text:
Two well-known women – Jessica Mulroney and Melinda Karlsson – teamed up Tuesday for the launch of a grassroots initiative that brings joy and happiness each holiday season to women who are homeless or at-risk of becoming homeless.
Mulroney is the wife of TV personality Ben Mulroney and daughter-in-law of former prime minister Brian Mulroney. Although, these days, she’s more known in the media for being best buds with Prince Harry’s fiancée, Meghan Markle.
She co-founded The Shoebox Project in 2011 with her sisters-in-law: Ontario Progressive Conservative Party candidate Caroline Mulroney Lapham, and Katy and Vanessa Mulroney.
It all began, she said, as their way of helping one local shelter in Toronto. Today, the annual holiday gift drive has distributed more than 100,000 boxes across Canada to more than 300 shelters.
Mulroney was in town to promote the cause with Karlsson, newlywed wife of Ottawa Senators captain Erik Karlsson.
Some 100 invited guests gathered in the cozy and festive presentation centre for Zibi, the mixed-use development that’s going to transform the vacant and derelict pulp and paper district on Chaudière and Albert Islands into a vibrant, diverse and sustainable waterfront community, both in Ottawa and nearby Gatineau.
There was a small-scale model on display of what the 37 acres of commercial, residential, retail and green space will look like in another decade or two.
On hand was Michael Cooper, founder of Dream Unlimited. The Toronto-based real estate development and management company has partnered with Ottawa-based Windmill Development Group on the future development. The presentation centre is just over the river in Gatineau at 3 Eddy St.
Dream is also the national corporate sponsor of The Shoebox Project.
From Windmill was Jeff Westeinde with his wife, Colleen Westeinde. She was recently honoured at an annual awards dinner hosted by St. Joe’s Women’s Centre, a local organization that provides support and services to homeless women.
Sighted in the crowd of about 100 invited guests were some of the Ottawa Senators players' wives and girlfriends, out to support the cause, as well as loyal participants of the gift drive and local business owners who've offered up their stores and shops as shoebox drop-off locations.
Celebrated philanthropic couple Barbara Crook and Dan Greenberg arrived late, but they came bearing shopping bags brimming with enough little luxuries to stuff 12 shoeboxes, along with leftovers for a dozen more.
Crook had just come from the Rideau Centre, where she had picked up a few final items to include in her boxes. While at the downtown shopping mall, she crossed paths with a young panhandler from the Shepherds of Good Hope homeless shelter. Crook took the time to hear her story. She also offered to buy the young woman some food. Turned out, she had a craving for a Tim Hortons doughnut (don’t we all?).
“Her face was in my mind the entire time I made up our Shoeboxes,” Crook later told OBJ.social.
Tara Shields, who is helping to coordinate the shoebox drive in Ottawa, says they’re aiming to collect 2,000 boxes this year. She suggests that participants look for nice items -- not cheap junk -- to make recipients feel special. Recommended gifts include cosmetics, hair and body washes, nut-free chocolates, bus fare, warm mitts, teas and gift cards.
Participants are encouraged to include a warm and supportive message, and to wrap the box and lid separately in order for the shoeboxes to be easily opened for inspection.
As for how much money to spend on gifts, look at budgeting about $50 for each shoebox.


text:
Toyota soy wiring class-action lawsuit that was dismissed in June 2018 has been resurrected after an appeal. What happened in the original suit and what’s the appeal?
According to the Toyota soy wiring class-action lawsuit, the use of soybean wiring harnesses draws mice, rats, and other rodents to chew at the wiring rendering the vehicle unsafe.
Which cars do not have soy-based wiring?” Going back as far as the 2011Toyota models Toyota 4Runner, Toyota Camry, Toyota Prius, Prius C, Tundra, and Toyota Highlander come with the soy wiring. It’s been reported that Hyundai, Kia, Nissan, Dodge also luxury brands like Tesla, Audi, and BMW have also introduced soy-coated wiring too in their automobiles.
The Original Lawsuit Against Toyota
In the original lawsuit, the plaintiffs stated that Toyota began to use “soybean coated wires” in various vehicles and now rodents are more attracted to the wiring. After being chewed on, the wiring sustained damage and caused a wide array of function failures leading to potential safety hazards.
This class action lawsuit stated that damage to the wiring should be covered under warranty. The automaker denied that this problem won’t be covered under warranty as the damage was done by rats. The plaintiffs say in the suit that Toyota claims the chewing damage as an “environmental condition” and not eligible under Toyota’s warranty for repairs for any “defects in materials.”
The lawsuits claimed that Toyota didn’t notify its customers about soybean-coated wires and also didn’t disclose that the coating is attractive to rodents which increases the possibility of such an incident happening. The plaintiffs claimed Toyota’s actions violated consumer protection laws for years.
This suit was dismissed in June 2018. The judge ruled that the implied warranty violations relied on the action of the rodents and not the vehicles themselves. The judge ruled in favor of Toyota saying that the plaintiffs alleged a defect, they should allege a design problem not a materials problem.
Appeal – Class Action Lawsuit Resurrected
The plaintiffs, according to Car Complaints, had four opportunities to refile the suit, however, the judge dismissed the lawsuit because it failed to prove that soy-based wiring constituted a “latent defect.”
An appeal was filed which partially affirmed and reversed the ruling by Judge Andrew J. Guilford. The plaintiffs stated that the soy-based wiring coating increased the incidence of rodent damage to the vehicles.
Another appeal claimed that customer complaints prove that the automaker downplayed the incidents of wire damages. The appeals court didn’t find those complaints to be persuasive. The district court also refutes attempts to apply implied warranty of merchantability and Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act (MMWA) claims. It ruled that the defect in the wiring wasn’t an issue at the time the vehicles were sold.
To have a claim, the appeals court said that the defect had to exist at the time of sale. They also found the district court identified the rodents inaccurately, as the supposed defect. The alleged defect was the soy-based wiring coating. The alleged defect was present at the time of the sale even though damage occurred later.
Interesting Notes About Toyota Soy Wiring Class Action Lawsuit
- The lawsuit claims that the use of soybean wiring coating draws mice, rats, and other rodents to chew at the wiring rendering the vehicle unsafe.
- The previous lawsuit was dismissed over failure to plead with particularity under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 9(b). The soybean-based wiring didn’t constitute a “latent defect.”
- The district court judge dismissed the implied warranty of merchantability and the MMWA and claims under 13 states’ consumer protection statutes.
- Toyota claims that rats have historically been pests that behaviorally chew on things and that’s just “a fact of life.” The appeals court doesn’t dispute their claim.
If you are an automobile owner and having manufacturing issues, you can contact us for a class-action lawsuit. Serious car problems require serious legal representation, especially when you are bringing a claim against a major automaker http://thelemonfirm.com/contact/
At The Lemon Firm, our experienced attorneys have been able to successfully recover compensation for our clients who were sold a vehicle that did not perform as intended and we can do the same for you. Contact us for a free consultation today if you have experienced problems like those experienced by the Volkswagen class action above or any other types of design or manufacturing defects with your vehicle.
Our experienced attorneys can be reached by calling (833) Lemon-Firm. The first consultation is free and we can take your case on a contingency fee, meaning that you will not pay a cent unless our experienced attorneys recover money for you. Call us today!

domain: news


text:
Data Protection Manager
Microsoft Data Protection Manager News
Microsoft have recently released System Center 2012 SP1. System Center 2012 SP1 adds new features, removes some existing functionality and updates the product.
The following links take you to the What’s New topics for System Center 2012 Service Pack 1… Continue reading
Microsoft have released System Center 2012 Update Rollup 3. This is the first time that Data Protection Manager and Operations Manager updates have been released via the Microsoft Update Service.
System Center 2012 Update Rollup 3 includes updates for Microsoft… Continue reading
Microsoft have released a new Hotfix for Data Protection Manager 2010 which allows multiple systems to be managed by a central Data Protection Manger 2012 console. This update effectively extends the new Centralised Management Features from Data Protection Manger 2012 back to DPM 2010.
This interoperability patch enables your System Center Data Protection Manager (SCDPM) 2010 servers to be centrally managed using the Central Console feature available with SCDPM 2012. Once you have installed this hotfix, you can monitor and manage both SCDPM 2010 and SCDPM 2012 servers using the same console.
Microsoft System Center 2012 is the latest version of the System Center Suite of products from Microsoft. Launched at the Microsoft Management Summit in April 2012, System Center comprises a unified suite of 7… Continue reading
Microsoft is firmly committed to the success of cloud computing. As proof of that commitment, we have announced the launch of new systems management software optimized for the cloud: Microsoft System Center 2012. System Center 2012 offers integrated solutions for… Continue reading


text:
Rumors about the imminent release of discrete Intel graphics cards received the first confirmation – certification data for a new graphics accelerator vendor appeared on the website of the Eurasian Economic Commission (ECE). According to the regulator, the company will take the first steps towards competition with NVIDIA and AMD in the budget price segment.
According to the source, the novelty will receive 96 execution units, insiders also attribute 768 unified shader units to the future novelty. According to previous leaks, the new product, codenamed DG1, will be manufactured using the 14-nm process technology, will receive GDDR6 video memory and a heat package of about 25 watts. According to network sources, the graphics accelerator will debut in the budget price category and will be comparable in performance with the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650.
In addition to the DG1 External FRD1 96EU model data, the ECE database also reports on the Discrete Graphics 96EU DG1 8 + 2 Windows External PROD HOST SDP (Alpha) (DGD12SEH4A) and Discrete Graphics 96EU DG1 6 + 2 Windows External PROD HOST SDP devkits (Alpha) ) (DGD12SEH3A). Normally, certification of a regulator means that new items will arrive on store shelves in the next 5-6 months. Chris Hook, the former head of Intel’s marketing division, previously said Intel’s new GPUs will be available by the end of 2020.
For the first time, Intel talked about discrete graphics processors for PCs and laptops as early as this fall, and insiders found references to models with 128, 256, and 512 instruction blocks in the driver code. There was no information about the option with 96 blocks at that time – it is possible that by the release of the available model Intel plans to “probe the ground” before starting production of more productive solutions.


text:
Samsung Group Chairman Lee Kun-hee, 78, had turned Samsung into a global technology powerhouse and laid the foundation for the rapid growth of the South Korean economy. He died Sunday.
With his death, Samsung formally enters a new era under the leadership of his son, Lee Jae-yong, who has come to the fore to succeed him at the helm of the conglomerate since 2013.
Lee Kun-hee had been bed-ridden since a heart attack in May 2014, with his son acting as the de facto chief of the tech titan. The Fair Trade Commission has recognized Lee Jae-yong as the actual chief of the group since 2018.
Lee Kun-hee took over Samsung, which was a manufacturer of cheap electronics, in 1987, after the death of his father and founder of the group Lee Byung-chull. Many had doubts when Lee Kun-hee declared that he would grow it into a world-class company. But he kept his word and made Samsung a global brand famous for its chips, smartphones and televisions.
Lee Kun-hee was born in Daegu in 1942 as the third son of Samsung founder Lee Byung-chull. He studied at Waseda University in Tokyo and then at the George Washington University School of Business in the US capital.
Upon taking charge, he pushed Samsung with extraordinary tenacity, although his tenure had also been marred by legal troubles and controversies with labor unions.
One of the famous incidents representing Lee’s leadership style came in 1993, when he convened all Samsung Electronics executives in Frankfurt, Germany to urge a fundamental transformation. “Change everything,” he said, “except your wife and children.”
Making great strides in quality and design management, Samsung achieved remarkable growth under Lee’s watch.
According to data compiled by financial information provider FnGuide, Samsung Group’s market capitalization increased 348 times from 900 billion won ($797 million) in 1987 to 318 trillion won in 2014, just before Lee became ill. Sales also increased by 34 times from 9 trillion won to 33.8 trillion won.
Samsung overtook Japan’s Sony to become the world’s No. 1 player in the global TV market in 2006. In the third quarter of 2011, when the Galaxy S2 was introduced to the market in earnest, Samsung gained the top spot in the global smartphone market, beating Apple. It has since held the top spot in the global market in various sectors, including chips, smartphones and home appliances.
“It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Kun-hee. Chairman Lee passed away on October 25 with his family, including Vice Chairman Jay Y. Lee, by his side,” Samsung said in a statement Sunday morning.
“Chairman Lee was a true visionary who transformed Samsung into the world-leading innovator and industrial powerhouse from a local business. His 1993 declaration of ‘New Management’ was the motivating driver of the company’s vision to deliver the best technology to help advance global society.”
Announcing his death, Samsung said there would be a simple family funeral in accordance with the wishes of the deceased and his family.
Although the group said the wake and the funeral will be held privately, throngs of journalists gathered at Samsung Medical Center, where Lee’s wake is being held. Political leaders and representatives of Korea’s major businesses also paid visits.
Lee Jae-yong, accompanied by his son and daughter, arrived at the hospital at around 5 p.m.
Left bereaved are his wife, Hong Ra-hee, former director of the Leeum Museum of Art; his son, Lee Jae-yong, vice chairman of Samsung Electronics; daughters Lee Boo-jin, president of Hotel Shilla, and Lee Seo-hyun, chief of the Samsung Welfare Foundation; and son-in-law Kim Jae-yeol, president of the Samsung Economic Research Institute.
The Korea Herald by Herald Corporation
Copyright Herald Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
Address : Huam-ro 4-gil 10, Yongsan-gu,Seoul, Korea
Online newspaper registration No : Seoul 아03711
Date of registration : 2015.04.28
Publisher. Editor : Jeon Chang-hyeop
Juvenile Protection Manager: Kim Young-won
Tel : +82-2-727-0114


text:
Seoul, South Korean shares ended a four-session winning streak today, on Thursday, as the daily new virus cases in the country spiked to a nearly six-month high, Yonhap reported.
The Korean won rose against the U.S. dollar.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) lost 24.87 points, or 1.05 percent, to close at 2,344.45.
Trading volume was high at about 898 million shares worth some 14.9 trillion won (US$12.6 billion), with losers outnumbering gainers 725 to 152.
Foreigners sold a net 24 billion won, ending a four-day buying streak, while retail investors purchased a net 466 billion won. Institutions offloaded a net 473 billion won.
Investor sentiment remained subdued due to the latest uptick in virus cases. The country reported 441 new COVID-19 cases, the largest daily tally since March 7 when the country was reeling from massive virus outbreaks tied to the minor religious sect Shincheonji in Daegu and neighboring North Gyeongsang Province.
The Bank of Korea froze the key rate at 0.5 percent, while further cutting this year’s growth outlook amid deepening uncertainties from the virus flare-up.
The central bank expects the country’s economy to retreat 1.3 percent this year, compared with the previous projection of a 0.2 percent retreat in May.
Market bellwether Samsung Electronics fell 1.42 percent to 55,600 won, while No. 2 chipmaker SK hynix climbed 0.38 percent to 79,100 won.
Tech and game shares jumped. Internet portal giant Naver gained 0.9 percent to 337,000 won, and its rival Kakao surged 4.72 percent to 410,500 won. Leading game publisher NCSOFT shot up 5.5 percent to 863,000 won.
Top pharmaceutical company Samsung Biologics retreated 1.35 percent to 801,000 won, with Celltrion dipping 1.93 percent to 304,500 won.
Leading chemical maker LG Chem rose 0.66 percent to 762,000 won, and rechargeable battery maker Samsung SDI gained 2.74 percent to 469,000 won.
Hyundai Motor, the country’s largest automaker, contracted 2.39 percent to 163,500 won, and top steelmaker POSCO lost 2.33 percent to 188,500 won.
The local currency closed at 1,185 won against the U.S. dollar, up 1.8 won from the previous session’s close.
Bond prices, which move inversely to yields, closed lower. The yield on three-year Treasurys rose 1.7 basis points to 0.852 percent, and the return on the benchmark five-year government bond added 1.8 basis points to 1.132 percent.
Source: Saudi Press Agency


text:
The HTC U11 landed in India back in June this year, and it went on sale later that month. However, only a couple of colors - blue and silver - have been available in the country so far. That changes now, as the Solar Red variant has been officially made available.
The model is currently on pre-order, with shipments scheduled for August 26. The Taiwanese company is also throwing in a free 20W car charger with the red U11. Pricing is same as other color variants: INR 51,990, which currently translates into just under $810.


text:
Governor Andrew Cuomo isn’t the only politician who wants to see legalization of marijuana in the budget.
Assembly Majority Leader Crystal Peoples-Stokes of Buffalo, one of the authors of the bill, told Spectrum News on Thursday that with a probable recession on the horizon, it’s more important now than it was before to pass a bill that will help poor black and brown communities.
While Peoples-Stokes says negotiations have been made much tougher by social distancing, staffers are holding meetings on this and other issues.
When asked what hurdles remain between lawmakers and the governor’s office, Peoples-Stokes replied, “Ask the governor’s office.”
Several revisions were made to the bill last week that would allow individuals to purchase cannabis from licensed retailers and cultivate up to six plants at a time for personal use.
The governor's office has not yet responded to a request for comment.


text:
GEORGE TOWN, Grand Cayman — Jean-Sebastien Duvilaire, a 31-year-old Haitian businessman from Abricots in southwest Haiti, was in the United States when Hurricane Matthew struck the French-speaking Caribbean nation in early October.
Among his concerns was the impact of the Category 4 storm on cocoa cultivation in Haiti, where the hurricane ravaged the agricultural sector, in addition to leaving at least 500 persons dead and another one million in need of on-going assistance.
Duvilaire runs Tahomey, a cocoa processing company that employs four other persons and provides on-going income for about 50 farmers.
After the hurricane, his mother sent him some photos of the cocoa cultivation which he was about to reap for this year’s processing.
“My heart was broken and I was very confused for two, three days,” he says at his display the Caribbean Week of Agriculture (CWA) 2016 Agriculture MarketPlace which ran from Oct. 26 to 28 and which provided stakeholders in the agricultural sector the opportunity to meet and network with potential customers, prospects and partners, while showcasing their products and services.
“This season I lost all my cacao, so this season is going to be very difficult for us,” the young businessman says.
Duvilaire is owner and founder of Tahomey Chocolate Company, an idea born when he was studying chemical engineering.
Tahomey’s main product is 100 per cent natural cocoa powder from Abricots. Duvilaire says one of the great things about the product is that 80 per cent of it is Criollo cocoa bean, which has been described as being to chocolate what the fine Arabica bean is to coffee.
“It’s one of the best cocoas for any chocolatier from anywhere in the world in terms of quality,” says Duvilaire, whose Tahomey products include cocoa butter, chocolate, chocolate beverages, and cocoa syrups.
“Since in Haiti, deforestation is a big problem and cocoa, in our culture, grows under trees, the idea was to make money with cocoa to also protect the other trees that shade that cocoa,” he says.
Thankfully, Hurricane Matthew did not affect the north of Haiti and Duvilaire plans to source beans from Cap-Haïtien for his processing this season.
“I hope that next season we will get the same quality bean because my region [produces] special quality beans and we make really good cacao so I am hoping to get back to our beans by next season,” he says.
The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat and the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) facilitated Duvilaire’s participation in the exhibition. Like CARICOM and IICA, the Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation (CTA) believes that dynamic value chains can help to drive agricultural development in the Caribbean.
CTA has drawn up a three-year programme to develop value chains in the region, with expected direct benefits for up to 3,000 Caribbean farmers.
CTA, a joint agency of the European Union and the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) group of states, is helping small-scale producers and other players in value chains to become organised and upgrade products, processes and productivity to match market demands.
As a result of the efforts of CARICOM, IICA and CTA, smallholders have significantly improved their chances of profiting from domestic, regional and international markets, including the flourishing tourism and hospitality trade.
These investments in the agricultural sector come as more Caribbean young people, many of whom are formally educated, even at the university level, are increasingly seeing prospects in the agricultural sector amidst a tightening job market.
Another such person is 31-year-old Dominican, Kamarsha Sylvester, who graduated from the University of the West Indies in 2013 with a bachelor’s degree in psychology (major) and international affairs (minor).
Sylvester is owner and production director of “Taste of Eden”, a business located in Paix Bouche, a village in Dominica.
Taste of Eden produces green seasoning and herbal tea bags.
“In our green seasoning, we have all types of herbs and spices,” she says, listing among them basil, thyme, celery, parsley, onion, and garlic.
“If you want to marinate your stuff properly like a real Caribbean national, then you go for taste of Eden Green seasonings,” she says enthusiastically in her sales pitch.
The idea of an agribusiness was first floated light-heartedly when Sylvester was still a university student in St. Augustine, Trinidad.
Before exams, she and some friends were discussing what they would do while waiting for responses to job applications.
“And just for fun, I said, ‘Man I will go and plant some herbs.’ I wasn’t serious. I will tell you that for sure,” Sylvester recounts.
But what she said in jest soon became a reality.
“I planted a lot,” Sylvester says, adding that the idea of turning her produce into tea bags and seasoning came about because she needed market for the produce.
“… the majority of the contents within the green seasoning and the tea are grown by me because I am a farmer,” she says proudly.
Sylvester sees a lot of potential for her business, saying that the trend towards health-conscious consumption makes her marketing easier.
“And everything in there is home-grown; no fertilizer. So we are talking about organic fertilizer going to the people so people gravitate towards that,” she says of her products.
The young entrepreneur was especially grateful for the training she received in an IICA-organised workshop in January, at which time, her packaging amounted to putting the tea products into tea bags imported from Canada then into a transparent plastic bag, which she said “sucked”.
“The truth of the matter is that it wasn’t so appealing. So, I was proud of my product, but I wasn’t proud of my packaging.”
In March, she went to another workshop organised by IICA, CARICOM and the Intra-ACP Agricultural Policy Programme (Intra-ACP APP) — which focuses on the Caribbean and the Pacific and aims to address the common problems faced in the two regions by targeting specific issues related to agriculture development.
After the workshop, Sylvester was able to secure professional packaging from Carolyn Chu Fook, who helped with design of a logo and label.
“So, it like I went from zero to something… So, here I am now.”
In addition to her agribusiness, Sylvester is a trained community tourism officer and is also an electrician, which also helps to supplement her income.
She says that her business is not yet at the point where she can live solely off its earnings.
But she is optimistic.
“The plan is to take over the Caribbean, the region, the world, one box at a time, one bottle at a time. So far, it is going good because, now, I am not in Dominica. I am in Cayman Islands,” she says.
In his corner of the exhibition, Duvilaire has similar ambitions.
Next year, he plans to prepare a product for the Caribbean, adding that Tahomey will begin marketing chocolate crèmas — a sweet and creamy alcoholic beverage native to Haiti — to distribute to the Caribbean
“That is the goal. So, I am really hoping that everybody around will be looking out for that brand: Tahomey from Haiti,” says Duvilaire, whose business sells its products primary in the Haitian capital, Port-au-Prince, but is preparing to expand into Boston, United States in January.
Secretary General of CARICOM, Irwin LaRocque, is pleased and says the region must encourage young people to become involved in “a modernised agricultural sector”.
“You are having an aging population in agriculture so that’s one of the reasons we have programmes in the CARICOM Secretariat with our partners to identify young people and give them some coaching on entrepreneurship in all its spheres but also in agriculture.”
He says this is also a way of addressing the issue of high unemployment among the region’s youth.
“And you know our young people are very creative and very innovative as well. So they bring ideas,” he says, noting the range of products on display.
“All they need is encouragement, the right boost, the right push in the right direction and they will take off. This is the future of our region, and, like I say, the future is now and we have to keep them involved in all that we do,” LaRocque says.


text:
Volkswagen announces its car sales and it is observed that the EV sales doubled in 2021 despite the overall sales going down by 8%. The decrease in sales is mainly because of the semi-conductor shortage and other supply chain constraints. The EV sales include both battery vehicles and plug-in hybrid vehicles, where most sold were all-electric vehicles.
VW’s most popular fully-electric model was, of course, the ID.4 crossover, which topped the BEV charts in Sweden, Denmark, Finland, and Ireland, and lived up to its billing as a “world car” in just its first year on the market. Volkswagen delivered 119,650 ID.4s globally, with 17,000 of those finding homes in the US. The ID.4 was followed by the ID.3, with about 76,000 deliveries, and the e-up! model, with about 41,500.
Volkswagen CEO Ralf Brandstätter stated, “We are continuing to press ahead with the transition to e-mobility despite the limited supply of semiconductors. In a very short time, Volkswagen has reached a top position for BEVs in Europe.” The news comes as Volkswagen sold 369,000 electric vehicles (BEVs and PHEVs) worldwide in the year 2021. Among these, 106,000 were PHEVs, and 263,000 were all-electric vehicles.
Brandstätter stated, “In a very short time, we have reached a top position for all-electric vehicles in Europe. With our ACCELERATE strategy and the expansion of the model portfolio, we will continue to increase the pace of the e-mobility offensive. Before the end of this year, the ID. BUZZ will represent yet another emotional model in our ID. family,”
Board Member for Sales and Marketing at Volkswagen, Klaus Zellmer says that Volkswagen has over sales 8 percent less, but still has achieved satisfying numbers. Especially considering the extremely challenging situation with respect to the semiconductor situation. It could not be solved within a year, however, the high sales show that demand for Volkswagen sales is high, according to Zellmer.
Furthermore, Volkswagen ID.4 is stated to be a bestseller, which is named to be a world car during its first year in the market. In the US, 17,000 units were sold of this model and ranks second in all-electric SUVs in China. Volkswagen generated as much as three-quarters of its sales revenue in the United States with SUVs, selling its highest number of vehicles there since 2013. Regardless, according to Golf Volkswagen is the best selling in 2021 in Germany. Finally, in its announcement, Volkswagen states that it expects “the first half of 2022 at least will remain highly volatile and challenging owing to persistent supply bottlenecks for semiconductors.”


text:
UK online ad market spend sets new record
£1bn and counting
Spending on online advertising in the UK looks set to top £1bn in the UK for the first time, fuelled by increased use of broadband.
In the first six months of the year internet advertising expenditure hit £490.8m - up 62 per cent compared to the same time last year - while for the year to June ad spend was £865m.
According to the latest study by the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) and PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) this makes it "a near certainty that online will break the £1bn barrier by the end of 2005."
The growth in online ad spending has even exceeded the targets set by the IAB, leapfrogging spending on outdoor ads.
Guy Phillipson, chief exec of the IAB, said: "These results have surpassed our expectations. At the end of 2004 the IAB predicted online would overtake outdoor by mid-2006 and we've beaten this target. Now the internet looks certain to be a £1bn medium in 2005."
Analysts reckon broadband is being "a leading contributing factor of the record breaking figures" because it has fuelled internet consumption and in turn attracted a greater share of advertisers' spend". ®


text:
The Red Cross charity shop in Fareham has seen a drop in donations following the recent bad weather.
Now, residents are being encouraged to visit the shop in West Street after donations, sales and charity bag contributions fell over the festive period, after the snow last month.
Gareth Morgan, Red Cross general manager for retail in the south, said: 'As well as a significant negative impact on donations over the period we have also experienced a triple whammy effect of fewer donations through our doors, lower footfall and therefore lower sales in our shops, and the difficulty of generating sacks from door-to-door collection schemes, because our vans have struggled to get out to collect them.
'The weather conditions have inevitably resulted in a sharp downturn in donations so we are encouraging our donors and customers to think of us when they have items to donate, and come and see what fantastic bargains we have in store this month.'
Visit redcross.org.uk for more.


text:
Another major clothing store falls victim to the retail apocalypse.
Businesses are being urged to keep investing in digital technologies to respond to the evolving psychology of online shoppers.
Shopping online is a norm, but where does that leave trading on the high street” Bricks and mortar retailers detail their experiences and expectations.
The online shopping revolution has fundamentally changed our expectations of what a good high street retail experience should be and nowadays we rightfully expect tailored, personalised service and bespoke shopping experiences.
To give SMEs an international expansion opportunity in China, Santander has sealed an agreement with ecommerce business JD.com.
James Frost, chief marketing officer at Worldpay, explains how an online shopping footprint can drive more in-store loyalty.
The idea of Black Friday conjures up scenes of consumer carnage on the high street, but there are some companies that have flipped the concept on its head.
Today in Britain, almost 90 per cent of the population regularly uses the internet, thereby putting our country in a state of unprecedented interconnectivity. A notable by product of this connectedness is the growth of the ecommerce industry.
As location is the most accurate indicator of human intent, businesses are recognising that with location technology insights, they can get a picture of their customers” real world behaviour both now and in future, not just their online behaviour.
Billions of pounds worth of items are ditched in online shopping baskets in the UK, but businesses could win customers over with free delivery.
Since its launch in 2012, San Francisco-based precommerce platform Teespring has transformed entirely to become a business with over half a billion dollars in funding from VC giants.


text:
Starco Brands and Cardi B’s vodka-infused whipped cream brand, Whipshots, has launched a new lime flavour variety in time for summer.
Lime Whipshots joins the brand’s existing line of alcoholic whipped cream, including vanilla, mocha and caramel, as the brand’s signature summer flavour.
The Whipshots can be used in cocktails and treats, “from margaritas and frosé to key lime pie and sorbet”.
Ross Sklar, CEO of Starco Brands, said: “We are thrilled to dive headfirst into the ‘Summer of Whipshots’ with Lime as the latest flavour in our Whipshots family. Having recently surpassed two million cans sold, Whipshots continues to offer consumers a fun and innovative way to celebrate all year.”
The Lime Whipshots are 10% ABV and do not require refrigeration.
The vodka-infused whipped cream shots will be available in select US retailers and on the brand’s website, from 14 June.
© FoodBev Media Ltd 2023


text:
Colin Brinsden, AAP Economics and Business Correspondent
(Australian Associated Press)
There are signs that some Australian businesses that have been propped up by government support measures during the coronavirus pandemic are calling it a day.
New figures show the number of businesses entering into administration rose 11 per cent in September, the first increase since June.
At the same time, the number of business defaults also saw the first increase since May, up by 23 per cent, according to digital credit reporting agency, CreditorWatch.
CreditorWatch CEO Patrick Coghlan said the figures suggest that some of the so-called ‘zombie’ businesses that have been reliant on government support for survival are waking up to the reality of their situation and shutting up shop.
“The long term-trend is that zombie companies will continue to survive on government support and so the next six months are crucial in determining what position we start our economic recovery from.,” he said.
“What we don’t want to see is businesses that are doomed to fail continuing to operate and taking healthy companies down with them.”
Victoria recorded a 23.8 per cent increase in business administrations in September, following a 49.3 per cent decrease the previous month.
Queensland also recorded a 24.1 per cent rise in business administrations last month, following a drop of 25.4 per cent in August
However, NSW recorded a further 1.6 per cent decrease in September, building on the 34.3 per cent fall in August.


text: The main tile employers’ ASCER representatives, with Joaquin Piñón as president, and Carlos Cabrera as vice president and chief executive of the Port Authority of Castellón, visited the new Port of Castellón to know the details of its new range of services and infrastructure. The president of the Port Authority of Castellón, Juan José Monzonís and director of the Port of Castellón, Roberto Arzo, accompanied the entourage to show up the new surfaces and technical means of PortCastelló. The visitors visited first the north and then the South Dock. Previously there was a meeting at the facilities of the Port Authority of Castellón to address data on maritime freight traffic. Goods derived from tile sector involve about 54 percent of recorded traffic on the docks of the Port of Castellón, according to data derived from the balance of goods in 2010. In the last year, the goods of the ceramic industry amounted to nearly 3 million tons of the 5,3 that were moved on the docks of PortCastelló (Zone 1) and excluding the traffic for the refinery. The export of tiles, frits and enamels through the Port of Castellón not only recovered in 2010 from the previous year, it broke records as far as volume is concerned. The sum of both goods exceeded one million tons for second time in more than one hundred years of life of the Port of Castellón.


text:
Berlin – The Chaos Computer Club had published nine years ago, a tutorial on how to, transmitting a fingerprint that has remained approximately on a drinking glass on a slide with the corresponding scanner can outwit. The same technique would also work for TouchID called fingerprint scanner of the new iPhone 5S, the CCC now reports in a press release: “In fact, the sensor of Apple only has a higher resolution compared to previous sensors we had only the granularity of our art finger increase a little.. “
In a short YouTube video demonstrates how an iPhone can be tricked with a piece of latex and getting them to unlock the lock screen. The simulation of a fingerprint in this manner requires a number of steps: The footprint must photographed, edited the photo and then printed on a sheet. Latex milk or wood glue is applied to the printed image then the dried liquid then contains a relief image of the fingerprint. Moisture is easily to this impression, an iPhone 5S to let unlock it, reports the CCC.Apple insisted the safety of TouchID fingerprints
It was “a stupid idea to use something as an everyday security token that you leave every day at almost infinite number of places,” said CCC spokesman Frank Rieger earnings. Biometrics is “suitable to monitor and control people, not to secure everyday devices against unauthorized access.” Then the CCC have repeatedly pointed out for years.
The press release also indicates that the fingerprint without this method is an inappropriate means for the supposed protection of sensitive data would be: “To compel a man to reveal a secure password, is much more difficult than simply the phone to keep ahead of his hands in handcuffs. “
An Apple spokesman had asserted only ten days ago, the fingerprints that detects the scanner, be sure. In this case, however, it came to the question of whether Apple or about the NSA could convert the stored in a database, and imprints abuse for other purposes. That is not possible, Apple emphasized, since the impression would only stored in the form of an encrypted data set somewhere in the iPhone chip. Of the ability to outwit the scanner with a photo, a printer and some latex was then no question.
track of the news
Help Get hold of free news services:
- everything from SPIEGEL International
- Twitter | RSS
- everything from the category Network Policy
- everything about iPhone 5S


text:
Did you know that about 100 million international travelers won’t be including the United States in their vacation plans any time soon? In the past five years, overseas travelers have heard negative things about visiting our nation. Forty-three percent of travelers to the United States now recommend that their friends and families look elsewhere for vacation spots, according to a recent survey by the U.S. Travel Association.
The message is simple: Don’t bother traveling to the United States – it’s too much of a hassle. Roger Dow, president and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association, says this will take a hefty bite out of the U.S. economy, resulting in the loss of 518,000 jobs and $95 billion in total output.
To reverse this trend, last month Rep. Joe Heck (R-Nev) and Rep. Mike Quigley (D-Ill.) re-introduced the bipartisan JOLT Act – Jobs Originated through Launching Travel – which would cut red tape and create a more reasonable process for entering the U.S., opening our doors to international travelers and giving our economy a needed boost.
Following 9/11, security measures have made visiting the United States an incredibly frustrating process. Visitors who apply for a visa must pay a non-refundable processing fee of at least $160, and must endure long wait periods for their application to go through. They must also sit through an in-person interview with a representative from the State Department, meaning people who want to enjoy a relaxing vacation have to clear numerous hurdles if they want to visit Miami’s beaches, Colorado’s mountains or CES® in Las Vegas.
Even visitors allowed to travel to the U.S. without a visa – those from countries in our Visa Waiver Program (VWP) – are staying away, due to long customs lines in U.S. airports.
The JOLT Act tackles these problems head on as it:
What’s more, the JOLT Act would cut government spending and add tax revenue. It’s great for the U.S. economy. Dow says just the expansion of the Visa Waiver Program could increase the number of annual visits to the United States by 4 million, adding $45 billion and 300,000 jobs to the U.S. economy. International travel is America’s largest service-export industry, generating $168.1 billion in 2012, according to the International Trade Administration. On average, visitors to the U.S. spend $4,000 per visit.
Our economy continues to recover at a snail’s pace, and unemployment remains high. Tourism and international travel is a crucial sector for reviving our economy, and the JOLT Act provides a needed boost. We also stand to gain from international business travelers, who are more likely to invest in U.S. businesses if they can travel here to attend meetings and conferences. More than 35,000 people from 170 countries jumped through the hoops to attend the 2013 International CES®, but the impact of a foreign presence at North America’s largest trade show could be unimaginably greater if the hurdles were eliminated altogether.
Whether visitors come to the United States for business, for education or for pleasure, the steps they have to take to get here should not be prohibitive. We want to encourage people to visit, spend and invest, and the JOLT Act makes that possible. It’s a simple win-win, both for potential visitors and for Americans.
Gary Shapiro is president and CEO of the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA)®, the U.S. trade association representing more than 2,000 consumer electronics companies, and author of the New York Times best-selling books Ninja Innovation: The Ten Killer Strategies of the World's Most Successful Businesses and The Comeback: How Innovation Will Restore the American Dream. His views are his own. Connect with him on Twitter: @GaryShapiro.


text:
With November already in full swing, Christmas is just around the corner, and that means it’s almost time to buy a Christmas tree. This season marks the beginning of an early renaissance for Christmas tree farmers as the result of environmentally conscious millennials who are opting to buy natural, locally grown trees.
Square Inc. (NYSE: SQ), in partnership with the National Christmas Tree Association, released a report analyzing Square sales from thousands of Christmas tree farmers and sellers across the country.
Results from this study have shown that demand previously dipped when baby boomers turned to fake trees as their kids moved out of the house. However, there has been a resurgence as Christmas trees are part of millennials’ hyper-awareness and affinity for all-natural and locally sourced food, beauty products, home goods and more.
Local growers say they are also embracing millennial customers seeking out the perfect social media moment choosing or cutting down a tree.
According to Square sales data, the report shows that Christmas tree prices increased 17% from 2015 to 2017, with the average price rising from $64 to $73. Industry experts from the National Christmas Tree Association estimate prices will hold steady this year, with plenty of trees to go around and that every consumer who wants a real tree will be able to buy one.
Square data shows the Christmas tree buying season kicks into high gear on Black Friday with an average price of $77, and prices spike on Cyber Monday, reaching $81. For those looking for a deal, holding out until the week before Christmas could save you about 22%. Prices for procrastinators hit an all-time low on Christmas Eve at $47.
Tim O’Connor, executive director of the National Christmas Tree Association, commented:
While prices have increased over the past two years, this is the first time in more than a decade that many local tree farmers are profitable. Now more than ever, we hope to see families support American Christmas tree farmers, and create their own holiday tradition and family memories of choosing a locally grown tree this Christmas.


text:
Consumer magazine ad pages, down 6.8% in this year's first quarter, saw the news worsen in April, with a 9.5% drop vs. the same month in 2000, according to Publishers Information Bureau. For the year to date, ad pages are down 7.5% to 79,109. Ad categories that recorded drops included automotive, financial and insurance, media and advertising, retail and technology. (See Consumer Linage, P. 24.)
Hoffman/Lewis wins McDonald's accounts
Two McDonald's Corp. franchise cooperatives awarded their ad accounts to Hoffman/Lewis, San Francisco. The McDonald's Advertising Co-op of St. Louis and Metro East and the Peoria-Bloomington Co-op, in Indiana, made the decision following a review that included incumbent Omnicom Group's Integer Group, Denver. Another McDonald's agency, Bcom3 Group's Moroch Partners, Dallas, was a finalist. Hoffman/Lewis already handles advertising for the 260 McDonald's restaurants in the San Francisco region; the win brings another 200 stores. Hoffman/Lewis is staffing an office in St. Louis to handle the account and will have 12 workers in an outpost. The independent shop claims $80 million in billings with 45 San Francisco employees. Other clients include the Northern California Toyota dealers and Bank of the West and Horizon Organic Dairy.
Havas reports increase in first-quarter billings
After a big first quarter for acquisitions, Havas Advertising reported a 63.8% leap in billings to $3.28 billion from the first quarter of 2000. But, discounting acquisitions and currency fluctuations, billings grew by only 7.9% during the first quarter. Growth was slowest in North America and Asia, at 5% each, but reached double digits in Europe and Latin America, at 10% and 16.4%, respectively. In a conference call with analysts, Chairman-CEO Alain de Pouzilhac said he considered it an encouraging sign that April was a strong month for new-business gains.
Vodafone taps Wieden as agency of record
Vodafone Group has named Wieden & Kennedy, Amsterdam, agency of record for an anticipated $75 million global advertising effort. Vodafone said Wieden's creative will be adapted for markets across Europe by its numerous local shops. Other agencies in the review included incumbent Interpublic Group of Cos.' McCann-Erickson Worldwide, as well as Havas' WCRS, London. The move was a major boost for Wieden, an independent shop based in Portland, Ore., which has been moving to increase the proportion of its overall billings from its overseas offices.
FCB Worldwide's Chicago office cuts 30 staffers
FCB Worldwide's Chicago office May 9 cut 5% of its 725 employees, citing the economic slowdown and a low attrition rate. At least 39 people will leave the True North Communications agency. A spokeswoman said the unit's attrition rate is half what it was at this time last year. The move comes amid cuts at True North's other units, including FCB in California and Temerlin McClain in Irving, Texas, and as the company finalizes acquisition plans with Interpublic.
Church & Dwight buys Carter-Wallace brands
Church & Dwight, maker of Arm & Hammer baking soda and other baking soda-enhanced brands, agreed to buy Carter-Wallace's consumer-products unit. A group comprising MedPointe Capital Partners, Carlyle Group and Cypress Group will buy the health-care business. Church & Dwight acquires Carter-Wallace's Arrid antiperspirant and Lambert Kay pet-care businesses for $128 million and its remaining businesses, including Nair hair removal products, Trojan condoms and First Response pregnancy kits, for $611 million via a partnership with private-equity firm Kelso & Co.
IXL Enterprises lays off 300 of its employees
IXL Enterprises, Atlanta, May 10 laid off 300 people after announcing a new client service and delivery structure. The company cut its staff from about 1,300 to about 1,000. IXL said it has hired more than 25 new senior client-service and delivery managers and about 175 professionals overall during the course of the year. The new industry groups and service lines include financial services, travel and transportation, manufacturing, retail and consumer goods and enterprise services.
Top executives resign from i-shop Red Sky
Red Sky, an interactive agency partly owned by Omnicom, went through a major management shakeup last week that included the departure of Chairman-CEO Bill Bingham. Other executives who left include exec VP-Chief People Officer Steve Migogna and Joe Neely, senior VP-sales and marketing. Chief Financial Officer Mark Schulz is staying through a transition period. According to the company, Bill Konrad, managing director of the company's San Francisco office, will become the new finance chief. Founder Tim Smith, a director and chief strategy officer, will remain in that role.
`Working Woman' owner explores possible sale
Working Woman Network, publisher of Working Woman and Working Mother magazines, retained media investment banker DeSilva & Phillips to help it explore a sale, a spokeswoman said. The company is believed to have revenue in the $45 million to $50 million range but remains unprofitable. Both titles have been losing ad pages. Through March, Working Mother's ad pages were down 19.5%, to 90.5; Working Woman's pages were down 26.8%, to 73.4-sharper ad drops than most women's titles but lesser drops than some business titles. For the last six months of 2000, Working Woman's circulation was 630,343, up 0.8% from the previous year.
PSA Peugeot-Citroen holds media review
PSA Peugeot-Citroen has invited virtually every major media specialist agency in France to pitch for its $250 million domestic media planning account, with a decision expected by early fall. Despite the major review, the business is considered likely to stay with the incumbent, Havas' Media Planning Group. Havas-owned Euro RSCG Worldwide is the creative agency for both the Peugeot and Citroen car brands.
Maytag to increase national ad spending
Despite sluggish sales in the major-appliances sector, Maytag Corp. told analysts last week it plans to increase spending on national advertising and research and development. The announcement comes as many companies, encouraged by the economy's downward trend, are slashing ad budgets. "Our intent is to put the foundations in place so that when the economic and industry winds shift, we are fully ready to participate and reap the benefits," CEO Leonard A. Hadley said. Bcom3's Leo Burnett USA, Chicago, handles advertising for the company's Maytag and Jenn-Air brands.
Momentum adds second PR agency to group
Momentum Worldwide, the event and promotional marketing unit of Interpublic's McCann-Erickson WorldGroup, is acquiring entertainment public-relations firm Huvane Baum Halls. Terms weren't disclosed. Momentum owns entertainment public relations firm PMK and plans to combine the two. Huvane has 15 employees and represents 125 clients, including Jennifer Aniston, Russell Crowe, Gwyneth Paltrow and Ang Lee. PMK, with 50 employees, counts Sandra Bullock, Tom Cruise, Tom Hanks and Martin Scorsese among its 200 clients.
Sunbeam Corp.'s Coleman Co. tapped WPP Group's Y&R Advertising, Dearborn, Mich., as agency of record for its estimated $8 million account. FCB Worldwide, Southfield, Mich., was incumbent. ... Andrew Lack, president of NBC News, becomes president and chief operating officer of the General Electric Co.-owned network. ... Kmart Corp. named True North-backed Don Coleman Advertising, Southfield, Mich., multicultural agency of record with responsibilities for Hispanic promotions. ... Luminant Worldwide, Dallas, said first-quarter profit was about $220,000, compared with an operating loss of about $13.3 million in the fourth quarter. Donald S. Perkins, a Luminant director, has been named chairman. ... Bink Garrison, chairman of Boston's Holland Mark Advertising, is leaving to open his own agency, Bink. ... True North's Temerlin McClain confirmed it cut 20% of its staff (AA May 7) in response to reduced client spending and account shifts. ... Denmark shoe company Ecco awarded its $20 million to $25 million global account to Ericsson Fina, New York, a unit of Grey Global Group's Grey Worldwide, following a review.


text:
A123 Systems Outs New Breakthrough in Lithium-Ion Battery Technology
June 13, 2012 9:31 AM
New battery tech might eliminate the need for cooling systems
A123 Systems has announced what it's calling a new breakthrough in lithium-ion battery technology for optimizing battery performance in extreme temperatures. Typically, in extreme temperatures, the performance of lithium-ion batteries is degraded. That means that in an electric vehicle, a person living in Texas during the summer will typically get a shorter driving range and someone living in California where the temperatures are more moderate.
A123 Systems calls the new battery technology Nanophosphate EXT. The company says the new battery technology is capable of operating at extreme temperatures without requiring thermal management. That means the technology is designed to significantly reduce or eliminate the need for heating or cooling systems for optimal performance.
The cooling systems typical lithium-ion batteries require add significantly to the weight of an electric vehicle. Being able to greatly reduce the size or eliminate this cooling system would mean the vehicle could be lighter, leading to longer driving distances. The extra space could potentially be packed with more batteries as well.
"We believe Nanophosphate EXT is a game-changing breakthrough that overcomes one of the key limitations of lead acid, standard lithium ion and other advanced batteries,” said David Vieau, CEO of A123 Systems. “By delivering high power, energy and cycle life capabilities over a wider temperature range, we believe Nanophosphate EXT can reduce or even eliminate the need for costly thermal management systems, which we expect will dramatically enhance the business case for deploying A123's lithium ion battery solutions for a significant number of applications.”
The Nanophosphate EXT technology is designed to maintain a long cycle life at extreme high temperatures and to deliver high-power at extreme low temperatures as well. Research conducted by Ohio State University's Center for Automotive Research found low observed rate of aging for cells within the A123 Nanophosphate EXT batteries. Specifically, the University discovered that the battery was capable of retaining more than 90% of the initial charge capacity after 2,000 full charge-discharge cycles at 45°C. Cold weather testing also found that the battery delivers 20% more power at temperatures as low as -30°C compared to existing technology.
The new battery technology is also being considered as a replacement for the lead acid batteries used for telecommunication systems backup. A123 says that its Nanophosphate EXT battery tech is scheduled to enter volume production during the first half of 2013. The company is considering the ability to offer the technology across its entire portfolio battery cells.
A123 Systems is also the company that had to replace
$55 million in batteries
inside the Fisker Karma EV.
"We shipped it on Saturday. Then on Sunday, we rested." -- Steve Jobs on the iPad launch
A123 Systems to Replace Faulty Fisker Karma EV Batteries for $55 Million
March 27, 2012, 11:56 AM
Jaguar I-PACE – Jaguar’s New Electric Concept / New SUV
November 16, 2016, 5:00 AM
Car Insurance - The Hidden Discriminatory Practise
October 18, 2016, 5:00 AM
End of the Road for the Audi R8 e-tron
October 15, 2016, 5:00 AM
Paralyzed Race Car Driver Recieves Nevada License
October 12, 2016, 5:00 AM
Take a Glance at the Cars of the Paris 2016 Motor Show
October 4, 2016, 5:00 AM
Automaker Porsche may expand range of Panamera Coupe design.
September 18, 2016, 11:00 AM
Most Popular Articles
What Can You Do with Your New Echo Dot?
December 3, 2016, 5:00 AM
Sales Battle - Apple iPad Mini vs Samsung Galaxy Tab
November 29, 2016, 12:36 AM
Google Wi-Fi – A Scalable Wi-Fi Solution for any size Home or Apartment
November 30, 2016, 1:00 AM
PIQ ROBOTTM reveals its new artificial intelligence software
November 29, 2016, 12:59 AM
PlayStation 4 Pro – 4K Console for 4K TVs
November 28, 2016, 1:00 AM
Latest Blog Posts
Apple Car is Not Dead
Dec 5, 2016, 1:00 AM
Dec 4, 2016, 5:00 AM
Dec 3, 2016, 5:00 AM
Dec 2, 2016, 5:00 AM
Surface Ergonomic Keyboard
Dec 1, 2016, 3:01 AM
Chapeconense plane crash: Football rallies around Brazilian Team
Nov 30, 2016, 1:00 AM
How to Extends Your iPhone’s Battery Life
Nov 29, 2016, 12:49 AM
Nov 28, 2016, 1:12 AM
News: Fidel Castro
Nov 27, 2016, 5:00 AM
Nov 26, 2016, 5:00 AM
Changes in Social status affect the way genes turn on and off within immune cells.
Nov 25, 2016, 5:12 AM
Austrian far–right hopeful Hofer may back EU vote.
Nov 24, 2016, 4:00 AM
Final Fantasy XV Leaked Before Nov 29 Launch Date
Nov 23, 2016, 1:00 AM
Nov 22, 2016, 2:26 AM
Nov 21, 2016, 1:00 AM
HTC Makes Big Moves in China
Nov 20, 2016, 2:00 AM
Do you know who is the number one company in the word?
Nov 19, 2016, 5:30 AM
Foldable Cardboard ”EcoHelmet” wins James Dyson Award’s Top Prize
Nov 18, 2016, 2:39 AM
Scientists Discover Roundest Object Ever Spotted in Universe
Nov 17, 2016, 1:00 AM
Smallest Device Lets You Print Almost from Anywhere
Nov 16, 2016, 9:32 AM
More Blog Posts
Copyright 2016 DailyTech LLC. -
Terms, Conditions & Privacy Information


text:
Coinbase has waived fees for buying Bitcoin with Euros; Bitcoin exchanges are reporting a surge of transactions from Greece; BnkToTheFuture has passed the $10 million investment mark and more top stories for June 30.
Coinbase waives fees when buying Bitcoin with Euros
Coinbase has waived fees for buying bitcoins with Euros. The company said in a tweet that this is in honor of banks closing as a result of the Greece debt crises.
— Coinbase (@coinbase) June 29, 2015
The Bitcoin wallet and exchange service company has also revealed in a blog post that Reinventure Group, an Australian-based fintech VC firm, has become one of its strategic investors.
“One of Reinventure’s primary objectives is to create opportunities between its portfolio companies and Westpac, Reinventure’s largest investor and one of the top 15 largest banks in the world. We plan to work closely with Reinventure and share insights into the use of digital currencies globally.”
BnkToTheFuture exceeds $10 million raised for Bitcoin and financial innovation
BnkToTheFuture.com, the online investment platform that allows investors to invest in financial innovation and


text:
Ministry of Tourism and Ministry of Arts, Culture and Heritage has held a discussion to promote cultural and eco-tourism of the Maldives in the ‘new normal’. Minister of Tourism Dr. Abdulla Mausoom and Minister of Arts, Culture and Heritage Yumna Maumoon participated in the virtual meeting.
Both Ministers shared opinion on the challenges faced by the local artists working in the tourism industry during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In a tweet, Ministry of Tourism stated that they are “committed to encourage and facilitate the development of cultural and ecotourism products across the Maldives” as well as increasing the linkage of tourism benefits to island communities.
In a collaborative effort, both ministries have been working to promote tourism despite the temporary halt in activities during the pandemic, said Ismail Naail Nasheed Director of Communications, Cultural Ministry.
He also emphasized on the beneficial aspects of promoting cultural tourism in the island communities. The local guest houses are expected to profit most from this strategic move.
Please login to Comment


text:
How to properly process products so as not to become infected with coronavirus
There is no evidence or documented case of COVID-19 suggesting that the virus can be transmitted through food. But experts are inclined to believe that there is a chance of getting sick if you take an item that someone infected was coughing for. Writes about this USA Today.
And although most people take the right action, one wrong step can increase the risk of infection.
In Pennsylvania, a woman walked through a grocery store coughing for food. Felicia Gulet-Miller, a professor of microbiology at the University of Florida on the Gulf of Mexico, said food, including fresh foods, can spread the disease.
“If the product was infected by a sick person and you touched this product and then your face, then there is a chance of getting infected,” Gulet-Miller said, noting that this is another reason not to touch your face in public places and wash them whenever they touch objects touched by other people.
Don Schaffner, a professor of food science at Rutgers University in New Jersey, said that information and recommendations are constantly changing, but the virus does not like to be outside the body. In a couple of days, the virus will die on a hypothetical apple that a person sneezed on with COVID-19.
“We think it’s impossible to get coronavirus from an apple, but we don’t know for sure,” says Schaffner.
Soap and detergent will not kill COVID-19
Do not bleach vegetables and do not use chlorine on fruits. No disinfectant wipes or isopropyl alcohol.
“They are unsafe for human consumption,” recalls Gulet-Miller.
And if you eat a lot of soap, it can be toxic, Schaffner warns.
“Soaps and detergents are for washing hands or washing dishes, but not for washing food,” he said. “If you eat them, it will upset your stomach.”
As for chlorine, its improper use is also fraught with dangers.
“Using chlorine in this way is worse than the risk of regular foodborne pathogens,” says Francisco Dies-Gonzalez, director of the Center for Food Safety at the University of Georgia.
How to protect yourself
The main recommendation that experts give, along with the leadership of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), is to rinse the products under running water before using them.
The CDC also emphasized the importance of thoroughly washing your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds before preparing or eating food.
“The recommendation is still to soak the products in water or place them under running water to wash away any potential contaminants,” Diez-González said.
Detergents remove about 90% of all impurities, but not everyone finds time to rinse before eating.
“Probably, many people didn’t wash their products before this outbreak,” suggested Diez-González, who estimated that before the pandemic, less than 20% washed their hands before eating.
Gulet-Miller also recommends washing fruits, say the same bananas.
“Even if the fetus has a peel, you must first wash it, because touching it will contaminate your hands, and then you can infect yourself,” Gulet-Miller explains.
Do not share food
Felicia Wu, a professor of food and nutrition science at the University of Michigan, said that sharing foods and drinks of any kind should be prohibited.
“It is very important, even in families, to ensure that you don’t share food that someone has already bitten or drank,” Wu insists, noting that the saliva of the infected person may contain the virus.
“That's why getting infected with this virus and coughing or sneezing near you increases your risk of getting infected,” Wu summed up.
Schaffner also believes that if a patient appears in your home, he “should eat separately”.
Read also on ForumDaily:
stdClass Object ([term_id] => 5504 [name] => products [taxonomy] => post_tag [slug] => produkty)Products
stdClass Object ([term_id] => 13992 [name] => Likbez [taxonomy] => category [slug] => poleznaja-informatsija)Educational program
stdClass Object ([term_id] => 28340 [name] => coronavirus [taxonomy] => post_tag [slug] => koronavirus)coronavirus
stdClass Object ([term_id] => 28347 [name] => Special projects [taxonomy] => category [slug] => specproekty)Special Projects
stdClass Object ([term_id] => 28353 [name] => READ ABOUT CORONAVIRUS [taxonomy] => special [slug] => kitajskij-koronavirus)
Do you want more important and interesting news about life in the USA and immigration to America? Subscribe to our page in Facebook. Choose the "Display Priority" option and read us first. Also, don't forget to subscribe to our РєР ° РЅР ° Р »РІ Telegram - there are many interesting things. And join thousands of readers ForumDaily Woman и ForumDaily New York - there you will find a lot of interesting and positive information.


text:
Apple plans to engage with NPCI and other authorities in India in the coming weeks for the launch of its payments service Apple Pay in the South Asian market, according to two people familiar with the matter, entering a crowded space that is dominated by Walmart’s PhonePe, Google’s GPay and Paytm.
The company, whose chief executive Tim Cook met bankers during his recent visit to India, is planning to develop a localized version of Apple Pay that works atop of UPI, a popular payments mode in the South Asian market, people familiar with the matter said. NPCI, a special division of India’s central bank Reserve Bank of India, oversees the UPI platform.
Apple wants iPhone customers in India to be able to scan QR codes and initiate UPI payments without having to use any PSP app, the people said, requesting anonymity.
Apple did not respond to a request for comment on May 24.
The iPhone-maker, which debut its first retail stores in India in April this year, has held several conversations about launching Apple Pay with the authorities over the years. Company’s executives told press over six years ago that Apple plans to bring Apple Pay to the country — and never followed up.
During its recent conversations with some Indian authorities, Apple suggested that Apple Pay can have the ability to use Face ID for UPI authentication on iPhones, according to one person familiar with the matter.
The company has yet to make a final decision on its partners and launch date, the people cautioned, suggesting that a launch is likely still a few quarters away.
India is a tiny market for Apple and a possible launch of Apple Pay will not change much for the ecosystem, which has been processing over 8 billion transactions a month on the UPI platform.


text:
just On Call - Emerging market bumps fail to quell Diageo optimism
Diageo released its full-year results earlier today
The slowdown in Brazil and ongoing challenges in Asia Pacific made their presence felt in Diageo's full-year results, although the company has maintained its medium-term guidance.
Having released its results for the 12 months to the end of June earlier today (31 July), company CEO Ivan Menezes reiterated the medium-term aim of CAGR of 6% for sales. In its latest fiscal year, sales rose by 6.2% on a reported basis and by 5% in organic terms.
At a presentation to media in London this afternoon, Menezes noted that Brazil has proved "challenging" of late, thanks to social unrest ahead of next year's World Cup football tournament and destocking in the on-trade as regulators tighten their tax collection enforcement.
Asia Pacific also provided headaches through the year, thanks to a marked fall in on-trade business in South Korea, destocking in the region's travel retail channel and in India and the anti-extravagance measures introduced by the Chinese authorities late last year.
"It has been a tougher year for (Chinese baijiu brand) Shuijingfang," Menezes said today. "In the second half, the brand struggled."
Despite these issues, Menezes maintained that Diageo is still on course to meet its medium-term goals. "The US still offers great potential for premium spirits," Menezes added. "We also plan to increase our presence in the emerging markets."
When asked about Diageo's future plans for Tequila, Menezes said that he would have some news on this front by the next full-year results announcement in July, 2014. "We are undergoing an exploration of alternatives in Tequila," he said, declining to comment further.
Diageo concluded its sales and distribution deal with the Beckmann family over its Jose Cuervo Tequila brand at the end of June. Diageo currently only has the Don Julio brand in its portfolio.
- Is Diageo approaching its "Et tu, Brute" Moment?
- Diageo Q4 & FY - Preview
- SABMiller, Carlsberg, Heineken: Poland's beer itch
- SABMiller's Q1 Sales Performance by Region
- Are Big Spirits Companies Failing to Innovate?
- Diageo comm's director latest to leave
- Global business development head to quit Diageo
- Diageo hit by SEC investigation in US
- just the Winners - IWSC Spirits Trophy Winners
- Suntory sells Louis Royer Cognac for US$110m
- Global rum insights - market forecasts, product innovation and consumer trends research
- Global liqueurs insights - market forecasts, product innovation and consumer trends research
- Global cachaca insights - market data, product innovation and consumer trends research
- Global Tequila insights - market forecasts, product innovation and consumer trends research
- Global gin insights - market data, product innovation and consumer trends research


text:
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) wants to compel telecommunications service providers to purchase more equipment made locally in the country.
Libyan rebels in the East of the country have set up their own mobile phone network connecting them to the rest of the world, over a month after they were cut off from a centralized network that required all international calls to be routed through a...
Indian outsourcer Satyam Computer Services has agreed to pay a US$10 million penalty to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to settle charges of financial fraud, the SEC said.
Vodafone has petitioned India’s Supreme Court to halt penalty proceedings from India's tax authorities, which claim the company owes taxes related to a 2007 acquisition.
India’s Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has filed charges against nine people, including the country’s former telecommunications minister, A. Raja, in connection with alleged irregularities in the allocation of 2G licenses and spectrum in 2008.
NTT DoCoMo is investing 8 billion rupees (US$176 million) in Tata Teleservices, a mobile services company in India.
Vodafone said on Thursday it will buy Essar Group's stake in a local subsidiary, giving it the maximum allowable equity share of a mobile phone company allowed by Indian law.
India lags behind China, Russia, and Brazil in providing its citizens with access to information and communications technology, according to a report by risk analysis firm, Maplecroft, in the U.K.
Workers in telecom departments may be understandably apprehensive about switching from TDM to SIP, since it could conceivably put them out of work.
Nokia has tied with Union Bank of India to roll out mobile payment services that are targeted at the large number of Indians who do not have banking facilities.
India’s mobile boom may be exaggerated if one takes into account the large number of mobile connections that are currently inactive.
IBM is deploying its voice-based web technology in India to enable illiterate people in the state of Karnataka to find jobs by talking on their mobile phones.
The U.S. Federal Communications Commission took the first step Thursday toward reworking two related programs that provide telephone subsidies for low-income residents, with commissioners calling for part of the funding to support broadband service.
Research In Motion has accused unnamed competitors of trying to compound and profit from its problems in India by "suggesting or implying" that RIM's BlackBerry Enterprise Server (BES) will be singled out by Indian regulators, even as their own produ...
India is appointing a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC), consisting of representatives of the government and the opposition, to probe into an alleged scam in the allocation of 2G (second generation) mobile licenses and spectrum in India in 2008.
Most Popular Reviews
- 1 Fetch TV Mighty review: Better than Foxtel
- 2 Fetch TV Mini review: Make your TV a smart TV
- 3 Parrot Mambo Drone review
- 4 Evapolar USB air conditioner review
- 5 Hisense Series 7 ULED 4K UHD TV review
Join the Good Gear Guide newsletter!
Latest News Articles
- Twitter said to plan 300 more job cuts this week
- Nissan, Renault tout plans to make 10 autonomous vehicles by 2020
- Apple releases watchOS 3.1 update
- Apple Watch Nike+ hits the ground running on Oct. 28
- Portrait Camera now available for iPhone 7 as Apple releases iOS 10.1 update
GGG Evaluation Team
First impression on unpacking the Q702 test unit was the solid feel and clean, minimalist styling.
- Google Pixel XL full, in-depth smartphone review: The new best Android phone
- TV buying guide: What to look for when buying a TV in 2016
- Best iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus plans: Optus vs Telstra vs Vodafone vs Virgin
- Which flagship TV is best? Sony 4K HDR Bravia 2016 versus LG 4K HDR OLED 2016
- 10 Blu-ray movies / Best looking Blu-ray movies
- CCApplications Support Technical OfficerACT
- TPBusiness Analyst/Data Analytics ConsultantVIC
- FTPortfolio ManagerVIC
- FTSenior MS Dynamics CRM ConsultantQLD
- TPSoftware Engineer - C++QLD
- CCNetApp Storage Specialist required to join global company in SydneyNSW
- CCTest Engineer - .NETNSW
- CCBusiness Analyst/Systems Analyst (DW/BI)ACT
- CCInfrastructure Specialist :SCOMWA
- FTWintel EngineerACT
- CCProgress DeveloperQLD
- CCSenior Business Analyst - 12 month contract, ASAP startVIC
- CCFunctional Consultant - MS Dynamics AXQLD
- TPCRM Business AnalystVIC
- CCSiebel Technical Integration SpecialistACT
- FTSoftware DeveloperWA
- FTIntegration Solutions ArchitectNSW
- CCContract Analyst Programmer (JAVA/J2EE) 161101/AP/162Asia
- CCFirewall EngineerNSW
- FTSenior Oracle DBAQLD
- CCBackup ConsultantWA
- FTERP Data Migration ConsultantNSW
- FTBusiness Analyst - PIMAsia
- CCSitecore DeveloperNSW
- CCSoftware Engineer- Linux and DevOpsNSW


text:
Happy New Year!
2020 has finally come to an end. When the year started, few of us expected to live through the worst pandemic in a century. It’s been a mixed year of tragedy, setbacks, and small victories. Many of us have had to totally alter our lifestyles to adapt. Considering how hard this year has been on local families, communities, and our great state of Colorado, all of us at the New Era Group at Your Castle want to thank you for your continued readership and patronage. We are immensely appreciative of each and every one of our clients. As vaccines begin to distribute and we see a glimmer of hope transitioning into 2021, continue to stay safe and be kind to one another. Try to help someone out in their hour of need if you are able. As always, let us know how we can better serve you.
Misleading Statistics for 2020
Regarding real estate, many have asked us recently, “What will 2021 bring for our market?” Although we can never predict the future, if we look at trends from the past year it can guide us to a better understanding of what the new year might bring. DMAR (The Denver Metro Association of Realtors) puts out a year-end report detailing various real estate metrics. In November 2020 the number of Active Listings (attached + detached) on the market was just above 3,400. That is about 50% down from where it was in 2019! By comparison, over the past 15-20 years the average was around 14,000 active homes & condos. These extremely low levels of inventory are driving a sense of scarcity in the market, thus average prices are going up. How much are they going up, you ask? Based on the data, home prices are up about 13% on average so far from 2020 (Jan-Nov) vs. the same timeframe in 2019 (Jan-Nov).
As shocking as these numbers may seem, they can be misleading for several reasons. Entry-level inventory is much lower than normal, while the number of luxury homes ($1MM+) and near-luxury-homes is about normal according to historical trends. Additionally, the more affluent buyers in our market have been the least impacted by the recession, so they are still able to buy homes and are taking advantage of record low interest rates. The result is that we have sold a rather extraordinary number of luxury and near-luxury homes this year. However, we have not sold nearly as many entry-level homes as you would expect. This is because the supply for entry-level homes is simply not available in our market. The entry-level buyer-pool has been much more impacted by the recession than those in the luxury/near-luxury pool. In summation, when you see that home prices were up 13% in 2020, remember that the mix of homes sold has skewed statistics towards a more luxurious product.
A Much Different Year to Come
So what will happen in 2021? The recent developments with vaccines have a huge role to play. As of writing this newsletter, two vaccines were approved by the FDA. With the availability of two vaccines, the projection seems to be that the majority of people in this country who want to receive one should be able to do so by around early summer. Our expectation is that the economy is going to improve after that. People who have so far been reluctant to sell their property because they do not want strangers bringing the Coronavirus into their homes, will start to feel more comfortable doing so. A stronger economy, more consumer confidence, and more inventory as a result, should lead to an increase in the number of homes for sale in the lower end of the market.
All the homeowners who would have sold in 2020 and did not do so will be listing in 2021. This inventory will be in addition to all the people who would have been selling in 2021 anyway. The net result should be a large increase in the number of entry-level homes that get sold. Due to appealing financing conditions this year, we have already sold a lot of luxury homes to people who would have originally bought one next year. Therefore, what should start to happen is the dramatic price increase from 2020 will begin to plateau. In fact, it would not be surprising if the average home price goes down. It will not mean everybody’s home value went down, it will just mean that we are selling more entry-level product and less luxury product. The number of total units sold may remain flat—to perhaps increasing slightly. The marketing time for homes should stay near historic lows, so if you’re thinking about selling a home, 2021 should be a great time to do it!


text:
While the European Union and the U.S. seek to punish Russia for annexing Crimea, many German corporate leaders view Putin as an economic partner
Between the impact a deeper crisis might have on publicly traded Canadian firms to the reverberating effects of resulting increases in natural gas prices, Canadian businesses have cause for concern
Germany has a lot riding on Russia with Volkswagen, Siemens, and HeidelbergCement among the largest foreign investors there. An economic hit on Germany will reverberate throughout the EU.
Traditional annuities are being sought out by pension sponsors in record numbers, but there are more creative de-risking options available that may not come with the risk of future regret
For U.S. corporations, economic restrictions on Russia present two risks: They could inadvertently punish U.S. interests, and the Russians could push back against American companies
Billionaires in Russia and Ukraine risk further losses as market volatility and the threat of Iran-style economic sanctions intensify following Russia’s incursion into Crimea
There were two main areas of focus in the risk equation: investments and longevity.
The key is creating a management team with the right mix of skill sets and using that team to execute a very specific kind of approach.
The widespread adoption of Enterprise Risk Management was spurred by the realization that financial, strategic and operational risk are actually interdependent
Corporations are working to protect personal and proprietary data from being compromised, but it's not always easy to balance security concerns with the a culture of openness and creativity
Blockchain, a technology that originated from the virtual currency Bitcoin, is slowly moving out of the testing lab and into real-world applications
While fashion is often seen as the domain of art, the work of stylists, personal shoppers and even designers themselves is increasingly being managed by machines
The chatbot began as a project to randomly connect strangers for chats. But it may soon lead to bigger conversations with major brands, its founders' hope
Unlike in the West, where robots are tucked away in manufacturing plants and research facilities, the Japanese see robots as a part of their everyday lives
Sponsored by Agility Forex
Check your calendars. There are only seven weeks remaining until America decides whether Donald J. Trump or Hillary Clinton will be the new leader of the free world.
The state of central bank forward guidance and oil producer announcements can be summed up in three words.
Located in the Northwest Territories, Gahcho Kué is the biggest diamond mine to come online, anywhere, in more than a decade at a time when global consumer demand for the gem is in flux
New data makes you wonder how the entrepreneurs behind all these firms ended up incorporating and growing their businesses in the first place
A U.S. law firm says it will serve the Canadian maker of the We-Vibe Rave with a proposed class-action lawsuit for allegedly collecting a little too much information
Mexico's peso rebounded Tuesday from an all-time low, Iran is signalling it wants to produce 12.7 per cent of OPEC's output; what would Twitter look like under a new owner?
A world away from Canada’s glamorous, global cities, a bitter feud divides a tiny, dying village that has come to represent the grim underbelly of the country's economic outlook


text:
Following the successful release of Raya and The Last Dragon, the highly anticipated live-action film Cruella and Marvel Studios’ long-awaited Black Widow will launch simultaneously in theaters and on Disney+ with Premier Access in most Disney+ markets on Friday, May 28 and on Friday, July 9, respectively.
Black Widow and Cruella Recieve Disney+ and Theatrical Releases
In an unexpected turn of events, Disney has opted to give their two major 2021 blockbusters simultaneous releases in theaters and Disney+ Premiere Access. This means audiences have the option to choose between seeing Black Widow and Cruella on the big screen or staying home and paying $30 for each title. This shift comes after many months of speculation about when and how Disney would choose to release Marvel Studios‘ Black Widow after multiple delays following it's initial May 1st, 2020 release date.
“Today’s announcement reflects our focus on providing consumer choice and serving the evolving preferences of audiences. By leveraging a flexible distribution strategy in a dynamic marketplace that is beginning to recover from the global pandemic, we will continue to employ the best options to deliver The Walt Disney Company’s unparalleled storytelling to fans and families around the world,” said Kareem Daniel, Chairman, Disney Media & Entertainment Distribution.
Similar to the launch of Disney and Pixar’s Academy Award-nominated Soul that delighted Disney+ subscribers during the holidays, Disney and Pixar’s Luca will stream directly in homes worldwide exclusively on Disney+ beginning Friday, June 18, as a special offering to kick-off the summer season. In international markets where Disney+ is not yet available, the film will be released theatrically, with premiere dates to be announced.
Theatrical release dates also shifted for several additional upcoming films including:
- Free Guy on August 13, 2021
- Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings on September 3, 2021
- The King’s Man on December 22, 2021
- Deep Water on January 14, 2022
- Death on the Nile on February 11, 2022
Along with the press release, Disney included a robust list of upcoming titled and untitled releases that are slated for the next seven years. This includes a number of Disney live actions, Marvel, and Star Wars films.
Maggie Lovitt is a writer at Wealth of Geeks where she covers her favorite topics: Star Wars and pop culture nerdery.
In her free time, she is also a novelist, screenwriter, actor, and member of the Screen Actors Guild.


text:
Mar 20, 2017, 3:10 pm55 ptsComcast's efforts to come to terms with Netflix just kicked up a notch. The cable giant is holding its fifth annual Xfinity Watchathon Week between April 3rd and April 9th, and this year Netflix is included as part of the all-access promo. So long as...
'Life' is an alien horror movie that riffs on some eerily plausible science Business Insider 145
Tesla Model 3 'release candidate' drives off the lot Engadget 143
FedEx Will Pay You $5 To Install Flash Slashdot 134


text:
Last light: Final phaseout of incandescent bulbs coming Jan. 1Fox News
Dec. 19, 2013
Instant Justice: Antifa Assaults Journalist In DC, Gets Arrested Immediately
Trump: DREAMers Should 'Rest Easy'; Prosecuting Assange 'OK With Me'
Hate Crime Hoax: Muslim Prof Fabricated Anti-Muslim Threats to 'Gain Sympathy'
Obama Interferes In French Election To Stop Populist Marine Le Pen
Maxine Waters Paid Daughter Nearly $650k From Campaign Funds
Itís lights out for the light bulb.
On Jan. 1 it will become illegal to manufacture or import traditional 60-watt and 40-watt incandescent bulbs, thanks to a 2007 bill that set strict minimum efficiency standards Ė and effectively outlawed the ordinary bulb.


text:
|An Aloft Hotels guest interacts with her new robot overlords.|
It’s the summer doldrums, and you’re probably either on vacation or sitting in your office wondering why you didn’t take that beach house share once again. In case you do happen upon one of your colleagues, here are the four things you need to know to sound like you have a handle on all things travel.
Robots are continuing their takeover of the hotel industry today with Aloft’s launch of voice-activated hotel rooms.
Dubbed a “Project Jetson” innovation, guests are able to control in-room functions like temperature, lighting, and more by saying “Hey, Siri” (apparently they didn’t decide to go for “Computer!”) Each voice-activated room will come equipped with an iPad running a custom app that allows for the voice control.
The move follows Aloft’s earlier “hiring” of a robotic butler, Boltr, who currently plots the further domination of the travel industry at Aloft Cupertino and Aloft Silicon Valley.
|Amatrice (pictured) was among the towns hardest-hit by the earthquake. // Photo by clodio/iStock/Getty Images Plus/Getty Images|
Italy Earthquake: The Recovery Begins
In more somber news, recovery efforts are underway following a massive earthquake in central Italy that damaged several popular tourist towns, including Amatrice, Accumoli and Pescara del Tronto.
The death toll as of press time stands at 241, according to the BBC, and rescue efforts to find survivors are still underway. Hundreds of aftershocks have hampered relief efforts and continued to damage buildings already affected by the earthquake.
The Hotel Roma in Amatrice, which was one of the hardest-hit towns, had as many as 70 tourists staying there when the earthquake struck, the BBC said. Rescuers have so far pulled five bodies from the rubble, and more are feared to be trapped inside.
According to BT.com, the Italian government has released new advice for travelers in the area, telling tourists in the affected area to follow the advice of local authorities. Civil Protection has set up a hotline at 800-840-840 for information.
As the recovery effort begins, many thoughts have turned to what can be learned from the tragedy. The New York Times has an opinion piece noting that Italy, which has been hit by 35 major earthquakes and 86 minor ones since its unification in 1861, is hard-pressed to maintain the safety of its historic architecture during a seismic event.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with the people of Italy on this tragic day,” said American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA) President and CEO Zane Kerby in a written release. “We hope and pray that the families who have lost loved ones are comforted and that Italy will recover from this terrible natural disaster. ASTA stands ready to assist our 44 ASTA members who are based in Italy any way we can, and have also activated our network of Volunteer Responders who are ready provide logistical support for anyone affected by the earthquake.”
ASTA’s Volunteer Response Team consists of agents who are willing to immediately assist consumers with travel plans and emergency logistical support if they are affected by a crisis.
|Rendering of a Tin Hotels public area, with many spots for gathering.|
Meet Tin Hotels, GHM’s New Mid-Market Hotel Brand
Elsewhere in the travel industry, luxury hotel group GHM has decided to make the move into the mid-market with the launch of the new Tin Hotels brand, developed with van de Bunt Partners.
In a release announcing the decision GHM said the move was sparked by shifts in travel preferences in the dominant consumers’ demographics, with GHM Co-founder and President Hans R. Jenni promising hotels that function as “venues to connect: as social hubs, design spaces or simply, places to be seen at” — a philosophy that puts the new brand in the same wheelhouse as Millennial-friendly boutique hotel brands like Hilton’s Curio, Marriott’s Autograph, Moxy, and others.
Current plans call for a swift expansion, with the first hotels for the brand to launch in Dubai and Oman, growing in the Gulf region to reach a target of 35 properties by 2022.
National Parks Centennial: Today’s the Big Day
On a more upbeat note, National Park Service Director Jonathan B. Jarvis is in Yellowstone National Park today, celebrating the official Centennial of the National Parks Service. Dubbed “An Evening at the Arch,” the event, which will include distinguished guests and performers from around the country, will be live streamed to the public here.
This week will also mark a host of other events celebrating the Centennial, such as a living arrowhead at the base of the Washington Monument this morning; naturalization ceremonies in seven national parks; a chance for Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts at Lewis and Clark National Historical Park to speak to actual Astronaut Kate Rubins, a crewmember onboard the International Space Station; digital ads lighting up Fremont Street in Las Vegas; and a weekend Founders Day celebration at the Grand Canyon. Best of all: free admission at all 413 national parks from August 25-28.
Have a tip on major travel industry news, or an inspiring story you’d like to share? Reach out at [email protected].
And keep visiting www.travelagentcentral.com for the latest travel industry news, trends and updates.


text:
Sovereign Centros has announced that GO Outdoors has signed at Metrocentre, launching later this year. The unit, formerly occupied by Wilko, spans 20,242sq ft within Blue Mall and will be the retailer’s only store in the region within a shopping centre environment.
Presenting as a GO Outdoors Express, the store will stock a variety of brands such as Rab, OEX, and Berghaus, as well as the likes of Peter Storm, HiGear, and North Ridge.
Ben Cox, director at Sovereign Centros from CBRE, commented: “The signing of GO Outdoors is both a direct response to what our visitors want from the destination and a great example of the importance of Metrocentre to the North East. Late last year we were hit with a significant challenge as Wilko closed, but a proactive approach and the destination’s appeal has put us in a position to introduce a brand that belongs here, in good time. GO Outdoors joins us as we build momentum with major retailers, like Frasers Group, Zara, and Primark, all committing to and investing in Metrocentre.”
Lee Bagnall, CEO at GO Outdoors, added: “We are excited to be opening a new location at Metrocentre and to offer customers the best range of outdoor clothing, footwear and equipment. At GO Outdoors we champion time spent in nature for improved wellbeing and physical health, and we are happy to facilitate that for our customers in the North East.”
The GO Outdoors signing follows the recent news of Primark taking a significant upsize at the destination and tech giant EE opening a new experiential store.


text:
Plastic is replaced by banana leaves in a supermarket chain in in Chiangmai, Thailand. Doing its part to stem the tide of single-use plastics flooding into the ocean.
While most supermarkets bundle their strawberries in plastic boxes, their corn in plastic shrink wrap and their mushrooms in plastic produce bags, this grocer has come up with an innovative, eco-friendly solution.
Banana leaves are a plentiful and nearly free resource, except for the cost of gathering them.
They’ve been used for millennia as plates and food wrappers and are still used as stylish serving dishes today in Indian and Filipino restaurants.
Banana leaves are said to lend a special flavor to a dish and can even be used to steam foods like Vietnamese sausage.
Not only do the leaves make for a lovely presentation, but it is believed that an enzyme on the leaf, which is released into the food, aids in digestion.
This, while plastic only sent chemicals to the food which are not good for the human health.
There are lots of benefits to be found in using banana leaves as a material to pack products. It’s organic, better for our health and better for our environment.
We have to switch to other ways of packing our products in order to save our planet.
So instead of contaminating our produce with hormone-disrupting BPA, we could actually be making it more nutritious.
Now the benefits of the banana leaf are being expanded beyond fine dining and into the grocery store. They’re large, flexible and waterproof, making for sturdy packaging.
Researchers in Sri Lanka have also perfected a technique for curing banana leaves so they can be kept for more than a month under refrigerated conditions without any change in color or quality.
Replacing plastic with banana leaves is the future.
Credits images: Perfect Homes Chiang Mai


text:
Telcos could face significant customer service pressure in months ahead
25% of priority customer tweets go unanswered by leading UK brands, according to BrandsEye’s analysis of 567 544 tweets.
Under-pressure consumers are even more fed up with their banks in 2019.
When the City of Cape Town faced with the worst drought in more than 300 years, it required an innovative communication strategy to rapidly change residents water consumption.
Deloitte partnered with BrandsEye to gain more insights into the factors driving consumer sentiment in the retail industry.
Consumers prioritise ethics and fairness as insurers face new TCF rules.
The report uncovers churn risk and CX performance. 12% of unhappy customers threatened to leave telecom providers.
Consumers threaten to quit networks as half of all complaints go unanswered and Vodacom bungle implementation of Icasa data regulations.
Monzo and Atom Bank top sentiment ranking with responsive customer service and superior apps. Metro Bank bucks trend with popular branches but pay price with accounting error.
Analysis of the 2018 Momentum insurance case with BrandsEye’s TCF solution
BrandsEye provides social data for study
Combining humans and AI to evaluate issues driving consumer sentiment
FNB leads on digital banking, Capitec claims top spot
Sentiment study to unpack the drivers of sentiment and topics impacting investor confidence in Africa.
Why social sentiment matters.
Complete the form below and we’ll be in touch.
Thank you for contacting us, a BrandsEye representative will be in touch.
An error occurred and your form wasn’t sent. Please try again, ensuring all fields are valid. Alternatively, please email us directly at firstname.lastname@example.org should the error persist.