text:
Cardiol Therapeutics Inc. (TSX:CRDL) (OTCMKTS:CRTPF), a leader in the production of pharmaceutical cannabidiol (CBD) and the development of innovative cannabidiol products for heart disease, has signed a supplier agreement to offer its pharmaceutically produced cannabidiol to Medical Cannabis by Shoppers, a subsidiary of Shoppers Drug Mart Inc.
In a statement, the company said Shoppers will be the exclusive retailer of its CardiolRx brand of cannabidiol products in Canada.
READ: Cardiol Therapeutics receives go-ahead from Health Canada for phase 1 study of its cannabidiol formulation
Under the terms of the agreement, Cardiol's exclusive manufacturing partner, Dalton Pharma Services Inc., will supply Cardiol's pharmaceutical cannabidiol products to Shoppers for resale in all provinces and territories in Canada through Shoppers' online store.
Manufactured under cGMP and THC free (<5 ppm), Cardiol said its products are designed to be the safest and most consistent pharmaceutical cannabidiol formulations available and will be sold initially in three dosage formats: 100mg/mL, 50mg/mL, and 25mg/mL.
It said Shoppers also has the right to resell all future products available from Cardiol's product line, subject to any and all regulations.
Cardiol noted there is growing demand for a cannabidiol formulation that does not contain THC. Two specific market segments are of particular concern: those under the age of 25 and the elderly. Both the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario and the Canadian Paediatric Society recommend that physicians do not expose young people under the age of 25 to THC, as its effects on brain development are unknown. For elderly patients, THC exposure can lead to unfavourable drug interactions, delirium, instability, and other effects of intoxication.
David Elsley, president and CEO of Cardiol Therapeutics said: "Shoppers Drug Mart is a trusted brand in Canada and we are delighted that Medical Cannabis by Shoppers has agreed to carry Cardiol's pharmaceutical cannabidiol on an exclusive basis."
"The signing of this important distribution agreement has now positioned our Company to meet the growing demand for medical cannabidiol products that are free from the psychotropic effects of THC, while setting the highest industry standards for purity, stability, safety, and consistency for patients and healthcare providers," he added.
Cardiol’s lead product, CardiolRx, is formulated to be the most consistent cannabidiol formulation on the market which is pharmaceutically produced, manufactured under cGMP, and is THC free (<5 ppm).
Shares added 0.94% in Toronto to C$2.15 each.
---Updates for share price---


text:
Officers will take to the roofs of Krispy Kreme Doughnut stores throughout Georgia from 6 a.m. on Friday, June 8 to 6 p.m. on Sunday, June 10
ATLANTA, June 7, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Krispy Kreme Doughnuts and the Law Enforcement Torch Run® for Special Olympics are teaming up for the 10th year to raise awareness and funds for Special Olympics Georgia's Athletes.
Law Enforcement Torch Run® Officers will take to the roof of the Krispy Kreme shops throughout Georgia from 6:00 a.m. on Friday, June 8, until 6:00 p.m. on Sunday, June 10. They will collect donations from customers as they eat, sleep, and play on the rooftop at Krispy Kreme.
Georgia's 2011 Cops on Doughnut Shops event raised over $85,000 for the Law Enforcement Torch Run® for Special Olympics Georgia. In addition to accepting donations from Krispy Kreme customers, the officers will also make calls to local individuals and business leaders asking for pledges, and local celebrities and community leaders are being asked to lend their support up on the roofs throughout the weekend.
Following are the participating Georgia Krispy Kreme stores for Cops on Doughnut Shops 2012:
Athens – 3703 Atlanta Highway
Atlanta – 295 Ponce de Leon Avenue
Buford – 3387 Buford Drive
Commerce – 40103 Highway 441 South
Columbus - 6761 Veterans Parkway
Duluth – 1550 Pleasant Hill Road
Lilburn – 4129 Highway 78
Marietta – 299 Cobb Parkway, South
Riverdale – 6689 Highway #9
Roswell – 791 Atlanta Street
The participating officers from the Georgia Law Enforcement Torch Run® for Special Olympics hope to raise $100,000 during the event. Customers who donate $5 or more to the cause will get a sweet treat from Krispy Kreme. For generous corporations, organizations, or individuals donating $1,000 or more, Krispy Kreme will give a complimentary doughnut party.
Krispy Kreme will be sharing the joy with millions of social fans too. Get connected with us today at www.krispykreme.com, www.KrispyKreme.com/HotLightApp, www.KrispyKreme.com, Facebook, foursquare and Twitter, and KrispyKremeDoughnuts on YouTube.
For more information about the Law Enforcement Torch Run® for Special Olympics, visit www.specialolympics.org.
Special Olympics is an international organization that changes lives through the power of sport by encouraging and empowering people with intellectual disabilities, promoting acceptance for all, and fostering communities of understanding and respect worldwide. Founded in 1968 by Eunice Kennedy Shriver, the Special Olympics movement has grown from a few hundred athletes to more than 3.7 million athletes in over 170 countries in all regions of the world, providing year-round sports training, athletic competition and other related programs. Special Olympics now take place every day, changing the lives of people with intellectual disabilities all over the world, from community playgrounds and ball fields in every small neighborhood's backyard to World Games. Special Olympics provides people with intellectual disabilities continuing opportunities to realize their potential, develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, and experience joy and friendship. Visit Special Olympics at www.specialolympics.org. Engage with us on: Twitter @specialolympics; fb.com/specialolympics; youtube.com/specialolympicshq, and specialolympicsblog.wordpress.com.
About Krispy Kreme
Krispy Kreme is an international retailer of premium-quality sweet treats, including its signature Original Glazed(R) doughnut. Headquartered in Winston-Salem, N.C., the Company has offered the highest-quality doughnuts and great-tasting coffee since it was founded in 1937. Today, Krispy Kreme can be found in approximately 670 locations around the world and approximately 10,000 grocery, convenience and mass merchant stores in the U.S.
SOURCE Special Olympics Georgia

domain: news


text:
Ever since its launch in March 2019, Mavox Helmets has achieved greater heights in their year-long journey, with milestones like 'Youngest Helmet Manufacturer to achieve ECE Certification' and participation in India's biggest Auto show 'Auto Expo 2020- Components Show'.
'Honcho series' is expected to go up for sales in Mid-March 2020 and comes with a series of exciting safety and comfort features like top & mouth ventilation with anti fog design, lockable visors for better safety, provision to fit Bluetooth & air filter in mouth guard, with real spoilers and premium quality exhaust ports. The 'Honcho series' is a good preference for all backpackers because of it's lightweight and comfortable design. All models of Mavox helmets are being built according to the newly revised ISI standard and the norms under The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS).
Commenting on this Mr. Ayyushman Mehta, Managing Director, Sandhar Amkin Industries (P) Ltd said, "We believe in constantly upgrading our presence in the Auto Industry and upgrading the safety and comfort level of our users with our every new product. Through this newly launched Honcho series we believe to deliver best-in-class products at customer-friendly prices. Earlier this month, we participated in The 15th Edition of Auto Expo 2020 Components Show, at the ACMA Safers Drive to support high safety standards and to define new safety norms."
DISCLAIMER: This information is published as per the press release sent to us. It has not been verified or ratified by OVERDRIVE.


text:
PayPal can already be used in about 2,000 Home Depot
stores. And you probably use a VeriFone machine at least once a day when you shop in stores and pay for your purchases by card–the company is one of the world’s top payment technology makers, and says that its customer base includes 80% of the top 200 largest retailers in the U.S. The new partnership brings a simple software ugrade to Verifone terminals by the retailers in question–but it’s a big leap for PayPal and potentially for the average consumer.
The Way We Shop Now
VeriFone and PayPal’s new venture joins several other recent payment industry innovations
Everyone from MasterCard to Amex, to startups like Square and Fab.com are angling for a piece of the action. Read more here.
At first PayPal’s digital wallet tech will be selectively rolled out alongside existing card infrastructure with carefully chosen merchants. (PayPal has not yet revealed who these retailers will be.) Then VeriFone will build PayPal’s system natively into its list of offers to merchants–soon enough you’ll start to see PayPal’s logo popping up on more and more window stickers just like Visa, MasterCard, AmEx, and so on.
The upshot is that you’ll be able to use PayPal’s novel in-store payment tricks like using its Access card and a PIN or simply tapping in your pre-arranged phone number and a PIN instead of waving your choice of credit card at the retailer and swiping it through their card-reader.
The move is significant because it’s a signal that PayPal is more determined than ever to capture some of the burgeoning mobile payments market, and a long list of nationwide retailers is a great way to build marketshare as well as build customer awareness of these alternative payment systems. In making the announcement, the two firms note that adding support for NFC technology or other hardware solutions is easy. That means Verifone, which is already positioning itself to address markets similar to those Square does with its iPhone card reader system, is getting ready to embrace all sorts of different mobile-pay solutions, from PayPal to Google Wallet and even the fabled iWallet.
The end of the traditional credit card looms a little closer, ever day.


text:
Lagardère Travel Retail has entered Japan’s travel retail market after inaugurating a first store at Tokyo Station – a major railway hub – this week (03 August).
Occupying an 105sq m space at the newly opened North Entrance, which serves commuter, long-haul and Shinkansen (high-speed) rail lines, the ‘Made in Pierre Hermé’ retail and F&B concept is the first of several planned launches between Lagardère Travel Retail and Pierre Hermé’.
Tokyo Station handles half a million daily departures and is one of the busiest railway stations in Japan.
LOCALLY SOURCED GOODS
Eudes Fabre, Chief Executive Officer for North Asia at Lagardère Travel Retail, said: “We are very pleased to successfully launch this outstanding brand in Tokyo Station and grateful to our partners at Pierre Hermé and the East Japan Railway Company for their support in turning this vision into reality.
“We believe this is the beginning of a strong partnership and we expect this first step in Japan will create new opportunities for Lagardère and its partners in this exciting market which has attractive growth prospects.”
The contemporary store presents products such as prepared and pre-packaged food, speciality drinks, branded gift and retail items, plus creative and novel recipes from different prefectures of Japan.
It is inspired by a collaboration between world-renowned pâtissier Pierre Hermé and manufacturers of haute gastronomy and produce in the country.
In turn, Made in Pierre Hermé retains strong support for local agriculture while promoting artisanal food production and sustainable sourcing practices.
This aligns with Lagardère Travel Retail’s CSR strategy, by showcasing its commitment to local and ethically sourced products across its network.
The Tokyo station concept strengthens Pierre Hermé’s brand presence in Japan where it houses a flagship boutique in the bustling Marunouchi district.
A rotating product assortment will appeal to commuters, local and foreign visitors and neighbouring office workers.
Richard Ledu, Chief Executive Office at Pierre Hermé Paris Japon added: “Pierre Hermé has been present in Japan for over 20 years, and it is part of our mission to help French companies with internationally recognised know-how to develop here.
“There are significant synergies between Pierre Hermé and Lagardère so this is a fantastic opportunity with further openings already planned.”
Asia & Pacific,
Asia & Pacific,


text:
A recent blog article from the FTC warns consumers about a new vehicle history report scam, and while dealerships are unlikely to be a target, it doesn’t hurt to be aware…
The FTC has been hearing about a new scam targeting people who are selling their cars online. They’re getting calls or texts from people who claim to be interested in buying the car – but first want to see a car history report. They ask the seller to get the report from a specific website, where the seller needs to enter some information and pay about $20 by credit card for the report. The seller then sends it to the supposed buyer but never hears back. Weird, huh?
Well, it gets weirder. When the car sellers go to one of these websites, they’re automatically redirected to sites ending in ‘.vin’ – which seems like it might be related to your car’s vehicle identification number or VIN, right? Scammers hope you’ll think that, but no. In this case, .vin is a relatively new website “domain” – like .com or .org – that groups can apply to use. This domain was intended to be used for sites that relate to wine, since “vin” is the French word for wine, but others are not prevented from using it. So yes, that’s a clever take on .vin for cars, yes, but you still might want to think twice if anyone asks you to do car-related business on a site ending in .vin.
So, if you are selling a car online and someone asks you to get a car history report from a specific site, ask why and think twice. You may have no way of knowing who operates the site, especially if it’s one you’ve never heard of. It might be a ruse to get your personal information, including your credit card account number. It also could be a way for companies called “lead generators” to get information, which they sell to third parties for advertising and marketing purposes.


text:
Porsche’s sales have been on the rise this year, delivering 133,484 vehicles worldwide in the first half of 2019 – a 2% increase compared to the same period last year. The Macan SUV remains as the bestselling model with 47,367 deliveries, followed by the Cayenne at 41,725 units (a 45% increase).
In terms of market performance, Porsche sales grew 28% in China up to the end of June, whereas in Asia Pacific, Africa, and the Middle East, deliveries are up 20% to 57,397 vehicles. In the US, Porsche charted a 3% growth with sales totalling 30,257 units.
In total, sales revenue grew by 9% to 13.4 billion euros (RM61.47 billion) over the same period in 2019. The operating result before special items increased by 3% to 2.2 billion euros (RM10.1 billion). Porsche’s workforce also increased by 5% to 33,839 employees in the first half of 2019.
Porsche’s executive board chairman Oliver Blume said: “Our half-year result is a solid basis for a successful business year 2019. One success factor behind this is our attractive product range. In the first six months of this year, we have launched a range of innovative, emotive products onto the market with the new 911, the 911 Cabriolet, Cayenne Coupé, 911 Speedster, 935, 718 Spyder and 718 Cayman GT4.”
In a press statement, Porsche said its outlook for the year seems promising, and expects deliveries to increase in the 2019 financial year. Sales will be contributed by new products, and that includes the Taycan, Porsche’s first all-electric sports car, which is said to arrive in dealerships at the end of the year.
The company is also expecting a slight increase in terms of sales revenue. Porsche’s deputy chairman and executive board member for finance and IT, Lutz Meschke said: “Despite very high investment in electrification, digital transformation, and in the expansion and renovation of our company locations, we aim to continue to meet the high earnings target of Porsche.”
Related Cars for Sale on
Source: Read Full Article


text:
But famed value investor Bill Nygren, manager of Oakmark Select Fund, still likes it.
“We think Netflix is a very, very cheap stock. If you look at traditional metrics, it’s at less than 25 times expected earnings, about five times revenue, [and] under $800 per subscriber for the first time in the modern streaming era,” he told CNBC.
“It’s a very small premium to the market for a company that we think is still in its early-to-mid cycle growth. The company is growing much more rapidly than any other sector in media.”
As of Jan. 13, The S&P 500 had a forward 12-month price-earnings ratio of 21.1.
Earlier this month, Netflix raised the price for its monthly plans for the first time since 2020. The monthly charge for its basic plan climbed to $9.99 from $8.99, the price for its standard plan rose to $15.49 from $13.99 and for its premium plan to $19.99 from $17.99.
While some analysts have said the increases will hurt Netflix, Nygren said “customers consider the prices to be a bargain.” Netflix accounted for 4.5% of Oakmark Select Fund as of Dec. 31.
Netflix closed Monday at $387.15, down 2.6%.
Morningstar analyst Neil Macker puts fair value at $305.
He’s bearish on the price increases, with the top two plans now the most expensive streaming offerings in the U.S.
“Our updated model now projects Netflix will raise prices every 18 months in the U.S. to spark top line growth,” Macker wrote Friday. “We think these increases will exacerbate the lackluster customer additions.”


text:
Granulates create a unique look
Linda Bergroth has designed Durat's showroom in Helsinki. The colourful and inventive space made it into the top five in the small retail space category in Dezeen Award 2022.
The successful collaboration between Linda and Durat started already in 2018, when Linda succesfully used Durat for the Finnish Zero Waste Bistro at the WantedDesign event in New York: Linda won the Frame magazine's Sustainability Award.
"Colours play a crucial role in my design. With Durat, in addition to the wide range of colors, I am excited by the endless possibilities of the granulates. Their variations in size, density and colour give the material such an extraordinary look. The material feels soulful when some of its features are only noticed when viewed from a very close distance," says Linda Bergroth.
"I have such respect for the ambitious work that Durat is doing to develop recycling possibilities - ecological sustainability is such an important value to me and my customers."


text:
2017 Audi Q3 Concept And Rumour
In 2011, Audi Q3 was unveiled at the motor show Auto Shanghai as a new crossover entry of German car range. In 2015, he received a redesign of mid-cycle. Meanwhile, it is expected that the long-awaited second generation model to hit the auto shows in 2017. We have seen progress in the upcoming Audi Q3 and are already salivating car lovers. The provision that the rumor of the new 2017 Audi Q3 following the style and design language seen in the fifth generation Audi A4.
The new model will be a lightweight structure. It is expected that Audi will use a new platform for the next model. The vehicle will be more effective because the frame and aluminum base steel. The exterior of the 2017 Audi Q3 vehicle has many improvements. Audi plans to change all the main concepts to develop a new idea. The new model will have a special view of face. It is expected that Audi will change the grid in a big way. The grid will be impressive and wider. Audi grill divided into two sections. The hood has no curves. The headlights and indicators are connected and present in the same box with LED technology. The tires are 17 inches wide with aluminum edges.
Interior 2017 Audi Q3 model will be the impressive load. Audi has implemented almost all significant changes as needed. To make a perfect sports car is difficult to maneuver, a combination of meters Speedo, a new gearbox and instrument attractive edge. Navigation, satellite radio, Google Maps and other modern amenities are present. The manufacturer has also installed USB, Bluetooth connectivity and smart phone into the vehicle. Company will try to maintain its safety for drivers and passengers using air bags, security alarms, door and window locks. It is also expected that the airbags will be installed in all directions for added security.
First the new 2017 Audi Q3 will run on both diesel and petrol engines with capacity ranging from 1.4 liters to 2.0 liters. There will also be the hybrid propulsion system that offers very high fuel consumption. RS variant is powered by a turbocharged and will model performance. TFSI turbo petrol engine with 450 lb-ft of torque and 335 horsepower running on a 2.5 liter. Finally, the second generation Audi Q3 will be a new PQ35 platform MQB platform motion to the platform.
The 2017 Audi Q3 will be launched in the last months of 2016. The base price of this vehicle will be $ 33,000 in the U.S. Audi will launch in New York Auto Show.


text:
Credit card processor North American Bancard has introduced a new version of its PayAnywhere mobile credit card reader, which accepts Apple Pay, contactless NFC payments and magnetic stripe credit cards. The device, which is EMV-capable and available for iOS devices, will cost US$39.95, the company says, adding it will offer merchants “$5,000 free in Apple Pay transaction processing with a new PayAnywhere account”.
- Dollar General lets customers check out on their mobile phones
- National Bank of Canada lets merchants accept contactless payments on their Samsung smartphones
- Google explains how its BiometricPrompt API will work
- UnionPay promotes mobile payments adoption with discounts at merchants around the world
- UK government to use NFC to verify residency status of EU citizens after Brexit


text:
- Schaeffler has acquired Desktop Metal’s Belgium-based Aerosint and will integrate its multi-material Selective Powder Deposition technology for use with Schaeffler’s laser-based multi-material AM system
- Desktop Metal will continue to work with Schaeffler on developing the technology for binder jet 3D printing, where Desktop Metal retains an option for commercial use
Desktop Metal, Inc. (NYSE: DM), a global leader in Additive Manufacturing 2.0 technologies for mass production of metal, ceramic, polymer, and health products, today announced that it is collaborating with Schaeffler AG, the German motion technology company, on additive manufacturing of multi-material powders, including metal and ceramics.
Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
“Schaeffler is one of the leading global manufacturers of components and systems as well as bearing solutions. The motion technology company has a longstanding excellence in precision mechanical engineering and an innovative mindset open to integrate new production processes like metal multi-material printing. We’re excited to collaborate with the experienced team on next-generation multi-material additive manufacturing,” said Ric Fulop, Founder and CEO of Desktop Metal. “Aerosint’s Selective Powder Deposition (SPD) technology has demonstrated spectacular potential for laser applications, and we both agree that Schaeffler has a nearer-term roadmap for commercializing it with laser-based systems than our binder jetting technology. We will retain an option to commercialize the technology with our systems in the future, and we look forward to developing this roadmap together.”
The startup will be renamed “Schaeffler Aerosint SA” and integrated into the Schaeffler Group as an additional location for Schaeffler Special Machinery, the Schaeffler Group’s special machine construction unit. Andreas Schick, Chief Operating Officer at Schaeffler AG, commented on the deal: “The expertise of Schaeffler Aerosint, combined with our high level of industrialization competence and decades of know-how in innovative production technologies, will give us a distinctive market advantage.”
In addition, Schaeffler will continue its collaboration with Desktop Metal in multi-material solutions, including in the area of toolless manufacturing technologies. “By integrating this key future technology, Schaeffler Special Machinery, as a partner for production excellence, will be able to offer its customers a more diversified portfolio of systems, particularly for the manufacturing and medical technology sectors,” said Bernd Wollenick, Senior Vice President Schaeffler Special Machinery.
About Desktop Metal
Desktop Metal (NYSE:DM) is driving Additive Manufacturing 2.0, a new era of on-demand, digital mass production of industrial, medical, and consumer products. Our innovative 3D printers, materials, and software deliver the speed, cost, and part quality required for this transformation. We’re the original inventors and world leaders of the 3D printing methods we believe will empower this shift, binder jetting and digital light processing. Today, our systems print metal, polymer, sand and other ceramics, as well as foam and recycled wood. Manufacturers use our technology worldwide to save time and money, reduce waste, increase flexibility, and produce designs that solve the world’s toughest problems and enable once-impossible innovations. Learn more about Desktop Metal and our #TeamDM brands at www.desktopmetal.com.
Media and Investors:


text:
SEIA Statement on ITC's Decision to Consider Suniva's Petition
Tuesday, May 23 2017
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Following is a statement from Abigail Ross Hopper, president and CEO of the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), on today's decision by the International Trade Commission (ITC) regarding Suniva's Section 201 filing:
"The International Trade Commission’s decision to consider Suniva’s petition for a lifeline could be bad news for hundreds of thousands of American workers in the solar industry and may jeopardize billions of dollars in investment in communities across the country. Setting high price floors and exorbitant tariffs is a blunt instrument that would cripple one of the brightest spots in America’s economy.
While we respect the ITC's decision to evaluate this claim on its merits, SEIA will remain at the forefront of the opposition to Suniva's requested remedies. We encourage all members of the solar industry to assist the ITC if asked for information and to work with us to ensure your voice is heard. Our goal throughout this proceeding will remain focused on developing more equitable and sustainable ways to boost American solar manufacturing that benefit many companies instead of just a few and allows the entire solar industry to continue to grow in this country."
Celebrating its 43rd anniversary in 2017, the Solar Energy Industries Association® is the national trade association of the U.S. solar energy industry, which now employs more than 260,000 Americans. Through advocacy and education, SEIA® is building a strong solar industry to power America. SEIA works with its 1,000 member companies to build jobs and diversity, champion the use of cost-competitive solar in America, remove market barriers and educate the public on the benefits of solar energy. Visit SEIA online at www.seia.org.
Alex Hobson, SEIA Senior Communications Manager, [email protected] (202) 556-2886


text:
Here’s a letter to the Wall Street Journal:
Daniel Yergin and Matteo Fini blame today’s serious shortage of computer chips on pandemic lockdowns and on a drought in Taiwan, a fire at a Japanese semiconductor factory, and a winter storm in Texas. (“For Auto Makers, the Chip Famine Will Persist,” Sept. 23).
Alas, only one of these four events is to blame: lockdowns.
Factory fires, droughts, and winter storms – along with hurricanes, earthquakes, floods, tsunamis, tornados, and dust storms – happen every year, yet they never cause global supply disruptions of the sort that have become commonplace since Spring 2020. The only events of the past 18 months that are out of the ordinary are lockdowns; these, therefore, are the only genuine cause of today’s supply disruptions.
Blaming inadequate production on weather events (and on other routine mishaps such as factory fires) is akin to the Soviet-era practice of blaming the perpetual shortages of consumer goods in the U.S.S.R. on an uncooperative mother nature rather than on the iron fist of the state that obstructed voluntary commerce.
Donald J. Boudreaux
Professor of Economics
Martha and Nelson Getchell Chair for the Study of Free Market Capitalism at the Mercatus Center
George Mason University
Fairfax, VA 22030


text:
The US-based Harley Davidson, faced with rising costs due to new European tariffs, announced that it will switch the production of engines designed for the European market from the United States overseas. The goal of moving production to overseas plants is to avoid EU customs barriers, AP reports.
European import tariffs from the US increased from 6 percent to 31 percent, the company said, adding that they would not increase their prices, although they would have to “jump” $ 2,200 based on these tariffs, as this could to have “lasting harmful consequences for the company’s operations in the region”.
Tariffs will, as reported, cost $ 30-45 million in Harley-Davidson in the rest of the current year, while at an annual rate this cost could reach $ 90-100 million.
US President Donald Tramp criticized Harley Davidson for making this decision.
A Harley-Davidson should never be built in another country-never! Their employees and customers are already very angry at them. If they move, watch, it will be the beginning of the end – they surrendered, they quit! The Aura will be gone and they will be taxed like never before!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 26, 2018
Harley Davidson, probably the most famous motors manufacturer in the world, has been in existence since 1903, and has three factories in Wisconsin, and in Missouri and Pennsylvania.
The company is one of the few who survived the Great Depression, the economic crisis of the 1920s and 1930s, numerous ownership arrangements, subordinate agreements, poor financial conditions and poor quality of products, and global competition and became the legendary brand first of all known by loyal customers.


text:
Bloomberg By Sara Forden and Adam Satariano – Sep 6, 2012 2:06 AM ET
Chen Guangcheng, the Chinese dissident whose flight to the U.S. in April roiled U.S.-China relations, said iPhone-maker Apple Inc. (AAPL) should take a more outspoken role criticizing China for its one-child policy.
Chinese dissident Chen Guangcheng, second from left, is escorted by Harold Koh, U.S. State Department legal adviser, left, and Gary Locke, U.S. Ambassador to China, second from right, in Beijing, China, on Wednesday, May 2, 2012. Source: U.S. Embassy Beijing Press Office via Bloomberg
Apple, which hires manufacturers to assemble products such as the iPhone and iPad in China, can help stop forced abortions and other coercive population control measures, Chen said in an interview this week. The blind human-rights activist is betting that Apple’s presence in China and the popularity of its products there will help draw attention to the issue.
“Apple in China should take a very active role,” Chen said. “There’s a huge social responsibility for these international corporations like Apple.”
This is the first time since arriving in the U.S. that the civil rights activist is speaking against his country’s forced birth control policy, the issue that led to his arrest and jail term in China. Chen received a fellowship to study at New York University after seeking help at the U.S. embassy in Beijing just as high-level talks between the two countries got under way in April.
Chen and other China human-rights advocates are seeking a meeting with Apple Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook to discuss their concerns. They sent a letter to Cook last week asking Apple to adopt measures to end coercive family planning practices in its factories. The proposals included prohibiting access to factories for government family-planning officials and refusing to report women who are pregnant without birth permits. The group also wants other companies, including Cisco Systems Inc. (CSCO), to urge the Chinese government to drop its policy.
Introduced in the late 1970s and made mandatory in 1980, China’s one-child policy restricts married couples to having one child in order to control population growth in the country of 1.3 billion.
Apple said in its most recent annual corporate responsibility report that 24 facilities it audited conducted pregnancy tests of female workers and that 56 didn’t have policies and procedures that prohibit discriminatory practices based on pregnancy. Apple said it classified these practices as discrimination, even if permitted by local law, and that the suppliers had stopped the screenings. Apple has said it will stop doing business with suppliers who can’t meet its code of conduct.
Apple relies on Foxconn Technology Group, Hon Hai Precision Industry Co. (2317) and others to build its products.
Steve Dowling, a spokesman for Apple, declined to comment beyond information provided in the company’s corporate- responsibility report, where it says it considers conducting pregnancy tests discriminatory.
Chen and his group didn’t provide any evidence that Apple has been tied to forced abortions or other coercive birth control measures. John Earnhardt, a spokesman for Cisco, didn’t respond to a call seeking comment on Chen’s assertions.
Geng Shuang and Gao Yuan, spokesmen for the Chinese embassy in Washington, didn’t respond to two e-mails and a phone call seeking comment. After more than three decades of strict birth control, China’s Communist party is tolerating debate on the policy, as it risks restraining economic growth as the nation ages and the labor force shrinks. However, in his annual report to lawmakers in March, Premier Wen Jiabao said China will continue to keep its birth rate low.
“As a matter of U.S. policy, any coercive measures, including forced abortion, we deplore,” said Assistant Secretary of State Michael Posner, who oversees democracy, human rights and labor issues for the State Department, during a July 25 briefing on the 17th U.S.-China Human Rights Dialogue. Posner said the U.S. would continue to raise the issue when asked about China’s one-child policy by reporters.
Chen and his group said they aren’t trying to single out Apple and instead see the company as a potential leader on this issue. Because of its size and appeal among consumers, Apple has a greater responsibility to act, he said.
“Apple is in a unique position to take a leadership role in standing up against coercive family planning in China,” Chen and the other activists wrote in the letter to Apple’s CEO.
Apple is being targeted first by Chen and fellow activists because it’s the leading company in technology and the world’s largest company by market value, said Andrew Duncan, a film producer and human rights advocate. Duncan is working with Chen, along with Bob Fu, the president of China Aid, and Reggie Littlejohn, who operates Womens Rights Without Frontiers.
“Give the voiceless a voice — that’s what we’re asking Apple to do,” said Duncan, a former private-equity executive. “Apple is the leader of corporate America.”
Chen, a self-taught lawyer and prominent opponent of forced abortions under China’s one-child policy, praised Google Inc. (GOOG) for shutting down its China website in 2010 after the operator of the world’s largest search engine said it would no longer filter results to comply with Chinese regulations to self-censor content.
“The bold step taken by Google showed tremendous courage and had impact on China,” Chen said.
Chen’s letter is the latest challenge to Apple’s manufacturing operations in China, which has been a source of criticism, particularly after at least 10 suicides at a Foxconn factory in 2010. China Labor Watch has accused Apple of enabling excessive overtime, poor pay and unsafe working environments.
In response, Apple in January partnered with the Fair Labor Association to conduct independent audits of facilities where its products are made. The Fair Labor Association said last month that Foxconn had cut working hours and improved safety at a faster pace than had been scheduled in its agreement with the group. Cook also visited China this year, where he toured factories and met with government officials.
Apple isn’t alone in using manufacturers such as Foxconn in China to build some of the world’s leading consumer electronics. Samsung Electronics Co. (005930), Microsoft Corp. (MSFT), Dell Inc. (DELL) and Hewlett- Packard Co. (HPQ) also use a network of suppliers in China to manufacture its devices.
Last month, Samsung was accused by China Labor Watch of using underage workers at a Chinese assembler. Samsung said it didn’t find underage workers at the facility.
“It is totally unacceptable for these corporations to just concentrate on the financial benefit,” Chen said. “Corporations are made of human beings and we all have a responsibility to take a moral and conscious stand.”
To contact the reporters on this story:
Sara Forden in Washington at [email protected] ;
Adam Satariano in San Francisco at [email protected]
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Tom Giles at [email protected]
China Aid Contacts
Rachel Ritchie, English Media Director
Cell: (432) 553-1080 | Office: 1+ (888) 889-7757 | Other: (432) 689-6985
Email: [email protected]


text:
CES is piloting facial recognition kiosks that can streamline badge pickup at some venues at this year’s show.
The Consumer Technology Association, which sponsors CES, has placed kiosks with facial recognition technology across some of the trade show’s 11 venues, including the Westgate, Mandalay Bay and the Las Vegas Convention Center’s central plaza.
Attendees who opt to use the program can check in at the kiosk by letting an app take their photo. If the image matches their photo on file, the kiosk will print out their badge. Attendees are still required to go through additional screening for show access.
“This advancement will provide a faster, more seamless badge pickup which eliminates the need to find an email confirmation or QR code,” a CTA spokesperson said in an email.
CTA said the picture is not stored, and the database will be wiped clean.
“Privacy is our priority,” according to the CTA spokesperson.
CES isn’t the first location to test facial recognition in Las Vegas. In 2019, the Transportation Security Administration’s tested facial recognition using biometric technology at McCarran International Airport. The 30-day test was at the TSA pre-check lane in Terminal 3, and ended in September.
Casinos are expected to bring in the technology to their floors as well. Companies such as Konami had table games with facial recognition technology on display at last year’s Global Gaming Expo trade show. The technology would allow casinos to collect more data on players and ultimately replace loyalty cards.
“Right now, casinos don’t have a way to incentivize an uncarded player,” Thomas Soukup, Konami’s chief systems product officer, told the Review-Journal last year. “This opens it up so they can start reinvesting in and understanding those players.”
While some have voiced concerns that consumers will be hesitant to use facial recognition, some experts believe the public will gradually get used to the technology.
“I think that customers right now, they’re getting used to this new process,” said Joe Leader, CEO of Airline Passenger Experience Association and a panelist at Monday’s “Smart Tourism” discussion at CES. “This will become more commonplace and we will become more comfortable with it, so long as it’s done around safety and security.”


text:
The European Commission called for industry views on Friday on a list of U.S. products it will subject to import tariffs, the first step towards measures to counter planned U.S. taxes on European steel and aluminum.
The European Union wants to be exempted from U.S. duties of 25 percent on steel and 10 percent on aluminum that U.S. President Donald Trump approved last week. U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross and EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom meet next week to discuss the issue.
The European Commission, which coordinates trade policy for the 28 EU members, has said that, if the EU is not exempted, it should set duties of 25 percent on a range of U.S. products, whose annual imports to the European Union are worth 2.8 billion euros ($3.45 billion).
The 10-page list of products the EU may subject to tariffs ranges from rice to orange juice, make-up, motorcycles, motor boats and stainless sinks. It also includes many metals products for use in construction and industry.
This article is for general information purposes only. It is not investment advice or a solution to buy or sell securities. Opinions are the authors; not necessarily that of OANDA Corporation or any of its affiliates, subsidiaries, officers or directors. Leveraged trading is high risk and not suitable for all. You could lose all of your deposited funds.


text:
Flawless White Diamond Could Hammer for $33-M+
A white diamond billed as the largest and purest of its type to come to market is expected to sell for well over $33-M
Sotheby’s (NYSE:BID) auction house says the 102.34-carat gem mined from Botswana “is the only known round brilliant-cut diamond over 100 carats perfect according to every critical criterion” i.e. carats, color, clarity and cut.
Sotheby’s diamond department head Patti Wong called it “over 100 carats of flawless perfection.”
The flawless gemstone went on display Thursday at Sotheby’s London showroom and is being offered for private sale. It’s expected to fetch a price “considerably higher” than the $33.7-M auction record for a white diamond.
Latest posts by HEFFX Australia (see all)
- Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) Battery Day Hints The Event Will Be Groudbreaking - September 18, 2020
- Is Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) Stock A Buy Right Now? - September 18, 2020
- Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) A Week Of Uncertainty - September 18, 2020


text:
New management to take over Wednesday farmers markets at the pier
When St. Johns County put out a request for proposals to consider if different management might take over Wednesday farmers markets near the St. Augustine Beach pier, there was some uncertainty about the fate of the market.
The St. Augustine Beach Civic Association, which has run the year-round market for 20 years, was one of four applicants whose proposals were considered. Ultimately, county officials decided to award the bid to the Salt Air Farmers Market firm, which also manages the market held Sundays at Marineland.
As they get ready to officially take over on Oct. 3, the two women behind Salt Air want the local community to know the market is alive and well.
"We're coming in with good vibes and good energy, and we're coming in with our vision to breathe new life in this market," Julie Olsson said in an interview Monday afternoon in the parking lot of the pier. "We're just going to make it bigger and even better."
Olsson and her partner, Sloan Doucette, are St. Augustine residents and longtime friends who worked together previously in the restaurant business before launching the farmers market at Marineland five years ago.
The St. Augustine Beach farmers market will continue to run Wednesdays from 8 a.m. to noon at the same location with the addition of the open-air pavilion across from the parking lot. Twenty-four more parking spaces will be opened up for patrons, with vendors parking off site instead and being shuttled to the pier.
The management firm will continue to screen and select a mix of vendors offering local produce, artisan/prepared foods, baked goods, squeezed juices, plants, handmade crafts and other items.
Olsson and Doucette said nearly all the vendors with the pier farmers market expect to continue renting space, as well as some vendors from Marineland who want a second day in the week to display their wares.
"They're super excited to come here," Olsson said.
Ten-foot-by-10-foot spaces in the main parking lot will be offered at $25 in-season and $22 off-season; smaller spaces in the pavilion can be rented for $18.
The women plan to launch a series of demonstrations under the pavilion as well, everything from cooking to beekeeping, gardening and health and well-being.
"We want to use it as a real community asset," Olsson said.
Making the farmers market profitable also helps the local economy, they say.
"Every $1 spent here represents $10 put back into the community, because they [patrons] will do other shopping or dining here," Olsson said.
Food trucks will also continue to be a staple at the pier market.
The duo plans to ramp up marketing for the weekly bazaar through social media, traditional advertising, social media and through contacts at local businesses, especially hotels.
Salt Air Farmers Market's contract with the county runs for one year.


text:
At 12:30 a.m. Saturday morning, the second shift workers at General Motors Lordstown will walk out of the plant for the last time — their shift eliminated for now.
The second shift may be back again someday, such is the auto industry. But for now, GM Lordstown will be at just one shift of about 1,200 workers.
About 1,500 people made their way into work Friday afternoon for their 4 p.m. start time.
“People have a lot of anxiety right now. Obviously, they’re losing their jobs, lots of folks, and we’re just trying to make sure we can get them through what’s coming next,” said UAW Local 1112 President Dave Green.
Next is being laid off, which comes after the second shift is officially cut. Then on Monday, there will be about 1,200 workers left at the plant manning the first shift.
On Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, Jobs Ohio and Jobs and Family Services will be at the United Auto Workers (UAW) Local 1112 union hall to help workers with employment possibilities and retraining.
“I’ve been in their shoes several times — indefinite layoff,” said UAW Local 1112 Vice President Timothy O’Hara.
Some workers took a buyout or retired since the announcement, so about 600 workers are expected to get laid off, based on seniority.
O’Hara took the $60,000 buyout, and after 41 years at GM Lordstown is retiring.
He started in 1977, just four months after graduating high school. He worked in the van plant, then made cars and was laid off probably 12 times — the longest being for 17 months.
“It creates a lot of fear, anxiety and stress on everybody involved, not just employees, their families as well. So yeah, it’s a tough day for us,” O’Hara said.
Sales of the Lordstown-built Chevy Cruze have been falling for two years as more people buy crossovers and SUVs instead of small cars.
What Lordstown needs is more vehicles to build.
“The whole goal here is to get more product in our plant. I’ve talked with folks at the international and up north and they’re committed to fighting for Lordstown, we’re committed to fighting to get product in here. We want to get our people back to work and more importantly, we want to make sure the community here stays viable with Lordstown,” Green said.
A GM spokesperson released the following statement about eliminating the second shift:
“It’s a realignment of production with demand. We’re working hard to get additional business for the complex. Chevrolet is not giving up on cars. The Cruze is very much a part of GM’s future.”
The complex used to have three shifts working around the clock. It got rid of the third shift last year, laying off about 1,200 people.


text:
Blog posts tagged with 'Tablets'
Wednesday, October 01
At Mashable, T.L. Stanley has an interesting look at how advertising — especially with the rise of mobile broadband — has drastically changed in the past decade:
Because consumers are always on the go, agencies have had to learn how to cater to a smartphone- and tablet-wielding populace. Increasingly, the target may be sporting smartwatches or other tech-enabled wearables, providing even more challenges for companies and their agencies.
These new devices are the key to a consumers’ information, communication, social networks, payment methods and more. Ad execs are looking to utilize those gadgets with just the right pithy, useful or entertaining messages.
Friday, January 10
10%, which is the amount global shipments of PCs dropped last year, as smartphones and tablets continue to gnaw away at the personal computing market.
Thursday, August 15
Ars Technica’s Jon Brodkin looks at how mobility is changing the way we work:
Forrester Research has been tracking the rise of mobile workers, saying in its 2013 Mobile Workforce Adoption Trends report, “Gone are the days when employees wielded a simple set of tools to get work done. In today’s world of anytime, anywhere work, employees use whatever device is most convenient: desktop at home, laptop at work, tablet in a client meeting, or smartphone everywhere.”
While people can now work pretty much anywhere, they haven’t been able to completely give up more traditional devices. Forrester’s survey of 9,766 information workers in 17 countries found that 84 percent of respondents use a desktop computer for work at least once a week, and 63 percent use a laptop every week. Nearly half, 48 percent, of workers use smartphones for business each week and 21 percent do the same with tablets.
Tuesday, May 28
Via Brian Proffitt of Read Write Web, the days of the desktop PC may be numbered:
The contraction of the PC market continues faster than ever, eaten by the rapid growth of the tablet market, which is expected to outsell laptop and notebook devices for the first time this year and all PCs by 2015. But portable PCs may still be the saving grace for PC sales in the years ahead.
If there is anything new about the news coming out from IDC’s Quarterly PC Tracker, it’s the increase of the rate of the PC’s decline. IDC had initially predicted a decline of “1.3% in 2013 followed by a gradual increase in volume.” Now the analyst firm is predicting a sharper decline of 7.8% in 2013 and 1.2% down in 2014.
Soon we will be all mobile, all the time.
Monday, March 04
At the Wall Street Journal, Jessica E. Lessin and Specner E. Ante report on the still booming mobile app industry:
App stores run by Apple and Google Inc. now offer more than 700,000 apps each. With so many apps to choose from, consumers are estimated to spend on average about two hours a day with apps. Global revenue from app stores is expected to rise 62% this year to $25 billion, according to Gartner Inc.
Not bad for an industry that essentially didn’t exist just five years ago. Just goes to show the economic power of innovation — in this case, with both devices (smartphones, tablets) and the mobile broadband networks that power them.
Monday, November 05
Via Kevin C. Tofel of GigaOm, new numbers from research firm IDC find that over 27 million tablets were sold in the third quarter of this year alone. But as Tofel goes on to note, there’s a larger story:
Tablet sales have already approached nearly 25 percent of PC sales. As computer sales are in decline, sales of tablets rose 49.5 percent from the same quarter in the prior year. That’s more bad news for traditional computer makers.
Close to one quarter of all computer sales are now tablets — not bad for a market that barely existed just two years ago. And speaking of tablets, Apple has released sales numbers on the latest versions of their popular iPad — including the new iPad mini — and as you’d expect, those numbers are pretty big. From a company press release:
Apple® today announced it has sold three million iPads in just three days since the launch of its new iPad® mini and fourth generation iPad—double the previous first weekend milestone of 1.5 million Wi-Fi only models sold for the third generation iPad in March.
Three million in three days. Wow.
Friday, October 26
A new report from Gartner (via Erik Pineda of the International Business Times) predicts mobile computing, via smartphone or tablet, will continue to grow:
Personal computers will inevitably be relegated behind the pacesetting smartphones and tablet computers, research firm Gartner said in a new report made public on Wednesday, adding that mobile phones are likely to emerge as the preferred computing tool by 2013.
Gartner also predicts Google’s Android platform will soon be the dominating operating system in the mobile space.
Thursday, July 05
Last week, Google announced a new 7-inch tablet called the Nexus 7. Now rumors are flying that Apple, which has so far dominated the growing tablet market — which, arguably, is the future of computing — is set to fire back with a smaller tablet of its own. As Peter Burrows and Adam Satariano of Bloomberg report:
A smaller, less expensive iPad could undercut the ambitions of Google, Microsoft and Amazon.com Inc. (AMZN) to gain traction in the advancing tablet market, said Shaw Wu, an analyst at Sterne Agee & Leach Inc. The new device will probably have a price closer to Google’s Nexus 7 tablet and Amazon’s Kindle Fire, both of which have 7-inch screens and cost $199.
“It would be the competitors’ worst nightmare,” Wu said in an interview. “The ball is in Apple’s court.”
Monday, June 25
Last week, Microsoft announced Surface, its tablet competitor to Apple’s dominant iPad. This week, another tech giant is looking to make a splash with a device of its own. Via Luke Hopewell of Gizmodo:
As rumoured, Google’s going to announce a 7-inch, Nexus-branded tablet called the Nexus 7. According to the leak, it’s built by Asus, with a 1.3Ghz quad-core Tegra 3 processor, GeForce 12-core GPU and 1GB of RAM with two different storage variants: 8GB and 16GB.
The Nexus tablet will also feature NFC and run Google Wallet (probably only in the US) and Android Beam.
According to Gizmodo, the device will start at just $199.
Monday, June 18
Apple’s iPad may currently rule the tablet roost, but as Read Write Web’s Antone Gonsalves reports, another heavyweight may soon be getting in on the game:
For years Microsoft has left it to hardware manufacturers to build the smartphones, tablets and PCs running its software. Not anymore. According to published reports, the company plans to unveil a tablet of its own in Los Angeles on Monday.
Friday, April 27
Earlier this week, Apple announced it had sold close to 12 million of its iPad tablet last quarter alone. But as MediaPost’s Laurie Sullivan reports, that number — impressive as it is — may soon just be a drop in the bucket:
Worldwide global tablet sales will reach 232 million units in 2016, up from 64 million units in 2011, per a new report.
The Tablet Technology and Markets report from Futuresource Consulting estimates a 200% increase for consumer use across the United States and Western Europe during the next two years. Consumers bought about 52 million tablets in 2011 across the two regions, and the market continues on track to exceed 153 million units in 2013—the majority being sold into the United States.
Tuesday, February 28
Just how much has mobile broadband — and mobile devices like smartphones and tablets — changed the computing landscape in a short amount of time? Enough that one of the world’s leading PC makers is getting out of the business. As PC Pro’s Nicole Kobie reports:
Dell no longer sees its business as making and selling PCs, focusing instead on enterprise IT.
The claim follows Dell posting full-year results showing growth in enterprise, but a struggle in consumer sales.
Monday, February 13
Via Ryan Kim of GigaOm, a new study from Forrester Research reveals just how mobile our lives will soon be:
• 1 billion consumers will own smartphones by 2016 with U.S. users owning 257 million smartphones and 126 million tablets. By 2016, 350 million employees will use smartphones, with 200 million of them bringing their own.
• Mobile spending will reach $1.3 trillion by 2016 or 35 percent of the technology economy with the app market generating $56 billion by 2015.
• Apple, Google and Microsoft are expected to control 91 percent of the U.S. smartphone market and 98 percent of the U.S. tablet market by 2016.
• Businesses are expected to double their spending on mobile projects by 2015.
That’s a lot of data flying through the air. Hopefully our networks will have the spectrum necessary to keep up.
Wednesday, January 25
Yesterday, Apple released its quarterly earnings, and in yet another example of the power of technology — not to mention the importance of mobile broadband for America’s economy — the iPhone maker shattered expectations, announcing quarterly revenue of $46.33 billion and net profits of $13.06 billion.
As David Goldman of CNN Money points out, Apple is now worth over $400 billion, making it worth more than Greece. Wow.
Monday, January 23
In yet more evidence that tablet computers like Apple’s popular iPad are shaking up the computer industry, new numbers from the Pew Internet & American Life Project find that the number of people who own a tablet computer jumped from 10% to 19% from the middle of December to January. From Pew:
These findings are striking because they come after a period from mid-2011 into the autumn in which there was not much change in the ownership of tablets and e-book readers. However, as the holiday gift-giving season approached, the marketplace for both devices dramatically shifted. In the tablet world, Amazon’s Kindle Fire and Barnes and Noble’s Nook Tablet were introduced at considerably cheaper prices than other tablets. In the e-book reader world, some versions of the Kindle and Nook and other readers fell well below $100.
Wednesday, January 04
According to the NPD Group (via Electronista), tablet computers such as Apple’s iPad are set for explosive growth in the next five years. How explosive? Try an estimated 380 million devices shipped by 2017.
Tuesday, January 03
That’s how many mobile apps were downloaded in just the last week of December alone, according to the BBC:
With 81 million downloads, the UK easily surpassed Canada (41 million), Germany (40 million) and France (40 million).
It was beaten to second spot by China with 99 million downloads. The US was out ahead with 509 million.
That’s pretty impressive — especially since mobile apps were basically non-existent a few short years ago. Even more impressive: An analyst quoted by the BBC expects one billion downloads a week to be a ho-hum affair in 2012.
Monday, September 12
Via John Paul Titlow of Read Write Web, a new report from the International Data Corporation (IDC) predicts the rise of tablets and smartphones — not to mention the widespread adoption of mobile broadband — will turn the PC industry on its head in the next four years. From IDC’s press release:
By 2015, more U.S. Internet users will access the Internet through mobile devices than through PCs or other wireline devices.
IDC also predicts the number of Internet users worldwide will hit 2.7 — or 40% of the population — by 2015.
Thursday, June 09
A new report finds the combination of increasing broadband speeds and tablet computers is poised to shake up how business is done. Reports Ammar Sachak of Smart Company:
The report, titled Future of Work, predicts desktop and laptop usage will fall, as tablet become more popular over the next three to five years. According to reports, the Optus-funded survey shows 84% of IT departments plan to use tablets such as the iPad in the workplace within three to five years, compared to just 37% now.
“Our report found the widespread adoption of mobile technologies, increased use of internal collaboration tools, and greater employee access to social media is changing how we work and creating more workplace flexibility and productivity,” Optus Business director of marketing and strategy, Scott Mason says.
“Gen-X (30-50 year olds) in particular are driving the demand for mobile tools that enable flexible working, while younger Gen-Y workers (up to 29 years old) are driving demand for internal collaboration tools.”
Friday, May 20
A new study from USC Marshall looks at projected growth for tablets and smart phones in North America. Among the findings:
The number of households with tablet computers are expected to reach 27% in the next year.
African-Americans, Latinos, and Asians will be leading that increase.
Smartphone penetration will reach 40% in the next year.
Latinos and Asians will also lead in smart phone purchasing.
This is just more proof that the key to closing the digital divide is bringing high-speed mobile broadband to as many people as possible.


text:
"...a new analysis from Harvard researchers finds it's eating processed meat -- not unprocessed red meat -- that increases the risk for heart disease and even diabetes."
Other notable passages:
..."The researchers found that people who ate unprocessed red meat did not significantly increase their chances of developing heart disease or diabetes. However, eating processed meat was linked to an increased risk for the two conditions.
In fact, for every 50-gram (1.8-ounce) serving, the risk for heart disease jumped 42 percent and the risk for diabetes increased 19 percent."
"When we looked at average nutrients in unprocessed meats and processed meats eaten in the U.S., we found that they contained similar amounts of saturated fat and cholesterol," Micha said. "In contrast, processed meats contained, on average, four times higher amounts of sodium and two times higher amounts of nitrate preservatives."
This suggests that salt and other preservatives, rather than fats, probably explain the higher risk for heart attacks and diabetes seen with processed meats, Micha said.
Going well so far. Then...
...Both red and processed meat and other foods, such as butter and cheese, that are high in saturated fat have been linked to chronic disease, Heller said, adding that people should limit consumption of them as well.
"Going low- or no-fat with dairy products helps lower our intake of saturated fat," she said. "Choosing healthy protein sources -- such as white-meat poultry, low-mercury fish, soy, nuts and beans -- and focusing on moving in the direction of a more plant-based diet will help us all live longer, healthier lives."
Gotta take the good with the bad as the saying goes.


text:
Sources in Lagos have confirmed that the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation Limited(NNPC) ordered its various outlets to sell petrol at N488 per litter.
According to an eyewitness account, who identified himself as Segun and was at one of its outlets at Ojodu Berger,
He said, “They were selling at the normal price when the manager asked them to stop. They immediately adjusted the new price to N488 and said that it was ordered from above as the official price.”
Price lists according to states


text:
Britain's Queen Elizabeth II looks at a recreation of the 'Victoria' pattern dessert service in the State Dining Room, as part of an exhibition. AFP
Britain’s Queen Elizabeth visited an exhibition dedicated to her great-great-grandmother Victoria on Wednesday, which uses cutting-edge technology to recreate Buckingham Palace as it was during the 19th century.
"We have used the most modern technology that’s available today to have a new form of storytelling. It’s an immersive experience ... it puts you right there in the centre.
Visitors will see projections and illusions showing the vibrant colours of the palace interiors before Victoria's eldest son Edward VII redecorated it predominantly in white and gold.
They will also see aspects of Victoria's motherly side, including a casket containing the baby teeth of her children and white marble casts of some of their limbs.
"We have used the most modern technology that’s available today to have a new form of storytelling," said Dr Amanda Foreman, co-curator of the exhibition.
"It’s an immersive experience ... it puts you right there in the centre,” she added.
Working with a Hollywood production company, the curators have also recreated a waltz staged at the palace at the end of the Crimean war.
Curator Amanda Foreman poses as she views Queen Victoria's piano. Reuters
The exhibition, which marks the 200th anniversary of Victoria's birth, also features her throne, ballgown and water colour paintings.
Acceding to the throne at the age of 18, Queen Victoria ruled the UK from 1837 until her death in 1901. She was the longest-serving monarch until 2015 when Elizabeth, 93, surpassed her.
A day after winning the leadership of his Conservative party, the former London mayor and figurehead of the 2016 Brexit campaign formally replaced Theresa May.
Historically beloved by British grandmothers, bingo tends to attract more women than men. It had its heyday in Britain in the 1960s but its popularity continues in some places, none more so than in Glasgow.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are rarely out of the headlines. This has been the case since they broke royal protocol by holding hands at the Invictus Games during their first public appearance back in 2017. We want to read about them. We want to know what they’re up to. We, as the public, are often infuriated at the royal couple wanting
In Christiansburg, the small Virginia town chosen as Wing's test location, the 22,000 residents can order products normally shipped by FedEx, medicine from Walgreens and a selection of candy from a local business — all of which will arrive via drone.
Hotels on Thailand's most popular holiday island have been forced to slash prices with rooms left vacant and beaches sparse as tourist chiefs struggle with a plunge in Chinese visitors caused by the US trade war and a stronger baht.
The apple is called Cosmic Crisp because of the bright yellowish dots on its skin, which look like distant stars. It was developed by Washington State University.
Though New York's Fashion Week wrapped more than a month ago, there was plenty of fierce fashion at the second annual "Gigi's Playhouse Fashion Show" on Wednesday, an event that allows young people with Down syndrome to share their talent.


text:
Final Fantasy XV players on PS4, Xbox One, and PC can now enjoy a brand new quest bound to the Terra franchise by Final Fantasy's own dad.
Need to get back into this
I feel you man, I have all that dlc I need to tackle lol
N4G is a community of gamers posting and discussing the latest game news. It’s part of NewsBoiler, a network of social news sites covering today’s pop culture.


text:
BOC-NAIA, PDEA, NAIA IADITG Seize Php 6.5 Million Worth of Ecstasy Tablets Concealed in Tarpaulin Sheets
As a result of the vigilance of BOC examiners and strengthened cooperation between the Bureau of Customs Port of NAIA (BOC-NAIA), Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), and NAIA Inter-agency Drug Interdiction Task Group, another shipment of ecstasy tablets from Germany was seized and turned over to PDEA today, October 13, 2021, at the Central Mail Exchange Center (CMEC) in Pasay City .
Initial examination of the parcel revealed 2 improvised pouches which contained a total of 3,865 hexagon tablets and skull tablets later verified and confirmed as ecstasy tablets. The tablets were estimated to have a market value of Php6,570,500.00.
The seized illegal drugs are now under the custody of PDEA for case profiling and build up against persons responsible, and possible prosecution for violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act 2002 (Republic Act No. 9165) in relation to Section 119 (Restricted Importation) and Section 1401 (Unlawful Importation) of Republic Act No. 10863 otherwise known as the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA).
Just last week, BOC NAIA, PDEA, and NAIA IADITG nabbed claimant of 100 pcs. of ecstasy tablets worth 170,000 sent via letter in Central Post Office Manila.
Despite significant increase of inbound parcels and e-commerce goods being processed daily, the Bureau of Customs Port of NAIA remain vigilant in performing its duty of border protection under the guidance of BOC Commissioner Rey Leonardo B. Guerrero.


text:
Freetown, SIERRA LEONE – The detailed analysis of August 2023 Consumer Price Inflation (CPI) data, as reported by Statistics Sierra Leone (SSL), reveals an upward trajectory in all regions.
Data released by SSL highlights significant increases in inflation rates across various regions:
The Western region saw an inflation rate rise from 43.93 per cent in July to 52.82 per cent in August 2023.
The Southern region experienced an increase from 47.60 per cent to 52.76 per cent in August 2023.
The Eastern region observed an inflation rate climb from 48.74 per cent in July to 51.68 per cent in August 2023.
The Northern-West region registered an increase from 48.49 per cent in July to 51.01 per cent in August 2023.
The Northern region also witnessed an inflation rate growth from 37.97 per cent in July to 41.72 per cent in August 2023.
At the national level, the monthly CPI surged from 176.00 in July 2023 to 185.34 in August 2023, resulting in a month-on-month (MoM) inflation rate of 5.31 per cent for August 2023.
Furthermore, the national yearly CPI rose from 122.79 in August 2022 to 185.34 in August 2023, indicating a year-on-year (YoY) inflation rate of 50.94 per cent for August 2023. This represents a significant increase when compared to the 44.98 per cent recorded in July 2023.
An analysis of the data reveals that the year-on-year inflation rates for the Western Area, Southern, Eastern, and North-West regions surpass the national estimate for August 2023, while the Northern region’s estimate falls below the national average.
It’s worth noting that three regions had also shown upward movement in the last CPI data released in August. The Eastern region saw an increase from 46.74 per cent in June to 48.74 per cent in July 2023, the Northern region rose from 37.42 per cent in June to 37.97 per cent in July 2023, and the Western region climbed from 42.56 per cent in June to 43.93 per cent in July 2023.
These trends in regional CPI indicate the complex economic landscape and price dynamics across Sierra Leone, with inflationary pressures impacting all regions to varying degrees. Policymakers and stakeholders will need to consider these developments as they navigate the country’s economic landscape. ZIJ/2/10/2023


text:
Canonical and Dell selling Ubuntu PC In China
Canonical and Dell recently partnering to sell PC that is already bundled with Ubuntu Linux in China. Dell and Canonical have announced a partnership pushing Linux in consumer PCs in China through 220 retail stores that have been operated by Dell in the country.
Dell has yet to provide a list of PCs that have been bundled Linux Ubuntu, but it is rumored that the company is targeting Ubuntu just for subscribers only, not for corporate or Government customers in developing countries, which had just become the biggest PC market,
This is not the first time for Dell bundling Linux Ubuntu on PCs. four years ago, Dell Ubuntu PCs have sold to the United Kingdom, France, and Germany and SUSE Linux PCs sold in China. The most confusing thing is that Dell doesn’t put Red Hat Linux in PCsnya and Computer server in China. But this step is not a doubt better to Canonical.


text:
THANK YOU FROM STUDENT COUNCIL
The Pickaway Elementary Student Council would like to thank everyone that donated baked goods and purchased items to support them in their recent bake sale! We raised over $400.
Student Council will be sponsoring a "Teachers Nice List" contest to encourage students to work hard over the next few days before Christmas break. One hard working student will win a family pack to see the Wildlights at the Columbus Zoo.
Thanks again for your support.


text:
International Gay & Lesbian Travel Association convention opens in Fort Lauderdale
Tue. May 10, 2011 6:00 AM by GoPride.com News Staff
500 businesses are participating in this years event hosted by the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention and Visitors Bureau.
"It's going to be the Super Bowl of gay travel opportunities," Miami Beach hotelier Karen Brown told the Miami Herald, "to educate, to learn, to see how the gay travel world has evolved with new technology, politics, new laws, travel habits, financial abilities."
IGLTA began in Fort Lauderdale 28 years ago with just 25 members, today the organization has over 2,200 members in 88 countries.
According to the Herald, the convention workshops will focus on how social media has impacted the travel industry.
The event will close on Sunday, May 15.
Serving the Chicago gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender communities. ©Copyright 2019 GoPride Networks. All rights reserved.


text:
BMW Group Commissions Study on the Sustainable Mining of Lithium for Electric Vehicle Batteries
【Summary】German automaker BMW announced on Wednesday that it commissioned a new study that includes a scientific analysis of water consumption in the Lithium extraction process for EV batteries. The study is being co-financed by German chemical company BASF SE with cooperation from the University of Alaska-Anchorage and University of Massachusetts-Amherst. The study is part of BMW’s efforts to achieve sustainable supply chains around the world.
As the world's automakers ramp up plans to build more battery-powered vehicles, procuring the raw materials necessary to manufacture the batteries that will go into them is becoming a priority. Two of the primary raw materials for electric vehicle batteries are Lithium and Cobalt. Not only will automakers need to source enough Cobalt and Lithium for EV battery production, they are working to ensure that the raw materials are extracted sustainably.
German automaker BMW announced on Wednesday that it commissioned a new study that includes a scientific analysis of water consumption in the Lithium extraction process. The study is being co-financed by German chemical company BASF SE with cooperation from the University of Alaska-Anchorage and University of Massachusetts-Amherst.
Researchers at the University of Alaska-Anchorage and University of Massachusetts-Amherst will investigate the impacts of Lithium extraction on the hydrologic environment in Latin America, where much of the world's Lithium deposits are found.
"Partnering with BMW on this ground-breaking Lithium sustainability project is extremely exciting for our research group and we are eager to develop the best tools to be used in assessing Lithium projects on a global scale," said Professor LeeAnn Munk, University of Alaska Anchorage, Department of Geological Sciences.
The BMW Group and BASF SE are already working together with other partners in the "Cobalt for Development" project in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in Africa.
The study is part of BMW's efforts to achieve sustainable supply chains around the world. The BMW Group is sourcing Lithium for its fifth-generation high-voltage batteries itself and making it available to its battery cell supply chains, the company said.
BMW currently sources its Lithium from Australian mines that use the traditional hard rock mining to extract the material, but the region alone may not meet the rising demand for Lithium.
Lithium is the world's lightest metal. It's an essential raw material for producing batteries for electric vehicles, so BMW is working to ensure sustainably sourced supply in the future.
While much of the world's Cobalt comes from the Democratic Republic of Congo, roughly two thirds of the world's Lithium reserves are found in South America.
South America's "Lithium Triangle", which covers parts of Argentina, Bolivia and Chile, holds more than half the world's supply of Lithium beneath its salt flats and large amounts of water are required to extract it from under the dried lake beds.
To date, there has little scientific research conducted into how Lithium extraction impacts the region, according to BMW. The automaker intends to fill this gap in research with the new study it has commissioned.
How Lithium is Mined in Latin America
Unlike in Australia where its often extracted from rock, Lithium in South America is "water mined", which is similar to how sea salt is extracted from sea water. The Lithium extraction process uses approximately 500,000 gallons of water per metric ton of Lithium extracted. To put that in perspective, the Tesla Model S battery pack for example contains around 10 kilograms (22 lbs) of Lithium.
To extract Lithium, miners drill a hole in vast salt flats, which are the remnants of dried prehistoric lake beds. deep underneath the salt layer is a brine which is rich in lithium. To extract the lithium from the brine, the water is pumped in underground, which forces the brine to the surface forming large pools.
After several months of evaporation in the hot sun, the mineral rich brine leaves behind a dried mixture containing manganese, potassium, borax and Lithium salts which is then filtered and placed into a separate vast evaporation pool.
The process is repeated for up to two years until the mixture is filtered enough that the Lithium carbonate can be extracted. This lithium carbonate is used in the cathode and the electrolyte of EV batteries.
At Chile's Salar de Atacama, which is the largest salt flat in the country, mining activities consumed 65 percent of the region's water, which is having a large impact on local farmers to the point that some communities have to source water elsewhere, according to a report released last month by the Institute for Energy Research (IER).
"Electromobility can only be sustainable when the raw materials are also extracted in the most sustainable manner possible. The new study we have commissioned is designed to create a scientific basis for identifying the best options for sourcing Lithium," said Patrick Hudde, head of Indirect Purchasing Raw Materials Management, BMW Group.
In addition to Lithium mining, the extraction of Cobalt for EV batteries is another concern for the world's automakers, although new battery chemistries have led to batteries that require less Cobalt.
The world's largest stores of Cobalt come from vast natural reserves in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where Cobalt mining operations in Congo are associated with human rights abuses and labor laws are often non-existent. The mines in Congo produce around 60% of the world's Cobalt.
Mine workers, including children, are often forced to toil away in dangerous conditions, sometimes only with hand tools to dig hundreds of feet underground with little oversight or safety protocols, according to evidence uncovered by the Washington Post in 2016.
In addition, since Cobalt is a natural material found in only a few places on Earth, demand for it is also rising. This growing demand is driving up the price, which makes producing EV batteries costlier, which directly results in EVs costing more than combustion engine models.
This has led automakers like Tesla to take steps to reduce the use of Cobalt or eliminate the raw material entirely from its batteries.
Most automakers today are using the more common nickel-Cobalt-aluminum (NCA) or nickel-manganese-Cobalt (NMC) batteries for electric vehicles because of their higher energy density, which results in EVs with a longer range. Tesla currently produces these types of batteries at its Nevada gigafactory in a joint venture with Panasonic.
In June, Tesla was granted approval to use Lithium-iron phosphate (LFP) batteries that contain no Cobalt for Model 3 vehicles built at the automaker's new Shanghai gigafactory. It would be the first time Tesla built a vehicle using LFP batteries instead of the typical Lithium-ion type.
Although these new battery chemistries offer higher energy which offer a longer range for EVs, they still require Lithium, so demand for it will continue to grow. Sourcing it sustainability however, will require industry oversight and BMW's study is among the first steps.
The final results of the BMW comissioned study will be made available in the first half of 2022 and will include a five-tier rating system. This rating is designed to provide companies with better guidance on sustainable Lithium extraction in Latin America.
In the future, BMW Group says its will only enter into supply contracts with additional Lithium suppliers if the Lithium extraction process meets its high sustainability standards, and that the companies are certified by the Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance (IRMA).
Originally hailing from New Jersey, Eric is a automotive & technology reporter covering the high-tech industry here in Silicon Valley. He has over 15 years of automotive experience and a bachelors degree in computer science. These skills, combined with technical writing and news reporting, allows him to fully understand and identify new and innovative technologies in the auto industry and beyond. He has worked at Uber on self-driving cars and as a technical writer, helping people to understand and work with technology.
San Francisco Startup Ample Develops an EV Battery Swap Station that Can Replace Any Electric Vehicle Battery in Under 10 Minutes
General Motors is Looking to Build a Second Electric Vehicle Battery Plant in the U.S.
China’s Tesla Challenger Xpeng Launches 3 New EV Variants Powered by Cobalt-free, Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) Batteries
Volkswagen’s New ID. Family of EVs Will Receive Over-the-Air Updates Every Three Months
China’s Tech Giant Baidu Registers a New ‘Intelligent EV Company’ with Automaker Geely
Volvo Cars Announces it Will Only Offer Fully-Electric Vehicles by 2030
Electric-Performance Brand Polestar to Open 15 New U.S. Retail Showrooms in 2021
Nissan Announces a 'Major Breakthrough' in Thermal Efficiency With its New e-POWER Hybrid Technology
- Hyundai to Spend $900 Million to Replace Battery Systems in 82,000 EVs Due to Fire Risk
- Silicon Valley EV Battery Developer QuantumScape Debuts on Wall Street After its Merger with Kensington Capital
- Automakers Are Scaling Back Production Due to Growing Semiconductor Shortages
- Tesla’s Autopilot is Rated as the Best Advanced Driver Assistance System in China
- Latest Consumer Reports Survey Finds Strong Interest in EVs
- Nonprofit Research Group Finds California Is the Friendliest EV State
- Trump Pardons Ex-Google Engineer Who Plead Guilty to Stealing Trade Secrets Related to Lidar Technology
- Nissan’s Sound Absorbing ‘Acoustic Meta-Material’ Named One of the 100 Greatest Inventions of 2020 by Popular Science
- Torc Robotics Select Amazon Web Services (AWS) to Manage the Data From its Fleet of Self-driving Trucks
- Tesla to Migrate its Driver Profile Data to a Cloud-based Platform Ahead of the ‘Tesla Network’ Launch


text:
The long-awaited Transport Decarbonisation Plan is to be published today (14 July), with key focuses being smart charging and phasing out the sale of petrol and diesel heavy goods vehicles (HGVs).
The Department for Transport (DfT) has partnered with national disability charity Motability for the development of new accessibility standards for electric vehicle (EV) charging.
The government has a “mountain to climb” to reach its goals of phasing out new petrol and diesel cars by 2030 and for all new cars to be zero-emission by 2035.
SSE have called for mandatory switching of fleets to electric by 2030 in a letter to the Department for Transport (DfT).
The government has unveiled £12 million in funding for electric vehicle (EV) research and development (R&D) alongside plans to support the switch to electric vans.
A new government fund is to help pay for connection costs to enable the installation of high-powered charging (HPC) at motorway sites across England.
Emissions reductions 'need to start being delivered', DfT says as it outlines decarbonisation priorities
The government has outlined its priorities for its Transport Decarbonisation Plan, slated for publication in Autumn 2020.
The government is looking into making information on all public chargepoints openly available in a standard format for the first time, it says.
Transport minister George Freeman has confirmed the Department for Transport's (DfT) intent to consult on the ICE ban date, stating he would like to be able to bring "tangible" measures to COP26.


text:
Messaging is everything these days, but you don’t have to take our word for it. After years of sputtering out on failure after failure, Google is finally attempting to master messaging through RCS. Today, it’s announcing an all-new slate of features coming to Google Messages over the next few weeks, all designed to improve your conversations and group chats between Android devices and, in some cases, even between Android and iOS.
No, Google’s not announcing some sort of partnership with Apple – though it continues to push its Get the Message social campaign to pressure the company behind iMessage. Instead, Google is officially adding emoji reactions to SMS and MMS messages, just under a year after adding tapback responses to RCS chats.
It’ll help create some consistency between conversations, though it’s far from a flawless experience. While Android users chatting within an MMS-based group chat will see these reactions, iOS users will get a basic “[emoji] to [message]”text instead. The same goes for one-on-one communication between the two platforms. Google stresses this lack of cross-platform support as yet another reason it wants Apple to add RCS support to iMessage, though it sure sounds like that’s not happening any time soon.
It’s far from the only change being made today, though. Google is continuing to develop and expand on some of the features it announced back in the spring. Messages is adding threaded replies to RCS, so you can always answer a specific message without interrupting the group chat. Starred suggestions build on the starred messages feature added last year, now automatically suggesting stars for addresses, door codes, phone numbers, and other useful information you’ll want to keep handy. Likewise, reminders are also available in Messages now, so you can save appointments or birthdays to your phone with ease.
Google added support for YouTube previews in Messages earlier this year, but apparently, it’s not enough. The company says videos are the single most popular link shared between chatters in Messages, and now, it’s adding the option to watch a video right inside the app. You can keep chatting while the video plays on your display, though you’ll have to sit through ads, even if you have Premium. Google says the ability to add a Premium-based account might come next year, but right now, those users might be better off using the built-in PiP mode.
That’s not all. Google is partnering with United Airlines to make Messages a featured messaging app on its flights. That means you can chat with RCS over in-flight Wi-Fi without paying a cent. iMessage, WhatsApp, and other services have long offered this sort of ability, and it’s great to see Google following suit. The company says it’s hoping to add additional airlines soon. A new business chat feature is now in testing, allowing you to load into a conversation from Search or Maps through Messages.
Finally, Voice Message Transcriptions are coming to the entire Pixel 6 series, the Galaxy S22, and the Galaxy Z Fold 4, just days after it launched with the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro.
It’s a lot of small changes coming to Messages, but it should help make it a better experience for anyone who relies on RCS for the bulk of their conversations. Google is also timing a new visual relaunch for its Messages, Phone, and Contacts icons with today’s announcement, giving all three apps a makeover. Although they’re all compatible with Material You, it’s hard to ignore the obvious: with this change, Google Messages is finally getting support for blue bubbles. It’s just limited to the icon.


text:
Shortly after its unveiling at CES 2013, LG’s new 55 inch OLED television was made available for pre-order. In the short six weeks, more than 100 people from South Korea have placed an order for the television, which costs in excess of $10,000.
Recently LG has been aggressive in its pursuit of World No. 1 TV maker Samsung. In addition to being the first company to launch an OLED television, LG was first in launching a UHD television, on par with Samsung in revealing the world’s first curved OLED television and is currently entangled in litigation over claims their passive 3D technology is preferred over Samsung’s Active 3D.
Televisions using OLED panels are expected to replace commonly used LCD panels as they’re brighter, have a wider viewing angle, are thinner, faster and have extraordinary contrast ratios. For instance, LG’s OLED offering has a response time 1,000 times faster than LCD televisions and an impressive 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio. It weighs less than 10 kilograms and its screen is just 4mm shallow.
In spite of showcasing OLED televisions at the past two CES shows, vendors haven’t been able to release them due to the difficulties associated in mass production.
The first LG OLED television will be available in South Korea on Monday. LG’s head of marketing, Lambro Skropidis, confirmed a 55 inch OLED Television will go on sale in Australia by late March with a tentative price of $11,999.
Samsung has yet to announce when its OLED television will be released.


text:
Officially billed as Prime Video presents the SXSW 2020 Film Festival Collection, the now-online film festival was formally announced by SXSW through its website. As mentioned earlier, the event is freely accessible by any Amazon account holder, regardless of whether they have a Prime subscription or not.
Janet Pierson, the Director of Film at SXSW, said:
“We were delighted when Amazon Prime Video offered to host an online film festival, and jumped at the opportunity to connect their audiences to our filmmakers. We’re inspired by the adaptability and resilience of the film community as it searches for creative solutions in this unprecedented crisis.”
The threat of the coronavirus has pretty much waylaid dozens of big events scheduled for this year. These include GDC 2020, E3 2020, Consensus 2020, and of course, this year’s SXSW Conference and Festivals in Austin, Texas.
SXSW’s events typically attract thousands of attendees every year, but less than a month ago, Austin had to cancel SXSW 2020 due to concerns over COVID-19.
For the filmmakers slated to be featured this year, this meant that the debuts of the movies they submitted also had to be cancelled.
This time, however, they get another chance. According to the SXSW press release, the event will offer the filmmakers an invitation to opt in to take part in the online film festival.
As for those who do decide to participate, they will be getting a screening fee for agreeing to have their movie made available for streaming within the 10-day period.
So when exactly will the online film festival happen? For the record, there is no official date yet, but Amazon and SXSW are looking to launch before the end of this month.
COVID-19 continues to affect every sector, including the film industry, which continues to expect decreased attendance in cinemas and festivals across the country in the weeks or even months to come.
Images courtesy of SXSW
Just less than a year after iPhone 12 was launched and already, Apple has us…


text:
Sharp wants to start selling professional 8K displays within six weeks, with consumer sets to follow by 2018.
Combining quantum dots with the natural semiconductor perovskite has could lead to a new generation of LEDs and displays.
LED lighting systems could soon gain mainstream adoption with a new cost-effective hybrid LED and its solution-based process.
New graphene displays could pave the way for ultra-thin, incredibly durable, and highly efficient LCD technology — even at this early state of development.
A new type of super-thin diode could make flexible displays, solar cells, and light sensors commercially viable.
Apple’s Tim Cook had harsh words for Samsung’s OLED technology today, and objective analysis shows he’s not necessarily wrong. For all their vaunted superiority, OLED falls behind LCD in certain key metrics in mobile devices.
LG’s new OLED television has something no one else has brought to the market — a shipping date. Availability in South Korea is expected in February with a US launch in March.
Amazon’s new Kindle Paperwhite has won accolades for its high-quality display, but how’s it work? We investigate the underlying technology.
Subscribe Today to get the latest ExtremeTech news delivered right to your inbox.


text:
On Chicago’s southwest side there is a lesser known airport known as Midway International Airport, that is about to play a game called catch-up. Last month the city finalized a plan to inject a $248 million boost over several years, into the devilment of this city-owned airport.
The plan includes modernization which will expand the airport plus grow the retail options, security and parking areas. Millions of people travel through this airport each year, and delaying its much needed facelift is no longer an option.
Chairman of the aviation committee of the Chicago City Council, alderman Mike Zalewski explained the council’s decision: “To be a competitive option, Midway needs to provide the best products, services and resources to its traveling public.”
The improvements are urgent, as many of the country’s older, larger airports find themselves in fierce competition with a growing number of newer, regional hubs with modern facilities designed to create a much-improved consumer experience, helping to boost revenue.
Midway is looking to improve its own financial situation with this huge investment from the city. It is one of only two US airports which posted a loss for operations in 2015, the other one the Bangor International Airport in Maine. The reported loss is in contrast to Midway’s place as one of 25 airports in the country with over 10 million airplane emplacements the same year as it reported a loss. Because the airport has no way to bring in the much-needed non-aeronautical revenue through the purchase of food, goods and services by consumers passing through the terminal, Midway is under huge financial pressure.


text:
BI Software Sales, Data as a Service to Grow in 2013
Business intelligence (BI) software sales are on the rise and will reach $13.8 billion in 2013, a 7 percent increase from 2012, according to Gartner (NYSE: IT). Why are CIOs buying more business intelligence? We'll reveal the answer, including why the market is expected to reach $17.1 billion by 2016.
According to Gartner, CIOs' appetite for BI is coming from more tactical buying in business units for departmental and workgroup analysis. While the fundamental drivers of this appetite include cloud, mobile, social, and information, additional growth will be hampered by sluggish macro indicators. Additionally, Gartner predicted that 2013 and the coming years are expected to be slower, with growth in the high single digits. (BI saw 16 percent growth in 2011.)
Garter Research Vice President Kurt Schlegel said that the BI and analytics platforms market, however, will continue to grow. “The descriptive analytics have largely been completed for most large companies in traditional subject areas, such as finance and sales, but there is still a lot of growth expected for diagnostic, predictive and prescriptive deployments,” he said. “Since many midsize enterprises have yet to even start their BI and analytic initiatives, we expect the market for BI and analytics platforms will remain one of the fastest-growing software markets.”
The data-as-a-service trend, according to Gartner, could significantly grow the market for BI and analytics platforms. Through this model, organizations license software capabilities to build analytic applications. In the future, however, organizations increasingly will subscribe to industry-specific data services that bundle a narrow set of data with BI and analytic capabilities embedded.
Back in December 2012, Forrester Research, Inc. (NASDAQ:FORR) released its BI predictions for 2013, and Forrester predicted that BI will continue to grow and that there will be more demand for mobile access to BI tools.


text:
The economic journey of 2023 was akin to navigating stormy seas, yet there were moments of stability. However, as we step into 2024, those moments seem fleeting, replaced by a wave of unsettling signs pointing towards an impending economic downturn, or perhaps even a collapse.
The job market, once showing resilience, is now under a dark cloud of intensified layoffs. A recent survey by Resume Builder paints a somber picture, revealing that a staggering 38% of U.S. companies are contemplating layoffs this year. Recession fears are looming large, with 52% considering hiring freezes. The rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI) threatens job security, as 40% cite worker replacement as a reason for potential layoffs. To add to the woes, holiday bonuses are being slashed, impacting 3 in 10 companies.
Corporate giants are already making significant job cuts, setting a foreboding trend. Industry leaders like Nike, Hasbro, Spotify, Roku, Amazon, Citi, Flexport Logistics, and Charles Schwab are among those tightening their belts, resulting in substantial workforce reductions.
Concurrently, a retail apocalypse is unfolding, fueled by the rise of online shopping and record inflation, taking a toll on traditional brick-and-mortar stores. Over 3,000 retail locations closed in 2023, hinting at a grim future. Analysts predict the closure of nearly 50,000 retail stores in the U.S. by 2028, reshaping our communities in unprecedented ways.
As economic conditions worsen, desperation spills onto the streets, manifesting in chaotic scenes. A shocking incident in Compton, California, witnessed over 100 young people looting a bakery, exposing the breakdown of law and order. Such once rare incidents are becoming disturbingly commonplace.
The delicate fabric of civilization is rapidly fraying, leaving individuals exposed and vulnerable. A California couple’s attempt to sell an iPad through an online marketplace resulted in a gunpoint robbery, highlighting the escalating mistrust and danger in society.
The looming question is, if this is the state of affairs now, what awaits us as economic conditions deteriorate further? The chaos witnessed today might be a mere prelude to the societal unraveling that lies ahead.
As the nation hurtles toward a contentious presidential election, tensions are poised to escalate. The convergence of economic hardships, job losses, and societal unrest paints a grim picture of an America teetering on the edge. Brace yourselves; the storm may just be starting.
How are you preparing for the economic storm? Share your tips in the comments below.