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A new study suggests that women are better at parking cars than men. Video collected from cameras in car parks has been analysed and shows that women tend to be better at manoeuvring a vehicle, and are more likely to leave it in the centre of a parking bay, although they do take longer to […]
Airlines which operate Airbus A380s have been warned that a problem with cracks in a component in the wings needs to be addressed. Among the carriers which have been told to check their fleets by the European Aviation Safety Agency are Air France-KLM, Emirates and Singapore Airlines. Emirates, which has the largest fleet of superjumbos […]
The capsizing of a cruise ship on Friday may well have been the fault of the liner’s captain, according to the company which operates the vessel. Capt Francesco Schettino, who was in charge of the Costa Concordia which ran into rocks off the coast of the island of Giglio in Tuscany, has been held in […]
The number of car registrations in 2011 dropped to the lowest level in more than 10 years according to the Society of Motor Manufactures and Traders. In December, the figure fell by 3.7 per cent compared to the same month a year earlier. However, the number of cars being produced rose significantly over the last […]
Workers travelling back to their jobs tomorrow will be faced with a rise in the price of their tickets as the government pushes fares up by an average of six per cent. The hike has been condemned by consumer groups. Maria Eagle, shadow transport secretary, said train companies were only interested in turning a profit, […]
A strike by London Underground drivers, and a countrywide reduction in the number of train services, has meant travel problems for many who planned to travel over Boxing Day. LU tried last week to have the decision by the Aslef union to call its members out on strike blocked in the High Court. However, the […]
An estimated 4.25 million travellers are expected to go abroad for the festive period as the annual getaway begins. In addition to this, the AA has said around 18 million drivers will take to the roads over the period. A joint survey conducted by the motoring organisation and Populus shows that 68 per cent of […]
Billionaire Sir Richard Branson has confirmed that he will be looking closely at a scheme to open branches of Virgin Money at railway stations between London and Scotland. The entrepreneur is currently attempting to retain the franchise for Virgin Trains on the route up the west coast. Other firms also keen to win the contract […]
Consumer watchdog Which? Has published a report in which it claims that controversial charges made by airlines when a customer purchases a ticket using a credit or debit card have skyrocketed over the last seven years by as much as 1,400 per cent. Which? Has asked the Office of Fair Trading to immediately look into […]
Thomas Cook has said it will be announcing its full year financial results in December, after managing to secure a £200 million loan from the banks. The firm said it was not going to release any financial details while negotiations were ongoing. The latest loan replaces the £100 million deal the travel operator announced in […]
As well as offering great discounts on extras like Airport Parking and Excess Protection, this also provides account holders with the ability to manage current bookings, store searches and make future bookings quicker.
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Nearly one-quarter of the 59 new dietary ingredient (NDI) notifications companies submitted to FDA between November 2015 and October 2016 were acknowledged without objection by FDA.
Nearly one-quarter of the 59 new dietary ingredient (NDI) notifications companies submitted to FDA between November 2015 and October 2016 were acknowledged without objection by FDA. The American Herbal Products Association (AHPA; Silver Spring, MD) shared these numbers from its AHPA NDI Database, which tracks NDI notifications as well as FDA’s responses.
Of those 15 NDI notifications that FDA received without objection during that time frame, several were from companies resubmitting a notification after FDA expressed concerns about an original submission. And of the 59 NDI notifications submitted to FDA between November 2015 and October 2016, FDA flagged 18 of them as incomplete, for reasons including a failure to translate information into English and failure to identify the ingredient.
“Data from the latest NDI notifications confirm that companies can successfully navigate this system to bring new dietary ingredients to market,” commented Merle Zimmerman, PhD, AHPA’s chief information analyst. “The data also show that companies are having success when they resubmit notifications that address FDA observations about previous submissions.”
Zimmerman also said there is still a need to educate companies on what factors will cause FDA to flag a notification as incomplete “so they can avoid common pitfalls,” noting that his association offers several resources to assist firms, including the NDI Database (from which companies can learn what FDA objected to), as well as webcasts and association guidance documents.
Nutritional Outlook magazine

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Bridgestone Potenza Sport tyres will be available for fitment on the virtual Lamborghini Revuelto alongside the manufacturer’s original equipment supply deal with the Italian supercar marque for the real-life version of the car. The first V12 hybrid plug-in HPEV super sport car rolls on the Potenza Sport in Asphalt 9: Legends, the latest game in Gameloft’s billion-downloaded arcade racing franchise, kicking off a new official eSports competition, the Lamborghini Revuelto eSports Challenge. The competition will be open to iOS, Android, Xbox, and PC players, who will compete in the Lamborghini Revuelto, unveiled in March 2023. This collaboration puts the Bridgestone brand in front of the Asphalt audience, with players able to enjoy its exclusive Bridgestone livery in game exclusively by entering the challenge.
Pirelli has launched the P Zero Trofeo RS, a new iteration of its semi-slick tyre range designed for sporting performance. The tyre has already been requested, in a specialised edition, for the Pagani Automobili Utopia hypercar. Pirelli said the tyre is a “technical evolution” of the P Zero Trofeo R, though the RS is primarily targeting original equipment channels, compared to the R’s positioning as an aftermarket tyre to improve on-track performance.
Goodyear has developed a bespoke version of its ultra-ultra high performance Eagle F1 Supersport tyre for the different versions of the Maserati GranTurismo. The car will be available with a V6 twin-turbo configuration with two different levels of performance. The tyres have been tuned to suit the characteristics of the new Maserati models and carry MGT markings to show that they have been specifically developed for the Italian brand.
The long-term trends associated with the UK’s ultra-high performance tyre segment have continued to develop in line with expectations, but the latest data from market analyst GfK reveals the unspooling effects of three segment defining factors: car-makers’ increased specification of 17” and 18” tyres on mass market, sub-premium models; the broader context of the UK’s high inflation-low growth economic environment; and the rising availability of low-cost tyres from manufacturers outside the premium (and even mid-range) tier. The last of these trends show why the term “ultra-high performance tyres” (or UHP tyres) is inherently suspect, just as “performance tyres” previously became a term applied to the majority of car tyres. The data we discuss in this article refers to high rim diameter products, encompassing everything from 17” up to the specialist products pushing well into the 20s. The tyre demands of new cars in the last decade and more have trended upwards to make the lower end of this range a regulation fitment on family hatchbacks and saloons.
Giti Tire has signed a multi-year global co-branding agreement with Sparco, one the world’s leading manufacturers of motorsport safety systems and racing equipment. The Giti brand becomes global automotive tyre partner of the Italian brand under the deal, while the slogan “Giti – Powered by Sparco” will appear on the sidewall of key UHP sizes from 2024. The development of these products will form a “bridge” between the businesses, according to Sparco.
BMW M GmbH is adding a “formidable special edition model” to its product range in 2023, an “exclusive high-performance car that combines supreme dynamic prowess with the everyday usability of an M3 saloon.” Announcing the upcoming debut of the BMW M3 CS, BMW (UK) says the car will come with “track tyres as standard.” Accompanying photos show this tyre to be the Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S.
Yeovil-based Ariel Motor Company is probably best-known for the hair-raising fun associated with its Ariel Atom and Nomad. However, last August the company entered supercar territory with the launch of the 1180 bhp electric-powered Hipercar.
With a grand total of three contenders, the latest comparative evaluation from Auto Express may be able to claim kudos for being the smallest tyre test ever. The motoring publication examined the new SportContact 7 in size 235/35ZR19 91 Y at Continental’s Ulvade providing ground in the USA, fitting the tyres to a VW Golf GTI and pitting them against two rivals from the ultra-ultra-high-performance segment, the Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S and the Pirelli P Zero PZ4.
Hankook says the Ventus S1 Evo Z marks a new era in its high-end-tyre portfolio, streamlined for highly demanding sportscars. The manufacturer focused on delivering high grip in different weather conditions, developing a new silica enriched compound mixture with the latest generation of functional polymers, technology originating from its racing tyre development. This compound undergoes a slower curing process with low temperature vulcanisation to increase the blending of those molecules that then influences the driving performance. This ensures a consistently high level of grip across a wide range of applications and the result is a tread compound which is bespoke for sports cars of premium manufacturers, representing the top of their range.
GfK data shows that the 17” and above UK tyre replacement market continues to offer both increased volume and value. While the 19” and above segment retains the characteristics of specialised fitments, the top two fitments account for more than one-fifth of replacement tyres sized 17-18”.
The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company has officially opened its new manufacturing facility in Dudelange, Luxembourg, an operation it calls a “first of its kind” for the company. The inauguration on 5 May follows a US$77 million investment in industry 4.0 digital manufacturing processes at the site.
When searching for the best tyre for sporty driving, the choice is between maximum safety and the highest possible dynamics. The former involves good grip and deep grooves, especially in the rain. But for the fastest cornering and optimal contact with the road, especially in dry conditions, a tyre with a low void ratio is the way to go.
Continental’s new SportContact 7 won its first independent tyre test when Tyre Reviews made it the winner of its 2022 Ultra High-Performance test. The new model improves on the sixth generation SportContact with braking distances eight per cent shorter in the wet and six per cent shorter in the dry. Peter Robb, marketing director at Continental, said: “What a win for the SportContact 7! With the success of its predecessor, this result is evidence of Continental’s commitment to producing class-leading high performance tyres. We are thrilled with the win, especially as it is the first tyre test for the new tyre.”
Tyre comparison website Tyre Reviews has put ten popular tyres for performance cars to the test, making the brand-new Continental SportContact 7 a winner in its first outing on the independent assessment circuit. Reviewer Jonathan Benson fitted the ten tyre combinations to a BMW-powered Toyota Supra in sizes 255/35 R19 (front) and 275/35 R19 (rear) for the test, which he conducted over nine disciplines at Conti’s Contidrom facility. Given that the tyre was proven at the circuit, and is at least 12 months newer than any other product in this test, it is perhaps a little unsurprising that the SportContact 7 prevailed, but with reasonably comfortable first-place finishes in the dry and wet handling and braking tests, Tyre Reviews concludes that the tyre sets “a new standard for the UUHP segment.”
For many petrolheads, a lap of the Nürburgring is akin to a pilgrimage, and the circuit in Germany’s Eifel region is also a favourite site for performance car developers. Hankook Tire now has a presence in the neighbourhood, too. During a small ceremony held yesterday, the tyre maker officially opened the Nürburgring Workshop, a new branch office of its Hankook Europe Technical Centre (ETC).


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Soylent Says This Ingredient Has Been Making Customers Sick
This story has been corrected. See below.
Soylent has figured out what’s been making its customers sick: algae.
The company has been investigating its products since receiving several complaints that its Food Bar and Soylent 1.6 Powder were causing gastrointestinal distress, including nausea and vomiting. The results suggest that algal flour, an algae-based ingredient, could be the offending component, Bloomberg reports. Soylent is now working on a new recipe to swap out the flour.
Soylent got the algal flour from biotechnology company TerraVia, which contests the company’s results and maintains that the ingredient is safe for consumption.
“Our algal flour has been used in more than 20 million servings of products, and we are aware of very few adverse reactions. In no cases was algal flour identified as the cause,” TerraVia told Fortune. The company added that Soylent’s products contain upwards of 40 ingredients, a number of which have “well documented digestive side effects.”
Soylent has not received any complaints for its pre-made drinks, the only one of the three products it makes without the flour, likely influencing the company’s conclusion.
Bloomberg noted that the symptoms Soylent customers experienced were similar to those previously reported by some people who ate Honey Stinger protein chews, which were made with TerraVia’s whole algal protein. TerraVia was aware of the issue, notifying a distributor in July that there were a “modest number of reports” that algal protein could lead to gastrointestinal distress.
Soylent wasn’t informed of the gastrointestinal issues linked to TerraVia’s whole algal protein because the ingredient was not used in any of its products. TerraVia explained to Fortune that whole algal protein and algal powder are “fundamentally different ingredients” and it would be inaccurate to lump the two together.
Soylent could not immediately be reached for comment.
A previous version of this story stated that Honey Stinger’s energy bars had caused some customers to experience gastrointestinal distress. The offending product was actually Honey Stinger’s protein chews.


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Brompton profits unfolded
Brompton Bicycle sold more folding bikes last year but profit margins suffered as the company was hit by currency fluctuations and rises in the cost of materials.
The west London manufacturer made a pre-tax profit of £762,521 on sales of £11.4m to the year ended March 2010, compared with a £600,648 profit last year. It sold almost 26,000 bikes last year but management said it expected trading to be tougher this year as a result of challenging economic conditions.
AIA float is big in China
Chinese investors have piled into the float of AIA, the Asian arm of the US insurer AIG. Market sources in Hong Kong, where AIA is listed, said the $20.5 billion (£13 billion) offer was five times oversubscribed.
The offer was launched on Tuesday and will close…


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The Vietnamese Ministry of Information and Communications on Friday held a press conference announcing Vietnam will for the first time co-host the virtual International Telecommunications Union (ITU) Digital World 2020 event in October.
Ministers of ITU member countries, along with delegates representing international agencies, foreign experts on ICT and the digital economy as well as leading tech companies are expected to attend the three-day event, which kicks off on October 20.
Based on the proposal of Minister of Information and Communications Nguyen Manh Hung, the global-scale event will be held online following the effects of COVID-19.
The forum will include seminars and discussions on such topics as digital technology-related development in Vietnam and a virtual exhibition attended by national pavilions of leading technology corporations and countries across the globe.
“The cooperation with ITU in organizing the Digital World 2020 forum and exhibition makes a significant contribution to enhancing [Vietnam]'s image [as a country] with fast and dynamic developments in telecommunications and information technology,” said Phan Tam, Deputy Minister of Information and Communication.
Additionally, Tam spoke highly of the opportunity that the ITU Digital World event offers to Vietnamese businesses in terms of market expansion and business interaction, which help boost Vietnam’s international integration.


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Di Gaetano president of Natuzzi Americas
Staff Staff -- Furniture Today, October 31, 2012
He replaces Joseph Mussallem, who had been president since early 2010 and left the company just before the High Point Market.
Pasquale Natuzzi, corporate CEO and president of Italy based Natuzzi Group, said, "I am so sorry to see Joe leaving the company but I am sure that his 20 years with Natuzzi serving in various positions will provide him with huge opportunities in his future professional development. We thank Joe for the wonderful contributions and outstanding dedication to our company."
Natuzzi added, "At the same time, we are fortunate to have a professional of Di Gaetano's caliber step in to manage the company's growing brand portfolio."
In his previous posts, Di Gaetano was involved in branding, fashion, corporate structure and financials - all elements that will help him expand the Natuzzi brands in the U.S., the company said.
Di Gaetano, who will reside in the United States, said, "I am thrilled to be joining the Natuzzi team of professionals and am excited about the opportunity to take advantage of every opportunity to broaden and strengthen the Natuzzi brands here in the United States."
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FTTV: Frontline Friday From F/T


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Erica has won $500 and has advanced to the Finals along with Tasha Power, Co-Founder and CMO of Kanatan Health Solutions from Saddle Lake Cree Nation, AB; Devon Fiddler, Founder & CEO of SheNative Goods from Waterhen Lake First Nation, SK; and, Harlan Wade Kingfisher, Founder & CEO of Smudge the Blades from Sturgeon Lake First Nation, SK.
- Pow Wow Pitch Partners with Raven Indigenous Capital Partners to Scale Impact to US Indigenous Entrepreneurs
- Jasmine LaBillois, Msit No’kmaq Forest & Nature School, wins 2023 People’s Choice
- Ramona Emerson, Sharon Marshall, and Ashley Michel win 2023 Alumni Choice
- Jodie Moonie, Dante Biss-Grayson and Jason Picard-Binet, win Fashion Semi-Finals
- Aritzia partners with Pow Wow Pitch to launch and award Aritzia Indigenous Fashion Grants


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NETS services across Singapore disrupted for over an hour
All Network for Electronic Transfers (NETS) services across Singapore were down for more than an hour on Friday afternoon (2 February).
In a Facebook post published at around 2.30pm, the e-payment provider said NETS services, including point-of-sales transactions and top-up services, were “temporarily unavailable”.
NETS said in an update at 3.45pm that all services had been restored.……
Singapore cashless breakdown
Leave a comment in Nestia App


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Ahead of Indian wrestling sensation Ritu Phogat’s return to action against Singaporean warrior Tiffany Teo at ONE 161 on September 29, relive her three-round atomweight MMA scrap with China’s Lin Heqin in 2021!
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Wish there is confluence of political parties at public functions: Chidambaram
Presence of AIADMK minister at function at Muthupatti prompted Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram to remark that he wished there was a confluence of political parties at public functions in future.
Sivaganga: The presence of an AIADMK minister at a function at nearby Muthupatti in which he was present on Sunday prompted Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram to remark that he wished there was a confluence of political parties at public functions in future.
"India is not a country like China with one party and one policy. There are different parties with different policies, like CPI...I wish the sangamam (confluence) of all parties in functions like this in future," he said.
He made the remarks while welcoming Agriculture Minister S Damadoran at the function, where Union Minister for Commerce and Industry Anand Sharma inaugurated the Spices Park.
Chidambaram said five years of continuous efforts had led to establishment of the Park, a joint effort of the state and central governments. This showed how unity between the two governments could bring projects that would help people and also improve their standard of living, he said.
On Damodaran`s request to set up more such parks and Value Added Product units in Tamil Nadu, Chidambaram hoped the Union Commerce and Industry Minister would take steps for it.
The Finance Minister also referred to reports of there being scope to handle spices, including curry leaves and coriander in the same spices park.
Chidamabram said India has come a long way from the time when farm produce could not be sold even to other states to exporting them to other countries.
"We were selling spices only within our state or region. We could not even think of selling them in neighbouring states. Now selling the produce to foreign countries has become a reality," he said.
Now India stood first in export of rice. Indian Basmati rice was famous for quality and aroma and is exported on a large scale. "Now with the help of the spices park here, we can export spices by adding value to them. My wish is more spices should be brought here for processing and export. We should see if more produce can be brought here," he said.


text: By Theopolis Waters CHICAGO, Oct 23 (Reuters) - Slaughter cattle in Texas and Kansas set the highest price on record Wednesday when they traded at mostly $132 per hundredweight, the result of a smaller herd and rising beef prices, analysts and economists said. Cattle prices have been trending higher for several years as droughts and high feed prices have caused producers to pare herds. The $132 paid by beef packers on Wednesday compares with the previous record of $130 during the week ended March 2, 2012, according to analysts and economists. "There are not enough cattle," University of Missouri livestock economist Ron Plain said of the higher prices. Packers and feedyards are drawing from a smaller pool of cattle after ranchers downsized the U.S. herd to the smallest in 61 years. Prolonged dryness hurt crops that last summer pushed feed and hay costs to all-time highs. Higher cattle prices have been good news for feedlots. Those prices and cheaper corn due to a huge U.S. corn harvest, narrowed their losses while offsetting costly feeder cattle. That chance for profitability has feedlots in better shape to buy yearling cattle for fattening before sale to packers such as Cargill Inc and Tyson Foods Inc. In September, on average, feedlots lost $34 per head of cattle sold to meat companies. That compares with a loss of $92 in August and extends their streak of losses to 29 months, as calculated by the Livestock Marketing Information Center in Denver, Colo. Fewer cattle resulted in less meat, lifting the price for choice beef at wholesale on Wednesday morning to $200.68 per cwt, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture data. Wednesday's choice beef value eclipsed the June 18 price of $200.24. "Beef prices in grocery stores have been at record highs the past two months, which means packers can pay more for cattle," Plain said. The average retail beef price in August, the latest that is available, was a record $5.39 per lb, surpassing the July record of $5.36, according to the USDA's Economic Research Service. Rich Nelson, chief strategist for Allendale Inc in McHenry, Illinois, partly attributed the rise in beef prices to grocers and restaurants stocking up after they curbed purchases during the 16-day government shutdown in October, when they feared consumer spending would drop. "During the shutdown a lot of end users were not buying beef. They were trying to hold back a little bit," said Nelson. "This is all coming together at the start of a big decline in supply, which will last through early second quarter 2014." PACKER MARGINS SUFFER? While feedlots are earning profits on cattle, the beef companies that buy them and process them into meat are not, analysts said. U.S. beef packers on Wednesday were estimated to lose $41.55 per head of cattle, compared with a loss of $48.20 on Tuesday and a loss $43.55 a week ago, according to HedgersEdge.com, a Colorado-based livestock analytics firm. Elaine Johnson, analyst with CattleHedging.com, said packers may not be losing quite that much money as different purchasing methods may minimize losses. Also, beef exports and sale of hides and non-meat items, such as internal organs, could help processors mitigate losses, she said. "If the packer truly is absolutely getting crushed on his margin, he is going to cutback his kills," Johnson said.


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The second Plasticity conference took place in Hong Kong in early June, and its organizers say it caused “industry innovators [to be] inspired to address the question of how to address the future use of plastic in a sustainable manner.”
The conference asked presenters and delegates to consider how the plastic industry can improve upon the 10 percent recycling rate for the 280 million tons of plastic produced globally each year. “Capturing this waste stream presents a significant and untapped business opportunity, as does the redesign of packaging, and the thought process around waste creation,” says Doug Woodring, the event’s founder.
Woodring says the conference brought together nearly 200 people from around the world to take part in the conversation.
“This is the second Plasticity event we have hosted, with the first at the Rio+20 Earth Summit last year, and the interest was incredible,” says Woodring. “This is a unique business event about the future of plastic, and how companies, communities and governments can work together to create new business models and opportunities that can use the vast waste resources that we create each day in our respective countries. It is a dialogue that is not happening enough around the world, as the opportunities for new business models are large. Hong Kong, for example, creates at least 1,700 tons of waste plastic per day, yet with an under-organized infrastructure to capture the value of this waste stream.”
Mike Biddle, founder of MBA Polymers, Richmond, Calif., says, “Since the Plasticity event last year, a ‘perfect storm’ for plastics recycling has begun to brew, and it’s a great opportunity to bring people together via the Plasticity Forum in Hong Kong to discuss how to navigate the storm to maximize opportunities to reduce plastics waste.”
Biddle pointed to several factors making up the “storm,” including:
- China’s Operation Green Fence, which has resulted in Chinese customs agents clamping down on enforcement of scrap imports;
- Collection rates for end-of-life goods containing plastics are on the rise around the world;
- A growing number of large manufacturers are looking to increase their use of recycled plastics; and
- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently cleared the way for recyclers to “mine” plastics from the roughly 5 million tons of auto shredder residue that is landfilled annually in the U.S.
Topics at Plasticity included:
- Consumer goods company Unilever has realized savings of more than $256 million from the efficient use of materials and plastic scrap capture since 2008.
- Global bioplastics capacity is projected to grow almost five-fold by 2016, to 5.78 million metric tons.
- As You Sow, a shareholder advocacy organization, estimated the value of discarded postconsumer packaging being buried in U.S. landfills – including aluminum and cardboard – at $11.4 billion in 2010.
More information on the Plasticity event and future events can be found at www.plasticityforum.com.


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Convenience a factor in Girl Scouts store's move to Randall Road corridor
If you're heading out to buy Girl Scout merit badges or Brownie sashes to display your awards, the trip soon will be a little more convenient.
The Girl Scouts store -- as well as some of the Girl Scouts of Northern Illinois administrative offices -- on Coombs Road in Elgin is moving to the Randall Road corridor next month.
The move comes as part of the organization's effort to move to a number of smaller resource centers throughout the area, instead of larger, more destination centers.
The new Randall Road center will be opening in May in South Elgin, at 353 Randall Road. At the same time, the group will be moving out of the Coombs Road location, Girl Scouts officials said.
The Coombs Road location is west of Randall Road, not close to any other stores or nearby any other locations that people might usually need to head to for errands on a regular basis. Heading to the Girl Scouts store for essentials is often something leaders wait to do until they need many things, because the trip isn't convenient.
The new location, hopefully, will make things easier for people, officials said.
"We want to be more present in our community and make it a lot easier for our parents and our families and our leaders to come in and purchase their items and get their questions answered while they're already out running errands," said Ann-Marie Soderstrom, Girl Scouts of Northern Illinois communications manager. "We're finding out this is definitely what the public wanted."
The center will be in a strip mall next to the South Elgin Jewel at the corner of Randall and Stearns roads.
Presently, architects are working designing the existing strip center unit so it can be remodeled to make it the most convenient and welcoming for employees and visitors, Soderstrom said.
Once finished, the center will be open six days a week, she said.
Soderstrom added that the area has high traffic and visibility, and will be visible to nonmembers of Girl Scouts who are encouraged to drop in and find out more about the organization in their community, and who are even invited to join and become Girl Scouts.
She said the center will be bright and welcoming, and allow people to get everything the Girl Scouts in their lives need. They also will be able to register for programs, including upcoming summer camps, at the center.
There also will be space available in the new resource center, which can be used by Girl Scouts troops and units for meetings and more.
Girl Scouts of Northern Illinois intends to hold a grand opening celebration. To keep up to date on what is happening with the new center, visit www.girlscoutsni.org/locations, or the social media sites on Facebook and Instagram.
There also will be a special farewell event for the Coombs Road location, which will include store offers, a special Elgin store commemorative patch and cupcakes.
The new McAlister's Deli along the Randall Road corridor in Algonquin now is open.
The fast-casual style restaurant opened Monday at 240 S. Randall Road, in front of the Algonquin Home Depot.
This week, the restaurant is hosting a weeklong fundraising competition between Jacobs High School and Crystal Lake South High School.
For this entire opening week, through Sunday, April 15, guests inside of the restaurant can put their receipts into boxes assigned to each school. Their receipt will serve as their vote for the school they want to support.
At the end of the week, the receipts will be totaled and 20 percent of the proceeds from each of the buses will be donated to the schools. On top of that, the school that gets the most money, also will get an additional $1,000 donation.
The new restaurant is a franchise, and owned by Keystone Management Group.
"We are excited to offer McAlister's handcrafted sandwiches, family-friendly atmosphere and genuine hospitality to Algonquin, Lake in the Hills and Crystal Lake," said Keystone Marketing Manager Melissa Porter.
"Giving back to our local schools is something we are passionate about and can't wait to see the community throw their support behind the two high schools," she said.
McAlister's in Algonquin is the newest location for the deli along the Randall Road corridor. There also are locations in Elgin and Geneva.
• Amy Williams' column covers all the news of business along the Randall Road corridor from Batavia to Crystal Lake. Contact her at firstname.lastname@example.org or (847) 894-5036.


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Super Smash Bros. director Masahiro Sakurai posted this screenshot of the Smash Bros. page. It kind of looks like Pilotwings? Maybe he’s hinting that the upcoming Super Smash Bros. game for 3DS and Wii U will have a Pilotwings stage.
Sometimes we'll publish a story as a group. You'll find collaborative stories and some housekeeping announcements under this mysterious camel.


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SAN FRANCISCO, Oct 20- Texas Instruments Inc posted third-quarter results above expectations and its CFO said business was healthy, in contrast to recent concerns on Wall Street about a possible slowdown in chip demand. Texas Instruments' quarterly results on Monday came after Chandler, Arizona- based Microchip on Oct 9 warned of weak demand in China that would...» Read More
Advanced Micro Devices posted its sixth consecutive quarterly net loss as it bleeds market share to far larger rival Intel.
Shares of major semiconductor companies and telecom equipment firms rose Wednesday morning as solid a first-quarter report and outlook from chip maker Intel lifted both sectors.
Intel reported lower earnings that matched analysts' estimates, but the company's shares took off in late trading as it gave guidance that was higher than expected.
Advanced Micro Devices said it will cut 10 percent of its work force after first-quarter sales fell more than it had expected.
Intel, the world's largest chip maker, said it isn't seeing a significant drop in demand amid the U.S. slowdown because it exports most of its chips. In fact, the slowdown has even helped Intel as the weak dollar boosts exports.
Micron Technology, the largest U.S. maker of computer memory chips, on Wednesday posted a wider quarterly loss as revenue fell and costs rose amid a persistent slump in memory chip prices.
Chip maker Texas Instruments lowered its outlook for quarterly earnings and revenue in the first quarter on weaker than expected chip demand and its shares fell as much as 5.5 percent.
Analog chipmaker National Semiconductor reported quarterly results in line with lowered expectations, while fellow chipmaker Marvell Technology reversed its quarterly loss from last year.
Advanced Micro Devices announced a new collection of chips that will add better graphics capabilities to the motherboards that connect the different parts of a personal computer.
Intel lowered its gross margin forecast for the current quarter on Monday, citing weaker pricing on certain types of memory chips and the company's shares fell 2 percent in extended trading.
Micron Technology, the largest U.S. maker of memory chips, and smaller rival Nanya Technology have signed an agreement on technology licensing and a possible chip joint venture, sources from both companies said.
Shares of Nvidia suffered their worst one-day loss in more than three years Thursday, a day after the graphics chipmaker reported the first weakening of gross margin in 13 quarters and concerns mounted over competitive risks from rivals ATI and Intel.
Applied Materials posted a lower quarterly profit as revenue declined 8 percent amid a slump in the semiconductor equipment manufacturing industry, but the company's performance beat expectations.
At Intel and Advanced Micro Devices, which together own the market for computer microprocessors, their chief executives had one message for investors this week: "What, me worry?"
Intel shares took a nosedive Wednesday after the chip maker posted fourth-quarter results and a first-quarter outlook behind Wall Street targets.
Intel posted fourth-quarter results and a first-quarter outlook behind Wall Street targets, sending its shares down about 15 percent.
WiMAX, loosely described as “WiFi on steroids,” is finally ready for its close up.
Analysts polled by Thomson Financial expect Intel to report profits of 40 cents a share on sales of $10.84 billion after markets close Thursday.
Semiconductor giant Intel is being investigated by Andrew Cuomo, New York attorney general, his office said Thursday. The AG is probing whether Intel violated state and/or federal antitrust laws in its market-share battle with key rival Advanced Micro Devices.
At the Consumer Electronic Show in Las Vegas, Intel Chief Executive Paul Otellini spoke with Jim Goldman about the future of the semiconductor giant and the industry as a whole. The CEO waxed optimistic. "You have to remember, 75 percent of Intel's sales are non-U.S. ...And there seem to be no signs of a global 'R-word' out there," the CEO declared.


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We’ve heard reports recently that Sprint has been testing WiMax in bigger cities, and it looks like NYC might be next up for an official launch. While it’s not official just yet, our own commenters have been saying that they’re seeing WiMax in various parts of the New York City boroughs from the Bronx all the way down to the southern parts of Brooklyn. HTC EVO 4G and Overdrive 3G/4G users have been seeing brief surges while others have been seeing a strong, regular 4G signal over the course of days or even weeks.
To find out for myself, I the 4G switch on my own EVO 4G this morning, currently running Android 2.2 or Froyo, and I was both surprised and delighted to see the 4G logo light up! To make sure it wasn’t a fluke, I decided to run a number of speed tests to see that it was legit.
Much to my excitement, I was seeing anywhere between 1.8 to 6.2Mbps download speeds, and 0.6 to 1.1Mbps on the uplink. Not bad, but I’m hoping that the full and official launch brings consistent speeds and a more reliable signal. As of now, other users and I are seeing weak and unreliable signals. Others claim they are seeing strong signals every single day in their areas.
KnowYourCell recently received a statement from Sprint:
We have not launched 4G in NYC yet. As they have been recently, customers may continue to stumble across 4G from time to time in NYC as we work to build, test and optimize the network.
Perhaps these brief stints and extended periods of WiMax availability are just a result of Sprint’s testing, but we’re all hoping that this is an indicator that the 4G/WiMax launch will be approaching much sooner than later. Especially since we’ve already had a taste of what’s to come.


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So to set the scene, when you ordered your new shiny car you knew you may have to wait a while but for some reason its taking much longer then you first anticipated. This isn’t the fault of BMW or Mercedes or whatever company you’ve chosen for your mid-range saloon, coupe or 4×4. The issue runs much deeper. All those fancy “gadgets and gizmos” as my parents might say need microchips and semiconductors to work, and there lies the issue. A shortage of semiconductor chips, the brains of our electronics, has plagued economies for over a year and currently there is no end in sight.
Just how bad can a shortage of computer chips possibly be?
Pendragon a leading UK auto retailer recently stated in a trading update that “vehicle order waiting times are already being extended” and this sentiment has been echoed by car dealerships, Evans Halshaw and Stratstone, who warned that the supply of cars was likely to be restricted during the second half of 2021.
As demand for chips continues to exceed supply, the auto industry is forecast to be the biggest loser in 2021, with up to £14bn wiped off global carmakers’ operating profits this year, according to Goldman Sachs estimates. Semiconductor manufacturers temporarily shut down their operations as the coronavirus first took hold in early 2020, and their customers cut or cancelled orders, anticipating weaker consumer demand.
However, the opposite happened, and shoppers rushed to buy computers and other electronic devices to keep themselves entertained during successive lockdowns. Fear of Covid-19 has also fuelled car sales, as people avoided public transport.
Well restrictions have ended now so why have the factories not returned to normal output?
Even though production has been returning to normal, shortages persist, which continues to influence manufacturing. Analysts are warning that the global economy has entered a peak shortage for chips, with tightness in supply expected to ease slightly in the third and fourth quarters of the year. However, global stock of semiconductors is not forecast to return to pre-pandemic levels until 2022 which will leave car manufacturers struggling to sustain the pent-up demand.
We are now in a world where every industry is either enabled by, or dependent upon semiconductors.


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Gov. backs burned-out Hadley shops for federal aid
HADLEY — Gov. Deval Patrick has stepped in to seek federal assistance for several small Route 9 businesses destroyed by fire last month.
In a letter, Patrick asked the U.S. Small Business Administration to issue a declaration of economic injury for Hampshire County so low-interest loans can be made available to business owners affected by the fire at the Norwottuck Shoppes.
“The degree and severity of the economic injury and the lack of available financial assistance at reasonable rates and terms makes it necessary for federal involvement in the form of subsidized loans” from the Small Business Administration, part of Patrick’s letter reads.
A dozen businesses and two apartments were destroyed in the Oct. 27 blaze at 206 Russell St.
Hadley Town Administrator David Nixon said officials have been working to get the businesses access to low-interest loans since the fire.
Area civic and charitable organizations and area legislators have been “working with the victims of the fire to try and get them the resources they need,” Nixon said. “It’s been very gratifying to see the whole community rally around these businesses.”
Nixon said to allow businesses to access the loans, the governor had to declare an emergency, which was accomplished by his letter to the Small Business Association, a federal agency.
State Rep. John W. Scibak, D-South Hadley, said the affected businesses were important to many people in the region and any assistance that can be provided to them is appreciated.
“People may have driven by those businesses every day and taken them for granted,” Scibak said. “Those businesses really played a key role to people in this area.”
“It really is a loss for them and for the community at large,” Scibak said. “Anything we or the SBA can do is certainly well appreciated by the community.”
“The fire in Hadley has been devastating to several small business owners, and I am pleased to support the governor’s efforts to obtain federal help,” U.S. Rep. James McGovern, D-Worcester, said in a statement.
“I applaud the Patrick Administration for taking this step, and I will continue to work with them moving forward,” McGovern said.
In his letter, Patrick said a survey of the damage by the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency and local officials showed that six of the eight businesses surveyed would likely see a revenue loss of 40 percent or more compared to the same period last year due to the fire.
According to the survey, Mohawk Revenge Tattoo, the Chinese Kung Fu Wushu Academy, International Food Market, Casablanca Market and the Bahn Mi Saigon and Mi Tierra restaurants would see gross income losses between 78 and 82 percent from last year.
The dollar amounts of those projected losses range from $3,500 to $42,000, according to the survey.
Bontanica Ramsies, another business included in the survey, was scheduled to open the day after the fire and reported a complete loss of $30,000, according to the survey.
It’s estimated that each of the affected businesses listed in the survey will require about six months to be back up and running.
Fire investigators believe the fire started in the Hadley Coin-Op Laundromat, which was one of the oldest businesses at the Norwottuck Shoppes plaza, but they have not pinpointed its cause.


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Like many other apps, the people behind JSwipe, a Jewish dating app, were sending push notifications to communicate with their users. But it wasn’t enough. In order to inspire people to log back in, they hatched a plan: Users inactive between three and five weeks were divided into two camps. Half of them were sent emails with interactive content and the other half received the existing push notification drip.
When the first batch opened their emails, they saw an interactive email newsletter with four potential matches. The users could like and reject matches right within the inbox and their actions would be recorded not just on the email but also on the JSwipe servers. After interacting with each of the potential matches, the users would be directed to the app. Bryan Welfel, Co-Founder of JSwipe, says that this exercise increased their interaction rate by 26% and “18% of people who interacted went on to open the JSwipe app”.
At a time when interactive, digital content is everywhere, adding it in an email doesn’t sound like a big deal. But experts believe that this minor tweak – where users open an email and see live data that they can interact with – is a fairly new change.
The JSwipe’s email solution was powered by a NY-based email marketing and analytical startup called Rebel. Formerly RebelMail, the company has raised an undisclosed seed round funding this year in May. It already had a seed funding of $3 million by Vazira Investments, Boldstart Ventures, among others.
Resilience of the Email
Every year there’s speculation about the numbered days of the email but businesses continue to rise and survive through it. When Joe Teplow, the founder of Rebel started the company in 2013, he was told, ‘Really, you’re going to build a company in email? Email is dying, it’s over,’”
But every year, marketers are astounded by its resilience. It is repeatedly pronounced dead to be resurrected by studies such as these: email is 40 times more effective at acquiring new customers than Facebook or Twitter. In fact, e-mail advertising spending in the U.S. is expected to increase from $270 million in 2015 to $ 350 million in 2019.
However, a lot of features that we take for granted on the web are not easily replicated on email. The difference is that emails arrive in people’s inbox as opposed to the web where people actively seek out more interaction through their search queries or downloads.
But with the expansion of email marketing, emails are turning on the sophistication. It’s not only good to have a stylized email that looks good on mobile phones, tablets or desktops, it is essential.
Along with the possibility of multi-screen usage, different email clients such as Outlook, iOS mail, or Gmail, render the same mail differently. While many email service providers focus on the email design so that the clients can focus on the messaging, Rebel wants to do slightly more.
You’ve Got Interactive Mail
Email has been a one-way platform, but Rebel wants to change it. The startup wants to ensure that the sender doesn’t have to hope for a click through but gets to engage their user through the very mail. It wants to go beyond opens and clicks and leverage the time a user spends on an email. This means that instead of clicking on something to be redirected to another page, users can browse a slideshow, add items to their cart, touch each tab for a new piece of content, or answer a quiz directly inside their inbox. The effort, in some ways, is to move from quickfix templates to functionality.
One of Rebel’s first emails included feature elements like photo galleries and dropdowns which would allow users to “learn about products, select options (size, color, or quantity) and add a product directly to their cart”, all within one email. The thought of people shopping in their inbox also presents to companies data that a user merely opening and closing an email doesn’t give them: such as every photo viewed or every dropdown expanded.
While Rebel enables companies to build their own email templates, its customized offerings have been increasing. Recently, it developed an interactive calendar which can be used to “select dates for departures and arrivals or confirm appointments in email”. It now has plans to alter this design to make a seating chart to reserve tables or movie tickets.
In another example, Rebel designed a visual in-email preference for subscribers of a beauty brand newsletter – so that the user could select her complexion and product interests.
Arguably, its biggest idea has been of bringing e-commerce to the inbox.
Through its Rebel Shop product, users can not only add products to their cart but complete the transaction right through their email. Rebel, thus, can engage a user more than a traditional email would. It is also utilizing the time people already spend on an email and saving them a few clicks.
But it’s not just the “buy” button flashing in a Rebel email. Founder Teplow started Good St in 2015- a charity email newsletter where members receive a daily email discussing a cause and two “vetted” charities that they can sign up to donate 25¢/day to.
While Rebel may have amassed clients such as Ebay, Nextdoor, Diane Von Furstenberg, or WeWork, it is not easy to convince clients to look beyond opens and clicks.
There are plenty of technical challenges too. Rebel has to ensure that the style of the email remains elegant on each app and device. While the startup claims that “70% of emails are opened on clients that support our interactivity,” it has to degrade its email to a static fallback for clients that don’t.
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Mobile software management company Red Bend says its software has now been embedded in more than a billion mobile devices.
The first Red Bend enabled mobile device was the Siemens Mobile S65 phone, which started shipping at the end of 2005. In the five years since then, Red Bend’s software products have been included in more than 700 different devices from companies including Samsung, LG, ZTE, Sony Ericsson, Motorola and Sharp. Most recently, Q4 2010 saw its software shipping in 89 million mobile devices.
Red Bend’s products are used for remote ‘over the air’ management of mobile devices and applications.
Yoram Salinger, CEO of Red Bend, said “Reaching 1 billion Red Bend-Enabled devices in only five years is a remarkable achievement. It is a tribute to the trust our customers and partners around the world place in us to help them manage so many devices for their consumers. And it is a credit to our employees and their dedication to innovation and service.”
|We spoke to Richard Kinder, Red Bend’s Vice President of Technology and New Business, in a podcast last year. You can listen to the podcast here or read an edited transcript here.


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Even as the American Medical Association was vowing Tuesday to eliminate tobacco advertising in the United States, another 1.636 billion cigarettes were rolling off the conveyor belts. To help sell this single day's production, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) says, the US tobacco industry spent some $5 million a day this year. Typically the money was spent to portray young people playing touch football in the snow or romping at the beach, enjoying life's little pleasures -- and a cigarette.
Since being forced by Congress in 1971 to quit promoting smoking materials on television and radio, the six companies that dominate the US tobacco market have sunk their advertising roots deep into other American media -- especially magazines and newspapers.
In 1970, US tobacco companies spent $64.2 million advertising in newspapers, magazines, and on billboards, according to the FTC. That increased to about $1 billion in 1982, says Judy Wilkenfeld, the agency's director of cigarette advertising and testing.
Other advertising media, such as point-of-sales advertising, free samples, coupons, direct-mail testing, public entertainment, and public transit signs, accounted for about $1 billion more in 1982, she says.
Much more conservative estimates by Advertising Age magazine, based on three major categories of receipts, put the 1984 level of smokeless tobacco and cigarette advertising by newspapers, magazines, and outdoor companies at $881.8 million.
``I've spoken with quite a few tobacco industry executives and each and every one of them said advertising spending levels have remained fairly constant as a percentage of sales,'' one longtime industry observer says.
When inflation is taken into account, the total spent on tobacco advertising is not much higher than 1970 levels, he says. The FTC puts the 1970 total for all types of tobacco advertising at $314 million.
Whether rock steady or increasing rapidly, the advertising has apparently had an effect. Although the percentage of the US populace that smokes has declined in the last 20 years, individuals have been smoking more.
Cigarette sales rose steadily for more than a decade through 1981. Since then, a downturn saw US citizens smoke 600 billion cigarettes last year, compared with 640 billion in 1981. Still, sales of tobacco products reached a record $28.7 billion, according to the Tobacco Institute, an organization representing the industry.
A key point of contention between US health organizations and tobacco producers is whether much of the advertising is aimed at attracting youth. The 271,000-member American Medical Association (AMA) says the advertising is seductive. The industry disagrees.
Anne Browder, assistant to the president of the Tobacco Institute, says the advertising is aimed at cultivating brand loyalty only.
``If there is a ban on advertising, it would just reduce the [advertising] cost to the companies,'' Ms. Browder said. ``Advertising doesn't create smokers. That's something the AMA doesn't understand.''
With pressure increasing, industry analysts are divided on tobacco's future in the US.
Though profits are excellent, the market for tobacco products is not expected to grow, partly because of public awareness of health risks. In addition, analysts say Wall Street is concerned the industry might be open to huge liability losses if product-liability suits are won.
Indeed, diversification out of tobacco has been the name of the game for the big six: R. J. Reynolds, Philip Morris, American Brands, US Tobacco, Culbro, and Universal Leaf. The two biggest have led the way. Philip Morris recently plunked down $5.4 billion in cash to buy General Foods, and R. J. Reynolds acquired Nabisco for $4.9 billion in September.
But industry expert John C. Maxwell Jr. says outside pressure is not the main reason for diversification.
``If they didn't use all that cash to buy up other properties they'd look like a bank,'' says Mr. Maxwell, who says large cash reserves would create a takeover target.
Whether or not the US will be a smokeless society in the year 2000, as the AMA wants, may be problematic. But the association's recent attack on the tobacco industry is not without its own twist of irony.
It seems that in the early '50s, when some of the first medical studies showed that smoking might be harmful, the tobacco companies saw the danger and for the first time united to pool money and resources to form the Tobacco Institute. One of the institute's first multimillion-dollar donations was to the AMA for more study on smoking's health hazards, says Robert H. Miles, a professor at the Harvard Business School who has studied the industry.
At present there are no bills in Congress to ban cigarette advertising. Rep. Henry A. Waxman (D) of California has said his Health and the Environment Subcommittee will hold hearings on tobacco ads next year.


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Enforcement Directorate (ED) has for months been probing Amazon’s $200 million funding in India’s Future Group.
Amazon.com Inc is taking the financial crime preventing agency to court docket, in search of to quash an investigation into one of its 2019 offers, a court docket submitting seen by Reuters exhibits. Enforcement Directorate (ED) has for months been probing Amazon’s $200 million funding in India’s Future Group for suspected violations of overseas funding legal guidelines.
The funding is on the centre of protracted authorized battles, as Amazon has used the phrases of that deal – and cited contract breaches by Future – to stall the $3.4 billion sale of the Indian company’s retail property to a rival.
In an 816-page submitting, seen by Reuters, Amazon calls the investigation a “fishing and roving” inquiry, saying the ED had sought privileged authorized recommendation and opinions from Amazon and different info not linked to the Future Group deal.
Multiple Amazon executives, together with its India head, had been summoned by the ED in current weeks and the investigation had triggered “unnecessary harassment,” the U.S. e-commerce big mentioned in its submitting to the Delhi High Court on Dec. 21.
“The directions by the ED asking for disclosure of legally privileged documents and litigation privilege information is derogatory of the principles” laid out in Indian structure, Amazon mentioned in the submitting, which isn’t public.
“The investigation is a fishing and roving exercise.”
Amazon and the ED, which doesn’t make particulars of its investigations public, didn’t instantly reply to requests for remark. The case will doubtless be heard on Thursday.
The submitting is the latest twist in the long-running dispute between Amazon and Future. Though India’s antitrust physique suspended their 2019 deal final week, saying Amazon had suppressed info when in search of approvals for it, the ED’s probe is impartial of that.
The dispute centres round three industrial agreements signed between Future and Amazon entities, which a Singapore arbitration panel – additionally listening to the dispute – has mentioned have to be learn collectively when reviewing the transaction.
Future contends conflating the industrial agreements would successfully imply the deal violated Indian legislation.
Amazon’s court docket submitting contained a discover from the ED dated Feb. 19 which sought particulars of its funding in Future, together with copies of agreements, checking account particulars and different associated inner communication.
It additionally confirmed the ED is conducting a far wider probe, and had sought particulars of massive distributors on Amazon’s e-commerce web site in India, together with gross sales numbers for those who account for greater than 5% of whole gross sales on Amazon.in.
The discover got here after a February Reuters investigation which discovered Amazon helped a small quantity of sellers prosper on its Indian platform, giving them discounted charges and utilizing them to bypass overseas funding legal guidelines.
Amazon mentioned on the time it was assured it complied with laws and that it “does not give preferential treatment to any seller on its marketplace.”


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The NEWVIEW AWARDS 2018 have been announced as part of an on going project to discover virtual reality (VR) content in the fashion, culture and art fields.Dubbed NEWVIEW the project is being run by Psychic VR Labs, which provides the VR Creative Platform STYLY, PARCO and Loftwork.
The NEWVIEW AWARDS 2018 aims to pursue new expressions, cultures, and lifestyles such as ‘design of super-experience’ created by the next generation of content creators. The project also aims to excavate all creator who are expressing near future, using 3D and virtual space. The theme for the award is “Design you ultra experience” with a prize pool over $35,000 (USD) up for grabs for winning entries.
The entry period for the award will run from today through to July 31st, 2018 with applications open for international submission as well. Psychic VR Labs will be holding a workshop to support the creation of VR works in Tokyo, Kyoto during this period as well. The finalists’ work will be put on display at the end of August, 2018 in Tokyo as well for public viewing. Those finalists will be forty in total, with a final screening scheduled for sometime in early October, 2018.
Psychic VR Labs’ STYLY allows users to create VR content within a cloud and browser based environment, including the option to share spaces for collaborative working. The free platform empowered content creators to build the VR experiences they want without the need to type a single line of code. The dragon and drop interfact allows for simple, accessible and powerful content creation. Though entries for the NEWVIEW AWARDS using STYLY are encouraged, they are not limited to this platform and can be created with any tool. Work that has already been released is also able to be submitted to the awards.
Some of the examiners on the panel for the NEWVIEW AWARDS 2018 include – and not limited to – René Pinnell, CEO & Founder of Kaleidoscope; Mr.Ito Gabin, editor and professor of Women’s Art College in Japan; Mr. Hideki Matsutake, a musician and synthesizer programmer and Takashi Izumizu / Managing Executive Officer PARCO.
A short promotion video has been released for the NEWVIEW AWARDS 2018 which you can view below. VRFocus will be sure to bring you all the latest on the awards and Psychic VR Labs in the future so stay tuned for more.


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WM, Houston, has announced that it has agreed to acquire a controlling interest in Houston-based American business Avangard Innovative, which will operate as Natura PCR – a stand-alone company expected to scale and increase recycling capacity to produced about 400 million pounds per year of post-consumer resin (PCR) in five years.
The transaction is expected to close in late 2022, subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions, including regulatory approvals.
Through Natura PCR, WM expects to offer new recycling capabilities to its customers and offer circular solutions for clear plastic films and wrap used in the market, such as plastic wrap for pallets, furniture film, grocery bags and potentially shrunk around food and drink containers.
“WM’s controlling interest in Natura PCR positions us to grow and scale rapidly in the emerging PCR space,” said WM President and CEO Jim Fish. “WM’s key material supply capabilities, with the head start and knowledge provided by Avangard’s US business, will help Natura PCR quickly offer circular options to WM customers as an important component of our continued growth strategy in recycling. Today, there is so much untapped potential to reuse film – which impacts many of our commercial customers. We can help our customers close the loop and bring more recycled materials to the store shelf.”
Leading materials science company Dow, Midland, Michigan, has worked with WM to help increase plastics recycling rates and create sustainable solutions in packaging, infrastructure and consumer applications. Dow has also been working with Avangard Innovative since early 2020, purchasing the company’s PCR pellets to produce REVOLOOP, Dow’s line of PCR-containing products.
“We have worked with both companies to increase the use of recycled plastics in Dow’s products, and Natura PCR brings together capabilities that will open up more options for hard-to-recycle plastics for the industry,” says Nestor de Mattos, commercial in North America. vice president of packaging and specialty plastics at Dow. “Natura PCR further expands scale, waste solutions to market across North America and advances our goal to help divert plastics from landfills into circular solutions.”
Natura PCR will focus on the mechanical recycling of film and flexible plastics – some of the most complex plastics in the recycling stream today – and will convert these materials into PCR that can be used to produce new products that replace virgin materials . These streams account for almost a quarter of today’s plastic generation, but only about 5 percent is recycled today.
Demand for PCR is expected to increase in response to consumer packaged goods companies’ commitments to use recycled content and pressure from consumers and regulators to increase PCR content in the packaging materials companies produce. WM has demonstrated a history of sourcing materials from commercial streams for the starting material required to produce PCR content and expects that its materials sourcing expertise will enable it to increase the supply of PCR pellets that Natura PCR can produce for use in new products.
“This transaction helps the business quickly scale operations, maximize raw material resources and meet the continued growth in demand for environmental additives such as recycled plastic resin,” says Avangard Innovative CEO Rick Perez. “After 30 years in the recycling business, the significant involvement of WM, together with the strong relationship with Dow and other customers, will position Natura PCR to offer the most innovative circular economy solution on the market.”
Natura PCR plans to expand its recycling capabilities at Avangard’s existing plant in Waller, Texas and build new plant capacity in the Midwest. Natura PCR will be primarily owned and controlled by WM. Avangard and related entities will hold a collective minority equity position in Natura PCR. WM expects to receive investment returns comparable to its previously announced automation investments in single-stream recycling.
Related stories: WM to invest $825 million in renewable natural gas efforts | APR issues guidelines for recycling film and flexible packaging


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Acorn Energy (NASDAQ: ACFN), is actually a publicly traded venture capital company. They buy small technology start-up companies that have technologies and products that are close to fruition, finance them, and nurse them along until they reach commercial success.
They’ve done this before; selling one of their subsidiary companies through an IPO in 2007, and selling another company in 2010 for $101.0 million. They had invested only $18 more »
It was Peter Lynch who said something like “There are lots of reasons why insiders sell, but only one reason why they buy: They believe the price will go up.”
Consider the little technology company Acorn Energy (NASDAQ: ACFN).
Out of the last 29 or so insider trades, dating back to June 2010, an amazing 28 have been purchases at market!!
The only sale was 20,000 shares by the more »


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2018 was one of the best years in recent memory for the global electronics industry in general and the distribution sector in particular. While most electronics companies anticipated 2019 to be a challenging “correction” year following the overexuberance, the expectation by many is that 2020 will see a return to growth and some degree of normalcy.
However, there are indications that challenging times may persist well into the new year. Chief among them is a definitive
end to the U.S.-China trade war. A 30,000-foot view of the global economic outlook provides context for what kind of business environment the electronics sector may be facing in 2020.
Recently, both the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) have downgraded global GDP growth due in large part to the impact of the U.S.-China trade war. About 90% of the world’s economies grew more slowly in 2019 than in 2018, according to the IMF. As a result, the organization downgraded projected global GDP growth for 2019 to 3%, which will be the weakest this decade. Europe is particularly vulnerable.
In October, the IMF revised its 2020 global growth rate down to 3.4% from 3.5% due in large part to continuing trade tensions between China and the U.S. Still, growth in 2020 is an improvement on 2019, thanks in large part to economic growth in emerging economies such as Brazil and India.
The OECD is a bit less optimistic. It projects global GDP growth to remain at a decade-low rate of 2.9% for both 2019 and 2020, with only a modest increase in 2021 in global GDP growth to 3.0%. Like the IMF, OECD points to trade tensions but also calls out China’s slowing economy, climate change, and the devolution of the multilateral order that has dominated the global economy since the breakup of the USSR nearly 30 years ago.
These are structural issues that create a new and troubling kind of uncertainty for manufacturers and their supply chain partners and which cannot be rectified by traditional national fiscal and monetary policy. Indeed, monetary policy is reaching a limit as central banks are pushing interest rates down to zero. And in September, the European Central Bank pushed its benchmark interest rate to negative 0.5% in an effort to stimulate economic growth.
In a September survey report, McKinsey & Co reported that 74% of more than 1,300 business respondents from around the world said global economic conditions are worse now than six months ago, which is the highest percentage since McKinsey began asking the question in 2012. A full two-thirds of survey respondents expect conditions to worsen over the next six months, and about half predict the level of trade will decline over the next 12 months.
A POSITIVE TURN
A significant contributor to the pessimistic outlook has been the trade war between the US and China. To date, the U.S. has imposed tariffs on $360 billion of Chinese goods, which is more than 50% of China’s total exports to the U.S.
But there has been some positive news from both the US and China that indicates a resolution to the trade war may be in the works. On December 12, the US announced it had reached an agreement in principle with China on phase one of a deal that would set the stage for negotiations on tariff reductions. Then, on December 23, China responded that as of January 1, it would cut import tariffs for frozen pork, pharmaceuticals and some high-tech components.
The announcement included tariff cuts for 23 other countries including Australia and South Korea. China also announced additional tariffs reductions on some information technology products and services starting in July 2020. As part of the trade deal, the U.S. has canceled planned tariffs on $156 billion of Chinese imports that included consumer electronics, and cut in half the tariff rate on $120 billion of goods on the round of tariffs imposed in September. Importantly, the 25% tariffs imposed by the US would remain on roughly $250 billion in Chinese goods, including electronics.
Continued in 3 pages


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MWeb has launched its Fibre House Campaign which will make use of LG Technology’s Smart Technology products.
The MWeb Fibre Home is a real home in Randburg, putting MWeb’s FTTH (fibre to the home) on display as part of its current fibre awareness campaign.
The power of fibre Internet will be demonstrated using LG’s smart technology.
“We wish to uphold our hard earned reputation of providing quality products that meet our consumer’s needs. This partnership is an opportunity for us to successfully engage with our consumers by educating them on LG’s extensive Smart Technology offering in a tangible way,” says Thomas Van Der Linde, general marketing manager at LG South Africa (LGESA).
“We look forward to seeing the future of smart technology and how it impacts modern households,” he adds.


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In advance of today’s big ICSC Here We Go 2021 conference, GlobeSt.com caught up with a few attendees on what they look forward to at this year’s live event.
Category Archives: Thought Leadership
Jennifer Peterson is the chief executive of Easton Town Center in Columbus, Ohio.
Easton launched the 2021 holiday season in style on November 19 with our Grand Illumination—a family-friendly, center-wide celebration that included live music, costumed characters, special holiday trees and the simultaneous illumination of more than 2 million lights throughout the whole property.
When I first started at Steiner + Associates 22 years ago, the commercial real estate (CRE) industry was primarily dominated by males, with few women—if any—in positions of leadership, including at Steiner.
Over the past 24 years, Steiner has developed more than 7.4 million square feet of mixed-used space, including Columbus’ famed Easton Town Center, which resembles a small city with its more than 190 retailer, dining and entertainment venues; 5 million square feet of office; and four hotels and attracts more than 2 million visits a month.
The power of public art and artistry is frequently underestimated and misunderstood.
More than 30 million people visit it each year and spend more than a billion dollars there.
According to Gallup, just 13% of workers worldwide report being actively engaged at work.
Experience has long been a priority for shopping centers as a way to surprise, delight and engage guests.
Retail sales were flat last month after a buoyant March, the Commerce Department said on Friday, as Americans continued spending their latest round of government stimulus checks.


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Posts tagged with "Granny and Stu"
Get ready Midlanders – Tokyo Toys is coming to a store near you soon! Our friends at Tokyo Toys yesterday announced plans to open a new shop in Birmingham City Centre this August.
To celebrate the occasion, a ton of fun and freebies have been promised for the Grand Opening event. Visitors will be able to draw from a tombola, with a guaranteed win thanks to a range of mini prizes on offer. The top prize will be a brand new Nintendo 3DS!
Issue 38 of MyM celebrates our third anniversary and we couldn’t let that landmark pass without a cake and some music.
Read More →
We like trains. Lots of us rely on them to get to and from MCM Comic Conventions around the country, and they’re always a great place to grab early cosplay photos, catch up with old friends, and of course, hold those all-important Pokémon battles and trades.
Sadly, those of you planning to stay over in London on the Sunday night after this May’s event may encounter a few difficulties getting home, as a rail workers’ strike has...


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Sales for UK builders merchants remained positive during the second quarter of 2017, according to the latest data from the BMF’s Builders Merchants Building Index.
Sales in Q2 increased by 5.3% compared to Q2 2016. Furthermore, year to date sales figures to June are 3.8% higher than for 2016, a period with the same number of trading days.
The majority of product areas performed well. Sales of Ironmongery (+8.4%) and Kitchens and Bathrooms (+8.3%) led the way in adjusted year on year growth for the quarter. The three largest product groups also performed well with sales of Timber & Joinery up by +6.0%, Landscaping +5.9% and Heavy Building Materials +5.6%. Sales of Plumbing, Heating and Electrical products also showed growth at +3.8%, although the increase was lower than the total builders merchants channel.
The BMBI tracks builders merchants actual sales using point of sale data collected by GfK that represents over 80% of the value of the builders’ merchant market.
The Q2 results appear to tell a different story to the trend reported by the Office of National Statistics earlier this month, in which overall construction output fell by
-1.3% in the three months to June compared with Q1 and rose by just +0.4% on the same period last year. This may reflect the predominance of housebuilding and domestic repair, maintenance and improvement work carried out by builders merchants’ customer base.
Commenting on the results, BMF CEO John Newcomb, said: “The majority of trade indicators are finding that order books are being sustained by private housing and RMI work – the mainstay of many a merchant’s business – while commercial sectors are falling behind. Even the ONS reported a year on year increase in housing of +9.4% for the quarter.
“I have visited over 20 BMF members in recent weeks and every one reported sales growth in the first half. While they have seen little evidence of a slow down in overall sales, they are reporting more price increases, an inevitable result of the falling exchange rate, and shortages in certain product areas. The merchant sector is showing resilience at the moment, but it would be foolish not to consider the possibility of tougher trading conditions as we move into 2018.”
Richard Frankcom of GfK adds: “Once again the builders merchants deliver great year-on-year sales value growth across the first six-months of 2017, coming from a variety of product categories. However, we cannot ignore the contribution that increased costs and price increases have had on this continued value growth.
“Going forward, we urge the industry to keep a close eye on trends impacting consumers’ ability to carry out renovations and improvements. Bank interest rates and real wage trends impact consumers’ ability to finance home improvements or house moves. We have just seen a significant drop in intentions to invest in home-related projects which could be felt by the merchants as early as the end of this year. However, home improvement projects could still be one of the best investments home owners and landlords can make right now. The encouragement and evidence for them to do so needs to come from somewhere during these uncertain economic times.”


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A Dales business says it has been flooded with orders for home delivered ready meals since the start of the coronavirus outbreak.
Fairhurst’s Catering usually runs tea rooms at Berry’s at Swinithwaite and at Bolton Castle, as well as providing catering for functions.
However, since the cafes and outside catering has had to stop, the company has switched to providing a delivery service around the Dales of home-cooked meals.
Owner Guy Fairhurst said: “Following the recent fast moving developments of the coronavirus, it became very quickly apparent that there were a lot of people considered to be in the vulnerable section, thinking of self-isolation, some of our own family members included.
“Whilst our footfall was rapidly declining in the cafe as people were suddenly thinking twice before meeting friends for coffee or lunch, the need for food in their own homes was mounting as shelves in large supermarkets were bare with no delivery slots available.
“We tentatively put a small menu together of good, home-cooked traditional meals and put a few flyers around to try and get a feel of how interested locals might be.
“The response has been completely overwhelming. I think we underestimated how isolated and vulnerable people were feeling, and to be offered the opportunity to have food brought to the door for an honest price has really hit a nerve.
“We have been flooded with orders, alongside emails and telephone calls thanking us for putting the service together.”
Guy said the result is two fold.
“We can help our local community in a way that is really needed and valued, but also to keep the business ticking over, with the local staff kept in employment until the country as a whole turns a corner, and once more can enjoy coming out of their homes.”
The company is providing a meal, which they say is big enough for two and includes potatoes and beg. for £7 including delivery.
Options include beef lasagne, chicken and leek bake and toad in the hole
To hear from Guy Fairhurst being interviewed for the Inside Yorkshire podcast click here.
Call 01969 624668 for details.


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At the end of trading Monday (8/2/2020) gold prices soared. This increase also occurred for two consecutive days. There are several factors that support the increase in gold prices. Namely, expectations of a large US economic stimulus package supporting the attractiveness of gold as an inflation hedge. Apart from that, there was also sentiment from Tesla.
The most active gold price contract for April delivery on the COMEX division of the New York Exchange rose 21.2 US dollars, or 1.17 percent, to 1,834.20 US dollars per ounce.
On Friday (5/2/2021), gold futures jumped 21.8 US dollars or 1.22 percent to 1,813.00 US dollars.
Factor that Influences Gold Prices
US President Joe Biden send the Democrats in Congress paved the way for a $ 1.9 trillion Covid-19 aid package. As lawmakers agree on a budget outline that would allow them to strengthen the plan without Republican support. .
The US Congress has signaled that it will pass an economic stimulus bill in the coming days to mitigate the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on the economy. This
adds to the extensive support for gold because Congress pumps a lot of money into the economy, and inflationary pressures will eventually affect the money supply.
US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said on Sunday that the country will return to full work next year if Congress approves a stimulus package.
“Yellen is talking about full employment by 2022 with two trillion US dollars in stimulus pushing for a possible spike in inflation, which is good for gold,” said BMO’s Head of Base and Precious Metal Derivatives Trading, Tai Wong.
Gold Gets Sentiment from Elon Musk
Major US stock indexes rose to record highs on a push for economic recovery bets.
“Inflation trade (an investment strategy that seeks to profit from rising price levels that are influenced by inflation or inflation expectations). So it can replace any negative impact the dollar has on gold and silver,” said Jim Wyckoff, a senior analyst at Kitco Metals.
Gold also received support from the jump in bitcoin prices. Especially after Tesla Inc said it had invested about 1.5 billion US dollars in cryptocurrencies.
In its 2020 annual report, Tesla also said it may invest in certain alternative reserve assets. Including digital assets, gold bullion, gold exchange-traded funds, and other specific assets.
“Interest in asset classes that are stores of value such as gold and silver, after the Tesla purchase of bitcoin, is helping prices,” said David Meger, Director of Metals Trading at High Ridge Futures.
But according to Wong, bitcoin and gold are basically uncorrelated. “The current surge in bitcoin may add to sentiment, but not the main driver,” said Wong.
Meanwhile, the price of other precious metals. Silver for March delivery rose 55.7 cents, or 2.06 percent, to close at 27.576 dollars per ounce. Platinum for April delivery jumped 42.2 US dollars, or 3.72 percent, to 1,175.2 US dollars per ounce.
Read now: 5 Easy Ways to Recognize Fake Gold


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Two subsidiaries of collapsed distributor Memsolve have fallen into receivership following the arrival of administrators at the holding company two weeks ago.
Memsolve fell into administrative receivership with debts of up to #5 million on 11 February (PC Dealer, 17 February). Memsolve's receivers, BDO Stoy Hayward, arrived at PC builder and reseller Goldust and office equipment wholesaler Hexagon Information Technology on 12 February. Both are wholly owned subsidiaries of Memsolve and are registered to Memsolve's premises in Widnes. According to credit rating agency Graydon, former Memsolve directors Robert Leung and Robert Swire are listed as directors of both subsidiaries.
An industry source said: 'It was inevitable that as soon as the holding company went down, it would only be a matter of time before its subsidiaries followed.'
The announcement preceded the placement of an advert in the Financial Times on 16 February by BDO Stoy Hayward, advertising the sale of Memsolve and its subsidiaries, including the trading names of Eagle Direct and Atlantic Systems.
A representative for BDO Stoy Hayward confirmed that it was attempting to sell Memsolve as a going concern. 'We don't release details of the price we are looking for, but I can say that we have had quite a bit of interest,' said the representative.
One source said: 'When you advertise a company as a going concern, it becomes time critical - before long, it will be a gone concern.'
Industry observers expressed doubts about the likelihood of Memsolve and its subsidiaries being sold in its entirety. 'The trouble with the business is that there are very low margins,' said a source.
See news analysis page 10.
Telco also announced series of initiatives to drive digital growth in the UK
Nana Baffour opens up on Getronics' mammoth acquisition of Pomeroy
Analyst predicts SaaS will remain the dominant segment in the market as it grows 17 per cent in 2019
NSS Labs claims vendors are refusing to have their products tested effectively and are trying to restrict its access


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A sign is seen on the wall outside of a Microsoft store in the Dadeland Mall as Microsoft announces it will be buying Nokia Corp.'s line-up of smart phones on September 3, 2013 in Miami, Florida. The proposed price that Microsoft is paying is reported to be $5 billion for the Nokia unit that makes mobile phones, including its line of Lumia smart phones, and another $2.2 billion will be paid for a 10-year license to use Nokia's patents. (Getty Images)
Dubai’s largest listed contractor, Arabtec, has been on shaky foundations for the past two years, recording losses for six consecutive quarters. But Raja Hani Ghanma, CEO of its construction subsidiary, explains how the company is gradually building back up to profit.


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Focus: Atlanta partners with the P20 Conference to help drive change in the payment industry
By staff writer
October 2018 – 2 min. read
Focus: Atlanta is proud to be a media partner for the P20 Conference, a two-day global payment initiative set to take place in the heart of Atlanta on October 9, 2018. P20 is a direct response to the great need for collaborative innovation, cybersecurity and, simply put, clarity in the payment industry. The initiative alternates annually between London, the world’s financial capital (where the inaugural conference was held in 2017), and Atlanta, which has recently come to be known as “Transaction Alley” for being the hub of the future of payment processing. Currently, 70 percent of all North American payments are processed in the Atlanta area.
The event cannot come at a more opportune moment, with the future of fintech and cybersecurity being of paramount importance among America’s financial institutions and the general public. The majority of financial transactions — from paychecks to groceries — now happen electronically, which means the slightest glitch in our tenuous payment-processing infrastructure could throw the entire country out of whack. As a nonprofit organization formed last year, P20 promotes the development of the global payment industry and fosters thought leadership in four key areas: cybersecurity, regulation, innovation and financial inclusion.
SHUTTERSTOCK/JOHN D. WHITE
“Right now in Europe, there is one regulator. In the U.S., there are 19 regulators, and the penalties for violating the regulations are severe,” Allen Maines, managing partner at Holland & Knight, told Focus: when he sat down with our team earlier this year. “Holland & Knight is the leader in the electronic payments and transaction industry, both in regards to government relations and in trying to moderate the multiple, overlapping regulations that apply to the industry.”
Maines explained that the world follows the example set by the UK and the U.S., thus the reason for the coalition of P20. “We’re so passionate about this,” he said. “We try to help our clients innovate and engage in best practices for cybersecurity and best practices for inclusiveness.”
Atlanta has a long history of supporting startups and fintech startups in particular, going back to the late 1990s and early 2000s.
“There is just a tremendous amount of talent around the financial services space here,” Bruce Lowthers, chief operating officer at FIS, told Focus:. “It’s a great place from the perspective of available talent, innovation and real estate and as a commercial hub through Hartsfield-Jackson. There are a lot of positives about the city.”
The P20 conference is about driving home the idea that the regulatory officials and business people all need to be in the same room, Lowthers explains. “We wanted people in the room who could make the decision to change and have an impact,” he said. “Until we did that last year, there was never an event in the payments world where this had been accomplished. Our initial thought when organizing the P20 was to get two countries that get along: the UK and America. We first tried this idea with DAVOS, but when you are dealing with regulatory issues with 100-plus countries, the differences were far too vast to make changes appropriately. However, the UK — and ultimately Atlanta because of the amount of transactions going through here — made the most sense. We wanted to demonstrate that it could work, and then the followers would come. We have seen a tremendous amount of attention and momentum since our first conference, which is exciting.”
Above all, the goal of P20 is to drive change, and everyone here at Focus: Atlanta is excited to see what the future holds for the payment-processing industry in Atlanta and beyond.
To register for the 2018 P20 Conference, click here.
To pre-order Focus: Atlanta 2019, click here.


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AI (Artificial Intelligence) is the capability of a machine to mimic intelligent human behavior. It is a significant growth trend. Technology is used to smarten up countless things, small and large. Thus, it can smarten from homes and cities to computers and cars to healthcare diagnostic and factory equipment tools.
IDC, one research firm, is estimating that spending on artificial intelligence systems will soar from $37.5 billion in 2019 to $97.9 billion in 2023. Thus, it is more than a 28% compound growth of the annual rate. Moreover, some sources predict even faster growth.
Thus, it is wise for investors wanting some exposure to this area of high growth. We can now say the top artificial intelligence-related stocks worth investing in. You can invest in those stocks as little as $1,000 (or less). It is because some online brokerages can allow by fractional shares of stock.
The most obvious way to consumers in which Amazon uses Artificial Intelligence is probably Alexa. Moreover, they are doing it since the voice-activated assistant is the brains of the company’s popular Echo smart home speakers. Furthermore, in this space, Amazon was the first mover. It beat technology titans like Apple and Alphabet to the punch.
Nevertheless, the market leader is still the Echo. That is very important because smart speakers are acting as a hub of a smart home. Thus, Amazon can leverage its market leadership for selling consumers other quick home services and products.
Nevertheless, from a current standpoint, Amazon’s most important use of artificial intelligence is making the technology available to its Amazon Web Services customers. The market leader in the public cloud space, AWS, accounted for just over 11% of Amazon’s total revenue in its most recently reported quarter (2019’s fourth quarter). Nevertheless, it is the outsize 67% of its operating profits.
Moreover, Amazon is also using artificial intelligence in its e-commerce business.
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