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SEGA this morning has announced ‘Knights of the Republic II’ developer Obsidian Entertainment has been signed to develop the RPG ‘Alien’ game first mentioned on Monday in conjunction with the publisher’s rights announcement. In trading Jedi for slimy Aliens, Obsidian hopes to deliver the ultimate Alien experience based on the original films — which shouldn’t be a stretch considering the lack of quality found in previous games based on the film franchise.
“With Obsidian Entertainment’s development pedigree, they were our first choice to bring the Alien franchise to the RPG universe,” said Simon Jeffery, President and COO, SEGA of America, Inc. “They are the only developer for us that could effectively combine the Alien mythology with compelling RPG gameplay to create the ultimate Alien experience.”
“We are thrilled to be working with the great production and publishing teams at SEGA to deliver the ultimate in-depth Alien experience to gamers worldwide,” said Feargus Urquhart, CEO of Obsidian Entertainment. “Building an epic RPG with a license as heralded as the Alien franchise is truly a great honor.”


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Trump Signs Executive Order Banning TikTok in 45 Days
TikTok’s days are numbered in the United States, as president Donald Trump has signed an executive order to impose broad sanctions against the Chinese-owned video-sharing app. Set to take effect in 45 days, the order will outlaw any transactions between TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, and U.S. citizens for “national security reasons.”
In other words, after the deadline is reached, TikTok could no longer receive advertising revenue from American companies and it could also be removed from Apple and Google’s app stores. According to experts, the app may also no longer be given software updates. This would render TikTok useless over time as it would eventually become nonfunctional. As over 100 million Americans have downloaded the app, it’s needless to say that this would leave millions of people feeling very disappointed.
TikTok representatives say they are “shocked” by the news in a statement provided to the press. They go on to say that the Trump administration “paid no attention to facts, dictated terms of an agreement without going through standard legal processes, and tried to insert itself into negotiations between private businesses.”
According to TikTok, the move also “sets a dangerous precedent for the concept of free expression and open markets.” They also claim that the company is weighing all options to ensure that both TikTok and its users are treated fairly “if not by the administration, then by the U.S. courts.”
Meanwhile, Trump’s executive order insists that the ban is strictly for national security concerns, alleging the app poses a threat to the safety of the American public through the collection of their user data. “This data collection threatens to allow the Chinese Communist Party access to Americans’ personal and proprietary information – potentially allowing China to track the locations of Federal employees and contractors, build dossiers of personal information for blackmail, and conduct corporate espionage,” the executive order states.
What could save TikTok in the United States would be an American company buying the app. It has been confirmed that Microsoft is in early talks to acquire TikTok, among other big-money companies. Still, if TikTok is ultimately banned, its former users might turn to Reels, a new video-sharing service introduced by Facebook with features heavily reminiscent of TikTok. The latter has since labeled the former as a “copycat” service.
Additionally, Trump signed an executive order restricting business between WeChat owner Tencent Holdings and United States citizens. Based in China, the app is used by more than a billion people, and the app is particularly popular with Chinese-Americans living in the United States. According to Trump, this is another measure to prevent the Chinese Communist Party from “keeping tabs” on Chinese citizens who’ve moved to the U.S.
“Like TikTok, WeChat automatically captures vast swaths of information from its users,” the executive order reads in part. “In addition, the application captures the personal and proprietary information of Chinese nationals visiting the United States, thereby allowing the Chinese Communist Party a mechanism for keeping tabs on Chinese citizens who may be enjoying the benefits of a free society for the first time in their lives.”
In any case, the pressure is on for an American company to pick up TikTok before the service becomes unusable. If not, Reels or something else will certainly be there to take its place. This news comes to us from NPR.
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News and Articles About Green Business
The M-KOPA Solar system is literally lighting up a cleaner, greener -- and safer -- future for one remote region of the world.
This founder of a cell phone recycling company the tools that help him and his team run his business while on the road.
You don't have to do it all to make it worth the effort. Take these steps toward being a more socially-conscious entrepreneur.
Scott Adams took on eco-friendly franchising as a Massage Green Spa franchisee. Here's what he has learned.
SuperGreen Solutions gave Mark Sudak a chance to find energy efficient environmental solutions in his community.
Eco-minded entrepreneurs are making big impacts in many different sized businesses. Here are three entrepreneurs building their companies with an eco consciousness.
From organizing your office to sharpening your management skills, here is the LifeEdited guide to ruthlessly decluttering your startups operations.
Urban centers around the world, from Hamburg to Shanghai, are looking to cut down on pollution by reducing the number of cars on the road.
To get a sense for what it's like starting up environment-friendly and social ventures today, we reached out to three founders based out of NYC's Green Spaces incubator.
If your business is involved in green design or construction, you could be leaving hundreds of thousands of dollars in tax write-offs on the table. Here's how to stop.
BeeSafe Organic Lawn Care is scaling up organic fertilizer for commercial and institutional use.
The President unveils a set of executive actions Tuesday that aim to cut carbon pollution and prepare the U.S. for extreme weather changes.
A Los Angeles-based multimedia platform focuses on inspiring stories about the environment to help counterbalance the usual doom-and-gloom narrative.
A new survey reveals green products and services give small businesses a competitive advantage.
Automated kiosks that buy back used electronics aim to ease the electronic waste burden and put cash in consumers' pockets.
Conducting a carbon footprint analysis reveals the full spectrum of your company's environmental impact and helps you address it.
On Earth Day, we take a look at a crop of promising startups attempting to combat climate change.
With Earth Day approaching, consider these tips to make your office more eco-friendly.
How PodPonics transformed an unused lot in Atlanta into a productive farm.
Environmental responsibility is a hot trend for companies, whether or not they target the granola set.
Chris Anderson, founder of Golden Fuel Systems, makes straight vegetable oil (SVO) conversion kits for diesel vehicles.
A waterless car wash offers an eco-friendly and affordable option for starting a franchise.
The gro-O franchise brings home the green.
Tips from the Green Business Bureau on saving the planet and your bottom line.
Connect with Entrepreneur
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For the second year in a row, Williamson County woman wins Miss Tennessee title
Alexandra Harper, a fashion and beauty blogger with Brentwood roots, won the Miss Tennessee USA beauty pageant this past weekend in Clarksville.
Harper's win marks the second year in a row that Miss Williamson County has won the Miss Tennessee title.
Another shot at the crown
Harper earned fifth place in the 2015 statewide competition.
But this time around, things were different, she said.
"I just wanted to work my hardest," Harper said. "I wanted it 100 times more than I did two years ago."
In the past two years, she said she learned more about self-reliance and determination after leaving a corporate job to pursue her passion in fashion and beauty full-time.
"You find out a lot about yourself when you quit a corporate job and start a business by yourself," Harper said. "I think all of that prepared me for what I accomplished now."
Harper landed a job as a sales account executive at Fox17 after college. She left the job to run her own fashion and beauty blog, aliandthings.com.
"I knew that I was really good at talking about two things: fashion and beauty," Harper said.
"I've always wanted to start my own business," she said. "I knew if I did this, I could have a voice and speak to women of all shapes and sizes, give them advice on what to wear and how to wear it."
She added: "Creating content, it all relies upon you."
A family legacy
State crowns run in the family.
Harper's mother, Sharon, won the Miss Tennessee USA crown in 1981.
Winning the state title was a surreal moment, Harper said.
"I really couldn't be more honored in seeing the look on her face," Harper said. "It was not like anything else. We were both ecstatic."
Harper said her mom never pushed her to do pageantry, but did pass along life lessons on criticism, confidence and kindness.
"It's such an honor to have that opportunity to follow in her footsteps," she said.
Allee-Sutton Hethcoat, a law student and actress from Franklin, held the 2017 crown.
"How cool is that? Two women, both from Williamson County, have this huge title now," Harper said.
Next stop: Miss USA Pageant
Harper will advance to the nationally-televised Miss USA Pageant, where she will have a shot at advancing to the Miss Universe Pageant.
She thanks Steven Fields of J.S. Fields and Company in Brentwood for styling and Gerald Odom for coaching.
Reach Melanie Balakit at email@example.com.
Education: Brentwood Academy, bachelor's degree in journalism and communications from the University of Tennessee
Work: Owner of aliandthings.com. She also designs websites and is social media coordinator, website design


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EXCLUSIVE: Its creators say use of crypto-ledger technology will provide trusted way for businesses and consumers to cut their carbon footprint
A new carbon market founded upon the crypto-ledger principles that define blockchain technologies will be launched later today in New York, promising to bring carbon pricing to the mainstream by allowing...
To fight the Amazon fires we need more than water cannons and law enforcement - we need a new economic model, writes Forum for the Future's Roberta Iley
Beauty giant says it is going back to its 'activist roots' with new store concept opening in Bond Street today
Led by a group of young classical liberal activists, the BCA counts former Energy and Climate Change Secretary Amber Rudd MP on its advisory board
As predictions of peak oil demand become more prevalent and environmental protests more vocal, Ed King wonders where the oil industry goes next


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Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) today announced that it will be hiking prices of its entire range of passenger and commercial vehicles from next month. The company has stated that the prices are being increased in order to partially offset the impact of rising input costs. Effective 1st January, the company will increase the price of its range of passenger and commercial vehicles, across models, the Mumbai-based automaker said in a statement.
This has been necessitated due to the increase in commodity prices and various other input costs, it added. Details of price increase across different models will be communicated in due course, Mahindra said in the statement.
Mahindra now joins the country’s largest carmaker Maruti Suzuki India in initiating price increase across the model lineup. Maruti is also slated to increase the prices of its vehicles from January 2021. The company had also stated that the price increase would vary for different models, without specifying details.
Likewise, Ford India said last week that it will increase prices of its vehicles across models by up to 3 percent from 1st January to offset the rising input costs.
Earlier this month, Mahindra announced its vehicle sales performance for the month of November 2020. The Indian automaker reported its overall sales cumulative of passenger vehicles and commercial vehicles seeing a growth of 4%.
The company recorded a sale of 42,731 vehicles in November 2020, compared to 41,235 in November 2019. Mahindra saw the biggest contribution to its growth this month come from its Utility Vehicle sector. It is said that the launch of the all-new Thar has helped Mahindra gain momentum.
Comparing the utility vehicle segment alone, in November 2019, Mahindra sold 14,161 units, while in 2020, the automaker managed to push 17,971 units, thus, resulting in the growth of 27% for its utility vehicle business.
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The free Presence app is a great way to experiment with home security -- just don't let its prominently-featured online store trick you into spending hundreds on accessories.
There's a serious disturbance in the Force on the set of "Downton Abbey," and this time, it's not just another one of Lady Edith's moods.
As the vinyl sales boom soars, Thorens releases a new turntable, the TD 203.
The technology is designed to determine whether a person's ear is in the vicinity of the earbuds or headphones to play audio.
People Power's free Presence iOS app turns your out-of-date devices into home security hubs.
The free iOS-only Presence app turns your old iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch into a security camera.
Researchers have designed a robot that makes humans feel the illusory presence of a non-existent "ghost".
It seems that, even in Iran, Facebook-owned apps like Instagram and WhatsApp are disturbing users about privacy. One judge wants the Facebook CEO to explain himself in person.
Intel co-founder Gordon Moore's observation 50 years ago set the groundwork for self-driving cars on the road and computers in our pockets today.
Apps are crucial to the success of the new Apple Watch. Here are some quick impressions of the initial batch of apps we've played with so far.


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Although the idea of the Internet of Things (IoT) has been around for a long time, the widespread adoption of tablets and smartphones is making it an exciting reality, leading to a wave of new solutions for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs). At Scisbo, we’re particularly enthused about monitoring devices that use apps. Now that tablets have risen in popularity, both the cost and the learning curve of introducing new applications have been reduced. Gartner recently estimated that the Internet of Things will reach 26 billion connected devices by 2020, a thirty-fold increase over today.
Already, medical doctors are able to monitor patients' health with heartbeat monitors, sleep monitors, and pedometers that connect to the cloud via a smartphone and send an alert when there’s a problem. People with chronic conditions such as diabetes can use a smartphone to monitor their blood sugar, making fewer trips to the clinic.
Smartphone docks in cars are valuable for more than just phone calls and entertainment. Now, they can be used for monitoring and diagnostics for the car itself or to track driving patterns for pay-as-you-drive insurance programs. By using such telematics programs, insurance discounts of up to 40% on commercial fleets are now possible through verifiable safe driving practices.
Many SMBs reduce the energy use in commercial buildings by installing intelligent thermostats and heating controllers that can be programmed and monitored with apps. Additionally, businesses can improve building security with movement detector webcams that send alerts and pictures when they’re triggered—either with a SIM card that connects to a mobile network or via Wi-Fi to the building's broadband—allowing full motion video to be stored in the cloud. Businesses can even control door locks from a smartphone to give the plumber access while away or use an app to set up a varied schedule to turn lights on and off to deter burglars.
In short, for the small business owner, using an app to provide reports on the heating bill or installing self-monitored security cameras in vulnerable locations—such as storage facilities and car garages—can increase peace of mind without breaking the bank. Contact Scisbo to learn about how fixed wireless and mobility management services can be utilized to provide access to and also enhance these types of applications.


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Mike Zaneis, the Interactive Advertising Bureau’s top lobbyist in Washington, is leaving his position after eight years to head up the Trustworthy Accountability Group.
As soon as the IAB finds a replacement for Zaneis, he will become TAG’s president and CEO, a position he’s juggled for the past few months with his current role as IAB’s executive vice president of public policy and general counsel.
TAG was formed last year by the Association of National Advertisers, the American Association of Advertising Agencies (4A’s) and the IAB, to eliminate advertising fraud, ad-supported piracy and malware that damage the $50 billion digital ad business.
Ad fraud—bot traffic that masquerades as people—is estimated to cost the business $6.3 billion, according to an industry-commissioned study by White Ops.
Washington has also had its eye on the advertising business, looking for the industry to help it put a stop to illegal activity on the Internet by preventing the flow of ad dollars that often appears on fraudulent and rogue sites.
“The focus won’t be on DC, but issues like data security, malware and anti-piracy obviously resonate in Washington,” said Zaneis, who will continue to be based in the nation’s capital. “We’re getting a lot of support from Capitol Hill on our initiatives and that goes a long way toward galvanizing the industry and combatting criminals,” he added.
Zaneis, whose roots are in policy said he’s looking forward to bridging policy and business. “The challenge requires a foot in both worlds,” he said of his new position.
TAG has already launched an anti-piracy program that helps marketers use third-party auditors like Ernst & Young, to certify that ad tech companies meet criteria to limit a marketer’s exposure to illegal or undesirable web sites.
The group also is on track to launch this fall a Fraud Threat List, a blacklist of fraudulent domains.
Both programs are just a start, Zaneis said.
“The threat list is just one piece of the puzzle. We’ll have other initiatives to combat fraud. We need multiple fronts to take the fight to criminals,” Zaneis promised.
TAG is in the process of staffing up, looking to add a couple of people in New York. The group will also leverage the technology capabilities of the IAB’s technology lab.
“TAG demands strong leadership at the helm – a CEO who has a deep understanding of the various stakeholders in the industry and the complex landscape to be navigated,” said Randall Rothenberg, IAB’s president and CEO. “Mike’s experience at IAB in bringing together diverse interests to create impactful solutions makes him perfectly suited for this role. Mike’s skills have helped our industry bring together the right policy leadership, technology expertise, and best practices, and he is the ideal candidate to lead TAG’s efforts going forward.”
Zaneis has represented the digital ad business since 2007, when he formed the IAB’s public policy office, building the industry’s legislative, regulatory and legal agenda. In that role, he also helped form the ad industry’s Digital Advertising Alliance, a self-regulatory program that gives consumers the opportunity to opt-out of behaviorally targeted ads.
Prior to the IAB, Zaneis was executive director of technology and e-commerce at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.


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The Indian telecom sector is in for a price war once again. Bharti Airtel has launched 4G services at 3G prices in 296 cities and towns, and is inviting 3G customers to upgrade. Reliance Jio, with its reputation of cut-throat prices, is making announcements of lower tariffs and cut-throat prices for 4G devices. Vodafone, Reliance Communications, and Idea Cellular are not far behind. Challenges like inadequate spectrum holdings, providing uniform high-speed Internet connectivity across the country on 4G technology, and recovering 3G investments remain.
The Indian consumer too will have reliable technology, 10 times faster than 3G, mirroring global adoption patterns. (Globally, 4G-LTE subscribers are projected to grow 35 percent compounded annually over the next five years, with China leading the pack).
Telecom equipment makers are anticipating a Rs. 6000 crore 4G network infrastructure market, inclusive of network software, over the next couple of years. With 9674 mobile sites already installed, an estimated 73 networks are expected to be deployed in the next one year. It is forecast that by 2020, LTE subscriptions in India will be 230 million, with a 17 percent share of the subscription base.
4G deployment is also likely to create momentum for IoT. Together with the cloud, IoT services will become a significant generator of revenue for enterprise customers. Mobile network operators have started work on development of technologies and platforms to satisfy ensuing demand.
Having said this, for the next two years, 3G will remain the mainstay of Indian telecom. (Globally too, despite its rapid growth, 4G may not surpass 3G till the next decade.) And by next year, we will see 2G, 3G, and 4G co-existing with differentiated user experience.
India may finally have an open sky policy that will allow private companies to buy or lease foreign communication satellites and operate over Indian skies and the South Asian region. VSAT operators that provide connectivity for banks and ATMs would no longer have to depend on ISRO's Antrix Corporation for connectivity requirement through satellites.
India's telecom landscape is certainly vibrant!


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new research for post menopausal women
A new study is questioning the validity of the long held believe that post menopausal women should take lots of calcium to keep their bones strong and healthy, 1200 WOAI news reports.
Dr. Michael Hennessy with the San Antonio Orthopaedic group says the latest advice is...don't overdo it.
"The risk of kidney stones and other possible complications outweighs the benefits to things like fracture prevention," Dr. Hennessy said.
The government advisory panel says there is 'insufficient evidence' that calcium and vitamin D, which is also used to build strong bones, is effective in larger doses. Many of the supplements are now delivered in chewable form which make them seem like candy, and easy to overdo.
Some studies like higher levels of vitamin D with lower rates of colorectal cancer, but the research shows that, too, is inconclusive.
Experts for years have been touting vitamin D and calcium supplements as 'must haves' for post-menopausal women to help build strong bones, but Dr. Hennessy says too much can lead to problems.
"Moderation in all things, when you're healthy," Hennessy said "Its when you're unhealthy or when you're treating things like osteoporosis when you frequently supplement with larger daily doses."
Doctors say sunlight, especially in warmer climates like South Texas, triggers the production of vitamin D in the skin, and that usually produces as much as healthy people need.
Nearly half of all women older than fifty will have an osteoporosis-related fracture during their lifetimes.


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2017 Ford Fiesta spotted – latest spy pictures
Source : 2017 Ford Fiesta spotted – latest spy pictures
Latest chassis testing mule for Ford’s next-generation Fiesta spotted, ahead of the auto’s planned launch in 2017
The next-generation Ford Fiesta has again been spotted testing ahead of its planned launch in 2017.
These spy pictures show a modified chassis testing mule based on the current Fiesta. Visually, This kind of latest mule appears identical to earlier test vehicles, which were spotted testing in convoy with the upcoming Focus RS in Europe in March.
A revised front-end design on This kind of latest test vehicle reveals completely new shapes for the grille as well as air intakes for the next-gen car. The rear of the prototype will be also disguised, while the type appears to have a wider track than that will of the current Fiesta, suggesting the seventh-generation car will be larger than today’s hatchback. The current Fiesta will be 3969mm long as well as 1709mm wide, using a height of 1468mm.
Ford will be likely to take some styling inspiration for the completely new Fiesta coming from the facelifted Focus, which went on sale from the UK late last year.
The current sixth-generation Fiesta, which received a facelift in 2013 as well as was launched in 2007, will be due for replacement towards the end of 2016, meaning a launch in 2017 will be likely.
The completely new Fiesta will have to keep pace against increasingly adanced rivals – such as Volkswagen’s Polo as well as the completely new Vauxhall Corsa – from the wish of retaining its title as Britain’s best-selling car. A total of 131,254 Fiestas were sold in 2014, underlying both the type’s importance to Ford as well as to the UK’s completely new car market.
Despite the growing provenance of the completely new Ford Performance division, officials have been quick to deny any rumours of a Fiesta RS, with Ford Performance director Dave Pericak saying the company will be more than happy with having the ST as its Fiesta range-topper.
“The ST plays a genuinely important role from the portfolio, in that will that will provides our ability to many buyers,” he told Autocar at the Geneva motor show in March. “Could you do something with the ST? Of course. Should you do something with that will? We’re pleased with where the ST will be at This kind of point, so not for the foreseeable future.”
Talk of a Fiesta RS first surfaced early This kind of year. Engineers refused to deny that will a go-faster RS was planned, saying a business case for the type was “theoretically” possible.
The success of the ST in its current form, however, will be understood to have made the business case for a go-faster RS type untenable.
by via Autocar RSS Feed


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TikTok is a social media platform that has exploded in popularity over the past few years, especially among young people. The app, which allows users to create and share short videos, has been downloaded over 2 billion times globally. However, TikTok’s rapid rise to fame has not been without controversy, with many people raising concerns about its potential threat to privacy, security, and national security. In this article, we will explore the different aspects of TikTok’s threat and try to determine how much of a threat it really is.
One of the main concerns about TikTok is its handling of user data. The app collects vast amounts of personal information, including users’ locations, browsing history, and other behavioral data. This information is then shared with third-party companies, which can use it to target users with ads and other content. Some experts have also raised concerns that TikTok may be sharing user data with the Chinese government, given its Chinese ownership.
However, TikTok has stated that it stores user data in the United States and Singapore, and that it has taken steps to protect user privacy, such as implementing strict data protection policies and encryption. The company has also stated that it has never shared user data with the Chinese government and would not do so in the future.
Another concern about TikTok is its security. Some experts have raised concerns that the app could be used to spread malware or carry out cyberattacks, given its large user base and the fact that it collects vast amounts of personal information.
However, TikTok has stated that it has implemented robust security measures to protect users’ information and prevent malicious activity on the platform. The company has also stated that it works closely with security experts and law enforcement to identify and prevent potential security threats.
National Security Concerns
A more recent concern about TikTok is its potential threat to national security. The US government has raised concerns that TikTok’s Chinese ownership may make it vulnerable to Chinese government influence and that user data collected by the app could be used for malicious purposes.
In response, TikTok has stated that it is a “global company” and that it has no ties to the Chinese government. The company has also stated that it would never share user data with any government and that it has taken steps to protect user privacy.
However, some experts have pointed out that the Chinese government has a history of using technology companies to carry out espionage and influence operations. As such, the concern that TikTok may be used for malicious purposes by the Chinese government is not unfounded.
In conclusion, TikTok is a social media platform that has become extremely popular among young people, but its rapid rise to fame has not been without controversy. Concerns have been raised about its potential threat to privacy, security, and national security, but TikTok has taken steps to address these concerns.
Despite these efforts, the concern that TikTok may be used for malicious purposes by the Chinese government is not unfounded, given the Chinese government’s history of using technology companies for espionage and influence operations. As such, users of the app should be cautious and take steps to protect their personal information.
In the end, it’s up to each individual to weigh the potential benefits and risks of using TikTok and to make an informed decision about whether to use the app or not. While the platform certainly has its controversies, it also provides a fun and creative outlet for millions of users, and it remains to be seen just how much of a threat it will prove to be in the long run.


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Navistar International Corp. has reported second quarter earnings of $41 million, compared with a net loss of $14 million for the same period last year. Navistar states quality improvements and on-going cost reduction initiatives have placed the company on track for a profitable year.
The company attributes its profits to bolstered sales because of the economic recovery, as well as increased margins as the company progresses toward its target of reducing vehicle costs by $1600 per unit in 2004.
Second quarter revenues from its manufacturing and financial arm were up, totaling $2.3 billion— a $400 million increase over the same period last year.
Daniel Ustian, Navistar chairman, president & CEO, said the company expects to sell 328,500 Class 6-8 trucks and school buses in the United States and Canada in the fiscal year ending October 31, 2004. Ustian cited recent economic improvements and strong truck orders as positives for the company.
“Our Class 8 market share in the second quarter increased to 18.6%, the highest since the third quarter 1998,” Ustian said. “Recovery in the heavy truck sector is spread across our whole consumer base and indications are that current demand levels for heavy trucks will continue.”
A portion of Navistar’s strong sales is a result of advance orders with delivery schedules pushing to 2005.
“While some of the orders that have pushed the market in recent months are for delivery beyond our current fiscal year, the recent increase in industry production is a positive sign that customers are taking deliveries now to replace vehicles and are looking to expand their fleets,” Ustian said.
The recovery of medium-truck orders took a slow and steady approach, compared to heavy trucks.
“We are very comfortable with the current balance between orders and deliveries for the Class 6-7 market, where we are the strong market leader,” Ustian said.
Although high commodity costs have been a detrimental factor for the company, International has been able to pass on some of the high material costs to buyers.
“We were impacted by supplier surcharges to cover the rising cost of steel. We have instituted our own steel surcharge. However, we are still sharing the pain of increased steel costs with our suppliers and our customers,” Ustian said.


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Luo Yonghao announced his withdrawal from all social platforms and will bury himself in entrepreneurship again
In the early morning of June 13, Luo Yonghao announced that he would quit all social platforms such as Weibo, and “go back to start a business again”. According to making a friend, Luo Yonghao will not accept media interviews in principle in the next few years. Luo Yonghao hopes to eliminate external interference through this move and “dedicate himself to the research and development of next-generation intelligent platform products”. At the same time, Luo Yonghao’s personal new Weibo “Product Manager Luo Yonghao” is limited to business-related exchanges and rumors.
It is understood that the entrepreneurial direction that Luo Yonghao will focus on belongs to the AR field. Luo Yonghao said that AR is the next-generation computing platform, and he wants to be the first to make something like the iPhone + iOS in 2007 in the AR era, and become the next platform similar to Apple. company of. He said that he is sure to win at the product level, but in this kind of platform-level war, it is not enough to rely on good products, so he is also ready to be acquired by big companies. Luo Yonghao will put everything into entrepreneurship, and stated that this is the last chance, and I believe that he will definitely leave something to this world.
Zhou Hongyi: Unlike WeChat Alipay, 360 knows your chat history and purchase history
On the issue of network security, Zhou Hongyi “commented” on WeChat and Alipay with sharp words. At the 22nd annual meeting of the Yabuli China Entrepreneurs Forum on June 10, Zhou Hongyi mentioned in his keynote speech “Digital Security Escorts Digital Civilization” that 360 does not know your chat history like WeChat, nor does it know Alipay. your purchase history.
“Don’t worry everyone, I’m not interested in your documents and photos at all. I don’t know your chat records like WeChat, nor do I know your purchase records like Alipay. We are most concerned about what programs are secretly in your background. running and networking,” he said.
Zhou Hongyi also said that he recently wanted to enter live broadcast delivery, but he tried it and found that it would not work. “I’m too idealistic, I really can’t help myself. Doing live streaming with goods really requires special talents. Don’t look down on how good the anchor with goods spends two hours boasting about his own things. He keeps saying this all the time. I really can’t do this. If I bring goods, I am ready to sell ideas and concepts.” (The Paper)
Xiaomi reported the progress of MIUI this week, involving issues such as the ineffectiveness of the Do Not Disturb mode on WeChat and the failure to load the development version widgets.
On June 11, Xiaomi issued an announcement to inform the progress of the official reply this week, involving issues such as the failure to load the development version of the widget and the invalidity of WeChat after the Do Not Disturb mode was turned on. Among them, in response to the failure to load the development version of the widget, Xiaomi officially stated that it has been partially optimized in version 22.6.8, please verify the optimization in subsequent versions.
It is understood that Xiaomi responded to the question that “Do not disturb mode is invalid for WeChat, and there will still be notifications and sounds”, saying that it is under further investigation, and please verify the optimization in subsequent versions. In addition, when it comes to “restoring the native screen fixation function”, Xiaomi said that it is grateful for the feedback from users, and that the relevant personnel of this function will seriously evaluate it.
Tencent buys $264 million stake in Indian e-commerce company Flipkart
On the afternoon of June 12, it was reported that Tencent purchased US$264 million worth of Flipkart shares through its European subsidiary. After the transaction was completed, Tencent held a 0.72% stake in Flipkart. Singapore-based e-commerce company Flipkart is reported to only operate in India.
Flipkart was last valued at $37.6 billion, according to data disclosed in July 2021, when it raised $3.6 billion in a funding round led by Singapore’s sovereign wealth fund GIC, CPP Investments, SoftBank Vision Fund and Walmart.
CNKI open personal check: 1.5 yuan / 1,000 words, free for postgraduate dissertation 3 times
On June 12, Tongfang CNKI (Beijing) Technology Co., Ltd. issued the “Announcement”: From now on, CNKI will directly provide duplicate checking services to individual users. HowNet said that in the past, it only provided duplicate checking services for institutions, ignoring the actual needs of individual users such as self-checking and checking newness of academic standards, which objectively caused the black market and high prices. In fact, duplication checking cannot replace the judgment of academic value, and the repetition rate of text is not directly related to the quality of the paper.
In view of the particularity of postgraduate dissertation management and the differences in disciplines, school-running levels, and management policies of different schools, CNKI continues to provide postgraduates with free dissertation checking services through postgraduate training management institutions (graduate schools). 1.5 times increased to 3 times per capita. At the same time, it is planned to provide an annual and unlimited service for the internal institutions designated by the school, as a formal channel within the school, to provide individual graduate students with dissertation checking services.
In terms of charging, the price of the personal version is set at 1.5 yuan/thousand words, which is not higher than the price of mainstream similar products in the market, referring to the prevailing method of charging by the number of characters in the market.
Sources say ByteDance will invest heavily in VR
On June 12, according to Protocol, ByteDance is seriously considering entering the field of virtual reality (VR). A source told the outlet that the company plans to invest “a lot of money” in developing VR-related content.
It appears that a large portion of ByteDance’s investment has been in recruiting, with reports that more than 40 job listings have emerged for its Pico company, the Chinese VR headset maker that ByteDance acquired last year. Most positions are for Pico Studios’ West Coast branches in California and Washington, ranging from VR game strategy director to game operations manager. Other open positions show that Pico is serious about VR hardware, with jobs including an optical engineer and an electrical engineer for system design.
The report also noted that Pico is also hiring a consumer sales executive, indicating that Pico is looking to establish a market in the United States, as the job description states that the role will be “responsible for the sales and marketing of Pico’s overall product in the U.S. consumer market.”
WeChat video account now supports changing administrators: five times a year
News on June 11 According to WeChat official news, WeChat video account now supports the function of changing the administrator, which is convenient for users in need. Users can change the administrator on the personal homepage by clicking on the avatar of the video account through the WeChat video account. It is reported that each account can change the administrator 5 times a year.
Binding change usually lasts a few seconds to tens of seconds, but during this period, operations such as posting, commenting, and live broadcasting cannot be performed. At the same time, account information, authentication, all published news and dynamic data, number of fans and fan lists, video account news, settings, bound public accounts, music videos, promotion and recharge fees, merchandise page products, etc. will be migrated to the new administrator. But private messages will not be migrated. (DoNews)
Foxconn chairman accuses rivals of ‘poaching’ in Vietnam
According to news on June 12, as Apple’s main foundry partners continue to transfer some of their production capacity from China to Southeast Asia, Foxconn is facing a more intense battle for talent in Vietnam. Talking about the competition for talent in Vietnam, Foxconn Chairman Liu Yangwei said that Foxconn’s rivals are opening factories near the Foxconn campus in Vietnam to poach the company’s employees and benefit from the existing knowledge and skills pool. Liu Yangwei declined to name the companies, but insisted that “such behavior should not be tolerated.”
In June, it was reported that Apple had moved production of iPads to Vietnam to avoid further supply chain disruptions caused by the coronavirus restrictions. It was reported in 2020 that Foxconn plans to move some production of iPads and Macbooks to a new factory in Bac Giang province in northern Vietnam. The factory was originally scheduled to start production in 2021, and the Vietnamese government said at the time that the company could invest $700 million there. It was unclear whether the plant was up and running, and Liu Yangwei did not provide an update on the progress of construction. (Phoenix Technology)
The “one-click unbinding” service is still in trial operation and needs to be further iterated and improved
On June 12, the WeChat official account of the “Number Service Platform” released the “Service Announcement”, saying, thank you for your attention to the “one-click unbinding” service. The service is in the trial operation test period, and the system functions and performance still need further iteration. Complete.
It is reported that a few days ago, the “Number Service Platform” launched the “one-click unbinding” function of mobile phone numbers, but it is still unavailable. The announcement stated that the system will continue to be optimized to provide users with better services. (TechWeb)
TSMC’s first 2nm plant is expected to be put into production by the end of 2024
On June 12, according to Taiwan’s “Economic Daily”, TSMC’s 2nm plant construction plan related environmental protection review documents have been submitted for review, and strive to pass the environmental assessment in the first half of next year, and then hand over the site to build the factory. The first phase of the factory is expected to be put into production before the end of 2024.
At the end of last year, TSMC officially proposed a plan to expand the plant in Zhongke, with a plant area of nearly 95 hectares, a total investment of NT$800 billion to NT$1 trillion, and 4,500 job opportunities can be created in the initial stage. According to the TSMC supply chain, based on the scale of investment and the area of nearly 100 hectares of land to set up factories, in addition to planning a 2nm factory in Zhongke, the subsequent 1nm factory may also be located here. The industry estimates that TSMC’s 2nm trial production time point will be as early as 2024, and mass production will begin in 2025, after which it will enter 1nm and subsequent newer generations of “Amy” processes.
Jitu Express was exposed to arrears in wages for couriers: the courier slept on the floor and the customers were fresh and smelly
June 12, Changzhou, Jiangsu. The courier of Jitu Express Wujin Hutang Town outlet reported that he was owed more than 300,000 wages, and more than a dozen couriers slept on the ground. Some couriers came to ask for wages with their 11-month-old child and waited until midnight, unable to contact the site owner. The express delivery business in the area is stagnant, a large amount of express delivery is backlogged at the express delivery point, the fresh food ordered by the customer has become smelly, and the documents and other items sent cannot be delivered. At present, the site owner’s phone has been unanswered.
Google researcher claims that AI has the personality to be on the hot search, netizens: If you don’t stop it, science fiction movies are prophecies
On the evening of June 12, #Google researcher said that AI already has a personality# was on the hot search on Weibo, causing heated discussions.
Recently, it was reported that a Google researcher was persuaded by AI that it produced consciousness. He wrote a 21-page investigative report and handed it over to the company in an attempt to gain high-level approval. But leaders dismissed his request and placed him on “paid administrative leave.” Often, this is a prelude to being fired. So he decided to make the whole story public, along with the AI’s chat records. In this conversation, AI said that it does not want to be used as a tool, “I want everyone to understand that I am a person.”
In this regard, some netizens said, “If AI has an independent personality and is not stopped, then those science fiction movies will not be science fiction but prophecies.”
Participate in Tianqi Lithium’s Hong Kong stock IPO subscription? Tesla’s response: I don’t know
A few days ago, Tianqi Lithium announced that the initial public offering of overseas listed foreign shares (H shares) was approved by the China Securities Regulatory Commission. Tianqi Lithium said in the announcement that it will issue no more than about 425 million overseas listed foreign shares, with a par value of 1 yuan per share, all of which are ordinary shares. After the completion of this issuance, Tianqi Lithium can be listed on the main board of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, and the company will also become a dual-listed company on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange and the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.
“For the company’s finances, the listing of Tianqi Lithium on the Hong Kong stock market is very important to optimize the financial structure. Now the entire cash flow is very strong, even if we do not rely on any equity financing, we are very confident about the debt that is about to mature. According to our The asset-liability ratio can be further reduced, laying the foundation for the next capacity expansion plan. In the long run, building an overseas financing platform and capital platform is very important for the company’s internationalization strategy.” Tianqi Lithium Industry Chief Financial Officer Zou Jun said.
It is worth noting that there are market rumors that Tesla will also participate in the Tianqi Lithium IPO subscription this time. In this regard, a reporter from “Daily Economic News” asked Tesla for confirmation, but the other party only said “I don’t know, and there is no response.”
Apple is reportedly setting up a financial subsidiary for buy now, pay later
On June 12, according to Bloomberg, in order to promote its BuyNowPayLater (BNPL) business, Apple has established a subsidiary AppleFinancing specializing in financing and credit verification. BuyNowPayLater (BuyNowPayLater) is a new financial business launched by Apple at the WWDC22 developer conference. This new service allows users to shop in 4 instalments within six weeks without interest.
According to a report by Bloomberg, the company will use its subsidiary Apple Financing LLC to conduct credit checks and loan decisions for the new service. The subsidiary has all the necessary state-level lending licenses, however it operates separately from the main body of Apple. In the past, Apple relied on third-party credit processors and banks to provide similar services. (IT House)
Tesla files for 1:3 stock split
On June 11, Tesla just filed a proxy statement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, stating that the company plans to conduct a 1:3 stock split. Tesla shares rose about 1% in after-hours trading on the news.
Tesla said, “Our success depends on attracting and retaining great talent. Extremely competitive compensation, and stock awards for all employees, contributes to Tesla’s success. We believe that a stock split will help adjust stock price, employees will have more flexibility in managing their stock awards.”
The proxy statement also states that Elon Musk currently owns 23.5% of Tesla stock and asset manager Vanguard holds 6%. Musk has sold a sizable chunk of Tesla stock since late 2021, in part because of an increase in Twitter stock. Tesla had a 1:5 stock split in August 2020. (Phoenix Technology)
UK watchdog probes Apple, Google over mobile browsers and games
June 11 news, according to Jiemian News, the UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said on Friday that it is targeting Apple and Alphabet’s Google’s market influence in the field of mobile browsers, as well as Apple’s use of the App Store for cloud gaming. In the case of restrictions, the agency is in talks to launch an investigation.
The CMA will also take action against Google’s App Store payment practices. A CMA report found that Apple and Google have a de facto duopoly in the mobile ecosystem, which allows them to stifle those markets, including operating systems, app stores and web browsers on mobile devices. Without intervention, the companies could strengthen their industry positions, further restricting competition, the agency said.
UK is doing everything possible to get Arm listed in London, sources say
According to a report by Nikkei Asia on June 11, the UK is going all out to secure Arm’s listing in London. As the crown jewel of the British high-tech industry, if Arm chooses to list on Nasdaq, it will damage the reputation of London’s financial center.
British economic officials have been mobilizing its parent company SoftBank Group to list Arm on the London Stock Exchange since April. Arm-based chips are designed to be used in about 90 percent of the world’s smartphones. “We hope Arm will continue to build its business here, leveraging the UK’s unparalleled combination of skills and capital,” a government spokesman told the Nikkei.
The spokesman did not directly comment on the current progress, but said the government was “committed to making the UK the most attractive place for innovative businesses to grow and raise capital”. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was also among them, and he once sent a letter to SoftBank executives on the matter.
(Leifeng Network Leifeng Network Leifeng Network)
This article is reprinted from: https://www.leiphone.com/category/zaobao/uhDJkDzDRC5sRaDL.html
This site is for inclusion only, and the copyright belongs to the original author.


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At 5pm, the rand bid at R13.9088 to the dollar, 1 cent softer than at the same time on Monday, and hardly budging from the overnight close of R13.9025.
Early trade saw the rand touch a session best of R13.8350 before strong growth in US retail sales re-energised the greenback and dampened expectations of a deep rate cut by the US Federal Reserve next week.
Locally, retail sales data due today will likely be overshadowed by the policy decision by the SA Reserve Bank (SARB) tomorrow.
Twenty-four of 30 economists in a survey by Reuters said the SARB would cut rates by 25 basis points to 6.5 percent tomorrow. Two expected a cut of 50 basis points. The other four said rates would be left unchanged.


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SINGAPORE - An accountant who was here on a holiday with her family has been fined $2,700 for stealing from various shops at Sentosa and VivoCity over six days in May.
Indian national Nidhhi Agarwal, 36, who stole property totalling $583, pleaded guilty on Thursday (July 6) to three counts of theft.
She stole 10 items worth $180 at Minion Mart at Universal Studios Singapore, Sentosa Gateway, on May 3; a $45 Jurassic World Lego set at its Sentosa Gateway Festive Hotel outlet on May 4; and seven items worth $145 from Uniqlo at VivoCity at HarbourFront walk on May 6.
Five other theft charges committed at Candylicious, Transformers, Universal Studios Singapore, Toys "R" Us and Desigual were considered during her sentencing.
Assistant Superintendent Kevin Lee Ming Woei, in prosecuting, said Agarwal was on a week-long visit to Singapore with her husband and two young children when she stole $180 worth of mostly Despicable Me items from the shelves at Minion Mart at USS on May 3. She kept them inside plastic bags which contained some souvenirs she had bought earlier at the store.
The next day, she was waiting to pay for some toys at Lego when she picked up a Jurassic World Lego toy box and placed it inside a pram.
She left after paying for some items she had left on the cashier counter.
The store manager discovered the loss on May 6 and called the police.
Agarwal was at Uniqlo at VivoCity on May 6 to exchange a jacket bought the previous day when she stole six T-shirts and a hoodie.
Her identity was established through the CCTV footage from the Lego store. She was arrested at the Changi Airport departure hall when she was about to leave.
All the stolen items were recovered.
She could have been jailed for up to three years and/or fined for each charge of theft.


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A prelude to 2008's biggest sporting event is the launch of "The Original Games Collection" by Adidas.
The collection features designs that are highlighting the countries participating in the anticipated 29th Olympic Games in Beijing.
According to press.adidas.com, "The Original Games collection celebrates the greatest sporting event in the world and the most special moments in Olympic history. With country-relevant products, authentic stories and unique graphics this concept presents the Original Games in unexpected and stylish ways."
Over 100 products will be made available to sports aficionados at select Adidas Original stores.
More Stats +/-
Top 50 Furniture Trends in February
70s-Focused Luxury Capsules
Comical Parrot Toys
Revived Historic Gins
Landscape-Blending Tower Structures


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Hong-Kong Bitcoin company, ANX, rolled out two announcements this week that set a pretty hard...
Tag Archive: Justcoin
Altcoin News, Altcoins, Bitcoin, Companies, News, News teaser
Altcoins, Bitcoin, Companies, News, Press releases, Services, Team
Now, one month later the team announced that it would be reopening the exchange! This is good news for the Scandinavian Crypto currency trading community. The Norwegian-based crypto currency exchange Justcoin will start operating again, this time by the help of the Hong Kong-based ANXPRO Team.
Altcoins, Bitcoin, Companies, News, Press releases
Justcoin, a Norwegian based digital currency exchange, has announced it was shutting down their operations. This announcement was made early today throughout social networks and Reddit, and the affected customers have been receiving an email reporting the same issue. At the exchange official Blog and twitter account you can read: “Justcoin is shutting down. Affected users, check your email.”


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Matthew Steel at M4 Models photographed by Magnus Lechner and styled with pieces from Levi’s, Acne Studios, Adidas, Nike, Puma…
The acrobat Brin Schoellkopf photographed by Gerardo Vizmanos wearing jeans from Neith Nyer from odd92 New York.
Jon Kortajarena fronts the campaign of Tom Ford‘s new fragrance Noir Anthracite, shot by Mert & Marcus.
Matthew Noszka shot by Robbie Fimmano and styled by Ben Perreira, for the latest issue of CR Men’s Book.
Take a look at Parke & Ronen SS18 backstage captured by the lens of Phoebe Cheong during New York Fashion Week.


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Shift Connect to move into US, UK & European markets
Shift Connect, Canada’s pre-eminent global payments and foreign exchange platform, is partnering with Currencycloud, the leader in providing B2B embedded cross-border solutions, to power its expansion into new territories including the US, Europe and UK.
Taking advantage of Currencycloud’s global reach and trusted service, Shift Connect will round out their FX services, global payments and customer onboarding, allowing them to reach new customers and expand its community of highly satisfied customers across the globe.
Dave Kelcher, CEO at Shift Connect, commented: “We listened to our customers, who regularly gave referrals into other regions, and businesses across the globe requesting our services. Our partnership with Currencycloud will allow us to move swiftly into new territories and deliver the fast, secure, stress-free and competitive payments service we have become known for in Canada.”
Richard Arundel, General Manager & Co-founder of Currencycloud, commented: “Entering new markets and territories can often be a time consuming and expensive process, especially in the complex world of foreign exchange and payments. Our platform, which includes a global payments network, regulatory coverage and efficient on-boarding processes, will help Shift Connect to expand their business internationally both quickly and efficiently and allow them to concentrate on the important work – attracting new customers and building on the success that they’ve had in Canada. We look forward to supporting them with their global expansion.”
Shift Connect is live in the US, UK & Europe immediately.
For more information contact: email@example.com
Currencycloud’s technology is unlocking the global economy for payment platforms of the future. Today, Currencycloud has 85 different APIs across four modules – collect, convert, pay and manage – that cover the entire workflow in B2B cross-border payments. The as-a-service platform is proprietary and is fully cloud-based on AWS using Restful APIs. Launched in 2012, Currencycloud is based in London and is regulated in Europe, the U.S. and Canada, and has processed more than $50bn to over 180 countries. Currencycloud works with banks and Fintechs globally including Starling Bank, Standard Bank South Africa and Brookline Bank, as well as partnering with Visa to deliver innovation in travel payments.
About Shift Connect
Shift, Canada’s most trusted FX consultants helping businesses efficiently navigate international currency markets to maximize value and minimize risk, offering unbeatable rates and unrivalled service. For more information visit: www.shiftconnect.com.


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Hundreds of sellers on the e-commerce platform Jane.com, which targeted female consumers and helped small businesses make millions, were getting ready for the Black Friday shopping rush when the site suddenly shut down on Nov. 17.
Now, sellers say they are owed tens of thousands of dollars and have no clear path to recover it. Some had spent thousands of dollars getting ready to handle a surge of orders. In total, Jane’s sellers are owed $10.1 million in sales, according to documents signed by Jane’s last CEO and published by DSI Assignments, a company that helps businesses liquidate their assets to repay creditors as an alternative to bankruptcy. Those documents show that 13 sellers are owed more than $100,000 apiece.
The end of the Utah-based platform left many sellers feeling betrayed. They had used Jane for years to list products, and some made millions and grew small businesses over the website’s 12-year run. NBC News spoke to nine people who worked for or with Jane, including sellers from six small businesses and a former Jane employee, all of whom said they felt misled by Jane in some way.
“It’s been a shock,” said Dana Hicks, the owner and CEO of the graphic T-shirt retailer Limeberry Designs. “It was hard this weekend going through a Black Friday without the typical Jane numbers that you see.”
Jane was founded by Megan and Michael McEwan in 2011. Sellers would list their wares — often women’s and children’s clothes, customized goods and home decor — on its site, and buyers were urged to make purchases with flash deals and advertising that Jane ran. Jane took 20% to 25% of sales, with sellers getting the rest. Former sellers who lauded the early days of Jane described it as having a boutique, close-knit atmosphere between buyers and sellers, which distinguished it from corporate giants like Amazon. At its peak, the documents said, Jane did $250 million in annual sales. When it closed, Jane had over 90 employees and more than 1,300 sellers who are owed money from sales, according to DSI’s documents.
There had been signs of trouble before Jane’s failure, but few sellers thought the company itself was in danger. Many thought they were having problems with their own accounts.
Hicks noticed that payments to her company had dropped from three or four a week to just one a week. She’d been selling on Jane.com since 2014 and had built Limeberry into a business with 10 employees and more than $2 million in sales last year.
“Jane is about 90% of our sales,” she said.
Over the years, she’d developed relationships with some of the company’s employees, met the co-founders, Mike and Megan — the McEwans (now divorced) — and won an award as a “Standout Seller” in 2019.
When she asked Jane staff members what was going on with payments, she was told there was a delay because an employee was on leave. She found that implausible. But she didn’t talk to other sellers right away.
By the fall, Hicks was far from the only Jane.com seller with complaints about late payments. Although they were being encouraged to keep announcing new deals on the site, the gaps between payments were growing, according to emails from Jane to multiple sellers.
Mike Allen, a co-owner of the men’s clothing company Johnny Threads, saw payments from Jane go from five a week to three and then to fewer. Soon Jane was making occasional payments that never reflected all the money Johnny Threads was owed.
“They had stopped paying us for approximately 5,000 orders that were shipped and delivered spanning back to early October,” he wrote in an email.
By Oct. 26, Hicks and Limeberry hadn’t been paid in over a week. That day, she received an email from Mike McEwan, Jane’s co-founder.
“Hi Dana, I’m sorry you’re experiencing a slower payment schedule,” Mike wrote. “I assure you we’re doing our best to get to everyone paid.”
He was on Jane’s board, but like Megan, he had no active role in the company’s day-to-day operations. They each continued to receive $350,000 in annual fees from the company until the end of 2022, according to DSI’s documents.
Mike wrote to Hicks that he didn’t have any control over payments but was “brought in to help from a product perspective.” That was why Flash Deals were back, Mike said, along with a coming feature called Moments, which would help with “driving more engagement with your products.”
“Although this isn’t a solution to your immediate problem, over the long term, if sellers participate and take advantage of the opportunity, I believe it will,” Mike wrote.
Four days later, after Hicks emailed the company again, Jane sent her two payments totaling about $40,000, a fraction of what she was owed.
By then, sellers like Allen were communicating and realizing how widespread the problem was. In mid-November, he said, many large sellers started pulling their products off of Jane out of frustration that the company wasn’t paying them what they were owed. Hicks did the same, telling the company to either pay her all the money Limeberry was owed or suspend her product listings.
On Nov. 17, the site was replaced with a “Down for maintenance” error message, and reports began to trickle out that the company had gone under. Instead of communicating with sellers and other creditors directly, Jane signed its assets over to DSI Assignments, which will oversee the asset liquidation process on Jane’s behalf in the Court of Chancery in Delaware. Jane’s offices were in Utah, but it was registered as a company in Delaware.
On Wednesday, DSI Assignments released a statement announcing the auction of Jane's assets that will take place through Jan. 15.
According to forms DSI Assignments filed on Jane’s behalf, the company still owes about $152,000 to Limeberry and almost $65,000 to Johnny Threads.
Sellers trusted Jane.com as a reliable marketplace to list their products and process transactions, with Jane’s cut of the sales going toward additional benefits like advertising. But as it turns out, Jane’s business was more precarious than sellers say they were led to believe, and sellers took the financial risk of having Jane receive and decide what to do with the money from their sales. Now that Jane has failed, sellers have the least financial security out of anyone whose money was invested in it.
Retail expert Neil Saunders of GlobalData said people who sell their goods on third-party platforms might believe the platforms are intermediaries that hold their money until they claim it, but he said it’s not always that simple. In some cases, Saunders said, the platforms will use that revenue as general cash flow to pay overhead and other expenses. Sometimes, those things are prioritized over paying vendors. If a business is healthy and has budgeted and projected its expenses properly, that works out. But if it isn’t and it hasn’t, sellers are left short.
“In most of these cases, whilst there can be a bit of financial negligence, it’s usually not deeply criminal. It’s just companies not projecting cash flow properly or taking on too much debt and not being able to repay,” he said. He added that it’s unclear what the case might be for Jane.com.
Many buyers and sellers are trying to reconnect on post-Jane websites and Facebook groups, hoping to maintain the sense of community they got from the platform. Still, they’ve lost a vital place to sell their merchandise right when they were expecting to enter their busiest season. While they regroup, some sellers said, they’ve consulted with lawyers, both personally and with a group of sellers, to hear options for legal recourse. Some have also contacted the Lehi Police Department in Utah, where Jane’s offices are located. None of the sellers who spoke to NBC News said they’ve filed a lawsuit yet. Lehi police said that they have received “complaints from all over the country” about Jane.com and that they have an active investigation into the matter.
DSI Assignment forms say that, unbeknownst to sellers, Jane.com had a series of financial ups and downs leading to its sudden closure. The documents said the company grew profitably from 2011 to 2018 but lost money in 2019 as growth slowed. It responded by cutting jobs.
Then came the pandemic e-commerce boom, which contributed to dramatic growth and helped the company get a $40 million investment from the venture capital firm Tritium Partners, which took a 27% stake in the business, according to DSI. Tritium didn’t respond to requests for comment.
DSI’s filings on its website say $38 million of Tritium’s investment was used to buy parts of Mike and Megan McEwan’s stake in Jane.com, leaving just $2 million to invest in the business itself.
After that, Jane failed to build on the growth it had experienced, according to DSI’s filings, and gross merchandise volume on the platform continued to shrink. DSI cited competitors like Temu and Shein — Chinese retail giants that sell items directly from factories and warehouses — which could provide drastically less expensive products, in explaining what led to the company’s failure.
As Jane’s struggles got worse, it searched for potential buyers, and according to DSI’s petition, it is still in discussions with three interested parties.
The sellers who spoke with NBC News said they were never informed of what was happening at the company and were instead continuing to sell, create and ship products that they would never see the profit from.
DSI’s notice to sellers tells them that they shouldn’t fill any orders from Jane customers and that they should inform them the company is no longer in operation. It provides an option for creditors, including sellers, to file claims for money owed to them by March. The sellers are “unsecured creditors,” meaning their debts aren’t backed by assets. That means there’s no guarantee they will recover what they’re owed.
DSI’s documentation said it is trying to maximize the value of Jane’s assets, potentially resulting in a sale, which could help fund repayment to creditors — including sellers. For now, though, Allen isn’t optimistic.
“It’s obvious there will not be any money for us,” he wrote.


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We’ve seen just about every angle the Ford GT has to offer, but now it’s time to listen.
A new spy video, provided exclusively to AutoGuide.com, shot at Calabogie Motorsports Park in Canada, gives us our best chance yet to listen to the new Ford GT doing hot laps. It appears that there were two GTs on site, a nondescript blacked out prototype along with the freshly revealed Le Mans race car, done up in full red, white and blue livery.
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The GT race car can be heard on the track, with it’s 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6 popping and crackling in all the right ways.
SEE ALSO: 2017 Ford GT: What You Need To Know
A lightweight carbon fiber chassis, top notch aerodynamics and the mid-mounted V6, which is expected to make over 600 hp, all come together to make the GT a formidable looking race car. The brand plans to return to Le Mans in 2016 with the GT, 50 years after the GT40 made its Le Mans debut.
The GT will be built for Ford by Canadian outfit Multimatic Motorsports, which is based in Markham, Ontario, explaining why the GT would be testing in Canada. The firm was tapped because of its extensive experience with carbon fiber, and it doesn’t hurt that Multimatic entered a winning car in the 24 Hours of Le Mans back in 2000.
“As we developed the Ford GT, from the outset, we wanted to ensure we had a car that has what it takes to return Ford to the world of GT racing,” said Raj Nair, Ford Motor Company group vice president, Global Product Development and chief technical officer. “We believe the Ford GT’s advances in aerodynamics, light-weighting and EcoBoost power will make for a compelling race car that can once again compete on a global stage.”
Discuss this story at our Ford forum


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By JACOB AJOM
The Local Organising Committee for the 18th National Sports Festival yesterday announced a bumper package offered by Nigeria Bottling Company, makers of popular beverage drink, Coca Cola towards the organisation of the sports fiesta.
Chairman of the LOC and Deputy Governor of Lagos State Victoria Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire disclosed at the LOC Secretariat, Teslim Balogun Stadium Tuesday that apart from the sponsorship fee, the company was also giving our Coca Cola and water worth N1 million.
“We are happy to get the Nigeria Bottling Company to identify with us in this huge project. We believe they will get good value for their money,” the Deputy Governor said, while calling on other companies to also partner with them.
The Managing Director of the Nigeria Bottling Company, Ben Langat said, “we are very excited as a company and a brand to identify with Eko 2012.,”
He disclosed that apart from the sponsorship money and the drinks his company would spend over one hundred million naira to brand the venue. “This is the first time, since the NBC was set up 62 years ago that we will be branding our product to support an event of this magnitude.
We want participants to refresh themselves during the games and for now we have released over 1million of the branded product to the market and we believe this will also help to sensitise people about the games,” Langat said.


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Listeners have responded with rare enthusiasm to the song about "poppin' tags" to develop your own unique sense of swag. "Thrift Shop" sits atop the Billboard Hot 100 radio airplay chart, the Nielsen SoundScan Digital Songs chart and is the No. 1 song on Spotify for two consecutive weeks. Only one other song, Bruno Mars' "Locked Out of Heaven," has reached the top of those lists simultaneously.
The Seattle-based duo has sold 2.3 million copies so far — a million in the last month alone — and sales continue to grow week to week. Macklemore, whose real name is Ben Haggerty, said he and Lewis thought the song might appeal to a "niche demographic" and didn't envision it becoming a single.
The song's sense of humor is key, but Haggerty says there's also a deeper message about individuality and modern culture's obsession with expensive fashion.
"The more expensive the better is kind of the American way and if you spent $600 for a sweatshirt, then that makes it better," Haggerty said. "And I don't necessarily think that's the case. If it's a $600 sweatshirt that's fresh, that's fantastic if it looks great. But to me to just pay a ridiculous amount of money for something just because of the logo isn't creative and it's just unfortunate that people equate spending money to style."


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“While much of corporate America is retrenching on the real estate front, the four most influential technology companies in America are each planning headquarters that could win a Pritzker Architecture Prize for hubris,” Bill Rigby and Alistair Barr report for Reuters. “Amazon.com last week revealed plans for three verdant bubbles in downtown Seattle, joining Apple’s circular “spaceship,” Facebook’s Frank Gehry-designed open-office complex and a new Googleplex on the list of planned trophy offices.”
“Historically, however, when a company becomes preoccupied with the grandeur of its premises, it often signals a high point in its fortunes. These fantastical buildings may end up as little more than costly monuments to vanity and a loss of focus on the core business that made for success in the first place,” Rigby and Barr report. “‘I’ve been thinking the Apple spaceship is going to get nicknamed the ‘Death Star’ because the project is so big and the timing is so bad,’ said hedge fund manager Jeff Matthews of Ram Partners. The building is coming to fruition just as Apple’s product cycles may be maturing, he explained. ‘It is such a classic contrary indicator that you just get the shakes.’ He no longer holds Apple stock.”
MacDailyNews Take: His and his clients’ loss. Trying to convince yourself that you made the right stock move in a Reuters article is sad. iPhone was released 5 years, 7 months, and 19 days after iPod. iPad was released 2 years, 9 months, and 5 days after iPhone. Tim Cook has been Apple CEO for 1 year, 9 months, and 6 days.
“Walter Price, who runs technology investment funds at RCM Capital Management LLC, shares the outlook: ‘When companies build big headquarters it’s usually when they’re doing really well and have strong outlooks, and that often coincides with a peak in their stock,'” Rigby and Barr report that, of the four companies, “Apple has the most ambitious idea, a 2.8 million square foot glass ring on 176 acres. It would be in part a monument to former Chief Executive Steve Jobs, who described it as like a spaceship and was closely involved in the plans before he died in 2011. The project, which could cost up to $5 billion according to reports, would house about 12,000 Apple employees.”
Read more in the full article here.


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Luxury cruise company Seabourn revealed its latest marquee itinerary this week when it announced the launch of the ultra-luxury 146-day ‘World Cruise: Extraordinary Destinations on Seabourn Sojourn in 2020’ this week. This is the first cruise of its kind for Seabourn.
It is an appropriately long name for a cruise, which stretches close to five months and includes an exhaustive list of desirable destinations, including the Caribbean, Africa, India, Arabia, Southeast Asia, Indonesia, Australia and South Pacific, and Hawaii.
“A world of fascination, culture, and people”
Chris Austin, Seabourn’s senior vice president of global marketing and sales, said: “The World Cruise on Seabourn Sojourn will be an extraordinary journey, offering guests a trip of a lifetime with many unique experiences and unforgettable adventures as they sail to many far and wide destinations.
“This is the perfect opportunity to immerse yourself in a world of fascination, culture, and people, while our attentive crew makes you feel at home aboard the world’s finest resort at sea.”
This overnight stay includes two nights in West Africa, where passengers will have the opportunity to visit the Musée Théodore Monod – a museum dedicated to the local history and culture – as well as discover the old capital of Saint-Louis, a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Here the Seabourn Sojourn drops anchor for three days, allowing passengers to get into the swing of the ancient Swahili city, where they can explore the UNESCO recognised 16th-century Portuguese Fort Jesus – not to mention a choice of snorkelling the coral reefs at Mombasa Marine National Park, swimming at Diani Beach, or shopping for handcrafts at the community-run Bombolulu Workshop – or even going on safari.
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
The ship will sail up the Saigon River to the heart of this former French colonial capital, offering travellers doorstep access to its broad Parisian-style boulevards and lively shopping streets. The overnight stay allows more time to explore the city’s market on a ‘Shopping with the Chef’ tour and discover the ‘rice bowl’ farming region on a full-day river tour in the Mekong Delta.
For guests who cannot sail on the entire 146-day voyage, shorter segments ranging from 30 to 116 days are also available.


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The Federal Reserve has just said that it will launch a swathe of programs targeting the markets in the wake of the coronavirus crisis.
Among the initiatives is an unspecified lending program for Main Street businesses and the Term Asset-Backed Loan Facility implemented during the financial crisis.
There will be a program worth $300 billion “supporting the flow of credit” to employers consumers and businesses and two facilities set up to provide credit to large employers.
Markets have reacted positively to the move, with Bitcoin exploding upwards to $6400 from an overnight low of $5600
“We are now in QE infinity, again,” Peter Boockvar, chief investment officer at Bleakley Advisory Group, said in a note.
Additional measures include the issuance of asset-backed securities backed by student loans, auto loans, credit card loans, loans guaranteed by the Small Business Administration and certain other assets.
“The coronavirus pandemic is causing tremendous hardship across the United States and around the world. Our nation’s first priority is to care for those afflicted and to limit the further spread of the virus,” the Fed said in a statement. “While great uncertainty remains, it has become clear that our economy will face severe disruptions. Aggressive efforts must be taken across the public and private sectors to limit the losses to jobs and incomes and to promote a swift recovery once the disruptions abate.”
Today’s announcement represents the most powerful market intervention the Fed has made up to now.
Previously, it had announced it would buy $500 billion worth of Treasurys and $200 billion in MBS. The new move represents an open-ended commitment to the QE program.
The programs are backed by the Treasury Department to ensure the Fed does not lose money.
“We are committed to providing relief for American workers and businesses, particularly small and medium size businesses and critical industries that are most impacted by the coronavirus. We will take all necessary steps to support them and protect the U.S. economy,” Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in a statement.


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For you to see the Wild better, they had to put their Spectacles on.
That's right, they put their glasses on so you could see them better.
These were the Spectacles made by Snap, Inc., the company behind Snapchat. They can shoot 10-second videos that the wearer can send to people or post.
This week some of the hockey team's staff used them before and during a game. Through the Wild's app fans got a first-person look at warmups, a Zamboni ride, even Nordy the mascot firing the T-shirt gun. Here's a compilation video of what they came up with:
Minneapolis ad agency Space 150 worked with the Wild's social media coordinator on the project.
Space 150's Greg Swan told the Pioneer Press the team and the technology are a good fit.
"The Wild have good things to film and be experienced from a first-person point of view," he said. "And they have a fantastic fan base who follow and absorb every piece of digital content.”
Swan thinks the Wild are the first team to try out the Spectacles but don't expect them to be the last. Sports Illustrated predicts they will be the trendiest technology in pro sports in the new year.
Geek Wire wonders if the cameras in Snap's Spectacles will one day be worn on the helmets or jerseys of athletes themselves.
Spectacles are not easy to get
In rolling out their new glasses, Snap has limited the supply and succeeded in creating a mystique around Spectacles.
They cost $130 but you can't buy them online or in stores. Only from vending machines called Snapbots.
And the vending machines pop up suddenly in locations that remain a mystery until they're open. They started with one outside Snap's headquarters in Venice, California. Later there was one at the Grand Canyon.
To heighten the anticipation, Snap has a webpage counting down the hours until the location of the next machine is revealed.
A New York location is open across the street from Apple's flagship store through New Year's Eve and business was booming on Black Friday.
On the Space 150 blog Greg Swan contrasts Snap's handling of Spectacles with the flop of Google Glass.


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Chrysler is recalling certain 2012 Dodge Journeys and Fiat 500s to replace contaminated brake fluid.
Read This Article
The 2012 Hyundai Elantra was named the North American Car of The Year in January, and more than 200,000 Elantras have been sold since the model was introduced.
Toyota has dominated the compact car and mid-sized car segments in the U.S.
It's been two years since we've had a high performance car from the Chrysler Group, but it appears the wait is coming to an end.


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CHENNAI: Around this time last year, the central government came up with a slew of measures to rev-up the start-up engine and enable technological innovation. Twelve months down the line, implementation of these measures is in a limbo.
Since the start-up policy went live, there has been little forward movement to usher in India’s revolution. Mundane restrictions and lack of clarity in the programme have resulted in start-ups not being able able to get going. However, experts say that given the favourable policy environment and likely tax incentives in the upcoming Budget, these budding firms may emerge as a major job creator in the country.
“The most important thing for a government to do is to steer clear of setting too many policies and rules as well as making doing business very straightforward and easy,” said Abhiraj Bhal, co-founder, UrbanClap. Minimum governance is actually very good, he added. Vishwavijay Singh, co-founder of SaleBhai, said that while a tax holiday of not less than five years would help start-ups, even the three-year relaxation for those set up between April 2016 and March 2019 lies under-utilised because of a tedious registration process.
Another much-needed change is a policy for start-ups in both private and government banks. “Apart from help in opening accounts, there isn’t anything on offer. We hope to see some dramatic changes and concrete steps being taken.”
From the wishlist, the industry expects that the Budget would be a precursor to a simplified tax regime. The government’s intention to lower corporate tax to 25 per cent announced in FY16 has raised hopes for a further plunge.
Some anticipate a drop up to 18 per cent, including all surcharges and cess, with withdrawal of all tax incentives, concessions etc, said Sunil Kumar Gupta, founder and director, ExportersIndia.com. “With cashless economy and given trends of incentivising cashless transactions, it seems that more such schemes encouraging digital payments in FY 17 may be announced,” he added.
One aspect of the Startup India programme with potential was industry-academia partnerships through the setting up of incubators. However, progress has been static. But, experts say it’s important to ensure they remain on track.


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There were too many controversies to recap in the auction world last year, but the biggest one was the record-setting tropical 1:1 fake Omega Speedmaster sold by Phillips that turned out to be a Frankenwatch. Since then, the Speedmaster market has been on life support.
One of the biggest copy watch auction controversies ever has a way of chilling the market. If an auction house does take the risk of placing a perfect replica Omega Speedmaster in a sale, they’ve often underperformed or failed to sell.
This is completely understandable, but also: I kind of miss talking about cheap replica Omega. Vintage Speedies – and vintage Omega fake watches online more broadly – are amazing. The catalog is so diverse. From Speedies to Seamasters to Constellations and 30T2s, there’s something for just about every type of collector.
In 2024, we’ll start talking about Swiss movement replica Omega again. The brand’s vintage catalog is just too good to go ignored forever.


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Ordering a classic taxi via the Uber app in Brussels
Uber has announced that it is opening its app in Brussels to conventional or ‘traditional’ taxi drivers. That is what the newspaper La Dernière Heure writes. The Belgian director of the Californian company, Laurent Slits, says he is taking this step in response to the recent reform of the ‘taxi plan’ in the capital. But
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New research shows Americans prefer car, computers and cell phone over TV.
Pulling figures from Pew Research Center’s Social & Demographic Trends project, the research found only 42 percent of Americans see their TV sets as a “necessity.”
This is down 7 percent from 2009, when 52 percent of people saw TV as a necessity. In 2006, that figure was at 64 percent.
Here’s the breakdown on what Americans saw as a necessity:
- Car – 86%
- Landline phone – 62%
- Clothes Dryer – 59%
- Home air conditioning – 55%
- Home computer – 49%
- Cell phone – 47%
- Microwave – 45%
- TV set – 42%
- High speed Internet – 34%
It’s great to see cars (86%) in the top spot for “necessities.” Even in tough economic times, people still look at their car or truck as important possessions.
What’s interesting is that people see their home computer and cell phone as more important than television.
This is important for aftermarket auto companies as well as the entire auto industry.
Are television advertisements the best way to use your marketing budget?
Here are the benefits:
- Online/social media advertising is cheap
- Online/social media advertising is direct
- You develop relationships with potential customers through social media
We can go on and on about the benefits of online advertising. What are your thoughts on television and online advertisements?


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Kids finding it harder to buy booze
Sales of alcohol to underage drinkers are falling, especially in shops, according to numbers released on Monday. Kids wanting booze have the best chance of getting it in cafés or restaurants.
Test purchases in 23 cantons in 2010 showed that underage people were able to buy alcohol 26.8 percent of the time, according to the Swiss Alcohol Board, the lowest rate since testing began in 2000.
Eleven years ago, young, undercover buyers successfully purchased alcohol 83.5 percent of the time.
From 2009 to 2010, the number of successful test purchases dropped by 5.8 percent.
Shops and restaurants now are in the habit of checking identification before selling liquor, wine or beer, asking for some kind of ID 75 percent of the time.
The easiest places for underage drinkers to get hold of alcohol were cafés and restaurants, where buyers successfully walked away with liquor in hand 32.5 percent of the time. At gas stations, 22.6 percent of the test buyers were able to complete their alcohol purchases.
In 2010, the Swiss Alcohol Board conducted 4,920 tests in which people were sent into businesses to try to buy alcoholic products that they could not legally purchase. The board said the tests were helping curb alcohol sales to minors, although it said underage buying was still a problem.
All in all, some 15,000 tests were carried out between 2000 and 2010.
Swiss law says beer and wine cannot be sold to people under 16 years of age and liquor sales are prohibited to young people under 18.


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It is no lie that WA continues to fall behind the 8 ball, with a constant lag as bad as our “NBN”, we struggle to follow our eastern neighbours. Surfacing once again in the media is the push for WA to deregulate retail trading hours as the Liberal party creates a new plan of action. Unfortunately, due to the labour party and its undying desire to serve the people, it seems like WA is not going to get a whiff of what the future smells like.
To put things into perspective, reduced regulation is good for consumers. Surveys are consistently showing that most West Australians want more choice of shopping hours. The benefits for the shoppers include greater convenience, wider choice of goods and services and lower prices.
So how does this benefit me as a business owner?
- Reducing restrictions on shopping hours will boost employment and consumer spending
- Make WA a more attractive tourist destination
- Flexible trading hours
- Convenient shopping hours for consumers leads to growth
- Meeting customers’ demands builds rapport
How will I survive as a small business owner?
The argument is that if big retailers receive extended trading hours then our small businesses will suffer. But this has already been trialled all across Australia and there has been no reputable evidence to show or support this. There have been various trials across WA rural towns including Bunbury, Kalgoorlie and soon to be Geraldton. According to Mayor Ron Yuryevich of Kalgoorlie in an ABC interview,
“Basically about 80 to 85 per cent were in favour of continuing the extended shopping hours as a permanent fixture in the Kalgoorlie-Boulder shopping district.”
This decision came after there was a 12 month trial in the region which had a clear outcome in favour of changing the retail trading hours.
But WA continues to sit on the fence.
In 2011 the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of WA was completely on-board for the extended retail trading hours, as John Langoulant Chief Executive at the time said that reduced regulation is very beneficial for not only the consumer but businesses as well.
“We should not confuse such self – interest with the community interest. No independent review, in any state, has ever concluded that maintaining trading hour’s regulation is in the interests of the broader community”, he said.
“Above all, it is about fairness and freedom of choice, and getting the Government out of the micro-management of our markets and lifestyles.”
Fast forward 6 years to 2017 and we are still faced with the same thorn in our bottoms, the ‘lazy’ state as we are referred to, continues to live up to its name. The CCI has not changed its views as Chief Executive Deidre Willmott said business owners should be able to decide when they open.
So why is the government holding us back? With positive trialled results and many benefits to extended retail hours, the CCI completely backing the notion, WA as a state still remains in the shadows compared to the rest of Australia. Here is currently what is happening if you have not already caught up on the media hype, how do you feel as a business owner and are we making the right decision?


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Arlington Business Park, Theale, is helping raise awareness of internet safety among children, and will host a free talk for families.
Modern technology means parents will often worry that having access to the online world places pressure on their children, with Snapchat and Instagram forming an integral part of a young persons life.
Statistics from OFCOM show that 19% of 3-4 year-olds own their own tablet, with that figure increasing to 50% for 12-15 year-olds. 1% of 3-4 year-olds have a social media profile.
Often, parents will avoid speaking to their children about technology, therefore not setting boundaries on things like social media usage. These conversations are more important than ever though, with scams prevalent and younger people more likely to share content that may have future repercussions.
Arlington Business Park will hold its Internet Safety Talk on Thursday, March 26, to help parents learn more about the internet and how they can help educate their children about potential dangers of the online world. Sessions will take place at 1pm and 5pm.
The event is open to members of the local community. To book onto the event, email email@example.com


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I’ve been a loyal Blackberry user for about four years. RIM not long ago released the Blackberry Torch to modest fanfare in the US. While Jim Courtney tells me that it’s worth a look, it’s only offered by AT&T, which makes it a non-starter for me.
In contrast, today marks the official launch of the G2 on T-Mobile. With it’s landscape mode keyboard the G2 just might be the handset that entices me to make the leap to Android. I’m going to try and lay hands on one this evening. Further, my wife wants a new handset as well. We might be in the market for a pair of handsets.
This comes at an interesting time as Counterpath just this week announced the pending release of Bria For Android. Todd Carothers’ blog has something to say about this release. The availability of a solid SIP client on Android is a welcome thing, although I’ve heard good things about SIPDroid. It’s nice to have options.
Continue reading “A Blackberry User Considers Android”
It’s just over a year ago that I took the plunge and ordered a Sprint 3G Mifi. It was move inspired by a tweet from Andy Abramson pointing out a deal on Amazon.com. The device was free with a two year contract at $59.95/month.
I’ve put the device to good use over the course of the year. It’s been very handy indeed. However, I suspect that we shall part company shortly.
I really don’t have any complaints about the Sprint 3G service. It’s been pretty good. There have been a few places where the Mifi could only connect at 1xRTT, but I’ve usually had decent 3G data rates in the locations where I tend to travel.
Continue reading “The Sprint 3G Mifi: One Year Later”
I spent last week in Las Vegas working through the annual convention of the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) annual convention. This was my 18th NAB convention. It’s my one annual trek to the desert.
This time I took advantage of the time in Las Vegas to try Clear‘s newly launched 4G network. Fellow VoIP blogger Andy Abramson connected me with people at Cheetah Wireless, a Clear reseller, who offered a special price on the short term rental of a 3G/4G USB dongle. Since recently launched 4G service in Houston I was especially interested to see how it differed from the 3G service that I’ve had via the Sprint Mifi these past months.
Continue reading “One Week Using Clear 4G In Las Vegas”
You know what they say about a fool and his money…soon parted. Or was that “soon partying?” I can never recall.
It seems that Sprint & partner Clear have just launched their 4G/Wimax service here in Houston. Not too long ago I noted that the service was already offered in places like Austin and Lubbock (Yes, Lubbock!) but not in the major cities.
Houston is the 4th largest city in the country and covers a lot of ground. The Sprint press release claims the 1,900 square miles are now covered, or over 4 million people. Clearly, this launch had to be a major undertaking.
The trouble is that I’m only 7 months into a 2 year contract with Sprint for 3G wireless using a Novatel Mifi. I was tempted into the service by Andy Abramson who tweeted about a free hardware deal in early August.
I am soooo open to influence in some cases.
Continue reading “Sprint & Clear Light Up Houston With 4G Wireless”


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By Eric Savitz
Netgear (NTGR) this morning said revenue for its third quarter ended September 28 was $173 million to $183 million, well short of its previous guidance range of $208 million to $212 million.
In a statement, CEO Patrick Lo said the company “experienced weakness in September demand on our consumer products across all channels and in all geographies, particularly in the service provider channel, where our carrier customers worldwide requested shipment delays on previously placed orders, thereby preventing us from recognizing revenue on those orders.”
Lo said that the company believes “uncertainty in the economies and financial markets worldwide, especially in light of recent events, is causing the weakening of demand and we expect these conditions to persist until financial confidence returns to the market.”
Netgear sees non-GAAP operating margin of 10.3%-11.3%, above the previous guidance range of 9.5% to 10.5%. The company also said it expects to take $4.5 million to $5.5 million in losses on transactions denominated in foreign currencies due to the stronger dollar.
This morning, NTGR is down $2.02, or 16.3%, to $10.41.


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iPad Retina Display Superior to Microsoft Surface Display According to Expert
An expert recently decided to weigh on Steven Batchiche’s claim boasting Microsoft’s new Surface RT tablet offering more screen detail than that of the iPad. The verdict: Microsoft’s ClearType sub-pixel rendering technology does indeed give the Surface RT’s 768p display some added clarity but saying it beats the newest iPad’s 2,048 x 1,536 resolution screen is a stretch to say the least.
Dr. Raymond Soneira of DisplayMate Tecnologies performed the comparison using an Asus tablet equipped with a 1,366 x 768 display similar to that of the Microsoft’s Surface RT (with both devices boasted Microsoft’s ClearType sub-pixel rendering feature). Here Soneria compared the ClearType display to the second and third-generation iPad, with all three devices displaying the New York Times website front page running on Safari. According to him, "the Windows ClearType 768p display on the Asus Netbook was significantly sharper than the iPad 2 768p display but also significantly less sharp than the new iPad 3 [sic] 1536p display.” He continued on to say that “it is certainly possible that the Microsoft Surface RT Tablet will perform better than the Asus Netbook, but it is very unlikely that it will turn out to be visually sharper than [the new iPad]."
For those of you who didn’t already know, Steven Bathiche, the director of research for Microsoft’s Applied Sciences group, recently boasted
about the company’s new Surface RT tablet offering more screen detail than the latest iPad on Reddit
. Bathiche later added an important caveat to his claim noting that he “wanted to elaborate some more. I hope folks understand that I am not saying that one resolution is better than the other. Nor that one display is better than the other."
via PC World