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Cordatus Wealth Management LLC trimmed its holdings in shares of Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL – Get Rating) by 3.1% during the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 111,273 shares of the iPhone maker’s stock after selling 3,588 shares during the period. Apple comprises 6.8% of Cordatus Wealth Management LLC’s investment portfolio, making the stock its largest position. Cordatus Wealth Management LLC’s holdings in Apple were worth $19,429,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.
Several other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of AAPL. State Street Corp raised its holdings in shares of Apple by 1.8% during the 4th quarter. State Street Corp now owns 633,115,246 shares of the iPhone maker’s stock valued at $112,422,274,000 after buying an additional 10,951,705 shares during the period. Geode Capital Management LLC boosted its stake in shares of Apple by 1.7% in the fourth quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 264,351,901 shares of the iPhone maker’s stock valued at $46,812,958,000 after purchasing an additional 4,456,954 shares during the period. Norges Bank acquired a new stake in Apple during the 4th quarter valued at $25,228,507,000. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. increased its stake in Apple by 1.6% during the 4th quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 79,583,859 shares of the iPhone maker’s stock worth $14,131,710,000 after buying an additional 1,273,148 shares during the period. Finally, Parametric Portfolio Associates LLC lifted its holdings in Apple by 1.6% in the 4th quarter. Parametric Portfolio Associates LLC now owns 55,610,954 shares of the iPhone maker’s stock worth $9,874,837,000 after buying an additional 871,249 shares in the last quarter. 57.72% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.
Analyst Ratings Changes
A number of analysts have recently issued reports on the company. Oppenheimer reaffirmed an “outperform” rating and set a $190.00 target price on shares of Apple in a research report on Wednesday, June 8th. Barclays dropped their price objective on Apple from $167.00 to $166.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, July 13th. KeyCorp raised their price target on shares of Apple from $177.00 to $185.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Friday, August 19th. Itaú Unibanco started coverage on shares of Apple in a research note on Tuesday, July 26th. They issued an “underperform” rating and a $136.00 price target for the company. Finally, Rosenblatt Securities reduced their price objective on shares of Apple from $168.00 to $160.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, July 29th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have assigned a hold rating, twenty-four have given a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $181.18.
Apple Stock Performance
Shares of AAPL stock opened at $157.22 on Thursday. Apple Inc. has a 12-month low of $129.04 and a 12-month high of $182.94. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.63, a current ratio of 0.86 and a quick ratio of 0.82. The firm has a market capitalization of $2.53 trillion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 25.94, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.09 and a beta of 1.23. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $156.11 and a 200 day simple moving average of $157.00.
Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL – Get Rating) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 28th. The iPhone maker reported $1.20 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.14 by $0.06. Apple had a return on equity of 152.97% and a net margin of 25.71%. The company had revenue of $82.96 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $82.97 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $1.30 earnings per share. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 1.9% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, equities research analysts anticipate that Apple Inc. will post 6.1 EPS for the current year.
Apple Dividend Announcement
The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, August 11th. Shareholders of record on Monday, August 8th were given a dividend of $0.23 per share. The ex-dividend date was Friday, August 5th. This represents a $0.92 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 0.59%. Apple’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 15.18%.
Insider Transactions at Apple
In related news, SVP Katherine L. Adams sold 25,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, August 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $164.77, for a total transaction of $4,119,250.00. Following the transaction, the senior vice president now owns 427,334 shares in the company, valued at $70,411,823.18. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. In other news, SVP Katherine L. Adams sold 25,000 shares of Apple stock in a transaction on Wednesday, August 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $164.77, for a total transaction of $4,119,250.00. Following the transaction, the senior vice president now directly owns 427,334 shares in the company, valued at approximately $70,411,823.18. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, CFO Luca Maestri sold 96,735 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, August 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $174.95, for a total value of $16,923,788.25. Following the completion of the sale, the chief financial officer now owns 110,673 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $19,362,241.35. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Company insiders own 0.06% of the company’s stock.
Apple Inc designs, manufactures, and markets smartphones, personal computers, tablets, wearables, and accessories worldwide. It also sells various related services. In addition, the company offers iPhone, a line of smartphones; Mac, a line of personal computers; iPad, a line of multi-purpose tablets; AirPods Max, an over-ear wireless headphone; and wearables, home, and accessories comprising AirPods, Apple TV, Apple Watch, Beats products, HomePod, and iPod touch.
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Savez-vous ce que fait l’UNIDO, l’Organisation des Nations Unies pour le Développement Industriel, pour booster l économie locale dans les pays comme le Malawi ? Découvrez comment on donne à ces pays la chance de grandir en toute autonomie.
Do you know what UNIDO, the United Nations Industrial Development Organization, is doing to boost the local economy in countries like Malawi? Find out how we give these countries the chance to grow independently.
Malawi – the warm heart of Africa – is a country of friendly farmers who could lead the country’s economic growth.
Agriculture employs more than 80% of the population
To sell what they produce, Malawian farmers and producers need to connect to markets by showing that their products are safe and of good quality.
To help them do so, the United Nations Industrial Development Organization, UNIDO, together with the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation, Norad launched a project in 2013.
Let’s see what the team did!
UNIDO strengthened capacity of the Malawi Bureau of Standards, MBS,
to deliver certifications in compliance with food safety and quality-related regulations, providing confidence to businesses
and consumers in Malawi.
Jessie Kachepa is a farmer working in chili processing with 6,000 other farmers in the NASFAM Zikometso Innovation and Productivity Center, IPC.
Like Jessie, these farmers have learnt better agricultural practices and post-harvesting techniques, as well as how to comply with quality standards and national technical regulations.
As a result, chili sauce produced in Jessie’s IPC got certified by MBS.
Thanks to this, production will increase from 1200 to 3600 bottles per day. This allows farmers like Jessie to sell more, increase income and improve their livelihoods.
Today, Jessie’s products can be sold in local shops and restaurants.
Because “farming is business”, farmers can become the cornerstone of economic growth.
And there are still more products to work on!

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Supply agreement reinforces the partnership between the companies and supports Beyond Meat’s long-term growth in the United States and internationally.
Roquette announces the expansion of its range of premium plant-based proteins for the meat alternative sector at Food Ingredients Europe (FIE 3-5 December 2019). This further offer will be supporting the development of new opportunities for plant-based food innovators.
The companies signed an agreement to accelerate the Global Business of new promising human breast milk components for Food, Nutrition and Health markets.
Jean-Philippe Azoulay brings an extensive experience that will be key to reinforcing the leading position of the Group in this booming sector.


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Back in August Universal Orlando Resorts announced a brand new theme park and entertainment complex that will join Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure and Volcano Bay.
Universal’s Epic Universe will offer an entirely new level of experiences that will forever redefine theme park entertainment. Guests will venture beyond their wildest imagination, traveling into beloved stories and through vibrant lands on adventures where the journey is as astounding as the destination. The new location will feature a theme park, an entertainment center, hotels, shops, restaurants and more. Ultimately, this expansion will create more space and freedom to let loose and create lasting memories with the people you love.
During a Q3 earnings conference call this morning, Comcast executives confirmed that Universal Orlando’s new theme park, Universal’s Epic Universe, is expected to open in 2023. That’s only 4 years after announcement and we are beyond excited that this brand new experience will be opening so soon.


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This month, we talk about the widespread issue of fake web traffic in China, and we take a look at the importance of China’s nightlife in the country’s COVID-19 recovery. Also, we highlight articles about the affect COVID-19 has on Chinese international students in the UK and Canada and why students might start leaning towards China and Malaysia for international education. Finally, we discuss how companies are taking advantage of online sales to boost their revenue and improve the flow of their products.
1. Almost one third of online traffic in China is fake or invalid
A study by technology company Miaozhen Systems has found that nearly one third of all online ad traffic in China last year was fake or invalid. In an industry first, report, the China Digital Advertising Invalid Traffic Report 2019 examined fraudulent traffic through advertising and media. Researchers hunted for invalid traffic across all forms of media ad formats, digital TV, online consumer leads, and KOL marketing to name a few. Data from 65,000 campaigns by 2,000 brands across 1,200 platforms were collated to form the research.
Read more at WARC
Learn more about driving traffic to your Chinese website
2. Night lights: Culture driving China's urban consumption
Government promotion of Chinese nightlife culture is nothing new, but it has gained a fresh importance in the wake of COVID-19. While Shanghai’s has long held a reputation as the country’s financial hub, the city is now counting on its museums, art galleries and bookstores to stimulate consumption. To encourage citizens to participate in the “Night Festival” the government has extended subway hours, created pedestrian zones, and added temporary parking areas. Furthermore, cultural attractions are giving out promotions, discounts and additional events to draw in visitors. Although the government is pushing to improve the economy, the health and safety of the population still remains a priority. Visitors must preregister for events, wear a mask while practise social distancing upon arrival.
Read more at Jing Travel
Learn more about ways to target domestic Chinese visitors in tourism marketing
3. Asia may compete with UK on international students post-COVID
The COVID-19 pandemic may lead to a rise in student mobility within Asia. Countries such as China and Malaysia can potentially become major competitors to English speaking countries in international education. Speaking at the British Council’s virtual Going Global event, Mr. McNamara stated that emerging trends present before the pandemic will be more prevalent in the foreseeable future. There may be trends towards “short periods of mobility” such as a semester abroad compared to a full academic year. In addition, with the quick transition due to the pandemic, there will be a greater adoption of online learning.
Read more at Times Higher Education
Learn more about Chinese international students
4. Will China's shopping festivals save the luxury market?
Recently, JD.com created an online shopping festival known as 618. This festival is created as an opportunity for brands to offset losses incurred during COVID-19. With the limited product movement during this time, the festival gave brands a chance to clear out their inventory at a discounted price. Although a great opportunity, some brands remained a high degree of caution due to discounted items having a negative impact on brand equity and value.
Over the first hour of the event, luxury brand sales grew 400%, and all-day sales increased by 100% year on year. At the same time, sales in third tier cities have doubled even though JD does not have any physical stores in these locations.
Kevin Jiang, JD’s president of international fashion and lifestyle business, believes that the combination of online and offline has become an effective strategy for luxury brands. He also believes that the platforms high quality user and buyer base has been the main attraction point for luxury brands. JD consumers on the platform primarily have high incomes and are highly educated. The platform prides itself in a with a zero-tolerance policy on counterfeit good.
Read more at Jing Daily
Learn more about how foreign brands can successfully position themselves in China
5. Number of Chinese students in Canada decreases
The number of students from China obtaining a Canadian study permit has decreased by 44% in the first 4 months of this year due to COVID-19. Due to the switch to online teaching and border restrictions, there has been a significant downturn in Chinese study visas which in turn has created massive job losses in labour sectors usually filled by foreign students. To battle this drop, Canada has come up with several incentives designed to limit the drop in study visas. This includes eliminating the cap on the number of hours foreign students can work while studying and allowing foreign students and refugees workers in Canada to apply for the government’s Canada Emergency Response Benefit of $2,000 a month.
Read more at the Vancouver Sun


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The Jurassic era is coming to a close, with the grand finale, JURASSIC WORLD DOMINION, stomping into theaters last weekend. Sam Neill, Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum, and BD Wong return to the world of dinosaurs, sharing the screen with the new franchise stars, Bryce Dallas Howard and Chris Pratt.
To commemorate, we have a pair of posters by the always incredible Phantom City Creative, who bring their distinctive style to the Jurassic World franchise, and the new "big bad" of the series ... the Giganotosaurus.
These prints will be available on Wednesday, June 15 at 11AM CT, finding their way onto The Drop at mondoshop.com.
(And, as revealed yesterday, our vinyl pressing of the JURASSIC WORLD DOMINION soundtrack will be available an hour later, at 12PM CT.)
JURASSIC WORLD DOMINION Poster. Artwork by Phantom City Creative. 36"x24". Edition of 220. Printed by DL Screenprinting. Shipping in October 2022 to select countries. $50
JURASSIC WORLD DOMINION Variant Poster. Artwork by Phantom City Creative. 36"x24". Edition of 120. Printed by DL Screenprinting. Shipping in October 2022 to select countries. $75


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As for those bold, punchy colours, Pangaia’s scientists take naturally-occurring dye – for example a flower with a red petal – and sample the DNA, “splicing it into a micro-organism. When growing that in the lab, you basically feed it and as part of its metabolic process the organism creates the dye.”
Blues are generally the hardest to make, says Parkes, because it’s the least naturally occurring colour in nature. “You think about the colour of the sky or the colour of the sea – but those are reflections of light, there are no pigments there that you can collect.”
Sweatpants and puffers are only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to what Pangaia – whose name comes from Pan (all inclusive) and Gaia (mother earth) – has planned, says Srivastava. “Making materials out of anything – from bananas, to coffee, pineapples, grapes and apples – this is the stuff we’re really excited about,” she says. Adds Parkes: “We want to use up waste produce wherever it appears in nature. We don’t want the same thing to happen with cotton, which has been over-farmed and overproduced… we always want to stay in the realm of regenerative agriculture and variation, instead of a single solution.”
By collaborating with everyone from start-ups to established scientists as well as conducting its own raw research and development from its lab in Florence – where, since the Covid-19 outbreak, operations have been re-deployed to make masks and Hazmat suits which will be distributed in the next week – the Pangaia team is able to bring what for many of them has been a lifetime’s body of work into the mainstream.
Take that mushroom leather (aka “Mycelium leather”) that you’re hearing so much about lately. Parkes’ friend started testing that in Stanford 20 years ago. It might surprise you to hear that a cross-body bag or a pair of knee-high boots was not the end goal when it came to its development. “Scientists are motivated by totally different things,” she laughs. “When a scientist starts working on these concepts, while there might be a patent in mind, the inventor of mushroom leather could not have been further from fashion [with] the crazy biotech lab he was in!”
This content can also be viewed on the site it originates from.


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Issue 1 2024 of Strategic Marketing for Africa, the magazine for deep-thinking industry professionals, provides in-depth insights.
New retail trade body and marketing institute to partner on awards
By our News Team | 2023
Shop! South Africa and Institute of Marketing Management announce ‘first-of-its-kind’ partnership involving consumer and shopper marketing.
Shop! South Africa, the newly formed trade association that aims to enhance retail environments and experiences, has announced a partnership with the Institute of Marketing Management (IMM) ahead of Shop’s inaugural Outstanding Shopper Marketing Awards (OSMA) later in 2023.
“The partnership will see the two bodies look to share resources, achieve mutual objectives and leverage each other’s strengths, leading to increased opportunities for both parties,” says IMM CEO, Irene Gregory.
Photo by Greta Hoffman from Pexels
Shop’s membership profile includes major retailers, integrated agencies with shopper and digital offerings, production houses, POS manufacturers and brands.
“This is a first-of-its-kind partnership between consumer and shopper marketing, demonstrating authentic and fully integrated communications. We believe this collaboration will foster creativity, synergy and innovation by combining different perspectives, ideas and approaches,” says Diane Wilson, Managing Director of Shop! SA.
Inevitably lead to innovation, growth and access
“The IMM brings great resources, expertise and knowledge to the partnership, which will inevitably lead to innovation, growth and access to new markets and customer segments.”
The partnership will see the IMM endorse the Shop! OSMA Awards as part of its focus on retail. Realising that retail is an integral part of marketing, the IMM has introduced short courses in retail store management.
The awards celebrate creativity, innovation and excellence in-store, online and throughout the shopper experience. The focus is on shopper programmes and executions that change shopper behaviour and deliver results.
“As the retail market evolves and consumer behaviour changes, it’s more important than ever to recognise shopper marketing as an approach that goes beyond traditional marketing to create more immersive and personalised buying experiences for shoppers,” adds Wilson.
Company worked with Interbrand to evolve its brand identity and build a more consistent design experience.
Two professionals complete the groundbreaking and rigorous process to achieve Certificate of Chartered Marketer (Africa) Status.
New campaign unveiled this month aims to convey the brand’s ‘unique connection with speed’ ahead of Olympics and Euro 2024.
NH Collection concludes agreement with local partner to open hotel property in Sandton in July. Other openings in Africa will follow.
Trust in government to innovate is below 50%, while a third of Kenyans don’t trust the media. Business fares better, at 70% trust.
Telecommunications competitor Vodacom is second, but closing the gap, helped by Vodafone association. Standard Bank ranks third.
Brands that recognise indigenous African beauty practices, and utilise natural ingredients and techniques, have an advantage.
The once-simple world of “Google it” is morphing into something far more complex, but potentially rewarding, for Africa’s marketers.
Study examines long-term impact of the method, which capitalises on psychology and prompts to encourage consumers to make a purchase.
Bralirwa says it is developing the Rwandan beer market for sustainable growth and investing in digital technology and innovation.


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Emtel, a leading Telecom Network Operator in Mauritius, has provided the only landing point for the METISS fibre optic cable in the country.
Zemen Bank has partnered Mastercard for the introduction of the first ever Mastercard branded prepaid contactless travel card in Ethiopia.
Telkom Kenya has partnered with The National Youth Council of Kenya (NYCK) to develop a youth-focused digital wallet to boost financial inclusion among the youth, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Minister of Finance and Economic Planning Dr. Uzziel Ndagijimana and the Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to Rwanda Dr. Thomas Kurz, today signed two agreements worth € […]
Fuse Media has marked its first foray into the global media marketplace on the eve of MipTV with licensing deals to language learning platform Lingopie and South Africa-based Telkom SA.
Pan African quality network provider, Paratus has appointed Martin Cox as its Group Chief Commercial Officer. Cox brings a wealth of experience as a founder shareholder of Neotel and Executive for Strategy, […]
Vodacom customers can now access vouchers from two leading brands thanks to the introduction of Voucher Advance, an innovative lending proposition and the first of its kind for South African consumers.
Postpaid customers can enjoy double data while prepaid customers can avail double data and voice at no extra cost when they subscribe to Ramadan special packs.
The fifth edition of the Inclusive Internet Index depicts an internet that is more accessible and affordable than ever.
Netcracker Technology announced that du, a leading quad-play communications provider based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), has selected Netcracker Digital BSS for its digital transformation program.
The partnership enables more organizations in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) and the GCC to benefit from automated, scalable and high-performance cybersecurity with LogRhythm’s NextGen Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) Platform.
With the installation of its fibre network infrastructure in Welkom, Fibre Network Operator Evotel, is also providing schools falling within its network coverage with free access to its fast and reliable fibre.
The Mobile Network Quality Report Q1 2021, published by MyBroadband, sees MTN in the top spot of mobile networks in South Africa
The social network announced the opening of its first African office with the aim to truly serve the public conversation across the African continent.


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On the Symfony blog there's a new post from Javier Eguiluz talking about improvements to the Symfony release process that will be starting with the 3.0.0 stable release (already release so already in place).
The Symfony Release Process is arguably one of the best selling points of the Symfony project. Thanks to our predictable and transparent process, companies can plan years in ahead their Symfony integration.
The recent launch of Symfony 2.8, which will be the last minor version of the 2.x branch, made us think about further tweaks in the release process. That's why during his past SymfonyCon Paris 2015 keynote, Fabien Potencier announced the new Symfony release process.
The main changes for the process are around how many minor versions will be published, standard vs long term support status of these releases and the timing of major/minor releases. With this schedule in place, it's projected that Symfony 4 will be released in November of 2017.


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New owners for Newport International Boat Show (NIBS)
The Newport International Boat Show (NIBS) has been acquired from the Newport Restaurant Group by Informa Markets’ South Florida Ventures.
NIBS is one of the largest and most prestigious boat shows in the US – now in its 53rd year, it is held over 13 acres of downtown Newport, Rhode Island with access to the deep waters of Narragansett Bay. With over 600 exhibitors and the largest in-water display in New England, both power and sail boats are represented at the show, along with marine products, services and accessories.
Lisa Knowles, Show Director for NIBS, said:
“South Florida Ventures is the ideal partner to lead the Newport International Boat Show into its next evolution. This collaboration ensures that NIBS will maintain its renowned quality while gaining access to innovation, insights, and cutting-edge technologies, enriching the experience for exhibitors and attendees alike.
“We eagerly anticipate welcoming everyone to an even more remarkable 2024 show in September.”
South Florida Ventures has expanded rapidly over the past five years, and this latest acquisition will add to the company’s growing portfolio of boating and yachting events. The recent growth has included the addition of five keystone boating and yachting shows (Yachting Promotions Inc) in 2017, and a partnership with the National Marine Manufacturer’s Association (NMMA) to run their boating and yachting events, including Miami International Boat Show, last year.
Andrew Doole, president of US Boat Shows, South Florida Ventures, commented:
“We are delighted to welcome NIBS into the South Florida Ventures family. NIBS is a standout show, reflecting the vibrancy of the boating community in the Northeast.
“This partnership signifies a true collaboration, driven by a shared dedication to customer satisfaction, community, and a mutual interest in the future growth of NIBS and its brand.”
Paul O’Reilly, CEO of Newport Restaurant Group, concluded:
“For over 50 years, the Newport International Boat Show has been the pinnacle of boat shows in the Northeast. While it is bittersweet to bid farewell to NIBS, I am assured that it is in the most capable hands with the NIBS leadership team and South Florida Ventures at the helm.
“With the maritime sector experiencing a surge in demand post-pandemic, this marks the perfect time for the next chapter in the illustrious journey of the Newport International Boat Show. I am certain that Lisa and Andrew will maintain its great integrity and esteemed reputation for years to come.”


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Sunday staff should be compensated: Gladstone business
IT CAN be the difference between struggle street, student survival and business profitability but for one Gladstone business woman Sunday staff should be paid the extra.
Audra Cunningham runs 3 Style, a ladies fashion store that is open six days and employs three casuals.
She is considering opening on Sundays and believes staff must be compensated for the time they are giving up.
"It's got to be fair," Ms Cunningham said. "It is an incentive to work when rates are high; it makes it all worthwhile."
The mother-of-two said she had casuals so she did not have to come in each day and, although paying the higher weekend rates for staff would make a difference for some business owners, she was not disagreeing with paying the Sunday penalty rate.
"It is what it is. I think it's fair," Ms Cunningham said.
"If that is what you have to pay your staff that is fine with me.
"You need good staff, especially me, when I'm a working mum. And you want to look after them, pay them right."
Do we need Sunday penalty rates?
This poll ended on 30 December 2015.
Yes, they make the difference for struggling families.
No, it's a burden on business.
This is not a scientific poll. The results reflect only the opinions of those who chose to participate.
High school student and casual worker at her store, Darcie Holgate-English, 16, said weekend penalty rates were very important so she could earn and save money to attend university.
"Young people are used to shops being open Sundays so it does not bother us to work," she said.
"I just expect to be paid what everyone else is paid.
"Of course if it's higher it's better."
THE elephant in the room has been smoking away all year and this week it fired.
The Productivity Commission's report on our workplace relations system recommends Sunday the penalty rate should be lowered.
It proposes that the Sunday rate aligns with Saturday's time-and-a-half payment but penalty rates for public holidays, shift work and overtime should remain.
The Federal Government will now examine the report which makes 70 key recommendations as part of its review into productivity and competitiveness.
The report found the Sunday penalty rate in the hospitality, retail, restaurant/cafes and entertainment sectors was inconsistent and anachronistic with regard to changing consumer preferences.
It also recommends that penalty rates continue to be set by independent Fair Work Commission.


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September 13, 2022
Student-Driven Design Process Will Be Documented Across Social Media in Real Time
Gravity Sketch, a leader in collaborative 3D design technology, has sponsored a course at ArtCenter College of Design, challenging Transportation Design students to create the next Jeep Wrangler for industry partner Stellantis. For the first time in the College’s history, the process for a sponsored project will be documented in real-time across social media.
The project brief, jointly created by Gravity Sketch, Stellantis and ArtCenter, requires students to design the next generation Jeep Wrangler in the new realm of electrification and autonomy in 2030. Students will use Gravity Sketch to enhance their automotive design process, experimenting with a range of capabilities within the 3D design and modeling software, including sketch blitz, ergonomics studies, photo editing, 3D rendering and other modeling techniques.
Gravity Sketch is asking students to document their process across social media in real-time, posting photos and videos and using the hashtag — #GravitySketchJeep
While most students are adept at using social media, Gravity Sketch and ArtCenter will also be documenting the project on video, capturing interviews, milestone presentations and background footage, to post on social media and to create a final short-form narrative video to summarize the project.
Chief Experience Officer and co-founder of Gravity Sketch, Daniela Paredes, is excited about the transparency this approach will bring: “Technologies in the automotive industry are constantly advancing, bringing opportunities to redefine the future of mobility. Sharing the students’ creative process in real-time on social media will show the full scope of innovation and techniques used to arrive at their final product, and might end up bringing a network effect component to the creative process.”
“Traditionally, agreements with our strategic partners include a 90-day non-disclosure window because students are often working on real-world challenges and opportunities faced by companies that require confidentiality,” said Regina Dowling-Jones, ArtCenter’s vice president of Strategic Partnerships. “This is the first time a company has agreed to showcase the student-driven design process as the project is happening and we couldn’t be more thrilled to give potential partners and prospective students a peek at what happens inside an ArtCenter classroom.”
The 14-week project kicks-off on September 13, 2022, with final presentations scheduled for December 13, 2022. As part of ArtCenter’s educational model, all students retain intellectual property rights in any work created in the classroom unless otherwise negotiated. At the end of the term, however, students are expected to deliver final renderings, final presentation materials, a milled foam model, an Instagram clip and a two-minute video to the sponsor as creative inspiration. One student project will be selected by Gravity Sketch and Stellantis to be fully built-out as a ¼-scale model.
Engagement with industry through sponsored projects has been a hallmark feature of an ArtCenter education since its founding in 1930. Hundreds of corporate sponsored projects have taken place at the College, interweaving business methods into the fabric of ArtCenter’s robust design pedagogy. These sponsored collaborations bring industry thought leaders into an unrestricted and creative classroom environment where the next generation of artists and designers explore the future of design. Students undergo real-world design challenges that enrich their knowledge and provide them with potential internship and job opportunities. ArtCenter offers a wide range of both domestic and international sponsored programs with corporate partners in industries ranging from automotive, healthcare, food-and-beverage, software and consumer products. Each project incorporates current trends in emerging technologies with a focus on the user experience.
About Gravity Sketch: Founded in 2014 by Oluwaseyi Sosanya, Daniela Paredes and Daniel Thomas: Gravity Sketch is a London-based startup on a mission to revolutionize the way ideas are brought to life, and fundamentally change the way design is done today. The company has created a suite of connected products that use the latest in spatial technology – enabling users to think and create in 3D while also bringing real-time collaboration to the front of the design process. With Gravity Sketch, designers, engineers and other stakeholders can share feedback and discuss issues at every stage of product development, experiencing the design through virtual reality.
About ArtCenter College of Design: Founded in 1930 and located in Pasadena, California, ArtCenter College of Design is a global leader in art and design education. ArtCenter offers 11 undergraduate and 10 graduate degrees in a wide variety of industrial design disciplines as well as visual and applied arts. In addition to its top-ranked academic programs, the College also serves members of the Greater Los Angeles region through a highly regarded series of year-round extension programs for all ages and levels of experience. Renowned for both its ties to industry and its social impact initiatives, ArtCenter is the first design school to receive the United Nations’ Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) status in recognition of its commitment to social impact design through Designmatters. Throughout the College’s long and storied history, ArtCenter alumni have had a profound impact on popular culture, the way we live and important issues in our society.
Vice President, Marketing and Communications
ArtCenter College of Design
626 396.2251 office
Media Relations Director
ArtCenter College of Design
626 396.2385 office
Co-founder and CXO
+52 5587 955406


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Tottenham Hotspur reveals new partnership with "ultrafast" grocery delivery firm
A London football club has announced that it has agreed a new three-year partnership with a grocery delivery firm.
Tottenham Hotspur Football Club has agreed a new deal with “ultrafast” grocery delivery company Getir, which will join the club as an official partner.
Getir, which launched in the UK in January, currently delivers across London, Birmingham, Manchester, Brighton, Cardiff, Liverpool and Bristol, and is expecting to expand into another eight cities by the end of 2021.
Turancan Salur, Getir’s UK general manager, commented: “It is our great pleasure to support and stand by the side of sports and athletes, we will continue to respect and value them.
“It’s great to now be able to deliver this in the UK with our first football club partnership with Tottenham Hotspur.
“We have worked hard to deliver groceries in minutes, and much like on the pitch where every second counts, we are focused on delivering state-of-the-art tech and creating unique experiences for fans.
“We have seen great appetite for our online grocery delivery service, and we know that people crave convenience, but we also give time back so customers can enjoy doing the things they love, things like watching Premier League football.”
Todd Kline, chief commercial officer at Tottenham Hotspur, commented: “We are delighted to announce this new partnership with Getir and we’re looking forward to supporting them with their rapid growth in the UK and across Europe.
“Getir pride themselves on being innovative, are dedicated to minimising their impact on the environment and put people, as well as world-class technology, right at the heart of everything they do. We look forward to working closely with them in the years to come.”
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CU Forward Day is where credit union's across Minnesota give back to the communities in a cooperative effort through promoting: Volunteering opportunities Fundraising events, and participating in community service projects. Co-op Credit Union gave back to the community by distributing a Survival Kit for Montevideo, Benson, Canby, and Willmar Fire Departments for their dedication to
Earlier this week, we told you that roughly half the people in the country can get benefits under a settlement that the FTC and others reached with Equifax. Now, you can now find out if you were affected by the September 2017 breach and make your claim for benefits. Continue reading the full article by clicking here.
If you needed yet another nudge to start keeping an eye on your credit report to protect against identity theft, Capital One has delivered it with its announcement that a data breach has exposed the personal information of 106 million of its credit card customers and credit card applicants in the United States and Canada. Read the full article by clicking here
Recently Co-op Credit Union purchased the lot next to the Credit Union with the intention of remodeling our office and adding a Drive-Up to better serve our members. We are excited to inform you that we are moving forward with this project at the end of this month. The Co-op Credit Union Office will be moving to a temporary location on main street. Our address will be 114 Saint Olaf Ave N
Getting calls from the SSA? Probably not. At least, not from the real SSA. But how many of you have gotten calls from someone who said they were the Social Security Administration? And maybe showed the real SSA phone number (1-800-772-1213) or a number close to it on your caller ID? Lots, right? Read the full article from the FTC at here.
Fraudsters are constantly trying to get your information and your money. The Federal Trade Commission has released an article on The top frauds of 2018. Click here to read the full article.
Earlier this year it was announced that the Enhanced Financial Counseling Certification Program (FiCEP) program was going to be held in Minnesota. Our management team felt this would be a great opportunity for staff development and was a way we could continue to meet the ever-changing needs of our members. We selected one employee from each branch to go through this program. Cindy B.
November was Food Shelf Month. To help our local food shelf and our community, we raised money and non-perishable items to be donated to Chippewa County Food Shelf. Linda Givan generously donated baby sweaters for our event and with a $25.00 or more donation to the Chippewa County Food Shelf at the Credit Union, you received a baby sweater of your choice. Co-op Credit Union agreed to match
Happy Holidays! Shopping tips from the FTC The gift-giving season is just around the corner, and the gift-buying season starts. Read the full article about shopping tips
CU Forward Day was a success for Co-op Credit Union! On Monday, October 8th, 2018 Co-op Credit Union celebrated CU Forward Day with a Shred Event and Food Drive. Between all offices, we shredded over 3,600 pounds of paper and collected over 175 pounds of non perishable items for our local food shelf. If you want to learn more about CU Forward Day and how Credit Unions across Minnesota gave


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Freshfel Europe’s 2018 Thematic Network Joint Statement on ‘Stimulating fresh fruit and vegetable consumption for healthier European consumers’ is now open for endorsement by stakeholders. The Joint Statement outlines a variety of recommendations on how to stimulate fresh fruit and vegetable consumption with accompanying best practices under five action areas.
The Joint Statement comprises of two parts, a framing paper contextualising current fresh fruit and vegetable consumption levels in Europe and a recommendations paper outlining 44 points of action with accompanying best practices to stimulate fresh fruit and vegetable consumption. Philippe Binard, Freshfel Europe General Delegate stated, “This is the first ever comprehensive review of actions which could stimulate fresh fruit and vegetable consumption. Today across Europe the level of daily consumption is well below the minimum recommended by the World Health Organization as well as scientists and health professionals and this needs to change. Social, economic, environmental, communication and partnership actions are recommended in the Joint Statement and are directed at both public and private stakeholders within the agri-food and health sectors”.
The Joint Statement is the beginning of a collaborative effort into 2019 and beyond led by Freshfel Europe and supported by its members and organisations endorsing the Joint Statement to alleviate low consumption levels by ensuring the implementation of innovative initiatives under the action areas. Stakeholders across Europe have until the 25 January 2019 to formally endorse the Joint Statement.
Throughout 2018 Freshfel Europe developed the Joint Statement along with other agri-food and health stakeholders as part of the European Commission’s 2018 round of Thematic Networks, which form part of the annual work of the EU Health Policy Platform. All information regarding the Thematic Network and Joint Statement is available on the Thematic Network’s dedicated area on the EU Health Policy Platform. More information can also be found on the Freshfel Europe website.


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Costco’s El Camino Real store in South San Francisco, Calif., is recalling 9,043 units (approximately 39,755 lbs.) of rotisserie chicken products that may be contaminated with a strain of Salmonella Heidelberg, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.
The products subject to recall are:
- 8,730 “Kirkland Signature Foster Farms” rotisserie chickens
- 313 total units of “Kirkland Farm” rotisserie chicken soup, rotisserie chicken leg quarters, and rotisserie chicken salad
The products were sold directly to consumers in a Costco located at 1600 El Camino Real, South San Francisco, Calif., between Sept. 11 and Sep. 23, 2013.
This recall was initiated due to concerns about a group of Salmonella Heidelberg illnesses that may be associated with the consumption of rotisserie chicken products prepared in and purchased at the Costco El Camino Real store. The PFGE pattern (0258) associated with this outbreak is reported rarely in the United States. FSIS, working with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the California Department of Public Health and the County of San Mateo Public Health Department, determined through epidemiologic and traceback investigations that there is a link between the Costco El Camino Real rotisserie chicken products and this illness outbreak. FSIS is continuing to work with CDC, public health partners in California and Costco on the investigation. FSIS will continue to provide information as it becomes available.
This group of illnesses is part of a larger cluster of Salmonella Heidelberg illnesses that are known to be multi-drug resistant. For more information about the larger cluster, visit: http://www.cdc.gov/salmonella/heidelberg-10-13/index.html.


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While most of us are still struggling to weather the recession storm, supermarkets and energy companies are enjoying something of a financial boom. And it's no surprise when you consider the latest figures released by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). In fact, significant price increases by supermarkets and energy giants have left us with an inflation rate far above any other European nation.
Top related searches:
January saw a CPI inflation rate of 3.5 per cent and that's two or three times higher than other Western European nations. While Germany's energy prices rose by 1 per cent last year and France experienced a 6.1 per cent rise, UK customers were forced to cope with a whopping 7.8 per cent increase despite wholesale prices plunging.
Scott Byrom, of moneysupermarket.com, told the Daily Mail: "Customers are still paying average gas bills of nearly £800 even though the price of wholesale gas fell by 60 per cent from mid 2008 to the end of 2009."
Of course, the suppliers deny any suggestion of profiteering.
The British Retail Consortium explained that, though food price inflation in January was 2.9 per cent, by February it had fallen to just 1.3 per cent. Similarly, Christine McGourty of Energy UK, insisted that the UK enjoys "one of the most competitive energy markets in the world".
But since many of us are already struggling to pay the bills and retailers are clearly enjoying a profitable year, isn't it time the retail giants rewarded their customers with a little bonus of their own?


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Standing at the forefront of D‘n’B, Brighton-based Shogun Audio recording label recently celebrated ten years of producing choice tunes. Now there’s a new landmark for the scene’s biggest and best in their 100th release. After nearly 12 years and 100 releases, there’s few signs of the Shogun juggernaut slowing down any time soon. “No! Would be nice if it did, so I could have a rest!” jokes founder Friction. “We’ve recently launched sister label Elevate also which will be releasing slightly more high impact, dance floor drum and bass, so things are definitely full-on right now.” This new sister label, which enables their output to cover even more sonic territory, was launched with Friction’s Dare EP last month, a cheeky pumped-up interpretation of the Gorillaz hit. Things couldn’t be more different than the early days. Back then they pressed tracks to vinyl and then sold them through traditional shops and distribution channels. The Internet had yet to take a grip on the industry at that point. “Over the years we have evolved into a label with a roster of artists working towards album projects which are distributed across traditional physicals, as well as downloads and streaming,” says Shogun Audio co-owner, Keir Tyrer. “We’ve had to adapt our business model to reflect the changing times and today we are a record label, promoter, publisher, merchandiser and much more.”
Keeping it fresh is the pair’s enthusiasm for developing new artists and sounds. “I’ve just always enjoyed the whole A&R process,” Friction tells me. “Being able to communicate with an artist, feedback and help try and improve their music and develop a sound is one of my favouring things about being involved in music.” By investing so much time and faith in producing the music they can has seen the label range an incredibly strong artist roster, who all continuously push the boundaries of technical heavy beats and liquid gems. Now they can boast industry heavyweights like Technimatic, Total Science, SpectraSoul, Icicle, Rockwell and Alix Perez amongst their ranks. Despite being recognised for releasing a deeper style of D‘n’B, the label is more than capable of smashing out a big tune or two.
Even since Shogun Audio started, the DJ world has changed immeasurably and in a number of different ways – some of them good and some of them bad. As someone who’s watched legendary DJs like Carl Cox, Randall, Andy C and Swift perform first hand, Friction sees it as a true skill. “I’m not keen on how the art form of DJing has been destroyed over recent years. On the plus side, I do think that the rise of online sets are great for people all over the world that may not be able to get out and see a specific DJ live.” Brighton born and bred, Friction rose to prominence with his frenetic debut single [Critical Mass]. Quickly establishing a distinctive sound, he began releasing tracks on labels like Valve, True Playaz and Hospital, as well as his burgeoning Shogun Audio imprint. The presenter of an immensely popular BBC Radio 1Xtra show, he’s recently made the jump to Radio 1, forging his reputation as one of the scene’s most influential players. Now he stands as one of the biggest D‘n’B DJs in the world, wowing crowds with his triple deck style and impeccable tune selection.
After scooping awards for Best Newcomer an obvious step is to start your own label, which can platform music you love. So Friction started Shogun in his front room on a PC, completely from scratch. “To be able to have a label that is one of the leaders in my genre, which hosts artists known around the world, and to have grown the size it has, makes me very proud.” A label night at London’s The End followed, bringing this sound into the heart of the capital. Soon their work was getting substantial radio support, with Annie Mac and Zane Lowe hyping it on their national shows. As the imprint’s stature grew so did their confidence, signing artists for album deals and taking the brand to cities across the country. Instead of just being an outlet for the occasional 12”, they actively developed artists and forced evolution within the scene. “At the end of the day the music direction reflects our tastes,” says Tyrer. “We have always just stuck to the philosophy that we want to work with artists we are passionate about, and release music that excites and interests us.” The exceptional output just keeps coming, repeatedly jumping boundaries and defying categorisation. Ranging from heavy-hitting club bangers to chilled liquid bliss-outs, each tune is crammed with rolling basslines and infectious melodies.
Before they start working on the next 100 releases, there’s the small matter of celebrating this landmark offering. On Fri 6 May, the label’s leading lights head to Brighton’s Patterns club for a special party. Taking charge again is Friction himself, who’ll be joined by Rockwell, MC Linguistics and the label’s newest signing Ed:it. As you’d expect, he’s extra hyped by the hometown show. “Our every first show was in Brighton, so it’s great to be back here for the Patterns show. I’ve always been a big fan of the club.”
The bass scene just keeps growing, whilst other genres simply lose their edge after a few years. Much of this longevity is down to original innovators like Goldie, Fabio and Grooverider remaining passionate and fully engaged in its development. “That meant we had strong roots to build on,” enthuses Tyrer. “In addition, the music has constantly stayed fresh and relevant… plus you can’t deny the energy. People just love to jump up and down at 174 bpm!”
Shogun Audio 100 comes to Brighton’s Patterns club on Fri 6 May


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Shares in Alibaba surged on the first day of trading as a public company, gaining 46% from the $68 (£42) price set the previous day.
Stock in the Chinese e-marketplace opened at $92.70, valuing Alibaba at 14% bigger than Facebook and as the second-biggest firm on the FTSE 100 behind Royal Dutch Shell.
It was the biggest flotation in US history at almost $22bn but underwriters exercised an option to buy up more shares to meet the demand frenzy meaning the sale would raise $25bn - more than the $22.1bn by China's AgBank in 2010.
Many investors received fewer shares than they had hoped for and were said to be lining up orders for millions of shares ahead of opening though a bulk were set to be disappointed.
NYSE, anxious to avoid a repeat of the glitches which marred Facebook's IPO on the rival Nasdaq exchange in 2012, said extensive testing of its systems had identified no problems ahead of the trading session.
A delay in declaring the opening price was blamed purely on the demand issue.
The NYSE's opening bell was rung at 2:30pm BST as Alibaba customers, brought in to launch the trading day, clapped and smiled.
The company's founder and executive chairman Jack Ma, who started the company in a one-bedroom apartment, was on hand to witness the event and looked on proudly as the opening price indications rose.
He has shares that stand to be worth up to $14bn though one of the biggest winners will be Yahoo!
The tech firm's in line to make almost $10bn as it prepares to lower its stake in Alibaba - an investment it made for $1bn in 2005.
Its total holding before trading got underway was valued at $26bn.


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Apple has rebranded iOS for the iPad as iPadOS. The homescreen is denser with more icons per page, and you can slide out a permanent widgets column on the left of the screen.
You can now have multiple windows per open application, in split views. There’s also new link previews when long-pressing.
The post Apple announces brand new iPadOS: redesigned home screen, multi-window apps, richer multitasking, more appeared first on 9to5Mac.
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Tekmira claims they are the inventors of lipid-based nano particle delivery of RNAi that works in the bloodstream. They've collaborated with Alnylam on such therapeutics for liver cancer and TTR-mediated amyloidosis.
Alnylam says it has independently developed such lipid-based delivery technology and has filed patents accordingly. Presumably, Alnylam's licensing deals with Tekmira would not apply for the delivery materials covered by Alnylam's patents. Tekmira has cried "Foul!" and has filed suit for patent infringment among other things.
"It comes down to inventorship on some patent applications filed by Alnylam," said Alan Carr, biotech analyst at Needham & Company, "And Tekmira believes that they contributed to it and that they should have at least partial ownership of it." See Xconomy Boston.
Posted by Bruce Lehr March 18th 2011.


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The Boomerang Ventures team is keeping a close eye on the Internet of Things (IoT). This emerging technology has tremendous potential to transform many industries. This article does a great job of showing us the potential of IoT to enable data-driven manufacturing operations. The investment opportunities are significant.
Oscar Moralez, General Partner
Source: Plex Manufacturing | Re-Post Boomerang Ventures 8/19/2019
There is quite a lot of hype surrounding the Industrial Internet of Things (IoT) within the manufacturing industry. Large-scale Industrial IoT pilots driven by enterprise-focused technology companies paint pictures of fully-connected and automated plants, complete with Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) that promise ROI but require large early investments of time and capital. Large manufacturing companies with deep pockets can invest in such disruptive initiatives, but small to mid-sized manufacturers are far more pragmatic and focus on small steps towards embracing innovation (as opposed to large disruptive changes). Our conversations with hundreds of mid-sized manufacturing company leaders reveal a desire to put their capital investments toward immediate value drivers like safety, quality, and production efficiencies that can deliver on ROI quickly—not three years from now.
Industrial IoT for Small Manufacturers?
Often overlooked in these sweeping digital transformation stories is the experiences of small- and mid-sized manufacturers. Consider the makeup of the manufacturing industry today—96% of all manufacturing companies identify as small businesses, and 90% have fewer than 500 employees. Investing in million-dollar Industrial IoT initiatives with long-term ROIs is out of the question for these manufacturers.
But here’s the thing: Industrial IoT initiatives don’t have to break the bank. Nor do small businesses have to invest in sweeping disruptive initiatives.
If done thoughtfully and strategically, an Industrial IoT program can deliver impressive benefits for both the large and the small. The key is to focus on small bite-size initiatives that add up to a larger whole, and to be maniacally focused on change management. Keep in mind that any change in an industry that builds on foundational pillars of “consistency” and “predictability” is not going to be comfortable.


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NORTH RICHLAND HILLS — Gun shows are coming back to North Texas after COVID-19 restrictions closed them down.
Gun stores were listed as essential businesses when the stay-at-home orders came down in March, but shows were canceled because of size limits on gatherings.
Michelle Finucane, who runs Premier Gun Shows, which bills itself as the largest gun show promoter in Texas, said she is reviewing the guidelines in Gov. Greg Abbott’s April 27 order and the report on reopening Texas.
Finucane said attendees at the show June 6-7 at the NyTex Sports Centre in North Richland Hills will get information about social distancing and face coverings with signs and announcements.
She added that during the stay-at-home orders vendors and their businesses were affected by the event cancellations.
“As you can well imagine, like so many in retail, our vendors are hurting very much financially,” she said.
Finucane said the North Richland Hills show isn’t the first in North Texas as several shows took place recently.
Mark Oliva, a spokesman for the National Shooting Sports Foundation, a lobbying organization for the gun industry, said that when the pandemic took hold in March and April, the U.S. saw brisk firearms sales and its highest number of background checks since record keeping began in 1999.
In March there were 2.3 million background checks in the U.S. and 138,523 in Texas. In April, there were 1.6 million background checks nationally while Texas had 158,526, he said.
He said people often visit gun shows to explore the different types of firearms before deciding what to buy.
“I think the firearms sales will continue to remain elevated. People like the accessibility of having gun shows open to the public where they can ask questions about firearms they want to use,” Oliva said.
The shows attract dealers from brick and mortar stores, but they also attract collectors with federal firearms licenses who operate their businesses from their homes, Oliva said.
“They’ve had financial difficulties,” he said. “Gun shows got lost in the wash. Now, as these restrictions are starting to lift, people want to get back to some level of normalcy to go out and check out a firearm.”
Mike Cox, legislative director for the Texas State Rifle Association, said that besides gun sales, the shows attract collectors who have items such as old coins, boots, uniforms and Civil War memorabilia and rare firearms for sale.
(c)2020 the Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Visit the Fort Worth Star-Telegram at www.star-telegram.com
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
This content is published through a licensing agreement with Acquire Media using its NewsEdge technology.


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A new funding agreement for Vantage Mobility International (VMI) is positioning the accessible vehicle manufacturer for continued growth.
In a May 14 news announcement, VMI said it “has reached an agreement in principle with its investors and financial lenders to accept a new round of funding designed to strengthen the company’s balance sheet and accelerate the growth of its business.”
The deal means a “meaningful cash infusion” that VMI will use to continue to expand. The company acquired Revability in December 2018, and acquired AMS Vans in September 2017.
VMI CEO Mark Shaughnessy said in the announcement, “I am delighted to announce this news, which will help VMI realize its vision of improving the customer experience of renting, leasing, buying and owning a WAV [wheelchair-accessible vehicle]. It demonstrates great confidence on the part of our investors in our business, management team, employees, marketplace, and future of the company. I am very appreciative of the support from our lenders and sponsors; VMI’s current and future business model is much stronger as a result of this transaction.”
VMI is headquartered in Phoenix, Ariz.


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Covid-19 has changed a lot, including the way customers look at payment options. Aligning with clients’ vision is the top priority for businesses today.
Enterprises adopt Artificial Intelligence more and more, realizing that it is the ultimate source of business value. Still, CXOs of many organizations debate whether to implement AI or not.
Here comes our first webinar this year. And our expert this time is Mr. Mohammed Mahfoudh, founder and CEO of Deca4 Advisory. Moderator – Pavel Kravchenko, PhD. We talked about #tokenization basics.
Top tech companies like Google, IBM, Microsoft, Amazon, and others continued researching and developing their Artificial Intelligence enabled products. Let’s review what they achieved last year.
How to provide customers’ smooth experience and keep them attracted? Enhancing consumer engagement is one of the main chatbot’s benefits. For example, social media are supporting engagement, while chatbots make it more interactive, thus live.
A Chatbot is an AI-enabled virtual assistant smart enough to emulate human-like conversations with its user.
2020 came to an end. The Covid-19 pandemic set the new trends and taught us to expect the unexpected. This flashback at what happened in the blockchain field this year demonstrates the necessity to be visionary and adapt fast.


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Fortnite is the latest fixation for gamers - with more than 40 million people across the world downloading it since it launched past year.
Fortnite has exploded in popularity since launching in July a year ago.
Epic Games recently announced a $100 million eSports prize pool for Fortnite, which absolutely dwarfs the $2 million prize pot for the game's closest rival: Player Unknown's Battlegrounds. Her parents, Carol and Richard, were first pointed to an issue when their daughter's school called about her falling asleep in class.
Her parents told The Daily Mirror that their daughter, who is still at primary school, would get up in the middle of the night to keep playing, would not go to the toilet, would fall asleep in class because she was so exhausted from staying up all night on the game and assaulted her father when he tried to take the game away from her.
"My husband saw her light on in the night and found her sitting on a urine-soaked cushion playing the game".
"I urge every parent out there to know what this game can do, how it sucks young children in and could ruin lives", the 9-year-old's mother added.
"She was so hooked to the game she wouldn't even go to the toilet", the child's mother said, via the Daily Mail.
The game is already available on PC, PS4, Xbox One, as well as iOS.
Child psychologists believe kids could develop mental health problems if they become too exposed to the game.
The parents limited her playing time to one hour during weekdays and two hours during the weekends.
Despite the game being free on the online store, regular payments of $67 (Rs 4512) were made using their credit card, which the girl said was for in-game purchases.
Kidspot has contacted Epic Games for comment.


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“Youth for Socio-Economic Development – Paving the Way for India’s ‘Amrit Kaal’“: An Inter-School Online Painting Competition against Smuggling and Counterfeiting
FICCI CASCADE (Committee Against Smuggling and Counterfeiting Activities Destroying the Economy) collaborated with the Ministry of Consumer Affairs. Govt of India, to encourage the country’s youth to be a part in the socio-economic development of the nation by creating a youth movement against smuggling and counterfeiting. In this endeavor, FICCI CASCADE, jointly with the Ministry organized a painting competition, on the theme ‘Youth for Socio-Economic Development — Paving the Way for India’s Amrit Kaal’.
With the objective to generate awareness on the adverse impacts of smuggling and counterfeiting, especially among school children who are the consumers of tomorrow, this competition was organized as a run up to the World Consumer Rights Day celebrations by the Ministry of Consumer Affairs. This day, which is celebrated world over on 15th March stands in solidarity with the international consumer movement, demanding consumer rights to be respected and protected.
Mr Rohit Kumar Singh, Secretary, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Govt of India said, “Our future generations are the hope for real change, empowering and strengthening them to act for national development will help in shaping the future of our country in a brighter and more prosperous manner. World Consumer Rights Day is celebrated every year by our ministry to protect the rights of consumers and to ensure that the consumers are not subjected to market abuse or social injustice that may undermine their rights.”
Mr Anil Rajput, Chairman, FICCI CASCADE said, “The youth of India are the country’s future. As India marks 75 years of its glorious independence and enters into Amrit Kaal, the 25-year-long leadup to India@100, the youth will play a pivotal role in nation building and advocating socially responsible behavior towards the country’s development.”
On the occasion of the World Consumer Rights Day scores of schoolchildren from across the country demonstrated their resolve to put an end to smuggling by generating consumer awareness. The competition saw an overwhelming response and more than 400 entries were received. The young consumers of India shared their thoughts and ideas through innovative paintings, which depicted the harmful effects of counterfeit and smuggled goods on the country’s economy and its people. The winners of the top three paintings were awarded by Shri Ashwini Kumar Choubey and Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution.
The jury members for the competition included Mr. P K Malhotra, Former Secretary, Ministry of Law and Justice, Mr. Hem Kumar Pande, Former Secretary, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, and Mr. Sanjeev Tripathi, Former Chief, Research and Analysis Wing (RAW). Winners were awarded a certificate of recognition, along with a cash prize of Rs 50,000, Rs 25,000 and Rs 15,000, respectively.
While the first prize was bagged by Ms. Chandrima Pan of Class X from Delhi’s St. George’s School, the second prize was won by Ms. Supriya Baital of Class XI from Birla Vidya Niketan School, New Delhi. The third position was shared by Mr. Sajal Jain of Class X from Agra Public School, Agra, and Ms. Aaira Katoch of Class IX from Gurugram’s Lotus Valley International School. All the participants were issued a certificate of participation.
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If you've spent countless hours pouring over the pages of Martin Handford's Where's Waldo books looking for a certain bespectacled wanderer clad in red and white stripes, there's now some AI to make finding Waldo much quicker.
Creative agency Redpepper has designed a new system called There's Waldo, which is capable of finding the elusive character in mere seconds.
As reported by The Verge, There's Waldo utilizes a smorgasbord of existing technology to make it work. First, there's a uArm Swift Pro that's controlled with a Raspberry Pi. The uArm is equipped with a Vision Camera Kit that's designed for facial recognition software.
When the book is open, the camera takes a photo of the page. Then, OpenCV looks at the dozens of cartoon faces, finding all possible Waldos. Finally, the photos are analyzed using Google’s AutoML Vision, which has been "taught" what Waldo looks like thanks to a database of images. If a match is found with at least 95% certainty, the uArm points to Waldo on the page, thanks to a weird silicon hand stuck on the end of it. You can see how it all works in the video below.
The whole process, which averages about four-and-a-half seconds with each new page, is due to Google’s Cloud AutoML. The software allows anyone to develop AI tools without knowing how to code.
Matt Reed, Redpepper's Creative Technologist, told The Verge that he built a database of roughly 130 Waldo images via Google's Image Search. "I thought that wouldn’t be enough data to build a strong model but it gives surprisingly good predictions on Waldos that weren’t in the original training set."
While it lacks any practical applications, (besides finding Waldo), it is an impressive display of what AutoML is capable of. Reed believes the software could be used to detect comic book forgeries or find what cartoon character you most resemble.
In the meantime, the rest of us will have to stick to Where's Waldo the old-fashioned way: staring endlessly at a giant splash page of tiny cartoons until our eyes are strained.


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Outdoor Q1 revenues rise 3.1% to £213m
By Nick Batten, mediaweek.co.uk, Tuesday, 08 May 2012 11:00AM
Outdoor ad revenues reached £213m in the first quarter of 2012, up 3.1% when compared to the same period last year, according to figures released by the Outdoor Media Centre (OMC).
Digital revenues were up 42% year on year to £35.5m, reflecting advertisers' increasing adoption of new technology in their outdoor campaigns, more interactivity and connectedness with social media, as well as continued investment by media owners in new technology.
Digital now makes up 16.7% of all outdoor revenue, putting it close to the 20% level the OMC predicted in 2010 it would reach this year.
Analysis by the OMC shows transport (chiefly subway, rail and airport) made up 46% of digital revenues.
Roadside (large format LED billboards, spectaculars, and six-sheets) made up 31% and the retail and leisure sector (including malls, gyms etc) accounted for 24%.
Mike Baker, chief executive officer of the OMC, told Media Week: "Whether the growth of digital outdoor continues depends on more take-up by advertisers and more investment by media owners."
Overall, the 10 biggest outdoor advertisers were British Sky Broadcasting, Vodafone, GlaxoSmithKline, Everything Everywhere, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Warner Bros, McDonald's, Nestle, Virgin Media, and E1 Entertainment.
Jeremy Male, chairman of the OMC and chief executive officer of JCDecaux UK & Northern Europe, said: "In 2010, we predicted that digital would become 20% of Outdoor in 2012 and today’s figures show digital has featured strongly in outdoor’s 3% growth for Q1.
"As more and more digital sites come online there is still a great opportunity for sponsors and non sponsors to take advantage of the exciting opportunities that digital and traditional Outdoor can offer during the cultural and sporting events this summer".
The figures show that the outdoor sector revenues are continuing to improve after it suffered its biggest year-on-year fall in 2008 when figures revealed a drop of 6.7%.
The Outdoor Media Centrre changed its name from the Outdoor Advertising Association in January 2011.
Follow Nick Batten on Twitter @NickBatten2
This article was first published on mediaweek.co.uk
- Copywriters | Marketing Agency | Central London | £20-30K Red Sofa London £20000 - £30000 per annum + dependant on experience, London
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- Will.i.am clashes with Martin Sorrell over online ads in Cannes
- UK agencies win 7 Media Lions
- Twitter to embrace power of TV in UK ad campaign
- Martin Sorrell on the mega-media reviews: 'We can't remember anything like this'
- Aston Martin appoints WPP to global marketing account
- Black horse returns in new Lloyds Bank campaign


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In the previous 3 months, at the very least 1 lakh tonnes of pulses have been lifted by the states availing the scheme in the past 3 months and a different 4.5 lakh tonnes will be launched soon to states, which can only be distributed to the lousy underneath PDS or can be employed for welfare techniques.
Point out-owned agriculture cooperative Nafed stated that the states have now built payment for 3.3 lakh tonnes of pulses from the central stock. A few months again, the government experienced began the plan to provide Rs 15 subsidy for every kg to the states that spot their orders. The subsidy is provided to the states just after carrying out an assessment of the normal wholesale selling prices of prior thirty day period. “Because of this subsidy, the pulses are generally built offered to the focused beneficiaries of the welfare techniques at half of the prevailing retail price ,” Nafed taking care of director Sanjeev K Chadha explained.


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By Brainwrap on July 21, 2012 in
Amazon.com shopping here:
LOLGOP on Twitter
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- Must read for this weekend --> One Big Reason for Voter Turnout Decline and Income Inequality: Smaller Unions http://t.co/j2to4TLuCN about 15 hours ago from TweetDeck ReplyRetweetFavorite
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The "Brexit" Effect on U.S. Companies Doing Business Abroad
As the economy recovered from the global financial crisis of 2008, many U.S. companies expanded to the United Kingdom (U.K.) as a way to reach the European Union (EU) market, either by exporting, using a U.K. distributor or setting up operations there. Such expansion was a relatively easy move, thanks to a common language and similar banking and legal systems in both countries.
But then came Brexit—the U.K.’s 2016 referendum by popular vote to exit the EU and things got complicated. Now many of these same U.S. companies are trying to read the tea leaves about Brexit’s final outcome. The deadline for the U.K. to negotiate a withdrawal agreement is March 29, 2019, after which time the U.K. must leave the EU, whether or not an agreement has been finalized. U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May reached an agreement on withdrawal terms with EU leaders last month, but now must persuade Britain’s parliament to approve the agreement. The U.K. faces the possibility of a “no-deal” Brexit—likely the worst possible outcome for everyone involved if the agreement is not approved by the deadline.
Current and Future Consequences
“No-deal” Brexit would mean that EU law would no longer apply to the U.K. as of March 29, 2019 including the passing of individuals across borders. It would likely have wide-ranging, negative impacts on the U.K. including rising unemployment, shrinking GDP and depreciating currency. It would also disrupt the global economy and affect businesses, supply chains and even healthcare across the EU. Banking and financial services would feel the most impact, but other service-related businesses—such as accounting, software, and engineering, to name a few—would also be affected. U.S. companies operating in the U.K. and providing products and services to other EU countries would have to contend with two sets of rules, regulations, and possibly tariffs to export to the U.K. and then to export to EU countries.
Not much would change until January 2021 when the grace period ends if the agreement is approved. The final terms of Brexit could still raise issues related to contracts, intellectual property, employment, and tariffs for U.S. companies with operations in the U.K. These companies may then have to look for new relationships or even to relocate to another EU country.
The uncertainty surrounding Brexit is slowing or postponing businesses’ expansion and additional investment in the U.K. Companies are struggling to understand the impact of Brexit and its potential effects on markets, currency, labor, and supply chains. Many are waiting to see what happens before making any significant decisions and are evaluating multiple scenarios based on different outcomes.
How to Prepare
Deal or no deal, U.S. companies doing business in the U.K. need to be prepared for Brexit in whatever form it takes. For companies doing business directly with the U.K., trade agreements are underway that could substantially expand trade with the U.K. U.S. companies that rely on the U.K. as a key element in their EU strategy, however, should be concerned and should have plans in place for both no-deal and negotiated Brexit. Most of these companies have already looked at alternate strategies or have even moved their operations to another EU country, such as Ireland or Germany.
The Silver Lining
On the bright side, if significant trade barriers are erected between the U.K. and EU, the U.S. could greatly benefit from expanded trade with the U.K. This potential windfall will ultimately depend on the timing and details of a possible trade agreement between the U.S. and the U.K. In addition to formulating their strategies for responding to Brexit, businesses can lobby U.S. policy makers for favorable trade terms.
While Brexit is certainly a bump in the long road to economic recovery, it does not spell doom for the global market. U.S. companies doing business in the U.K. can survive and even thrive with the right strategies in place.
About the Author
Michael Salerno joined the bank in 2002 and currently leads the Global Banking team, which includes business development, international payments, foreign exchange management and trade finance solutions for corporate and correspondent banking customers. International issues can present challenges for organizations, and Michael enjoys creating simple and transparent solutions that reduce the complexity of doing business internationally.View Global Banking Solutions


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reported by activists
"August 28 - Appennino
Hundreds meters of fence at a boar farm have been opened and fruit put
outside to help these animals run to freedom. The communiqe claiming the
action states that activists have heard the boars eating the fruit outside
their previous cage."


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Consumer EV Adoption
The popularity of electric vehicles has increased significantly worldwide. Even with increasing annual production, supply does not meet demand – especially in North America. As of 2019, the United States had roughly 268 million cars on the road (second only to China). Converting the U.S. vehicle fleet to electric is no small task, but crucial if humanity is to curb C02 emissions and slow down global warming. A Consumer Reports survey by the Union of Concerned Scientists shows that within all income levels in the U.S., demand for small electric vehicles and trucks is high. Specifically, 63% of Americans are interested in electric vehicles and 31% are considering a purchase, including 31% of consumers earning less than $50,000 annually.
The path to full establishment of EVs in the American mainstream is clear. Consumers are placing their value on:
Another study calculated the necessary average price of a vehicle for mainstream adoption in American society – $36,000. This is roughly equal to current prices of the most in-demand models, including the Tesla Model 3 ($37,990), Chevy Volt ($32,496), and Nissan Leaf ($32,545). So, the price of electric vehicles already hits the sweet spot for demand.
Consumers expect an average range of 291mi/469km, until the next recharge. The above vehicles have an official range of 237mi/381km (Tesla Model 3), 259mi/417km (Chevy Volt) and 149mi/240km (Nissan Leaf). This makes EV range nearly in line with expectations. With the ever-increasing rate of battery efficiency, average EV range will cross this threshold in the very near future.
These two factors of price and range are closely linked, which is why the focus has been primarily on batteries to reduce costs while maintaining or improving range. The average price of batteries has dropped from $668/kWh in 2013, to $137/kWh in 2020, and is expected to continue falling. If range and price will no longer be hurdles to mass EV adoption, then what is the main challenge with firmly establishing electric vehicles in North America? Charging.


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A recent U.S. Supreme Court decision that has been hailed as a victory for tax collectors could also be a blow to small businesses. If you conduct online sales to out-of-state customers, you need to start paying close attention to laws regarding sales/use taxes (SUT) in every state where you do business.The backstory to the landmark case, South Dakota v. Wayfair , stretches back decades. In 1967 the Supreme Court ruled that mail-order companies had no SUT obligation on out-of-state transactions. In 1992 the Quill Court decision upheld the physical presence standard for SUT nexus.
Before the Wayfair decision, the same laws governing mail-order sales also applied to sales made through the internet. In other words, if you ran a business in California that made online sales to New York residents, you weren't obligated to collect New York sales tax because you didn't have a physical presence (or "nexus") in that state.


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The big initial Xbox One Halo MCC update is finally looming according to Halo developer 343 Industries.
Yesterday we already shared that the developer intends to open up the next Halo MCC test phase to all who have signed up for the Halo MCC test flight, and 343 Industries community lead Brian, ‘Ske7ch’, Jarrard has now shared some additional details about the upcoming big update for Halo: The Master Chief Collection.
Testing through the Halo MCC insider program kicked off earlier this year, and following 2 initial test flights, early-access for Flight #3 went live earlier this week. In a new post on the official Halo Waypoint forums, Jarrard now shared that through the start of this new test phase, that the team is now in the home stretch.
“The finish line, at least in terms of the first big update, is starting to come into view and we couldn’t be more excited to bring everyone along for the final journey”, he wrote.
The community lead concluded, “with the start of Flight 3 Early Access we are now officially in the home stretch and the first finish line and the big initial update are finally coming into view”.
At the moment of writing, it’s unknown when the retail update for Halo: MCC will land, but as it seems, things are coming along well. We will keep you updated.
For some 4K screenshots from the Halo MCC Xbox One X 4K update, check out this article.


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Gravity Beer Market in Olympia has closed because its liquor license lapsed, according to a sign on the store’s door at 1001 Fourth Ave. E.
“We neglected to renew our business license,” says the sign, which notes the store is working on getting a license to start serving pints. “We can’t sell you delicious beer for a little bit while we straighten things out.”
Gravity Beer Market opened in 2007 and has become popular for its microbrew selection and growler fills. Store employee Scott Brummel took over ownership from Jeff and Roma Bert in 2015.
Brummel could not be reached for comment and no information is available on a possible reopening. The phone number for the store has been disconnected.
An employee at the neighboring Grand Vin Wine Merchants said she has been unable to reach Brummel and said the beer store has been closed for nearly three weeks.


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Cloud Partners will include an exhibit hall featuring cloud providers, distributors and master agents, and IT hardware and software companies that are enabling channel partners to build and/or deliver cloud solutions. ...More
HTC, coming off a successful year that saw its series of Android-based "One" smartphones sell relatively well in both the U.S. and around the world, is getting ready to roll out what most are calling the "M7," its new flagship device. ...More
IT decision-makers want stability as they consider what they'll be buying over the next five years. And lingering concerns about the global economy won't make life easy on vendors in the near term. ...More
And by adding new execs to CTIA's executive committee, the organization's president is "confident we will continue to be successful advocates for more critically needed spectrum and for the 'light regulatory touch.'" ...More
December 27, 2012 By Craig GalbraithPosted in News
With the saturation of smartphones and tablets should come a change in your marketing practices. Angela Leavitt and Brian Leonard of Mojo Marketing show you how the way you design your website, email newsletters and more is changing rapidly.


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by Arik Aaron C. Abu
In recent years, we have seen a resurgence (read: deluge) of foreign acts visiting Philippines as part of their tour. Chances are, a lot of us have been to at least one of the concerts from foreign acts.
We have bought tickets, but have we ever wondered about the concerns of those who sell them? Recently, a Philippine ticketing company sought the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to determine whether it should be subject to foreign equity restriction in view of the business in which it is engaged on.
SEC-OGC Opinion No. 17-12 dated Sept. 19, 2017 is an illustrative opinion on what constitutes "retail trade" under Republic Act (RA) 8762, otherwise known as the Retail Trade Liberalization Act of 2000 (RTLA).


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Greek consumer price inflation slows to 0.2 pct in January
Greece’s annual EU-harmonised inflation rate slowed in January, statistics service ELSTAT data
showed on Thursday.
The reading in January was 0.2 percent from 1.0 percent in December. The data also showed the headline consumer price index turned negative at -0.2 percent year-on-year from 0.7 percent in the previous month.
Greece had been in a protracted deflation mode since March 2013 based on its headline index, as wage and pension cuts and a multi-year recession took a heavy toll on Greek household
Deflation in the country hit its highest level in Nov. 2013 when consumer prices registered a 2.9 percent year-on-year decline. The economy emerged from deflation in June 2016.
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New Balance’s latest model, the 237, is inspired by ’70s heritage runners. Adding to its lineup, the brand has released a new colorway that’s perfect for the fall season.
This latest offering of the New Balance 237 comes constructed in a mix of mesh, leather, and suede covered in a mix of Green, Burgundy, Wheat, and Black. A White oversized “N” logo on the sides atop a Gum rubber outsole completes the design.
Check out the additional photos below, and you can find the New Balance 237 “Workwear” available on NewBalance.com. The retail price tag is set at $75 USD.
Style Code: MS237HR1
Release Date: 2021


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Struggling telco Optus, has flicked the switch on a brand new LTE network that the carriers claims will theoretical deliver download speeds of 220Mbps, the only problem is that there are no devices around to run on the new network, not even the brand new Apple iPhone 6.
Samsung said that their new Note 4 which will be shown in Australia this week along with their new Galaxy Alpha series of smartphones will not be capable of delivering a category 6 performance.
In live trials of the service Optus said it had been achieving download speeds of 160Mbps which is significantly faster than the 25Mbps to 100Mbps speeds that the National Broadband Network will deliver.
Unlike fixed-line broadband, mobile broadband download speeds are subject to greater variations in speed depending on devices, location and how many users are on the network.
The new network will be available to Optus customers in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Adelaide (and Canberra in coming weeks).
The telco said it planned to have ubiquitous city-based coverage of the new speeds within 12 months.
Recently Telstra announced plans to double the peak download speeds of its 4G mobile services to 300Mbps and extend the reach of its network to 90 per cent of the population by the end of January.
Optus networks managing ?director, Vic McClelland, said that despite the dearth of compatible handsets the telco would have four “category 6” to sell within the next couple of months.


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Plan B and Panasonic have partnered to introduce a world-first innovation in Cloud archive-as-a-service technology.
As explained to Reseller News during events in Auckland and Wellington this week, businesses in New Zealand, and across the world, today face unprecedented and unrelenting growth in data volumes and data security concerns.
To combat this, and by utilising Panasonic’s Blu-ray and new Archival Disc technology, Plan B has built the first application-based solution for businesses to securely access and manage their archive data in the cloud as a service.
“From our first introduction to this technology we believed there was an opportunity to change the way businesses manage their data, lowering costs and improving performance,” says Ian Forrester, Managing Director, Plan B.
Forrester - who picked up Plan B's Service Provider of the Year award at the 2015 Reseller News ICT Industry Awards last month - says Plan B’s Cloud Data Archive allows businesses to archive and recover files using a mapped network drive rather than manual processes requiring offsite media.
Offering the ability to manage archive expenses with an all-inclusive cost structure, the offering also allows organisations to move aged data off production infrastructure to reduce unnecessary costs and impact on.
Working off a 50 year lifespan, Forrester says businesses can act, safe in the knowledge, that the integrity of archive data with physical WORM (Write Once Read Many) technology prevents accidental or malicious file deletion.
By hosting archive data in New Zealand also, Forrester says cloud archive-as-a-service helps eliminate frequent data migration though media life cycle as Blu-ray and Archival Disc.
“Plan B has built a unique solution that will create opportunities here and overseas for our archiving technology,” adds Mark McKanny, Director, Panasonic New Zealand.
Forrester adds that the new Cloud Data Archive service fits naturally alongside Plan B’s existing hosted infrastructure, backup and recovery services, thus making it easier to access an archiving solution that will protect business data now and in the future.


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Posts Tagged «HGST»
Western Digital launches 4TB drive, touts digital surveillance uses September 27, 2012 at 8:00 am
Western Digital is rolling out a new line of 4TB drives, aimed at enterprise customers.
The squeak of innovation: Western Digital launching helium-filled hard drives September 17, 2012 at 8:16 am
Western Digital is building a new type of hard drive — an enclosure that’s hermetically sealed and filled with helium. What’re the benefits and challenges of doing so? We investigate.