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Imbalance of fulfilling the consumer’s demand with respect to groceries and other essentials item has made the e-commerce industry into limelight due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As the people have two options either to visit the supermarket personally or to order their respective product via online.
It has led to the rise in popularity of digital e-commerce web platform like shipt, Walmart, Instacart, Amazon and many more as numerous people finds digital e-commerce services reliable and safe during this time. Almost every customers practicing social distancing rely on this home delivery service the most and are willing to continue this for the next time as well. This has also changed the shopping behavior of the consumers on the geographical level. For instance, it has been witnessed that as compared to U.S., countries like Germany, U.K. and Japan do lack in shopping criteria basically in essential food items and groceries. This can be due to the leniency of U.S. law towards this COVID-19
With respect to shopping behavior while purchasing the item, people have begun stocking the housing essentials including mask, sanitizers, toilet papers and others. This act has negatively affected the overall e-commerce industry to some extent as the companies are failing in fulfilling the huge demand. Thus, this results into an increase in the price of essential items in an uncontrolled way due to this panic buying pattern. It just looks like everyone has to be the leader in the ongoing race of purchasing up unnecessary and irregular items. Based on the gender, it has been noticed that men are less concerned towards the ill effect caused due to this Covid 19 but are active in online shopping. Not only in U.S. there is an increase in new users downloading the wholesale mobile app but it also has be seen an increasing trend from India too. From January 2020, there is almost 50% hike in users who have spent on online and e-commerce app. On the other hand, in South Eastern countries like Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore among others, it has been witnessed a decline in the conversion rates in e-commerce apps. To overcome this e-commerce companies are taking initiatives to shift the consumer behavior towards at a quick rate and have reached more than 1million users on the daily baisis
For instance, Blibli, an e-commerce industry in Indonesia has been providing an easy yet outstanding online shopping experience to its users and has reached more than 1million users on the daily basis through their awareness campaign KarenaSehatNo1 through app push notifications and email.
Figure: Change in E- Commerce spending (2020)
Figure: E-Commerce Consumer Sale (COVID-19)
The e-commerce industry has been impacted on both demand side as well as supply side. Virus related products such as soap, sanitizes, mask, tissue and others has witnessed an enormous rise in demand. Due to the imposed of certain limitation, some companies are not able to respond the changes or adapt it quickly.
Apart from this, it has been witnessed a downfall in the sales of fast-moving consumer goods since this time. For instance, in 2020, as per the survey by Digital Commerce in March, out of 304 e-commerce retailers, around 36.0% believed that the business will face a considerable downfall. Shortage in the number of staff is another big problem which makes difficult for the companies to fulfill the orders. For example, BigBasket and Grofers stated that they have the access of only 50% -60% of the staff due to which their frequency of delivery rate has been reduced which ultimately has made a pressure on them for unavailability of the consumer. Likewise, Amazon too permitted for restricted deliveries mainly the essential items and has suspended the deliveries of certain goods due to the shortage of staff and logistical crisis. Kirana shops which previously faced a stiff competition from digital commerce platforms but at this period of time it is considered to be important destination for buying daily and essential items. Thus, Reliance has planned of digitally connecting with the Kirana shops. This will take place soon with the government tapping logistics firms to link these stores with consumers.
Apart from this, many B2B services who are involved into the launch of new platforms in healthcare sector i.e., transporting goods from like vital medical care supplies and ventilators. Many retailers who are especially dealing in essential goods have noticed a boom in their business. Companies engaged into the healthcare amenities consider that customers are indulged into continuous monitoring of their families’ health and fitness which ultimately leads to higher customer engagement. Even the demand for products related to cold and flu has also increased.
Online food delivery platform like Swiggy and Zomato follows the contactless deliveries in order to alleviate the fear with respect to hygiene. But still fear of strict police action against the delivering staff has also created the problem. Such type of hurdle indicates of institutional sickness like unaccountability and in affective communication amongst the local authorities which later acts as a challenge to the flawless delivery of e-commerce products.
Moreover, it has also been witnessed an upsurge in the demand of gaming, new platform and Over the Top (OTT) media. For instance, in the first three month of 2020, Netflix, an online streaming service has added a huge 15.8 million paid subscribers. This was mainly due to the social distancing and lockdown in different parts of the world.
Thus, it can be said that few sectors of e-commerce will definitely boost not only in this current time period but at forecasting period too. But in contrast to it, the challenge will be of balancing up the supply chain by keeping vital safety measures for this pandemic situation. In order to run the business efficiently, it take lot of manpower starting from warehouse management to goods delivering. So, there will be situation like out-of-stock and delay deliveries and others. But Amazon, as an early mover announced of hiring over a million of people for strengthening its delivery fleet globally.
Regulatory insecurity as well as knee jerk reactions in emergency circumstances, cause more harm than good, as obvious from the government’s approach for the supply chain management during pandemic. The government must also provide relief to the small e-commerce players by permitting g them to deliver non-essential goods while practicing social distancing and hygiene. Ensuring regulation, restructuring of foreign investment laws and with better regulatory unity will definitely helps in enhancing the smaller e-commerce players’ growth.
However, the growth of the e-commerce will depend upon only on its service efficiency and adaption level with respect to general consumer psyche in long run. Mostly at this time period, companies which will respond better can able to tap better with the shift towards online purchasing.
E-commerce has even offered benefit to the farmers by making them to avoid middle men and intermediaries and to sell their produce to the wholesaler buyers including agribusinesses, corporate grocery, restaurants and others directly. This has benefitted the farmers not only with enhanced income but also with wastage reduction and enable financial inclusion.
E-commerce is growing at a annual rate of 23% as India, china and U.S. are known to be the biggest contributor for this growth. In today’s scenario mostly these three countries are only highly impacted due to Covid 19. In U.S. till now 10,000 people died while India is still trying to combat the Covid 19 impact with the strategy known as lockdown whereas, China seems to have a control over this pandemic situation. The China’s biggest e-commerce player Alibaba has contributed over USD 2.0 Billion of medical supplies to different countries such as Sri Lanka, U.S., Italy and U.S.
U.S. government is yet to announce any lockdown but the e-commerce stores are still working on and continuously involved into delivering products to its customers. Ever since the outbreak of Covid in U.S. companies like Amazon, Walmart and Instacart have faced a rise in the online orders. It has been witnessed that in first few weeks of March, grocery orders has jumped to 210% and is also expected to remain the same in this post-pandemic.
European Union asked the e-commerce companies to focused on manufacturing, designing and selling the products which are repairable and recyclable in the March first week. But after the rapidly increase of Covid, the e-commerce players were asked to keep a hold on these request and to continue offer the essential services. It results into building pressure from the consumer’s side with respect to catering huge orders on time. This leads to black marketing and hoarding of products and thus to eliminate this, e-commerce site put a restriction on multiple items. Such type of attempt has helped the overall e-commerce companies and even ensures that each customer should have an access to the essential products only.
In U.K. before the lockdown initiation, people got panic and as a result it has raised the sale of specific items including toilet paper, board games, crafts equipment medicines, groceries, home appliances and yoga mats.
China being one of the leading manufacturing and supply hub of B2C players in Asia-Pacific region, now due to the Covid impact, e-commerce companies are trapped and are facing a decrease in the demand as almost every country are into same situation. This has resulted China with a small market as the production is totally stopped and even freight ships are put on hold. To normalize this problem, it would take more time to put everything back into normal.
Singapore’s Health Science Authority (HSA) has detached around 3000 products from an online platform due to fake product’s information and spiked numerical. This was majorly done to enhance its sales and to make money. But the local government sabotaged the evil attempts of the sellers and e-commerce companies are dedicatedly working on delivering the essential item without being overcharged. License of the sellers were suspended who had participated in this money making business. HAS is also working on coming up with a system who will restrict and identifies such sellers from selling online.
In India, extension of the lockdown period has made the e-commerce executives to go to the government for help. A meeting was held amongst Honorary Piyush Goel, Commerce Minister of India along with leaders from DHL, Amazon, Swiggy, Zomato, Flipkart to grant them the permission of selling at least the essential items.
In Australia, e-commerce players have adopted a defensive mode as they are continuously in contact with local municipalities and the government to deliver the essential items on time.
In 2020, the e-commerce industry was expected to do a business of around USD 6.0 trillion but due to lockdown and delivering of only the essential items seems that this number will not be achieved. B2C e-commerce companies can only deliver the essential products and services to their customer but in case players involved in B2B are under the lockdown completely. With the shutdown of the factories, in appropriate amount or nil of raw material, workers at home, blocked logistic services results into no product, no administration and no transaction. Moreover, the e-commerce organization has to keep their warehouse worker and delivery agent safe from this Covid infection. This can be done by taking proper measure like continuous sanitization of the workplace, access to mask, gloves and instant medical consideration to those agents with Covid symptoms so that the respective companies can serve their customers regularly and efficiently.
The coming month is considered to be tough time for the e-commerce industry as increasing number of death rate due to COVID-19 is making the government to release a curfew in many countries. The respective players have to work in close collaboration with the local authorities as well as the governments so as to run their business efficiently by offering in need with helping hand.


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If there’s a helpful gadget out there, chances are Apple will try to make one of its own. Although Tile’s trackers aren’t exactly the most popular items, Apple is working on a tracking chip of its own.
Thanks to an accidental leak in a since-deleted support video, consumers now have confirmation that the gadgets will be called “AirTags.” For now, the technical specs remain a mystery. However, the accidental reveal supplied some hints about how Apple’s new tracking tags might work.
Find My Anything
The “Find My” feature baked into Apple devices is extremely helpful. Integrating it with the Apple Watch made it even more useful. Now, imagine using that technology to locate your keys, wallet, or other commonly-misplaced items.
With Apple’s forthcoming AirTags, that will be possible.
The support video that Apple posted contained a rendering of the Find My iPhone screen. It shows a toggle switch for an “Enable Offline Finding” option. Below that, it says “Offline finding enables this device and AirTags to be found when not connected to Wi-Fi or cellular.”
Previous rumors suggested that the tracking chip would be called AirTags. Others speculated that the gadget would go by the name Apple Tags. This snippet not only confirms the AirTags branding but also hints at how the tracking chips will work.
The ability to locate items offline suggests that AirTags will utilize ultra-wideband Bluetooth technology. This feature enables precise location data that doesn’t rely on an Internet connection. Moreover, it is used in the iPhone 11’s U1 chips.
Accordingly, it is widely believed that AirTags will use the same chip. The gadget is rumored to be a circular disc, offering a sleeker form than Tile’s “squircle” design.
Thanks to code identified in a previous iOS beta build, consumers should also look forward to augmented reality (AR) capabilities. Although it isn’t clear exactly how this will work, iPhone and iPad users will be able to use their device to more easily find missing items.
AirTags Release Window
Despite the fairly obvious leak, Apple still hasn’t officially announced AirTags. This means that the tracking chips don’t have a release date or price tag.
With that in mind, the fact that they are appearing in support videos suggests that a product launch isn’t far off. In fact, Apple may be ready to launch the product and is simply waiting for the world to settle down before doing so.
There is a high likelihood that AirTags will launch in 2020. Still, it depends on Apple’s production line not seeing too much disruption from the coronavirus pandemic. In mid-March, it appeared that the company’s supply chain had taken a severe hit after several chipmakers temporarily suspended their operations.
Fortunately, recent reports suggest a more positive outlook. TSMC is set to begin mass-producing the 5nm A13 chips for Apple’s next-gen iPhones. Meanwhile, several suppliers claim that there won’t be a delay in the production of Apple’s first 5G iPhone.
A stabilizing supply chain is good news for AirTags. Keep an eye out for an official product announcement in the coming weeks.

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GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WTVQ) – Meijer on Saturday announced it is limiting the number of customers allowed in its stores along with other measures to keep customers and employees safe.
These are the new steps Meijer is taking:
- Asking customers to limit the number of shoppers per trip, while understanding that some customers may need additional assistance.
- Implementing processes to monitor the number of customers in our stores. This includes managing the number of customers shopping to support proper social distancing practices.
- Conducting daily health screenings and temperature checks of team members as they arrive at the store.
- Completing installation of protective plexiglass shields at all check lanes and pharmacies in its 248 supercenters and stores.
- Adding signage and broadcast announcements inside the store educating customers about proper social distancing.
- Temporarily suspending the weekly sales ad beginning April 12 to decrease customer count inside the store.
“We continue to look for additional ways to ensure the safety of our customers and team members in the face of this difficult challenge,” Meijer President & Chief Executive Officer Rick Keyes said. “By working together, we can reduce the spread of this virus and help keep our communities safe.”


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Taxes are always stressful, and running a business just makes it more complicated. There are tons of potential worries, especially if you're a relatively new business owner.
The situation in 2020 didn't make it any easier. With the COVID-19 pandemic, it was a year unlike any other in our lifetimes. This led to new complications for businesses, as lockdowns made their survival uncertain. However, it also led to tax opportunities that can help businesses recover some of their losses.


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December 9, 2008 – Seoul – NEXON Europe, Nexon Europe Limited, the Europe division of the world’s leading online game company Nexon Group, announced today the upcoming open-beta of its free-to-play, online first person shooter “Combat Arms Europe”.
Starting from December 16th, Combat Arms enlists players across Europe to join the arms race, delivering gamers a high-quality FPS with multiple new maps, a new individual One-Man-Army game mode, as well as extended arsenal with new gears and weapons. An Open-Beta event will encourage players to show off their fragging skills and reward top soldiers of fortune with exciting prizes.
Please visit http://combatarms.nexoneu.com for further details.
About Combat Arms:
Combat Arms is a fast-paced, multiplayer shooter, designed for non-stop action on the grounds of various battlefields where players are recruited to get engaged with their enemies in multiple game modes. While integrating the traditional attributes of the FPS genre, Combat Arms advances further by evolving striking features such as character customization as well as weapon modification system, enabling the players to adjust their weapons with attachments such as scopes, silencers and extended magazines. Additional eye-catching feature is the unique backpack system, which allows players to combine a set of multiple weapons from the extensive armory for a more sophisticated combat experience on the battlefield.
Combat Arms is easy to adapt for newcomers with handy control while providing deep gameplay mechanics to veteran gamers. In-game currencies and experience points are rewarded based on the number of victories and kills made, and when accumulated, it will help the players to rank up and to mount with new weapons and equipments, while having access to their actual performance stat anytime during the gameplay. Moreover, the extensive community features within the game actively support the clan system, where players can easily recruit, manage, and communicate with their clan members.
Established in 1994, Nexon developed the first graphic MMORPG, called The Kingdom of the Winds, and ever since, with its diverse and well-received titles, Nexon has quickly become one of Korea’s leading publishers of online content. NEXON has an extensive catalog of games to reach players of all ages, interests and regions of the world, and promises to bring them the most enjoyable online excitement ever experienced.
Established in March 2007, Nexon Europe is the European publishing arm of Nexon and has brought the worldwide hit casual MMORPG “MapleStory” to Europe in May 2007.
Now, Nexon Europe is preparing to launch its second title for the European audience, the First-Person-Shooter “Combat Arms”, in Q1 2009.


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Manufacturing giants Allied Bakeries and Grupo Bimbo UK have become the latest members of the Federation of Bakers (FOB).
The new additions see the trade association now represent nearly two-thirds of the UK’s branded ambient bread (sliced wrapped) market, it said.
Other member companies include Délifrance, Fine Lady Bakeries, Geary’s Bakery, Irwin‘s Bakery, Jacksons Bakery, Kerry Foods, Roberts Bakery, and Warburtons – which collectively run a total of 32 bakeries nationwide.
FOB chief executive Andrew Pyne said the association was delighted to have Allied Bakeries and Grupo Bimbo UK join them. “They are in good company and are among a number of other household bakery manufacturers who are already signed up,” he said.
“As membership grows we represent an increasingly significant proportion of the plant bakery industry and will continue to make sure their voices are heard, strengthening our value proposition.”
Founded in 1935 and still run by the Weston family, Allied Bakeries produces well-known bread brands Kingsmill, Allinson’s, and Sunblest. Allied Bakeries UK & Ireland manager director Chris Craig noted that the company was also a trusted partner for many supermarket own-brand wrapped and in-store bakery ranges.
“Fresh, wrapped bread is a nutritious and affordable staple enjoyed daily by nine out of 10 households in the UK and by enabling a collective voice for our industry, the Federation of Bakers fulfils an important role in maintaining the nation’s food security,” he added.
Meanwhile, Grupo Bimbo UK is part of the world’s largest bakery manufacturer, a Mexican-owned business with operations across more than 200 bakeries in 33 countries. Having first arrived in the UK in 2017 via the acquisition of foodservice supplier East Balt Bakeries, the company now supplies products from bagel brand New York Bakery Co, snack brand Takis, and brioche specialist St Pierre, which it bought in October last year.
“We are looking forward to working with the Federation of Bakers and the wider bakery industry on issues that really matter to the people that work within it,” said Jon Smythe, managing director at Grupo Bimbo UK.
“As part of the world’s largest bakery business, and a key supplier to the UK Bakery Market of great quality products every day, we recognise our responsibility to support the industry and are delighted to become members of the Federation of Bakers to help ensure the voice of our sector is heard.”
In addition to its core membership, the FOB also has 26 current associate members including AB Mauri, ADM Milling, Baker Perkins, British Bakels, CSM Ingredients, Lesaffre, Puratos, and Zeelandia, to name a few.


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Outdoor recreation is good for the body and the soul, but it’s also good for the state’s economy. In Minnesota, according to the Outdoor Recreation Economy Report by the Outdoor Industry Assocation. The industry group’s annual report said that in Minnesota, outdoor recreation generates:
* $11.6 billion in consumer spending.
* 118,000 direct Minnesota jobs.
* $3.4 billion in wages and salaries.
* $815 million in state and local tax revenue.
It’s that time of year, when the winter thaw and refreeze cycle has left potholes seemingly everywhere. But you can enjoy a different kind of pothole this spring and summer at Interstate State Park.
If, like many outdoor enthusiasts, you want to help keep the trails you use in good condition, Friends of BWCA Trails can use you. Through the popular online Meetup program, the Friends group is organizing clearing and maintenance groups for the spring, including cross cut and chain saw certification April 13.
Connect with the Friends group on Meetup to get involved with trail maintenance or just to find hiking partners for trips on what of the country’s great natural assets.


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June 25, 2007: Word’s just in: potatoes are good for you. But, you may still have to hold off on those fries you’ve been eyeing. Turns out, potatoes are best eaten in a cold salad, and not drowned in oil.
A team of Spanish researchers say that eating potatoes could have a beneficial effect on the body’s immune system. They’re rich in vitamin C and B-complex, have good doses of minerals like iron, calcium, managanese, magnesium and phosphorus, and believe it or not, are great for the tummy.
How did the researchers figure all this out? Well, they fed some growing pigs huge amounts of raw potato starch, and it turns out that after pigging out on all that starch, the creatures actually looked in the pink of health.
While humans don’t normally eat raw potatoes, it turns out we do (or can) eat food that is high in resistent starch, stuff that is not digested in the small intestine and is then pushed along to the large intestine where it ferments. Which is a good thing, regardless of how it sounds.
These “good” food would be cold boiled potatoes, legumes, grains, green bananas, pasta and cereals. Hey! That doesn’t sound too bad. So, what are you waiting for?
You may also be interested in these:
Chained Inmates of an Asylum burnt to Death
Be careful of reading health books, you might die of a misprint
Chip off the Old Block
Is Potato a Fruit or Vegetable?
The Teenage Teacher of Pune


text: Ian Lamont writes "An advertising company that runs a 'targeting marketplace' and partner AT&T are playing down the telecommunications giant's use of its services after AT&T's chief privacy officer told a House subcommittee yesterday that the company does not engage in behavioral advertising. The AT&T executive testified (PDF) to the House of Representatives Subcommittee on Communications, Technology and the Internet that AT&T would not use behavioral advertising methods without informed customer consent. However, AudienceScience, a company that records 'billions of behavioral events daily' has apparently worked for AT&T since 2005. After the hearing, AudienceScience removed a client testimonial relating to AT&T from its website, so 'all the appropriate parties [have] consistent messaging,' its CEO said. An AT&T spokesman also said that the testimony was talking about AT&T's role as an ISP, not an advertiser."


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Germany’s economy logged a modest growth in the first quarter as the expansion in investment was partially offset by the contraction in exports and household spending, detailed data from Destatis showed on Wednesday.
Gross domestic product grew 0.2 percent sequentially in the first quarter, in contrast to the 0.3 percent decline seen a quarter ago.
Although mild, the expansion helped the economy to avoid a technical recession.
On a yearly basis, GDP advanced by a price-adjusted 4.0 percent, faster than the 1.8 percent growth registered in the fourth quarter.
The statistical office confirmed both quarterly and annual growth figures for the first quarter.
Compared with the fourth quarter of 2019, the quarter before the Covid-19 crisis began, GDP decreased 0.9 percent.
Amid rising prices, household consumption dropped 0.1 percent from the preceding quarter, when spending declined 1.3 percent. Government expenditure gained 0.1 percent, following a 0.2 percent rise.
Gross fixed capital formation registered an increase of 2.7 percent. Due to the mild weather in the first quarter, investment in construction advanced 4.6 percent despite the considerable price increases. At the same time, investment in machinery and equipment rose 2.5 percent.
Due to lower exports of automobiles in the face of continuing problems in international supply chains, overall shipments decreased 2.1 percent. Meanwhile, imports rose 0.9 percent. As a result, foreign trade had downward effect on GDP.
The war in Ukraine and the continuing Covid-19 pandemic have intensified existing distortions, including interruptions in supply chains and rising prices, President of the Federal Statistical Office Georg Thiel said.
“Despite difficult framework conditions in the global economy, the German economy started 2022 with a slight growth”, Thiel added.
Macro data from Germany has not brought any relief and confirmed that the economy entered a mild contraction in the second quarter, ING economist Carsten Brzeski said.
The inventory build-up and weak consumption in the first quarter, as well as very weak consumer confidence, clearly dent the optimism currently sent by traditional leading indicators, the economist observed.
Elsewhere, survey results from the market research group GfK showed that consumer confidence is set to improve in June amid an easing in restrictions related to the coronavirus pandemic. The forward-looking consumer sentiment index rose to -26.0 for June from a revised -26.6 in May.
Source: Read Full Article


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Telenor Hungary welcomes new vice president of innovation
Zoltán Takács was appointed Telenor Hungary’s vice president of innovation, signaling a new direction for the company to further strengthen its focus on innovative services and partnerships that extend beyond traditional mobile business, according to a press release issued today.
Takács joined Telenor in 2011 as product and innovation director. Later he was appointed chief digital services officer in 2013. Before joining Telenor, Takács gained international experience in sales, marketing, product, service and business development at companies such as Ericsson, Nokia, RTL Klub and Huawei, the statement said.
“We are very glad to have Zoltán on board again after a period of sick leave. Zoltán played a vital role in launching popular digital services including online television service MyTV, music catalogue Deezer and Telenor Wallet. With this new position, Telenor will strengthen its focus on making more and more innovation available for customers. I am confident that Zoltán’s broad-based experience will provide a valuable contribution to this journey,” said Christopher Laska, CEO of Telenor Hungary.
“Innovation is always the engine of growth, therefore, it is a great honor for me to be able to coordinate and lead our customer-focused innovation activities. Our mission is to be the best partner for innovative companies in Hungary from startups to large corporates. Through such partnerships we would like to provide the best digital services for customers in their digital lives,” added Zoltán Takács.
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On Saturday, the Vietnamese government announced the introduction of an E-Visa service for Pakistani businesspeople.
The Ambassador of Vietnam, Nguyen Tien Phong, announced the development while speaking to the Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FCCI).
A lack of knowledge and connectivity, according to the ambassador, is a fundamental impediment to strengthening bilateral trade links between the two countries.
“We must complement one another by understanding our common problems and resolving them in a positive spirit,” he stated.
According to the official, Vietnam imports and provides a variety of goods from Pakistan, and both countries should work together rather than compete.
Phong also praised Faisalabad’s well-developed textile sector, saying that it should make a fresh start by leveraging IT and transforming the city into a textile Silicon Valley.
He went on to say that Vietnam might transfer technology and form joint partnerships with potential Pakistani businesses.
In reference to Vietnam’s tourism business, the ambassador stated that the country might assist Pakistan in developing this sector.
The official also agreed with the notion of exchanging bilateral trade delegations and offered to set up B2B meetings with the relevant stakeholders.
The ambassador added that farmers from Pakistan should submit an official request from the beef association in order for him to unlock this new export venue for the country.


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Julia Schimmelpenningh of Eastman Chemical Co. presented “Safety Glass: Does it Make the Cut?” during a lunch seminar at the 2014 Winter Meeting for the Insulating Glass Manufacturers Alliance (IGMA), being held at the JW Marriott Union Square in San Francisco. Schimmelpenningh discussed the defining characteristics of safety glazing and what members of the industry need to understand about these products.
She noted that many of the safety glass definitions online still mention wired glass as a form of safety glazing and that some definitions state that the glass reduces the likelihood someone will sustain injury as a result of the glazing.
Discussing international requirements for safety glass, she stated, “From a global perspective there’s a lot of commonality when it comes to safety glazing.”
Additionally, Schimmelpenningh said that more buildings are using this type of glazing, and, as a result, consumer perception of safety is as important as the technical specifications of the products.
“Perception becomes reality,” she said. For noise reduction, quiet equates to order, and therefore safety. The same can be said for privacy and durability features of a product.
For particular applications, though, Schimmelpenningh noted that the popularity for safety glazing is dependent on the particular application. For instance, “In high-rise facilities, we do not see bomb-blast specifications … at one point we had a ton of interest, but the only people specifying them now are government facilities,” she stated. “I’m not saying there are no applications, but it isn’t widespread. Fall-out on the other hand, we see a lot of specifications for that … but it’s more for balconies than full facades.”
One of the most concerning aspects of safety glazing, Schimmelpenningh noted in her closing remarks was that the standards surrounding it have been updated, but not changed since 1966. She said that places safety glazing standards on par with old-school vinyl.
“We’re still on vinyl records, guys,” she said. “I challenge you to take a look at where we are with glass, what we’ve gone through and where we’re going … as rapidly as we can.
“As our industry evolves, we need to evolve the standards that go with it,” she added.
The IGMA Winter Meeting continues through tomorrow. Stay tuned to www.USGNN.com™ for the latest from the event.


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By Mike Ramsey and Christina Rogers
In the race to make cars go farther on a gallon of fuel, diesel is suddenly gaining some ground.
In the past decade, gasoline-electric hybrids such as Toyota Motor Corp.’s Prius and electric cars have gotten a lot of hype and even support from governments. Cars with new, more refined diesel engines, which are cleaner and have been pushed by German auto makers, have had few offerings available, and have sold in small numbers. Today, diesel engines account for about 3% of U.S. vehicle sales.
By Santanu Choudhury and Kenan Machado
MUMBAI–Italian auto giant Fiat SpA and U.S. unit Chrysler Group LLC Thursday announced a renewed push in India, saying that they will introduce a series of new models — including Jeep’s Wrangler and Grand Cherokee — as they look to catch up with rivals such as Suzuki Motor Corp., General Motors Co. and Ford Motor Co.
“Our vision for India will revolve around a three-pronged strategy,” said Mike Manley, chief executive of the Jeep brand and chief operating officer of Fiat-Chrysler Asia Pacific.
THE PEARL-BLACK Range Rover was up to its headlights in water, moving slowly, hippopotamine, pushing a bow wave that rippled the floating debris ahead. Jaguar Land Rover’s testing facilities near Gaydon, in Warwickshire, include several proper English moats where visitors can indulge in the Range Rover’s crazy fording depth.
Thanks to some replumbing of the engine induction system, the 2013 Range Rover can now safely traverse water up to 35.4 inches deep, company execs tell me, almost over the wheel arches. I hope they’re right. It feels like I’ve taken a wrong turn down a boat ramp.
But as the Range Rover plied the cold, noisome waters—a Schwimmwagen limousine, an amphibian to put a giant salamander to shame—I thought: Really? When is this ever gonna happen?
Building vehicles that sell in high volume is great, until you have to recall them.
Chrysler Group LLC said it will recall Jeep Liberty vehicles from the 2002 and 2003 model years, and Jeep Grand Cherokees from 2002 to 2004 to fix airbag problems that could result in inadvertent deployment of the bags and pretensioners that tighten the seat belts before a crash.
Chrysler said it had investigated reports of airbag problems with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and found flaws in a part called the occupant restraint control module. The resulting recall includes 744,822 vehicles.
If President Barack Obama ever privately doubted the wisdom of the auto industry bailout that defined the early part of his first term, those doubts dissolved last night in Ohio.
Just as large red patches seemed to consume the graphic U.S. maps used to track the election, a critical blue band took hold across the state’s industrial northern edge, linking cities that depend on the car business. Indeed, this stripe appeared to stretch from Chrysler Group LLC’s Toledo Jeep plant to the front door of the General Motors Co. factory in Lordstown that turns out Chevrolet Cruze sedans.
A new television ad from Mitt Romney’s campaign shows how much the presidential election in Ohio is still turning on the battle to shape voter opinion of the Obama administration’s auto bailout. It has also revived a campaign debate over plans by Chrysler Corp.’s Jeep unit to build cars in China.
The new ad, which aired over the weekend in Ohio, challenges President Barack Obama’s effort to take credit for saving U.S. auto jobs with his government-backed rescues of General Motors Co. and Chrysler.
The ad aired as a new poll for Ohio newspapers suggested that the race for Ohio’s 18 electoral votes is a dead heat.
ZOMBIES ARE BIG. The kids like zombies.
So here’s a notion: In 2009, when Fiat-Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne merged the two companies amid the global financial crisis, he essentially sewed two of the automotive undead together at the hip and then insisted they get up off the table and dance.
“Dance, slaves!” Something like that.
Mr. Marchionne’s achievement thus far is to have produced something, anything, other than a very ripe, two-headed zombie. Remarkably, Fiat-Chrysler is off the gurney and waltzing all over the place. In August, Chrysler LLC reported sales up 14% (148,472 units) over August 2011, the company’s 29th consecutive month of year-over-year sales gain.
Is orange the new black? Well, sort of.
Maybe we should say it is the new silver which has long been the go-to hue in the car business. Still, the connection between cars and the fashion industry — where you can rarely go wrong with black – has much to do with the emergence of orange as a common color for cars.
Chevrolet said Inferno Orange is the second-most-requested color for its Sonic hatchback, right behind black. It accounts for nearly one in five dealer orders and, the car maker says, marks a new trend in the subcompact market.
A Swedish magazine called Teknikens Värld recently tested a 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee in an evasive maneuver it calls the Elk Test and said the vehicle does not perform “as a modern car should.”
Jeep parent company Chrysler said it is investigating the test and that the vehicle used by the magazine was improperly loaded.
A video of the test shows the Jeep leaning so hard to one side that it winds up riding on two wheels as if it is close to tipping over.
Autoweek magazine has posted photos online from veteran automotive spy photographer Brenda Priddy showing what looks like a sleek, new, car-like prototype that the magazine says could be the next Jeep Liberty.
Driver’s Seat is a blog featuring news, views, and advice about cars, auto safety, driving, and transportation. Driver’s Seat is written by Jonathan Welsh with contributions from auto critic Dan Neil, columnist Joe White and Wall Street Journal staffers and others.


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Children's Place says customer database hacked
April 20, 2011 9:30 PM IST
Children's Place Retail Stores Inc said its customer database has been hacked, and clients were sent an unauthorized email directing them to a website where they were asked to enter their credit card numbers for a software upgrade.
The company notified customers about the hacking on Tuesday evening through an email.
"Our third party email service provider has informed us that only email addresses were accessed and no other personal information was obtained," the company said in the email.
"The Children's Place would not ask you, in an email, to update any software or for other highly sensitive personal information," the email said.
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The Secaucus, New Jersey-based company has been leaning heavily on e-commerce sales to boost business.
For the fourth quarter, it saw comparable online sales rise 31.7 percent -- while they fell 9 percent at stores in the United States, and 6.2 percent in Canada.
Shares of the company closed at $53.20 on Tuesday on Nasdaq.
(Reporting by Nivedita Bhattacharjee in Bangalore; Editing by Jarshad Kakkrakandy)
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Apple updates WWDC app again
With just hours to go until the official start of WWDC, Apple has updated the event's official app again. The WWDC app was first launched a week ago and allows users to browse times, locations and descriptions for sessions, labs and special events.You can also keep up with the latest news, get important notifications, see daily snapshots, watch session videos and more.
Today's update brings enhancements for video playback. Just in time for watching the keynote at 10 AM PDT.
The WWDC app is a free download.
With just hours to go until the official start of WWDC, Apple has updated the event's official app again. The WWDC app was first launched...
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Online grocer Approved Food has today extended its commercial partnership agreement with Huddersfield Town.
Approved Food was founded in 2008 by Dan Cluderay and is now based in a 60,000 square feet fulfilment centre in Sheffield, where it employs over 50 members of staff.
Approved Food saves shoppers up to 70% on their weekly shop by offering food nearing or past its ‘best before’ date at great value, including well-known brands at a significantly lower prices
The online grocer sells direct to savvy customers and households throughout the UK and is heavily involved in educating people on the misunderstandings around dates and food labelling, encouraging people to think before they throw #PerfectlyGood food away. Approved Food only purchases items from trusted manufacturers, distributors and wholesalers to ensure best quality for customers and delivers to over a quarter of a million registered customers internationally.
In 2014 the team dispatched more than 115,000 orders, comprising of over nine million items throughout the UK and Europe.
The business shot to fame recently, with Dan and Andy appearing on Dragons’ Den and the Virgin Media Business initiative ‘Pitch to Rich’ – and subsequently Good Morning Britain and Loose Women! Huddersfield Town’s Senior Commercial Manager Tracy Nelson commented:
“We’re delighted to have extended our working relationship with Dan, Andy and the team at Approved Food for the 2016/17 season.
“We believe the Club has lots to offer businesses of any size and location, but we take particular pride in working with successful firms from our region and Approved Food definitely fits that bill!
“Approved Food offers a unique service and deserved the national recognition it has achieved over the last couple of years.”


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By Anora M. Gaudiano, MarketWatch
Whether bitcoin is in a bubble may be up for debate. But there is one thing about the cryptocurrency craze that is reminiscent of the late 1990s tech boom.
Companies that put the word “blockchain” or other cryptocurrency terms in their name have seen their share prices soar, much like companies that added a dot-com to their name received an almost automatic boost about two decades ago, according to Raghavendra Rau, professor of finance at Cambridge Judge Business School in the U.K.
That is what happened to the stock of small, U.K.-listed On-Line PLC . On the last Friday in October, the stock surged 173% to 47 pence—all apparently in reaction to the firm announcing plans to change its name to On-Line Blockchain PLC at its next annual general meeting.
It isn’t surprising to see Wall Street getting jazzed up about blockchain or bitcoin over the past 12 months.
The price of bitcoin itself /zigman2/quotes/31322028/realtime BTCUSD -0.19% , the most prominent cryptocurrency that uses blockchain technology has risen nearly 650% year to date to a record high of $7,300. Meanwhile, the second-most prominent cryptocurrency Ether is up 3,800% to around $300 since the start of 2017.
Soaring prices of bitcoin and increased attention in cryptocurrencies from average folk, professional investors, and regulators alike, have compelled a number of companies like On-Line PLC—hoping to piggyback on the ascendance of the digital currencies and blockchain technology—to either change their names, reshape their business models or both, to underline their links to crypto assets. Those moves are drawing parallels to the late-1990s dot-com boom.
“There is nothing new under the sun. These manias spread every few years when new technologies appear with uncertain potentials,” Rau told MarketWatch.
“It happened for airlines during the 1920s, it happened during the dot-com boom, it happened during the China boom and it is happening again with blockchain. And this time too, it’s not different,” he said. Blockchain refers to the digital record-keeping technology that underpins bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies.
Rau was one of the co-authors of a paper published in 2000, entitled “A Rose.com by Any Other Name,” in which a trio of finance professors found that companies that made internet-related dot-com name changes saw a “striking positive stock price reaction” to the announcements.
“Investors, especially unsophisticated investors, pay attention to salient news and react immediately without checking details. And in markets that are not extremely liquid, the effect persists because no one takes the other side of the trade to bring prices down again,” Rau said.
According to FactSet data, there are 38 companies that have “bitcoin” or “blockchain” in their names, most of them private.
The four crypto-related entities that are publicly traded all changed their names in 2017 or late 2016:
Carrus Capital Corp. became Global Blockchain Technologies Corp. ; Leeta Gold Corp. converted in to Hive Blockchain Technologies Ltd. /zigman2/quotes/202324457/delayed CA:HIVE -3.77% ; BiOptix Inc. switched its name to Riot Blockchain Inc. /zigman2/quotes/209538617/composite RIOT -3.65% ; and JA Energy transformed in to UBI Blockchain internet Ltd. /zigman2/quotes/201442947/composite UBIA +3.33%
Share prices of three of the quartet have seen triple- or quadruple-digit gains since the start of the year.


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One would think that the numbers of hatchbacks should be dwindling under pressure of uneven competition against compact crossovers, but, the manufactures have managed to surprise us once again and came up with a strong lineup of new models for the 2020.
Spoiler alert, many of them are extremely hot and electric. Lets take a look at the newcomers and see for ourselves whether this body style will continue to shine or is it on the brink of extinction?
Previous #AutomotiveTerritory releases that you may find interesting:
New large SUVs that are coming up in 2020: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_33tMumRrQ
Best compact crossover cars that you can own today: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1m7lUN_vCdM
Learn about all of the models shown in this #AT_New_Cars release:
Opel Astra: gb-media.vauxhall.co.uk/en-gb/vauxhall-reveals-new-astra
Also known under Vauxhall and Holden brand names, the compact Astra hatch entered its current generation in 2015, and now, it is getting a customary mid-life facelift. The 2020 hatchback can be distinguished by a redesigned front bumper and a new grille. Plus, it gets a new range of powertrains, both diesel and gasoline.
Mercedes-AMG A45: media.daimler.com/marsMediaSite/en/instance/ko.xhtml?oid=43765832
2020 Mercedes-AMG A45 shows its aggressive nature right away, breathing agility and sportiness through the updated grille, large air intakes, and quad exhaust. The bearer of the most powerful 4-cylinder currently in production boasts of 383 horsepower in a base version and even more impressive 416 horses in S package.
Peugeot 208: www.peugeot.co.uk/showroom/new-208/
Rebuilt from the ground up, the 2020 Peugeot 208 sits on a new generation Common Modular Platform from the PSA Group, which reduces the hatch’s total weight and improves its aerodynamics. It also boasts redesigned looks and a new selection of powertrains, gasoline, diesel, and fully electric.
BMW 1-Series: bmwusa.com/vehicles/m-models.html
Unlike many restyled models in this lineup, the 1-Series is an all-new 3-rd generation hatch built from the ground up. From now on it rides on the front wheel drive platform following the 2-Series minivan and X1 crossover.
MINI John Cooper Works Clubman: press.bmwgroup.com/global/video/detail/PF0006847/mini-john-cooper-works-clubman
The main highlight of the new JCW Mini Clubman is the most powerful engine in the company’s history. The 2.0L turbocharged four cylinder lets this hot hatchback enter the over 300 hp family. Coupled with an exclusive 8-speed Steptronic and MINI All4 all-wheel drive.
Ford Focus ST: ford.co.uk/cars/new-focus-st
Though discontinued for the American market, Ford Focus hatchback is still alive and kicking. For the 2020 model year, the its ST version enters 4th generation, sporting new equipment, redesigned looks, and ST-specific interior changes.
VW Golf: volkswagen.co.uk
The Volkswagen Golf Mk8 is being revealed at one of the upcoming auto shows. Stay tuned to learn about the new model.
Mini Cooper SE: mini.co.uk/en_GB/home/range/mini-electric.html
The first electric Mini Cooper has been announced to hit the dealerships in March 2020, but the company has already announced the pricing for the model and launched pre-orders. The SE starts from £24,400, offers 144+ miles of range, and looks almost exactly like its ICE siblings.
Renault Clio: info.renault.co.uk/model/all-new-clio
2020 Renault Clio enters its 5th generation fully redesigned, offering more interior room, updates tech, and a new powertrain lineup. in 2020, the model was announced to get an advanced hybrid E-TECH mill with 3 driving modes and regenerative braking, offering up to 30 of all-electric driving in the city.
Honda E: hondanews.eu/eu/en/cars/media/pressreleases/185161/honda-e-the-perfect-balance-of-efficiency-and-performance-for-urban-commuting
In 2020, the production version of the 2017 Urban EV concept, called Honda E, is finally coming to the European market. Though it sprouts 2 more doors, the car keeps the main design features of the concept and retains its cute and round puppy-eyed headlights.
Volkswagen I.D. 3: volkswagen-newsroom.com/en/id3-4984
2020 Volkswagen I.D. 3 is a compact electric hatchback based on the concept vehicle presented at the 2016 Paris Motor Show. It finally goes into production in 2020, becoming the firs model of the brand’s I.D. of BEVs.


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Multisector company 3M foresees growth opportunity in Mexico despite new trade rules
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The multisector manufacturing company 3M is optimistic about the changes to NAFTA, now known as USMCA, as well as the arrival of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, its directors revealed in a talk with columnist Alberto Aguilar.
According to the new director of the company for Mexico, José Varela, the changes to the rules of origin represent for the company -with 71 years of presence in Mexico- an opportunity to produce here a large part of the supplies that are currently brought from Asia for the automotive industry.
3M aims in the medium term to make Mexico one of the "top five" strategic points worldwide. To this end, the company plans to resume double-digit growth in sales, which it already has in terms of exports.
The company has four manufacturing centers located in San Luis Potosí, Ciudad Juárez, Monterrey and Ensenada.


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McAfee, a leading AntiVirus provider, has announced the extension of its partnership with Samsung to provide pre-installed security software protection on consumer devices including Samsung PCs, Galaxy S8 Smartphones and Smart TVs worldwide.
With the rise of Internet of Things and the proliferation of mobile devices, cybercriminals now have an even wider variety of channels to carry out malicious cyberattacks against individuals.
A recent survey by McAfee highlights that only 42% of consumers take proper security measures to protect their new gadgets, and even if they acknowledge the importance of securing their devices, 47% of them are unsure whether they are taking the proper security steps to do so.
Nonetheless, the survey also revealed that nearly 44% of consumers are worried about their personal financial information being stolen and 38% are worried about identity theft hence making privacy and protection grow as key concerns.
That said, with McAfee and Samsung now partnering each other to enhance security, the customer would stand to benefit most in terms of better security with McAfee and Samsung now provide McAfee LiveSafe on Samsung PCs, McAfee VirusScan on Galaxy S8 Smartphones and McAfee Security for Smart TVs.
Below is how McAffee LiveSafe is available for Samsung owners:
Availability of McAfee LiveSafe on Samsung PCs
The McAfee LiveSafe cross-device security product is currently shipping worldwide as pre-installed software on all Samsung PCs produced, starting in 2017. Samsung PC users can enjoy 60-day free trial and after the trial period, will receive a special offer.
Availability of McAfee Security for Samsung TVs
McAfee Security for TV anti-malware technology is currently available in the U.S and Korea for Samsung Smart TV customers and additional countries will be added throughout the first half of 2017. No additional purchase is necessary.
Availability of McAfee VirusScan on Galaxy S8
McAfee VirusScan anti-malware technology will ship as a pre-installed solution for Samsung Galaxy S8 starting in April of 2017, and is available in Samsung Galaxy S7, S7 edge, S6, S6 edge and Galaxy Note 5**. No additional purchase is necessary.


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To celebrate the 25th anniversary of Image Comics, Robert Kirkman's Skybound Entertainment will cut the cost of three of its February titles to 25 cents each.
The comics are "The Walking Dead" #163 by Robert Kirkman and Charlie Adlard, "Invincible" #133 by Kirkman, Ryan Ottley and Nathan Fairborn, and "Outcast" #25 by Kirkman, Paul Azaceta and Elizabeth Breitwieser.
What's more, each issue will mark the start of a new storyline, and as such it will also serve as a jumping-on point for new and lapsed readers. Of the three, perhaps the most significant is "Invincible" #133, which begins the 12-part story arc that will bring the series to its conclusion.
"The Walking Dead" #163 kicks off the immediate aftermath of the Whisperer War storyline, while "Outcast" #25 promises "a major turning point in the series: "New characters are introduced and big things are in store for Kyle Barnes as he’s faced with something he never could have prepared for — hope."
To help retailers wishing to take advantage of the promotion, Skybound has also included order codes and distributor order cutoff dates for each title on its website.


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The British computer scientist known as the inventor of the World Wide Web, Timothy Berners-Lee, says Australian proposals to make tech giants pay for journalism could set a precedent that makes the Internet unworkable as we know it.
“In particular, I am concerned that the code risks violating a fundamental web principle by requiring payment for links between certain online content,” Berners-Lee told a Senate committee that would scrutinise a bill that would create the News Media Negotiating Code.
It’s a question separating supporters and opponents of the new Australian law: would it essentially allow Google and Facebook “pay for clicks” and could it be the beginning of the end of free access?
In the European Union, where officials and lawmakers are drafting sweeping new digital legislation, the battle is being watched closely.
Google claims that the regulation allows it to pay for clicks. Google regional managing director Melanie Silva told the same Senate committee that she was most worried about reading Berners-submission Lee’s last month that the code “requires payments just for links and snippets.”
“The concept of paying for appearing purely in our organic search results to a very small group of website or content creators sets a dangerous precedent for us that presents unmanageable risk from a product and business model point of view,” Silva said.
Facebook regional vice president Simon Milner accepted that “entirely uncapped and unknowable” was the possible expense for news under the code.
Australia’s code uniquely provides a safety net for negotiation. An arbitration tribunal will prohibit digital giants from exploiting their dominant bargaining positions by providing take-it-or-leave-it payment deals to news businesses for their journalism.
The panel must make a binding decision on whose best-offer wins in the case of a standoff.
The monetary value of public interest journalism has yet to be identified, said Peter Lewis, director of the Australia Institute’s Center for Responsible Technology think tank.
“Lewis said, “The reason it’s like an ephemeral phase, if you like, is that nobody’s ever tried this before.
What do you value the absent ads of fact-based news? News was still valued on the basis of the amount of advertisements that the outlet might sell. “We are now trying to work out the value of public interest journalism because Google and Facebook have dominated the advertising market and taken that out of the equation,” Lewis said.
By speeding up discussions on licencing content deals with Australian media companies through its own News Showcase model, Google has responded to the threat of mandatory arbitration.
Facebook replied Thursday by banning Australian news from being viewed and shared by users.
After weekend talks with Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Sundar Pichai, chief executive of Alphabet Inc. and its subsidiary Google, Treasurer Josh Frydenberg amended draught legislation to make it clear that the platforms will not be charged per news snippet or connection.
We never expected it to be that… If the arbitrator oversaw a contract between a TV station and one of the digital platforms, they will, for example, make the digital platform pay 2 cents for each click over the next year, Frydenberg said. Never has that been the goal. The plan was always to have a lump sum payment and that is what we made clear in the code.
Dan Stinton is Guardian Australia and New Zealand’s managing director, negotiating a licencing arrangement through Google’s News Showcase.
Stinton said Google has gained from news through interaction with journalism-related search users, Google’s customer data obtained from publishers, and its share of revenue from advertising published with news articles.
“Google has been prosecuting an argument that Search is asking them to pay for links, and that is not the case,” said Stinton.
“They don’t steal published content, but I think they use their market power to choose their own companies to the detriment of publishers, and that’s not right,” Stinton said.
It’s not only paying for search links and snippets, it’s paying for the full advantage that Google gets,” he added.”
Since it launched News Showcase in October, Google has signed pay deals with more than 450 publications globally.
New regulations aimed at taming the largest digital ‘gatekeepers’ have been introduced by the EU Executive Commission. Proposals making their way through discussions between representatives from the parliament of the 27-member bloc may be revised to incorporate elements of the model of Australia.
Similar digital changes are being planned by Britain, which recently left the EU, which include shaking up the relationship between web media and news publishers.
“There’s definitely an influence” from Australia, said Angela Mills Wade, executive director of the European Publishers Council, an advocacy organisation representing media companies. “It is being closely monitored by all those who have an interest in the result.”
The EU has also set out a way for publishers and news media to enter into licencing arrangements under updated copyright laws on online platforms. France was the first country to incorporate certain laws into domestic law, but Google initially baulked at payments. Nevertheless, a court forced it into negotiations with a publishing company that culminated in a process for individual deals to be concluded.
The demand for binding arbitration if payment talks do not lead to an agreement is one aspect of the Australian model that has drawn interest in Europe, which Google has opposed because it would give the company less influence.
Mills Wade said many leading EU lawmakers would like to add to the digital regulations an arbitration process.
“Given that the scope of publishers’ rights has been undermined by Google and Facebook, it is clear that regulatory measures, particularly the final arbitration mechanism, are required,” Mills Wade said. “Otherwise, most publishers will not have the bargaining power to conclude agreements.”
Other news payment agreements have been hit by Google, including a multi-year arrangement with tycoon Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp.
Mills Wade welcomed the offer, stating that it illustrates that Google places “enormous value” on news material.
“However, regulators in Australia, as well as in Europe, should not be misled into thinking that single deals are the answer to ensuring fair remuneration for all large and small publishers whose content is used by Google, particularly just before comprehensive laws come into effect,” she said.


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In recent weeks, Prius owners throughout Berkeley have tried to start their cars only to be greeted with a thunderous roar and a nonfunctional vehicle. Now police have arrested two people they believe are connected to at least one of the dozens of local catalytic converter thefts.
On Wednesday, Briana Crisp, 37, of an unknown location, and Mauricio Navarrete, 47, of Oakland, were arrested on suspicion of grand theft, conspiracy and possession of burglary tools, according to a Berkeley Police Department Nixle alert. Piedmont police first detained Crisp and Navarette after spotting their vehicle, then BPD later arrested them.
A reciprocating saw, a tool police believe was used to remove catalytic converters, was found in their car, according to the Nixle.
No catalytic converters were recovered, said Officer Byron White, a BPD spokesman.
The catalytic converter is a part of a vehicle’s exhaust pipe that’s responsible for reducing emissions. It can be removed from under some cars in a matter of moments.
A rash of thefts this summer has seemingly targeted older Toyota Priuses. There have been at least 30 cars affected in the past few weeks, police say. A map created by BPD shows thefts reported citywide, with the largest concentration in North Berkeley. Some Hondas, including Elements and Accords, were reported among the damaged vehicles too.
Northside resident John Kirkham was among multiple people hit in his neighborhood last month.
After coming back from a weekend trip, Kirkham tried to start his 2004 Prius to drive to work July 29.
“It sounded like the worst lawnmower you’d ever heard,” Kirkham said.
New catalytic converters can run around $3,000 — more than the car is worth, said Kirkham, whose insurance doesn’t cover replacements. He’s been taking BART and rideshares to his job in Walnut Creek since the theft, “which adds time to my day.”
West Berkeley mechanic Nathan Hutchison said “cats have been getting stolen for decades.”
But Hutchison, the owner of Nate’s Green Garage on San Pablo Avenue, said there have been multiple weeks in the past few months where six or seven victims have come in for replacements.
Berkeleyside’s 15-minute phone interview with Hutchison on Thursday was interrupted by yet another person coming into his shop to deal with an affected car.
However, for the second time in recent weeks, Toyota has run out of new catalytic converters nationwide, and the shop has to wait for new shipments from Japan, Hutchison said. Toyota could not immediately be reached for confirmation.
Hutchison said second-generation Priuses — from 2004-09 — are easy targets because their catalytic converters are more accessible than those in older models. There is also a much larger market for those parts because Prius catalytic converters typically last up to 150,000 or 200,000 miles, he said. Few owners of newer cars are shopping around for replacements yet.
Prius catalytic converters are also some of the most expensive out there, because the hybrids go “above and beyond” with emission reduction, Hutchison said. In recent years, Toyota has also raised the price of catalytic converters for second-generation Priuses, according to Hutchison.
However, California mechanics can’t install used catalytic converters unless the products meet certain strict requirements.
“What’s happening here is the thieves are stealing them and either selling them for scrap or selling them to a few specific shops that are willing to install them in somebody’s car without them knowing,” Hutchison said.
BPD said the department’s investigation into the recent thefts is ongoing.
“We believe there may be more suspects involved in these thefts,” said the Nixle.
In another Nixle message in late July, BPD encouraged drivers to park in a garage or well-lit area if possible.
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Quizzic Alley will be open for five days a week in January for the school holidays, instead of the usual seven.
The decision has been a tough one for business owner, Nearly Legless Mick, who is concerned about a decline in business due to the increase in COVID cases.
“Quizzic Alley is all about the kids during school holidays and we generally open every day. But business has been hard for two years now and we just need to limit our running costs. He is also worried about staff shortages as the Omicron variant spreads.”
“Risk management is key to running a retail business during a pandemic and this change will allow us to run two separate teams in the hope of avoiding shutdown.”
Quizzic Alley in Sydney and Canberra will return to normal opening hours for January after being open every day in December until Christmas Eve. From Sunday 3 January, the stores will open five days a week – Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 10am until 5.30pm, Saturdays and Sundays 10am to 4.00pm.
Nearly Legless Mick is quick to assure families that Quizzic Alley will still offer their popular free holiday activities – this time a Magical Quest where witches and wizards go in search of a fantastic creature.
“The Canberra and Sydney stores will still be open Wednesday to Sunday. Anyone can join us on the Magical Quest. It’s completely free and self-guided. Just come into the store, grab your answer sheet and head off on the quest around the store.”
Although Quizzic Alley won’t be taking bookings for the Magical Quest, there may be busy times when customers may have to wait for a while and Mick also has a favour to ask of questers.
“I am very committed to keeping our team and our customers as safe as possible. Masks are mandatory, as is check-in. We will also monitor numbers in-store. You can help by bringing your own pen!”


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This week, the World Trade Organization (WTO) issued its much anticipated ruling on whether China’s export policies for critical metals violated the agreement it first entered in 2001 to be part of the WTO. The highest court within the WTO, known as the Appellate Body, found China was in violation of WTO requirements and had breached its original agreement. The decision marks a huge victory for the many automotive, high tech and alternative energy manufacturers globally that rely on China’s rare earth metal deposits to produce their goods.
As stated in a piece I published at Big Government in November, China has a complete monopoly on the 14 critical rare earth metals producing 97% of current world production. Products as fundamental to America’s industrial future as mobile phones, automobiles, televisions, fluorescent lighting, fiber optics and most of our advanced military hardware require rare earths. This monopoly has the potential to allow China to control production within all these trillion dollar industries by simply selling rare earths in China for far less than they sell them outside of China.
The situation had reached a critical state in 2011. Prices for metals such as neodymium have increased 20 fold in just the last 2 years making their use outside of China prohibitively expensive. The system of export quotas, tariffs and minimum export prices made the cost of rare earths nearly half within China then what they are outside China giving Chinese producers and companies China allows to build plants within China, an overwhelming cost advantage over other global producers; an advantage the WTO now says is illegal. The decision is also a major victory for our military which relies on Chinese rare earths to produce everything from Bradley Tanks and F-22 Fighter Jets to Body Armor and Night Vision Goggles.
Of significant note, the Appellate Board found that China could not use environmental considerations as an excuse to restrict the volumes that its producers exported. Over the last 5 years, China has progressively lowered its total export quota which has the effect of driving up prices, claiming it was doing so for environmental protection. The WTO found that the agreement it signed to join the organization prohibited it from making such a claim.
Some commentators are questioning whether China will in fact honor the ruling. My feeling is they will. China has a history of respecting WTO decisions to maintain their good standing and yesterday China’s Geneva mission issued a statement that while it “deeply regrets” the decision, it would respect it.
The decision on its face only applies to a group metals that does not include the rare earths. It includes such materials as silicon, manganese and magnesium, as well as, minerals such as coke and bauxite. However, the export restrictions on these metals are identical to the ones on rare earths and international pressure to apply them to rare earths has already begun. EU Commisioner Karel De Gucht stated after the ruling was published that, “China now must comply by removing these export restrictions swiftly and furthermore, I expect China to bring its overall export regime — including for rare earths — in line with WTO rules.”


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Uber has launched a new-food delivery app, UberEATS, in Melbourne.
Melbourne will be the first Australian city to test UberEATS. It currently operates in 10 US cities, Toronto and Paris.
If you live in the inner city (roughly between Windsor, Carlton and West Melbourne) you qualify for the service.
General manager of UberEATS Australia Simon Rossi believes Melburnians will embrace the service.
“We thought it really fits the culture here – people like new food experiences,” says Rossi.
UberEATS joins a highly competitive market of food-delivery operators. Key competitors Deliveroo and Foodora deliver via bicycle courier, while UberEATS delivers by both car and motorbike.
UberEATS is waiving its delivery fee for a limited time and then will have a flat rate of $5 – same as Deliveroo and Foodora.
Rossi says Uber’s existing reputation as a user-friendly service will set UberEATS apart from its competitors.
“As people have come to expect from our Uber services, it will be seamless, just the touch of a button,” says Rossi.
After the initial launch period, Rossi says UberEATS will soon expand its delivery service to the suburbs. It also plans to introduce breakfast and late-night services down the track.


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Calvin Klein unveiled a video clip for the new Downtown fragrance featuring American actress Rooney Mara ("The Social Network," "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo").
This campaign video by David Fincher follows the actress from a coffee shop to the street, and being made-up before a photo shoot. Rooney Mara goes from a masculine look to a 1960s outfit with glamour and elegance.
The photo campaign, shot by Jean-Baptiste Mondino, shows the actress's face in black and white next to the new light pink fragrance.
Downtown will be in stores in September.
All you need to look gorgeous this festive season
Explore how city life can affect your skin
Drink to stronger, healthier bones – and more beautiful hair and skin
Find a salon and make an instant appointment online with SheShops Salon Finder
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ABINGDON, Md., March 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Rev Canna, a new medical cannabis dispensary in Abingdon, Maryland, invites residents of Harford County and neighboring communities to a ribbon-cutting ceremony and other festivities on March 10. Local cannabis cultivators will be on hand to educate patients on how to best use cannabis to treat their conditions.
Rev Canna offers a carefully curated menu of flower, extracts, topicals, edibles, vapes, and other cannabis products from top Maryland cultivators, including Cresco, SunMed, Rhythm, MPX, Curio Wellness, Kind Therapeutics, Harvest, and Grassroots. Representatives from these brands will be available to answer questions about their products. The Maryland-based mobile espresso bar Park and Perk Café will offer coffee and snacks, while the lifestyle brand Crabcakes and Cannabis will offer swag that celebrates Maryland-state pride.
The ceremony will be held outside the dispensary at 12 pm ET. Rev Canna is located at 3111 Emmorton Road. Rev Canna's Owner Tara Brown and Manager Mark de Souza, who is also the CEO of Chicago-based, multi-state cannabis company Revolution Global, will cut the ribbon.
"Rev Canna is thrilled to be joining Maryland's legal cannabis industry, offering patients the highest-quality, responsibly-grown products," said de Souza. "Our products help patients live happier, healthier lives while managing chronic conditions, pain, and the side effects of chemo. We have received wonderful support in Abingdon already and look forward to officially introducing ourselves to the community today."
Maryland's medical cannabis industry has thrived since its legalization in December 2017. Today there are nearly 90 dispensaries, more than 1,000 medical providers licensed to prescribe, and more than 50,000 patients statewide. Rev Canna is the first dispensary to open in the Abingdon area.
Maryland residents who are interested in applying for a medical cannabis card can learn more at Rev Canna or the MMCC website.
About Rev Canna
Rev Canna is a medical dispensary located in Abingdon, Maryland. Since 2020, Rev Canna has offered extracts, topicals, edibles, vapes, and pre-roll products to patients in the state. We offer the highest quality cannabis products with a comfortable, safe environment for all patients. The dispensary stocks products from 13 cultivators statewide. For more information, visit: https://www.revcannamd.com/
SOURCE Rev Canna


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The official fan club for Thunderbirds co-creator Gerry Anderson, Fanderson, officially launched its new online Forum to replace the club's ageing Yahoo group yesterday (on the 10th anniversary of the day the earth was blown out of Earth's orbit in Space: 1999!).
The new online offshoot for the popular club - which has featured Anderson-related comics coverage in the past - consists of a public forum that anyone can join and contribute to and also a private forum for paid up Fanderson members only.
• See the new forum for more details: www.fanderson.org.uk/forum
The Gang’s All Here (well, almost): 2000AD’s 40th birthday – full line-up and schedule announced - The full guest list and schedule for next month’s 2000AD 40 Years of Thrill-Power Festival has been announced – featuring a huge range of the Galaxy’s Grea...
1 hour ago


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Farmers with ‘supermarket-suitable’ cattle have been told there may be value in “shopping around between factories for best prices”.
That is according to chairperson of ICMSA’s Livestock Committee, Des Morrison. He said that in-spec Herefords and Angus cattle with a deadweight of between 260kgs and 340kgs are currently in demand.
Factories, he added, were under pressure from their supermarket customers. Morrison said that he is certain that premium flat-rate deals are being negotiated off-grid. He understands processors are paying “significantly more” than normal quoted prices.
He urged farmers to go past their usual agents or factories and seek out those factories actively trying to fill a market that was certainly there.
‘Profiteering ‘off the backs’ of farmer-suppliers
The ICMSA livestock chairperson said that he thought that, in general, factories were taking advantage of the BGDP and other factors to drop prices, particularly for cows.
He cited the fact that numbers looked generally unchanged as evidence that it was the factories exerting downward price pressure.
“There’s no evidence of an increase in numbers proportionate to the downward pressure on prices, so that looks as if it’s the factories just pushing price down for cows ‘off their own bat’.”
“This is another example of processors profiteering ‘off the backs’ of their farmer-suppliers. It highlights the fact that we have to get away from a set-up that completely gives control to them. That will mean – it has to mean – getting away from the grid”, he added.
“We know the type of cattle supermarkets are looking for and want the factories to source and supply for them.”
That is why we’re saying to farmers with in-spec animals that there’s a great deal of competition right now for them. Farmers should actively seek the best prices”, he concluded.


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Xiaomi doesn’t have any immediate plans to make Chromebooks and the decision comes down to its focus on consumers. That’s based on a recent report from Android Central, detailing an interview with Xiaomi India Chief Business Officer Raghu Reddy. According to Mr. Reddy, the development of Chromebooks doesn’t line up with its business-to-consumer business model.
For the time being, Chromebooks are largely being marketed toward Enterprise and education sectors. And they’re typically sold directly to consumers in those groups by companies making them. That business-to-business model is a far cry, Mr. Reddy notes, from Xiaomi’s usual approach. Namely, reaching out “to customers directly” in order to offer a good value.
That may seem to fit with Xiaomi’s
But this isn’t just about business models
The Xiaomi executive goes on to point out several other key areas where a focus on Chromebooks doesn’t align with the company’s focus on consumers. Not least of all, Xiaomi is still relatively new to the laptop business overall. But the majority of its buyers, even in that segment, wouldn’t have access to its Chromebooks anyway. For now, Xiaomi sells its notebooks exclusively in China and India.
In at least one of those regions, China, Google services are effectively banned. So a Chromebook, built entirely on Google’s Chrome and Android platforms, wouldn’t align with its userbase in terms of its underlying market share either. And that’s something Xiaomi is looking at, as it continues looking to take on new areas of the industry “segment-by-segment.”
Chromebooks are also not a major competitor in the other big region for Xiaomi notebooks. Chrome OS has not lept forward in the region as a strong competitor as well as is has in others such as the US.
Compounding the issue, because its notebook business is still “young,” the company hopes to build out a solid following on the Windows front before it begins to address other computer categories.
When will Xiaomi Chromebooks become a thing?
Now, Xiaomi is, because of its segment-by-segment approach to growth phases, a relatively slow mover in the industry. The company’s laptops have been available in China for at least four years. From the very start, those have been moderately powerful machines in well-designed packages.
That may seem to line Xiaomi’s goals up with those of the Chrome OS ecosystem. But the devices were only launched in India as of this year, with the announcement of the Mi NoteBook Horizon Edition. That marks just the second market the gadgets are available in. And that means it could be quite some time — years, even — before a Xiaomi Chromebook becomes available.


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For Sale By:Private Seller
Number of Cylinders: 8
Options: CD Player
Drive Type: Auto
Exterior Color: Gold
Interior Color: Black
Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
72' Dodge Demon, Looks Great! Runs Great! Originally 318 car Now Built 360 with 727 Trans 323 rear end. Call or Text 586 306-1659. Car is in Las Vegas NV.
There are lots of ways to celebrate an important birthday, and all of them are well deserved. You can throw a big party, buy yourself something nice, or - if you're the altruistic type - do something for others in need. The latter is how Chrysler has opted to mark the 30th anniversary of its Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town & Country.
Together with hunger-advocacy organization Canstruction, the Chrysler Foundation has built a full-scale replica of the Grand Caravan out of 30,000 food cans in the square at the corner of Yonge and Dundas in Toronto, a ways down the highway from where the real vans are built in Windsor. The sculpture was built over the course of 10 hours by 30 volunteers and was displayed earlier this week.
Now the installation is being taken down, and the cans of food are being donated to the Daily Bread Food Bank, which will assemble them into 2,000 food baskets to be distributed to those in need through its network of 200 food banks across the Canadian metropolis. Check out a neat time-lapse video of the build and the press release below.
Early last month, we reported on Chrysler issuing a preemptive, proactive recall for about 25,000 units of the Jeep Grand Cherokee and Dodge Durango. The issue revolved around a brake system that wasn't causing any actual problems, but delivered an unsatisfactory brake feel, so Auburn Hills called in a good 25,000 of SUVs around the world, including 18,700 in the United States.
Now Chrysler, having apparently determined that the brake problem on its sport utes is actually much bigger than it initially realized, has drastically broadened the scope of the recall. As a result, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has issued a recall for precisely 655,354 examples of the Grand Cherokee and Durango, covering the 2011 through 2014 model years. In addition, Chrysler is recalling 42,380 units in Canada, 21,376 in Mexico and 159,685 overseas.
The problem which Chrysler found revolves around the brake booster, whose center shell has been found to be subject to corrosion, allowing water to get into the brake system. That water in turn could freeze, preventing the brakes from working as well as expected.
Consumer Reports has announced its annual list of worst vehicles, a cringe-inducing contrast to its list of top vehicles. Ignominiously leading the way in 2014 is Chrysler, which has a staggering seven models listed.
Jeep nearly sweeps the small SUV segment by itself, with its Compass, Patriot and 2.4-liter version of the new Cherokee, while the only midsize sedans listed by CR were the Chrysler 200 and Dodge Avenger. The new Dodge Dart and the Dodge Journey round out CR's condemnation of Chrysler.
Ford is taking heat as well, with the Taurus, Edge and their counterparts from Lincoln all listed as the worst vehicles in their respective segments. Toyota doesn't fare much better, with its Lexus IS, Scion iQ and tC also making the list.


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NOVI, Mich., May 29, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Stoneridge, Inc. (NYSE: SRI) today announced that Jon DeGaynor, chief executive officer, and Bob Krakowiak, chief financial officer, will participate in Baird's 2019 Global Consumer, Technology and Services Conference with a Company presentation at 3:10 p.m. EDT on Wednesday, June 5, in New York City. Details on how to join the presentation via webcast and the presentation materials will be posted to the "Investors/Webcasts & Presentations" section of the Company's website (www.stoneridge.com) the evening prior to the presentation, on Tuesday, June 4.
About Stoneridge, Inc.
Stoneridge, Inc., headquartered in Novi, Michigan, is an independent designer and manufacturer of highly engineered electrical and electronic components, modules and systems principally for the automotive, commercial vehicle, motorcycle, agricultural and off-highway vehicle markets. Additional information about Stoneridge can be found at Stoneridge.com.
SOURCE Stoneridge, Inc.


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Today, one of the biggest releases of the year and holiday season is finally here. The Xbox series X and series S will release today, and are being sold virtually everywhere. This is such an exciting time for console gamers because this has been long awaited. When they went up for pre-order in September, they quickly sold out everywhere, so there will be plenty of loyal Microsoft fans who didn’t get a chance to pre-order, buying one today. The Xbox Series X is retailing for a price of $499 while its smaller, digital counterpart is running at a price of $299. If you want the full next gen console experience, then the Xbox Series X is the way to go. However, if you are interested in trying something all digital, smaller, but still runs almost as efficient as the X without breaking the bank, then the S is the way to go.
Assassins Creed: Valhalla was released as well and is retailing at a price of $59.99. Being one of the most highly anticipated games of the year, there is no doubt in my mind that it will do well in sales, but let’s just hope that it lives up to the standards that everyone has set for it. It will be available for virtually every platform, and will even be a part of Amazon Luna for those of you who are interested.


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WASHINGTON (07/17/2000) - The U.S. on Monday announced an update to its encryption export policy affecting companies that sell encryption software to users in the 15 European Union nations and in eight other countries that are U.S. allies.
The policy is being updated to assure the continued competitiveness of U.S. encryption software producers in international markets, White House Chief of Staff John Podesta said in a briefing in which the updated policy was announced.
Under the new policy, U.S. companies can export any encryption product to any end user in the EU, as well as end users in Australia, Norway, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Japan, New Zealand and Switzerland.
Restrictions on U.S. sales of encryption software in those countries were partially lifted in January. [See "U.S. Frees Up Encryption Export Policy," January 12.] Under that first phase of encryption export liberalization, long sought by many information technology vendors, U.S. companies were permitted to export any encryption software after a technical review to individuals, commercial firms or other non-government end users to any country except Cuba, Iran, Iraq, Libya, North Korea, Sudan and Syria.
The updated policy announced Monday removes the distinction that applied to government end users, allowing companies to sell their products to those customers as well. It also says companies no longer have to wait for the completion of a technical review or wait 30 days to ship their products. U.S. exporters will be allowed to sell to the EU and eight other countries listed immediately after submitting a commodity classification request to the Department of Commerce.
The U.S. moves follow the adoption of regulations by the EU that ease encryption exports to the same countries, Podesta said.


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Showing 5,088 results for: International Silver Inc
A dinner at the White House helped David J. Pecker, whose company owns The National Enquirer, showcase his connections as he sought to expand into Saudi Arabia.
The firm that has helped buy companies like Dell and Ultimate Fighting Championship is looking for more tech and media.
Lawmakers have pressed the government panel that scrutinizes deals for national security concerns to take a close look at Broadcom’s hostile bid for Qualcomm.
As part of an effort to stay connected with people in the digital age, Mattel is sponsoring a nationwide search for a custom vehicle that can be a model for a 50th anniversary Hot Wheels car.
The United States has an expertise advantage in trade negotiations with China; solar tariffs are scrambling the industry; and Tesla’s “bizarre” conference call sent shares sliding.
If the Trump administration pursues ways to curtail the company, it would meet sizable obstacles.
The e-commerce giant announced a short list of places that could become home to its second headquarters. The process has garnered the kind of enthusiasm normally reserved for bids to host the Olympics.
The pending replacement of four directors is only the latest in a series of punishments that the bank has taken for its lending practices.
The Amalgamated Transit Union writes that the financial stress faced by taxi and livery drivers should cause us to question the gig economy.
Silver Airways and Frontier Airlines are just the latest to reassess tourism to the island.


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Regardless of what country you choose or in which time period it is framed, three words can be used to characterise most early craft beer development: small, undercapitalised and ale. As much as the first two are fairly obvious – we didn't call it 'microbrewing' for nothing, and pretty much all small-scale start-ups are underfunded – the third, ale, is somewhat less self-evident. It is nevertheless directly related to its predecessors.
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The world is so accessible now, it is both overwhelming and tedious at the same time. It takes seconds to find out what is happening on the other side of the world. We know what people are eating, what they are wearing and what they are drinking.
The UK's referendum rejection of the European Union is bad news for the wine trade, the UK and the EU itself, argues Chris Losh as he pores over the entrails of a slaughtered sacred cow in search of enlightenment.
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Do you ever get the feeling that something's not quite right? I got that feeling last month: It was at Lyon's Grand Stade, just before kick-off for the final game of European rugby's Champion's Cup, and all appeared in place: the crowd hushed, the players tensed, the referee's whistle poised. But, as the advertising boards that enclosed the pitch cycled through their usual litany of airline, watch manufacture and beer brand, one message seemed slightly off-kilter.
Brown-Forman's recent strategic moves represent a narrowing of the company's focus on its core strengths: Whisk(e)y in all its forms, with Tequila playing a supporting role. The big question now is whether that process should continue to its logical conclusion with the disposal of Finlandia vodka, a brand that has hardly been a star performer in recent times.
At a dinner in London last night, Gruppo Campari officially unveiled the latest permanent additions to its Glen Grant Scotch whisky range. The two 12-year-olds and one 18-year-old were first announced last month. Then, as last night, what sparked most interesting was their resolute age-statement credentials.
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Late last month, Chris Losh attended the International Cool Climate Wine Symposium, held in Brighton on the south coast of England. Among the presentations over the three days, delegates heard plenty of talk about the weather - something not uncommon in the UK.
It may be going too far to call the truncated lifespan of the Keurig Kold farcical. But, in the nine months since it was launched, the home-carbonation system's owner, Keurig Green Mountain, has been sold to a private-equity group, big-money investor The Coca-Cola Co pulled out and headed for the hills and its CEO was unceremoniously dumped.
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