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Intel settles AMD claims
Intel Corp. will pay $1.25 billion to make peace with Advanced Micro Devices Inc., as the companies whose microprocessors run nearly all personal computers finally found common ground in a bitter and colorful dispute that caused international antitrust trouble for Intel.
The settlement announced yesterday sent AMD stock soaring and ended a 4-year-old lawsuit in which AMD accused Intel of abusing its dominance of the chip market to keep a lid on AMD’s share. Intel has about 80 percent of the microprocessor market, and AMD has about 20 percent.
According to the lawsuit, Intel penalized computer makers for using AMD’s chips or offered them financial incentives - payments that a Toshiba Corp. manager likened to "cocaine."
Executives from Gateway complained that Intel’s threats of retaliation for working with AMD beat them "into guacamole."
Intel has defended its practices, saying it simply offered rebates to big customers, which allowed them to pass lower PC prices to consumers. A microprocessor can account for 15 to 20 percent of the cost of a computer, according to Martin Reynolds, a vice president with the Gartner Inc. research firm.
But despite Intel’s stance it did nothing wrong, the AMD lawsuit, which was scheduled to go to trial in Delaware in March, was one of Intel’s biggest headaches. Squashing the case removes the possibility Intel would be on the hook for even more if it lost at trial, Intel CEO Paul Otellini said.
"While it pains me to write a check at any time, in this case I think it was a practical settlement," Otellini said on a call with analysts. Intel shares fell 16 cents, 0.8 percent, to close Thursday at $19.68.
The settlement will help AMD whittle its $3.7 billion in debt. Its shares jumped $1.16, or 22 percent, to close at $6.48. But even before yesterday, AMD’s complaints had their desired effect: Antitrust regulators in several countries have filed cases against Intel based on AMD’s accusations - cases that won’t disappear because of the settlement.
The U.S. Federal Trade Commission is investigating Intel, and regulators in Europe have fined Intel a record $1.45 billion. Intel has paid the fine but is appealing it. EU spokesman Jonathan Todd said Thursday that the European Commission "takes note" of Intel’s settlement with AMD but that it does not change Intel’s duty to comply with European antitrust law.
Regulators in Korea have fined Intel $18.6 million - Intel is appealing that as well - and last week New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo filed a federal lawsuit accusing Intel of using "illegal threats and collusion" to dominate the chip market "with an iron fist." In 2005, Japan’s Fair Trade Commission found that Intel violated antitrust rules there. Intel accepted that ruling without admitting wrongdoing.
Intel can easily absorb the latest penalty.
The company made enough money in just the first nine months of this year to pay the European fine and the AMD settlement and still have nearly $1 billion left over. Since AMD sued Intel in 2005, Intel’s profit has totaled $28 billion.
In that same time, AMD has lost more than $7 billion.
Some of AMD’s problems have been of its own doing, such as its $5.6 billion acquisition of ATI Technologies in 2006. That made AMD a player in the market for graphics chips, but saddled AMD with loads of debt. AMD also lost billions trying to keep up with Intel in the companies’ equivalent of the arms race - the effort to constantly build chips with the most advanced manufacturing techniques.
But AMD has long blamed many of its problems on Intel’s behavior.
It’s not clear how much Intel’s tactics will change under Thursday’s pact. Intel agreed to "abide by a set of business practice provisions," and AMD said the changes resolve its concerns "to a great extent." But Intel says that as part of the deal it will refrain from giving financial incentives to companies that limit their use of AMD chips - which the company had always said it wasn’t doing anyway.
The settlement has precedent. In 1995 the companies, which are headquartered mere miles from each other, reached an accord that gave AMD the right to keep producing chips based on a design known as the "x86 architecture," which both companies still use today.
In fact, that 1995 deal was important in the new settlement. As part of its restructuring, AMD has spun off its factories into a separate company, to cut costs. Intel said the move violated the x86 licensing agreement, while AMD held that the spinoff didn’t need a new license to make chips that incorporated Intel’s technology.
Under the terms of the new agreement, AMD and Intel entered into a new, five-year cross-licensing deal. Intel dropped claims that AMD breached the earlier agreement. And AMD is dropping all litigation against Intel.
"It is a pivot from war to peace," said Tom McCoy, AMD’s top lawyer.
Intel said that with the $1.25 billion settlement, its spending in the current quarter will now be $4.2 billion rather than the $2.9 billion it had previously forecast. But it also expects its tax rate to be 20 percent rather than 26 percent because it says legal settlements are tax deductible.
AP Technology Writers Joelle Tessler in Washington and Peter Svensson in New York and AP Business Writer Aoife White in Brussels contributed to this report.


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Qualcomm will kick off its multi-day Snapdragon summit event later today. The annual event that takes place in Hawaii took a digital route last year due to the pandemic, but is resuming its personal form this year.
This year, the 2021 Snapdragon Summit is expected to be full of new announcements, including the latest flagship processors from the US-based chipmaker. Here’s everything you need to know before the event.
When does the Qualcomm Snapdragon Summit 2021 event start?
The 2021 Qualcomm Snapdragon Summit kicks off at 6pm EST (4:30am IST) and runs through December 2.
How to livestream the Qualcomm Snapdragon Summit 2021 event?
The 2021 Qualcomm Snapdragon Summit can be streamed via the company’s YouTube channel. We’ll also be adding a quick link to the stream soon that you can watch when the event starts.
Qualcomm Snapdragon Summit 2021: What to Expect?
The pinnacle of the summit is expected to be the announcement of Qualcomm’s new flagship 800 series chipsets. However, according to leaks, Qualcomm is also expected to announce a new naming scheme for its future chipsets. As a result, we may even see new names for the latest chips, the highly anticipated Snapdragon 898 and Snapdragon 895.
The new 898 chipset is expected to have an excellent AMR Cortex-X2 CPU core clocked at 3.0GHz, accompanied by three Cortex-A710 mid-cores clocked at 2.5GHz. This chip is also expected to include the X65 5G modem, as well as an Adreno 730 GPU, which could offer 20 percent better performance than the Adreno 660.
Qualcomm is also expected to reveal more about the company’s “leading technology innovations in camera, AI, sound, gaming and connectivity”. The first phones with the new chip are expected to hit the market in H! 2021, with rumors that the Xiaomi 12 series could be the first phones to use the new SoC.

domain: news


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We generate cash, not glamour, says panel at CIL conference
The results of the 2017 Confidence, Innovation and Leadership report found 76% of the wholesale market is very confident for the future.
Key takeaways from the CIL report included:
“40% of respondents said that its revenue was generated in the Europe region.”
“76% of respondents are confident or very confident in the future of the wholesale market.”
“37% of respondents believe their organisation innovates more than the rest of the industry."
“56% of respondents describe their leadership style as entrepreneur/creative visionary.”
During the CIL panel that took place at Capacity Europe, the general feeling from the panellists was that bullish trumps bearish when it comes to this industry.
Sitting on the discussion panel was Tim Passingham, vice president of wholesale at Colt Technology Services; Brent Duncan, senior vice president of sales and marketing, global IP network at NTT Communications; Eduardo Guardincerri, chief marketing officer of international wholesale services at Telefonica; Tom Homer, managing director for EMEA at Telstra Global Enterprise & Services; and Adrian Shatku, CEO of UNIFI Communications, all moderated by our very own Alan Burkitt-Gray.
When questioned on the results that found that IoT and Machine to machine were the areas that respondents thought the held the most growth and opportunities, Brent Duncan said that IoT/Machine to machine "is not there yet, at least not as a revenue generator".
The question of company culture also came up, with all five speakers commenting that recruiting talent is a problem for them. As Guardincerri put it "we generate cash, we don't generate glamour". Simply put these telcos are competing with the likes of Facebook, Amazon and Apple in terms of appeal but all hope is not lost as Homer said we can reverse engineer their culture into their own companies to drive up the appeal.
As for the future, all five mentioned some of the questions they’d like included in the next report.
Duncan said: “the biggest opportunity is the people responding to this from the front lines with buyers, there’s room to get some real insight into what customers are asking for, it would be interesting to pull this group of respondents and ask them what’s important to them.” Shatku had one topic of choice “blockchain”, Guardincerri said: “one question that wasn’t asked was how can we improve our ecosystem”, Homer’s question for next year was on customer service “I’d like to know if there are any consistencies among our various customers and what they’re all asking for” even the suggestion of an industry benchmark was made. Lastly Passingham asked: “what value do customers place on the services we provide.”
To view the full CIL report 2017 >>>> please click here


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Building on the success of January’s campaign, the new work retains the overarching satirical premise that the Saturday Guardian and The Observer produce such exciting, varied and rich editorial content that the newspapers effectively ‘own the weekend’.
The two humorous 30-second films, ‘MegaGlove’ and ‘Paella’, will promote separate weekend supplements - the Guardian’s existing ‘Cook’ supplement and the brand new ‘Observer Tech Monthly’, which launches on Sunday 15 September and brings together news and developments from the world of science and technology.
David Kolbusz, Deputy Executive Creative Director at BBH London, commented: “If our initial campaign was designed to inform the public that the Guardian and the Observer own their weekend, this follow up dramatises the repercussions of resistance. When you try to own your own weekend, things can turn out very badly. Frankly, I feel sorry for anyone who doesn't buy their papers."
In January the Guardian launched a new, tongue-in-cheek campaign to champion its weekend newspapers. It marked a bold new direction for the Guardian’s January marketing approach which had, in previous years, focused primarily on promotional giveaways


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Interested in learning what's next for the gaming industry? Join gaming executives to discuss emerging parts of the industry this October at GamesBeat Summit Next. Register today.
Google released its Android Security 2017 Year in Review report today, the fourth installment of the company’s attempt to educate the public about Android’s various layers of security and its failings. One of the most interesting learnings to come out of the report is that 60.3 percent of Potentially Harmful Apps (PHAs) were detected via machine learning.
The detection is done by a service called Google Play Protect, which is enabled on over 2 billion devices (running Android 4.3 and up) to constantly scan Android apps for malicious activity. Play Protect uses a variety of tactics to keep users and their data safe, but machine learning is particularly effective in helping catch PHAs.
Automatic and manual scanning
When Google shared earlier this year that more than 700,000 apps were removed from Google Play in 2017 for violating the app store’s policies (a 70 percent year-over-year increase), the company credited its implementation of machine learning models and techniques to detect abusive app content and behaviors such as impersonation, inappropriate content, or malware.
But the company did not share any details. Now we’re learning that 6 out of every 10 detections were thanks to machine learning. Oh, and the team says “we expect this to increase in the future.”
Every day, Play Protect automatically reviews more than 50 billion apps — these automatic reviews led to the removal of nearly 39 million PHAs last year, Google shared. Play Protect automatically checks Android devices for PHAs at least once every day, but users can conduct a review manually if they want:
Until only recently, Play Protect required devices to be online. When Google found that nearly 35 percent of new PHA installations were occurring while a device was offline or had lost network connectivity, it moved to develop a new feature to address the problem. In October 2017, Play Protect got an offline scanning feature, which has since prevented 10 million more PHA installs.
Google Play versus third-party app stores
Android devices ship with the Google Play store, which in most countries is where users get their apps. In some countries, however, third-party Android app stores are the only option or a popular alternative, or users share apps directly between themselves. Google revealed in its report that Android devices that only download apps from Google Play are 9 times less likely to get a PHA than devices that download apps from other sources, as you can see below.
In 2017, 0.56 percent of all Android devices scanned by Play Protect had installed a PHA, compared to 0.77 percent in 2016. Furthermore, the annual probability that a user downloaded a PHA from Google Play was 0.02 percent in 2017, down from 0.04 percent in 2017.
But the real progress was made with Google’s desire to protect Android users regardless of where they got their apps. Play Protect can remove any PHA from the Google Play store, but of course it can’t do the same for third-party app stores. Play Protect can only warn an Android user that an app is a PHA, although in the case of ransomware or banking phishing apps, it can also block the installation. Google thus tracks installation attempts for apps installed from outside of Google Play to see if Play Protect is having an impact.
Play Protect prevented 74 percent of PHA installation attempts with warnings and protections in 2017, compared to 55 percent in 2016. Google did not break out the remaining 26 percent between PHAs that were installed before Google identified them as threats and users who decided to ignore Play Protect’s warnings to install the PHA. Still, 1.22 percent of all app install attempts from outside of Google Play ended with a PHA installation in 2017, compared to 3.32 percent in 2016.
Given that Play Protect doesn’t just secure Google Play, it seems like a more apt name would be Android Protect. The report also talked about rewards given out by Android’s bug bounty programs, though the high-level results were already shared earlier this year.
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Following the launch of Windows 10, Microsoft has officially made available the 'Universal' Office applications designed to run on Windows 10, and touted by the firm as ideal for Windows 10 tablets and small screen devices.
Available now from the new Windows Store on Windows 10 devices, the Office Mobile versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote are built from the ground up for touch, offer the familiar experience that Office customers expect, and deliver the capabilities people need for on-the-go productivity, Microsoft said.
The Universal Windows Platform (UWP) introduced with Windows 10 enables developers to build a single app that should run across all versions of Windows 10, according to Microsoft.
"Windows 10 makes it easier to develop apps for the UWP with just one API set, one app package, and one store to reach all Windows 10 devices - PC, tablet, phone and more," the firm states on the Windows Developer Centre.
As with Microsoft's Office apps for Apple iOS devices and the Android platform, the Office Mobile apps for Windows 10 are available as a free download, but with only basic functionality unless used in combination with a paid-for Office 365 subscription to get document creating and editing capabilities.
However, the apps provide an easy way to view Office documents on a device of the user's choosing.
"Across each of the apps, customers will appreciate full fidelity viewing of their Office documents, knowing that edits and changes made on any device will render perfectly across all their devices," said Kirk Koenigsbauer, corporate vice president for the Office Client Applications and Services team, announcing availability of the apps on the Office 365 blog.
The Office Mobile apps are fully cloud connected, integrating with Microsoft's OneDrive service, making it easier for users to access documents from anywhere, pick up where they left off, and co-author with others on documents and projects.
Microsoft said that the Office Mobile apps' availability is just the first of three important Office releases this year.
"In September, we'll release Office 2016 for Windows desktops and later in the fall we'll release Office Mobile for Windows Phones," Koenigsbauer said.
Office 2016 is the next version of Microsoft's full-blown Office suite, which will run on Windows 7 or later. Office Mobile for Windows Phones will be available with the Windows 10 Mobile version of the operating system.
Users are told that their non-existent 'iPhoneID' is expiring soon
Expansion of SDK intended to expand Amazon Alexa ecosystem
Locky returns from a prolonged rest with two new variants
AMD lambasted over Radeon RX Vega pricing that will add an extra £100 to RX Vega 56 and 64 graphics cards
Company accused of failing to tell anyone that the launch prices were only introductory offers


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Millennials are spending a stunning amount of money on rent, leading one New York-based startup to create a new niche: affordable housing that’s loaded with tech.
Roomrs founder and CEO Or Goldschmidt is hoping his new ‘community’ will take the stress out of finding housing, finding roommates, paying for furniture and living somewhere that’s cool and eclectic without getting buried in debt. For the millennial generation, which will spend a median of $93,000 on rent between from the age of 22 to 30, according to a new study, the price of housing is a heavy burden. Rent sucked up about 45 percent of this generation’s income during their first decade in the workforce.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, almost 37 percent of people in the U.S. are currently renting—that’s the highest rate since the 1960s.
That’s where Roomrs comes into play. The start-up initially rented a single apartment in West Harlem in 2017 but it’s since grown to 300 rooms for rent in Manhattan and Brooklyn, spread over 100-plus building units, approximately 97 percent of which are occupied.
The key to Roomrs’ success is pricing rent per bedroom, rather than per apartment. Also, unlike the majority of apartments in New York City, Roomrs only requires that tenants stay for a minimum of three months.
Monthly rent averages $1,500, which includes utilities, housekeeping, and a few others things that top the Millennial housing wish-list, including Wi-Fi and smart technology features.
For New York City, $1,500 rent is a bargain compared to the current average monthly rents that top $3,500. Related: Millennials Are Leaving Prestigious Banking Jobs To Trade Crypto
Roomrs is hoping to capitalize on tech savvy millennials, with each apartment equipped with smart tech locks, outlets, shade—all controlled by Amazon Echo.
They also feature smart mattresses that track the sleeping habits of every tenant, complete with personal sleep reports detailing heart rates and sleep patterns.
"Our focus is to provide a lot of technology so our tenants will be able to enjoy a better lifestyle and will have access to amenities that they won't necessarily have the option to have access [to] at the age that they are right now," Goldschmidt told Business Insider.
And it’s more than a passing fad—it’s an ongoing trend that looks set to become much more widespread.
According to the recent analysis from HotPads, a Zillow Group site, today's youngest adults will spend more on rent in their lifetime than their predecessors. Members of Gen Z will spend an average of $226,000 on rent before ever owning a home.
That tops older generations, with millennials set to end up spending $202,000 on rent, while Baby Boomers spent an average of $148,900 on rent before becoming homeowners (after adjusting for inflation).
The top four cities where Gen Z renters are projected to spend the most money on rent are all in California.
Millennials and G-Zers also beat out previous generations in terms of how long they rented before buying. millennials will rent for 12 years to reach that point, and Generation Z will rent for 11 years.
By Michael Scott for Safehaven.com
More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:


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British Columbia, Ontario and Quebec announced more details early this week about their approach to lifting public health restrictions, including the removal of capacity limits and vaccine passport requirements. Here’s what food businesses need to know, and what your business can do to prepare for the lifting of restrictions.
B.C. will be lifting most COVID-19 restrictions starting Wednesday, February 16 at 11:59 pm. The following eased restrictions apply, as long as masking and vaccine passport requirements are followed:
- Restaurants, bars and nightclubs can operate at full capacity with no table size limits
- Dancing is permitted
- Indoor and outdoor organized and personal gatherings, as well as indoor seated events, can operate at full capacity
- Fitness centres can operate with no capacity limits
Provincial health measures for mandatory masking, the B.C. vaccine passport and rules around long-term care visitors, schools, child-care facilities, faith communities, youth overnight camps and industrial camps will also be reviewed in the next two months.
The province will ease some public health measures starting Thursday, February 17:
- No more capacity limits for indoor public spaces where proof of vaccination is required such as restaurants, bars, cinemas, casinos, bingo halls, non-spectator areas of sports and recreational fitness facilities, meeting and event spaces, conference centres and convention centres
- Grocery stores, malls, retail stores and pharmacies can operate at the number of people who can maintain two metres of physical distance
- Sports arenas, theatres and concert venues can operate at 50 percent of the usual seating capacity
- Higher-risk settings where proof of vaccination is required such as nightclubs and restaurants where there is dancing can operate at 25 percent capacity
- Organized public events can operate for up to 50 people indoors, with no capacity limits outdoors
- Social gatherings can occur with up to 50 people indoors, and 100 people outdoors
- Indoor weddings and funerals can operate at the number of people who can maintain two metres of physical distance; if the venue requires proof of vaccination or if the ceremony is taking place outdoors, capacity limits are removed
If health system indicators continue to improve, more restrictions will be lifted starting March 1:
- Proof of vaccination requirements will be lifted for all settings, with businesses permitted to choose to continue to require proof of vaccination
- Capacity limits will be lifted for all remaining indoor public spaces
- Mask requirements will remain in place
The province has announced a phased approach to removing proof of vaccination requirements:
- Wednesday, February 16: vaccine passport is no longer required to enter liquor stores, cannabis stores and larger retail outlets
- Monday, February 21: vaccine passport is no longer required to enter places of worship or attend funerals
- Monday, March 14: vaccine passport lifted for all settings, including restaurants, gyms and long-term care homes
How to prepare your food business for demand
With the lifting of capacity limits and vaccine passport requirements, food businesses should prepare for an increase in demand and customers. While public health measures are continuing to ease across the country, it’s integral that businesses still follow best practices for helping limit the spread of COVID-19.
Use the Canadian Institute of Food Safety’s (CIFS) COVID-19 Information Resources, available to CIFS Members, for reopening guides and cleaning checklists to help your business ramp up operations while prioritizing public health and food safety.
Increased demand could also mean the need for hiring more staff. Set new team members up for success with these five strategies for hiring and retaining food business staff, and ensure that everyone who handles food in your business has the proper food safety training. CIFS’ nationally recognized Food Handler Certification Course provides the comprehensive training every Food Handler needs to safely handle food and help minimize health and safety risks. Contact us to learn more!


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HTC considering sale option: report
26 August 2017
Troubled phone maker HTC, which ranked among the world's top smartphone makers at one time, is considering options ranging from separating its virtual-reality business to a full sale of the company, according to people familiar with the matter, Bloomberg reported.
The Taiwanese company is working with an adviser as it looks for a strategic investor, selling its Vive virtual reality headset business or spinning off the unit, according to the people. HTC has been discussing with companies including Alphabet Inc's Google, said the people who asked not to be identified because the information is private.
According to one of the people, a full sale of HTC, which has businesses ranging from VR to handset manufacturing, is less likely as it is not an obvious fit for a single acquirer, according to one of the people.
Shares of HTC were up 4.7 per cent in Taipei yesterday to the highest close in over two weeks, giving the company a $1.9 billion market value. The company has shed about 75 per cent of its value over the past five years as its smartphone market fell below 2 per cent.


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Faurecia SA set to purchase $710mn majority stake in Hitachi’s division
The France-based automobile company, Faurecia SA, is set to purchase a majority stake in Hitachi’s division Clarion for approximately $710mn, according to Nikkei.
The report stated that Hitachi has agreed to sell most of its stake to Faurecia in a deal that will make the company a majority owner.
Japanese giants, Hitachi, confirmed it was considering a number of options but has yet to make a firm decision, Reuters reports.
- HP launches $84mn Singapore lab to prioritise digital manufacturing technology
- Bright Machines raises $179mn in venture capital
- Ford set to test self-driving vehicles in Washington in 2019
- Read the latest issue of Manufacturing Global here!
With a number of automotive manufacturers adopting new technologies such as self-driving vehicles, autonomous driving and connected cars, it has meant that companies are having to react to change in order to keep up with the latest digital trends.
With an increasing number of drivers utilising their smartphones, it has seen Clarion expand into new areas such as autonomous parking.
Clarion revealed on Thursday (25 October) that the company’s operating profit has seen a decline of 56% from the previous year.
The news comes after it was revealed earlier in the month that Hitachi was deliberating selling its stake in a fleet of high-speed trains in the UK for around $775mn.


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China’s shift away from residential towards commercial solar thermal applications continues: The collector area of newly installed solar water heaters in single-family buildings declined by 26 % in 2016, whereas the ‘engineering segment’ remained stable last year (see the table below). This segment is comprised of all non-domestic hot water applications, such as space heating and cooling as well as applications in industry and agriculture. Overall, its share in the newly installed collector area went from 61 to 68 %. All figures were taken from the Report on the State of China 's Solar Thermal Industry (July to December 2016), a document drafted by Dezhou-based consultancy Sun’s Visions on behalf of CSTIF, the Chinese Solar Thermal Industry Federation. CSTIF has presented this report – which also includes several development strategies – to the National Energy Board.
Last year, Chinese vacuum tube manufacturer Huang Ming internationally known as Himin Solar installed its largest system for solar process heat to date. The company said that it had set up a 9,903 m² installation in Shandong province in October 2015, a system which had since produced heat for a textile factory owned by the Ruyi Group. The RMB 12.46 million (EUR 1.66 million) project had been entirely financed by the customer, which had not received any public subsidies. Ruyi had had the plant built because of a lack of electricity. “The local government had restricted electricity supply to Ruyi, which meant that the business could no longer fulfil its annual output targets,” stated a press release by Himin.
The make-up of China’s solar thermal market is changing: The segment that used to guarantee the industry’s profits, the retail business of small thermosiphon systems for private households, has been declining in recent years. Other solar thermal segments, however, have been taking off in the meantime – for example, the market for more sophisticated solar thermal installations that are integrated into blocks of flats, hospitals, schools or universities. There is also growing interest in medium- and high-temperature solar thermal systems for industrial process heat. According to the annual surveys and market reports by Sun’s Vision, a consultancy located in Shandong province, the so-called solar thermal engineering market, which includes building integration and industrial process heat systems, increased by 50% in 2012 and 2013, after having grown by 35 % in 2011. The pie chart shows the individual categories of the building integration segment in 2013, which was the main driver of the national market.
Large Japanese and Chinese companies have recently taken a greater interest in solar cooling. The photo shows an installation by Chinese company Jiangsu Huineng New Energy Technology (Huin), which started supplying solar cooling systems this year. New system kits help drive down costs, although investments in sorption chillers are still higher than for compression chillers. After the Intersolar Europe conference in Munich, Germany, and its dedicated solar cooling session, Uli Jakob, Vice President of the German sorption chiller association Green Chiller, noted: “Solar cooling was one of the highlights of the conference.”


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BlockBuster said Tuesday that it will add games to its Blockbuster by Mail rental service, giving rival GameFly a run for its money.
BlockBuster sad that it will consider games for the Sony PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2, Nintendo Wii, and Xbox and Xbox 360 as just another disc, allowing users to rent as may games - or movies - as their plan allows, even mixing and matching them.
Blockbuster said it has 3,000 game titles available to its customers, along with 95,000 movies and TV shows. Plans start at $8.99 per month, based on the number of discs a customer can have out at any one time. The basic plan allows one disc to be out a time per month; upgrading the plan to $11.99 per month allows up to five discs per month to be exchanged, with a single disc out at one time.
"The addition of games for our BlockBuster By Mail customers - from families looking for entertainment experiences they can enjoy together, to serious gamers - is yet another convenient way to access entertainment content from Blockbuster," said Kevin Lewis, senior vice president of digital entertainment, in a statement. "This enhanced offering supports Blockbuster's multichannel strategy and shows our commitment to being the leading provider of home entertainment content."
GameFly also offers a similar rent-by-mail service, beginning at $8.95 per month, which allows customers to rent more than 7,000 games, according to the site.
Netflix, however, has so far refused to add games to its service, arguing that older games are of less value to customers, while older movies are.
A recent survey by the OCLC Online Computer Library Center found that libraries rent 2.1 million discs a day, the vast majority of them movies - about 100,000 more units per day than Netflix.


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Out of the about five million mobile phone devices imported into the country each year, 40% of them are smuggled through the ports and airports by dealers evading taxes to the tune of millions of Ghana Cedis.
In dealing with this challenge, the Minster of Communications and Digitalisation, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, has announced that Ghana has merged its central equipment identity registry database with a global database which will see to the registration of all phones.
Speaking at the Information Ministry’s meet the press series in Accra, Sector Minister, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, hinted that concerns of evading tax with such devices through unapproved routes will be dealt with.
“To address the challenge of the smuggling and trade in counterfeit, stolen and substandard mobile devices, and increase the potential for enhanced revenues, technology has been developed to ensure that these devices only function when they enter the country through legal means. A Central Equipment Identity Registry (CEIR) records all devices in the country and reduces the influx of smuggled and counterfeit mobile devices. Each operator has an Equipment Identity Registry (EIR) which is a database that contains all the IMEI numbers of the handsets of all the subscribers on a particular cellular network”, Mrs. Owusu-Ekuful said.
She further said that “data from Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), confirms that 40% of these mobile devices enter the Ghanaian market illegally, without government benefiting from the expected tax revenue. Ghana has about 34 million mobile subscribers with a mobile penetration rate exceeding 119% and there is a huge market for mobile devices.”
“The unregulated market in Ghana has resulted in a thriving device black market with sales of smuggled mobile devices, a high incidence of device theft and cloning device identifications. Smuggled devices are sold through visible retail sites, unofficial retail outlets and online websites”, she explained.
The impact of the smuggling and trade of counterfeit mobile devices include the loss of revenue to government, the battle of unfair competition by registered businesses from smuggled devices which are cheaper and the health implications due to products not designed to meet regulatory requirements on the market.
The Minister said CEIR is a central EIR database which integrates IMEI numbers of EIR of all the networks. As the information is stored in the CEIR, it will be periodically updated in the EIR of all the networks.
She added that the Ghana CEIR will be connected to the global database (GSMA database) to access the IMEI of approved and blacklisted devices. This will ensure that mobile devices entering the country are properly authenticated.
It will also be connected to the databases of all mobile network operators in Ghana, to synchronize and update data of blacklisted and whitelisted devices in Ghana. This will ensure that only approved mobile devices recognized by the CEIR would function in Ghana.
It will generate and store a list of all blacklisted and whitelisted devices in our own repository.
The importation of mobile devices will also require that the IMEI of the devices are captured on the CEIR database during declaration. The captured information will synchronize with the GSMA database and confirm the standard and ownership status of the device. Compliance to customs duty payment will be ensured during the declaration process.


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KUALA LUMPUR: Global consumer advocacy group Consumer Choice Centre (CCC) has warned that the sale and purchase of smuggled cigarettes — which can cost only a third of the price of the legal stuff — will continue to grow barring changes to local tobacco taxes.
In a statement, CCC said black market cigarettes had captured 60% of the market, which caters to an estimated five million smokers in Malaysia.
Fred Roeder, managing director of CCC, called the volume of cigarette smuggling “phenomenal”, adding that their popularity is driven primarily by their low prices.
“Our observation indicates demand for smuggled cigarettes is high because these illegal products are sold as cheap as RM5 (a packet). So, it is no surprise that these cheap smuggled cigarettes have a big demand.
“Smokers may think cheaper and untaxed products are beneficial, especially now when money is tight following the economic effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.”
CCC claims these illegal cigarettes may often contain up to three times the legal limit of nicotine and tar, which has financial implications on smokers in the long term.
Smuggled cigarettes also cost the government RM5 billion in uncollected tax revenue.
Roeder believes the government should consider tax and price reforms for tobacco products as lower prices for legal cigarettes would reduce demand for contraband.
The illicit cigarette trade is not unique to Malaysia. New Zealand authorities recently nabbed a Malaysian man who attempted to smuggle 2.2 million cigarettes worth NZ$2.72 million (RM7.7 million) into the country.
He faces charges under the Customs & Excise Act.
Originally published here.
The Consumer Choice Center is the consumer advocacy group supporting lifestyle freedom, innovation, privacy, science, and consumer choice. The main policy areas we focus on are digital, mobility, lifestyle & consumer goods, and health & science.
The CCC represents consumers in over 100 countries across the globe. We closely monitor regulatory trends in Ottawa, Washington, Brussels, Geneva and other hotspots of regulation and inform and activate consumers to fight for #ConsumerChoice. Learn more at consumerchoicecenter.org


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PORTLAND — Maine’s tourism industry is rebounding from last year’s miserable summer, and the state’s restaurants, campgrounds and hotels are getting a much-needed boost in income.
Although many consumers remain cautious about spending because of the sluggish economy, this summer’s sunny weather has been a huge improvement over last summer’s rainy and cool weather, said Steve DiMillo of DiMillo’s Floating Restaurant in Portland.
He said his restaurant has been serving 1,000 meals a day – a 10 percent increase over last year. “Great weather trumps everything,” he said. “The sunshine is obviously our friend.”
Sales at restaurants in Maine are up 2 percent to 4 percent this summer over last summer, according to industry estimates.
Click for the rest of this story by Tom Bell in the Portland Press Herald.
Posted in Economy, Environment, Food and Drink, Maine, Outdoors
Tagged attractions, Bayley's Camping Resort in Old Orchard Beach, DiMillo's Floating Restaurant, hotels, Maine's Office of Tourism, motels, National Weather Service, occupancy rate, Portland, Portland Harbor Hotel, restaurants, tourism, tourits, visitors
In a live-and-let-live swath of rural western Maine, entrepreneurs have turned to exotic dancers as a viable — and even welcomed — business model.
Sex & the country | The Portland Press Herald / Maine Sunday Telegram.
Posted in Economy, Food and Drink, Law and Order, Maine, Politics and government
Tagged adult businesses, adult entertainment, Bodies In Motion, dancing poles, disco ball, entrepreneurs, eroctic dance, lap dances, PartyDance Fitness, PartyDancersUSA, restaurants, snowmobiliers, strip club, strippers, strobe lights, tavers, topless, western Maine


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FRANKLIN, TN – ServNet announced that three of its members have recently acquired new auction locations: Sparkling City Auto Auction of San Antonio, owned by Wade Walker; El Paso Independent Auto Auction, owned by Bob McConkey, Greg Mahugh, and Ron Kemp; and Brasher's San Jose Auto Auction, owned by the Brasher family. Brasher's San Jose Auto Auction held its first sale in July. Sparkling City Auto Auction of San Antonio will premiere in early November, and El Paso Independent Auto Auction plans a late fourth-quarter opening.
"These may be challenging times in the industry, but they are also exciting times, and ServNet auctions are proving once again that they have the experience and commitment to succeed, build and grow," said ServNet's president Jeff Brasher. "ServNet auctions are moving forward, building market share and developing new opportunities for buyers and sellers."
Walker has announced that his new auction, Sparkling City Auto Auction of San Antonio, is set to hold its first sale on November 10th. Built in 2008, the facility was acquired last summer by the Walker family, which has operated Sparkling City Auto Auction of Corpus Christi since 1990. Situated on 33 acres of rolling hills on the north side of San Antonio, the auction will open with two auction lanes, although Walker expects to open three additional lanes within the near future.
"Ever since I opened the Corpus Christi auction, my customers told me that there was a need for a good, strong independent auction in the San Antonio area and urged me to open an auction there. In Corpus, we have 400 to 500 dealers within a 45 mile radius; in San Antonio, there are ten times that many. When the opportunity came to purchase this facility, it didn't take us long to decide it was time to expand and offer ServNet's brand of superior service in San Antonio!"
Walker reports that the San Antonio auction will run weekly on Wednesday. Ashley and Weldon Dietze, Walker's daughter and son-in-law, will manage operations at the new facility, while his son Ace Walker will oversee operations in Corpus Christi. Walker will split his time between the two auctions, in order to serve customers at both locations on sale day.
El Paso Independent Auto Auction (EPI), joins an auction family that includes DAA Northwest (DAA) and Kansas City Independent Auto Auction (KCI). A greenfield site built to serve the southwestern United States and northern Mexico, EPI is owned by Bob McConkey, Greg Mahugh and Ron Kemp. Additionally, industry veteran Robert Sullivan will oversee EPI's launch operations and serve as the auction's national accounts manager.
"The El Paso market is a prime opportunity for us," reports McConkey. "The city itself is an excellent site for an auto auction, with a stable employment base and a vibrant business environment, fed by the federal government, the military and the more than 70 Fortune 500 companies that call El Paso home. The area has been under-served, so we have a tremendous opportunity to serve dealers and institutional accounts that have been transporting their vehicles out of the area."
"We're committed to providing dealers and national accounts with the same levels of service and performance that they've grown accustomed to from both DAA and KCI, and we are thrilled to be working with two industry pros to make that happen," continued McConkey. "Ron Kemp, who will oversee the operation as general manager, is well known in the auction and remarketing world, and knows this market well. We are also very pleased to have Bob Sullivan on our team; his years of experience and his business philosophy are a tremendous asset to us, both as we put our operation in place and serve national accounts."
Brasher's San Jose Auto Auction is a four-lane facility operating as a satellite of Brasher's Sacramento Auto Auction. Located on the Santa Clara County Fairgrounds, Brasher's San Jose Auto Auction currently offers new and used car dealer consignments and rental returns every Thursday at 9:30 am.
"We have long looked at the San Jose market as a great opportunity to serve the new and used car dealers in the Bay Area," said John Brasher. "With real estate values being what they are, we determined that this was an excellent time to launch an auction to serve dealers in the heart of San Jose."
Brasher reports that industry veteran Gary Mobley heads the management team at Brasher's San Jose Auto Auction.
"Gary is known throughout the industry as a true professional, a man of tremendous experience and reputation who knows how to run an auto auction," said Brasher. "He is a great find for us at Brasher's, and shares our dedication to superior customer service."


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A big spike in allergy-related hospitalisations is threatening to put consumer trust in processed food at risk, manufacturers and retailers have been warned.
Hospital admissions for serious allergic reactions have soared by 72% over the past decade, according to research by Trace One.
The report, based on records from NHS England’s Health & Social Care Information Centre, found there were 2,758 food allergy hospital admissions in 2004 and 4,744 in 2015.
Processed food was often blamed for the increase in cases, said Shaun Bossons, EVP for global business development at Trace One.
“Not only has consumption risen over the years, but the foods themselves have become ever more complex; meaning there is greater potential for unlabelled allergens to be introduced, either by accident or as a result of food fraud.”
Amena Warner, Allergy UK’s head of clinical services, told The Grocer consumers were increasingly worried over food allergies and “desperate” for support on how to manage the risks.
“We are seeing ever-increasing numbers to our website and through our helpline,” she said.
Consumer trust is further being damaged by an increase in recalls since new regulations were introduced in December 2014.
An FSA spokeswoman said allergen labelling errors were a key factor behind rising UK food recalls - up from 56 to 84 from November 2014 to October 2015, according to new research from law firm RPC.


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Daines, Tester, Roberts urge Trump to raise beef issue with Chinese leader
Montana Sens. Steve Daines, a Republican, and Jon Tester, a Democrat, led a group of 39 senators including Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Pat Roberts, R-Kan., to urge President Donald Trump to raise the issue of U.S. beef access to Chinese markets when he meets with Chinese President Xi Jinping on April 6 in Florida at his Mar a Lago resort.
The Chinese have banned U.S. beef since the discovery of mad cow disease in the United States in 2003.
“Opening this market to U.S. producers would create substantial opportunities for ranchers across the country, as China has an import market in excess of $2.5 billion and is the second largest importer of beef in the world,” the senators wrote. “As 95 percent of the world’s consumers live outside of the U.S., expanding access for U.S. beef into China and elsewhere is critical for the long-term growth of the agricultural economy and communities across the U.S. The current environment of low commodity prices further emphasizes the significance of trade to U.S. ranchers and the beef industry overall.”


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CCR provides the central hub for exhibitors and organisations of both the surgical and non-surgical disciplines.
Aesthetic supplier Healthxchange has partnered with aesthetic company Intraline to supply its line of lifting and rejuvenating PDO threads as well as the brand’s dermal fillers.
As we prepare to come out of lockdown and start returning to normality, Merz Aesthetics UK and Ireland has developed its own roadmap to support clinics through until June with a new series of webinars
French skincare range Codage Paris has launched two new products, the Relaxing Oil and Serum No8 Night Rejuvenation.
Dr Selena Langdon shares her most popular pre-summer body treatment tips
Training provider Acquisition Aesthetics has launched a partnership with the global medical charity Operation Smile
Non-invasive aesthetic device manufacturer Venus Concept has appointed tennis player Venus Williams as its new global brand ambassador.
Aesthetic company Intraline has announced Graeme Bryson as its UK country manager.
Meet your potential – the evolution of body contouring
Professional skincare and antioxidant company SkinCeuticals has formed a commercial partnership with aesthetic technology manufacturer Cutera.


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45 blog posts found matching keyword search for: live stream in Brandon
While the majority of Mainstream Media's live streams are multi-camera configurations, there are numerous situations where only one camera is needed. Events such as online learning modules, press conferences, electronic news gathering, and internal corporate broadcasts can be really successful with a simple one-camera setup.
There is no doubt about it: a lot of people love to watch sports. Viewership for the NFL alone was up 5% in 2018. That rising number also translates into increased production opportunities for all of us. But who is booking these productions and how are they getting the job done?
Self-proclaimed “Satellite Guy” Rob McWilliams of McWilliams Productions shares tales from producing multiple live shows at CES, including how he was able to live stream through a massive blackout!
The massive development in technology, huge internet penetration, and expansion of social media platforms are the factors contributed to the evolution of live streaming platforms. With live streaming solutions becoming affordable and more accessible, there has been a shift in the way common internet users engaged with videos. The newest trend is not just videos but live videos.
Live streaming is continually evolving as one of the main ways to share and receive realtime information. Brett Casadonte, President and Chief Technical Director, GlobeStream Media LLC talks about how live streaming is currently shaping the industry and its future impacts.
At the 2016 NAB Show, from April 16 - 21 in Las Vegas, many companies eagerly displayed all kinds of new gadgets and technology, promising a very successful, game-changing year for the broadcast media industry. This show signaled how much technology is changing - and more so, how content consumers are planning to keep up.
The recent Fortnite World Cup Finals, staged by Epic Games at the Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York City, was a landmark event for the esports movement. Its $30m prize purse saw what is already forecast to be a $1bn esports industry next year truly break through to widespread mainstream coverage. And one of the key elements to its sophisticated broadcast operation was a ground-breaking deployment of Ncam technology that allowed for an unprecedented level of augmented reality coverage rendered in real-time at 1080p60 in Unreal Engine 4.
The LiveU Solo delivers when it matters the most. In game, live and with no loss of continuity! And continuity is so important. I thought about that as I was getting ready to shoot a couple of important basketball games. I should say very important games since it was going test it out for my daughter’s team. No pressure!
What if you could produce more live videos without incurring the expense and hassle associated with sending entire production crews and trucks to every venue? And what if you could do that without sacrificing video quality or reliability? The wireless at-home production model allows you to do just that. At-home production is changing the way you can execute live events. Here’s how:
Over the last couple years, we’ve seen growing interest in virtual reality and 360-degree video experiences. In the ever-evolving live streaming landscape, these technologies are emerging as two of the most innovative trends gaining mainstream attention-powering events such as live sports and concerts, not to mention new projects and jobs for video professionals who know how to bring these technologies to life.


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McDonald's is no longer using the controversial ground beef filler known as "pink slime," according to reports. That's the good news you can take out of this.
The bad? That crap was in all the ones you already ate.
Pink slime is not its real name, but it might actually sound more appetizing than the ingredients ... spare beef trimmings treated with ammonium hydroxide.
The ammonium hydroxide is used to kill any bacteria in the trimmings. As revolting as it sounds, the additive is approved by the Department of Agriculture.
McDonald's move comes after celebrity TV chef Jamie Oliver brought it to public attention and vocally made calls for the restaurant chain to stop using it.
The company denied that its decision was influenced by Oliver, saying it stopped using the product months ago and had discussed dropping it for a year.
Either way, you may now return to eating at McDonald's ... if you want. The mere thought of pink slime may be sticking to your memory for awhile.


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Newly launched models of refrigerators and washing machines are Energy Saving Recommended
Panasonic is pleased to announce that the Energy Saving Trust now endorses the new 2010 additions to the white goods range and therefore the new products now carry the coveted Energy Saving Recommended logo.
Under the Energy Saving Recommended scheme, only products that meet strict criteria on energy efficiency can display the logo. The criteria is set by an independent panel and reviewed annually. The logo ensures consumers that they are purchasing the most energy efficient products and will cost less to run whilst also helping to lower CO2 emissions.
Joining the two Panasonic fridge-freezers which were approved by the Energy Saving Trust last year, (NR-B30FG1 and NR-B30FX1), is Panasonic’s new side-by-side American style refrigerator, the NR-B53V1, is the industry’s first A++ Energy Rated US style model with No Frost technology. The NR-B54X1 side-by-side refrigerator in arctic white also carries the Energy Saving Recommended logo. The exceptional energy efficiency is made possible by a shrewd combination of technological innovations such as Inverter technology and the U-Vacua vacuum insulation panel. As a result, the new fridge-freezers are much quieter than comparable models while the substantially thinner insulation walls provide greater storage capacity.
Two of Panasonic’s new washing machines, NA-168VX2 and NA-168VG2 are also certified by the Energy Saving Trust as energy efficient appliances. All Energy Saving Recommended washing machines must be AAA rated: A for energy efficiency, A for spin efficiency and A for wash performance. Four out of the five newly launched models for 2010 offer a power consumption of 30% lower than conventional A-category appliances and, like the fridge-freezers, produce best values in terms of electricity use. Also offering an increased load capacity of 8kg, these are some of the most efficient washing machines on the market.
At Panasonic, we believe you should never have to compromise on performance. That’s why we’ve created a new generation of home appliances that combine innovation and efficiency for better results.


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11 – 13 May, 2011
Thanks to the kindest support of our honorable guests, we are proud to announce success at SFEXPO 2011, a biennial industry event jointly organized by China Surface Engineering Association Electroplating Branch, Power Coating Institute (USA), Guangdong Electroplating Association, together with the industry associations from Japan, Korea and Singapore as cosponsors.
During the exhibition, we presented our latest development and technologies, including but not limited to MID plating, High anti-corrosion and environmental friendly plating and coating processes.
At the seminar session, our Managing Director, Mr. Nicholas Chang gave a presentation on our latest 3D-MID Metallization Process and exchanged different industry information about this application area.
Meanwhile, we are also pleased to have been awarded by the organizer as “The Best Supplier of Electroplating Materials”.
To conclude, the show was a fruitful experience and it provided us a good chance to meet our prestigious guests and new potential business partners from different parts of the world.


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Mikael Wallen is stepping down as president of Yellow Bird, the Swedish production company behind the original version of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.
He will leave the Zodiak Media-owned company this month after more than five years with the company, which also makes TV detective series Wallander.
Anni Faurbye Fernandez, currently an executive producer at Yellow Bird, has been appointed chief executive and will take up her new role on Jan 1.
Wallen said: “The last five years have been an amazing experience for me at Yellow Bird, particularly with the global roll out of the Millennium trilogy. I think it is the right time for me now to move on and I wish everyone at Yellow Bird further success in the future.”
Fernandez said: “We have a great and proven team at the company and I will do everything I can to maintain our position in our domestic market and take the business to the next level in the international market.”
Yellow Bird was established in 2003 and focuses primarily on international co-productions based on books.


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Pivotal Health Featured on Madison’s Local CBS Station
February 24, 2022
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Troubled supermarket giant Tesco says its new chief financial officer, Alan Stewart, is joining the company immediately, more than two months earlier than originally planned.
Designer shoe maker Jimmy Choo announces plans to list its shares on the London Stock Exchange.
Almost 1,700 jobs are to go at the failed mobile phone retailer Phones 4U, after the firm's administrators confirmed that 362 stores will close.
Tate and Lyle warns that supply chain problems and more competition in the sweetener market will hit its profit after a "challenging" half year.
BHP Billiton and Mitsubishi plan to cut 700 jobs at a joint coal mining venture in Australia because of tough market conditions.
The White House announces new treasury department measures aimed at stopping companies avoiding US taxes by merging with overseas firms.
The Rockefeller family, which made its fortune from oil, is to sell its investments in fossil fuels and put money into clean energy.
The FTSE 100 falls and Mothercare shares drop more than 7% after it announces plans for a £100m rights issue.
The US Securities and Exchange Commission reveals it has awarded a record $30m payout to an anonymous whistleblower who lives outside the US.
Asian markets reverse earlier losses after a better-than-expected China manufacturing activity survey.
Investment analysts have urged investors to be cautious after the Royal Mint launched a new website selling gold and silver coins.
Chinese internet giant Alibaba has raised $25bn in its share flotation, according to US media, making it the largest initial public offering in history.
The largest gathering of veterans who operated the Colossus code-cracking computer in World War II has been held at Bletchley Park.
Mick Cash is elected general secretary of the Rail, Maritime and Transport Union following the death of previous leader Bob Crow.
A US jury finds Jordan-based Arab Bank liable for providing material support to Hamas, ruling the bank must provide victims of two dozen terrorist attacks with compensation.
Striking Air France pilots have rejected an offer by the airline aimed at resolving the dispute.
Musical The Lion King takes more money at the box office than any other stage show or cinema release.
The chief executive of Chinese footwear firm Ultrasonic has spoken to Chinese media and denied running off with the firm's cash.
Ed Balls says he will increase the minimum wage, bring in a mansion tax, freeze child benefit and axe the "bedroom tax" in his first Budget if Labour wins power.
Regulator Ofgem is launching a review of energy firms' communications with customers in debt amid concerns over potentially misleading letters.
Customers of banking giant Barclays had their debit cards refused in stores and at ATMs on Monday after a temporary technical problem.
Plans to build a new nuclear power plant at Hinkley Point in Somerset are recommended for approval following a European Commission investigation.
The US Treasury Secretary urges eurozone countries to "boost demand" in order to reduce unemployment and avoid deflation.
The minimum wage would rise to £8 per hour by the end of the next parliament if Labour wins the general election, leader Ed Miliband promises.
A group of farmers are hoping to succeed where others have failed: in creating the first commercially viable wasabi growing business in North America.
A profile of Everett Alvarez, the former US Navy pilot, who spent eight and a half years as a prisoner of war in North Vietnam, before a successful career in government and business.
Ivorian Coast entrepreneur Thierry N'Doufou talks about how he developed a tablet computer which he wants to be used by all school children in the country.
A report into alleged corruption at Fifa, football's world governing body, could lead to criminal charges, an MP believes.
Regional Rugby Wales confirm Wales captain Sam Warburton has the first dual contract under the new deal with the WRU.
Hotel chain Radisson suspends its sponsorship of NFL team Minnesota Vikings after one of their players was charged with child abuse.
Has Tesco passed its sell by date?
The tech making life a little easier for patients
The detective making money from untrusting couples
How 'No' vote will alter Scottish tax and benefits
The man behind China's internet giant Alibaba
Kenya's security sector grows in aftermath of Westgate attack
India's farmers turn to tech to cope with climate change
Source: BBC News - Business
Tesco's chief executive Dave Lewis has said there will be a "full and frank investigation" after the supermarket overstated its profits. Watch the full interview.
Catherine Yeung, investment director at Fidelity Worldwide tells Rico Hizon that she expects a 'bumpy ride' for the Chinese economy.
The Royal Mint has launched a new website selling gold and silver coins.
The Marriott hotel chain plans to open a new hotel almost every week in Asia over the next three years to help cater for Chinese tourists.
The chief executive of De Beers says that China will be the 'engine' of growth for the diamond market.
Taralika Lahiri runs a private detective agency in Delhi that specialises in matrimonial cases and says her business is thriving.
G20 finance ministers meeting in Australia say they are close to agreeing a package of measures to boost global growth.
Shares in Alibaba, the Chinese online retailer, have begun trading on the New York Stock Exchange.
The pound has hit a two-year high against the euro and a two-week high against the US dollar, as Scotland voted against independence.
Despite a temporary slump in the market, Kenya's flower sector delivered $500m in sales in 2013.
Pharmaceutical firm GlaxoSmithKline is fined $490m (£297m) after being found guilt of bribery by a Chinese court.
The BBC's Shilpa Kannan meets Indian farmers to find out how they are changing the way they work, and to see the technology helping them cope with climate change.
One year after armed members of Islamist militant group al-Shabab attacked the Westgate shopping centre in Nairobi, Kenya, the BBC's Anne Soy reports on the new methods being used to train security guards.
MP Damian Green has come to the defence of Lord Hill as British Candidate for European Commissioner, describing objections to his appointment as a "barrel-scraping argument".
Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith has said the latest unemployment figures are "very encouraging".
As Alibaba prepares to float in New York, what view will investors there take of the Chinese e-commerce giant?
The World Bank says the Ebola outbreak could have a catastrophic impact on the economies of West Africa.
The Chinese internet giant Alibaba is set to raise billions on the US stock exchange and is expected to be one of the biggest share offerings in history.
A company in Taiwan has been fined $1.6m and its chairman taken into custody after they were caught supplying substandard cooking oil.
Who is the man behind Alibaba, the e-commerce giant that is about to launch a record listing on the New York stock market?
Retailer Phones 4U has gone into administration putting 5,596 jobs at risk.
How an Ivory Coast company developed a tablet computer which is being introduced in the country's schools.
The Financial Times has redesigned the print version of the newspaper, corresponding with a shift of focus to online content.
BBC Inside Out meets the 83-year-old call centre worker from Sunderland who says he cannot afford to retire.
Four of Britain's biggest bookmakers announce a series of voluntary measures aimed at addressing public concerns about gambling.
The Scottish referendum campaign is being watched closely by the business community in Pakistan, particularly by makers of traditional bagpipes and kilts.
Source: BBC News - Business
All rights reserved. Copyright © 2014 Seventh Wave Media


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Next-gen mobile broadband is a key ticket, if not the ticket, out of the global economic slump, according to a GSM Association panel calling for regulators to develop frameworks and spectrum policies encouraging mobile broadband investment.
Development economist Jeffery Sachs, director of The Earth Institute at Columbia University, said at the Mobile World Congress Monday that the current economic meltdown was shaping up as "the most ferocious recession in recent history", with $35 trillion in paper wealth lost in the last 12-24 months.
He said the mobile industry would play a key role in economic recovery as governments needed to look for new ways to restimulate the economy.
"The mobile sector will be resilient, and will drive important innovation in vital services, energy saving and sustainability," Sachs said at a GSMA press conference.
Sachs' comments echoed previous claims by the GSMA even before the current crisis that mobile investment is a key tool that governments can use to boost their GDPs.
At Monday's press conference, GSMA chief Rob Conway reiterated the industry association's position that governments must create a favorable regulatory environment for mobile operators, especially in light of the current crisis.
"Economists point to infrastructure spend as a way out of this. Mobile broadband in particular can be an engine for growth if governments set the right framework," Conway said. "The mobile industry is one of the few not asking for a bailout. We are best able to withstand the downturn, and the best positioned to offer a way out."
Sachs cautioned that even by the most optimistic standards, "the recovery will not be V-shaped with a dramatic rebound", and that recovery could take years. But he said that emerging markets will "lead the way out of recession this time", with China out in front as its drop in exports would be offset from domestic demand.
China Mobile chairman and CEO Wang Jianzhou said that despite the economic slowdown, his company is still adding around 7 million new subscribers a month, and that more people were using mobile for Internet access and music downloads.
"Now that we have 3G licenses in China, rolling out 3G networks will create 300,000 jobs, directly and indirectly, and will stimulate consumption," he said.
The GSMA's Conway renewed calls for regulators to rethink their spectrum policies to favor mobile - this time citing a new report from Professor Leonard Waverman and LECG that says release of new spectrum for mobile broadband in 2009 would add the equivalent of $211 billion to China's GDP and $95 billion to India's GDP.
Conway urged regulators to grant mobile operators 25% of the 400 MHz of spectrum in the 700 MHz band expected to be freed up by broadcasters around the world moving from analog to digital television.
"Allocating the spectrum to mobile broadband would provide a bigger boost to the economy than giving broadcasters a few more TV channels," he said.
That said, Conway recognized that digital dividend spectrum will be a long time coming in many markets, where analog/digital switchovers aren't scheduled to happen until at least 2011 and in many Asian markets - like China - not until as late as 2015.
"Governments will move at their own time and place, and our operators will work with them to do it in a timely way," he said. "But we're laying out a framework in addition to the digital dividend, to encourage regulatory stability, because investments in mobile are dependent on the regulatory standpoint on these issues."


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If you're looking for the best gaming headset for your money, see our guide to the best we've tested. Wired, wireless, stereo and surround sound too.
Our guide to the best gaming mice to buy. Top-of-the-range gaming mice, high-dpi, multi-button, wired and wireless devices to up your gaming prowess.
We've broken down the best all-rounders, ultraportables, Chromebooks, 2-in-1s and more. These are the top laptops currently available for your money.
Microsoft is no longer the force in web browsers it was in the days of Internet Explorer, but stacks of people use Microsoft Edge - the browser that c...
Google has announced that the Pixelbook Go is now available to buy in the UK
Razer has announced two new versions of the Razer DeathAdder and Razer Basilisk. These popular mice have now had a refresh for 2020.
After an extended period Microsoft has finally ended support for the 11 year-old Windows 7. If you’re thinking that Windows 7 is old news, you’d be
It's been on many computers for a decade, but Windows 7 is hanging up its boots, letting Windows 10 and beyond replace it. Here's the overview.
A new Apple product has surfaced through the Eurasian Economic Commission, as noted by 9to5Mac, which spotted what could be a new MacBook Pro with a r...
It's rare to find a lightweight 17in laptop that's suited to day-to-day working. LG, however, has bucked the trend with this super big-screen offering
From the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Fold going on mid 2020, to the concept devices from Dell, Intel and TCL, foldable devices are coming. Here's best in show.
With a four-sided InfinityEdge display, the 2020 XPS 13 has very little bezel indeed. Add quality materials and this could be the best laptop of 2020.
The Consumer Electronics Show, which takes place in Vegas every January is back for 2020 and we've been rushing around looking for the best laptops.
If you love gaming, but can never decide whether you prefer PC or console, then worry no more. This custom machine by Origin PC has both!
AMD took to the stage at CES to unveil a number of things including new mobile processors, the Radeon RX 5600 XT and its flagship processor.
During Intel's keynote at CES the company revealed an upcoming discrete graphics card, the DG1 which will be coming later this year.
If you want a laptop with a versatile hinge mechanism that doesn't cost a fortune, the Spin 3 has a lot going for it. Here's our first impressions.
The 2020 Swift 3 brings a 3:2 aspect ratio screen, while squeezing the bezel compared to its predecessor. Here's our first impressions.
We check out the new powerful gaming laptop from Asus
Acer has announced two Windows 10 additions to its Swift 3 laptop line that sport the latest 10th Gen Intel Core and the newly-announced AMD Ryzen 400...
Asus' Republic of Gamers line-up has expanded to include a 14-inch gaming laptop with Nvidia RTX graphics for the first time.
The four new Asus TUF Gaming laptops are a peg below the ROG line-up, while still offering top-drawer specifications.
A $799 gaming laptop targeting gamers who don't have four-figure sums to play with, the G5 is a 15-inch model with AMD Radeon RX 5600M goodness.
See our guide to the best gaming keyboards to buy. High-end gaming keyboards with mechanical keys, RGB lighting, macro functionality and more.
Lenovo has launched a bunch of new products, including this sub $300 2-in-1 running Chrome OS.
With an external E Ink display, Lenovo's dual-screen ThinkBook Plus is a different tool than a standard laptop. Does it makes sense?
Is it a tablet? Is it a laptop? The first folding-screen PC is here to defy expectations. Does it redefine the portable? Here's our first impressions.
The first laptop to feature Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx, enabling 5G connectivity. It'll be available spring 2020 with a price TBC.
Here's a laptop that's about different thinking: the Lenovo ThinkBook Plus combines a fairly typical-looking laptop with a second E Ink display
Samsung has announced its first Galaxy Chromebook, and it looks genuinely fantastic .
Asus has announced what it claims to be the "thinnest, lightest Chromebook on the market".
We've had a brief play with the new Chromebook laptop at CES 2020 to find out more.
Coming out of CES is the news that Asus is releasing a new eSports friendly gaming monitor with a 360Hz refresh rate.
HP only recently announced the HP Elite Dragonfly late last year, now the company has unveiled the second-generation version with 5G wireless and more
From the midst of CES comes the news that smart location company Tile and PC giant HP are teaming up to release the first laptop with Tile tracking.
Acer has expanded its ConceptD PC range for creators and designers by introducing a new convertible notebook with adjustable screen.
As chipsets improve, gaming laptops can get slimmer, the 2020 Lenovo Legion 740S and its off-body BoostStation graphics being one such example.
As part of its CES 2020 line-up, Acer has announced two new Spin convertibles with slimmer forms and fast-charging active styluses using Wacom technol...
Lenovo is at CES unveiling a number of new products for 2020 that include updated versions of the ThinkPad X1 Carbon and X1 Yoga laptops.
Samsung is at CES 2020 announcing a new Galaxy Book-branded laptop. The new model is a 2-in-1, and it comes with a pretty odd name.
The new 16:10 aspect ratio display cuts 15mm from the bottom bezel for the most screen-forward XPS 13 device to date.
2020 is set to be a massive year for Microsoft. Here's why.
Apple reportedly has a new patent for virtual positioning of audio, which could lead to new, immersive audio experiences for its users.
The desktop is dead, it would seem - and long gone are the days where a gaming laptop could only be a ridiculously overpowered, heavy and LED-encruste...
A true two-screen laptop that's often successful for its screen, keyboard and raw power. The second screen isn't perfect though, and it's pricey.
We've been on the lookout for ways to enhance our gaming experience to make it just that little bit snazzier. Click to see what we've found.
Got a MacBook? You're not alone, of course, and there are absolutely stacks of MacBook cases to protect your diminutive laptop.
LG has announced that three new LG Gram laptops and one 2-in-1 will debut in Las Vegas in January.
We've been testing some of the best portable, external offerings from the top brands. Here are our favourites.
Whether you're a creative or a gamer, we've selected some of the best 4K and Full HD monitors on the market right now.
Qualcomm is expanding its range of Snapdragon hardware to power Windows computers adding the 8c and 7c to the offering alongside the previously-announ...


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Verge Motorcycles is one of the bigger names in the performance electric motorcycle industry, as well as one with one of the most outlandish, futuristic designs. Back in 2019, the Finnish electric motorbike startup unveiled the production-ready version of what would later on become the Verge TS, a powerful electric motorcycle with a wild-looking hubless rear wheel.
Back in November 2022, deliveries of the Verge TS began in Europe, and the company is eyeing a US market launch before the end of 2023. On top of all that, the company also announced that it was adopting the Tesla NACS charging standard for its electric motorcycles, allowing riders to make use of Tesla’s widespread network of fast chargers. With all these developments, it’s clear that Verge is paving its way to becoming a large and widespread electric motorcycle manufacturer, and not merely a boutique brand with fringe products.
To emphasize this, Verge has made big changes to its management, and recently appointed a new CFO with the intent to scale up the brand’s global footprint. The company’s new Chief Financial Officer is Mark Wilson, an experienced executive in the automotive industry. Wilson’s extensive resume includes McLaren Automotive, and much more recently, Aston Martin Lagonda Plc, where he served as EVP and CFO. Overall, Mark Wilson has more than 20 years of experience in the automotive industry, and specializes in raising funds and growing international operations – two things that are of top priority for Verge Motorcycles.
In the company’s official press release, Mark Wilson stated, “Verge’s unique innovation, state-of-the-art design and ambitious vision is attracting enormous interest amongst international investors despite the challenging economic environment. This is a pivotal moment for the Company as it scales up to meet growing customer demand globally. With an order book running well into next year Verge is primed to exert leadership in the electric superbike category. I’m thrilled to join such an exciting and dynamic business.”
Furthermore, Marko Lehtimäki, Chief Technology Officer at Verge, explained that demand for the TS is growing rapidly, and that the company needs to continually raise funds to ensure that its production capacity can meet demand. He stated, “Mark Wilson’s strong expertise and long experience in the auto industry is extremely valuable to Verge, especially at this stage of our growth. The company’s order book is growing at an accelerating pace, and with the help of future funding rounds, the company intends to ensure that delivery capacity is increased to meet the demand. Mark has unparalleled experience in all of these areas. The company is now entering a new era.”


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Following news that China has made an ‘incredible’ offer for Wayne Rooney, pundits fear he will be reverse engineered and shipped over in his thousands.
“The price of footballers is ridiculous, and supply is very limited,” explained football expert Gary Lineker.
“Some of the lower teams are bound to be tempted by a replica Rooney, constructed mostly from cheap pig meat.”
The original Rooney was built some time ago, but to the surprise of experts, it still more or less works.
“There’s just about enough left for our technicians to go at,” confirmed Cheng Du Engineering’s head of flattery, Hai Yin.
“It’s certainly more complete than that John Terry we were after, and hopefully this one won’t get my sister pregnant.”
However, Yin isn’t convinced that China itself hasn’t fallen foul of a cheap copy.
“Are you sure this is a genuine Rooney? The head is just nylon hair stuck on a potato.”


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Monterey Bay Suites’s down-home breakfast is free and fabulous
“[The] free breakfast every morning was awesome,” said Sylvia Gallegos in a recent post to the hotel’s Facebook page.
This breakfast worth bragging about is enjoyed from an oceanfront view overlooking the pools of Monterey Bay.
“It is good food,” said Stacey Vaughan, homeowner service manager at Monterey Bay. “I usually just eat the fruit and stuff like that, but the biscuits and gravy are really good.”
Vaughan said winter visitors also take advantage of the economical room rates, with prices as low as $40 per night.
Marlene Kopeschny Heinrichs, another guest of Monterey Bay, said the morning meal is golden.
“The breakfast is the best part,” Heinrichs said in a Facebook post.
With the obvious benefits of the Atlantic Ocean tossed in, too, the breakfast is also delightful because of its simplicity.
There is fresh fruit (which varies depending upon the season), cold cereal, oatmeal and certified homey superstars like grits and country-fried steak.
Year-around, from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m., guests walk through a line to get breakfast – the cold items they get on their own, while staff serves the hot food to them.
Once guests get their food, the real fun begins as they go off to take pleasure in a breakfast soothing to the body and soul.
“The breakfast is served in the lobby, where there are tables and chairs,” Vaughan said. “Guests can always sit in the veranda area, too.”
Donald Moore Jr., a resident of Knoxville, Tenn., said he misses the experience.
“I love the smell of the fresh made Belgian waffle, “Moore said on Monterey Bay’s Facebook page. “I miss the beach.”
What: Free Breakfast at Monterey Bay Suites (for hotel guests only)
Where: 6804 N. Ocean Blvd., Myrtle Beach, S.C. 29572
Info: Call 1-888-255-4763, visit montereybaysuites.com or email email@example.com.
Please Note: Breakfast items may vary from day to day.
Related ArticlesThe Hammock Shops is home to charming stores and eateries and perfect for Monterey Bay Guests
Top 5 Myrtle Beach BBQ Restaurants


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Netflix Canada Subcribers Stream 'Downton Abbey' Before U.S. Market
The U.S. video streaming giant's Canadian library deal with NBCUniversal Television includes "Bridesmaids," "Suits," "Bates" and "Friday Night Lights."
TORONTO -- Netflix Canada has struck a deal to stream Downton Abbey north of the border before U.S. subscribers get to view the hit U.K. period drama.
The distribution deal with NBCUniversal Television will also see Canadian subscribers of the U.S. video streaming giant get a first crack at Suits, the USA Network legal drama that shoots in Toronto.
Under the new deal, the first two seasons of Downton Abbey and early seasons of Suits began streaming exclusively Dec. 1.
Other NBCUniversal TV titles to become available to Netflix Canada subscribers in 2014 include Bates Motel, Psych, Covert Affairs, Heroes and Friday Night Lights.
Films in the deal include Bridesmaids; Fast Five, from the Fast & Furious movie franchise; The Change Up with Ryan Reynolds and Jason Bateman; and the first three films in the Bourne franchise.
The NBCUniversal deal helps bridge the content gap between what Netflix Canada subscribers view and the fuller library of movies and TV shows for U.S.-based Netflix subscribers.
"We are pleased to be the exclusive online subscription home for Downton Abbey, Suits, Bates Motel, as well as for terrific feature films in Canada," said Sean Carey, vp content acquisition at Netflix, in a statement.


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[From August Issue 2011]
At kindergartens and schools in Japan, sports days are held once a year. Parents bring along cameras and root for their children. Among the many sporting activities held on the day, the most popular is the “footrace” (a short sprint round a circular course). Focussing on this event, Achilles Corporation has developed “Syunsoku,” shoes that enable runners to turn corners without sliding.
TSUBATA Yutaka, Deputy Director General of Product Planning and Development, has been recording the movements of children’s feet on camera at sports days since 2000. He has discovered that as they run around the course counterclockwise, many of them lose their balance when turning corners. “When we started our developmental research we thought, ‘Can’t we make shoes that stabilize runners going around corners?’”
The planning stage began by taking a fresh look at the lives of elementary school pupils. Though schools differ in the enthusiasm they bring to sports, sports day remains an activity common to all schools.
To counter centrifugal force at corners, you tend to tilt your body to the left. Tsubata thought that if protuberances were placed correctly on the sole, they could develop a shoe that gave reliable support, even when the runner goes around a corner.
Made to prevent feet from sliding round corners, the totally new technology of Syunsoku was inspired by the design of products like studless tires that are used on snow covered roads. “Even at the production stage, we received inquiries from the factory, worrying that the asymmetrical design might be a mistake,” Tsubata says with a laugh.
Up until then, for shoes and other fashion items, designs that incorporated Disney characters and such like, were in vogue. None of these shoes had a practical appeal. “We launched the shoes with the catch phrase, ‘Be the leader in the corner!’ Attracted by this advertising strategy, parents introduced the product in blogs or by word of mouth, making the campaign a big hit,” Tsubata explains.
Tsubata, who has been recording athletic meets for 11 years says he still comes up with various ideas. He discovered, for instance, that since 2009, many children’s shoes accidentally slip off. The cause was the smaller width, lower instep and less-developed arches of children’s feet. Last year, taking this into account, they released “Syunsoku Slim,” which became the No. 1 hit product for girls footwear.
Now they release somewhere in the region of 200 Syunsoku designs every year and they have become such a hit item that one in every two Japanese children are wearing a pair of them.
Text: TAKAHASHI Yoshinori


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O'Reilly Auto stock up after earnings release — but it's still been a really rough year
O'Reilly Automotive's stock rose 7.4 percent Thursday after the Springfield-based company reported its second quarter earnings.
It was O'Reilly's first release of new financial information since July 5, when the company's stock plummeted 19 percent, bringing other retailers in the auto parts sector down with it.
In the second quarter, O'Reilly's net income increased 10 percent compared with the same period in 2016, to $283 million.
Sales during the quarter increased 5 percent to $2.29 billion. Diluted earnings per common share increased 17 percent to $3.10 on 91 million shares, versus $2.65 on 97 million shares for the same period one year ago.
Shares of ORLY closed at $201.31 Thursday.
That's 12.6 percent higher than the stock's closing price on July 5, when the company reported that sales at its auto parts stores open for at least one year rose 1.7 percent in the second quarter. It had previously forecast that sales would rise 3 to 5 percent in the quarter.
The news took the stock to its lowest price since November 2014. Shares had recovered only mildly — to $187.43, an increase of 4.8 percent — by the time full earnings were released after the market closed on Wednesday.
Even with Thursday's uptick, shares of ORLY are still down 28 percent for the year.
Henslee reiterated on a Thursday call with analysts that he believes a mild winter played a key role in the quarter's results.
"We don't enjoy talking about the impact weather has on our business as it's a factor that is simply out of our control and ultimately balances out over the long-term," Henslee said. "However, it is simply a reality that over short periods of time, the single most significant factor that drives variability in our business is weather."
Henslee also said the auto parts industry has for several years benefited from an increase in the age of the average vehicle on the road, but that "certain sectors of our customer base aren't as confident as we would like them to be."
"In particular, we believe our lower income consumers face significant pressures and are still in a period of significant economic uncertainty," Henslee said. "Additionally, we think this uncertainty is especially pronounced among Hispanic consumers and we think this has resulted in a decline in overall spending from this demographic which is a very important customer base for our business."
Henslee didn't bring up Amazon, which is reportedly moving aggressively to expand its sale of auto parts. An analyst with RBC Capital Markets did, however, calling it "the elephant in the room" and asking if O'Reilly might "have to enact some type of price matching program over time to protect market share."
Henslee reiterated his belief that auto parts are often an immediate need, and thus not as immune to online disruption. But he added that if a customer walks into an O'Reilly Auto Parts store and mentions Amazon has an item priced for less "we work with them to come up with a price that makes sense for them to walk out of the store with the part."
O'Reilly expects comparable store sales to increase 1 to 3 percent in the third quarter.
As of June 30, O'Reilly operated 4,934 stores in 47 states. The retailer does not yet have a presence in New Jersey, Maryland and Delaware.
With about 1,200 employees locally, O'Reilly is the 13th-largest employer in the five-county Springfield metropolitan area, according to the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce.
This 'Back to the Future' reference has been hidden on O'Reilly Auto's website for years
Top O'Reilly Automotive executives see pay drop in 2016


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Don Vultaggio co-owns the company with his sons, Wesley, on the left, and Spencer, who serve as creative director and marketing director, respectively.
Arizonahas pledged to pay 99 cents since 1996, when it began printing the price directly on cans to prevent retailers from raising prices themselves. 100% natural tea brands charge more because people who want natural tea are willing to pay more. So what's going on? According to the Los Angeles Times, the company has decided that it is willing to make less money with those oversized cans if that means they don't have to raise prices.
“I'm committed to that price of 99 cents when things go against you, you tighten your belt,” Don Vultaggio, founder and president of AriZona, told the media outlet. I don't want to do what the bread people, the gas people and everyone else do. Consumers don't need another price increase from someone like me. The Times also notes that the price of AriZona iced tea has remained stable, even though the cost of high-fructose corn syrup has increased by 300 percent over the past 20 years, and the cost of aluminum has doubled in just the past 18 months.
The VERIFY team works to separate fact from fiction so that you can understand what is true and what is false. VERIFY also searched the Internet for 23-ounce cans of AriZona iced Tea and found that Safeway, Fred Meyer and others U. Whether you're eating slightly more expensive pizza or slightly cheaper donuts, at least if you shower it with an AriZona iced tea, you'll know you're getting a bargain. Best known for its cherry blossom aesthetic, its considerable size of 23 ounces and its reliable price of 99 cents, Arizona iced tea is one of those gas station staples whose prices make it a safe and solid product, like your mother's lasagna or the rhythms of Old Faithful.
The income of these families goes largely to basic needs such as rent, food and gas, making products such as iced tea, donuts and other snacks a luxury. Arizona packages its recycled aluminum cans, which use about half as much aluminum as those of other beverage companies, at about twice the speed it used in the 90s. The company began printing the price of 99 cents on its cans in 1996, and that has become part of the now iconic AriZona design. AriZona Iced Tea responded to the viral tweet on its official account, confirming that the price of the drink is still 99 cents in the United States.
Instead of increasing the value of its iced tea, the company has chosen to cut additional expenses that could increase the price. Arizona Beverages helps keep costs and large cans low by relying on word of mouth rather than expensive advertising campaigns and celebrity endorsements, which is not entirely different from how Aldi also keeps its prices so low. AriZona has sold canned iced teas for the same price since their launch in 1992, CNN Business and TODAY reported. Arizona knows that its 99-cent can has a follower base that marketing can't buy, and thankfully, it doesn't plan to change the price anytime soon.
While fans of the company love the price (this helped Arizona push Snapple, the former industry leader, off the top of the tea list), not everyone is too happy with a 99-cent beverage. This is also probably what has attracted the attention that Arizona has gained in recent weeks as gas prices rise and rising inflation drains the pockets of working-class families.


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Google, a subsidiary of Alphabet Inc., said it will let Spotify Technology SA use its own payment system in its Android app as part of a new trial programme aimed at alleviating app makers' worries about excessive costs and alleged anti-competitive activity.
In the coming months, users who download Spotify through the Google Play Store will be given the option of paying via Spotify's payment system or Google Play Billing in various regions.
A select number of participating developers, beginning with Spotify, will be able to provide an alternative billing option in addition to Google Play's billing system in their applications as part of the experiment.
Last year, Google announced it would enable developers in South Korea to use a second payment method in addition to its own, citing new competition legislation. Spotify claimed the Google trial was part of a "multi-year agreement," but didn't elaborate.
App developers who offer digital items, such as Spotify, have long grumbled about having to utilise the Play Store and Apple Inc.'s App Store's official payment methods.
Developers complain that Google and Apple take up to 30% of each payment as a charge, which they believe is excessive. Both have reduced costs in a variety of situations, claiming that they are necessary to fund a safe and secure mobile ecosystem. In the new experiment, Google did not define the cost it will charge.


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Kris Kringle’s Market Saturday
MONSON — Christmas is just around the corner and those special unique items for everyone on the gift list could be at Monson’s annual Kris Kringle’s Market on Saturday, Dec. 2 at the Monson Gym from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Kris Kringle’s Market will open with a variety of crafts, such as folk art, fabric items, knitted items, homemade food, wreaths, jewelry, wooden items, and more.
The market committee will be serving lunch starting at 11 a.m. There will be cookie decorating for the kids from 12-12:30 p.m. and Santa Claus arrives at 1 p.m. for the youngsters and the young at heart.
All entries for the gingerbread house contest must be at the gym by 10 a.m. Ribbons will be awarded to the top three creative and well-crafted entries.
A holiday village will be created with the entries and the theme for this year’s competition is a “Winter Wonderland”. Gingerbread contest rules can be found on the Town of Monson’s website/Facebook page.
The Kris Kringle committee will be selling 50/50 raffle tickets and door prizes will be awarded hourly. For further information, contact Annalee Libby at 207-997-3268 or email@example.com.


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We’re stoked to announce a new and exciting relationship with Nativox, a startup developing a very innovative digital platform to help people learn new languages and improve their accents. Creativity and communication. These are the two key areas that we at Free Range Puppies will be handling from now on.
For the past couple of months, we’ve been working on their new logo (see proposal above), and other aspects of the brand identity, including the UI design for mobile & web. We’ve also produced the video content for the set of lessons that will be included as part of the first version of the app. More exciting things coming soon, including the ad campaign to launch this cutting-edge and fun initiative started by @dianaorero


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Rabindra Dhungel, 16 september 2020. For the first time since 2002, Gisele Bundchen is not on the list of highest-earning models. The 37-year-old Brazilian beauty has slipped from the top spot to second place in Forbes’ annual list.
At the top is American model and TV actress Kender Jenner. Kender, 22, earned 22 million in 2017.
Kendra is said to have collaborated with more than 85 million followers and well-known brands including Stay Lounder, La Perla and Adidas on Instagram to reach the top of the highest-earning models.
This year has been a disappointing one for Gisele Bundchen, who earned. 30.5 million in 2016. In 2017, his earnings fell 43 percent to 17.5 million. She was the highest earning model for the last 15 years. This year she is in second place.
Chrissy Tegan, 31, is third on the list. She has earned. 13.5 million this year. For the first time, she has managed to be in the top 10.
Adriana Lima, Gigi Hadid, Rosie Hintington, Carly Klose, Lee Wayne, Bella Hadid and Ashley Graham Crums are in the top 10.
Model earnings in US dollars
Kendall Jenner 22 Million
Jissel Bundchen 17.5 Million
Crisy Tigan 13.5 Million
Adriana Lima 10.5 Million
Hadid 9.5 Million
Daily Hintington 9.5 Million
Carly Close 9 Million
Wayne 6.5 Million
Be Hadid 6 Million
Sley Graham 5.5 Million