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It’s summer here in North America but Down Under, they’re preparing for the winter months and Animals Australia has come up with a timely, disturbing message that the materials we use to keep warm cause animals distress.
As Australians prepare for cooler weather with turning up heaters and pulling out sweaters and warmer jackets, there is a toll taken on our furred, feathered and wooly friends.
Animals like rabbits, geese, foxes and sheep are born with insulating coats which help them survive extreme temperatures — but tragically it is a demand for these fibres that can cause them tremendous suffering, and even death.
Cruel industries generate huge profits by stealing the winter coats from animals. And while not all animals are killed for their coats — the ‘lives’ of many farmed for fur and feather ‘harvesting’ is arguably a fate worse than death. Not only do alternatives to animal fibres exist — but they are readily available. By checking labels, and choosing animal-free clothing and blankets this winter — you can not only keep yourself warm, but show our animal friends a little warmth at the same time.
Some of the details Animals Australia are publicizing is truly gory like how angora sweaters are made and the pain ducks and geese endure to allow us to wear down coats. And we’re not even talking about fur coats yet.
h/t: Animals Australia


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TORONTO - A late-day sell-off in the tech sector helped push the Toronto stock market slightly lower Wednesday.
The S&P/TSX composite index slipped 6.08 points to 14,673.73 as rising commodity prices lifted miners and traders considered a potential major shift in the Canadian retail landscape. The Canadian dollar rose 0.23 of a cent to 91.89 cents US amid general U.S. dollar weakness.
U.S. retailer Sears Holdings Corp. (Nasdaq:SHLD) is considering selling its 51 per cent interest in Sears Canada (TSX:SCC) as the retailer continues with efforts to turn around its business. Sears Holdings' overall business has been struggling after years of sales declines and it has been closing some unprofitable stores and selling leases in prime locations.
"It’s a sign of how desperate the U.S. parent is and how much trouble they’re in," said Colin Cieszynski, senior market analyst at CMC Markets.
"Because all the money, all the leases they got out of, the money didn’t stay here, it went south to shore up the U.S. business. The U.S. company is the one that’s in real trouble and what’s left? You’re selling off your most valuable asset."
Sears Holdings shares gave up early gains to decline $2.53 or 5.85 per cent to US$40.70 in New York, while Sears Canada shares ran up 54 cents or 3.43 per cent to C$16.30 in Toronto.
Glum earnings news and worries about inflation helped push U.S. indexes lower as the Dow Jones industrials dropped 101.47 points to 16,613.97, the Nasdaq shed 29.54 points to 4,100.63 and the S&P index was off 8.92 points at 1,888.53.
The U.S. Labor Department said that the producer price index rose a seasonally adjusted 0.6 per cent from March to April, after a 0.5 per cent increase from February to March. The gains suggest that inflation is picking up from very low levels and raised concerns about when the Federal Reserve could act to hike short-term rates from near zero.
Meanwhile, Deere is reporting a 9.5 per cent decline in second-quarter net income to US$980.7 million, or $2.65 per share, compared with $1.08 billion, or $2.76 per share, in the same quarter a year ago. Revenue fell 8.9 per cent to US$9.95 billion on lower demand for farming equipment. Deere expects a four per cent drop in equipment revenue for fiscal 2014, the same decrease it’s expecting for the current quarter and its shares were down $1.91 to US$91.70.
Elsewhere in Canada, Power Financial Corp. (TSX:PWF) says it its first-quarter profits totalled C$467 million or 66 cents per share, up from $394 million, or 55 cents per share, in the same quarter of 2013. Operating earnings totalled $440 million, or 62 cents per share, compared with $407 million, or 57 cents per share, year over year. Revenues at the financial services conglomerate that includes Great-West Lifeco (TSX:GWO) and IGM Financial (TSX:IGM) were $10.58 billion compared with $8.15 billion a year ago. Power Financial climbed 22 cents to $34.95.
On the commodity markets, the TSX base metals sector rose 0.7 per cent as July copper gained two cents to US$3.16 a pound.
The gold sector rose about one per cent as June bullion rose $11.10 to US$1,305.90 an ounce.
The energy sector edged 0.16 per cent lower as June crude in New York gained 67 cents to US$102.37 a barrel.
Tech stocks led TSX decliners, down 1.7 per cent with BlackBerry (TSX:BB) down 12 cents to C$8.

domain: news


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When a new Apple Store is planned and construction begins, there's usually a notice on ifoAppleStore -- the web's go-to site for Apple Store information -- and lots of speculation about when the new retail outlet will open. Well, even ifoAppleStore was surprised by an announcement of a new Apple Store to be located in The Shops at Nanuet about 20 miles north of Manhattan.
The announcement was made public this morning on the Facebook page for the mall, with a note saying that, "The newest store to join the amazing lineup at The Shops at Nanuet needs no introduction," and featuring an Apple logo.
The mall has been undergoing extensive redevelopment, and has a grand re-opening set for between October 10-13. It's expected that the new Apple Store will open on the first day of that event.


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World of Battleships could tempt gamers16 August 2011 15:34:32
Publisher and developer Wargaming.net has announced that it is set to launch a new instalment in its war trilogy, in news which could be of particular interest to memory cards users.
In a statement issued today (August 16th), the firm confirmed that its free-to-play World of Battleships multiplayer title will provide participants with the opportunity to recreate some of the most famous sea-based skirmishes of the 20th century.
Players will have a wide range of battleships to choose from, each of which will have its own unique capabilities in terms of strength and firepower. Changeable weather conditions and an assortment of naval maps will also be on offer.
"Humans always needed to conquer the elements," said Wargaming.net chief executive Victor Kislyi. "With World of Tanks, World of Warplanes and World of Battleships we will offer players [the chance] to conquer all, simultaneously."
Last week, Codemasters revealed that F1 Online: The Game will hit the world wide web in the first quarter of next year, boasting each of the circuits, teams and drivers from the current Formula One season.
- FIFA 12 finishes year in top place - 3 January 2012 16:52:53
- Nintendo announces downloadable titles - 3 January 2012 14:17:24
- Fifa returns to the top - 28 December 2011 13:04:01
- iOS apps now available to SD card users - 23 December 2011 14:39:20
- New Gears of War content announced - 22 December 2011 09:45:02


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WUWM Congress Press Conference
August 30, 2007
Chinese National Ag-Market Association (CAWA) Chairman, Mr Zenjun Ma and World Union of Wholesale Markets (WUWM) Secretary General, Ms Maria Cavit recently addressed representatives of the Chinese media in advance of the opening of the WUWM 25th Congress. Both speakers highlighted the importance of the occasion, welcoming the support that had been received from the Chinese government and fresh produce sector for this first food market congress ever to take place in China. Ms Cavit also noted the important role of CAWA in helping to ensure the progress and development of food markets within China. "...retail and wholesale markets are vital public services that help ensure communities have access to safe, nutritious food at affordable prices while also helping small businesses and food enterprises compete in a fast-changing world with many environmental and economic challenges" she informed. "Hosting the 25th Congress of the World Union of Wholesale Markets (WUWM) in China is one of the many efforts our CAWA colleagues have made to provide the international wholesale market community with important information on the situation of the agricultural market sector in the Chinese economy. Since Chinese agricultural wholesale companies will be vital participants in the future progress and development of international agricultural trade, the information resulting from this congress is not only important now, but also for many years to come." Please find attached a full copy of this speech.
March WUWM Newsletter Now Available!
April 5, 2019
Rungis Market in the Guinness Book of Records for the World’s Longest Table!
April 1, 2019
LYLM International Celebration Event in the Month of May
March 22, 2019
WUWM 2019 Elections – Call for Director Nominations
March 21, 2019
In Memory of Josef Podr
March 8, 2019


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The 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee has been in the spotlight lately, with Teknikens Värld claiming that the vehicle failed their Moose test (or Elk test) miserably. Chrysler called "bullshit" on that claim, but it’s not going to be so easy convincing the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that their latest safety concerns are bogus.
The NHTSA is investigating the SUV because of two complaints they received from Grand Cherokee customers. Apparently, there have been some under-hood fires that have caused the destruction of both vehicles. The sources of the fires are unknown at this point, but one customers stated that a hose ruptured when the vehicle was traveling at low speeds: "Mechanic received directive from Chrysler on a fix. He made the fix as directed, but the new hose quickly burst on him during testing," the owner wrote to the agency. The other owner’s complaint was that he "glanced in the rearview mirror and noticed smoke outside the vehicle. He pulled over and exited the vehicle, when suddenly massive flames erupted from under the hood."
We’re not very sure how this investigation will affect the Grand Cherokee, but if these claims lead to a recall, there will be almost 107,000 Grand Cherokee units affected.
Since airbags have become commonplace in cars in the last two decades – yes, it’s been that long – we have seen all sorts of different airbags in different locations to protect against various crashes. Now Mercedes is adding a new airbag of sorts to its 2014 S-Class. This newfound device is called the beltbag.
Here’s how the beltbag works. When the car is involved in a crash, the rear seatbelts will inflate with air and help cushion the seat’s occupant against torso damage caused by the belt. If you’ve ever been in a hard enough crash to jar you forward, you know how badly a seatbelt can bruise your chest and abdomen. The airbelt is supposed to prevent that damage.
This isn’t the first airbelt to be released though, as Ford included it in its optional features on the 2011 Explorer. This is, however, the first time it is a standard feature. We are curious as to why Mercedes did not add this feature to its front seatbelts, as the jolt forward is no different in the rear than it is in the front.
We also wonder how many years this will remain an optional feature before the NHTSA decides that this needs to be standard in all cars, thereby driving up the cost of a new car even more... Keep in mind, even front airbags were once only an option, as were tire pressure monitors, traction control, and ABS. Now those features are all required, in one for or another, on all cars sold in the U.S.
We’ll get to see this new belt system in action in Geneva next spring, which is when Mercedes-Benz unveils its new S-Class.
When you pay a lot of money for a brand new car, you don’t expect to have any problems with it at all. In the real world, however, bad things can happen, even for high performance vehicles from Porsche. The Stuttgart based company has announced a pretty serious recall for their Panamera and Cayenne Turbo models (all 2012 Cayenne models and Panamera Turbo and Turbo S models from 2011 and 2012), to the tune of 270 US units.
The recall was issued because the turbine wheels from the turbocharging system may fracture under certain conditions. Such a fracture can cause a chain reaction in which the turbine shaft cracks, oil is sucked into the exhaust system causing smoke, and possibly a fire.
The problem was detected when a series of fires started in Syria in October and later on a racetrack. During some X-ray inspection, Porsche discovered a series of 37 worldwide failures of the turbine wheels, including three in the U.S.
Porsche is advising the clients with the affected vehicles to take them to the nearest dealership where they will have the turbine replaced, at what we are assuming is free of charge.
The guys over Teknikens Värld recently got a little more than they bargained for when they performed a Moose test (or Elk test) with the brand-spanking new 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The Moose test determines how a vehicle acts when the driver evades a suddenly appearing obstacle, such as an animal or a child, and the Grand Cherokee didn’t exactly get to the top of the class.
The purpose of this test - done at very low speeds - was to determine how well the SUV’s active safety system would work. At only 39.5 mph, the Jeep Grand Cherokee went up on two wheels, in the middle of the maneuver. If it wasn’t for the professional driver behind the wheel, it would have easily rolled over. As many can imagine, not everyone that purchases vehicles have professional driving skills, so at the hands of probably most Jeep Grand Cherokee owners, the result could be deadly. According to Teknikens Värld’s Linus Pröjtz, this is an unacceptable result for a 2012 SUV, and we would have to 100% agree with this.
By comparison, SUVs like the Volkswagen Touareg and the Volvo XC90 did well at even greater speeds of 43.5 mph. To make matters worse, when Teknikens Värld performed the Moose Test on the previous generation of the Jeep Grand Cherokee, it passed the test with no problems at all.
This information should certainly not fall on deaf ears, especially the ears of Chrysler heads.
UPDATE 07/09/2012: Teknikens Varld’s tough review of the 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee immediately caught the attention of Chrysler heads and the company is none too pleased with the results. Their displeasure doesn’t stem from the Grand Cherokee’s failure, though. According to Chrysler, several attempts were made by Chrysler Group engineers to recreate the two-wheeled escapade of Varld’s test, to no avail. Chrysler then joined Teknikens Varld’s team to see if they could recreate the terrible result and they also could not. Turns out, the Jeep used in Varld’s first Moose test was loaded beyond its weight specifications. The Grand Cherokee’s weight limitations are clearly stated on the vehicle and in the owner’s manual.
All is good in our world again.
Hit the jump to read the full statement from Chrysler.
UPDATE 07/10/2012: It looks like Teknikens Varld is not going to give up. After Chrysler attacked them and said their test was not accurate, the Swedish magazine posted a second part to their test in which they explained how the Grand Cherokee failed the evasive maneuver test. According to them, the car they tested was loaded according to the specifications for the maximum load in the Swedish registration certificate and was riding on standard equipment tires. Also, all systems, such as chassis settings, air suspension, and similar, were in normal mode. Even so, in each test they performed, the car either went up on two wheels or was close to overturning. We’re assuming Chrysler is going to have something to say about this as well. The drama continues!!
UPDATE 07/13/2012: The guys from Teknikens Varld are seriously not going to give up! Today they have posted a new part to their Grand Cherokee moose test in which they advise customers not to buy the new Jeep Grand Cherokee until Jeep/Chrysler solves the problems. We are pretty curious to find out what Jeep has to say about this.
In the past few years, zombies and vampires have been like a disease in the cinematographic industry and it looks like Hyundai has gotten the fever as they have unveiled a very strange looking Elantra Coupe. Called the "Zombie Survival Machine," this life-saving model was designed by The Walking Dead creator/writer Robert Kirkman and fabricated by Design Craft. It was built in honor of the 100th issue of the comic series “The Walking Dead.”
The Elantra is well-equipped to ward off any blood-thirsty zombie with armored window coverings, a roof hatch to allow passengers to fend off attacking walkers, and a trunk full of electric and pneumatic weaponry to blast off their heads. Any leftover carcasses can be done away with using the front-end custom zombie plow with spikes because, well, who doesn’t want spikes when attacking zombies? Speaking of spikes, the Elantra also has spiked all-terrain/rally type tires to allow passengers to get to safety and, when all of the technology is wiped out due to the crumbling of our world as we know it, the Elantra will be ready with a CB radio system.
"Our custom Elantra Coupe Zombie Survival Machine is the ultimate car for The Walking Dead fans and anyone who wants to survive a zombie invasion," said Steve Shannon, vice president of Marketing, Hyundai Motor America. "We are excited for fans to come and experience the Elantra Coupe and GT in a unique, post-apocalyptic way."
While we certainly hope and pray for the safety of all those involved, we were happy to find out that the race has been re-scheduled for August 12. Barring any conflicts from all the participants for the event, we can all expect a full cast of all the 211 competitors that will be ready to run the race up the clouds.
This year, we can expect to see the usual cast of racers at Pikes Peak led by no less than the legend himself, Nobuhiro "Monster" Tajima. A number of other drivers will also be in attendance, including Walter Röhrl who will be driving the iconic Audi Sport quattro A1 up the hill.
For now, pencil in August 12 as the date, although that could still change if the wildfire hasn’t been contained at that time.
So cross your fingers, people. While we’d love to see Pikes Peak take place on its re-scheduled date, we wouldn’t want to see it if it means that it could still be dangerous for all parties involved.
We told you before exactly how awesome RallyCross really is. It’s full of carnage, contact, and even bicycle ramps. Well, on the flip-side of that coin is extreme danger, especially where the jumping part is concerned. At the X-Games RallyCross running this year, there was a jump with a 50-foot gap and clearing that is typically not a problem.
Well, RallyCross rookie, Toomas Heikkinen, found out just what can happen if you take the jump a little too slowly. As Toomas exits his jump, you can tell something just isn’t quite right. Your feeling would be accurate too, as he slams headfirst into the landing ramp, absolutely destroying his car and landing upside down.
Toomas managed to get out of his flipped FordFiesta, as it spewed fluids and fortunately got out prior to it catching fire. Also fortunate is the fact that Toomas escaped with his life, though he does have a broken ankle and some abdominal pain, according to X-Games representatives, to deal with. This means that he will likely not compete in the remainder of the X-Games, but you never know about these RallyCross guys.
Our best wishes go out to Heikkinen for a speedy recovery and a successful return from his injury. Since he is doing well, we feel some good video of the crash is in order. There are two different angles of the crash, with the first being the best, and you can just imagine how much that wreck hurt.
The best video is above and the alternate angle is after the jump.
As a result of the Waldo Canyon wildfire in Colorado Springs, the U.S. Forest Service has clamped down and banned the staging of the 90th Pikes Peak International Hill Climb in June 8. According to the government agency, the extreme conditions of the fire, coupled with its unpredictable nature, has made it virtually impossible to host the event at this moment.
Tom Osborne, chairman of the board for the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb and president and CEO of the Colorado Springs Sports Corporation, understands the decision of the Forest Services, noting that safety for participants and fans remain top priority.
"Our deepest concern is for the safety of the public and the competitors," he said.
"It was obvious that several agencies charged with public safety would not be able to commit the resources and manpower required to ensure those requirements because of the critical need for their resources at this time. Our city is in an unprecedented struggle right now and we are deeply sensitive to it."
For now, race organizers have announced that the event will still take place at a later date, possibly "later in the summer." The schedule has to be set up in such a way that all the participants - drivers, teams, etc. - are available, making for what could be a huge logistical problem for the organizers.
Likewise, fans that have already booked tickets for the event will have their tickets honored on the new race date, whenever that’s going to be.
According to the FBI, we’re coming up to a couple of the hottest months of the year, and we’re not talking about the weather. Turns out, July and August are the top two months for vehicle theft, and LoJack and the International Association of Auto Theft Investigators (IAATI) are doing their part by holding their 6th annual National Vehicle Theft Protection Month. For this year, they have come up with an infographic that provides a few details and stats about car theft, as well as some helpful hints to ensure you are not a victim.
First, the facts. In 2010, there were 737,000 vehicle thefts and only 56% of those vehicles were ever recovered. The average loss per vehicle was $6,152. Not exactly a small number by anyone’s standards. What’s worse is that, if you own a Honda Accord, Honda Civic, and Toyota Camry, you are more likely to be a victim because these were the top three vehicles stolen in 2010. The Ford Mustang made up a total of 9,116 instances of car theft in 2010, so we can only imagine how many of the top three vehicles were stolen during that time.
Where you live is also a factor. Nine out of 10 areas in numbers of stolen cars are in California and Washington State, with seven of the areas belonging to The Golden State.
Being the trusting - or rushed - souls that we are, 68% of people have left their car running when they aren’t in it or have left their car unlocked, while 64% of people have their home address programmed into their GPS system and 32% have left an electronic device or personal documents in plain view.
So what can we do to protect ourselves and our vehicles from theft? The number one protection aid is to use COMMON SENSE. Hey, they said it, we only repeated it. The second and third are to use theft protection products and a tracking and recovery system.
Check out the rest of the infographic after the jump to get more helpful information and remember to check back with us for the next installment in our Car Infographics series.
For a while now, Black Eyed Peas member, Will.I.Am, has been prancing a DeLorean DMC-12 wrapped in a body kit and some rather odd looking headlights around calling it a (ahem) “Concept car” for his new “car company” dubbed “IAMAUTO.” In reality, this is literally nothing but an uglier version of the original crap box that hit the market in 1981.
Saying that any rendition of the DMC-12 could be uglier than the original may seem rather impossible, but this monstrosity takes the cake. Its sheer ugliness is not the news though. The news is that the LAPD has recently impounded this “concept” car. Though we wish we could say it was impounded for lowering property value, we cannot, but it is for an equally boneheaded reason.
Will.I.Am was caught driving this thing around L.A. without a license plate, registration, or VIN plates. We venture to say that list can also include insurance, as you typically cannot insure a car without a VIN.
So why did Mr. I.Am decide to take his “concept” on an un-plated and extremely illegal spin? According to reports, the musician said he just wanted to feel what it was like to drive his concept car on the street. Um, a few problems… First, that is no more a concept car than a 1987 Fiero with a Ferrari kit is a concept car. Secondly, you are a multi-millionaire pop star, pay to have the thing registered before driving it or take it to a track to drive it!
We’re not here to pass judgment on the guy, but please use that 3-pound hunk of water, lipids, protein, carbs, soluble organics, and inorganic salts inside of your skull (A.K.A. your brain) next time you think about taking an un-plated and unregistered car for a spin.
A silver lining in the whole situation is that Will.I.Am was, according to reports, extremely cooperative with the police. So we have to give him credit for that, at least.


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"Let the robots do the work“ was the repeated refrain at Adobe Max this year – a phrase that succinctly and enthusiastically demonstrates how Adobe feels about AI, and how it can help you. The software company has a laser sharp focus on expanding its Firefly capability across the whole Creative Cloud suite, and it is unapologetic about the benefits it feels the technology will bring to creativity.
I attended the MAX conference last week when Adobe unveiled new tools for Illustrator, Express and Premiere Pro in particular, and it was a slightly surreal experience at times. It was technologically impressive, of course, but at key moments the whoops and cheers in the room were at odds with the unfolding response to some of the announcements on X (Twitter).
So what's the balanced view? Well, Adobe is basically exploring two pathways with its approach to AI tools, the first being all those tools that deal with the 'busy work'. From removing stray hairs in Photoshop to cutting out filler words from video in Premiere Pro (above – and read about those developments here), there are clear benefits to all users when AI can take on the jobs you don't want to do, and make you more efficient. This is really where the robot refrain came in – a celebration of no longer needing to complete mundane tasks.
But it's the other side that is causing concern among creative professionals – the text-to-media capability, that has now hit vectors in Illustrator and will come to video and 3D in the near future. Though the response at Max was amazement at the capabilities of the AI, there is also professional concern over whether designers and artists will be as needed in the future, and even whether Adobe is cannibalising its own consumer base. But Adobe believes AI will deliver a lot of benefit for creatives of all levels across the industry, and deliver on its brand message of 'Creativity for All'.
Adobe's message is that the world needs more visual content than ever before, and the demand will only keep growing. AI will enable this explosion of content, allowing the industries to keep up with the demand. The diverse range of AI tools will make pros and hobbyists more efficient across the board, speeding up process via both types of tools, with the text prompt technology helping with ideation and providing a baseline to work from rather than the finished product. Given all text-prompt created images are fully editable, it would be down to the skill level of the operative that determined the complexity and standard of the final product.
The comparison was made at MAX between the advent of digital art, and the concerns over what that meant for traditional painting. Both still exist now, with artists that specialise in both.
It's worth noting that Adobe is also clear that the developments have happened in conversation with their user base, and that the new tools have come from asking what creatives actually want from AI.
This is certainly an opportunity for Adobe to widen its consumer base from creative professionals to those who want to create content. I mean this term broadly because it is broad. It could cover anyone from a marketer to an influencer, all of whom are now empowered to create high-quality content without the need for digital art or graphic design skills.
Amazing news for all those content creators, of course (and, cynically, a great opportunity for Adobe as a business), but the impact on designers and artists is, as yet, unmeasured. Though this new focus will welcome new customers, will it be at the cost of the old ones – or will there be space for both?
There's also the question of the value of the skills designers and artists have curated. If no consumer can tell the difference between AI-created media and design created the old fashioned way, is the work of a traditional designer or digital artist lessened in the space? If the colours in your design are chosen by generative recolor, does that devalue the skillset needed to choose colour?
Whatever the answer, Adobe is seeking to progress with empathy, taking steps such as promising to pay the legal bills of business customers using Firefly, if they encounter infringement situations. But the message is clear, AI is going to be firmly embedded from now on. See the Max Sneaks from this year right here for what exactly could be coming up in the future.
I talked to senior execs at Adobe about some of the questions and issues raised in this post – watch out for the full interviews, which will go live in the next couple of days.


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It looks like the judges of TechCrunch Disrupt had it right: Video content company Qwiki will be great on the iPad.
After just two days after its launch, Qwiki is the 4th most downloaded iPad app in the world.
Founder Doug Imbruce tells us, “Daily iPad traffic is going to crush daily web traffic today, and we’re very happy with our web traffic.”
As of last month, Qwiki was getting roughly 5 million monthly pageviews and 600,000 uniques, so that’s saying something.
Check out our review of Qwiki’s app, here.


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CHRISTIE’S EDGES SOTHEBY’S
Sotheby’s has released its sales numbers for the first half of 2008, results that are "the second best in our history," according Sotheby’s CEO Bill Ruprecht, especially considering "today’s global economic environment." The total consolidated sales -- including private sales as well as auctions -- was $3.44 billion, an increase of 14 percent and a record high for the house. Sotheby’s total includes the recent London contemporary sales totaling $242.4 million, which typically occur in June but this year were pushed into July.
The Sotheby’s numbers come in just below those of Christie’s International, which were announced last month. Christie’s, which is privately owned by French luxury-goods billionaire François Pinault, totaled £1.8 billion, or $3.5 billion. Christie’s total represented an increase of 10 percent over the same period in 2007.
Sotheby’s also noted that its auction commission revues for the second quarter of 2008 was 15.1 percent, an increase over the 13.6 percent margin in the first quarter of the year, though below the 16 percent obtained in the second quarter of 2007.
Still, Sotheby’s has bragging rights for selling the most expensive contemporary artwork for the period, Francis Bacon’s Triptych (1976), which sold for a record $86.3 million. Sales of contemporary art at Sotheby’s during the period totaled $1,021.7 million, edging out Impressionist and modern art sales, which totaled $816.2 million. Highs in both categories were the best ever, according to the firm.
Ruprecht drew attention to the upcoming sale in London on Sept. 15-16, 2008, "Beautiful Inside My Head Forever," offering some 200 new works by Damien Hirst, estimated in excess of $130 million. "We expect a stronger third quarter than last year," Ruprecht added.


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Precisely what is Online Reports?
Online media is a form of news in which people may get updates to the world’s hottest happenings. It is a very popular sort of news.
Precisely why online media is gaining popularity is that it is quite quick and up-to-date. You can use it anywhere and at any time, and is less expensive than a regular newspapers.
It is earth-friendly because it will not require newspaper and printer ink, which are hazardous for the planet. It also helps you to save money as there are not any printing costs involved.
Moreover, one can learning much more articles around the internet within a imprinted paper. The articles could be updated very easily and can be distributed to others.
They can be interactive since videos can be added to these people along with text pictures. The information is also available in multiple languages.
It is downloaded on the computer or upon mobile devices, turning it into convenient for people to read. Additionally, people can choose the content they would like to read according to their inclination.
The news is shared at any time of the day or night.
The web newspaper is never “put to bed” as there is always something new to article. The web may be a constantly changing place, as well as the news must be presented in an beautiful way to attract readers.
These information outlets will be adopting an array of digital outreach and proposal methods, just like newsletters, pod-casts, and crowd platforms just like Apple click for more News and Flipboard. A few also use social media, such as Facebook . com and Twitting, to spread their very own news.


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BMW Australia to enter GT Championship with M6 GT3
BMW Australia has confirmed that it will enter the GT championship next year with the soon-to-arrive BMW M6 GT3.
Speaking to the media at a special event in Melbourne today, BMW Australia boss, Marc Werner, said the manufacturer-backed BMW team would be a unique entry into the championship and an ideal fit for the BMW brand.
“It’s a well-known fact that Australians love performance vehicles, and the BMW group designs and produces some of the world’s best performance vehicles – it’s simply in our DNA.” Werner said.
“Vehicles such as our remarkable BMW M6 GT3 are born to race, so why wouldn’t we go racing? It makes perfect sense – it’s part of our brand’s performance heritage.”
The team in charge will be Steve Richards Motorsport (SRM), with Richards behind the wheel. It will be known as SRM Team BMW.
Steve Richards is a four-time Bathurst winner and the son of Jim Richards, a seven-time Bathurst winner as well as four-time Australian Touring Car Champion.
The concept behind BMW’s move is to create a factory-supported GT3 car for those that wish to enter the championship with the confidence of a manufacturer’s expertise locally at hand.
SRM and BMW will offer other BMW M6 GT3 owners on- and off-track support for their own racing programs, and Richards says they will have access to his team’s “experience to help reach their full potential driving the car”.
The BMW M6 GT3 car is the replacement for the Z4 GT3, and BMW claims that it will be significantly cheaper to run, with Richards (who also competes in the Porsche Carrera Cup) telling CarAdvice that “providing you don’t have an accident, it’s not much more than the Carrera [to run for a race season]”.
The M6 GT3 uses the same 4.4-litre V8 engine with M TwinPower Turbo technology as the standard road car. But, as per GT regulations, it weighs significantly less at just under 1300kg and comes equipped with a sequential six-speed racing gearbox and optimised body aerodynamics.
An initial batch of 20 M6 GT3s will be built in Germany, of which two are heading to Australia. BMW says the car is currently being tested at Daytona.
Due to the car’s longer wheelbase, the M6 GT3 will be a much easier car to drive fast than the Z4 GT3, BMW claims. And, given it uses a considerably larger number of shared parts with its road-going car, repair costs and durability is also improved.
The car is priced at 379,000 euro, which equates to around $570,000 on today’s exchange rate. Being a pure race-car, it does not incur luxury car tax or other forms of stamp duty applied to road-registrable vehicles, so its European price plus freight should be a close reflection of its local pricing (though that remains unconfirmed for now).
According to Werner, being in the GT championship will help the M performance brand sell more cars.
“At the end of the day the intention is to always sell more cars, that’s why we do these kinds of activities," he said.
We believe it’s perfect for our BMW M brand and if you look at what is happening next year we’ve already announced that we are launching the M2, the M4 GTS and the M6 competition package so it makes perfect sense to give the BMW M brand the right arena when it comes to motorsport and on the back of that we would consider to sell a lot more BMW M cars.”
The BMW M6 GT3 race-car will make its debut at the second round of the Sprint program, the Australian Grand Prix event in Melbourne from March 17 to March 20, 2016.


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The Chinese handset maker OPPO on Monday announced that its first 5G smartphone has successfully passed 5G CE tests conducted by Sporton International Inc -- a global inspection services authority.
Apple's iPhone struggles unravel ambitions of Japan Display
While recording, you can add a hashtag for a particular moment in the recording for reference.
If you’re on a call and it gets too noisy, the Buds auto switch to an internal microphone that picks up your voice from inside your head.
Apple will hold the event on March 25.
Looks like Huawei is more excited than most of us as it has posted details about the upcoming flagship smartphone on its own website before the official launch. Here are the key features of the Huawei P30 and the P30 Pro.
Vivo recently launched its pop-up selfie camera smartphone Vivo V15 Pro in India.
Vivo is reportedly working on a pair of new mid-range smartphones in the market. Two new smartphones from the company have surfaced on Geekbench database with codename -- Vivo 1902 and Vivo 1901. The database also reveals a few specifications as well as Geekbench scores of both the smartphones.
The company said that “no personally identifiable information” was shared with any third party. “All affected devices have received this fix and nearly all devices have already installed it,” the company said.
When Japan Display Inc broke ground on a new factory in central Japan in 2015, the future looked bright for one of the world's top vendors of liquid crystal display (LCD) panels.
HMD Global, the maker of Nokia phone said that it is aiming to increase its participation in the 4G feature phone segment in India by forming new partnerships
South Korean mobile carrier LG Uplus Corp. has said it would launch Nvidia's GeForce NOW Cloud gaming platform for Internet Protocol (IP) television services and upcoming 5G smartphones.
Chinese smartphone firms jazz up products, seize turf in home market from Apple
Samsung on Thursday said it will release its first 5G smartphone in the first week of April in South Korea, making it the world's first mobile device with the next-generation network capability.
Introducing its second generation of wireless headphones, Apple on Wednesday launched new AirPods designed to deliver more talk time.
Finnish authorities will launch an investigation into claims that Nokia phones have been transmitting users' personal data to China, the country's data protection ombudsman announced on Thursday.
Apple has unveiled new bands for its wearable product -- Apple Watch -- in India. The bands are part of Apple's spring collection and include Sport Bands, Sport Loops for Apple Watch, Nike+ and Hermès colours.


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Micki launches new stove and delicious pastries!28 augusti, 2014
With the food programmes on tv and increasing interest in cooking and baing, Micki is continuing to invest in developing its kitchen play range.
Micki’s new Mini Kitchen in the Micki Bistro series has been a major success. As part of the same series Micki is now launching a stove that looks very much like a real stove.
“We have updated Micki’s earlier red stove to make a modern stove with a wooden hob which will stimulate kitchen-based play” says Mikael Gustavsson, product manager at Micki Leksaker.
The stove was one of the new products given an enthusiastic reception on presentation at the Nuremburg International Toy Fair.
“We think the new stove will be as big a success as the Micki Mini Kitchen that we launched last year”.
CAKES AND PASTRIES
Micki is also launching delicious cakes and pastries that will be well-suited to kitchen-based play.
“During the development process for these items we researched the market and found that there is very little that can be used to play with in more than one way”, says Mikael Gustavsson.
“Quite often there”s just a cake, and that’s all. But we want children to be able to do more and so we have built in a variety of play elements. The pastries come in different shapes and colours, and are also combinable so children can create their own pastry. All the products are made of wood.
New cake products include a princess cake with a cake slice and cake dish, a cake stand with three combinable pastries, and a set of four combinable pastries.”


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FOX Sports says it is removing “sms advertising” and “airtel” sms advertisements from its mobile app in response to a petition from people concerned about the use of their phones for unsolicited sms ads.
In a statement released on Thursday, Fox Sports said: “While we have removed all of the ads and no-one has been affected by them, we understand the concerns some of you may have.”
The intent behind this is to provide a safe environment for our users and to ensure we are delivering the best content to our audience.
“The ads were being used by people using an app called “Skype for Business”, which allows people to communicate and share business, personal and professional matters in the same room.
The company said it had made the decision after the petition was launched, and because of “unacceptable content and usage practices”.”
While the app has been around since September 2015, the move is only the latest in a series of actions taken by Fox Sports to remove “smtads” and other targeted ads from its app.”
As we said before, our intention is not to target or harass anyone, but we have always made it clear to anyone using Skype for Business that we will not take part in any adverts.”
While the app has been around since September 2015, the move is only the latest in a series of actions taken by Fox Sports to remove “smtads” and other targeted ads from its app.
It said the “smhads” were being removed in a “tough decision”.
“While we understand people’s concerns about the content and privacy implications of using this feature, it is not something we have ever wanted to remove from our platform,” the spokesperson said.
“In fact, we think it’s a positive and important addition to the app.”
The petition has been signed by more than 12,000 people and is currently at more than 5,000 signatures.
Fox Sports has been criticised in recent months for its use of the “Skypes” service.
It has recently been criticised for its “smokes” advertisements which targeted people using smartphones and computers to send unsolicited messages.


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Williams Mullen Law Firm New Bronze Firearm Industry Compliance Conference Sponsor
NEWTOWN, Conn. — Orchid Advisors, the firearm industry’s trusted compliance and operations experts, and the National Shooting Sports Foundation® (NSSF®), the firearms industry’s trade association, are pleased to announce that Williams Mullen has agreed to sponsor the 2016 Firearms Industry Compliance Conference at the Bronze level. Headquartered in Richmond, Virginia, and with satellite offices in South Carolina, North Carolina and Washington, D.C., the firm provides legal services for a wide variety of enterprises, including those in the firearms industry.
“We regularly work along-side Williams Mullen on high-profile firearms industry matters. Their industry expertise, related to various legal services is top notch,” said Jon Rydberg, CEO of Orchid Advisors. “We are thankful to have them sponsor the conference again and look forward to their ongoing participation.”
“We’re very pleased to be working with the professionals from Williams Mullen again,” said Larry Keane, NSSF Senior Vice President and General Counsel. “Their expertise should be valued by all attending FICC.”
Co-hosted by Orchid Advisors and NSSF, the 2016 Firearms Industry Compliance Conference will take place May 2-4 in Atlanta, Georgia. The conference theme is highly focused on the future — where regulations are headed, how new developments in product research and development affect Federal Firearms Licensees (FFLs), and what processes and technologies FFLs are using to significantly improve their business. Additionally, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) will provide focused sessions throughout the conference, offering FFLs an opportunity to interact, ask questions and focus on proactive compliance. In addition to three learning tracks to choose from during the conference, attendees can also take part in one of two pre-conference workshops on May 2. One workshop will cover firearms industry technology, while the other will take an in-depth look at federal firearms regulations.
Seating is limited for this conference and it will sell out, so industry members are encouraged to register now. To learn more about the 2016 Firearms Industry Compliance Conference, visit www.ficconference.com. Register and reserve your seat here.
A limited number of sponsorship opportunities are available for this event. Contact Chris Tatulli, NSSF director of exhibit & sponsorship sales, at firstname.lastname@example.org or 203-460-1320 ext. 214.
The National Shooting Sports Foundation is the trade association for the firearms industry. Its mission is to promote, protect and preserve hunting and the shooting sports. Formed in 1961, NSSF has a membership of more than 13,000 manufacturers, distributors, firearms retailers, shooting ranges, sportsmen’s organizations and publishers. For more information, visit nssf.org.
About Orchid Advisors
Orchid Advisors assists firearms manufacturers, distributors and retailers in achieving compliance and operational excellence through education, technology, software and consulting solutions that reduce risk, cut costs and provide expert guidance to make our client’s business more successful and efficient. Orchid Advisors is the trusted firearms industry compliance & operations experts and is endorsed by the National Shooting Sports Foundation. For more information, visit www.orchidadvisors.com.


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With UPS handling logistics, mobile device accessory retailer Cellairis can focus on growth.
While still in college in the late 1990s, twins Jaime (above, left) and Joseph Brown (right), and Taki Skouras (middle) spotted an opportunity in the growing cellphone market: the demand for cases, screen protectors, headphones and chargers. In 2000 they pooled their resources, moved to Alpharetta, Ga., and opened a cellphone accessory store in a mall. Cellairis was born.
UPS has helped Cellairis streamline a complex logistics system.
Today Cellairis is the world's largest wireless accessory franchise, with close to 1,000 franchises in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom.
Cellairis shipping process is complex, with products developed in Georgia, manufactured at more than 25 locations in Asia and 10 locations in the U.S., warehoused in a Georgia distribution center and shipped to franchisees and customers worldwide.
There's little room for error. "If we miss one day of orders and products are not available, it can cost the franchisee both dollars and customers, and damage the brand," says Skouras, the company's CEO.
Looking for answers
The company has relied on UPS for domestic shipping since 2009 but was using a mix of vendors to manage international shipping and freight. Cellairis reached out to UPS for help in improving logistics and cutting costs. UPS recommended a whiteboard session in order to evaluate the company's supply chain and identify more efficient shipping.
"UPS basically dissected our company to learn our business, to really understand it," Skouras says.
Shelby Jackson Fox, a UPS area sales manager, says: "We listened to them, asked a litany of questions and mapped their supply chain." With that information, UPS detailed 19 logistics improvements that would cut costs and improve processes for Cellairis. On the list? Retooling the global supply chain, optimizing warehouse operations and managing international transportation.
Passing the test
Cellairis wanted to try out the new processes. It tested UPS's performance with a critical order for a national retailer – one where a late delivery or a misplaced pallet could cost Cellairis up to seven figures.
UPS dispatched a team to Cellairis' factory in China and trained workers to meet the retailer's exacting shipping specifications.
On a Friday, UPS picked up 19 pallets in China. The UPS Worldwide Express Freight® shipment reached the retailer's warehouse in time for Monday distribution to 2,200 stores. With UPS tracking technology, Cellairis monitored the shipment the entire way.
"UPS pulled it off without one error," Skouras says.
A few weeks later, Cellairis tested UPS again. UPS Worldwide Express Freight, a door-to-door service for palletized shipments of more than 150 pounds, shipped 30 Cellairis pallets – a load that would challenge the capabilities of many air freight shippers. After that shipment rolled in right on time, Cellairis handed over international shipping to UPS.
Saving time, saving money
UPS Worldwide Express Freight was just one of many changes UPS implemented for Cellairis. The end result of those changes? Estimated annual savings of more than 5,000 hours and $500,000. A supply chain redesign alone led to savings of more than 15 percent on shipments.
"We're good at creating wireless accessories. UPS is good at getting them where they need to go," Skouras says. "When it comes to shipping, I trust UPS more than I trust myself."
Cellairis wants to focus its attention on growth, both in the U.S. and overseas – it has its sights set on locations in Chile, Mexico and Australia.
"UPS will be a big part of our international expansion," Skouras says. "A year ago, I thought UPS was just a shipping company. Today I think of UPS as a strategic partner, making our whole business more efficient."


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The doors opened at noon the stoner hordes celebrated at the 2015 NorCal Medical Cannabis Cup.
HIGH TIMES returns to the Bay Area THIS WEEKEND for the 2015 HIGH TIMES NorCal Medical Cannabis Cup—and this time, we’re sparking up at the legendary Cow Palace! Tickets are still available, but prices will go up at the door, so make s...
It's official! HIGH TIMES is headed to Jamaica.
The crowds came out to enjoy the first day of the 2015 Denver Cannabis Cup and to see all the awesome vendors who are at this year's event at the Denver Mart, April 18-20 presented by MMJ America, Keef Cola and HighThere!


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MiKashBoks “Osusu Na Yu Phone”, the Sierra Leone-based, groundbreaking group-savings app, is thrilled to announce that it has finalised its financial services licence from the Bank of Sierra Leone.
The development is a product of the Sierra Leone Central Bank’s successful launch of its Regulatory Sandbox to support live testing of cutting-edge financial technology innovations. The West African country was the second country on the continent to adopt a Sandbox Framework, underscoring the Bank of Sierra Leone’s commitment to widening financial inclusion, financial stability and integrity, as well as consumer protection.
“We’re grateful for the support we received through the Regulatory Sandbox, enabling us to innovate and enhance financial inclusion in Sierra Leone,” says Salton Massally, MiKashBoks co-founder and CTO. “The tremendous response since our launch inspires us to keep focusing on our people-centric approach to financial technology. Watch this space, as we continue to revolutionise the saving experience and broaden financial access for our fellow Sierra Leoneans.”
[Sierra Leone residents only] Download MiKashBoks: Accessible at MiKashBoks Download and on the Google Play Store. For non-smartphone users, save and receive payouts using the SMS/USSD shortcode *352#.


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AVAD has set more dates and locations for its 2010 Vend-O-Palooza Tour.
The next leg of the Vend-O-Palooza tour will hit AVAD branches in Georgia, Tennessee, New Jersey, Maryland, Colorado, and Utah throughout April, May and June.
AVAD’s 2010 Vend-O-Palooza Tour has been its largest, most successful to date, the distributor said, featuring at least 45 of the industry’s residential AV, commercial AV, and security vendors at each event.
Vend-O-Palooza is a one-day trade show offering area dealers an opportunity to meet directly with leading manufacturers in an interactive forum at local AVAD branches throughout the U.S. and Canada.
Each event provides attendees with the opportunity to demo the latest products from leading manufacturers, participate in prize giveaways and raffles, and purchase products at special pricing. AVAD also conducts special workshops and training sessions at each event, including in-depth business management courses designed to help dealers successfully grow their businesses.
AVAD’s 2010 Vend-O-Palooza Tour will hit the following locations beginning in April: April 8, Symrna, Georgia; April 22, Nashville, Tennessee; May 6, Pine Brook, New Jersey, May 20, Gaithersburg, Maryland; June 10, Centennial, Colorado; and June 24, Salt Lake City.
AVAD plans on at least 20 Vend-O-Palooza tour dates throughout 2010 and will announce more locations in the near future, the distributor said.


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Bitcoin continues to make headlines despite the massive volatility in the crypto market and the issues that are taking place in China.
It’s been just revealed that the chief exec officer of crypto wallet company Strike said that Bitcoin (BTC) will impact the payments industry. This will happen combined with one of the biggest internet networks.
CEO Jack Mallers said that his company’s recent partnership with Twitter that will bring BTC tipping to the social media giant will make paying people as easy as messaging them over the internet.
“We’re using Bitcoin to make tweeting at someone as easy as sending money to someone, anywhere in the world, any time, any place, any currency, it doesn’t matter… You have absolute payment disruption that’s been a long time coming.”
It’s also important to highlight the fact that BTC is the first currency in human history that can instantly be transferred anywhere in the world, according to Mallers.
“Can the dollars that are sitting in my pocket land in another country in less than a second at no cost? No. How can any money do that? It has to be natively digital… That is the innovation of Bitcoin.”
He also says that Bitcoin as a commodity should be viewed differently than Bitcoin as a network. More than that, it’s also important to note that Twitter’s new tipping feature doesn’t necessarily need to use BTC as an asset.
“There is a difference between Bitcoin the asset, it’s this commodity-like precious metal-like asset, and then there’s Bitcoin the network, [which] is a monetary network like the Visa network… and it achieves monetary functions on a global network – instant global cash finality.”
He continued and said the following:
“In the Twitter Tips product, as it is today, as it’s rolling out as we speak, nobody’s touching Bitcoin… You don’t need to touch the asset to gain benefits from the network.”
Stay tuned for more news.


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As I reported last month, Trader Joe’s is looking at moving into a proposed new one-story, single-tenant building on the southwest corner of Lyndale Avenue and 27th Street in the greater Uptown/Lyn-Lake area. After getting grief from many at the neighborhood meeting and the City of Minneapolis, the developer (TOLD) has worked with their architect and Trader Joe’s on revising their plans.
The revised plans, as presented tonight at the Lowry Hill East Neighborhood Association Zoning & Planning Committee meeting, still call for a single-story, single-tenant Trader Joe’s but has rearranged the site plan to better address some concerns about the building’s orientation and the site layout.
The more significant changes include:
– making the building more rectangle so that it has more frontage along Lyndale
– reducing surface parking by adding stalls underground (albeit the total number of stalls increased by about 20)
– reducing one of the curb cuts on Lyndale by adding a new drive aisle behind the building to 27th Street
– adding a little plaza adjacent the main store entrance by the parking lot
– likely moving the liquor store entry further down Lyndale towards 27th Street that would also have a secondary entrance to the grocery
That said, the project team is still revising all of the drawings and predicted that they won’t be at the Planning Commission until March as a best case. This normally would be a non-issue, however a new proposal for a different liquor store across the street could cause serious repercussions for Trader Joe’s.
The other project anticipates a Planning Commission date in February, which may mean the potential liquor store could get its license before Trader Joe’s. As previously discussed, there are a number of liquor store restrictions in Minneapolis that make it difficult to locate new liquor stores in the City. In this case, if either of these stores get their license, the other one cannot open unless the laws change.
There’s also the possibility that neither will be able to get approved because both require their land to be rezoned to a more intensive commercial use (C2 versus their current C1). This requires votes by both the Planning Commission and the City Council.
It feels like just yesterday we were watching three liquor stores battling it out on Hennepin Avenue in Uptown to see who would be the fortunate new operator since the laws would only allow one to open. Kowalski’s ultimately won out, getting through the process first.
So will Trader Joe’s be boxed out by Cellars Wine and Spirits for the one block on Lyndale Avenue in the greater Uptown/Lyn-Lake area that can potentially house a new liquor store? Time will tell.
(Photo courtesy of JoeInSouthernCA via creative commons license.)


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Switzerland's largest and oldest autumn fair opened on Saturday in Basel.This content was published on October 24, 2009 - 14:29
It has been a major event in the region ever since the trade fair privilege was granted by Emperor Friedrich III in 1471.
The two-week event started with a traditional ceremony, in which bells rang out at midday.
There are 477 stands and rides, including a 60-metre-high big wheel in the Münsterplatz. Also being held are an autumn goods and a wine fair.
swissinfo.ch and agencies
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Minecraft: Pocket Edition to get “significantly bigger”
According to Mojang’s business developer Daniel Kaplan in a recent post on the company’s official site, future updates to Minecraft: Pocket Edition, the game’s dedicated mobile version, will add “significantly bigger worlds.”
Currently, the approximate size of Pocket Edition worlds is 256 by 256 blocks. Unfortunately, Kaplan’s exciting announcement didn’t specify what exact sizes the forthcoming update will bring, however, another Mojang developer on Reddit said that “medium,” “large” and “really infinite” sizes are in the process of development.
Mojang’s mobile team are also working on plans to update the AI Inventory, and boldly hinted “and a bunch of other things” as well. As expected, Kaplan stated that the company isn’t ready to share an exact release date with us just yet, although he did say that “everything is going according to plan.”
The announcement also alerted committed mobile players that starting March 1, Mojang is pausing access to Pocket Realms, the company’s dedicated Minecraft server hosting and management service on mobile.
“The Realms team is currently focused on the upcoming release of PC Realms,” Kaplan said. “Once that’s done, we’ll be in a better place to work on Pocket Realms and make it as good as it possibly can be, which will be later this year. We’re not sure how long the service will be down for, but we’ll update you as soon as normal service resumes.”


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Originally published at: REPORT: San Francisco Officials Designate the NRA a ‘Domestic Terror Organization’ | Sean Hannity
City officials in San Francisco took their war against the National Rifle Association to the next level this week; labeling the NRA a “domestic terror organization” in the wake of a series of deadly mass shootings.
The resolution -passed Tuesday evening- blames the 2nd Amendment advocacy organization for the “plague of gun violence” in the country.
“The City and County of San Francisco should encourage all other jurisdictions, including other cities, states, and the federal government, to adopt similar positions,” states the city ordinance. “San Francisco should take every reasonable step to limit those entities who do business with the City and County of San Francisco from doing business with this domestic terrorist organization.”
The NRA released a statement shortly after the Board of Supervisors passed the resolution.
“This ludicrous stunt by the Board of Supervisors is an effort to distract from the real problems facing San Francisco, such as rampant homelessness, drug abuse and skyrocketing petty crime, to name a few,” writes the NRA. “The NRA will continue working to protect the constitutional rights of all freedom-loving Americans.”
The development comes hours after Walmart -one of the nation’s largest retailers- discontinued the sale of handgun ammunition across the country.
“Walmart is set to end sales of handguns in Alaska and will discontinue the sale of short-barrel rifle and handgun ammunition in stores nationwide, the super chain’s president and CEO announced Tuesday afternoon,” reports Fox News. “The store said it will gear its focus toward long barrel deer rifles and shotguns, supply much of the ammunition they require and provide hunting and sporting accessories and apparel.”
“We have a long heritage as a company of serving responsible hunters and sportsmen and women, and we’re going to continue doing so,” McMillon said.
#BREAKING: Walmart to end sales of handguns and ammunition for assault-style weapons https://t.co/CfreJuHvIO pic.twitter.com/bXR0me1o5D
— The Hill (@thehill) September 3, 2019
Walmart is also asking customers who live in “open carry states” to refrain from bringing guns into their stores without permission from local law enforcement and managers.
“We encourage our nation’s leaders to move forward and strengthen background checks and to remove weapons from those who have been determined to pose an imminent danger,” the statement said.
Read the full report at Fox News.


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The Chinese tech giant, Xiaomi recently launched the Xiaomi Mi 5X which had a name of the flagship but came with the specifications of a mid-range device. The company has been reportedly working with Google to make a debut in the pure-stock Android experience. Xiaomi has always been using a custom UI at top of Android which they like to call MIUI. MIUI got a lot of love as well as hate as for what it is. MIUI is custom UI which surely brings out a lot of features, but at the same time brings bulk too. It slows down the device and consumes lot more RAM than a stock Android device.
Xiaomi, from the start, has been great at producing great smartphones at a cheap price. Many people have loved the design language and the hardware specifications of the Xiaomi smartphone, but at the same time have wished to have a pure-stock Android experience. Though people can install custom ROMs with nearly stock Android experience, an out-of-the-box pure stock android experience is always welcome.
When it comes to software updates, the company has always been slower than others as it had to update the whole UI as well. But now with the stock Android coming up for the Mi 5X, users will get a seamless experience with latest software updates delivered on time.
If all this becomes a reality and the devices come out by the partnership of Google and Xiaomi, this could bring out some really great smartphones at a cheaper price. The Android One 5X will initially release in the South East Asian markets. There is no word as of when the smartphone will make its way to other countries.
As far as the specifications are concerned, the Xiaomi Mi 5X features a 5.5-inch LTPS IPS LCD display with a resolution of 1080x1920 pixels. The smartphone is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 chipset coupled with 4GB of ram and 32/64GB of onboard storage. On the camera front, the smartphone sports a 12-meagpixel dual-camera setup at the back and include a 5-megapixel camera at the front.
However, we have no word on what exactly the specification would be for the pure-stock android variant of the 5X, but we expect a similar set of specifications and a similar price.


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When I read one of the major findings in a recent report by IBM Corp. (NYSE: IBM) -- that technology is the most critical factor impacting corporations today -- my first thought was: "Duh." But as I continued to read, it became clear that this was not a "Dog Bites Man" story. The technology that IBM talks about is not just focused on the software or hardware that helps build better widgets. Rather, the most useful technology these days is the technology that brings people together: social networking.
The report, "Leading Through Connections: Insights from the Global Chief Executive Officer Study" (PDF), is based on face-to-face conversations with more than 1,700 CEOs worldwide. Since IBM began the bi-annual study in 2004, technology has risen from No. 6 to the top spot. It's now ranked higher than people skills and market factors.
"As we looked across the whole of CEOs' responses, one consistent theme emerged: an overwhelming focus on changes in how people engage with the organization," the report says. "The view that technology is primarily a driver of efficiency is outdated; CEOs now see technology as an enabler of collaboration and relationships -- those essential connections that fuel creativity and innovation."
A key to business success will be how effectively companies can connect and collaborate -- with customers, their own employees, and partners. In fact, the ability to collaborate was the most commonly cited trait CEOs wanted from their employees.
With customers and business partners, CEOs see social media as a key enabler. More than half expect social channels to be a primary way of engaging customers within five years. Companies are also investing in data analytics to convert customer data into insights and insights into action. More than 70 percent of the CEOs are looking for ways to understand customers and improve responsiveness. CEOs, particularly those in the electronics (86 percent) and automotive (80 percent) sectors, are making major changes to respond better to individual customer needs. "This is now a continuous feedback kind of world," said one CEO. "We need the organizational nimbleness to respond."
This feedback loop will include business partners, for better or worse, according to the report. "In a world of increased transparency and instantly disseminated social media, organizations are often judged by their partners' actions, not just their own." CEOs expect the use of partnerships to increase more than 50 percent over the next three to five years. And those partnerships need to be deeper, more integrated, and stronger than ever. The ideal is that collaboration and communication is so tight among partners that any shift in consumer needs or desires is felt and draws an immediate reaction all along the supply chain.
In the report, an electronics industry CEO from Japan discussed how his company is helping its B2B customers innovate by "incorporating the end user's voice directly into product development."
The bottom line: Technology is making more and deeper connections among people and corporations possible. Those companies that recognize and use these connections effectively stand to gain a competitive edge.


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|Official internet-portal of St. Petersburg, cultural capital of Russia|
|Petersburg CITY / Guide to St. Petersburg, Russia||http://petersburgcity.com|
Printed from: http://petersburgcity.com/news/business/2001/08/20/fordfocus/|
Business news, 20.08.2001 18:09
The first two Ford Focus cars adopted for Russian conditions are assembledThis was reported to the press by Murray Gilbert, director general of the Ford Motor Company plant in Vsevolozhsk (Leningradskaya oblast) on Monday. Vehicles with Sedan and Universal bodies were assembled by Russian workers at the Ford plant in Valencia, Spain, and are pre-production models. According to director general, the Ford company is going to start Russian Focus repetition work in Vsevolozhsk in January 2002. Its price is going to be lower than that it is sold today by the Ford dealers in Russia, says Mr. Gilbert. According to his words, JSC Ford Motor Company has already signed several contracts with motor car equipment purveyors from Russia by now and is negotiating with European purveyors. Focus assembled in Vsevolozhsk will have Russian windows, shock-absorbers, rugs and mudguards with total cost of 400 dollars. Russian plants will be producing equipment for this car at half of its price in five years. Murray Gilbert didn't name the plants that will become purveyors for Ford, but the public relations department didn't exclude the possibility that the glass for Focus will be produced at the Borsky glass factory (Nizhegorodskaya oblast).
News source: RIA-NOVOSTI
|(c) 2000 PetersburgCity.com|


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Nigerian Breweries earns N7.6 billion profit in Q1
The largest producer of beer in Nigeria, Nigerian Breweries, has effortlessly secured the bag!
The first-quarter financial report of the Nigerian Breweries has many in awe at how the organization has done in spite of the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown.
Nigerian Breweries declared a whopping N7.6 billion net profit which translates to a 38% increase in sales. Many financial analysts are impressed seeing as the company declared a net profit of N5.5 billion last year.
Analysts are predicting that this might be the beginning of an immense rain of attention and funding from investors within and outside Nigeria for the Nigerian Breweries.


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Robinhood Markets Inc. on Wednesday added wallet support for bitcoin (BTC) and dogecoin (DOGE), increasing the breadth of its crypto wallet beyond the Ethereum ecosystem.
All users of Robinhood wallet can now send and receive BTC and DOGE, the company said in an emailed statement. It said its six-month-old wallet has hundreds of thousands of users spread across 140 countries.
Previously, that wallet was restricted to sending and receiving ether (ETH) and tokens built on the Ethereum blockchain – much like Metamask. But Robinhood said its customers wanted more assets on more chains, leading to the product expansion.
The company also on Wednesday began rolling out swap features for “select users” that allow them to trade ether for over 200 different assets. The wallet is capable of charging users gas fees – the price for transacting on Ethereum – from any tokens they hold, not just ETH. All users will have access to the swap feature in the coming weeks, Robinhood said.


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A University of California, Irvine engineer has invented a method for analyzing nanowires at temperatures approaching 800 degrees Fahrenheit in first-ever experiments, showing the valuable role the materials could play in ...
Within 24 hours of Britain's vote to leave the European Union, London-based technology startup Netz saw five investors suspend hundreds of thousands of pounds in promised money.
Chinese tech giants Lenovo and Tencent have joined a funding round for US-based augmented reality startup Meta, developing systems to touch and move digital objects.
A Silicon Valley entrepreneur said Monday he has begun working on a new kind of stock exchange which he says is better adapted to the fast-moving world of tech startups.
Theranos, a startup that touted a revolutionary new way to test blood, has revealed it is under scrutiny by US civil and criminal authorities.
Virtual reality is a trip, but an even wilder ride could be around the corner as mind-bending startups and technology trendsetters try to emblazon the world with interactive holograms that enlighten, entertain and empower ...
On the Internet, traffic is easily tracked. Google and Facebook have algorithms that know what users are searching for. Online retailers can monitor what shoppers are buying. Newspapers can see in real-time how many readers ...
Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak had a front row seat as the personal computer began to reshape society. So it made perfect sense to him to bring a convention meshing technology with pop culture to Silicon Valley.
Microsoft is lending a hand to a set of startups working in the highly technical realm of machine learning.
Okay, entrepreneurs and venture capitalists, here are two words that can help your investment in a startup business succeed: direct flights.


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FedEx and robotics company Nuro announced a multi-year agreement to test autonomous vehicles in the package delivery company's network.
They'll pilot the program in Houston, where Nuro's low-speed unmanned vehicles already make deliveries for Domino's Pizza and supermarket chain operator Kroger. The R2 vehicle has space for cargo but not for a human driver.
Nuro says the partnership will target delivery scenarios that offer the "best bang for the buck." FedEx says that will likely include sending out the vehicle for late-night pickups in remote places.
FedEx's rival, UPS, is focusing on drones for unmanned deliveries instead of fully autonomous vehicles.
Parcel companies are racing to cut the cost of getting packages from the warehouse to its destination. Freight and logistics companies are exploring ways to roll out self-driving technology on predictable and simple routes because transporting people is proving more difficult than delivering packages and food.


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Microsoft plans to release an Xbox Live update beginning in less than two weeks, according to Joystiq. The update will add support for Microsoft's new disc format and add Paypal as a payment option for Xbox Live. Meanwhile, Microsoft will also be launching Avatar Kinect on May 27th as a separate download. [Joystiq]
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Nintendo is shutting down its video service for the Wii U console less than three years after it began, but few users are lamenting its demise.
Nintendo won't be abandoning hardware or licensing its game titles for use on smartphones, its President Satoru Iwata told analysts in Tokyo.
Nintendo cut the price on its flagship game console and introduced a portable system Wednesday, hoping to spur sales and better position itself for the year-end holiday season.
Nintendo's President said a lack of compelling titles for the Wii U is hurting sales, and promised to improve the console's lineup this year.
Japanese gamemaker Nintendo will combine its hardware teams for portable and home-based consoles, the first major change in its development structure in nearly a decade.
Sales of Nintendo's new Wii U game console appear to be lagging those of its famous predecessor in Japan after its opening weekend, though the company says both sold out and comparisons are largely meaningless.
The original concept for Nintendo's new Wii U game controller?
Amazon.com has released its paid streaming video service on Nintendo's new Wii U console, with a host of titles free to users who subscribe to its Amazon Prime service.
The console and the handheld GamePad in Nintendo's hot-selling Wii U form a special bond, thanks to proprietary smarts that Nintendo and Broadcom developed to drive high Wi-Fi performance.
Nintendo apologized to early buyers of the Wii U for outages on its new online gaming platform, but said sales of its new flagship game console were strong during its global launch Sunday in the U.S.
Nintendo's new game console the Wii U will go on sale in the U.S. Sunday as the company attempts to regain ground from Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's Playstation 3.
Nintendo said Thursday pre-order sales of its new Wii U console are strong and the game is likely to have shortages this holiday season after its launch.
Linus Torvalds released Linux 3.1 Monday and the new feature list is long and wide. Linux 3.1 includes a new iSCSI implementation and support for OpenRISC, Near-Field Communication chips, and -- get this -- Wii controllers.
Nintendo will slash the price of its 3DS handheld gaming device in Japan from mid August.
Japan's console and portable gaming market sank 16 per cent in the first six months of the year as new software failed to make a splash and sales of hardware fell, according to data released on Thursday.
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BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- It's a phenomenon that turns everyday items into dangerous, even deadly, flamethrowers. It's called "flame jetting."
Each year, more than 4,000 people are badly burned when flames from commonly used items suddenly explode, shooting fire several feet through the air.
It can happen with flammable liquids, like the gasoline you use for your lawnmower, fireplace fuels, and even liquor.
When the containers get near an open flame, the fumes can ignite, engulfing everything in their path. It happened to Baltimore County native Aubrey Clark.
"It was like a fire-breathing dragon or like a flamethrower," she says.
In 2011, Aubrey was just 17, at a party with friends. When one got close to an outdoor fire with a gasoline can.
Aubrey was more than 10 feet away, but flames enveloped her, burning a third of her body. Tonia Clark described for WJZ her daughter's devastating injuries.
"Her chest, neck, face, her arms, her hands -- were all burned," Tonia said.
As a mother who nearly lost her child to flame jetting, Tonia is not alone.
Margrett Lewis's daughter was also severely burned. She and her twin sister were roasting marshmallows at the time.
"The fire had gone out after about 20 minutes and they went to refuel it ... when I heard the screaming and ran outside, I saw my daughter on fire like a log."
Margrett and Tonia tell WJZ, nearly 4,000 people are burned and 450 die every year in the U.S. from common household products that explode and unexpectedly shoot fire through the air, sometimes five, 10 or 15 feet.
"We need action," Tonia says.
And they're taking their fight to Washington. A new bill introduced by California Congressman Mike Thompson, and backed by Maryland Representative Dutch Ruppersberger, would require manufacturers to put metal or plastic screens on flammable liquid containers.
They're known as flame arrestors, which block the fumes from escaping.
"All we're trying to do is protect people from the gas vapors that come out and ignite, and all of a sudden, it causes a lot of damage to human beings," says Congressman Ruppersberger.
"We're not warning consumers -- be careful, you have a very dangerous product -- if somebody tips or pours it -- it can explode," Margrett says. "We want these defective products to be made usable. It shouldn't be a bomb. If we put the protective barrier, the safety guard back at the opening -- 100 percent of the time, they're safe to use. Who would sell a product that becomes a flamethrower or a bomb?"
Congressman Ruppersberger tells WJZ a national safety campaign warning people of these dangers is in the works.
The Portable Fuel Manufacturer's Association released a statement saying that fuel arrestor designs in the past "failed and, in many cases, caused additional safety issues," but that they support Thompson's legislation and will adopt standards put forth.
for more features.


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Read the full story at GreenBiz.
As shoppers get increasingly interested in where their products come from, a growing number of companies are starting to tell the stories behind the journey to the retail shelf.
Shoppers can now use product codes to trace Silk Soymilk back to the soybean farm, Organic Valley milk back to the dairy farm, and John West canned tuna back to the fishing vessel. The soon-to-be-released “Trace My Coke” application will also disclose details about the product’s environmental impacts, including its carbon footprint.
Beyond food and beverage products, examples of supply chain transparency are also showing up in consumer products like clothing (e.g., Patagonia, Icebreaker, etc.), and jewelry (e.g, Walmart).


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NEW ZEALAND: Hallenstein Glasson H1 earnings tumble
- H1 earnings drop to US$6.4m
- Sales down 8%
Clothing retailer Hallenstein Glasson was hurt by heavy discounting in each of its divisions over the key summer season, leading it to a drop in first-half earnings and sales.
CEO Graeme Popplewell said the results were in line with guidance provided earlier this year. Total comprehensive income for the six months ended 1 February dropped to NZ$6.4m (US$5.5m) from NZ$10.3m a year earlier.
Group sales were down 8% to NZ$106.4$m versus revenues of NZ$115.7m in the year ago period.
Popplewell said that while the early winter figures were only a modest improvement, they have reversed the trend seen during the first half of the year.
"We operate in a highly competitive environment which has, of recent times, been increasingly characterised by discounting and sale activity. However, for differing reasons, each chain in the group failed to execute the summer season to potential," he said.
"There is still considerable work to do to ensure the business recovers earnings to historic levels but we are encouraged by results over the past few weeks. The key winter trading months of May and June will be critical to achieving our targeted earnings for the winter season."
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The Millennial generation has long been a key demographic for companies, and Generation Z is now emerging from beneath its shadow. A pair of new studies from Deloitte and GlobalWebIndex zero in on these coveted cohorts, offering insights into consumer behavior—from cord-cutting to binge-watching—that is already beginning to transform numerous industries… and where they lead, others are sure to follow.
—Gen Z: Get Ready for the Most Self-Conscious, Demanding Consumer Segment, Fung Business Intelligence, August 2016, fbicgroup.com
- Love of social.Among internet users worldwide, one out of every three minutes spent online is devoted to social networking and messaging—for a daily average of more than two hours. The average internet user now has eight social media accounts.
- Growth of Instagram and Snapchat. Among social media outlets, Instagram’s popularity continues to grow, and now surpasses Twitter among 16- to 34-year-olds. Snapchat is the most popular messaging app among Gen Z, while Facebook continues to be popular.
- Maturity of online video. Ninety-two percent of internet users ages 16 to 64 watch video online every month. Just under half watch online TV—a number that jumps by 50 percent among 16- to 34-year-olds.
- Gen Z loves Netflix. Seventy percent of 14- to 19-year-olds in North America watch Netflix each month, and binge-watching is huge. Forty percent of Millennial and Gen Z binge watchers do so each week, averaging five hours of viewing in a typical session.
- Free streaming is king. Nearly a majority of U.S. households subscribe to services like Hulu, Amazon Prime and Netflix. That number rises to 60 percent among Gen Z, Millennials and Gen X audiences. About 40 percent of time is spent on free streaming services, versus paid content (35%).


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- Articles tagged "apps"
Intel spent the second day of IDF revealing their plans for the Atom processor family. From new hardware to software, Intel plans to plant its Atom processor into every market segment, from industrial applications to your home.
Looking for apps for your spiffy new iPhone 4? Here's a quick list of apps that you should get (unless, well, if you already have them).
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- Typo2 keyboard for iPhone 6 now available
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- Swiss watchmaker Tag Heuer to launch new smart watch next summer


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Ackroo (Ackroo Stock Quote, Chart, News: TSXV:AKR) may have gotten off to a rocky start in it public life, but insiders are taking the opportunity to load up on shares.
CFO John Chapman yesterday picked up 15,000 shares at $.16 and $17, adding to the 20,000 shares he bought in December. Chairman Jeff Durno was also buyng at that time, purchasing 25,000 shares at $.175.
Shares of Ackroo bottomed at $.075 in early March, but have since rebounded to more than double that. The move has coincided with a shuffling at the top. On March 11th, the company appointed co-founder Eamonn Garry as CEO. Garry, who held a variety of senior engineering and management roles at Nortel Networks, Amdocs, Bridgewater Systems, began with the company, which was then known as MoneyBar, as Chief Technology Officer.
Ottawa-based Ackroo began with a rethinking of the digital electronic payment interchange platform, where Garry and co-founder Tyler Nelson looked to apply their considerable knowledge of the telecom sector’s changes to a space they felt would undergo a similar evolution. The result is a solution that allows small and medium sized business to implement loyalty programs that can compete with national and international firms without breaking the bank.
Garry says the company is looking forward to 2013.
“In 2012, we formed new alliances with strategic partners in the payments industry which accelerated our go to market plan,” he said in a note accompanying the company’s recent financials. “We also gained many new customers and continued to advance our product suite. We have a unique approach to our market with industry-leading innovative technology deployment coupled with supporting business practices. We believe we are positioned for success in 2013.”
Disclosure: Ackroo is an annual sponsor of Cantech Letter.


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The United States is the third-largest exporter of plastics processing machines to Brazil, behind Germany and Italy, according to a report from the American Consulate in SÃo Paulo.
U.S.-made machines have captured 16 percent of the import market, the report said. Germany holds 25 percent, followed by Italy with 23 percent. France is now fourth, with 10 percent.
The Europeans' strength comes from long-standing cultural and immigration ties, government financing and the large number of German and Italian subsidiaries in Brazil, the report said. However, U.S. machines are becoming more popular, according to the consulate report.
In 1994, the U.S. shipped $25.8 million worth of plastics processing equipment to Brazil, surpassing France for the first time to move into third place. Exports to Brazil jumped in 1995 to $42 million, a 63 percent gain.
In 1996, the report said, Brazilian processors bought $46 million worth of U.S.-made plastics machinery. The number is expected to reach $52 million in 1997.
When adjusted for inflation, Brazilian imports of U.S. equipment are growing 8 percent a year. The overall import market is growing at 7 percent.
As the largest industrial country in Latin America, Brazil has about 5,000 plastics processing companies, with a total installed base of 45,000 machines.
Those numbers come from
DNMAIP, the national department of machines and accessories for the plastics industry in Brazil. DNMAIP says there are about 1,300-1,400 injection presses, 300 blow molding machines and 400 extruders sold each year in Brazil.
Brazil is the biggest plastics machinery producer in South America, and sells its equipment throughout Latin America.
The consulate's report does not address the Brazilian government's move, effective April 1, to slow imports by requiring quicker payment terms for imported products. The report came out in March.


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Last May, 150,000 employees at the Ford Motor Co. waved goodbye to the Microsoft Windows interface that they had grown accustomed to seeing when they logged on to their computers every day. No, their IT department hadn’t succumbed to Apple Computer’s slick marketing campaigns and forsaken all their PCs for Macs. Instead, Bipin Patel, director of information systems at the $141 billion US car manufacturer, was up to something a lot more radical: He had spent six months devising a way to replace about 1,000 intranets, each serving individual business units around the world, with a single portal for the entire firm.
For sure, that’s a lot more radical, and definitely more hip, than Apple’s sleek new Titanium Powerbook. But while Patel and Ford may be at the vanguard, they might not be there for long. Meta Group, an IT research and consulting firm, predicts that out of 2,000 of the world’s largest companies, 85 percent will use a portal by 2003, up from around 50 percent this year.
One conversation with Patel and it’s easy to see why the business case for portals is so compelling. Portals, he says, achieve two things for a company the size of Ford. First, they break down artificial barriers so that, for example, staff in one part of a company can retrieve information easily from staff in another part. Second, they put an end to the long hours that companies spend maintaining multiple stores of information found on local intranets.
Intranets grew out of groupware packages, such as Lotus Notes, to provide email initially. Though they have since expanded to become a repository for all sorts of documentation at companies like Ford, they have never succeeded in becoming a primary source of information for staff.
Simply put: Supply just hasn’t been serving demand. Staff at companies around the world have long hankered for personalized information combined with data and reports from corporate sources outside their immediate centers of command. As an example, Patel points to marketing managers at Ford who want financial results that are broken down by vehicle type. “Traditionally, they would have made a request to finance,” he explains, “and someone would have had to do lots of digging to find the information, and then faxed or emailed it to the right person. And if someone then wanted [similar information] in the sales department for a different vehicle, the whole process would have been repeated.”
Portals take a different approach. They let authorized staff send any queries directly to a database or application for a speedy response. They work in much the same way as MyYahoo, the first consumer portal that lets surfers customize content appearing on its home page from their own PCs. “The portal is the realization of the dream of integrating all the resources people need,” enthuses Jacques Halé, director of research methods at Butler Group, an IT research and consulting firm.
No Man Is an Island
That ability to connect “islands” of information throughout an organization is a powerful attraction. A survey of 68 corporate portal deployments conducted by Plumtree, a vendor that’s supplying the technology for Ford’s portal, found that managing content and documents, streamlining information distribution, and integration with enterprise applications are the three main reasons why they are set up.


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All Samsung smartphones except for a handful of low-end models will come with Samsung Pay preinstalled from the start of 2017, an official from the company has told Business Korea. The mobile payments service launched in 2015 and was available initially only on Galaxy S6, S6 Edge, S6 Edge+ and Note 5 models. It is preparing to launch the Samsung Pay Mini app in January 2017, which will be available on all Android handsets but has been blocked by Apple from appearing on its app store.
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This article is more than three years old


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LONDON--JD Wetherspoon PLC (JDW.LN) Friday maintained its interim dividend as it posted higher pretax profit during the fiscal half year, and said it is lowering prices for breakfasts and coffees as it tries to tackle competition from supermarkets, which is weighing on its profits.
The U.K. pub chain recorded a pretax profit of 37.5 million pounds ($56 million) in the 26 weeks ended Jan. 25, 2015, compared with GBP36 million a year earlier, with no exceptional items this year. Like-for-like sales increased by 4.5%, while revenue climbed 9% to GBP744.4 million from GBP683.2 million.
Stripping out exceptional items and costs, pretax profit fell slightly to GBP37.5 million from GBP37.8 million, the company said, owing mainly to a slightly lower gross margin, higher rates of pay for pub staff and higher utility costs.
Chairman Tim Martin said the first half of the financial year resulted in a reasonable sales performance and free cash flow, although stronger competition from supermarkets and increased pay and bonuses for pub staff, among other things pressured profits.
The company said it serves approximately 50 million coffees and teas a year and about 24 million breakfasts and is planning to triple coffee and breakfast sales over the next 18 months.
"The second half of the last financial year was strong, which will make it difficult to improve on that performance in the current year, although we expect a reasonable outcome for the full financial year," Mr. Martin said in a statement.
The pub operator maintained its interim dividend at 4.0 pence.
Shares at 0820 GMT down 13 pence, or 1.7%, at 798 pence, valuing the FTSE 250 company at GBP977.1 million.
Write to Razak Musah Baba at firstname.lastname@example.org; Twitter: @Raztweet
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