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BIRGUNJ, July 14: Birgunj, the economic and business hub of the country, has been completely inundated by the flood which originated from the local Sirsiya River. Adarshanagar, which is considered the main market of the city, is submerged under four feet of floodwater. More than three dozen business organizations that have been supplying the required goods and materials to the people across the country have been inundated by the floods originating in the Sirsiya River.
In comparison to previous years, more land has been submerged by the floodwaters. According to the locals, they have not experienced such floods for the past many years. The city has been waterlogged as the congested sewers built by burying the natural sewer could not hold the pressure of water.
Entrepreneurs have blamed 'Small-scale Towns Integrated Urban Environmental Improvement Project' for the mismanagement of sewers and inundation. "My house and shop had never been inundated by this large amount of water," said Bikash Agarwal of Aadarshanagar, adding, "This year we will have to bear more loss due to floods."
Floods have caused huge losses to industries, factories and business companies. "The flood originated from the Sirsiya River has caused us a huge loss," said Prakash Khetan, chairperson of Green City, a community organization of Adarshanagar, adding, "More than 250 firms have been harmed by the floods."Vehicular movement has been halted along various roads due to landslides triggered by floods and continuous rainfall. Vehicles carrying goods have been stranded due to the obstruction which has caused further losses.
Especially Ranighat, Ghadiaeba, Shreepur, Radhemai, Lal Parsa, Chhapkaiya and Murli, among other places, have been battered by the floodwaters. Floods have also swept away the drinking water taps of people adding further woes to their misery. Even after so many days, the level of water has not receded in Birgunj.


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Xbox Live users have logged over 2 billion hours in multiplayer games since the service launched 10 years ago, according to Microsoft. The grand total is 2,081,054,696 hours in multiplayer with 603,549,497 hours spent on entertainment apps such as BBC iPlayer, Netflix, and Sky. The hours spent on single-player games while logged into the service or just loitering were not made available. Last week, the service an all-time record when 442 million hours were spent on the service due to the release of Halo 4 and Black Ops 2. Microsoft announced last week 270 billion achievement points had been earned since the service launched, 122,265,266 friendships had been forged, and 4.5 billion achievements had been earned. Thanks, Videogamer.
Barely a month after Prey’s release, Arkane’s founder and co-director is moving on to new things.
For several hundred American dollars, you can own John Romero’s personal copy of DOOM 2.
The upcoming DLC for The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild includes a familiar helmet from Twilight Princess.
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Shopping local online, small businesses embrace e-commerce
BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) - The biggest shopping weekend of the year wraps up with Cyber Monday. The National Retail Federation estimates 166.3 million people were expected to shop from Thanksgiving Day through Cyber Monday. And since the pandemic, more and more local businesses have turned to e-commerce options.
Sales are on the rise at stores you might not expect, according to one Waterbury antique shop. While you may not think to look at antiques online, this store says e-commerce has connected them to buyers around the world.
You could get lost for hours exploring the treasures at Sir Richard’s Antiques and Fine Art Center in Waterbury. But hundreds of customers peruse the collection in the comfort of their own homes, too.
“It gave us another venue. About a quarter of our business is online now,” said Barbara Woodard from Sir Richard’s Antiques and Fine Art Center.
Woodard says her daughter, Tanya Dunster, helped launch their website in 2004. But it really came in handy in 2020 when the store shut down in-person shopping for almost two years.
“Not only did we sell a lot online, but we also made a lot of good contacts, as well. It wasn’t just selling, it was getting a nice base of new customers in a different way,” said Woodard.
When you think of online shopping you might not think of antiques, some of which cost thousands of dollars. But Woodard and Dunster say they’ve been able to sell the collectibles to people all over the world.
And experts say they’re not the only ones taking advantage of online retail. The Lake Champlain Chamber of Commerce said the pandemic provided an opportunity for many local shops to add and keep digital options by investing in e-commerce infrastructure.
“Especially for a shopper who knows what they want and they want to buy it locally. You know, it’s a convenience thing to be able to go onto a site and just order what you’d like,” said Cathy Davis with the Lake Champlain Chamber of Commerce.
Online shopping has become an easy option for buyers, and the National Retail Federation says Cyber Monday is the second most popular day to shop behind Black Friday.
“I do a combination of both, a bit of a hybrid model,” said Loretta of South Burlington.
Back in Waterbury, Sir Richard’s is holding a Cyber Monday sale in person and online because they say the winter online season is much more robust than the summer online season.
“Because people are home. Yeah. In the summer everybody’s traveling and you know, so in the winter online is much better,” said Woodard.
Copyright 2022 WCAX. All rights reserved.


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Blockchain is the global digital ledger, or “trust protocol,” that keeps a chronological record of all transactions. Any asset, whether it’s bitcoin or bananas, can have its own blockchain that records information about transactions that have taken place. “At its most basic, it is an open source code: anyone can download it for free, run it, and use it to develop new tools for managing transactions online,” write Don and Alex Tapscott in their book “Blockchain Revolution.” “As such, it holds the potential for unleashing countless new applications and as yet unrealized capabilities that have the potential to transform many things.”
The market for renewables could be one of them. Engineers at GE Global Research are looking for ways to use blockchain to connect consumers and producers of electricity with batteries supplied by wind and solar farms. “Through blockchain, we think there’s an opportunity to create a marketplace where we can connect these participants,” says John Carbone, a principal engineer at GE Global Research. “We try to pull them all together in a way that increases the reliability and access to renewable electricity.”
Renewable energy has many benefits. The raw materials that fuel it are free, and the power they produce is much cleaner than electricity from conventional gas- and coal-fired plants. The downside is that wind doesn’t always blow and the sun doesn’t always shine. The system the GE team is developing would allow homeowners and businesses who want to maximize their use of renewable energy to order it up, reliably, from batteries supplied by wind or solar farms.
Batteries and other hybrid storage solutions already are starting to pop up around the world. GE’s “renewable energy blockchain” allows the team to track the amount of power stored and released from the battery, just like coins in your bitcoin or Ethereum wallet, monitor the demand on the grid, and use smart contracts to buy and sell electricity. “You could buy kilowatts of energy immediately using a digital currency and a smart contract that make sure that you don’t overwork the battery or consume more power than you need,” said Ben Beckmann, the lead scientist in GE Global Research’s complex systems engineering lab.
Using blockchain, the team was able to create smart contracts that allow operators to write simple rules managing, say, how much money they want to spend on electricity, how many kilowatts they want to buy, and at what price. “It’s like a bank account that’s controlled by software,” Beckmann says. “You can automate all the deposits and withdrawals from the account, whether it be money, energy, or something else.”
A very simple way to think about it is the gas tank in your car, Beckmann says. “You get in your car every day and drive to work and back,” he says. “The engine transacts with the gas tank and draws energy from it, but you are only concerned with putting gas into the tank once a week. The tank is your car’s energy account that buffers your interactions with your car and makes the process smooth.”
The automated system executes the transaction according to the smart contract, which lives on the network and prescribes the price for electricity the consumer is willing to pay. The system checks this limit against the amount of power currently available in the battery, the demand for it and the amount of money in the consumer’s account. “If one of the conditions isn’t met, the system is going to alert me: ‘Hey, do you still want to proceed, or do you want me to do something else?’ ” Beckmann says.
Rather than requiring people to interact with other people, which can be slow and complicated, the system connects home devices into a smart network “that is more efficient at distributing electricity to those who need and benefiting everyone,” Carbone says. “Imagine if your thermostat knew your temperature preferences. It would buy electricity for you at the best available price. Now imagine if it could communicate with all of the appliances in your household as well as pull in outside data to coordinate the most efficient use of electricity. Perhaps it’s going to be hot today with air conditioning causing prices to spike, so the system could suggest to the dryer to run at a later schedule. This digital ecosystem could coordinate all of that.”
There are other benefits. Beckmann and Carbone say that the system could allow battery owners to set the rules for how the battery participates in the energy exchange. If it’s windy at night and demand is low, the battery might be recharging itself or offering power at a low price to free up storage capacity in the battery. “It could be programmed to optimize its utility, make the most money from buying and selling energy,” Carbone says.
But the engineers say that communities also can set up the system to maximize the amount of renewable energy available. “Now it’s not selfishly trying to generate as much money as possible,” Beckmann says. “It’s trying to be more magnanimous and keep the battery alive for as long as possible.”
The team already has built a working model of the system at the Forge Lab located in GE’s research headquarters in Niskayuna, New York. It uses a computer originally designed to mine the Ethereum cryptocurrency as its brain. The computer is connected to tiny Raspberry Pi and Arduino processors they bought online for $30 each that simulate smart thermostats, lights and other home devices. “You don’t need to start from scratch to build this,” Carbone says. “What you need in your house is pretty simple technology that already exists. There’s a whole ecosystem of devices that could connect to this energy marketplace, whether it’s charging stands for electric vehicles, smart meters, thermostats — it could really be any electric device you can imagine.”
The team has big hopes for blockchain. It believes that the current vagaries of bitcoin are not indicative of blockchain’s future, because cryptocurrency is just the technology’s first application. “It will be one of those things where you look back and reflect on the way you used to do it,” Beckmann says. “Everybody used to have a landline telephone, but you probably can’t put a date on when you stopped using it. It just happened. Blockchain is this type of technology that comes in waves. It will happen, absolutely, whether we are there to take advantage of it or not.”


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SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- Rockwell Automation Inc. shares jumped almost 10% on Thursday after the company said fourth-quarter profit from continuing operations improved, setting the stage for an upbeat forecast for fiscal 2008.
The stock finished up $6.39 at $72.76, pulling back slightly from a session high of $73.20.
The Milwaukee-based automation-services company
Earnings from continuing operations came in at $1.07 a share, up from 89 cents a share in the year-ago quarter, when the company recorded a gain from an investment sale.
Revenue for the three months ended Sept. 30 rose 15%, reaching $1.37 billion from $1.19 billion a year ago.
Analysts polled by Thomson Financial had, on average, expected earnings of $1.07 a share and revenue of $1.37 billion.
The company also said it expects to generate revenue growth of between 10% and 12% for fiscal 2008 as well as earnings of between $4.25 and $4.45 a share, implying profit growth of 15% to 20% based on earnings from continuing operations of $3.70 a share for fiscal 2007. Sales for all of fiscal 2007 amounted to slightly more than $5 billion.
"Looking ahead, we continue to see strength in customer demand in Europe and emerging markets," said Chairman and CEO Keith Nosbusch in a statement, adding that investments in technology and overseas growth will help make up for "a deceleration in the rate of manufacturing growth in the North American market."


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Starting a business is not always a walk in the park, especially in the middle of a global health and economic crisis. But this is when the journey of toktok began.
Launched only in December last year, toktok is a proudly Filipino-made delivery application headed by Jonathan So and Carlito Macadangdang. Its ride from the start towards growth is fueled by the determination to meet the needs of Filipinos, particularly as the crisis pushed them to get most essentials via digital ways.
But before being a top go-to delivery app serving across the Philippines, toktok’s journey first began in-house — a lockdown response to delivery challenges faced by the Siomai King business of Mr. So and Mr. Macadangdang.
With their respective knowledge of computer application programming and computer science, plus the solutions of their software development company Cloud Panda PH, the two decided to create their own delivery app.
Starting with 100 riders, toktok initiated to run in-house, supporting its sister companies Siomai King, JC Premiere, and CopperMask in their delivery needs.
Shortly some months later, upon the realization of increasing delivery demand and lay-offs, toktok was opened to the public. It provided the means to safely deliver packages at an affordable rate for customers as well as opportunities to earn extra income for a rider, franchisee, or operator.
The progress of toktok is swift since then — jumping from 100 to over 20,000 riders, having one million downloads in the Play Store and App Store, and reaching several places nationwide. But toktok’s growth also went beyond numbers.
Aside from package delivery, toktok constantly added more to its services.
Just less than half a year in the market, toktok has already expanded its capacity by offering ‘Pabili Service’ that lets users request riders to buy essentials like foods and medicines. Currently, toktok is in partnership with SM Malls and Robinsons Malls for this service.
toktok further grew by the end of May through the establishment of its online mall. A digital space for merchants, the ‘toktok mall’ is a gateway for consumers to access most of their needs, including apparel, electronics, appliances, and grocery items.
Two months later, toktok also began to deliver in four wheels ranging from sedans, vans, and trucks to cater to the heavier parcels needed by customers.
Soon, ‘toktok food’ will roll out to further satisfy a craved delivery service of Filipinos.
“These expansions of toktok is to provide more options to the customers and more bookings for the riders,” Mr. So said.
“The result in those eight months is two or three times of the expectations that we planned to have,” Mr. Macadangdang added. “We have a very good team in software development and marketing.”
Local and foreign personalities and companies also start looking to invest and join toktok in its growth journey. Some banks also push the business to go public.
Currently, toktok has yet decided on how to leverage these opportunities. Nonetheless, Mr. So shared, they are grateful for the recognition that toktok received.
“We are still studying how investors can enter. If we allow them to, we want them to be happy and at the same time be helpful for the customers, riders, and operators,” Mr. So explained. “In case it will happen, we can definitely push our ideas and development faster.”
“Whether IPO or other means, our major goal is to scale up the app in terms of development, presence, and talents,” Mr. Macadangdang added. “Having an investor or going public is an opportunity not only for the company but for all parties involved.”
While toktok has already made several improvements for its growth, its creators continue developing the platform to encompass a whole ecosystem — from online shopping and payment to delivery. The toktok executives consider that constant development, along with aggressive marketing, can support toktok in staying as a top player in the game.
toktok also continues striving for its vision to become the locally patronized app made by Filipinos for their fellow countrymen.
“Our partnership with the customers is what we continue to improve,” Mr. So said. “Since toktok is Filipino-owned, everything we do should be custom-fit for Filipinos.”
“Rest assured that all the development and features to be added on toktok, we want them to be part of Filipinos’ everyday life,” Mr. Macadangdang continued.
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(From Avient. Full article here.)
Avient Corporation, a leading provider of specialized and sustainable material solutions and services, announced its Specialty Inks team highlighted new additions and updates to its sustainable inks portfolio starting at Impressions Expo Long Beach, an annual trade show dedicated to the imprinted and decorated apparel industry. These highlights include inks that can reduce energy use and inks manufactured with biopolymers.
Avient Specialty Inks showcased over 100 unique prints from Avient Specialty Inks brands, including Wilflex™, Rutland™, Printop™, QCM™, Zodiac™, MagnaColours®, and Union Ink™, in addition to live screen printing demonstrations throughout the show
Click here to read the full article


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Both companies signed a cooperation agreement, under which LLC "LDZ ritošā sastāva serviss" initially, if necessary, will ensure the repair of freight cars "United wagon company" in the territory of Latvia, and in the future plans to promote the jointly produced products, e.g. components and contrailers, in the markets of Europe and Scandinavia.
In recent years, "United wagon company" is increasingly looking toward the Baltic region, and commended the interest shown by the Latvian colleagues to joint cooperation. This company is rapidly growing and intends to continue its development in the future, said the Deputy CEO for technical development, Dmitry Losev, adding that the cooperation will be beneficial to both parties.
In turn, the Chairman of the Board of "LDZ ritošā sastāva serviss" Edgar Abrams praised the achievements of Russian engineers, putting at the same time that the Latvian experts are positive about opportunities for development and joint activities.
The holding "United wagon company" includes six companies in the rail sector and research centre, are engaged in manufacturing, transportation services, engineering technology, operational leasing and maintenance of freight wagons of the latest generation. In an average year the company produces 22 thousand cars, a turnaround which reaches 800 thousand kilometers. In the CIS countries, the company owns approximately 60 service centers and over 300 registered patents.


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New Super Mario Bros. 2 will be released for the 3DS in August, Nintendo has announced. The game features Mario, Luigi, and loads of other Nintendo characters from the Mario series. According to Nintendo the game has been created with the goal of being playable by players of all skill levels.
Kirby fans are also in for a treat, with a special Kirby 20th anniversary disc being released for the Wii. The collection will include a variety of previously released Kirby games.
"A new Mario game and a big Kirby celebration will help make 2012 an especially great year for Nintendo fans," said Scott Moffitt, Nintendo of America's executive vice president of Sales & Marketing. "Whether they're playing at home on Wii or using Nintendo 3DS to have fun on the go, players can look forward to experiencing some of our biggest franchises in exciting ways."
A 3DS system update is also on the way, with the ability to create folders on the HOME screen coming on April 25. The update also enables the ability to patch select software, including a shortcut exploit fix coming in May.


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Betfred boss takes a £10.2m dividend as the gambling giant is hit by £18.1m in losses
- Bookmaker Betfred is ultimately owned by gambling mogul Fred Done
- The firm made a pre-tax loss of £18.1m, down from a profit of £32.4m
- Despite this, Done added to his estimated £1.3bn fortune with a £10.2m dividend
Betfred gambling mogul, Fred Done
Britain's largest privately-owned bookmaker – and a vocal critic of Government plans to curb betting on so-called 'crack cocaine' gambling machines – has plunged into the red.
Betfred, which is ultimately owned by gambling mogul Fred Done, made a pre-tax loss of £18.1 million, down from a profit of £32.4 million.
Despite the red ink, 75-year-old Done added to his estimated £1.3 billion fortune with a £10.2 million dividend, the same as the previous year.
Done and his brother Peter founded Betfred in 1967 and the company now runs 1,666 betting shops.
The business also includes the racing pool business Tote and Totepool, which it acquired in 2011.
The Mail on Sunday revealed last month that Done was considering a judicial review to try to overturn the Government's plans to place a £2 limit on the stake on fixed-odds betting terminals, which have been described as the crack cocaine of gambling amid claims that their use is highly addictive.
Betfred boss Mark Stebbings said at the time that the proposed cut in the stake was 'disproportionate' and based on politics rather than hard evidence.
He added that the consequences would include direct and indirect job losses, empty shops on the high street and 'a massive funding hit for the horseracing industry'.
Fall: Betfred made a pre-tax loss of £18.1 million, down from a profit of £32.4 million
The latest accounts reveal that the amount gambled in Betfred and Tote shops and online rose from £10.8 billion to £12.7 billion.
Turnover for the year ended September 24, 2017 increased from £579 million to £634 million.
However, after expenses, gaming duties and internet write-downs, the bottom line showed a loss.
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Photo by Steven
Essex Squeeze has been dark in recent weeks... and now comes word that the juice-coffee shop has permanently closed here at 300 E. Fifth St. just east of Second Avenue.
Sources tell EVG contributor Stacie Joy that the closure was "due to a rent increase and lack of business."
The cafe, run by LES natives and childhood friends Cedric Hernandez and Charles DeLaCruz, opened its first outpost in Essex Market in 2020. There's also a location in Dekalb Market Hall in Brooklyn.
The EV location opened in March 2022.
This space was previously Idlewild Coffee Co., which closed after just two months in business during the summer of 2020. The owner blamed the presence of the 9th Precinct's police barricades at the time for greatly reducing his foot traffic.
Idlewild took over from another coffee shop — Southern Cross Coffee, which shut down in September 2019 after two and half years in service.
seems like a bad spot for any business relying on foot traffic.
The rent is way too high for a block like that.
Yup. Greedy landlord. (Faith Popcorn - "futurist", author and marketing consultant). Inherited the building from her family. Doesn't give a damn about the neighborhood.
Essex Squeeze!!! The owners grew up in the lower east side!!! They support so many programs including youth. They are also expanding soon to Queens, New York!!!! I met them through juice. Just really great vibes. Yes, this particular block has some issues. Hopefully, it will bring more juice. I wish them (Essex Squeeze and future businesses) well!!!!!
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(NEW YORK) — As children are heading back to school this month, Kraft Heinz announced a recall on Friday of more than 5,000 cases of Capri Sun due to a possible contamination.
This voluntary recall comes after the company announced the potential contamination affecting approximately 5,760 Capri Sun cases (each case contains about 10 pouches) of its wild cherry flavor. The company said a diluted cleaning solution was inadvertently introduced into a production line at one of its factories.
The “Best When Used By” date on the products is June 25, 2023, according to the company. No other Capri Sun flavors were listed in the recall.
“The issue was discovered after we received several consumer complaints about the taste of the affected product,” Kraft Heinz said in a statement on Friday. “The Company is actively working with retail partners and distributors to remove potentially impacted product from circulation.”
Those who believe they might have the product are advised not to consume it and return the product where it was purchased.
Click here to view the company’s full description of the affected product.
“Consumers can contact Kraft Heinz from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, Monday through Friday, at 1-800-280-8252 to see if a product is part of the recall and to receive reimbursement,” Kraft Heinz said in a statement.
Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


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BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) – You or someone you know may have been a victim of catalytic converter theft. It has been a common problem this year and the crime continues to increase.
Catalytic converters are part of a car’s exhaust system. They work by converting chemicals in the exhaust gas into less harmful ones. The parts are attached to the underside of cars, making them easy to steal. Most of the time, thieves can remove one with a wrench and chainsaw in about a minute.
And that was the case with many people in Bakersfield. BPD has reported a significant increase in catalytic converter thefts so far this year.
It was definitely a very frustrating time for hundreds of Bakersfield residents as replacing a catalytic converter is not only expensive but also a very tedious process.
Lynsie McRoberts stole her catalytic converters from her Toyota SUV a few weeks ago, and according to Jessica Amos, a Bakersfield police officer, she’s just one of many.
“I didn’t know what sound it was making. So I texted my dad. I said, ‘Uh, something is wrong’ and he said to me, ‘Yeah, that’s your catalyst.’ So I just thought they had me, “McRoberts said.
“We have an increase in them that are currently being stolen all over the city,” said Amos. “We’re currently seeing about 450 for the year.”
The increase is due to the fact that the price of platinum, rhodium and palladium metals, which are used to make catalytic converters, continues to rise as other countries like China and Europe cut car emissions.
“They sell them to both recycling centers. There are several body shops that we have information to buy, “Amos said.
Auto repair companies like Bob’s Muffler Shop have been inundated with repair requests.
“We usually get 20 to 30 a day,” said James Clemmons, owner of Bob’s Muffler Shop. The phone rings until we open in the morning, until we close at night. We have a call that doesn’t stop all day. “
Replacing or repairing these converters is not a quick process. Some of these requests, such as B. for McRoberts, can take weeks or even months.
“It’s so fast. You’ve fallen behind in making them,” said Clemmons. “Some of the dealer cats are six to eight months old. They have nothing.”
23ABC News graphic
Without insurance, the price can be in the thousands. One inconvenience of BPD is that people can potentially avoid it by parking in well-lit areas or garages, engraving your car’s VIN on the catalytic converter, and installing an anti-theft device.
“It’s very inconvenient. Very frustrating,” said McRoberts. “But what can you do?”
If you are driving an SUV or truck, these tips are especially important as it is much easier to get under the vehicle and saves the thief time having to jack it up.
The BPD said it has received information about some car dealerships in the city that are buying these parts for either renovation or reuse. They did not go into the details of how they are going to get the problem through, but it is something that they are investigating.
You may be wondering what makes catalysts so valuable.
Catalysts consist of a combination of platinum, palladium and rhodium. All of these metals can be expensive, which makes them ideal to sell for quick buck.
Palladium is currently worth nearly $ 3,000 an ounce. Platinum costs around $ 1,200 an ounce. And rhodium sold for $ 29,500 an ounce.
Note that catalysts are not made entirely of these metals.


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The Chevrolet Sonic subcompact has just pulled off an outstanding five star crash test rating, one of ten five-star cars in GM’s current lineup, which may sound like a lot, but remember, this includes everything from GMC, Chevy, Cadillac and Buick.
Interestingly, the five-star rating applies to both the Sonic sedan and five-door hatchback thanks to the fact that both variants carry the same safety features.
“We developed Sonic to exceed customer expectations of subcompacts in terms of segment-leading safety features,” said Gay Kent, GM executive director of vehicle safety. “From the largest vehicles in our lineup to the smallest, we are putting overall crashworthiness and state-of-the-art safety technologies at the top of the list of must-haves.”
Technically this means that the ten airbags, federally required stability control and rollover sensors are all doing their job, which certainly is quite important in a subcompact vehicle.
– By: Sawyer Sutton


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DEG Works With Studios to Improve Supply Chain18 Mar, 2008 By: Chris Tribbey
DEG: The Digital Entertainment Group is bringing retailers and studios together in an effort to reduce inefficiency along the supply chain, especially right before and after DVDs and Blu-ray Discs hit the shelves.
Partnering with research firms Capgemini and Teradata, the DEG's Operations Committee worked with senior executives at all six major studios' home entertainment divisions, as well as those at Lionsgate and Image Entertainment, to produce a proprietary study that “showed numerous opportunities to improve the relationship between retailers and the studios, as well as enhance the purchasing experience of consumers.”
“This study reveals a rich and candid assessment of the home entertainment supply chain,” said Bill Segil, vice chair for the DEG Operations Committee and SVP of worldwide operations for Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment. “We are proud that the home entertainment industry worked together to study this critical component of our supply chain. The study showed that optimizing the supply chain provides for an industry-wide benefit.”
The DEG plans to use the study help both retailers and studios to improve their supply chain performance and better forecast the performance of titles.
“It is crucial to the success of the entertainment supply chain to promote open dialogue between studios and retailers,” said John Quinn, chair of DEG's Operations Committee and EVP of worldwide operations for Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment Group. “This study was the first step in identifying problem areas and working together to solve them. We are grateful to our retail partners for their open participation in this important study which we believe will lead to improvements in supply chain efficiency.”
“The substantial level of support received from the studios, merchandisers and retailers underscored the significant value in conducting the industry-wide study,” said Theodore X. Garcia, strategy and transformation lead for Capgemini's media and entertainment division.


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VietNamNet Bridge – The decision by foreign express companies to expand their business in Vietnam reflects the promising market in the country.
In mid-September, DHL-VNPT, a subsidiary of German DHL Group,opened its main office and the southern service center in HCM City. The project, capitalized at $10 million, is the biggest ever investment deal made by DHL in Vietnam.
The DHL’s southern center covers an area of 4,900 square meters, installed with the most advanced equipment and machines. As such, DHL now has two service centers in Hanoi and HCM City, and transit stations in Hai Phong, Da Nang, Dong Nai and Ba Ria – Vung Tau cities and provinces.
DHL has a specialized airplane which flies to HCM City every day, and it also owns 134 vehicles and employs 400 workers meeting international standards, who fulfill 10,000 orders every day.
In April 2014, the company bought 43 Mercedes vehicles. In 2012-2013, it decided to provide five flights more from Hong Kong to HCM City. Since that time, it has provided international express delivery services to Dong Nai and Vung Tau, thanks to flights from the transit stations in Hong Kong.
An analyst noted that DHL has poured $37 million into Vietnam so far, huge investment which has helped it become a well-known express delivery brand in the market.
Jerry Hsu, managing director of DHL Express in Asia Pacific, said since DHL Express made debut in Vietnam 26 years ago, it has obtained two-digit growth rates.
Meanwhile, UPS, a famous US-based express company, decided to buy a 49 percent from VNPost Express, a partner in a joint venture, in mid-2013 it became the first 100 percent foreign owned express company in Vietnam, a move that was thought to be a part of the company’s plan to expand its business in the country.
Domestic companies are worried about the moves by foreign express delivery service providers recently, especially after Vietnam fully opened its doors to foreigners on January 11, 2012.
When UPS turned up in Vietnam in 1994, it teamed up with VNPost Express, a Vietnamese company, to establish a joint venture, in which it held 51 percent of capital.
At the same time, FedEx also began making its presence in Vietnam via a private company and put Airbus A320 into use. The investment allowed FedEx to increase its capacity by five times.
Just a short time later, TNT also arrived in Vietnam, where it joined forces with Viettrans to set up the TNT-Viettrans joint venture.
The analyst said that most of the well-known express delivery companies do business in Vietnam, which shows that they believe there is great potential here.
Đăng ký: VietNam News


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A federal study led by Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is helping make Manhattan streets cleaner, less congested, and more profitable for businesses by shifting daytime delivery truck traffic to after normal business hours.
Rensselaer Professor Jose Holguín-Veras is leading this innovative program in conjunction with the New York City Department of Transportation (NYCDOT). Since launching in 2011, the program -- called NYC deliverEASE -- has enlisted nearly 150 restaurants, grocery stores, retailers, and other businesses in Manhattan to accept their freight deliveries between the off-hours of 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. instead of during normal business hours. The feedback from companies, which received a $2,000 cash incentive to participate in the program, has been overwhelmingly positive.
Holguín-Veras said this new model of unassisted off-hour deliveries -- truck drivers use keys to drop off goods at the store or restaurant and lock up afterward -- benefits participating businesses, the delivery companies, and the overall economic health and vibrancy of Manhattan. Participating companies range from small restaurants and delis to larger companies. Organizations already participating in NYC deliverEASE include: Sysco, Whole Foods Markets, Wakefern, Gristedes Supermarkets, the Waldorf Astoria, Chefs Warehouse, The Beverage Works, CVS, New Deal Logistics, the Grand Central Partnership, the Downtown Alliance, and the Manhattan Chamber of Commerce.
"Restaurant and grocery store owners can easily run out of products, because they don't know if their food deliveries are going to arrive at 9 a.m. or 3 p.m. So, just in case, they often buy extra, which is inefficient and expensive," Holguín-Veras said. "With unassisted off-hour deliveries, they know their fresh products are going to be there waiting for them every morning. This consistent, reliable delivery pattern improves the ability of business owners to manage their supply chain, which in turn allows them to be more efficient and better serve customers."
The U.S. Department of Transportation's Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA) is funding this program. NYCDOT and Rutgers University are partnering with Rensselaer on this project.
If just 6 percent of New York deliveries shifted to the off hours, the difference to livability in the city would be substantial, with less congestion, visible display windows in retail establishments, and open street space during daytime hours, Holguín-Veras said. Such a 6 percent shift to off-hour deliveries also could result in a reduction of carbon monoxide emissions of more than 100 tons each year. All of these benefits add up to less daytime truck traffic on Manhattan's busy streets, which makes it easier for tourists and local residents to visit and patronize downtown businesses.
Holguín-Veras is the William Howard Hart Professor at Rensselaer, and a member of the university's Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. He is also director of the Center for Infrastructure, Transportation, and the Environment at Rensselaer.
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NEW YORK — In a story on Jan. 31 about Super Bowl ads, The Associated Press reported erroneously that SodaStream operates in Israeli settlements in the West Bank of Palestine. The story should have said the company operates a factory in an Israeli West Bank settlement.
A corrected version of the story is below:
10 Super Bowl Ads to watch out for
From Scarlett Johansson to U2, here are 10 Super Bowl ads to watch out for
By MAE ANDERSON
AP Business Writer
NEW YORK (AP) — Actress Scarlett Johansson gives SodaStream some sex appeal in a controversial spot. Kia revives actor Laurence Fishburne's "Matrix" character Morpheus in its commercial. And cute puppies and kids abound in ads for Cheerios to Anheuser-Busch.
Advertisers are planning to pull out the tools in their arsenal during Super Bowl time this Sunday, including celebrities, A-list rock bands and cinematic story lines.
Of course, there will still be ad surprises on Sunday with major brands like Chrysler and Coca-Cola staying mum on at least one of their ads. But the ones that are already out use a variety of tactics to draw viewers' attention.
Overall, marketers are doing a better job getting their branding message across — while still entertaining — than previous years when a cheap joke or gag ruled supreme, says Kelly O'Keefe, professor of brand strategy at the Virginia Commonwealth University Brand Center.
"This year there's much more focus on brand personality: the spot has to be both interesting and funny and link back to the core assets of the brand," he said. "I'm predicting a stronger Super Bowl than last year."
Advertisers are in the game to win. The Super Bowl is advertising's biggest showcase, with more than 108 million people expected to tune into the game. And companies are paying an estimated $4 million to have their ads be a part of the action.
Here are 10 ads to watch for on Sunday:
1. ANHEUSER-BUSCH: The biggest Super Bowl advertiser's ad in the fourth quarter shows an adorable Golden Labrador becoming enamored with one of the beer maker's iconic Clydesdales to the tune of "Let Her Go" by Passenger.
2. GENERAL MILL'S CHEERIOS: The cereal maker brings back an interracial family that starred in a prior spot. This one shows a father telling his daughter that they're going to have an addition to the family, a baby boy. Then, the little girl strongly suggests they also get a puppy. The ad airs during the first unscheduled time-out of the game.
3. BANK OF AMERICA: The bank will promote its partnership with AIDS nonprofit (RED) by having music group U2 sing their new single "Invisible." between the first and second quarter. The song will be a free download on iTunes during the game and for the following 24 hours. Bank of America will donate $1 each time it is downloaded to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS.


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Itau Unibanco Holding, Brazil’s largest lender, lost its appeal related to an antitrust case.
Earlier this year, Itau announced it would prepay small- and mid-sized merchants in two days after credit card sales with no interest rates, as long as the merchants receive all payments in a checking account in the bank. In October, Brazilian antitrust regulator Cade said the bank’s move stifled competition in the medium term, and just rejected an appeal on the case, determining that Itau cannot order merchants to have checking accounts at the bank as a condition for pre-payment. If the bank does not comply with the decision, it will have to pay a 250,000 reais ($59,574) fine per day.
But Itau said in published reports it will continue the stipulation because it obtained an injunction earlier this month allowing it to do so. The bank added it practices are no different than its rivals.
In May, the bank announced that it was launching a new QR code-based payment system called Iti, which will connect merchants and customers to each other. It can be used by both customers and non-customers of the institution. Merchants who use the service will pay a 1 percent fee per transaction to receive payments right away. The fee is cheaper than that of many current card processors, and the app doesn’t require a merchant to buy a card reader.
The CEO of Itaú’s card processor Rede, Marcos Magalhães, said the new service will attract a number of small merchants who don’t need customized services. The service is aimed at all Brazilians, regardless of income bracket, and can even be used by people with no bank accounts, since Iti also acts as a digital wallet with no fee.
And last year, Itaú Unibanco Holding added Apple Pay functionality. Brazil was the first South American country to support Apple Pay.


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Costa Rica To Supply New 12 months-Lengthy Digital Nomad Visa
Costa Rica’s President Carlos Alvarado lately authorised new laws that’s aimed toward attracting digital nomads. The legislation will allow qualifying overseas nationals to acquire a year-long visa, which can also be extendable for one extra 12 months.
The federal government hopes this initiative will entice distant employees to come back dwell and work in a tropical paradise whereas expertise the Central American nation’s famend, laid-back ‘Pura Vida’ life-style.
The Costa Rican tourism board believes the brand new digital nomad visa will assist revive the tourism business and associated sectors, Lonely Planet reported. It’s estimating that worldwide distant employees who keep there on the visa will contribute round $24,100 (15 million colones) to the native financial system. That would additionally translate into extra jobs for Costa Ricans.
“We welcome digital nomads to Costa Rica,” Alvarado mentioned, in keeping with The Tico Occasions. “That is an incentive for tourism, employment and funding by digital nomads within the varied areas of the nation.” The president additionally remarked, “The digital nomad makes use of providers, consumes meals, makes purchases, makes use of transportation and hires individuals—all of this generates extra employment and development within the nation.”
MORE Vacation spot & Tourism
Digital nomad visa holders will probably be exempt from having to pay native revenue taxes, be capable to open financial institution accounts in Costa Rica, be permitted to drive utilizing licenses issued by their very own nation and revel in varied different advantages.
Tourism Minister Gustavo Segura has mentioned that digital nomads will probably be “key to the rebound of the sector”. He opined that Costa Rica is a perfect vacation spot for distant employees in search of a change of surroundings, given its excessive web connectivity, heat climate and wealth of out of doors actions.
“Vacationers who keep for longer intervals of time redistribute their cash within the worth chains generated by tourism,” Segura mentioned. “They make extra native purchases, lease a automobile for a number of weeks or months, use providers similar to the wonder salon, the grocery store, restaurant, soda, laundry, greengrocer, medical providers, amongst different companies locally, therefore the significance of turning into an choice for distant employees.”
At present, digital nomads who come to Costa Rica are categorized as vacationers and, as such, should exit the nation inside 90 days.
Some particulars have but to be ironed out and it could take a while earlier than the venture is totally approved for implementation, nevertheless it appears probably that digital nomad visa functions will change into accessible inside a matter of weeks.


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Sammy’s Pizza Opens new Location in Hermantown
The new Space is the Fifteenth Sammy's Location
HERMANTOWN, Minn. – Sammy’s pizza has officially opened the doors to its new Hermantown location.
The new space is located at 4310 Menard Drive and will be the fifteenth Sammy’s location.
The new restaurant is owned and operated by the Perrella family who also owns Sammy’s Pizza restaurants in Downtown Duluth and in the Woodland neighborhood.
“It’s hard to put into words how excited we are to be back in Hermantown,” said Terry Perrella. “It’s been a dream of ours for quite some time to open a full-service Sammy’s Pizza restaurant in this area, and we’re thrilled that the opportunity has finally arrived. We can’t wait to share our family traditions – and create many more – with the people in this community.”
The restaurant will offer an all-you-can-eat buffet from 11:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily and pizza-by-the-slice for customers from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. daily.
The new location will offer a limited menu for the first few weeks of operation and will only offer dine-in and take-out during that time. Delivery and a full service menu will be available soon after.


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Red Dead Redemption Gets Double XP Weekend for Halloween
Rockstar kicks off the launch of Undead Nightmare with a multiplayer boost.
Yesterday, Rockstar launched the Undead Nightmare downloadable content for Red Dead Redemption. Today, the company has announced that this Halloween weekend will offer double XP for the Red Dead multiplayer modes. The special weekend will start at 1 p.m. EST on October 29, and last until 11:59 p.m. on October 31, just as the spookiest day in the year draws to a close.
The double XP feature seems to be for all multiplayer modes, not just the new zombie-centric "Undead Overrun" released with Undead Nightmare. The special weekend might attract some users back to Red Dead, just as we hit the busy release season in full force.


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Expert demands e cigarette advertising rethink
A leading health academic is calling for tighter regulation of e-cigarette marketing tactics to stop children from being drawn into a smoking habit.
Linda Bauld, professor of health policy at Stirling university, said there was concern about the way companies were advertising their products.
She said that although experts were yet to conclusively determine the health risks of e-cigarettes, they still contained highly addictive nicotine.
Currently, e-cigarette companies are allowed to advertise their products within a regulatory framework, meaning they cannot make smoking cessation claims or target young people.
The professor, who is deputy director of the UK Centre for Tobacco and Alcohol Studies, suggests that the regulations are not tough enough and that the products are getting wide exposure in areas where children can


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Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman recently defended the government’s stimulus package after economists criticised it over lack of measures to provide an immediate boost to the economy.
The relief package announced, though soft on direct stimulus, offers enough liquidity by creating emergency credit lines that companies can avail from banks.
However, economists at Goldman Sachs said India will recover slowly as most of the measures under the ‘Atma Nirbhar Bharat’ scheme are medium-term in nature.
While stronger relief support was widely expected by the industry including direct fiscal support, Sitharaman said reckless spending in the relief package would have led to a downgrade, triggered by macroeconomic instability.
Her fears are true. India is just on the edge of a ratings downgrade to junk and could be the reason why more direct cash handouts and fiscal support was avoided.
According to ratings agency Fitch, India is facing public debt levels as high as 77 per cent. The ratings agency also said that India’s fiscal deficit is in double digits this year, putting it critically close to a ratings downgrade.
At the same time, the government faces another major concern on revenue generation when demand has dried up. It may need to borrow more in future and a ratings downgrade would not help the cause, according to a Bloomberg report.
Despite the cautious relief package, economists still say that the threat of a ratings downgrade looms large.
The fact that India was already facing a credit crunch and economic slowdown even before the coronavirus pandemic has hit sectors hard, with reports of large-scale layoffs at some companies.
With revenues dwindling fast and borrowing expected to rise, India’s fiscal deficit could rise significantly, touching double digits.
A ratings downgrade could hurt the government’s future plans besides leaving it with a fresh set of macroeconomic challenges.
Experts believe that these are some of the reasons that weakened the government’s relief package and that a slow recovery is on cards.
ROM THE MAGAZINE | Migrant worker crisis: The long road home


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Liveblog: T-Mobile Uncarrier X announcement
T-Mobile continues its seemingly unstoppable venture to disrupt the American wireless industry. From free streaming music, to no-contract plans, to now offering personal LTE-micro-cell-sites, Team Magenta, led by CEO John Legere, has adopted a take-no-prisoners approach when standing up to the competition.
By just about any measure, the effort has been successful. The carrier turned around its subscriber losses, and within a few fiscal quarters, it turned into a cash-positive asset for its Germany-based parent company, Deutsche Telekom. Even more remarkable, is how T-Mobile USA has executed this strategy with a largely passive presence from the team in Europe.
Now, PhoneArena.com is Los Angeles, California for the latest chapter in T-Mobile's Uncarrier saga. The company touts, "we never hit pause," meaning it is continuing to dig into market disruptive ideas in an effort to continuing gaining market share in the highly saturated US market.
What do you think the soft-spoken outspoken John Legere will announce to the masses this morning? We will share the news with you as it happens, keep your browser open as we liveblog the festivities.
T-Mobile's Uncarrier X announcement is scheduled to begin at 11:00am PT | 1:00pm CT | 2:00pm ET | 7:00pm GMT!


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An advert showing strands of Pot Noodle being removed from a "noodle mine" by miners in Wales is not racist, an industry watchdog has ruled.
Ex-miners now working at a Pot Noodle factory appeared in the ad
The Advertising Standards Authority received 81 complaints about the advert from the public accusing it of racism.
However, on Wednesday the ASA rejected claims the advert was offensive following an investigation.
The makers of the Pot Noodle snack, Unilever, had earlier described the advert as "tongue-in-cheek".
The ad used 10 former miners who now work at the Pot Noodle factory in Crumlin, near Newbridge, south Wales.
It was filmed in a disused pit and showed them removing noodles from a "noodle mine" to be used in Pot Noodle products.
The ads have attracted controversy in the past
The advert ended with a voice saying: "Fuel for Britain, isn't it?"
The commercial was launched as part of an attempt to re-brand the product as a healthy snack, with makers saying fat and salt content had been reduced and vegetable content in some flavours raised.
In its judgement, the ASA said: "We acknowledged that the ad offended some viewers.
"However, we did not consider the depiction of Welsh miners in the ad was derogatory to the Welsh."
The product's advertisements have attracted the attention of the ASA in the past. A tagline on one, "Have you got the Pot Noodle horn?" attracted 572 complaints but was cleared of being inappropriate.
However an earlier campaign for the product was banned by the ASA.


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The Wine RayZyn Company announces that the much-anticipated Dark Chocolate Covered CabernayZyns (dried Cabernet wine grapes) will make their official debut at the 2017 Winter Fancy Food Show in San Francisco. While some buyers and food aficionados have had the chance to taste Dark Chocolate Covered CabernayZyns at previous food shows, only a few have had the opportunity to sample the delicious snack in its final packaging.
Dark Chocolate Covered CabernayZyns are now available in .5-ounce “pocket single” packages. The company chose the .5-ounce package to introduce this product based on the trend that consumers are looking for just the right amount to satisfy those sweet cravings. “We deliver taste and nutrition with this amazing treat, and we like that this new snack allows people to indulge in a guilt-free way,” says Andrew Cates, Co-Founder of The Wine RayZyn Company.
According to Dr. John Laird, MD, the Medical Director of the Vascular Center at UC Davis: “Dried wine grapes are rich in a variety of nutrients, polyphenols, and antioxidants, which like red wine, may have very significant cardio-protective effects in humans. According to Dr. Chris Cates, MD, The Wine RayZyn Company’s Founder/CEO and nationally renowned Cardiologist, “The combination of the heart healthy benefits of CabernayZyns combined with the well-known benefits of dark chocolate makes the new Chocolate Covered CabernayZyns a double dose of antioxidants and truly guilt-free indulgent snack.”
The packaging is luxurious and proves that good things do indeed come in small packages. For retailers, Dark Chocolate Covered CabernayZyns are sold in boxes of 200 and as a 20-pack box that doubles as a merchandiser. Each .5-ounce bag retails for $1.99. The Wine RayZyn Company is already seeing interest from retailers, gift basket companies, airlines, and consumers, enthusiasm generated by the fact that this product offers both nutritional value and delicious sweetness with a crunch.
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Disney-Pixar’s ‘Toy Story’ Inspired World Introduced in New Kingdom Hearts III Trailer, Possible Release in 2018
As more and more news erupts from the Kingdom Hearts universe, the third installment from Square Enix is looking to introduce fans to exciting surprises and familiar worlds to explore. The newest Kingdom Hearts III trailer shows off the series’ first appearance in the Disney-Pixar realm, the wonderful and imaginative world of Toy Story.
Taking your cast of Disney/Square characters – Sora, Donald Duck and Goofy – in an epic adventures across the Disney themed worlds, the “forever in development” – and highly anticipated – Kingdom Hearts III is giving players loads of reasons to be eagerly awaiting the game’s arrival. Now, the latest trailer shows off not only gratifying gameplay mechanics, but introduces the cast to some familiar faces from the Disney-Pixar universe.
Woody, Buzz, Hamm and even Rex join forces with the famous Kingdom Hearts cast as they venture off to find their kidnapped toys, and their owner and best friend, Andy. Taken by the villainous Heartless enemies, the newly formed gang of heroes embark on a journey like nothing of its kind.
With an original story separate from the Toy Story films, this new narrative will give fans an all-new experience in the franchise, as well as show off the impressive Toy Story-themed worlds, included with all-new toys, like the Gigas and the Keyblade, which allows the main protagonist, Sora, to perform unique and powerful attacks on plenty of Heartless enemies.
Square Enix not only released a new trailer over the weekend, but in their press content about the game, a short sentence did in fact state Kingdom Hearts III is set to release for the PS4 and Xbox One in 2018. As vague as a release date gets, but at the very least, we do have some sort of date accompanied with yet another new trailer showing off what fans are ever-so patiently waiting for.
Look for more release announcements and news on Kingdom Hearts III all the way up to its release (hopefully) in 2018.
Please, keep your comments family friendly and respectful of each other and the author.


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Android updates are very important since all phone users want to have the latest version running on their phones. However, most of the time it is difficult to get Google and phone makers to come together and bring those versions.
When it comes to the BlackBerry Priv, it has been recently confirmed that it won’t get the Android Nougat update. This means that the handset will remain stuck with Android 6.0 Marshmallow. BlackBerry Mobility Solutions General Manager, Alex Thurber explained that the company won’t bring Nougat on this device.
This is not very encouraging for BlackBerry Priv users since Google released Android 8.0 Oreo. BlackBerry Priv was released two years ago, and back then it came with Android Lollipop out of the box. It may seem weird that BlackBerry won’t bring this version to a phone that is only two years old, but there was not enough demand either. BlackBerry is just one of the phones that won’t receive the Nougat update, and other companies like OnePlus have done the same thing for some of their devices.
If you were looking for some good news, you should know that despite the fact that it won’t get the Android Nougat update, it will continue to receive Android security updates. We do not know yet for how long, but it is unlikely that they will be removed anytime soon.
Other BlackBerry devices will get Android Oreo
Many users hurried to say that BlackBerry is over, and while it is not as popular as it was back in the 00’s, this brand continues to resist. Therefore, there are BlackBerry products that are up to date when it comes to Android versions. This will also happen with the BlackBerry KEYone, and Alex Thurber confirmed that the device will get Google’s latest operating system, Android 8.0 Oreo.


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Research In Motion Ltd.'s stock split in May, but the price hasn't. That more than anything explains the meteoric rise up the Rich 100 list by company founder Michael Lazaridis (left) and chairman James Balsillie, who are now worth $1.51 billion and $1.46 billion, respectively. The fortunes of the wireless e-mail paging company's co-CEOs are almost all tied up in RIM stock (TSX: RIM)–Lazaridis owns 12.8 million shares, Balsillie (the veteran bean-counter who came aboard in 1992) owns 11.8 million shares–which shows few signs of slumping. The stock is once again trading at more than $100 as the Waterloo, Ont.-based company expects to see revenues double to US$1.3 billion for fiscal 2005.
But while the financial figures are impressive, the most important number inside RIM is two million. That's how many subscribers the company now has, up from half that number just six months ago. In the next few years, RIM is aiming for five million, maybe even 10 million subscribers as it goes after the Asian and European markets. “There are lots of new networks and lots of new products, and it translates into really strong subscriber growth,” CFO Dennis Kavelman said before RIM entered its fiscal Q3 quiet period.
For innovation-starved Canadians, the story of how RIM became one of the country's most promising and richest technology companies is destined to become business folklore. Lazaridis, the brains behind RIM's innovations, was born in Istanbul, Turkey, and came to Canada with his family in 1966. He picked up an interest in technology during high school, went to the University of Waterloo to pursue an electrical engineering degree, but quit in 1984 when General Motors of Canada Ltd. awarded him an industrial automation contract even though he didn't have a company. From those humble beginnings, Lazaridis and RIM came up with one product after another, none particularly noteworthy save a bar-code reader for the film industry that won an Academy Award for Technical Achievement in 1999. That same year, RIM finished exploring the sweet spot between the Internet and wireless technologies and came up with the BlackBerry e-mail pager. Today, the BlackBerry is virtually synonymous with e-mail pagers, the way Kleenex is with tissues, and some of its later versions have telephone capabilities, as well.
The only dark cloud on RIM's horizon is a potentially lethal copyright-infringement lawsuit launched by NTP Inc., an American patent holder for various technologies. But appeals will likely go on for many years, giving billionaires Lazaridis and Balsillie plenty of time to bask in the limelight.


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Three big-hitters in the world of cyber security have launched a firm that intends to unmask hackers and their motives, and they've scooped up $26m to get it started. As one of its first acts, CrowdStrike plans to unveil an overview of Android's weak spots in a demo at the RSA on 29 Feb. CrowdStrike launched in "stealth-mode" …
A security startup with $26M in funding and a bizarrely hand-wavy business model makes a first splash with a planned expose of Android weaknesses? Do you smell Microsoft? I do.
software: hacking reported ...
News 30 min. later: an unexplained murder occured in ... victim was apparently a black hat hacker.
- Asteroids as powerful as NUCLEAR BOMBS strike Earth TWICE YEARLY
- Got Windows 8.1 Update yet? Get ready for YET ANOTHER ONE – rumor
- Apple stuns world with rare SEVEN-way split: What does that mean?
- Patch iOS, OS X now: PDFs, JPEGs, URLs, web pages can pwn your kit
- Sony Xperia Z2: 4K vid, great audio, waterproof ... Oh, and you can make a phone call


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By Xinhua writers Shen Anni and
Zhang Jianhua GUANGZHOU China (Xinhua) --
Felly Mwamba has traveled so frequently
since he first came to China in 2003 that he is on his
businessman, who is from the Democratic Republic of the
Congo in central Africa has been the representative of
the African Business Freight Guangzhou Office for 13
still many opportunities in China. It is a very large
market. I am currently thinking about what new
opportunities there are for me here,” he said, adding
that he wanted to stay “as long as possible”.
Chinese economy expanding steadily over the past
decades,Guangzhou, which is close to China’s
manufacturing heartland, has emerged as a trade hub for
foreign business people. The provincial capital has one
of the largest African communities in Asia. There are
around 30,000 Africans in Guangzhou, according to police
records, but researchers believe their population far
he was inspired by the dynamic environment.
“When I came
to China I found there was a world of opportunities to
do business so I decided to stay here,” he said.
visited many factories in China and has a wealth of
experience in selling and shipping electronics,
furniture and construction materials to Congo, Angola
and other parts of Africa.
business was good, I could ship five to 10 containers
each month,” he said.
years, however, the business has changed, and two of his
four employees have quit.
“I have been
mainly doing international trade to Africa, but the
economy in some African countries is not so stable,” he
said. “Living expenses and labor costs here in Guangzhou
are also rising.”
increasing pressure, Mwamba said he never thought about
leaving China. “I believe things will get better and I
still have hope, so I am not afraid.”
is mulling the possibility of extending business to
Canada and the United States.
“When I was
in North America, I went to a lot of shopping malls and
many products there were ‘Made in China’.”
the chairman of the Congolese Community in China, an
organization with over 1,200 members.
organization, he said, aimed to maintain good
relationships among the Congolese and between their
community and other people in China.
helped its members understand Chinese laws, and share
people with visa problems, money problems, translation
problems. Some just need advice about business,” Mwamba
quite different when Mwamba first arrived in China. He
did not know a single word of Chinese, but managed to
learn the language within a year by socializing.
live here, you just have to love this place, work hard
and make friends. Like the saying, ‘with more friends,
life is flexible’ ,” he explained.
Lunde-Okulungu, the secretary of the Congolese Community
in China, said he has learned a lot from living and
doing business in China.
Lunde-Okulungu, 34, lives with his wife and two children
in Guangzhou. He came to China in 2007 and has set up a
printing business in Guangzhou that produces books,
magazines and T-shirts for the African market.
He said he
was impressed that many Chinese, even those who were
very wealthy, tended to live frugal lives.
know how to save money. They can get rich because they
know how to use money,” he said.
Mwamba, Lunde-Okulungu did not intend to live abroad
forever. With improving infrastructure, cheaper land and
labor back in Africa, he always keeps an eye out for
opportunities in his own country.
He said his
experience in China is valuable for his future business.
“When I go
back to my country, I know I will have more choices,” he
Minister Wang Yi made Africa his first overseas
destination in 2017, following a diplomatic tradition
going back nearly three decades.
December 2015 to July 2016, agreements worth over 50
billion dollars were signed in various fields between
China and Africa, Wang said.
At the 2015
Johannesburg Summit of the Forum on China-Africa
Cooperation, China committed to a 60-billion-dollar fund
that would deepen its relationship with Africa over the
next three years.


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Dallas-based Hedera Hashgraph’s quest to revolutionize the internet took a giant leap Tuesday when the distributed ledger technology became available for testing to the wider public for the first time.
The Community Testing Program allows the public to test the mainnet while earning up to 1,000 hbars in Hedera cryptocurrency, which they can use to read internal articles behind a paywall.
“It’s meant to demonstrate one idea for how you could use micropayment to generate a new type of revenue model instead of a paywall,” Mance Harmon, CEO and co-founder of Hedera Hashgraph, says. “You pay a fraction of a penny to read the article.”
“They’ll be able to create test networks for the first time without having a formal relationship with us.”
This doesn’t require any tech savvy by the user—they just need to log in and create an account, Harmon said.
But, for those who do like to tinker in distributed ledger technology, they can gain access to the testnet to begin testing and building applications at no charge.
“They’ll be able to create test networks for the first time without having a formal relationship with us,” Harmon says.
Harmon, along with co-founder and chief scientist Leemon Baird, started Hedera Hashgraph in August 2017, and have already raised $100 million. Harmon focuses on building the business, while Baird is the computer scientist behind the technology.
Hedera Hashgraph stands apart from other distributed ledger technologies that use blockchain, such as Bitcoin, and even aims to make that technology obsolete.
Hedera boasts a valuation of $6 billion based on the value of competing cryptocurrency platforms.
Why this is important
The onslaught of bad news for tech giants keeps mounting as Facebook, Twitter, and Google go before Congress to testify about data mining, privacy, and bogus accounts sending out sensationalist stories to sway U.S. elections.
Hedera Hashgraph aims to change this culture where people exchange privacy for “free” access.
“Their business model depends on them being able to collect a bunch of information about us and then characterize us as a demographic and sell access to us advertisers,” Harmon says. “They monetize us. We are the product because they’re selling ad space to advertisers.”
“Their business model depends on them being able to collect a bunch of information about us and then characterize us as a demographic and sell access to us advertisers.”
The public is reacting to this now as more news comes out about tech giants spying on the public, including the Cambridge Analytica scandal.
Hedera Hashgraph transforms the business model by using a cyrptowallet loaded with hbars that’s accepted everywhere on the web. It can be used to access articles, download music, access social media or send emails—all in exchange for not being targeted by advertisements.
“They can simply charge a micropayment for the use of the services,” Harmon says. “It’s an alternative revenue model where the consumers are not the product, they really are the customer because they are paying fractions of a penny when they want to use something.”
The standardized payment system would travel across the web, ending the days where users have to create accounts—usually with a credit card—when they want to do business.
“There’s no need for them to know anything about me,” Harmon says. He sees huge potential to disrupt the business model of the existing tech giants. Facebook is already exploring a distributed ledger technology but has been “tight lipped” with the details.
“Unless the tech giants change their policies, change their revenue model, the startups will very likely gain traction and very likely become competitive,” Harmon says. “They see disruption coming.”
Unlimited use cases
By opening up the testnet to developers, Hedera Hashgraph wants developers to flex their wings and create some interesting potential use cases.
Just a few that Harmon has tossed out include changing how we pay tolls on the highway, charging fractions of a penny to send emails to make spamming unprofitable, or having artificial intelligence negotiate with a parking meter before it arrives to settle on a fair price.


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After hiving off its non-core businesses of telecommunications, power and financial services, Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) has decided to focus on its core business of refinery and petrochemicals, setting aside a war chest of over Rs 58,500 crore ($13 billion) for investments in these key businesses. Of this, a total sum of Rs 9,476 crore would be invested in the core businesses in the current fiscal itself. Apart from a massive investment of Rs 27,000 crore ($6 billion) for the Jamnagar Export Refinery Project (JERP), RIL will invest Rs 20,250 crore ($4.5 billion) in the exploration and production (E&P) sector, Rs 7,200 crore ($1.6 billion) in enhancing petrochemical capacities and another Rs 6,750 crore ($1.5 billion) in the creation of a fuel retailing network.
Confirming the development, a source close to Mukesh Ambani told FE , "We have allocated Rs 20,250 crore capital to the higher potential, higher margin E&P business. In the next five years, we aim to reach what the company had achieved over the last three decades." For the current fiscal, RIL has set aside Rs 9,476 crore for capital expenditure (about 71% of its cash profit). For 2006-07, it plans to spend Rs 2,198 crore on E&P, Rs 2,692 crore on refining, Rs 850 crore on retail marketing, Rs 2,921 crore on petrochemicals and Rs 878 crore on other projects. While the RIL chairman may be experimenting with new businesses like retail, life sciences, agriculture, dairy and real estate, his key focus would continue to be in refining and petrochemicals.


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Two days after the GST council reduced the cost of electric car battery from existing 28% to 18%, the Indian government has confirmed that the second phase of the Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of (Hybrid &) Electric Vehicles scheme also known as the FAME India scheme will be announced soon and will give a big boost to the Indian EV industry with heavy incentives likely on R&D and interventions on the demand and supply side.
A PTI report confirms that Babul Supriyo, Minister of State of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises has said that the Indian automotive industry needs to develop lithium-ion battery technologies and electric motors for automotive applications and battery management systems. "The need for innovative technology is assuming great importance due to rapidly changing product technologies in the automotive industry, depleting fossil fuel resources, high import cost of fuel, issues of environmental degradation and climate change," Supriyo said.
He also acknowledged the fact that switching from the conventional internal combustion engine to new technologies including electric and hybrids is essential. The FAME scheme was first rolled out in 2013 as a part of National Mission on Electric mobility that aimed at developing new technologies in India and promote the use of electric mobility in India. The existing FAME scheme was renewed for six months in April 2018 which delayed the rollout of FAME II. FAME II is reportedly the advanced version of government's strong focus to promote the use of electric and hybrid vehicles in the country. This is also the third time in two years, that government has extended the current scheme.
In the second round, Government plans to invest about Rs 9,000 crore for the next five years to boost EVs and hybrid vehicles in India. It is expected that the government will look to electrify public transportation and two-wheelers first before extending the incentives to private electric cars.
Currently, the FAME scheme offers electric scooters incentives ranging between Rs 1700 to Rs 39,000, three-wheelers incentives range from Rs 3300 and Rs 61,000. Electric and hybrid cars are also given a benefit from Rs 11,500 to Rs 1.43 lakh. Electric buses cost about Rs 55 lakh less under the FAME scheme.


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Chart of the Day: China’s Yuan Dips to 10-Year Low
China’s onshore yuan slid to its weakest level in more than 10 years on Tuesday, taking it a step closer to the 7-yuan-per-dollar level, a psychological threshold that some see as key to underpinning of market confidence in China.
The People’s Bank of China (PBOC) weakened the yuan’s daily reference rate to 6.9574 per dollar on Tuesday, 197 pips weaker than the previous fix, marking its lowest level since May 2008, according to data from the central bank-backed China Foreign Exchange Trade System. The yuan traded as low as 6.9722 per dollar in the onshore market on Tuesday.
So far this year, the Chinese currency has tumbled nearly 7% against the backdrop of a strengthening greenback, escalating trade frictions with the U.S. and the Federal Reverse’s rate hikes.
“With China’s economy facing growing headwinds and the direction of monetary policy diverging from the U.S., the renminbi will continue to come under pressure,” economists with research firm Capital Economics said in a note on Monday.
Recently, there has been speculation whether the PBOC will defend the 7-per-dollar level to ease pressure on capital outflows and shore up market confidence.
PBOC Deputy Governor Pan Gongsheng said at Friday’s press briefing (link in Chinese) that China has confidence that it can keep the yuan’s exchange rate basically stable at a reasonable and balanced level. Meanwhile, he reiterated that China won’t use yuan devaluation as a tool to deal with external turbulences such as trade disputes.
The yuan depreciation has been a topic of concern to U.S. President Donald Trump, who has accused China of manipulating its currency to make its exports more competitive. However, the U.S. Treasury Department didn’t label China a currency manipulator in its semiannual report published earlier this month.
Contact reporter Charlotte Yang (firstname.lastname@example.org)
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- 3Chinese President Xi Jinping Pledges to Open Door Wider to World
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- 5UnionPay International’s U Plan has covered over 1600 stores overseas


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Nearly 100 million sq ft in additional warehouse space will be needed by 2024 to keep up with the growth of online retail, new analysis suggests.
Growth of online grocery alone could create demand for 7.1 million sq ft of warehouse space in four years, according to Knight Frank.
The real estate advisor examined five-year data for online sales and retailer warehouse space take-up to calculate that 1.36 million sq ft was needed for every £1bn.
Based on eMarketer forecasts of online accounting for 32% of all UK retail sales by 2024, up from the current 26.6%, an additional 92 million sq ft would be needed, according to the analysis.
The growth will put pressure on a limited supply of suitable warehouse space, a situation worsened by delays to construction during the pandemic, according to Knight Frank.
Across the UK, warehouse construction starts since April are down 58% year on year and planning consents down 21%, the company said.
“The rise of e-commerce has been one of the fundamental drivers of demand for warehouse space over the past five years, and our analysis shows this trend is only going to accelerate as consumer behaviour continues to shift in favour of online purchasing,” said Charles Binks, Knight Frank department head logistics and industrial.
“The utilisation of technology in warehouses and any future need for social distancing will impact on space requirements, but it is clear the projected rise in online sales is going to create a huge demand for warehousing over the next four years. The question is whether supply can keep pace.
“Supply is already very constrained in and around London and major cities, with the availability of land a major challenge for developers.”


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NEW YORK, N.Y. – Stocks that moved substantially or traded heavily Friday on the New York Stock Exchange and the Nasdaq Stock Market:
Under Armour Inc., up $5.49 to $112.68
The athletic gear maker skated past its Olympic dustup and signed an extended deal with U.S. Speedskating.
Wal-Mart Stores Inc., down 40 cents to $73.12
Stifel Nicolaus downgraded the retailer, citing risks with its pricing strategy risks, political risks on minimum wage and macroeconomics.
Newmont Mining Corp., down $1.08 to $23.38
Gold prices, which tumbled harder than they have in more than a decade last year, hit the miner hard in the final quarter of 2013.
Ameren Corp., up $2.07 to $40.88
The utility holding company named insider Warner Baxter as its next chief executive, succeeding Thomas Voss in the top job.
Intuit Inc., up $3.39 to $77.24
The company raised its outlook as demand for its online tax-preparation software grows during the country’s tax filing season.
Express Scripts Holding Co., down $3.11 to $74.01
The loss of its largest customer crimped quarterly profit at the pharmacy benefits manager and margins were under pressure.
Dish Network Corp., up 85 cents to $57.92
The satellite broadcaster’s strong earnings surprised investors, showing the company added subscribers despite some softness in overall sales.
Qlik Technologies Inc., up 22 cents to $28.14
The software company beat expectations on profit and revenue during the fourth quarter in which it continued to grow globally.


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We consider the key trends that will define 2018’s key business challenges… Plagued by cyber-attacks and skills shortages...
Award winning retailer MicksGarage.com opens first UK facility supported by Hybrid Cloud and Managed Services solutions provided by Sungard Availability Services
London, United Kingdom – Sungard Availability Services® (Sungard AS), a leading provider of information availability through managed IT, cloud and recovery services, today announces that it has played a critical role in enabling Ireland’s largest online retailer of car parts and accessories – MicksGarage.com – to meet its ambitious European growth plans, with the opening of its first UK warehouse and distribution facility in Sheffield. The new site will double the number of online daily transactions for MicksGarage.com to 2,000 within the next six months and is expected to increase turnover fivefold over the next five years.
In the past two years, the Dublin-based firm has increased turnover by 70%, with over 1,000 online transactions a day across 6.5 million product listings, as well as opening a distribution centre in Poland last year. A decade long customer of Sungard AS, MicksGarage.com has relied on a highly resilient, multi-tenant cloud solution from Sungard AS to provide the availability and scalability it needed to achieve this growth. This Hybrid Cloud solution, as well as the additional Managed Services it receives, has now become the next critical factor in enabling the organisation to expand into the UK. It will allow MicksGarage.com to easily scale up to manage the extra transactions, as well as making critical systems accessible from anywhere in the world – all with no additional upfront investment costs on hardware.
Today, as Michael Crean, Operations Director and Founder of MicksGarage.com, announces plans to have a physical presence in each European country within five years, he knows his IT infrastructure will not place a limit on his company’s ambitions:
“Technology is at the heart of our business, and we wouldn’t have enjoyed our successes without the underlying infrastructure provided by Sungard Availability Services. It has also enabled us to scale up quickly from a small start-up in 2003, to the Pan-European business that we are today.”
Sungard AS also helps MicksGarage.com maintain constant availability in line with fluctuations in customer demand. At the end of last year, the business launched its first TV advert, safe in the knowledge that Sungard AS would ensure the systems would cope and respond to the inevitable demand spikes around advert air-time.
Having won the Gold Award in the Entrepreneurial category at the European eCommerce Awards last year, downtime would not just affect bottom line, but also reputation:
“Availability is absolutely critical to us. Our customers expect to be able to purchase their spare parts urgently, during any time of day, any day of the year. Being down for even a minute would cost us hundreds – an hour would run to thousands – in lost sales and that’s without the knock to our reputation. We needed a partner who guarantees uptime and the level of availability we enjoy from Sungard AS is outstanding.”
A solid platform for partners
As well as aiding the latest expansion, Sungard AS technology has long provided piece of mind to not only MicksGarage.com, but its partners. With technology playing a crucial role in any modern business, this area now attracts a high level of scrutiny from customers and partners alike.
“The quality of technology has become vital when partners look to work with us, but once they learn we work with Sungard AS, the questions appear to stop. The reliability of Sungard AS’ solutions gives any partner, customer or stakeholder piece of mind and assurance that we are running our business on a highly reliable platform which has the capability to rapidly expand as the business requires.”
Further information on Sungard AS’ work with MicksGarage.com can be found here: http://www.sungardas.co.uk/Case-Studies-and-Resources/Case-Studies/Pages/Case-Study-MicksGarage.aspx
The abbreviation for Sungard Availability Services is ‘Sungard AS’ as cited above. Please use ‘Sungard AS’ when abbreviating the name rather than ‘Sungard’ or ‘SunGard,’ which may confuse the reader with another separate company with a similar name.


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Junkyard Golf Club has seen "better than expected trading figures" during the first half of its current financial year after the Covid-19 pandemic forced its turnover to slump by almost £10m.
The company, which has locations in Manchester, London, Oxford, Liverpool, Leeds and Newcastle, added that its performance in the six months to the end of September 2021 proved that "when allowed, the business remains popular and profitable".
The update has been included in the firm's latest financial accounts for the year to March 31, 2021, which have been published on Companies House.
The MediaCity-headquartered business has posted a turnover of £3.7m for the 12 months and pre-tax profits of £1.3m.
Those figures compare to a turnover of £13.6m and pre-tax profits of £2.3m for the period from December 1, 2018, to March 31, 2020.
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A statement signed off by the board said that "given the limited trading conditions as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic", its results are "in line with expectations".
It added: "The principal risks to the business remain Covid-related, with uncertainty surrounding any future restrictions on trading leading to reduced trading over the year following calendar year and into FY23.
"The negative impact on sales and profitability have been offset with better than expected trading figures through the first half of FY22, proving that when allowed, the business remains popular and profitable."


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After giving us a glimpse of its foldable smartphone at its developer conference, Samsung kept most of the details under wraps. In fact, the Korean tech giant hasn’t properly showcased the device and is yet to release official details including specifications.
The only information that was out in the open so far were the screen dimensions and resolution and speculated pricing. But thanks to a report that popped up today, we have some more scoop about the device. This report suggests that Samsung is planning on making at least 1 million units of the phone and is expected to release its foldable device in the first half of next year. According to Yonhap News, DJ Koh, president of Samsung’s mobile communication business, told reporters after the event that the device would launch in the first half “no matter what”.
The report goes on to say that every year, Samsung will release a new version of the foldable phone just like the company’s flagship phones like the Galaxy S9. The company will look at the demand and accordingly raise the production volume of its foldable devices if required.
Just a couple of days back it was revealed that the upcoming device, which features two displays, will include a 7.3-inch interior display and a 4.5-inch display on the outside. The information was revealed after the announcement by members of Samsung's system software at an afternoon session for developers. Thanks to the new One UI, the larger display will be able to accommodate two or even three apps split across the screen. Apart from that, there has been no information released about the critical hardware.
While there is no official news on the pricing, a whole bunch of sources are speculating that it could cost anything from $1,500 to $2,000. Considering how smartphone prices are climbing higher than ever, we wouldn’t be surprised to see a hefty price tag, especially for something this unique. For comparison, the new iPhone XS and XS Max launched this year starting at $999 and $1,099 respectively with the highest variant going for $1,349 and $1,449. Even Samsung’s latest flagship, the Galaxy Note 9 was launched at $999 for the base variant and $1,249 for the 512GB version.


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November 15, 2012
America's Beverage Industry Launches Public Space Recycling Program on America Recycles Day
WASHINGTON, D.C. – This year, the American Beverage Association is honoring America Recycles Day by supporting a pilot project called “Recycle on the Go” in Palm Beach County, Florida, to increase the amount of recycled cans and bottles and decrease the amount of personal waste. As a founding sponsor of America Recycles Day, the beverage industry has engaged in many public-private partnerships around…
April 19, 2012
America's Beverage Industry Celebrates Earth Day 365 Days A Year
WASHINGTON, D.C. - On Earth Day and every day, American Beverage Association member companies demonstrate their longstanding commitment to our environment through ongoing efforts to further reduce their environmental impact.
“Our industry is constantly working to further reduce its environmental impact, and that commitment is reflected in a number of ways, including innovative recycling efforts,…


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Authorized Apple retailers in Vietnam have lowered prices some 18% on the newly-launched yellow iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus to boost sales in the sluggish mobile market.
On the two phones’ launch date, Wednesday, in Vietnam, FPT Shop and The Gioi Di Dong offered the phones at their listed prices of VND24.9 million (US$1,055) and VND27.9 million, respectively.
But now, the two major retailers are selling the yellow iPhone 14 for VND20.9-21.9 million, and the yellow iPhone 14 Plus for VND24.5 million.
Some smaller retailers are selling the two models at even lower prices of around VND20.3 million for the iPhone and VND22.8 million for the Plus.
Despite the discounts, the price of the latest yellow versions is still several hundred thousand dong higher than the same models in other colors.
Retailers are hoping that the new color version will be a ray of light in a gloomy marketplace, and that the discounts will help sales grow at least slightly.
One retail manager said: “The entry prices of all iPhone versions are similar, but retailers adjust prices according to scarcity and market demand. Some retailers accept low profits and reduce prices considerably to spur demand.”
In the near future, the prices of the iPhone 14 may no longer differ among color versions, according to the manager.
The iPhone 14 series has been officially available in Vietnam since October 14, 2022. While the Pro and Pro Max versions sold out some months after the launch, sales of the iPhone 14 and Plus versions have been sluggish.
Retailers said the combined sales of the two models account for less than 5% of the total.
After many discounts, iPhone 14 and 14 Plus are currently priced at VND19.8 and VND22.8 million, respectively. The price of the iPhone 14 in Vietnam is one of the cheapest in the world.
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kafka connect news search results
Developer news items we found relating to kafka connect
ArangoDB add new features to their scalable multi-model graph database
Thursday, August 27, 2020 by Brittany Hainzinger
ArangoDB announced the GA release of ArangoDB 3.7. ArangoDB 3.7 introduces new graph and search features that improve the database's capability to work with highly-connected data at any scale -- furthering the company’s goal of providing the most flexible database on the market.
Key features in ArangoDB 3.7 include improvements for distributed scale-out gra...
Amazon Interactive Video service announced
Thursday, July 16, 2020 by Brittany Hainzinger
Amazon Web Services, Inc. announced the general availability of Amazon Interactive Video Service (Amazon IVS). Amazon IVS uses the same technology that powers Twitch, one of the most popular live streaming services in the world with nearly 10 billion hours of video watched in 2019, giving customers live content with latency (the time video takes to go from the camera to...
Instaclustr adds Kafka Connect to Managed Open Source Data Solutions
Monday, June 15, 2020 by Brittany Hainzinger
Instaclustr announced the general availability of Instaclustr Managed Kafka Connect. This newest addition to the Instaclustr Managed Platform enables seamless data movement between Apache Kafka and other data systems at scale. Kafka Connect joins Apache Kafka, Apache Cassandra, Apache Spark, and Elasticsearch as another fast, proven, resilient, and highly flexible open ...
NoSQL provider Couchbase releases a new data platform
Friday, February 17, 2017 by Richard Harris
Couchbase, Inc. announced a new release of their data platform that powers web, mobile and IoT (Internet of Things) applications for digital businesses. The enhanced product suite now provides easier global application deployments, advanced security capabilities and greater development flexibility, and includes Server 4.6, Sync Gateway 1.4, Kafka Connector 3.0 and Spark...
MapR Ecosystem Pack program gets an update
Tuesday, December 6, 2016 by Richard Harris
MapR Technologies, Inc. has announced the next major release of the MapR Ecosystem Pack program, a broad set of open source ecosystem projects that enable big data applications running on the MapR Converged Data Platform while ensuring inter-project compatibility. These latest enhancements also add flexible access and provide new capabilities for streaming applications....
How Apache Kafka is Fundamentally Changing the Streaming of Big Data
Tuesday, January 12, 2016 by Richard Harris
LinkedIn, Netflix and Uber are just a few companies who are utilizing Apache Kafka, which facilitates realtime data streams and provides an open source messaging system. We recently visited with Jay Kreps, co-founder and CEO at Confluent, which he founded with other members of the team that built Kafka at LinkedIn. Jay is the original author of several of open sour...
Confluent's Platform Receives Updated Apache Kafka 0.9 Core
Friday, December 11, 2015 by Richard Harris
Confluent has released an update to its open source Confluent Platform 2.0 which is based on an updated Apache Kafka 0.9 core. The release offers new functionality to enable secure multi-tenant operations, simplify development and maintenance of applications that produce or consume data in Kafka, and provide high-throughput, scalable data integration with a wide array o...


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WKU bicycle program coming to an end
BOWLING GREEN, Ky.- Those red and black Western Kentucky University bicycles you see around Bowling Green will soon become a thing of the past.
According to a news release from the university, VeoRide will be ceasing bike and ebike-share services at the end of the month.
VeoRide gave notice that it would be refocusing its efforts in markets that are focused on multi-modal fleets centered on e-scooters and e-bikes.
The program at WKU started in the fall of 2018.
According to the news release, university officials are interested in speaking with representatives from the city of Bowling Green to see if there could be an opportunity for a partnership on a similar endeavor involving micro-mobility.