text:
New reports suggest Sony's recently released Tablet S will be getting an upgrade, making it compatible with the PS3's DualShock 3 controller.
According to tech site Engadget, Sony has confirmed that the company's "new iPad-rival" will soon receive an update, allowing users to play games using the DualShock 3. The update is reportedly already out in the company's native Japan, where -- as well as the DualShock 3 upgrade -- Sony's offering consumers a free download copy of an Ape Escape-themed mini-game collection.
The controller will reportedly automatically sync with the tablet allowing wireless use after one cabled plug-in. Unfortunately, the upgrade is only currently available on the S, not the twin-screened Tablet P. Additionally, to sync the device users will have to by an additional USB adapter cable to connect the DualShock 3 to the S.


text:
Jane and Julie are laughing. They showed up to work today dressed exactly alike, which wouldn't be a big deal if they were required to wear uniforms – or weren't two-thirds of the sister trio (which includes sister Jennifer) that owns Blue Genes, a high-fashion denim boutique in Buckhead. "I can't believe we did that," Julie says.
The Arrendale sisters – twins Jane and Julie and older sister Jennifer – have a proven track record of striking gold with trends. When they opened Blue Genes five years ago, it was the only Atlanta boutique dedicated to premium denim. Since then, the 1,800-sq. ft. women's boutique has expanded to more 7,000 square feet with distinct sections for women's, men's and children's fashions, plus an online store.
"We always knew we wanted to open a store," Jane says. "We always talked about it. But that was, like, 10 years before we did it."
When Julie got pregnant five years ago, Jennifer, who was in living in Paris at the time, decided to come home. The sisters knew it was time to pursue the sotre. "We made that decision in January and opened in August, so it was really quick," Julie says. The store just celebrated its fifth anniversary.
The concept to sell only premium denim was a mix of luck and timing. "The premium denim market was just cresting," Jane says.
"We caught on right before the denim boom," Julie says. "I think it was definitely already happening in New York and L.A., and Atlanta was just catching on, so I think we jumped on right in time."
The 30-something sisters have a talent for "jumping on at the right time." Many of the lines in the store this fall, especially the skull-influenced designs of Thomas Wilde, have been spied on the red carpet, and Atlanta customers are vying for the labels. "We have to buy collections three to four months in advance," Julie says. "Thank goodness it happens that way because we had a waiting list a mile long. Pretty much, once you see it on [a celebrity], it's too late."
The Arrendales work as a team; they divide the behind-the-scenes business aspects between them, and do the buying together. When asked if they have different styles, Julie says, "I think they vary slightly, but, for the most part, I think we all pretty much have the same style." Jane, her twin, agrees and laughs, commenting on this morning's near fashion disaster. They're going to see 1980s stadium giants Journey and Def Leppard tonight at Chastain, a fitting coincidence considering the resurgence of the skinny-leg jean.
"Last fall, our customers started asking for them. They wanted it," Jane says. "We didn't have enough for them and there was a waiting list. Now for this fall, I think it's definitely going to be the way to go."
And for those who still love the bootleg? "Keep them," Jane says. "I don't think you have to be so trendy, but that's definitely the look for fall. It went from straight leg to cigarette and now they're doing a peg leg where it's literally like a legging. They're even doing the ankle-length peg leg – it stops at your ankle and you can see your shoe or little booty. That's another trend for fall."
And skulls. On shirts, scarves, boots and jewelry, skulls are the look, and the must-have designer is Thomas Wilde. "That's the line that Sienna Miller, Lindsey Lohan and Nicole Richie are all wearing and our customers, I mean, they're fighting over it! They have to have it," Jane says.
Other looks include long tunics, sophisticated layers and leggings. "Leggings are huge," Jane says. "It's the whole ‘80s feel with the pegged jeans and leggings with oversized or tunic dresses over it. That's huge. And the whole mod look: Black matte tights with short minis or a sweater dress and big boots."
As for denim, "it's the black wash, or the faded gray wash," Julie says.
"And now it's really, really super dark black or faded gray," Jane adds. "That faded gray and black is the new trend that you have to have, that color of denim. It's that whole kind of punk feel. Kind of rock 'n' roll."
Aside from occasionally dressing alike, the sisters are very close. That closeness translates into the store's success, which has been written up in In Style, Vogue, In Touch, Lucky and Nylon magazines. Celebrities frequently stop in, and the store attracts 75 percent of its online business from New York and California.
"We have an awesome working relationship," Julie says. "We really never fight, never disagree. But we never did when we were younger. We really didn't."
Jane agrees. "It's the only way I would do it. You can't do this by yourself. And what better way than with your family and with people that you trust?"
My assignment for Where Atlanta was to write about the designer jeans trend in Atlanta and feature the store Blue Genes, Atlanta's first all-premium denim store. I found the story behind the store to more interesting than whether skulls and skinny jeans would ever be found inside Atlanta. So I incorporated the season's fashion trend into the profile.

domain: news


text:
Nintendo will be dropping the price of Nintendo DS Lite to $99 on June 5th.
Also, during that month Nintendo will be re-releasing six games:
- New Super Mario Bros.
- Mario Kart DS
- Super Mario 64 DS
- Mario & Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story
- Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Mini-Land Mayhem!
- Mario Party DS
All 6 games will be re-released in a red box, no word yet whether the games will also have a price drop.
NINTENDO DS LITE SUGGESTED RETAIL PRICE DROPS TO $99.99 AND MARIO GAMES GO RED
Mario-Red Boxes Will Help Shoppers Identify Select Fan-Favorite Mario Games
REDMOND, Wash., May 31, 2011 – The portable Nintendo DS™ Lite system is getting a new suggested retail price. Effective June 5, the system will be available at a suggested retail price of just $99.99 in the United States. The Nintendo DS family has become the best-selling video game system in history. More than 48.9 million systems in the Nintendo DS family have sold in the United States alone. Also in June, six Mario™ games for Nintendo DS will receive new red packaging, making it easier than ever for consumers to identify these hit titles in stores.
“From the moment it launched, Nintendo DS Lite hit a sweet spot for consumers in terms of value, experience and fun,” said Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime. “This new price point will introduce Nintendo DS Lite to even more consumers, and the new red packaging will make it easy for them to find their favorite Mario titles.”
The six Mario games that will begin sporting the new Mario-red packaging in June are New Super Mario Bros.™, Mario Kart™ DS, Super Mario 64™ DS, Mario & Luigi™: Bowser’s Inside Story, Mario vs. Donkey Kong™: Mini-Land Mayhem! and Mario Party™ DS. These games represent some of the best-selling fan-favorite Nintendo DS games of all time, and demonstrate the well-known “evergreen” sales trend of Nintendo games. Their total U.S. sales through the end of April 2011 according to the NPD Group are as follows:
• New Super Mario Bros.: more than 9.25 million units
• Mario Kart DS: more than 7.40 million units
• Super Mario 64 DS: more than 4.34 million units
• Mario Party DS: more than 3.27 million units
• Mario & Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story: more than 1.98 million units
• Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Mini-Land Mayhem!: more than 1.01 million units
Mario is one of the most beloved video game characters and the top video game franchise of all time. Thirty-one Mario games have topped sales of more than 1 million units since 1995, more than any other franchise. Through the end of March 2011, more than 262 million games in the core Super Mario™ series have sold worldwide.


text:
Reuters Apr 16, 2018 13:24:41 IST
Indian ride-hailing firm Ola, backed by Japan’s SoftBank Group will launch 10,000 electric three-wheelers in the country over the next 12 months as part of a broader electrification plan, the company said in a statement on Monday.
The move is part of a broader push by Ola to launch 1 million electric vehicles on its platform by 2021, it said in the statement, adding that it will work with various state governments, vehicle manufacturers, and battery companies to meet its target.
In more recent news Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) on Monday announced a partnership with cab aggregator Ola, giving commuters an option book taxi on its app.
The tie-up, a six-month pilot project, will give customers access to Ola booking services when they visit the IRCTC Rail Connect App and on its website.
Tech2 is now on WhatsApp. For all the buzz on the latest tech and science, sign up for our WhatsApp services. Just go to Tech2.com/Whatsapp and hit the Subscribe button.


text:
Pat Costello expected good things when he showed up at the Fasig-Tipton Sales Paddocks Tuesday night.
He knew Hip 168, a colt by Street Cry from a repeatedly proven graded stakes producing family, was on the short lists of most of the major players in town for the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga sale of selected yearlings. He'd seen them look at the colt, come back for a second look, sometimes a third, and he'd seen the veterinarians come do their job to either give the thumbs up or thumbs down to their clients.
What he didn't expect is what happened, the colt selling for $1.4 million to highlight an extremely strong final session of the 97th edition of the Saratoga sale that posted significant increases in total sales, average price and median Tuesday night.
"No way, nowhere near that," Costello said after John Ferguson, primary agent for Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum, signed the ticket for the Kentucky-bred colt. "He was awful popular back at the barn and he had 10 scopes or so. The thing that impressed me was he got better every day he was at the sale. Nice horse. I'm delighted for the owners, they're lovely, lovely people."
Costello sold the colt under his Paramount Sales banner for Ann McBrayer's Keene Ridge Racing. McBrayer bred the colt in partnership with Sheikh Mohammed's Darley, so the purchase essentially was buying out a foal share.
The colt was the lone seven-figure sale during the final session, which was extremely strong and continued the momentum established during Monday's opener and took it up a few notches higher.
Fasig-Tipton reported sales on 75 of the 86 yearlings offered Tuesday for $25,010,000, a massive 66.5 percent increase over the final session last year when 50 yearlings sold for $15,017,000. The session's average price was also a sharp increase, $333,467 compared to $300,340, a bump of 11 percent. Median rose 5.3 percent to $250,000.
The banner second session spurred huge increases for the two days. When the receipts were added up they showed a 40.5 percent gain in total sales (146 yearlings sold for $46,755,000), a 10.4 percent rise in average price ($322,448), a 5.3 percent boost in median ($250,000) and a remarkably low buy-back rate of 15.2 percent.
To read the rest of the Saratoga Sale recap, download Wednesday's digital edition of The Saratoga Special presented by Keeneland.


text:
McLaren has (technically) entered the NFT space. Although we can’t explain the complexities of the digital art platform, blockchain, or cryptocurrency, we were part of bringing Refik Anadol’s live NFT, Casa Batlló: Living Architecture, to Rockefeller Plaza via structural engineering…that counts, right?!
Our entertainment team engineered the structure that supports the everchanging LED art display which uses real-time climate data from the Spanish city to show ephemeris being celebrated on the Casa Batlló façade. It will be auctioned off by Christie’s as part of its 21st Century Evening Sale today, May 10th. (It is slated as the only NFT up for sale!) Experts estimate the value to be between $1 and $2 million.


text:
NEW YORK— The milk industry is fed up with all the sourness over dairy. Julia Kadison, CEO of Milk Processor Education Program, which represents milk companies, says the breaking point came last year when the British Medical Journal published a study suggesting drinking lots of milk could lead to earlier deaths and higher incidents of fractures.» Read More
Green Mountain's latest trademark is similar to Sodastream. CNBC's Herb Greenberg offers insight into Green Mountain's response.
One bourbon is so hot it has appreciated more than 3,000 percent in the last year. Flavien Desoblin, Brandy Library owner, offers insight.
Julia Herz of the Brewers Association talks about growth in the craft beer industry. "It's about competition and diversity," she said, adding that there is room for more small brewers.
Monster Beverage is fighting two wrongful death suits. The company's paid medical consultant, Dr. Bob Arnot, provides its perspective.
A second wrongful death suit was filed against Monster Beverage. Kevin Goldberg of Goldberg Finnegan & Mester is suing the company for the deaths of a 14-year-old girl in Maryland and a 19-year-old man in California.
Colorado-based company OnTap says its flavor enhancer provides craft-beer taste without the extra cost.
Tennessee beer drinkers pay the most taxes on their beverages. CNBC's Brian Sullivan, offers insight.
Speculation that PepsiCo is in talks to buy Israel's SodaStream is "totally and completely untrue," PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi tells CNBC.
Squawk Box Europe anchors react to the news that the Spanish government has called an end of subsidized cocktails for its parliament members.
France's Elysee Palace is set to auction off more than $325,000 of wine Thursday. But as CNBC's Tom Mackenzie reports, the sale isn't just about sharing the French's love of wine.
CNBC reports on China's recognition of Champagne as a brand, thus limiting the use of the name by copycats.
Pat McGauley, Budweiser VP of Innovation, offers insight on the buzz around his company's home draft beer device.
Alan Clarke, CEO of SABMiller, comments on full-year earnings and says that most markets are growing except the U.S. core market which remains under pressure.
Forget the dotcom bubble; Krispy Kreme created a donut bubble a decade ago, reports CNBC's Jane Wells.
Burger King unveils its new summer menu and takes aim at one of McDonald's most improbable but popular offerings, reports CNBC's Jane Wells.
Tito's Handmade Vodka just became the exclusive supplier to United Airlines. Bert "Tito" Beveridge, Tito's Handmade Vodka founder, weighs in.
Sales of hard cider are up 100 percent year-over-year. Joe Heron, Crispin Cider CEO & founder, weighs in.
CNBC's Herb Greenberg sheds light on Green Mountain Coffee and Monster Energy drinks.
Jim Cramer explains why he believes Monster Beverage is on "decline."
Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz and Green Mountain CEO Brian Kelley discuss their newly expanded partnership, and how it might boost shareholder value. "This is going to be a significantly lucrative financial deal for both companies," says Schultz.


text:
The consumer watchdog has fired a warning shot at the hearing aid industry, with a new report raising concerns about patients being ripped off.
- Prices partly being driven by commissions of up to 15 per cent
- Some customers paid $10,000 for hearing aids before finding them online at half the price
- Hearing aid industry is self-regulated
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) report shows some sales are being driven by commissions rather than the needs of customers.
"Consumers were telling us that they were being sold products that were expensive and that they ultimately may not have needed," ACCC commissioner Sarah Court said.
"These products can be very expensive, they range up to $15,000 for a pair of hearing aids."
She said some clinics appeared to be inflating prices, which was partly being driven by commissions of up to 15 per cent which were not disclosed to patients.
"Some consumers said they paid $10,000 for hearing aids and then found them online for half the price," she said.
"These consumers are really vulnerable, often they're elderly, obviously they've got hearing difficulties and they're being placed in what we might loosely call a hard-sell situation to make these purchases."
The ACCC has been consulting with the top 10 hearing clinic providers and also conducted a survey for consumers and clinicians.
"One of the things we're talking to the industry about is whether you get rid of commission-based selling in this area," Ms Court said.
"Particularly where those going in are undergoing what are effectively medical evaluations and thinking they're getting an objective assessment as to their requirements."
Louise Collingridge from Independent Audiologists Australia said abolishing commissions was a good idea.
But she said some young audiologists feel they have to accept contracts that work to commissions.
"People within the audiology field I think feel to some degree their hands are tied," she said.
"It's also a relatively young and growing profession so a lot of audiologists are relatively inexperienced and it's difficult to negotiate a job contract when you're starting in the field."
Audiology Australia CEO Tony Coles said the industry took the ACCC's concerns "very seriously".
"We encourage any member of the public who has concerns regarding the clinical services provided by an audiologist to contact Audiology Australia," Dr Coles said.
"If the clinician is a member of Audiology Australia, anybody with concerns regarding the clinician's conduct can lodge a formal complaint regarding a potential breach of our code of conduct.
"If the clinician is not a member of Audiology Australia, we can help them to find another organisation or body that can help them."
Retiree told to buy hearing aids for $12,000
Retired film producer Tony Buckley, 79, experienced hard-sell tactics first hand when he first visited an audiologist three years ago.
"The hearing aids they felt were appropriate for me were $12,000 which I thought was a bit rich to say the least," he said.
"Then I noticed the partnership of specialists were also connected to a hearing aid company, and the specialist concerned referred me back to the audiologist I'd been sent to originally.
"They then became wary that I was connected to the media and the specialist suggested I get an independent audiologist of my own choosing."
Mr Buckley found a similar product at a different audiologist for $5,000.
Better Hearing Australia president Michele Barry said there were many reputable clinicians in the industry, but part of the problem was the sector was self-regulated.
"The fact is it's not regulated. I don't know if it would help the industry at all but self-regulation is certainly not producing the outcomes that we would always like to have in our sector," she said.
She said someone should always take a trusted family member or friend to their appointment and avoid making decisions on hearing aids straight away.
The ACCC has released its report to mark World Hearing Day and is encouraging consumers and clinicians to contact its centre on 1300 302 502 if they have concerns.


text:
“This is the Real Meaning of ‘Bipartisanship’”
Yes, so no tax internet shopping harms some local retailers. The solution? Harm the internet retailers too. That’s government in one lesson. Hobble everyone.
1) Our own government chides those of us who pay taxes for being greedy because we don’t want to give the politicians even more of our money to do things...Read More
Associate Professor of Economics, North Carolina State Univ.
The Generational Theft Act has been on the books for over a year at this point, and Sheriff Joe and
One of the first things that President Obama did when he walked into the White House was to authorize an


text:
If you’re looking for a new fitness tracker to monitor your steps or record your workouts, a Fitbit is probably at the top of your list, though the latest devices aren’t exactly cheap. But this Black Friday, the Fitbit Charge 6 is down to $99.99 at Amazon — its lowest ever price. This deal will likely sell out, so you can't afford to wait too long on purchasing.
The Charge 6 has been widely hailed as one of the best Fitbits and as a return to form for the fitness tracker after a few years of underwhelming updates. It’s also the first time since the Charge 4 there’s been a haptic button on the side to interact with the on-screen menus.
It’s a great option if you want to monitor your heart rate zones during exercise, as Fitbit claims the heart rate monitor is now 60% more accurate. Plus, the Charge 6 is the first Fitbit with Google Maps, YouTube, and Google Pay built-in.
Fitbit Charge 6 |
was $159.99, now $99.99 at Amazon
Overview: The Fitbit Charge 6 counts your steps, monitors your sleep, and records your exercise. It comes with a six-month subscription to Fitbit Premium for personalized insights and virtual workouts. And you can leave your phone at home thanks to Google Pay and the built-in GPS.
The tracker also comes with a built-in GPS sensor, so you can leave your phone at home and still monitor your runs. And the Google Pay integration means you can still head into the store on your way home. It’ll also survive wet conditions and triathlons since it’s water-resistant to 50m.
When Tom’s Guide reviewed the Fitbit Charge 6, they found that there are music controls, but they only work with Google-owned YouTube Music, so you won’t benefit if use Spotify. And there’s no onboard storage, so you can't listen to music away from your phone.
Despite that, it’s one of the most feature-packed fitness trackers around, with step counting, sleep tracking, heart rate monitoring, and a SpO2 sensor for blood oxygen tracking. There’s even an ECG monitor to keep tabs on your heart health.
However, if you’re more into smartwatches with fitness features, it’s worth checking out Google’s Pixel watches as well. The latest is the Pixel Watch 2, although the first-generation Pixel Watch is also down to $199.99 at Amazon for Black Friday, its lowest-ever price with a 43% discount.
Sign up for the Live Science daily newsletter now
Get the world’s most fascinating discoveries delivered straight to your inbox.
James is a Staff Writer for Live Science's sister site, Fit&Well. Before joining Future in 2021, he was the Buyer's Guide Editor and a Senior Staff Writer for the consumer technology website MakeUseOf and has bylines at Blocks Decoded, Lifewire, and Happiness.
He regularly tests out fitness equipment, including smartwatches, headphones, and writes about affordable ways to improve your health and wellbeing. James studied Mechanical Engineering at the University of Surrey, which is where he learned about the fundamentals of thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, and material design.


text: CLSA launches Asia-focused, early-stage fintech venture AlphaLabs Photo: Mark Finn/Unsplash Chalida Ekvitthayavechnukul October 12, 2018 PremiumHong Kong-based investment banking firm CLSA Limited on Thursday announced the launch of a new business to invest in early-stage financial technology startups focused on Asia. Continue reading this story with a subscription to DealStreetAsia. Subscribe Already a subscriber? Log in Should your colleagues be reading this article too? Contact us for corporate subscriptions at firstname.lastname@example.org.


text:
Perone will lead the team responsible for creating and defining the product roadmap of
new, technology supported products, capabilities and enhancements.
Zapata will spearhead the company’s efforts in advanced analytics, measurement,
insights, effectiveness and custom client research.
Effectv, the advertising sales division of Comcast Cable, today announces the promotion of two executives to lead new company disciplines: Kelly Perone is now vice president of product strategy and Andrea Zapata is vice president of data innovation and insights. The promotions are effective immediately.
Moving forward, Perone will oversee the new product strategy department and collaborate with leadership across Effectv to drive growth through the creation of client-centric products and solutions, innovative enhancements to existing products and new technology partnerships. Based in New York, she now reports to Effectv svp and chief operating officer Hank Oster.
“Our clients are increasingly focused on innovation. They are looking for better ways to target audiences and measure results, while reaching their customers in premium TV content. We have made good strides in meeting those needs and I am excited to lead Effectv’s product strategy and help drive our holistic approach to enriching the value of our inventory,” Perone said.
Perone has more than 20 years of experience in the media and advertising technology industry, analyzing, building and developing products. She joined Effectv from Tremor Video, now Telaria Inc (TLRA), where she oversaw their SSP and DSP development of video advertising opportunities across devices as senior vice president, product and strategy. Prior to Tremor, she held various product leadership positions at small media and ad tech startups, and created the original digital campaign stewardship platform for Donovan Data Systems (now Mediaocean). She joined Effectv in 2017.
Zapata will oversee the newly formed data innovation and insights team, responsible for advanced analytics, measurement, insights, effectiveness and in-market research. She will focus on bringing innovative, data driven and attribution solutions to the forefront. Her team will also be instrumental in delivering analytics, measurement, insights and effectiveness solutions to the markets and providing custom research insights for all lines of businesses. Zapata is also based in New York and reports to Oster.
“At Effectv, we have the ability to glean valuable insights about TV viewership through analysis of proprietary data, vendor data or client data. This allows us to provide clients with industry trends or custom research about what their customers watch. In this new role, I look forward to providing data driven and audience focused reports and analysis in order to garner results for our clients,” she said.
Since joining Spotlight, Zapata has built a team that evangelizes an audience-based approach to selling by applying data to drive revenue and success. In the last six months, they were instrumental in releasing insights on marketplace trends, featuring Effectv’s value within them, including The New TV and most recently, the TV Viewership Report. She joined Effectv from Vevo in 2017, where she was formerly vp, research and analytics.
Prior to Vevo, Zapata led Ad Sales Research at Hulu, where her team initiated demographic currency reporting capabilities that drove Hulu’s acceptance by all major agencies and holding groups as a major player in video.
“We believe that our work and innovation in recent months to move to a more solutions-based, data-driven approach to advertising positions us well for the future. That said, we are constantly looking at ways to stay ahead of the rapidly changing television ecosystem. By creating a focus on product strategy and a clear product roadmap with Kelly, and a focus on innovating with data with Andrea, we are poised to meet the growing needs of our clients,“ said Hank Oster, senior vice president and chief operating officer.
Effectv, the advertising sales division of Comcast Cable, helps put the power of cable to use for local, regional and national advertisers. It is focused on providing multi-screen marketing solutions to reach audiences most effectively and efficiently. Headquartered in New York with offices throughout the country, Effectv has a presence in nearly 66 markets with more than 35 million owned and represented subscribers. For more information, visit www.effectv.com.


text:
You are here: Home Used CarsPeugeotBoxer
Peugeot has made no bones about its attempt to move further upmarket and match premium mainstream brands like VW, while at the same time distancing itself from sister brands Citroen and DS.
But now, the company is about to unveil yet another version of the car, this time the 308 R Hybrid, which will be debuted at the upcoming Shanghai Auto Show. This concept should be a powerful contender in the Euro hot hatch race, with enough power to make just as much fun as we like.
But with the help of well-designed and engineered cars like the 208 and 308, they have recovered well and even hired a few people over the past months. But their lineup is still cluttered, especially the X008 range, where MPVs and SUVs cross paths and cause a total corporate mess.


text:
Alcoa, BMC, Evercore, First Solar, Orrstown: U.S. Equity Movers
Published 2:24 am, Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Oct. 27 (Bloomberg) -- Shares of the following companies are having unusual moves in U.S. trading. Stock symbols are in parentheses and prices are as of 1:40 p.m. New York time.
Banks rose after European leaders agreed to a 50 percent writedown on Greek debt for bondholders and boosted their rescue fund's capacity to 1 trillion euros ($1.4 trillion).
JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM US) jumped 7.6 percent to $36.77 for the biggest advance in the Dow Jones Industrial Average. Bank of America Corp. (BAC US) increased 8 percent to $7.12. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. (GS US) rose 8.2 percent to $115.00. Morgan Stanley (MS US) advanced 15 percent to $19.07. Citigroup Inc. (C US) climbed 8.6 percent to $33.84.
LATEST BUSINESS VIDEOS
- Here Are the Best and Worst Rated Vehicle Brands Fortune
- FOX Business Beat: Stocks roller coaster continues; Valentine’s Day spending Fox5DC
- 10 Things You Didn't Know About Dick Van Dyke Veranda
- Winter Olympics: Despite Protest, Dog Meat Still On the Menu in South Korea Buzz 60
- FOX Business Beat: Market mayhem; Facebook 'downvote' button Fox5DC
- Bookies’ Favorite Names For William and Kate’s Royal Baby Buzz 60
- The Definitive Guide To Shorts Esquire
- Netflix Wants You To Relive the Shows You've Binged-watched Buzz 60
- Tired of Folding Your Clothes? This Robot Will Do It for You Wibbitz
- Harley-Davidson Recalls Nearly 175,000 bikes in U.S. Over Brake Failure Wibbitz
Solar energy companies advanced after German and British leaders indicated that they will reduce subsidies for the industry next year. The decision may spark a rush of installations as developers seek to lock in higher tariffs before the new rates take effect.
First Solar Inc. (FSLR US) rose 16 percent to $53.28. MEMC Electronic Materials Inc. (WFR US) gained 14 percent to $6.71. Suntech Power Holdings Co. (STP US) climbed 19 percent to $2.94. Trina Solar Ltd. (TSL US) climbed 12 percent to $8.29. LDK Solar Co. (LDK US) rallied 23 percent to $4.06. JA Solar Holdings Co. (JASO US) increased 9.6 percent to $2.40.
Insurance companies gained after Aflac Inc. (AFL US) reported profit that beat estimates and Ameriprise Financial Inc. (AMP US) said an accounting change will boost profit next year. Aflac rallied 8.1 percent to $46.50. Ameriprise advanced 15 percent to $49.25. Genworth Financial Inc. (GNW US) rose 12 percent to $6.92.
Akamai Technologies Inc. (AKAM US) gained 15 percent most to $27.35 and rose 20 percent earlier, the most intraday since April 2010. The operator of a server network lets businesses speed data delivery forecast fourth-quarter sales of $303 million to $315 million, topping some analysts' estimates, on demand for new services, such as security protection.
Alcoa Inc. (AA US) advanced 9.4 percent to $11.33, the most in the Dow Jones Industrial Average. The largest U.S. aluminum producer signed an agreement with Angola to explore development of a smelter in the southwest African country. The project would produce 750,000 metric tons a year.
Ancestry.com Inc. (ACOM US) lost 7.3 percent to $22.25 after slipping 10 percent, the most intraday since Sept. 23. The world's largest online provider of family histories forecast fourth-quarter revenue may be as little as $103 million, compared with the average analyst estimate of $104.5 million.
AtriCure Inc. (ATRC US) soared 20 percent to $11.99 and climbed 24 percent earlier, the most intraday since June 2010. A U.S. regulatory panel recommended approval of the maker of surgical devices' product for irregular heartbeats.
Avon Products Inc. (AVP US) erased 18 percent, the most in the S&P 500, to $18.81. The door-to-door cosmetics merchant reported third-quarter earnings of 38 cents a share, missing the average analyst estimate of 46 cents. The New York-based company also said the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission is investigating the company's contacts with financial analysts.
BMC Software Inc. (BMC US) fell 12 percent to $33.84 after sinking as much as 15 percent, the most intraday since February 2005. The business-software maker cut its earnings forecast for 2012 to as little as $3.21 a share, down from a previous prediction of at least $3.25 and below the average analyst estimate of $3.30.
Cisco Systems Inc. (CSCO US) increased 5 percent to $18.49, the highest intraday price since March 4. The world's largest maker of networking equipment was boosted to "buy" from "neutral" at UBS AG, saying U.S. demand is "solid" in the U.S. and "stable" in Europe. UBS gave a 12-month price estimate of $19.75.
Citrix Systems Inc. (CTXS US) rose 18 percent, the most in the S&P 500, to $75.87. The software maker forecast fourth- quarter profit of as much as 76 cents a share, above the average analyst estimate of 74 cents in a Bloomberg survey.
Dentsply International Inc. (XRAY US) climbed 11 percent to $38.92 after jumping to $40.37 earlier, the highest intraday price since September 2008. The world's largest maker of artificial teeth reported adjusted third-quarter profit of 46 cents a share, 7.2 percent higher than the average analyst estimate in a Bloomberg survey.
Evercore Partners Inc. (EVR US) jumped 21 percent, the most intraday since November 2008, to $28.74. The investment bank founded by Roger Altman reported record net revenue and profit that beat estimates.
FBR & Co. (FBRC US) slumped 6.7 percent to $2.25 and fell to $2.05 earlier, the lowest intraday price since March 2009. The provider of investment banking and institutional brokerage services is firing between 30 percent and 35 percent of its employees, according to a person familiar with the decision. The company reported a third-quarter net loss of 43 cents a share, compared with a loss of 10 cents a share a year earlier.
Iron Mountain Inc. (IRM US) dropped 3.8 percent to $31.44 and fell 5 percent earlier, the most intraday since Sept. 22. The document-storage company lowered its 2011 earnings forecast to reflect recent strengthening of the U.S. dollar.
Lazard Ltd. (LAZ US) rallied 17 percent to $28.97 and soared 26 percent earlier, the most intraday since 2005. The biggest non-bank merger advisory firm reported a 24 percent increase in revenue from mergers and acquisitions in the third quarter.
Logitech International SA (LOGI US) advanced 14 percent to $10.27 after climbing 20 percent earlier, the most intraday since October 2007. The world's biggest maker of computer mice confirmed its forecast after three profit warnings in the past seven months.
McDermott International Inc. (MDR US) sank 27 percent to $10.74 for the biggest drop in the Russell 1000. The offshore oil and gas contractor forecast third-quarter revenue of no more than $880 million, falling short of the average analyst estimate of $889.5 million.
NII Holdings Inc. (NIHD US) dropped 15 percent to $25.79 and fell 18 percent earlier, the most intraday since April 2009. The mobile-phone carrier that sells in Latin America under the Nextel brand reduced its forecasts for subscribers and sales this year.
Norfolk Southern Corp. (NSC US) rose 8.2 percent to $75.47 and advanced to $75.80 earlier, the highest intraday price since April 28. The second-biggest eastern U.S. railroad posted a quarterly profit that beat analysts' estimates on higher revenue per unit and volume.
Novellus Systems Inc. (NVLS US) climbed 9.7 percent to $35.70 after adding 14 percent earlier, the most intraday since July 2002. The maker of machinery used in semiconductor production reported adjusted third-quarter profit that exceeded analysts' estimates.
Orrstown Financial Services Inc. (ORRF US) tumbled 30 percent, the most in the Russell 2000 Index, to $9.27. The bank holding company suspended its quarterly dividend after reporting net income that fell 12 percent from last year to $4.3 million.
PulteGroup Inc. (PHM US) rose 11 percent to $5.46 and touched $5.50 earlier, the highest intraday price since Aug. 5. The largest homebuilder by revenue reported a narrower third- quarter loss after recording lower impairment costs and increased revenue.
Time Warner Cable Inc. (TWC US) declined 6.7 percent to $65.88 and slumped 12 percent earlier, the most intraday since May 2010. The second-largest U.S. cable-television operator reported third-quarter adjusted profit that missed analysts' estimates after losing video subscribers.
TriQuint Semiconductor Inc. (TQNT US) plunged 26 percent to $5.29 for the second-biggest retreat in the Russell 2000 Index. The chipmaker forecast revenue in the fourth quarter to be no more than $225 million, falling short of the average analyst estimate of $230 million.
Urban Outfitters Inc. (URBN US) rallied 7.2 percent to $28.12 and climbed 13 percent earlier, the most intraday since November 2008. The clothing retailer was raised to "buy" from "neutral" at Citigroup Inc.
Vasco Data Security Inc. (VDSI US) rose 25 percent, the second-most in the Russell 2000, to $7.86. The maker of security software reported third-quarter earnings excluding some items of 16 cents a share, beating the average analyst estimate of 5 cents a share, Bloomberg data show.
--With assistance from Inyoung Hwang, Nikolaj Gammeltoft and Lu Wang in New York. Editors: Stephen Kleege, Joanna Ossinger
To contact the reporter on this story: Kaitlyn Kiernan in New York at email@example.com
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Nick Baker at firstname.lastname@example.org


text:
words // Darren Griffin:
The Rihanna x PUMA deal has been in place for some time now, but it wasn’t until today that PUMA unveiled the first advertisement between the two parties. The visual debuted on the brand’s IG account featuring the Barbados born starlet adorning the newly introduced Pulse XT. Though it hasn’t been specified what Rihanna’s new job duties will entail, this new “Forever Faster” ad makes it clear that she will help drive the lifestyle market aligning performance footwear with the ever growing womenswear and training sectors. Stay tuned for more details.


text:
NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that India is working hard strengthening its image as the world's largest millennial market. He was interacting with startups of various sectors across India via video conferencing.
"India's startups are now working in 55 different industries. Five years ago, India didn't have even 500 startups! Today, that number has crossed 60,000," he said.
He also lauded young generation for ensuring that the country's startup ecosystem is continuously discovering and improving.
PM Modi also started the campaign of self-reliant India or Atmanirbhar Bharat.
Commemorating this, PM also announced January 16 as 'National Startup Day.' He wants Indian entrepreneurs to make their local dreams global and big.


text:
Home Topics Robert Hamaty
Topic: Robert Hamaty
An item that was likely to be making appearances in several Christmas stockings this year is a novelty Coca-Cola can emblazoned with the Cayman Islands coat of arms.
Scores of well-wishers, family and friends gathered for the final flight of the late Captain Robert Hamaty Friday at Owen Roberts International Airport.
Robert Michael Hamaty will be remembered by many for his love of family, his adventurous spirit and for setting up a company that put...
Robert Hamaty, founder and owner of Tortuga Rum Company, passed away in a Miami hospital this morning (13 June). He was 72 years old.
We urge officials and council members to work diligently, and quickly, to implement processes and procedures that protect patient safety and ensure high standards of care.
Foreign workers are sending more money back to their home countries than they have in at least the last 10 years.
In the late 1970s, former Air Jamaica pilot Robert Hamaty was waiting to take off from Bermuda when he noticed a number of passengers boarding his plane carrying bottles of Gosling’s Rum.
Retailers in Grand Cayman reported a strong Christmas shopping season in spite of the impact of bad weather at the most lucrative time of the year.
Robert Hamaty believes he would not be alive today if he had not had a “green card” when he needed a heart transplant in 1996.
The long-running saga of whether Sunday alcohol sales can be permitted at gas stations and liquor stores may be resolved this week with the Liquor Licensing Board committing to deal with a backlog of applications.
The Tortuga Rum Company is producing and marketing its first Cayman-made rum.
No decisions have yet been made on pending liquor license applications that would allow retail stores to sell beer, wine and spirits on Sundays, as the licensing board awaits a hoped-for change in the law.
Irrespective of the very important issue of what the law says concerning Sunday sales of alcohol, I still maintain that two separate cabinet orders currently exist and that the Liquor Licensing Board was wrong to grant liquor licenses to gas stations in the first place.
Tortuga Rum Company appoints new general manager; Hawksford appoints chief operating officer; Butterfield receives U.S. Captive Services Award; Walkers announces four new scholarship recipients; Caymanian litigator joins HSM Group; and Estera sponsors Cayman Touch Rugby at U.S. Nationals
Existing retailers at the Owen Roberts International Airport will be given preferential treatment in the bid process for space in the newly renovated terminal after officials and tenants reached a compromise.
A Tortuga liquor store employee was forced to open a drop safe with a pistol pointed at her head late Saturday during a post-closing time robbery that store president Robert Hamaty called the “worst robbery we’ve had” at the Cayman Islands specialty foods and liquor shop.
Last month, the Tortuga Fine Wine & Spirits location at The Greenery shopping plaza on West Bay Road temporarily closed for renovations. When it reopened six days later, it had a new modernized look, similar to its flagship store at Governors Square, and some new wines never before available in Cayman.
Three years after the government passed a law legalizing the donation and transplantation of human tissue and organs, there is still no organ donor registry or tissue bank in the Cayman Islands.
Poor weather conditions in January and February caused Cayman to miss out on nearly 54,000 cruise ship passengers, and as a result, millions of dollars in...


text:
Get the latest news from MousePaw Media here! Meanwhile, don't forget to tune in to the MousePaw'dCast.
Release of "Omission" Delayed
02 July 2018
Due to technical obstacles and mounting delays, MousePaw Games is pushing back the release of Omission. (Read More)
Playtesters Wanted for New Game "Omission"
21 July 2017
MousePaw Games is gearing up to release a brand new open source game, and is inviting anyone interested to help playtest the game before its September 2017 release. (Read More)


text:
(OILPRICE) — A British consumer group is warning households to rush out and buy powerful vacuum cleaners before they’re banned throughout Europe.
As of Sept. 1, manufacturers will be forbidden to make or import any vacuum machines with motors stronger than 1,600 watts.
The rules, set forth by the European Commission, are aimed at slowing climate change by cutting Europe’s energy use. The EC contends the new standards mean European consumers will “get better vacuum cleaners than ever before.”
Advertisement - story continues below
The consumer rating agency "Which?" says that doesn’t make sense. Five of their seven highest rated vacuums have motors higher than 1,600 watts.


text:
Christmas is one of the busiest times of year for airlines as Australians fly home to see their loved ones yet a CHOICE review has found consumers are still facing excessive surcharges when they purchase flights using a credit card despite new rules designed to limit them.
“Excessive surcharges continue to deliver a real sting in the tail for consumers, turning what looks like a festive bargain flight home into a costly Christmas rip-off,” says CHOICE CEO Alan Kirkland.
“The latest CHOICE review comes in the wake of Qantas announcing earlier this year that it would lower its surcharge from $7.70 to $7.00. This token reduction came following the introduction of new rules by the Reserve Bank of Australia requiring companies to limiting credit card surcharges to the reasonable costs processing payments.”
“It’s now 297 days since the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) rules came into effect and yet Cabcharge, Qantas, Virgin Australia, Jetstar and Tiger continue to hit Australians with millions more in surcharges than it costs to process these transactions.”
“Our latest review has found consumers flying Qantas from Sydney to Melbourne can still pay a staggering 523% more than the average merchant service fee, only a slight reduction from the 568% they were paying back in March.”
“It seems the airlines have built a business out of excessive surcharging and they seem happy to continue to fly in the face of RBA rules limiting surcharging to a reasonable level,” says Mr Kirkland.
RBA data shows the average fees paid by merchants to process Visa and Mastercard transactions are less than 1% so there should be no reason for consumers continue to be slugged by the airlines.
“Christmas should be a time for giving and yet the airlines continue to take from Australians with their hands firmly in consumers’ pockets.”
“The best Christmas message consumers could get this year would be from Qantas and the other airlines announcing they’ll stop their astronomical surcharging.”
A survey commissioned by CHOICE earlier this year found that close to half of Australians who reported paying a credit card surcharge say they were not offered or made aware of an alternative, surcharge-free payment method.
CHOICE is calling on Australians to ‘dob in a dodgy surcharge’ by going to choice.com.au/takecharge and sharing examples of excessive credit card fees.


text:
Intel is taking its fight against GamerGate even further
The company's diversity efforts are paying off and it plans to combat online harassment next.
UK claims its spying bill will protect you from cyberbullies
The Investigatory Powers Bill will supposedly be used to fight harassers and trolls, not just terrorists.
An insurance provider is offering cyberbullying coverage
The policy will even pay for repairing damaged online reputations.
Guide helps you fight online harassment
If you're worried about internet threats, this guide will help you mitigate (and sometimes prevent) them.
SXSW removes Gamergate panel from online harassment day
SXSW finally appears to have done the right thing after cancelling two panels last month.
BuzzFeed returns to SXSW lineup following online harassment fiasco
Now that SXSW once again has an online harassment panel, BuzzFeed is rejoining the panel lineup.
SXSW apologizes, launches day-long Online Harassment Summit
One panel organizer says she's not OK with this new plan, either.
SXSW cancels online harassment panel, because of harassment
South by Southwest decided to pull the plug on two panels over "numerous" threats of violence.
Unfriending Facebook friends can be considered bullying in Australia
Be careful about deleting a Facebook friend, at least in Australia -- it may be seen as part of a larger harassment campaign.


text:
Owned by the same collector for the past 47 years, this desirable 1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta is coming up for auction at the Le Mans Classic in July, where you can expect it to sell for upwards of $10 million.
The 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO sold a couple of years ago in Monterey still holds the record for the most expensive car ever sold at auction, if you count in US Dollars.
The vintage Ferrari ran at the Mille Miglia, 12 Hours of Sebring, 24 Hours of Le Mans, and was driven by two Formula 1 world champions during its career.
This Ferrari 335 S that once lead at Le Mans could become one of the most expensive cars ever to be sold at auction when it crosses the block next month during the Salon Retromobile in Paris.
A rare 1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spider was just one of the items found in Roger Baillon's barn, but despite its condition, it brought in a record $18.5 million at the Artcurial auction during the Salon Retromobile in Paris.
The massive Roger Baillon Collection of barn finds from France goes to auction on February 6, and auction house Artcurial has photos and descriptions of them all. Come check out our gallery to see each of them and what the company thinks they might sell for. There are a few somewhat more modern surprises in the group.


text:
Wisconsin Democrats handed in one million signatures on Tuesday calling for the recall of GOP Gov. Scott Walker, but Republicans have succeeded in delaying any election, likely improving the governor's chances of surviving the bruising and widely publicized battle.
Republicans recently won a court order requiring the Government Accountability Board, which is responsible for counting signatures, to check for duplicate and fake signatures. Board officials said they will accomplish that by entering each name into a database. That painstaking process will put off the election at least until late spring.
- Best Buy:
Save 15% or more on the Best Buy deal of the Day
Walmart coupon: $20 off your $50+ order
Up to 15% off + free shipping at Wayfair
Extra 20% off your purchase with Nike coupon code
- The Home Depot:
Free $20 Home Depot coupon with Pro Xtra membership sign up
Exclusive Expedia coupon code: 5% off


text:
December 13, 2000
Purdue research translates into Indiana revenues
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. The Association of University Technology Managers this fall reports the commercialization of research at Purdue resulted in more than $2.3 million in royalty income, 24 patents and four start-up companies last year.
The $2.3 million in royalty income is a 39 percent increase over 1998 when Purdue earned $1.71 million, said Lisa Kuuttila, assistant vice president and director of the Purdue Research Foundation's Office of Technology Commercialization. Royalties are based on product sales.
"Our royalty figures this year are due to more than an estimated $20 million in sales of actual products designed from Purdue research," Kuuttila said.
"We are able to have a significant impact on the state's economy when you figure these sales translate directly into more revenue for Indiana businesses and more jobs for Indiana residents," she said.
The university's licensing income also helps move more innovations on campus into the marketplace. More than $760,000 of last year's royalties went into a Purdue Research Foundation fund that provides seed money to commercialize Purdue research.
"One-third of all royalty income is earmarked for new projects coming out of Purdue laboratories," Kuuttila said. "Some is used to further develop technology before it is licensed, while other income is invested in start-up companies based on a Purdue invention."
The remaining income is split evenly between the inventor and his or her academic department.
Four new companies were started in 1999 based on Purdue-licensed technologies. One of those companies is SEAS, LLC, a games simulation software company launched with help from the Office of Technology Commercialization and the Purdue Research Foundation.
SEAS, Synthetic Environments for Advanced Simulations, was started by two professors in the Purdue Krannert Graduate School of Management who designed war-game simulation software with funding from the U.S. Department of Defense. Alok Chaturvedi, professor of management information systems, and Shailendra Mehta, director of entrepreneurship and small business outreach, then adapted their work for the government into something marketable for businesses.
"A company can work with SEAS to develop software designed to train its senior management on how to develop strategy relative to changes in the marketplace," Kuuttila said.
The Office of Technology Commercialization, under its original name of Patent and Copyright Office, was formed in the mid-1970s.
The success of technology transfer programs nationwide is attributed to the 1980 Bayh-Dole Act. This legislation made it legal for universities, non-profit research institutions and small business to own inventions developed under federally funded research. Purdue's Patent and Copyright Office helped then Indiana Sen. Birch Bayh draft the language for the act.
In 1999, activity associated with academic research generated more than 340 new companies, more than $40 billion in product sales and more than 400 new products across the country.
Since 1984, university researchers have been granted 297 U.S. patents.
Source: Lisa Kuuttila, (765) 496-7378, email@example.com
Writer: Jenny Pratt, (765) 494-2079, firstname.lastname@example.org
Other sources: Alok Chaturvedi, (765) 494-9048, email@example.com
Shailendra Mehta, (765) 494-5703, firstname.lastname@example.org


text:
The sister company of a Framingham compounding pharmacy tied to a nationwide fungal meningitis outbreak voluntarily recalled all its products today.
Ameridose, a Westboro compounding pharmacy, announced it was recalling all unexpired medications after officials with the state and Food and Drug Administration voiced concerns about improving sterile conditions at the facility, which is under investigation. The announcement noted no contamination has been detected in Ameridose’s products so far.
“Nevertheless, out of an abundance of caution, we are undertaking this recall to assure customers that when Ameridose products are shipped, they are fully in conformance with all of the FDA’s recommendations,” stated the announcement.
A complete list of all recalled products can be found online at ameridose.com.
Ameridose and its distribution partner, Alanaus Pharmaceuticals, voluntarily shut down operations earlier this month under pressure from state health officials. As part of the agreement, owner Barry J. Cadden resigned from his corporate positions at Ameridose.
Cadden and Gregory Conigliaro own Ameridose, Alanaus Pharmaceuticals and New England Compounding Center in Framingham, which federal health officials say is the source of fungus-contaminated steroid injections that have killed 28 people and sickened at least 363 in 19 states.
NECC is under investigation by state and federal prosecutors, FDA and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention because investigators have said the compounding pharmacy wasn’t keeping sterile lab conditions and because the facility was mass producing tens of thousands of doses in violation of its license, which only allows prescriptions filled for individual patients.


text:
BELLEVUE, WASH. - Expedia Media Solutions, the advertising sales division of global online travel leader Expedia, Inc., announced that it will offer marketing support to the destination marketing organizations (DMOs) and tourism boards of the areas affected by Hurricane Sandy. The offering, a 3:1 media dollar match for all advertising on Expedia, Inc. websites, is designed to help the eight states and our nation’s capital sustain visibility and boost tourism during the recovery period.
Over the next three months, tourism boards and organizations from Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Virginia and Washington, D.C. can work with Expedia Media Solutions to build campaigns that will maximize marketing resources and broaden their reach to targeted tourist audiences shopping on Expedia, Inc. sites. The supported advertising campaigns can run now through the end of June to give the destinations in need of tourism a way to stretch promotional dollars.
“With this program, the tourism organizations supporting the hurricane-stricken states, cities and communities have the opportunity to drive awareness and revenue to local businesses by attracting travelers to the region,” said Noah Tratt, global vice president, Expedia Media Solutions. “Our goal is to ultimately alleviate some of the economic pressures that the communities are feeling, and allow them to showcase the attractions that either weren’t affected or are ready to welcome tourists again.”
Expedia Media Solutions extended similar offers to the states affected by the Gulf Coast oil spill in 2010, and the states hit by devastating floods and tornadoes in 2011. In both instances, tourism boards took advantage of the program and Expedia Media Solutions was able to help boost revenue in affected communities and counter negative sentiment about the region that the catastrophes created. For example, in 2010, The New Orleans Convention and Visitor’s Bureau (CVB) leveraged the media match offer and launched a multifaceted campaign on Expedia.com featuring a variety of visually striking ads. The one-month campaign doubled unaided brand awareness of New Orleans as a destination and successfully lifted New Orleans higher in travelers’ consideration set, with consideration of New Orleans as a possible destination increasing from 31 percent to 41 percent.


text:
Daily NK recently acquired North Korea’s latest smartphone, the Pyongyang 2425. The phone has been described as “much improved in both functionality and design” by North Korean media site Sogwang. Daily NK’s analysis of the new smartphone found that the Pyongyang 2425 has significantly improved hardware and software capabilities compared to the previous model, the Pyongyang 2423.
North Korea Chasing the Latest Trends? New Phone Sports Notched Design, Facial Recognition, Wireless Charging and More
The Pyongyang 2425 distinguishes itself through a newly revamped design. The previous model, the Pyongyang 2423, did not feature a bezel, while the new model employs a notched design that effectively turns the entire display into a screen. The notch design first appeared on the iPhone X released in 2017 and is now featured by a wide range of smartphones.
The Pyongyang 2425 also includes facial recognition and wireless recharging, which were not features included in past models. Facial recognition can only be used to unlock the screen, but the technology will likely be used in payment services and app security in the future.
The new model does not have an earphone jack on its bottom and requires the use of a separate adapter. The absence of the earphone jack suggests that wireless earphones are available in North Korea. Regular Bluetooth earphones dutifully sourced in the Daily NK office were found to connect to the Pyongyang 2425 without issue.
The new features on the Pyongyang 2425 are common to the latest smartphones around the globe. Most North Koreans remain isolated from most of the world, but the country’s smartphone industry is keeping up with the newest trends.
Despite Strong Security Measures, New Phone Boasts Much Improved Performance and Functionality
The new phone’s operating system exemplifies North Korea’s contradictory attempts to keep up with global trends while preventing users from gaining access to external information. While the phone’s capabilities and functionality have improved a great deal, the phone is handicapped due to strict security measures.
In one such example, the Pyongyang 2425 includes a new feature called “automatic display editing,” but the phone’s security measures prevents it from opening. Automatic display editing converts photos, text messages, and music into PowerPoint-like slides to send as messages to other people. However, when Daily NK clicked on “preview” to see the slides the application had created, a message popped up saying “This file is unsigned,” indicating that it could not be opened.
North Korea has long prevented the opening of foreign (“uncertified”) media files on its phones. In this case, however, the phone did not even allow the opening of a file that included photos and ringtones from the phone itself. Ultimately, this provides a glimpse into the North Korean state’s attempts to block access to new technology.
The Pyongyang 2425 is Wifi ready, but Daily NK was unable to connect due to the phone’s operating system blocking the action. Notably, the earlier Pyongyang version– 2423– was able to connect to Wifi.
Strong security measures make it difficult to use some of the Pyongyang 2425’s new features, but the phone nonetheless boasts significant improvements over past models.
The phone also uses the same chipsets as past models. The chipsets are manufactured by Mediatek Inc, a Taiwanese semiconductor company. The chipset used on the Pyongyang 2425, MT6771, is almost – although not quite – as good as the CPU performance of the Samsung Galaxy A9 released last year.
The performance of the Pyongyang 2423 released late last year has similar specs to South Korean smartphone models released in 2014. This shows that North Korean manufacturers have significantly narrowed the gap in the technological performance of their phones in a short space of time.
The new phone’s storage has been increased significantly (RAM has quadrupled to 8 GB; ROM has doubled to 32 GB), meaning that the phone’s performance, including the running of programs and switching screens, is much faster than before.


text:
Singapore Homebuyers to Seek Bargains on Discount Disclosure
Construction cranes operate on residential building developments in the Punggol area of Singapore on Aug. 10, 2014. Photographer: Bryan van der Beek/Bloomberg
Singapore homebuyers will drive harder bargains in an already depressed housing market as new rules that require developers to disclose discounts and other perks unmask the actual value of properties for sale.
Starting Friday, the Urban Redevelopment Authority will publish weekly net prices on home transactions that will take into account incentives and rebates, such as those for stamp duties, to improve transparency.
“It will give homebuyers more bargaining opportunities,” said Donald Han, managing director at real estate broker Chesterton Singapore Pte. “Buyers are already asking for more perks, so this gives them additional information that they can use to negotiate a better price.”
Hefty furniture rebates became the subject of a S$181 million ($134 million) lawsuit in November after United Overseas Bank Ltd. claimed it was a “victim of a conspiracy” and handed out larger-than-permitted housing loans after some buyers at the luxury Marina Collection on Sentosa island didn’t declare perks that cut prices by as much as 34 percent.
Now, freebies such as luxury goods vouchers, jewelry and furniture used to entice homebuyers will be made public. Home sales dropped to a six-year low last year, while prices fell for a sixth straight quarter in the three months ended March 31, the longest losing streak in more than a decade.
Developers hard pressed to sell apartments have been peddling offers such as discounted prices on select units for a short time period, known as “star buys,” while others offer furniture rebates or luxury-goods vouchers amounting to about 1 percent to 2 percent of the transaction value.
While developers will be able to adjust their marketing because of the more detailed price information from competitors, they won’t lower prices indiscriminately, said Chia Siew Chuin, director of research and advisory at broker Colliers International.
Home sales have been hurt by the government’s campaign to cool property prices in Asia’s second-most expensive housing market. Measures since 2009 include a cap on debt repayment costs at 60 percent of a borrower’s monthly income and higher stamp duties and real estate taxes.
“Developers will become more competitive when everyone’s discount is disclosed,” said Xian Yang Wong, manager of research and consultancy at property brokerage OrangeTee, who estimates the discounts range between 10 percent and 15 percent. It “will be good for the market.”
UOB was approached by agents to provide housing loans for 38 units at the Marina Collection. Of these, 37 have defaulted. The bank accused Indonesian tycoon Mochtar Riady’s Lippo Marina Collection Pte of being the main beneficiary along with seven others from the sale of apartments at the 124-unit condominium.
The developer said in court papers such rebates are a “common sales” strategy and denied deceiving the bank. Lippo said it wasn’t involved in financing of the units and UOB’s decision to grant loans should be based on its own checks. UOB’s lawyer Eddee Ng declined to comment.
Lippo said it dealt with the buyers only through the property agent who asked for discounts in the form of furniture rebates. The developer agreed to give rebates of between 25 percent and 34 percent to promote the sale of units, adding that this was a “fairly common sales and marketing strategy.”
“It is for UOB to answer for how it ended up granting loans totaling more than S$181 million to customers who do not seem to have had the ability to repay these loans,” Siraj Omar, Lippo Marina’s lawyer said.
‘Filling the Gap’
Developers have been reporting net prices on monthly sales since 2013. Failure to comply with the reporting rules may include license revocation and suspension. Other new rules in the Housing Developers Bill may include a maximum fine of S$100,000 and a jail term for as long as three years.
“URA is just filling the gap in the reporting,” said Alan Cheong, a Singapore-based director at broker Savills Plc. “There is this suspicion that developers are giving out hefty discounts, but it’s not true. Those are one-off cases.”
The latest rules will force developers to price the homes competitively when they start marketing new projects, said Alice Tan, Singapore-based head of consultancy and research at brokerage Knight Frank. She estimates discounts will range from 3 percent to 8 percent.
“In light of the weak market, developers need to get the price right at the start, in order to garner immediate interest from buyers,” Tan said.
Bloomberg Business Published on Friday, 5 June 2015


text:
New products from Porex and Koch Separation Solutions and a review of our Covid-19 coverage were the most-read stories on the Filtration+Separation website in April 2021.
The Porex Corporation has pioneered the use of viral filtration efficiency (VFE) testing methods and tested its own materials used in medical device design.
Our coronavirus coverage shows how filtration and separation companies around the world are responding to and dealing with the spread of Covid-19.
Koch Separation Solutions (KSS) has launched its INDU-COR HD (High Density) tubular membranes, designed to treat industrial waste streams more effectively.
The new INDU-COR HD will be available in a variety of sizes (4, 6, 8, 10-in diameters) with standard grooved coupling connections.


text:
NEW YORK — While U.S. mills and fiber makers are having a hard time competing in many sectors of the price-conscious apparel market today, many of them see room for growth in the $17 billion U.S. activewear market. That’s because activewear makers and consumers place a premium on fabric technology and performance, the so-called value-added features that allow makers to command somewhat higher prices and margins.
This story first appeared in the August 20, 2002 issue of WWD. Subscribe Today.
By combining synthetic fibers such as nylon, spandex and polyester with each other or with cotton, mills and fiber companies have begun to focus on a niche market — something that textile executives have repeatedly said is a key for sustaining business in the shrinking textile market.
With the popularity of spandex apparent in everyday apparel like jeans and T-shirts, executives said the public has grown accustomed to marketing catch-phrases like “breathability,” “spill-proof” and “moisture management.” While the added values in performance fabrics are solutions to genuine problems, they’ve also created a demanding mind-set from consumers, which could be a good thing for textile firms specializing in them.
Through an increasing amount of market research to better target its products to consumers, DuPont is banking on its nylon and cotton blend Supplex for the activewear market, according to Dana McCauley, global marketing director for DuPont’s active, outdoor and swim divisions.
While Supplex is not new, its qualities — such as abrasion resistance, durability, reduced shrinkage and quicker drying — have been embraced by the activewear apparel industry. To further tap that vein, DuPont added new variations of Supplex into its product offerings that it unveiled last week at the Outdoor Retailer trade show in Salt Lake City. By combining performance and fashion elements, the company created fibers geared toward golf and tenniswear.
One is Supplex Micro, which is a lightweight fabric used for outerwear shells like anoraks aimed at the golf industry.
Another product, Supplex Mercerized, can be used in knit and woven fabrics, such as those commonly used in golf and tennis shirts, two active industries that have a fashion element in their apparel, according to McCauley. The mercerized aspect lends a dressy feel while still maintaining the benefits of Supplex, she said.
“High-end golf brands…look for dressier fabrics,” said McCauley, noting that performance fibers can be used in various industries. “Even in the outdoor industry and travelwear, you see the need for people that are hiking in the morning on vacation and then stopping at a nice restaurant for lunch. They want something that looks nicer, but is still easy to maintain. They want something they can wash in their hotel rooms that’s quick to dry. These fibers are designed to do that and are basically wrinkle proof.”
McCauley said product geared toward the activewear industry is an area that DuPont plans to continue growing.
Kansas City, Mo.-based eVent Fabrics created a special version of a Teflon laminate that is waterproof and breathable, similar to W.L. Gore & Associate’s Gore-Tex, according to marketing manager Rob Hendon. The laminate can be applied to jackets, shells for sleeping bags, footwear and gloves.
“We manufacture here in the U.S. and then we partner with a couple of companies in Asia to laminate the fabric,” said Hendon.
Dina Dunn, vice president of marketing for North America at Nylstar Inc. — the U.S. branch of the Cesano Moderno, Italy-based nylon manufacturer — said activewear is an integral part of her company’s business. During the past two years that Nylstar’s nylon brand Meryl has been available in the U.S., Dunn said a majority of the products were driven by the activewear industry.
Three products include Meryl Skinlife, a yarn with inherent antimicrobial characteristics to be used in fitness and golf apparel. Meryl Nexten is a hollow nylon that is one-third lighter than normal nylon, a desirable property for things like mountaineering clothes for example. While all Meryl fibers wick, Dunn said Meryl Nateo offers enhanced moisture management.
Another branded nylon manufacturer, Nilit America Corp. also plans to get involved with the activewear market, though merchandising manager Molly Kremidas said specific plans are still under wraps.
“We’re planning on moving into high-tenacity or moisture-moving yarns,” Kremidas said. “Plenty of people are doing it right now with a finish, but it has been requested by some of our customers, though I don’t know at this point if it would be advantageous for them costwise.”
The Material ConneXion library in Manhattan houses over 3,000 innovative materials, many of which are fibers and can be used in apparel. Andrew Dent, director of library and materials research at the members-only facility, said he’s noticed a growing number of fibers in the market that indicate people want added value.
“They want it to have extra performance,” Dent said. “They don’t seem to mind what it is, though, as long as it keeps you warm and looks good. It’s not gimmicky, but people want to know their textiles are doing more than just covering the body.”
Wicking fibers are probably the most common performance material geared toward apparel, Dent said.
“I’ve yet to come across a good odor-resistant textile. There are a lot of anti-microbial coatings, but nobody has come up with a T-shirt that you don’t need to wash or only wash every third time,” said Dent. “I think if someone could come up with that, it would do really well.”
Saxon Textiles president Gail Strickler also cited added value as key, such as fabrics with stretch, waterproofing and breathability.
“The interesting thing that has happened is that people want performance in things where it wasn’t previously needed,” Strickler said. “It’s the ability to create fabrics that are more comfortable.”
Strickler said she sees the industry heading toward lightweight fabrics and that two Saxon fabrics, Nimbus and Cirrus, are selling well for the activewear industry because they are both soft and don’t make a lot of noise when worn. Nimbus is a nylon/Lycra spandex blend, and Cirrus is a polyester/Lycra spandex blend.
Further, Strickler said Cirrus fleece, a laminated polyester/Lycra spandex version is both breathable and waterproof aimed at jackets, pullovers and outerwear, often used by golfers. Moondust, a nylon fabric with a metallic shine, is often used in ski apparel, Strickler added.
Spandex is one of the original performance fibers, according to Radici Spandex’s Bill Girrier, who is vice president of marketing and sales. However, Girrier said consumers have overcome the fiber’s stereotype of it solely being used for body-hugging clothes.
Today, he said, it is being applied to looser-fitting garments aimed at tennis, jogging, swimwear and underwear for athletic support, whereas 10 years ago, it was less varied.
New products at Radici include S45, a heat-resistant spandex that launched in June intended to make it easier to dye stretch polyester fabric. Polyester needs to be heated to 265 degrees Fahrenheit to be dyed in conventional processes, which was a problem for spandex blends, since that fiber melts at 225 degrees. The other is a black spandex, called E12, since 12 is the number for carbon on the periodic table of elements. Radici’s chlorine-resistant spandex, S17, and its UV resistant spandex are popular for the swimwear industry, Girrier added.
“There’s a store for every activity out there, and then 10 catalogs to boot,” Girrier said. “Whether it’s hiking, biking or kayaking, there is apparel for all the different activities, and spandex definitely fits into that. Also, baby boomers are this market’s demographic, so they have expendable income.”


text:
The value of social media use in the workplace has become an important discussion among companies. No one will question the rapid growth of social media and its impact on a company, but many organizations struggle with allowing employees to engage in social media while also protecting against potential risks to corporate reputation.
Jun 06, 2014
Bell Telephone developed the first automatic switchboard in 1910 after projections indicated that by 1925 every adult woman in America would be needed to staff the manual switchboards that were in place. Do you think the new innovative automatic system was an immediate hit with telephone customers and the industry experts? Well, probably not with everyone:
Apr 25, 2013
In keeping with our innovation theme this week, let’s take a more in-depth look at the driving force behind innovation: creativity.
We live in a world saturated with messaging. It’s this saturation, argues Jez Frampton, CEO of Interbrand, that makes creativity more important than ever before. The market is not necessarily a meritocracy (as much as we like to think it is sometimes); it’s often the case that the product presented most creatively is the one that is heard above the noise. This makes creativity, not product features, one of the most powerful differentiators your company can showcase.
Whether it’s trust in the product, trust in the brand, trust in the content or trust in the person making the pitch, trust is the vital element upon which nearly all deals are made. But as statistics show, trust is hard to come by these days. So where do consumer attitudes toward businesses stand, and what can businesses do to change those attitudes?


text:
How Godrej Consumer Group reduced its plastic usage
Sudhir Sitapati from Godrej Consumer Group Limited (GCPL) spoke about the importance of constant innovation, and how it is key for business growth. He was delivering a keynote address at the 9th edition of the Speciality Films and Flexible Packaging Global summit on 5 September at the Sahara Star in Mumbai.
16 Sep 2022 | By Janhavi Sisodia
More than 1550 delegates were made aware of the success of Godrej Consumer Group Limited (GCPL) with plastic research and the launch of an environment-friendly ready-to-mix bodywash-Godrej Magic.
Managing director and CEO, Sudhir Sitapati highlighted his experience at GCPL and how one can make a real impact on the world through GCPL products, which touches the lives of 1.2 billion people across the world which includes 700 million in India and 500 million across Africa and Southeast Asia. Sitapati said, "If we could improve the sustainability of our products, we believe we are onto something far greater than just our back-end operations."
He mentioned how GCPL has embarked on a study which has evaluated 70% of its product in terms of environmental effect. He said, "The lifecycle study of each product with external experts, goes through extensive research. One of the major takeaways from the lifecycle evaluation is that the consumer products have a significant influence on packaging which leads to less greenhouse gases and reduced carbon emissions as a result. It is recognisable that plastics, in particular, are recyclable. As a result, GCPL has increased its sustainability efforts as a company."
A few years ago, GCPL started to monitor the units of plastics that it used. Sitapati said, "We looked into how much of it is recyclable, what is reusable, the number of PCRs and so on. We created a robust system for ourselves. The next step was to collaborate with our R&D and innovation teams to see how we might lessen the plastic effect of our goods."
And so, GCPL started focusing on 3 Rs of the environment (reducing, reusing, recycling). To reduce the plastic usage, the group worked with suppliers down south in Pondicherry to develop a jute-based product, which is biodegradable. Sitapati said, "This was significantly cheaper. We sell about 20 crore units of this. And so, we saved Rs 60 crore a year and at the same time we significantly reduced our plastic impact."
He added, "A few years ago, we questioned why so many goods in the home and personal care contain so much plastic." So, in order to reduce plastic, GCPL developed a magic hand wash.
Hand wash is a powder that the consumer puts into a recyclable sachet, and goes home, mixes it in a bottle, and one gets a hand wash. Sitapati said, "We used 1/10, the plastic of a bottle. This product was a blockbuster product for three years. After the continuous success in the Indian market and duplication all over the world we decided to take this forward, and recently launched a product in body wash."
He added, "Now soaps are a much bigger market than hand washes. GCPL came up with this product called Magic Body wash about two-three months ago, which is the same principle where you take a small ultra-concentrated body wash sachet and take it home, put it in a bottle and mix it and low and behold, you get a bottle of body wash." The environment-friendly ready-to-mix bodywash-Godrej Magic was launched a few months ago.
Sitapati mentioned how experts were sceptical. He said, " A lot of people have commented on this saying that GCPL is reducing the bottle but still has a sachet. To which GCPL would like to respond, it's better to have a flexibility of one-tenth weight than the rigidity of 10x."
He said, "We have to continuously move towards making this flexible, recyclable, which we've done. And this is the journey that GCPL has undertaken for reducing the plastics and making them more recyclable.
Sudhir Sitapati pointed out that a lot of people will tell you that consumers are willing to pay for green packaging but they're not. He countered this myth by saying, "As an industry insider, I do this day in and day out, and I keep hearing that people are not willing to pay for green packaging. However, in India consumers, especially in rural India, are getting irritated with the plastic dumps outside their villages. This could be because of the burning of the fugitive plastic, and they are realising that the fumes are harmful. Here, it is the responsibility of manufacturers like of us to make them aware of it so that they can recycle it. I think it is our job to make this link between the plastic that they see and the plastic that they use and to make the process of recycling easy. Consumers are willing to pay a green discount, they're not willing to pay a green premium."
Sudhir Sitapati told the gathering that "Significant resources must be spent on sustainability, plastics reduction, use, and education. We need everyone's assistance in finding material. A consumer from urban areas is aware of the need of finding recyclable materials. As an industry we are getting closer to monolayers, lowering it, and seeing if it could be biodegradable."
He concluded his keynote address by saying, "Above all, we must educate consumers about recycling through collaboration between the plastic flexible sector and the FMCG business. We have a team in Murud Janjira (near Alibaug) where a few friends and I have been trying to teach the local people about recycling and plastic segregation. That is proving difficult for us. We are facing difficulty in finding methods to recycle, One reason is, the economics does not make sense to take it to Mumbai or Pune for recycling. My point is, both sides of the business must work together to provide the infrastructure for the recycling sector in India, as well as to educate consumers about recycling. This is a serious problem of our times."
Sudhir Sitapati's final message, "We need to act quickly because if we do not, governments will step in and impose rules on us, making life difficult for us and customers."


text:
Hewlett-Packard reports massive charge; shares plummet
Hewlett-Packard revealed that it had to take a massive charge to align the accounting value of Autonomy Corp., which it bought for $10 billion last year, with its real value.
Los Angeles Times
Hewlett-Packard reported a hefty $8.8 billion charge in its fourth quarter, largely due to serious accounting problems stemming from its 2011 purchase of a British software maker.
The Palo Alto, Calif., company released its earnings Tuesday and revealed that it had to take a massive charge to align the accounting value of Autonomy Corp., which it bought for $10 billion last year, with its real value.
The writedown, combined with a weak first-quarter outlook for struggling HP, caused shares to plunge. The company’s stock fell $1.59, or 12 percent, to $11.71.
“The majority of this impairment charge is linked to serious accounting improprieties, disclosure failures and outright misrepresentations at Autonomy that occurred prior to HP’s acquisition of Autonomy and the associated impact of those improprieties, failures and misrepresentations on the expected future financial performance of the Autonomy business over the long term,” HP said in a statement. “The balance of the impairment charge is linked to the recent trading value of HP stock.”
HP Chief Executive Meg Whitman said the company began to realize something was amiss after Autonomy founder and Chief Executive Mike Lynch left on May 23, according to The Associated Press. A senior Autonomy executive then volunteered information about the accounting improprieties, which led to an internal investigation.
Autonomy’s former top management team “flatly rejects” the allegations, according to Vanessa Colomar, a spokeswoman for Lynch. Autonomy has been mismanaged by Hewlett-Packard, she said.
Lynch said in an interview on CNBC that he wasn’t contacted by Hewlett-Packard before the company made its allegations public Tuesday.
“The big issue isn’t the fraud they’re talking about. The big issue is that HP has made acquisitions that have turned out to be a disaster,” said Lynn Turner, former chief accountant of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and a managing director at LitiNomics, an economic and forensic consulting firm.
The writedown comes after HP’s August announcement that it would take a charge of $9.2 billion, largely related to its purchase of Electronic Data Systems. When companies make an acquisition, the difference between the value of the target’s hard assets and the purchase price is known as goodwill. That gets carried on the company’s balance sheet as an asset and is reviewed periodically by public companies.
The Autonomy and EDS writedowns together total $18 billion, while Hewlett-Packard’s balance sheet as of April showed almost $45 billion in goodwill.
“Those were decisions approved by the board and they raise serious questions about the competency of the board and management team,” Turner said.
The case has been referred to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the UK’s Serious Fraud Office, The AP said, citing Whitman. HP will also try to recoup some of what it paid for Autonomy through lawsuits.
Autonomy is a software company that helps organizations understand the meaning in information, according to the firm’s website: “A pioneer in its industry, Autonomy’s unique meaning-based technology is able to make sense of and process unstructured, ‘human information,’ and draw real business value from that meaning.”
HP’s fourth-quarter revenue was $30 billion, down 7 percent from the same quarter in 2011 and down 4 percent when adjusted for the effects of currency. The company reported a loss of $6.9 billion, or $3.49 per share, compared with a profit of $200 million, or 12 cents per share, a year earlier.
Across business categories, personal systems revenue was down 14 percent year-over-year; printing revenue declined 5 percent; services revenue fell 6 percent; and enterprise servers, storage and networking dropped 9 percent.
Software revenue, however, grew 14 percent year over year, including the results of Autonomy.
For the first quarter of fiscal 2013, HP estimated earnings per share to be in the range of 34 to 37 cents.
Material from Bloomberg News is included in this report.


text:
Popular cryptocurrency exchange Crypto.com announced that it will be cutting 20% of its global workforce, becoming the latest company to implement layoffs due to economic constraints. CEO Kris Marszalek shared the news on Twitter.
Multiple causes, including economic constraints, were mentioned in the official statement as contributing to the decision to lay off personnel. The company had implemented cost-saving measures in July, which helped to mitigate the impact of the downturn.
However, the recent collapse of FTX had a significant negative impact on public perception of the industry, and the company was not able to fully prepare for it. According to the statement by Crypto.com, the layoffs were not related to employee performance, and those affected were notified in advance.
Furthermore, many cryptocurrency companies struggled to stay in business, and those that managed to survive were forced to make difficult choices in 2022. Crypto.com is among the numerous firms that have had to lay off employees in order to continue operating.
Despite the harsh conditions of the 2022 crypto winter, the industry has begun the new year on an optimistic note. Notable digital assets are showing signs of growth, and the overall market capitalization of cryptocurrencies has increased to $907 billion, with a 2.54% increase in the past day.
Layoffs At Crypto Firms During Bear Market
Although crypto firms strove to deal with the storm, many were forced to slash costs and lay off employees. In addition, The collapse of FTX Group in November has hastened layoffs at cryptocurrency firms.
Huobi previously indicated that it will lay off 20% of its workforce. Genesis Global Trading cut 30% of its personnel on January 5. Furthermore, that number amounted to roughly 62 persons, reducing the total number of employees down to 145.
Silvergate, a crypto-focused bank, has also made more layoffs. The platform decreased its workforce by 40%, laying off 200 staff. The move was made in reaction to significant Q4 withdrawals in 2022, which cut platform clients’ total deposits by 68%.
However, Coinbase is among the firms with the most layoffs in 2022. Additionally, with around 1160 people losing their employment – 4.6% of the total crypto layoffs for the year.


text:
The group is claiming at least $25m (£13.2m) in damages from the record companies EMI and Capitol, alleging they fraudulently pocketed millions of dollars in royalties.
Sir Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, together with John Lennon's widow Yoko Ono, the estate of the late George Harrison and the Beatles' company Apple Corps, are also seeking to reclaim the rights to the band's master recordings.
The stage is set for a court battle after a judge in the New York state supreme court, Justice Karla Moskowitz, denied EMI's request for the claim to be thrown out.
The lawsuit, filed in December, claims EMI and its affiliate, Capitol, wrongly classified copies of Beatles recordings as destroyed or damaged, but then sold them. It also alleges the number of units sold was under-reported and that they classified some as promotional copies, for which no royalty is due, and then sold them.
The lawsuit claims all this was uncovered during an audit of the companies' books from 1994 to 1999.
The dispute between the Beatles and their record labels dates back to 1979, when the band alleged they had been underpaid by more than $20m. That case was settled a decade later, with the band and Apple getting increased royalty rates.
EMI is expected to appeal. The case is also due to go to court in the UK but a date has yet to be set.


text:
Used Chevrolet Scottsboro Huntsville AL
Have you ever had something stolen? Most of us have, at one point or another, faced the uncertain anxiety of losing car keys or missing our wallet, but have you ever walked out of a shopping mall or a restaurant to find your car missing? As a leading seller of used Chevrolet in the Scottsboro and Huntsville area, we understand the emotional attachment that comes with the ownership of certain vehicles, and this stroke of misfortune struck a Detroit man named George Talley in 1981, when he emerged from an appointment to find his 1979 Corvette missing.
Naturally, his assumption was that perhaps he’d been towed, or that he was mistaken in where he’d parked initially. Surely, he reasoned, his car would show up sooner or later, right?
Fast forward thirty-three years. George Talley is now 71, and has owned four Corvettes in total, but the missing 1979 model was one that he never fully got over. Then, on June 13th of this year, he received a phone call that he won’t soon forget. His car had been found in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, about 850 miles away from his Michigan home. “They told me it was running,” Talley recently recalled. “It had 47,000 miles on it and was ready to pick up.”
The news of its recovery reached a few Chevrolet executives, who offered to return the car to Detroit. They even offered to restore the Corvette to its former glory, which didn’t interest Talley; he wanted to see it just as it was. Then, after he saw the Corvette with its noticeable wear and tear, an anonymous third party offered to restore it fully. So, for George Talley, he gets his happy ending, even if it took over three decades to happen.
As a premier seller of new and used Chevrolet vehicles, we at Harbin Auto want to congratulate Mr. Talley on the safe return of his Corvette! And, to our friends in the Northern Alabama area, we look forward to seeing you at our Scottsboro location!


text:
Friday, 27 November 2020
Traceability grants to boost our premium exports from Hinkler
With more consumers wanting to know where their produce comes from, a new Federal funding round is available to enhance traceability.
Federal Member for Hinkler Keith Pitt said applications were open now for Round 2 of the Traceability Grants Program.
“Hinkler is home to many premium agricultural producers, businesses and organisations and I encourage them to apply for these grants. Traceability is an important aspect of the agricultural supply chain and increasing export opportunities,” Mr Pitt said.
The $3 million program provides opportunities for successful applicants to carry out projects that enhance product traceability and the competitiveness of our produce.
“A variety of innovative projects were funded under the first round including an app to enable real time tracking of animals from farm to destination; a portable x-ray scanner for determining seafood provenance, and a study to test the authenticity of cider made with Australian juice through a chemical ‘finger print’,” Mr Pitt said.
“This second round of the Traceability Grants Program is part of an overall $7 million investment and an important component of the Australian Government’s Ag2030 plan in support of industry’s ambition of $100 billion in farmgate value by 2030.”
Round Two of the Traceability Grants Program is open now and closes on 21 January 2021. For more information or to apply visit: https://www.communitygrants.gov.au/grants/traceability-round-2


text:
Standard & Poor's Ratings Service has raised BorgWarner Inc.'s
S&P raised BorgWarner a notch to triple-B-plus, three notches into investment-grade territory. The firm also raised the company's outlook to stable from negative.
BorgWarner's earnings have climbed in recent quarters as a rebound in the auto industry has boosted demand for its powertrain products. The company's revenue has also benefited from a demand shift in Europe toward vehicle types, like diesel systems, that use more of its products.
The move reflects the ratings agency's belief that BorgWarner's strong position in a shaky global market, including in engine- and drivetrain-related products, will allow BorgWarner to continue to maintain its strong operating profits.
S&P notes that while car sales and production in Europe, which is the auto part maker's biggest market, are expected to sink, the company's performance in the region is seen outpacing the market.
The firm also expects BorgWarner to benefit from global efforts to improve fuel efficiency.
BorgWarner's shares were down 84 cents at $80.97 in recent trading. The stock is up 27% so far this year.


text:
Previous versions of Android have included Easter eggs inside of the Settings app, and the latest Android 5.0 Lollipop developer preview is no different. Going to Settings will let you play a fully-featured Flappy Bird clone.
Google has reportedly removed hundreds of clones of Swing Copters, Dong Nguyen's follow-up to Flappy Bird. The clones prevented the original game from becoming the top search result for "Swing Copters."
Flappy Bird follow-up Swing Copters launched Wednesday night, ensuring that for many mobile gamers the immediate future will consist mostly of colorful expletives, gritted teeth, and eye-popping frustration.
If you wasted days of your life on Flappy Bird earlier this year, then beware. The game's developer, who killed off his creation because its popularity ruined his life, is about to launch his follow-up effort: Swing Copters.
According to security firm McAfee, 80 percent of Flappy Bird clones contain some kind of malware. While it's in the company's best interest to alert users of this, it's still prudent to practice smart tactics when it comes to sketchy…
If you never had a chance to download Flappy Bird but are curious to know what it's like to feel frustration on a level never before experienced by humankind, then there's good news – its creator is considering re-releasing it.
If Apple's app store team really was blocking Flappy Bird clones earlier this month, it seems like they may have given up and gone home, with a report claiming that a third of the 300 new games landing in the iOS store Thursday were Flappy…
If you thought paying $100,000 for an iPhone loaded with Flappy Bird was idiotic, wait till you get a load of this: T-Shirts.com has just released a “RIP Flappy Bird” t-shirt that costs $10,000. Really.