect small-scale startups. Twitter Inc. boasted a $25 billion valuation and colossal IPO in 2013, with over 232 million monthly users. Since then, user growth stagnated, as did its revenue growth and market value.
On the other side, Snap Inc. could become the next Facebook or LinkedIn. Facebook boasts just under two billion monthly active users, and is valued at nearly $400 billion. LinkedIn carries over 15 million monthly users, and sold to Microsoft [stock symbol=”MSFT”] for $26 billion.


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Exclusive: AT&T Pulls ‘Stand for Equality’ Video Featuring Anti-ICE Congresswoman
Rep. Pramila Jayapal's office reached out to the company about its use of the congresswoman’s image without her consent after VICE reported on the video and AT&T's financial relationship with ICE.
Only 8 People in This Indigenous Tribe Still Speak Their Native Language. The Amazon Fires May Wipe It Out Completely.
Indigenous leaders have said there is a “physical, environmental, and cultural genocide” in the Amazon.
The New Pipeline For Black Women in Animation
In an industry dominated by white men, these creators hope to pave a way for women and non-binary people of color for more nuanced portrayals of Black characters.


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Examination and Surgical Gloves Market 2022
The Examination and Surgical Gloves Market is meant to grow remarkably in the upcoming decade. NLP is the new â€œnormalizedâ€ normal. NLP does deal with various interactions between human languages and computers. In other words, combining deep learning and analytical tools lets interpretation of medical data and improvement in the clinical decision for driving NLPâ€™s growth in healthcare.
Revenue from the sales ofÂ examination and surgical glovesÂ amount toÂ US$ 6.7 BnÂ in 2021 and the revenues are expected to attain a valuation ofÂ US$ 13.9 BnÂ by the end of 2031. This data has been analyzed in an updated survey on the examination and surgical gloves market by analysts at Persistence Market Research, which predicts the market to rise at aÂ CAGR of 7.6%Â over the decade.
Demand for medical and surgical gloves has grown exponentially over the past decade, and this trend is expected to be continue over this decade as well. Examination and surgical glove sales growth can be attributed to increasing focus on healthcare and hygiene, rising healthcare expenditure, increasing surgical procedures, rising risk of hospital-acquired infections, prevalence of chronic and infectious diseases, etc.
Increase awareness about hygiene across the globe and initiatives from non-profits and governments are contributing to demand growth of examination and surgical gloves. Emerging economies where the trend of hygiene is picking up and healthcare infrastructure is being developed are the most lucrative markets for the sales of examination and surgical gloves.
Get Sample Copy of this Report@Â https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/31668Â Â
Prime players in the industry are investing in the development of new facilities in order to expand their manufacturing capacity and meet high demand across the world.
In September 2021, American Nitrile, a newly launched company, announced its plans for a new production facility that would be entirely dedicated to producing nitrile gloves for healthcare and industrial use. The facility is a move to fulfill the rising demand for medical and non-medical latex-free nitrile gloves.
In July 2021, hospital supply group Premier Inc. and Honeywell International announced that they would be launching a new venture that would be capable of manufacturing 750 million nitrile exam gloves in the U.S. each year.
Many such efforts by other manufacturers are also being made in order to meet the high demand for gloves, especially from the medical sector.
Ansell Healthcare LLC
Top Glove Corporation Bud
Supermax Corporation Berhad
Rubberex Corporation (M) Bhd
Comfort Rubber Gloves Industries Sdn Bhd
Cardinal Health, Inc
Labplus (GDC Group)
Atrium Medical Care LLC
WRP Asia Pacific Sdn Bhd
B.Braun Melsungen AG
Kossan Rubber Industries Bhd
Hartalega Holdings Berhad
Riverstone Holdings Limited
Brightway Holdings Sdn. Bhd
Semperit AG Holding
Alliance Rubber Products Sdn Bhd
Qube Medical Products Sdn Bhd
Health Glove Co., Ltd
Sri Trang Agro-Industry Plc
Request for Methodology@Â https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/methodology/31668
Key Takeaways from Market Study
The global examination and surgical gloves market is predicted to expand at a CAGR of 7.6% through 2031.
Market revenue set to amount to a net worth of US$ 6.7 Bn in 2021.
Market revenue anticipated to be around US$ 13.9 Bn by the end of the decade.
North America is anticipated to dominate the global industry in terms of market share.
â€œDemand for examination and surgical gloves is expected to be prominent over the next ten years as healthcare expenditure increases and awareness for hygiene and safety rises across the globe,â€ says a Persistence Market Research analyst.
More Valuable Insights on Offer
Persistence Market Research, a research and consulting firm, has published a new market research report on the global examination and surgical gloves market that contains industry analysis of 2016â€“2020 and opportunity assessment for 2021â€“2031.
The report provides in-depth analysis of the market through different segments, namely, product, raw material, usage, distribution channel, and region. The report also provides supply and demand trends along with an overview of the parent market.
Access Full Report@Â https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/checkout/31668
About Us:Â Persistence Market Research
Persistence Market Research
Address â€“ 305 Broadway, 7th Floor, New York City, NY 10007 United States
U.S. Ph. â€“ +1-646-568-7751
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For the Federal Reserve, policymaking these days is about deciding which of two imposing evils to take on — a decidedly moribund economy or the increasing threat that inflation poses to battered consumers.
For much of the slow slog out of the financial crisis, the Fedwhich is meeting this week and will issue its policy statement Wednesday, has managed to train its gaze on jump-starting growth through its various quantitative easingmeasures.
But recent indicators show that inflation is posing an equally daunting threat that further monetary accommodation from the Fed might serve only to aggravate.
The pressure has come primarily through measures that Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke likes to call "transitory" — namely, the volatile but steady rise of food and energy pricesthat don't make up core inflation measures but usually impact consumers more.
Economists increasingly believe that while the so-called core Consumer Price Index (CPI) measure has remained around the 2 percent level that pleases the Fed, headline inflation that includes things such as groceries and gasoline is becoming a growing menace. The more inclusive inflation measure is at 3.9 percent and hammering at consumers, including the 14 million who remain unemployed.
"Contrary to some monetary policymaker protestations, we believe the rise in food and energy costs is highly unlikely to be temporary, although weaker global growth is likely to slow the rate of projected future gains," Joseph A. LaVorgna, chief U.S. economist at Deutsche Bank, wrote in an analysis.
Indeed, many economists believe that inflation pressures could be in for a temporary easing in coming months. The prices paid index in Tuesday's Institute for Supply Manufacturing release, for instance, showed a huge drop. Conversely, the Chicago Fed on Monday reported a strong increase in its own prices paid index.
At the same time, continued growth in emerging market economies will help put a floor under any drop in food and energy prices.
Expecting food and energy prices to drop does not jibe with recent history, which shows that over the past 24 years there has never been a five-year period where those two categories showed decreases, LaVorgna said.
Moreover, even core inflation faces pressure from rising rents, which have kept the CPI low as the housing market struggles through its worst conditions since the Great Depression. A category known as "owners' equivalent rent" makes up 40 percent of the government's core measure, and has moved little over the past three years.
That has changed lately, however, with primary resident rent up 3.5 percent annualized as of September, while owners' equivalent rent — a government statistic that gauges how much homeowners could charge to rent out their houses — was up 2.4 percent.
For 2011, core CPI is up 2.4 percent, putting additional pressure on the Fed.
The central bank deals with inflation as part of its dual mandate to maintain steady employment and keep prices under control.
Critics say the various measures the Fed has taken to buy government debtto spur the economy also have planted the seeds for inflation by increasing the money supply and dropping the value of the U.S. dollar, which in turn makes commodities cheaper in foreign currencies and drives prices higher.
The two most widely used measures of money supply have been increasing sharply.
M1, which includes currency, travelers checks, and demand and other deposits, is up 21 percent over the past year. At the same time, M2, a more closely watched inflation gauge that includes M1 plus savings and time deposits and retail money funds, has risen 10 percent.
Goldman Sachs economist Jan Hatzius attributed the rise in M2 both to the Fed's quantitative easing measures as well as uncertainty about the state of financial markets that has caused individuals to sock away money in assets that contribute to money supply indicators.
Under some conditions, an increase in money supply could mean the economy is primed for growth ahead once that cash gets put to work, but not in this case, Hatzius said.
"Growth in the money stock was traditionally considered a leading indicator," he wrote in a note to clients. "However, the likely factors behind the recent pickup do not seem consistent with a sudden acceleration in growth."
What the pickup could be, then, is a simple market reaction to the Fed and its counterpart across the Atlantic, the European Central Bank , continuing money injections as generating a lasting recovery eclipses inflation fears.
"Because of the level of debt that we have in this country and indeed over in Europe as well, market forces demand deflationary depression to occur," said Michael Pento, president of Pento Portfolio Strategies and economist at Agora Financial. "But because we have such an activist Federal Reserve and central bank in Europe, every time they step into manipulating the market by depreciating the currency, we have these huge spikes in inflation."
Nearly half the respondents in a CNBC survey of financial experts believe the Fed will launch more easing measures in the next year.
Pento advises investors to disregard pronouncements from the Fed that inflation is under control.
"They're being mendacious," he said. "They are trying to fool you into believing that inflation is not a problem."


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The House passed two emergency spending measures on May 18 addressing critical nationwide baby formula shortages.
The main legislation—H.R. 7790, the Infant Formula Supplemental Appropriations Act—seeks to provide the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) with $28 million in “salaries and expenses” for resolving current and future shortages of baby formula.
H.R. 7790 will also seek to prevent fraudulent products from entering the domestic market.
The legislation was sponsored by Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.).
With a 231–192 vote mainly along party lines, HR 7790 passed the House following the invocation of the Defense Production Act by President Joe Biden.
Republicans objected to the legislation, with House Minority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.) claiming that the Democrats’ proposal doesn’t resolve the issue. He said it simply throws “additional money at the FDA,” while failing to hold the organization accountable for the current shortages.
Rep. Andy Harris (R-Md.) said the bill “just continues the majority’s reckless spending spree without actually fixing the infant formula crisis this administration caused.”
The crisis began when major formula producer Abbott Laboratories ceased operations at its Michigan plant after four children reportedly got sick with bacterial infections, resulting in two deaths. Abbott—the largest supplier of powder infant formula in the United States—has denied that their formula was the reason for the illnesses.
Abbott said on May 16 that after FDA approval, they could restart the Michigan plant within two weeks. From the time of the restart, it would take six to eight weeks before their product would be available on shelves, he said.
“Abbott will continue to import formula from FDA-registered facility in Ireland to help alleviate near-term supply shortage,” the company stated.
Other reasons for the shortage include global supply chain disruptions that have caused havoc with getting essential items to market shelves, a curbing of production, and the hoarding of baby formula during the pandemic.
Democrats say the FDA doesn’t have enough resources to inspect foreign manufacturers and supported the organization’s role in resuming safe production and ensuring a steady supply of baby formula.
“In the wealthiest nation in the world, babies should not be at risk of going hungry. Parents should not have to play a guessing game and wonder if the food that they are giving their babies is safe,” DeLauro said on the House floor.
Rep. Ashley Hinson (R-Iowa) said the Biden administration ignored warning signs that a formula shortage was imminent.
“Their incompetence underscores the need for funding to come with guard rails and accountability for the FDA’s failures,” Hinson said.
Access to Baby Formula
The Access to Baby Formula Act (pdf), the other measure passed in the House, allows for families who participate in the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) federal program to gain access to baby formula from additional manufacturers.
At present, Abbott supplies products to 89 percent of the more than 1 million infants covered under WIC, according to the office of Rep. Jahana Hayes, (D-Conn.), sponsor of the legislation.
The Access to Baby Formula Act also seeks to waive requirements that slow down the process to get baby formula back on shelves without sacrificing quality and safety standards.
The bill passed with a 414–9 bipartisan vote in the House and now heads to the Senate.


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"Taiwan embraces a new era of driving for a cleaner tomorrow and generations to come."
The island currently has two operating Supercharging stations (with 8 and 6 stalls), and six more are planned.
The EVs themselves can be seen at two retail stores in the country, while the servicing is available only at the Taipei location.
The last sentence in the video states,"Tesla is made for Taiwan", and it's probably true ... as is the case for other islands countries too.
Taiwan Vice President tries out Tesla new electric car Taiwan Vice President Chen Chien-jen climbs into Tesla's new electric car after the opening ceremony of Computex on May 30, 2017 in Nangang Exhibition Hall in Taipei.


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- Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs) and Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs) expected to account for 93% of total UK vehicle sales by 2030, but lack of collaboration could hinder adoption and decarbonization goals
- 72% of UK vehicles expected to be EVs by 2030, amplifying need for accessible and equitable charging infrastructure
- Utilities play a pivotal role in enabling a smooth transition to eMobility
By 2030, there are expected to be 2.5m annual sales of Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs) and Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs), making up 93% of the UK’s total vehicle sales, according to a new study by EY and Eurelectric.
The study also says that there are expected to be 33.4m EVs in the UK by 2040, which will equate to 72% of the nation’s vehicles. This highlights the need for the development of charging infrastructure and supply chains to be both accelerated and optimised in the coming years.
The study highlights the importance of key players from across the eMobility ecosystem collaborating on six essentials for mainstream EV adoption. Its findings are informed by Eurelectric and its members, and the report includes insights drawn from industry leaders across automotive, utilities, fleet management, city planning and charging infrastructure.
Maria Bengtsson, Electric Vehicle lead at EY UK, said
“This study highlights the ongoing challenges to the EV transition around the world, including here in the UK. What’s clear is that collaboration across sectors is absolutely key. The infrastructure challenges facing the UK’s EV transition are significant, but they are contributed to by a range of factors. For example, in order for the roll out of EV chargers to be scaled up, the application process for grid connections has to be smoother and faster, access to key potential sites for chargers has to be easier and, once installed, chargers have to be more reliable. A successful roll out of charging infrastructure is needed to encourage more consumers and corporates to make the transition to electric and keep the UK on track to end the sale of petrol and diesel vehicles in 2030.
“It has been fantastic to have leaders from such a broad range of sectors involved in this study. It really highlights the far-reaching impacts of the EV transition and the importance of all sectors to embrace change.”
According to the EY/Eurelectric study, in 2022, EVs made up just over 20% of vehicle sales in Europe.
Meanwhile, amid the already-growing appetite for EVs in the UK, EY’s latest Mobility Consumer Index highlighted that 38% of UK consumers are leaning towards an EV or a hybrid as their next purchase.
The EY/Eurelectric study calculates that, by 2040, the total number of residential, private and public chargers needed in Europe will top 140 million (88% will be destined for home charging) to service an estimated 239 million EVs. In the UK, a total of 20 million EV chargers are expected to be required by 2040, 88% of which would be required in private homes.
‘Avoiding a modern-day cart-before-horse scenario’
To keep pace with the growing presence of EVs on the UK’s roads, and avoid a scenario where EVs are rolled out quicker than the necessary infrastructure is implemented, the study highlights that collectively, the ecosystem must unite around six essentials across the eMobility value chain, with utilities playing a key role. These include: resilient supply chains and vital raw materials; clean and green power production; accessible charging infrastructure; the integration of EVs with smart grid technology; digital platforms and mobile applications to optimize EV charging; and finding and training the next-generation workforce.
In the UK in particular, this means a growing need for more Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) to be established, along with greater and more versatile supply chains, and the accelerated scaling up of charging infrastructure.
To quickly and equitably roll out charging infrastructure, the study recommends incentivizing, via regulation, installation in the spaces and places where people live and work. Cooperation between network operators and public authorities in preparing for network development, understanding the EV uptake, and assessing infrastructure needs and investments, is also key.
Utilities come to the transition with electric-engineering acumen and deep knowledge of load on distribution and transmission lines. The study says that in the transition to eMobility, utilities must take on a much more customer-facing and technology-dependent role. To be successful, utilities must engage proactively with city planners and continue building out networks that allow renewables, and other forms of distributed assets, to connect to the grid. Furthermore, they must manage new load at the point of charging and pursue new technologies that enable the two-way flow of energy across the system.
Serge Colle, EY Global Energy & Resources Industry Market Leader, said
“Despite economic headwinds and rising energy costs, EV sales are resilient and are continuing to accelerate. Globally we have reached 13% adoption, but if EVs are to enter the mainstream, significant collaboration across the entire value chain is critical. The EY/Eurelectric study identifies six essentials that will make or break the future of eMobility. Failure to get these right could result in missed net-zero targets, unresolved air quality issues, wasted investments, and an extended eMobility transition period.”


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JENNIFER BEALS DEALS: MADE IN THE SHADES
The Chicago Code’s Jennifer Beals will be back on television in February when she gist stars on Castle. According to TV Guide, Beals will play “a smart, commanding and sexy CIA operative” named Sophia Conrad. While fans of The Chicago Code would prefer to see her return as Teresa Colvin, VIP Fan Auctions is offering an opportunity to own a piece of the character – and the series –by auctioning off Beals’ screen-worn Guess sunglasses as well as an outfit (and shoes) she wore as Colvin. Check out the details on these and other props and wardrobe items from The Chicago Code – and place your bid today on these pieces of one of the best shows of the year.


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BMO Capital Markets reissued their hold rating on shares of B&G Foods, Inc. (NYSE:BGS) in a research note issued to investors on Friday, May 5th. BMO Capital Markets currently has a $45.00 price objective on the stock.
Several other research analysts have also issued reports on the stock. Zacks Investment Research lowered shares of B&G Foods from a hold rating to a sell rating in a research report on Tuesday, May 2nd. Royal Bank of Canada reaffirmed a buy rating and issued a $52.00 price objective on shares of B&G Foods in a research note on Thursday, April 20th. Finally, Credit Suisse Group AG raised shares of B&G Foods from a neutral rating to an outperform rating and decreased their price objective for the stock from $49.00 to $47.00 in a research note on Friday, March 17th. Seven investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and one has assigned a buy rating to the company’s stock. The stock currently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus target price of $47.36.
B&G Foods (NYSE:BGS) traded up 0.63% during trading on Friday, hitting $39.75. The stock had a trading volume of 415,880 shares. B&G Foods has a 12-month low of $38.60 and a 12-month high of $52.84. The firm has a market cap of $2.64 billion, a P/E ratio of 23.76 and a beta of 0.05. The stock’s 50 day moving average price is $40.59 and its 200 day moving average price is $42.55.
B&G Foods (NYSE:BGS) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, May 4th. The company reported $0.58 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the Thomson Reuters’ consensus estimate of $0.54 by $0.04. The firm had revenue of $417.90 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $413.35 million. B&G Foods had a net margin of 8.09% and a return on equity of 21.79%. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 18.4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business posted $0.65 earnings per share. On average, analysts anticipate that B&G Foods will post $2.17 EPS for the current fiscal year.
The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, May 1st. Stockholders of record on Friday, March 31st were given a dividend of $0.465 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, March 29th. This represents a $1.86 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 4.68%. B&G Foods’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 107.51%.
Several hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of BGS. Tyers Asset Management LLC raised its stake in shares of B&G Foods by 3.7% in the first quarter. Tyers Asset Management LLC now owns 2,688 shares of the company’s stock valued at $108,000 after buying an additional 96 shares during the period. Ffcm LLC acquired a new stake in shares of B&G Foods during the fourth quarter valued at $115,000. North Star Investment Management Corp. raised its stake in shares of B&G Foods by 873.0% in the first quarter. North Star Investment Management Corp. now owns 2,919 shares of the company’s stock valued at $117,000 after buying an additional 2,619 shares during the period. LS Investment Advisors LLC raised its position in B&G Foods by 10.9% in the third quarter. LS Investment Advisors LLC now owns 2,454 shares of the company’s stock worth $121,000 after buying an additional 242 shares during the period. Finally, Employees Retirement System of Texas purchased a new position in B&G Foods during the fourth quarter worth approximately $131,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 83.31% of the company’s stock.
About B&G Foods
B&G Foods, Inc (B&G Foods) is a holding company. The Company manufactures, sells and distributes a portfolio of shelf-stable and frozen foods across the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. Its products include frozen and canned vegetables, hot cereals, fruit spreads, canned meats and beans, bagel chips, spices, seasonings, hot sauces, wine vinegar, maple syrup, molasses, salad dressings, pizza crusts, Mexican-style sauces, dry soups, taco shells and kits, salsas, pickles, peppers, tomato-based products, puffed corn and rice snacks, nut clusters and other specialty products.
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British Gas has announced it will provide Green Deal Finance Plans to households across England and Wales from Friday 17th May 2013.
Tesco is slashing the price of its unlimited broadband service to just £2 a month, making it the cheapest unlimited broadband available that doesn’t involve paying for an additional telecoms service.
Low wage inflation and increases in the cost of goods and services mean UK households are now at full stretch financially, with almost half (46%) admitting they would find it difficult to cope if their monthly outgoings increased by up to £99, according to research from Halifax.
In its Interim Management Statement out today, Centrica, the parent of Britain's largest energy company, British Gas, has said that it will use any benefit from the recent unseasonal cold snap to maintain its price competitiveness.
Britain's big six energy suppliers are battling it out again to offer consumers the longest fixed price plan.
Commenting on the launch of Price Fix September 2016 from npower, Clare Francis, editor-in-chief at MoneySupermarket.com, commented: "Anyone looking to fix their energy tariff, and have the comfort of knowing how much they will be paying for their gas and electricity for the next three winters, could strike while the iron is hot with this new tariff from energy giant npower.
One in ten people who privately rent their home could be at risk from gas safety hazards, Shelter and British Gas warn today.
A new £6million competition aimed at getting renewable heating kit into the homes of social tenants across Great Britain has been launched by the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC).
Consumers would give Iain Duncan Smith a green light to overhaul the winter fuel allowance, according to research from uSwitch.com, the independent price comparison and switching service.
The level of competition in the UK broadband market has reached a new milestone, Ofcom has announced.
npower now has the longest and, on average, the cheapest fixed price tariffs of the big six energy suppliers for direct debit, dual fuel customers.
Nobody likes seeing another bill landing on their doormat - but it seems that many of us can't even bear to see what's inside.
There was little respite for consumers in March as weak income growth continued to put downward pressure on household budgets, leaving discretionary spending power after inflation in negative territory for the fourth consecutive month, according to the latest Lloyds TSB Spending Power Report.
UK energy bills are so complex that consumers underestimate their bills, often missing out on the best deals as a result, according to data from Co-operative Energy.
Men are the best at budgeting while women are actually more thrifty, a study into household finances has revealed. A detailed study has found that despite women traditionally holding the purse strings, it’s men who have better control of their cash.
1 to 15 of 3420 for Household Bills


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Wintry weather boosts Vt. business
By Kevin O’Connor
Staff Writer | December 26,2013
Albert J. Marro / Staff PhotoS
Kevin Visi, left, and Therese Beckwith were busy buying gifts in Rutland just before Christmas. But some Vermont retailers say the week after the holiday is also a boom period.
Oh, the weather outside is frightful. But for many Vermont businesses, that means this holiday shopping season is delightful.
“A short time ago, we’d say the weather wasn’t such a big deal, but when the economy took a downturn, people said, ‘Do I need these boots or coats now?’” says Mark McCarthy, part of the family that operates Lenny’s Shoe & Apparel stores in Barre, St. Albans and Williston. “This snow and cold has played very well into business.”
That sentiment is echoed statewide, as merchants prepare for a flurry of post-holiday shoppers.
“It’s certainly not the rush and buildup before Christmas, but this will be a really busy week,” says Eliot Orton, one of three brothers who make up the third generation of proprietors of Vermont Country Store in Weston and Rockingham. “People are here for Christmas break, and you can only ski about half the day. They’re looking for things to do.”
Sam’s Outdoor Outfitters, a downtown Brattleboro anchor since 1932, expects plenty of returns and exchanges.
“We handle twice as much merchandise because it’s a lot of bringing back and taking out,” says Stanley “Pal” Borofsky, second of three generations of storekeepers. “And we have a tremendous amount of people who buy stuff because they get gift certificates. It’s just as busy the two or three days after Christmas as it is before.”
This year, Mother Nature is puffing up sales.
“This is the kind of weather that drives business,” Borofsky says. “Snow for boots, a little bit of wind so people buy ski masks and gloves … we’re having a great December.”
People’s United Bank, Vermont’s largest with 42 offices, will be open as usual this coming week before closing early New Year’s Eve at 4 p.m.
TD Bank, the state’s second largest with some 40 branches, will go one better, operating as usual through Dec. 31 with its call center and ATMs open “24 hours a day, 365 days a year,” an operator reports.
Hannaford’s 18 Vermont supermarkets will offer regular hours until closing New Year’s Eve at 9 p.m. and reopening New Year’s Day.
Price Chopper’s 15 Vermont supermarkets will offer regular hours until closing New Year’s Eve at 10 p.m. and reopening New Year’s Day.
Vermont’s more than 250 post offices will deliver as usual, with most closing early at noon on New Year’s Eve but branches in Burlington, Montpelier and Rutland remaining open through Dec. 31.
State offices will be open as usual until closing New Year’s Day, although employees will continue to monitor roads, prisons and other essential services.
And Lenny’s returns to regular store hours today.
“The month of December definitely doesn’t end on the 24th,” McCarthy says. “From the 26th to the 31st, with the weather and students being out of school, we’re expecting a better-than-average week of business.”


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Mercedes, BMW, Audi receive top honors in prestigious gala awards night
November 25, 2014 - Some of the world’s leading car brands took centre stage at the recently concluded pioneering edition of the Middle East Car of the Year (MECOTY) awards, the most coveted award of the regional automotive industry, which was held at the Meydan Beach Club in Dubai. Top brands including BMW, Mercedes, Audi, Infiniti, Cadillac, Toyota, Jaguar and Rolls Royce were among the winners announced in an exciting and stunning gala awards night, which was attended by top officials from all major automotive brands in this region.
“We are truly overwhelmed at the successful response that we have received in organizing the first ever edition of MECOTY,” said Saeed Al Marzouqi, Chairman, MECOTY. “There was always a need for car manufacturers to be recognized by an award body that will judge independently and be free of any commercial bias, as end users also needed a common platform to read authentic reviews from professionals. The positive response and large turnout for the awards and the exhibition shows that we have successfully addressed this need. Rest assured, MECOTY will continue to be a key platform for automotive brands in this region.”
Speaking about Dubai Properties’ platinum sponsorship, Mohammed Al Habbai, Chief Officer for Urban Planning and Infrastructure at Dubai Properties Group, said: “We are delighted to have sponsored the Middle East Car of the Year (MECOTY) Awards. On behalf of Dubai Properties (DP), I would like to congratulate the organisers for the successful event and the winners for the well-deserved recognition for their dedication to the automotive industry”.
The accompanying car exhibition of the awards, which ran during the weekend, also saw an overwhelming response from the local automotive community with thousands of visitors. Prominent brands placed on display at the exhibition included Audi, Bentley, BMW, Chevrolet, Cadillac, Ford, Hyundai, Infiniti, Jaguar, Lexus, Land Rover, KIA, Maserati, McLaren, MINI, Mercedes, Nissan, Opel, Rolls Royce, Toyota & Volkswagen.
MECOTY awards are the only independent recognition and acknowledgement to car manufacturers that the cars they are selling in the region are in line with consumer needs. All nominees underwent a stringent selection process from a select panel of judges, who were handpicked to represent their respective countries. Looking to add more value and encourage interaction from a regional audience, MECOTY empowered consumers by letting them vote for their favorite car through a custom Facebook app as well, which resulted in close to 11,300 independent consumers voting for their favorite automobiles.
Commenting on the S-Class winning the 'Car of the Year' and 'Best Luxury Sedan' awards, Mike Belk, CEO of Daimler Middle East and Levant said: "To receive two awards at the Middle East Car of the Year awards is indeed an honour for Mercedes-Benz and recognises our leadership position in the luxury automotive segment. Since its inception, the S-Class has always set the benchmark in the luxury segment and the new S-Class continues this tradition."
"It is a great honor to have been recognized at this year's MECOTY awards. The Future of Motoring Award is especially significant for us, as BMW Group is strongly investing in future models and innovative technologies. In June 2014 we launched a new brand, BMW i, in the Middle East Region, which stands for innovative mobility" said Johannes Seibert, Managing Director for BMW Group Middle East. "The BMW i8 with its unique hybrid technology and new materials as carbon fiber is truly a car of the future. We thank the MECOTY judges for honouring BMW i and the BMW i8."
"We are thrilled and honoured to not only receive the MECOTY award for the Audi RS 7 as the Best Premium Performance Sedan but also for being named as MECOTY's Consumer Car of the Year—a recognition that fully affirms the Audi RS 7's presence as a family car that is both elegant and incredibly powerful with cutting-edge engineering. " said Trevor Hill, Managing Director, Audi Middle East. "We congratulate the organizers of MECOTY for a successful inaugural edition and look forward to its continued success in the future."
Winners named during the event include;
|Best Small Sedan||Honda City|
|Best Mid-Size Sedan||Toyota Corolla|
|Best Large Sedan||Ford Fusion|
|Best Executive Sedan||Infiniti Q50|
|Best Luxury Sedan||Mercedes S-Class|
|Best Premium Performance Sedan||Audi RS7|
|Best Compact Utility Vehicle (CUV)||Ford Eco-Sport|
|Best Small SUV||Jeep Cherokee|
|Best Midsize SUV||Hyundai Grand Santa Fe|
|Best Midsize Premium SUV||Porsche Macan|
|Best Large Premium SUV||Cadillac Escalade|
|Best Premium Performance SUV||Range Rover Sport|
|Best Hatchback||Nissan Tiida|
|Best Premium Hatchback||Mini Cooper|
|Best Sports Coupe||Alfa Romeo 4C|
|Best Performance Coupe||Chevrolet Corvette Stingray|
|Best Premium Performance Coupe||Jaguar F-Type Coupe|
|Best Grand Tourer||Rolls Royce Wraith|
|Best SuperCar||Mclaren 650S|
|Special Award – The Future||BMW i8|
|Consumer Car of the Year||Audi RS7|
|Jury Selected Car of the Year||Mercedes S-Class|


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Pre-tax profits at home assistance specialists HomeServe have jumped by 25% in the last year, boosted by contract wins with Eon and Octopus Energy.
The home services company revealed its latest set of financial figures today, which show pre-tax profits of £123.3 million for 2018, compared with £98.3million in 2017.
Revenue for the last 12 months was £899.7 million, compared to £787 million in 2017.
Speaking to Utility Week, the company’s founder and chief executive, Richard Harpin, said although its American business was the “standout performance” of the last year, there have also been “real moves forward” here in the UK, including the signing of two new energy partners.
“We’ve principally been a business that worked with water companies, offering home assistance cover,” explained Harpin.
‘So to sign Eon and Octopus Energy brings us 2 million additional households to market to under those combined brands.
“We are also developing our heating, ventilation and air conditioning business,” added Harpin.
“We bought the second-largest boiler installer in the UK last August, which was Helplink. We are developing a connected boiler with a finance proposition over 12 years, which would include plumbing and electrics cover.
“We would like to see that as a line item on an energy bill, with a boiler branded with the energy company’s name. One of the things the larger energy companies are struggling with in the UK is increasing customer churn. We think a 12-year boiler rental model could be a winning proposition, so we’re looking for an additional energy company to test that proposition with.”
Harpin also revealed HomeServe is in discussions with Ofwat over getting its LeakBot smart device, which clips on to cold water pipes and monitors them for any signs of leakage, adopted by a utility firm.
“We want to find a way that water companies could take on board LeakBot,” he commented. “We are also working in parallel with eight UK home insurers, because damage following the escape of water is a £660 million problem in the UK alone. Our business model is rent the LeakBot to the home insurer for £1.50 a month and they will get a saving of £30 a year on their household insurance claims bill.
“Our vision is to become the world’s most trusted provider of home repairs and improvements,” he added.


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Success of Art Basel proves Hong Kong can be a viable cultural hub
City is well-placed to attract ever more shows and visitors if it improves its branding and builds momentum
To describe Hong Kong as an arts capital may seem far-fetched. Yet the art world has turned its attention to the city lately, thanks to our packed calendar of exhibitions and shows. The phenomenal success of some of these events has no doubt brought us closer to that vision of being an arts hub.
The Art Basel Hong Kong stole the limelight with its sales and attendance figures. Despite the economic gloom, some galleries at the annual fair reported satisfactory sales. The community’s interest was also so overwhelming that tickets on the last two days were sold out, with disappointed late-comers left out in the cold.
The event was the fourth since 2013, after organisers took over the city’s annual arts fair to become the world’s third Art Basel. With 239 galleries from 35 places and a record attendance of some 70,000 visitors, it has a well-deserved reputation as one of the city’s signature arts events.
While sales and attendance are one thing, art appreciation is another. Some visitors were apparently still on a learning curve when it came to the latter, as reflected in the reports of damaged artworks caused by a lack of visitor etiquette. The regular announcements by organisers reminding people to keep clear of displays does nothing to enhance our image and reputation.
It takes more than the success of a single arts show to put Hong Kong on the world map. At the fringe is a wealth of arts and cultural activities across the city. The Art Central, a similar showcase at the Central waterfront, was arguably as successful. Those with the appetite for more can turn to sales at auction houses and hotels. From graffiti-style murals in Sham Shui Po to exhibitions at the M+ Museum and high-end shopping malls, there is great variety to suit different tastes.
A week of art mania does not change the landscape. But the art sector’s readiness to capitalise on the opportunity has provided the synergy to aim higher and do more. With good branding and sustained momentum, Hong Kong is well-placed to become a leading arts hub.


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Back in 2005, Remedy revealed Alan Wake to the masses at E3, stating that the game would be arriving on Xbox 360 and PC. Five years later the game eventually came out, but only on Xbox 360 with Remedy stating that the PC version had been canned. Needless to say, many PC gamers were utterly bummed out.
Seven years after the game’s introduction, titular character Alan Wake finally made his debut on the PC platform via digital download through Steam. A retail version is still in the wings but will be released soon.
The digital version of the game became available on Steam last week Thursday, 16 February. In less than 48 hours, Remedy had recovered everything it had spent on bringing Alan Wake to the PC. That includes all “development and marketing expenses” according to a post made by Remedy on their official forums. It also claimed the number one spot on the Steam sales charts.