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With an increase in online shopping and mobile payments, incidents of card fraud have grown exponentially in the last few years. According to McKinsey, this results in a worldwide loss of almost $23 billion estimated for 2016 alone. Apart from direct frauds, fraudulent blocks of genuine transactions also result in loss of sales for online retailers.
Today, many merchants are migrating to EMV chip card technology, the global standards for chip-based debit and credit card transactions. This results in a slight reduction in fraud, for card present (CP) transactions, but the frauds for card not present (CNP) transactions is increasing day by day. Mobile phone transactions are at risk as the operating systems of phones and tablets are not updated frequently. There are very few phones users, who are using anti-virus software which can help protect their devices and prevent fraud. As commerce is shifting online onto mobile phones, any type of financial fraud is testing the hard earned connect that MNCs have with consumers, thus putting the reputation of their brands at risk.
To protect themselves, companies need to implement fraud management systems and tools. Like any industry, even financial fraudsters have common tricks which they all use for a period of time and then move to the next new trend. An important factor here is to understand the patterns of online fraudsters; – find the path and direction along which the fraud is taking place. This helps in predicting frauds and mitigating the risks posed from these hackers.
As technology evolves, so does card-based transaction tech. Magnetic strip card transactions have now changed to EMV chip-based transactions.
Fraud management is posed to be a never-ending task for banks and e-commerce companies. Cyber attacks are often initiated by malware. These malwares are passed through emails and social media. It collects a customer’s data, including the PIN and other authenticating information which are usually used for online shopping. Banks and e-commerce companies keep updating their security and payment software, but fraudsters can still find chinks in their armor.
These three steps can help organizations prevent frauds.
Employing advanced analytics
Companies can take advantage of data analytics to enhance their fraud detection tools. This needs proper collection and analysis of a customer’s purchasing history, location, usage frequency and device type which helps in authenticating transactions.
Advanced data analytics are improving the effectiveness and efficiency of fraud management. With the integration of data source, modeling techniques and automation technologies, data scientists are transforming the way we approach and prevent frauds.
Re-engineering fraud case management
A better way to prevent fraud is to adopt an integrated fraud strategy across all business and transaction types by implementing fraud prevention policies, transaction limits and thresholds in all channels.
Leading companies are taking these steps to enable next-generation fraud management systems which include visual monitoring, live decision making, lean management and robotics. This increases the speed, reliability and customer satisfaction and it also reduces costs and system errors.
These are some advanced tools which are able to predict any unusual behavior of a consumer and alert the concerned team accordingly.
Improving customer experience
E-commerce companies need to think constantly about customer experience. Poorly designed authentication systems largely impact a customer’s engagement. Companies need to redesign their system to enhance a customer’s online journey. By doing this, companies can uncover opportunities to offer a great online experience and draw a long-term relationship.
BSE Institute’s course on Anti Money Laundering provides participants a clear understanding of all legal and regularity obligations that companies have towards their consumers. You gain an essential perspective on the broader agenda of financial crimes.
Fraud management not only reduces losses but improve customer experience and sales. Companies that adopt the practices mentioned above can protect themselves against fraud and cyber attacks which ultimately boost customer value, loyalty and engagement.


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Former Bank of England deputy governor Sir John Gieve and past rate-setters Dame Deanne Julius and Charles Goodhart claimed the economy had already reached or was about to reach “escape velocity” – the level at which a recovery is self-sustaining. Sir John argued that growth could recover “quite swiftly to 2.5pc or more”.
The upbeat outlook came ahead of figures showing consumer confidence had hit a three year high. The closely-watched GfK consumer confidence barometer for July rose by five points to -16, its strongest reading since April 2010.
Nick Moon, managing director of social research at GfK, said: “There is now no doubt that consumer confidence has recovered strongly from the unparalleled trough of the last five years. In the last three months the index has risen by 11 points, one of the best single quarter improvements since it started climbing from its all-time low in July 2008 after the credit crunch.”
Signs of a resurgent economy follow the sharp rise in growth in the second quarter to 0.6pc, which built on the 0.3pc rise in the first three months of the year. Economists currently expect GDP to expand by more than 1pc this year and almost 2pc in 2014.
Despite the signs of recovery, though, all three former Bank policymakers expect new Governor Mark Carney to commit next week to an extended period of record low interest rates – potentially until 2015.
Speaking at Fathom Consulting’s Monetary Policy Forum, Dame Julius said: “We are now at a rate of growth at around trend of 2pc-2.5pc, despite a recession in the eurozone and austerity and also despite what the IMF thinks is slowing global growth. This represents escape velocity.”
She added that the growth was “sustainable” and dismissed fears about high levels of household debt and the threat of a Government subsidised housing boom through Help-to-Buy. “It’s hard to believe we are about to go into a period of unsustainable debt,” she said.
Mr Goodhart said on the issue of escape velocity: “I think we may well be there. I’m a relative optimist. I think we’re more or less at the turning point now.”
Sir John said he was “50-50” on the issue of escape velocity, but argued that consumers should help drive growth in the months ahead as household debt reduction has “gone far enough for a substantial part of the population”. He added that business investment should follow, providing further support for the recovery, but expressed concerns about an ongoing squeeze on household incomes.
If the economy did quickly pick up speed, “you could see a policy change next year” on either interest rates or quantitative easing, he said. Sir John controversially argued that the “days of pure inflation targeting are dead” as the Bank has been focusing on wages and average earnings growth.
Fathom took a more pessimistic view, warning that a recovery based on consumer spending was the “wrong kind of growth”.
“The Government and the Bank are working together to get households back on the crack,” Danny Gabay, Fathom’s director, said. “[They are saying] forget all that rebalancing, we’re going back to what we do best – debt fuelled consumer spending based on housing. What could go wrong?”

domain: news


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Music streaming continues to provide a big boost to music industry revenue. In fact, digital music now outsells physical formats worldwide, nabbing 45 percent of all purchases in 2015 according to IFPI's Global Music Report. If you'll recall, the RIAA reported last March that music streaming had overtaken physical sales in the US, and the trend continued worldwide last year. Digital revenue accounted for $6.7 billion, thanks largely to a 45-percent increase in what streaming services took in. Despite industry revenue growth of 3.2 percent or $15 million for 2015, both physical sales and digital downloads declined.
While streaming services are lending a big hand to continued growth, IFPI warns that the "value gap" -- or the amount of revenue being paid out to rights holders, labels and artists -- could prove problematic. A key reason for the uneven returns is sites like YouTube that allow users to upload songs for others to listen to free of charge.
Despite YouTube shelling out $3 billion to the music industry, policing its library and launching its own ad-free streaming service, there's still concern that so-called "safe harbor" site where folks can listen for free aren't paying the same royalties as Spotify and others. In fact, IFPI says those sites only account for 4 percent of global music revenue but tout a user base that counts over 900 million. IFPI says that the discrepancy, along with the amount of revenue being returned to rights holders, could be what hinders future growth.


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Vankleek Hill, Ontario – For anyone looking to warm up for St. Paddy’s Day celebrations March 17, the new strong Irish Red Ale from Beau’s coming out this week, “Strong Patrick,” will be just the ticket. Strong Patrick is the third release for Beau’s month-long winter celebration of beer “feBREWary,” and will be tapped beginning Feb. 12 at 150 restaurants and pubs across Ontario. Additionally, Strong Patrick will see province-wide release into LCBOs in Ontario this week, and within a few weeks will also be available in Québec.
Strong Patrick is a 6.7% ABV interpretation of an Irish Red Ale. Part of the batch has been aged in whiskey barrels and then reintroduced, adding subtle wood and vanilla nuances. The style is typically lightly hopped, well rounded and balanced, with a pleasant toasted malt character. Brewmaster Matthew O’Hara describes the beer as luscious and red-hued with a malty backbone, showcasing toasty and toffee notes complemented by warming alcohol & whiskey flavours.
Strong Patrick will be available on draught at Beau’s 150 feBREWary partners; a list is online at www.beaus.ca/feBREWary. The beer will also be sold and served at the brewery in Vankleek Hill, ON beginning Thursday Feb. 12, and over the weekend as Beau’s feBREWary celebrations continue. Bottles will be sold at LCBOs and the brewery for $7.95, and can also be ordered for home delivery in Ottawa via beer delivery service BYBO (www.bybo.ca).
Beau’s resident chef Bruce Wood will be on hand at the brewery both Saturday and Sunday, pairing Strong Patrick with $5 small plates of what he calls “proper shepherd’s pie” – made with locally raised lamb, Chef Bruce’s homemade stock, and of course, a healthy addition of Strong Patrick. The new ale will be available in a traditional cask-conditioned format over the weekend, served naturally carbonated and at about 12 C, to let the complexity of the flavours shine through.
Ottawa’s Darcy McGee’s on Sparks St. will be celebrating Strong Patrick’s release with a Warm up for St. Paddy’s Day Party on Thursday Feb. 12 – the festivities include Strong Patrick on tap, as well as Irish music, strength competitions, and contest giveaways. Toronto’s Monarch Tavern will also host a St. Paddy’s Practice Day on Tuesday Feb. 17, with free Strong Patrick t-shirts for the first 40 attendees. A “Meet the Brewer” beer dinner at Urban Pantry in Uxbridge is also planned as part of this week’s Beau’s feBREWary events – more details are available on the feBREWary website listed below.
FeBREWary 2015 is Beau’s All Natural’s 4th annual month-long beer event designed to “Give Old Man Winter a kick in the snowpants.” Next week’s feBREWary release from Beau’s is Cœur Noir Black IPA, an obsidian-coloured hop-forward brew that pulses with citrusy, resinous aromas. Details on all the new beers, as well as upcoming events at the brewery and across the province at licensee partners are available online at www.beaus.ca/feBREWary. Details of Strong Patrick’s Québec availability will be made available shortly.


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The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) was unchanged in Nov. on seasonally adjusted basis after rising 0.2% in Oct. The indexes for energy and food fell, offsetting rise in all items less food and energy. All items less food and energy index rose by 0.2%, same rise in Oct. and Sept.
$PYPL jumps 6% in after hours on strong results. I am bullish on this stock.
$TSCO stock remained active in the after hours trading and rose more than 2% after the retailer posted better than expected 1Q17 results.
Instagram has reached 700 million monthly active users. Looks like it will hit 1 billion soon. That would make it $FB’s fourth billion-user platform.


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Notifier introduces intelligent smoke alarm
Nov. 4, 2013 – Notifier, by Honeywell, has introduced an intelligent version of its fire alarm aspiration sensing technology. The device, which is intended for high-value and critical facilities, can now detect early warnings of smoke. The device works by continuously drawing air samples into its sensor, while an infrared laser distinguishes other airborne particulates that could cause a false alarm. For more information, visit www.notifier.com.


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Shade-grown coffee, a more environmentally friendly way of cultivating the world’s favorite bean, already fetches a higher price on supermarket shelves.
But coffee growers who protect existing trees and reforest within the plantation now could become eligible for environmental service payments through the National Forestry Fund (FONAFIFO).
The Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center (CATIE) and the Agriculture Ministry are currently working on a program to push more coffee producers into shade-grown and sustainable coffee production, according to a statement from CATIE.
One incentive is FONAFIFO’s environmental service payment program, which doles out millions each year to private landowners who protect or grow new forest on their property.
Additionally, some 3,400 coffee growers with the consortium Coffee Growers’ Cooperatives of Guanacaste and Montes de Oro could potentially make money in the carbon credit market, CATIE said.
Elias de Melo, a researcher with CATIE, and Sergio Abarca, a researcher for the Agriculture Ministry, concluded that coffee plantations grown under the cover of trees and sustainably managed can preserve a high level of biodiversity and protect water sources and the soil.
De Melo estimated that the shadegrown coffee plantations across the country are home to more than 250 species of trees, store about 2.8 million tons of carbon dioxide and are home to a wide variety of other plant and animal species.
Industry leaders have been promoting environmentally friendly practices in Costa Rica.
Speaking at the annual Sintercafé coffee conference in San José in November, Tensie Whelan, president of the environmental certification organization Rainforest Alliance, said coffee could be the leader of an environmental revolution in agricultural practices.
She told The Tico Times she believes coffee producers are “the farthest ahead” in making their practices more environmentally friendly and sustainable.


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Alibaba containers 10% as well as drives Chinese stocks reduced after SEC claims ecommerce huge faces prospective delisting
July 30, 2022
Chinese stocks relocated lower on Friday after the SEC flagged Alibaba for a potential delisting. Chinese business listed on US exchanges have till 2024 to follow a brand-new law that needs them to be examined by US-based accounting professionals.
” If we remain in the exact same place 2 years from currently,” lots of companies “would certainly be put on hold,” SEC Chairman Gary Gensler stated earlier this year.
The stock price of baba tanked as long as 10% on Friday and also led Chinese stocks lower after the Securities and Exchange Commission identified the ecommerce titan in a brand-new set of Chinese companies that could be subject to delisting from United States exchanges if they do not abide by a brand-new legislation.
The Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act took effect on December 18, 2020. It requires the SEC to determine publicly traded international business on United States exchanges that will certainly not permit a United States auditor to completely check their monetary publications. The SEC ultimately has the power to delist the Chinese stocks if for three straight years they do not permit a United States accounting company to carry out an audit of its monetary declarations.
The SEC stated Alibaba has until August 19 to submit proof that disputes its recognition of a Chinese business that hasn’t fully opened its accountancy publications to auditors.
Whether China-based firms will follow the brand-new regulation stays to be seen, according to SEC Chairman Gary Gensler. “If we’re in the exact same place two years from currently,” lots of business “would certainly be suspended,” Gensler stated previously this year.
China has made some overtures to the United States that it would allow some United States audit reviews to stop the delistings. That might not be enough, though, as the regulation calls for all firms to be based on an audit by a US-based audit firm.
Earlier today, Gensler claimed the SEC would not send out accountancy examiners to China or Hong Kong unless Beijing consents to total audit accessibility for Chinese companies that are detailed on United States stock exchanges.
There are now more than 200 Chinese companies that have actually been recognized by the SEC for going against the HFCA legislation, and that could cause big ramifications for investors if Beijing doesn’t offer auditors complete access to business funds.
Alibaba: The Delisting Anxieties Are Back
Alibaba Group Holding Limited (NYSE: BABA) is slated to report its FQ1 ’23 earnings launch on August 4. BABA capitalists have been hammered (once more) over the past month as the bears returned to haunt Chinese stocks. The delisting worries are back!
In our June downgrade (Hold score), we cautioned financiers that we kept in mind significant selling pressure at its crucial resistance area ($ 125) and also prompted them to stay clear of adding at those levels. Despite the sharp healing from its Might lows, we were concerned that the marketplace can make use of the favorable beliefs in June to bring in purchasers into a catch before digesting those gains.
Subsequently, considering that our June write-up, BABA has considerably underperformed the SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY). Therefore, it posted a return of -14.5%, against the SPY’s 11.06% gain over the same period.
The marketplace has leveraged the recent pessimism astutely over its delisting dangers and also China’s increasingly rare GDP development target to shake out weak hands. Because of this, the marketplace pessimism has provided financiers with another chance to take into consideration including BABA once more!
Consequently, we modify our score on BABA from Hold to Purchase. Regardless of, we warn investors that our cost activity analysis has yet to show any prospective bear trap (showing that the marketplace decisively rejected additional selling downside) yet. Consequently, we are “front-running” the marketplace in anticipation of durable purchasing support at the present degrees to show up quickly.
Delisting As Well As GDP Growth Target Anxieties! BABA dropped on July 29 as the US SEC added China’s ecommerce leviathan to its delisting list, which stunned the marketplace.
Nevertheless, are such headwinds new? Absolutely not. So, we urge investors not to panic to such a step by the market to shake out weak hands. BABA got a boost lately as the company highlighted that it could seek a key listing in Hong Kong, vanquishing worries of its delisting in the US. Furthermore, a primary listing in Hong Kong would allow Alibaba to leverage investors in landmass China to buy its stock.
Investors Could Be Concerned With A Defeatist Q1 Earnings Alibaba earnings change % and readjusted EPS change % consensus estimates Alibaba earnings modification % as well as adjusted EPS change % agreement estimates (S&P Cap IQ).
Because of this, we believe the marketplace is attempting to de-risk its valuation of BABA, heading into its Q1 profits.
The changed consensus quotes (very favorable) suggest that Alibaba can post earnings growth of -0.9% YoY in FQ1, following Q4’s 8.9% rise. Nevertheless, its profitability could continue to see more headwinds, as its modified EPS is forecasted to fall by 36.7% YoY.
Alibaba changed EBITA by section. Alibaba changed EBITA by segment (Firm filings).
Nonetheless, our company believe investors need to not be shocked. There should not be any type of surprises, right? In spite of the growth momentum seen in Ali Cloud, commerce (physical and also shopping) continues to be Alibaba’s most essential modified EBITA motorist, as seen above.
For that reason, the current macro headwinds that have actually remained to impact China’s consumer discretionary investing, paired with the COVID lockdowns, would likely be consistent.
Furthermore, the continuous home market malaise has seen little signs of turning right, as property buyers have gone on strike over making more home mortgage repayments on incomplete homes.
Is BABA Stock A Get, Offer, Or Hold? We modify our score on BABA from Hold to Buy.
We believe the current pessimistic views on BABA sets up the stock really well, heading right into its Q1 card. On top of that, favorable discourse from management regarding its anticipated healing from 2023 should assist stabilize the stock. With a web cash setting of $43.92 B, Alibaba remains in an enviable position to proceed making strategic stock repurchases to underpin its healing energy moving on.
While we do not expect BABA to damage below its March lows of $73, we have yet to observe constructive price frameworks that recommend its marketing disadvantage is dealing with substantial purchasing pressure. For that reason, our Buy score efforts to front-run the market, as well as capitalists should await prospective downside volatility.
Do you want to purchase only at the appropriate entry points for your growth stocks? We assist you to select lower-risk entrance factors, ensuring you are able to maximize them with a higher probability of success and revenue on their following wave up. Your membership additionally consists of:.
-24/ 7 access to our design profiles.
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The Universal Description Discover and Integration (UDDI) project has announced improved support for internationalisation.
This means more flexibility in describing business and services in multiple languages as part of the latest specification.
UDDI, Version 2, also includes additional categorisation and identifierschemes that allow businesses to use additional industry-specificcategories and identifiers to describe themselves and the web-based services they offer.
In addition, more sophisticated searching features are built-in.
In September, Microsoft, IBM and Ariba proposed the UDDI standard thatallows businesses to register with an internet directory to helpcompanies advertise their services over the qeb.
With the backing of more than 280 companies, the group officially launched a Yellow Pages-style directory, the UDDI Business Registry, which aims to make it easier for businesses to provide information about their products and services on the web, as well as locate partners and customers.
A number of registries that use differing protocols already exist on the web, but the founding companies began the UDDI effort as a way to make web-based business-to-business commerce work more smoothly.
Analysts at Gartner are sceptical, however, questioning whether company CIOs need another emerging technology standard.
"But UDDI, a web-based directory that acts much like a phone book, has the advantage of thus far remaining free of the politics inherent in a standards setting body," Gartner's Daryl Plummer said.
Plummer also said Version 2 of the UDDI specification delivers a number of important features that will facilitate business-to-business ecommerce.
Cotton seedling freezes to death as Chang'e-4 shuts down for the Moon's 14-day lunar night
Fortnite easily out-earns PUBG, Assassin's Creed Odyssey and Red Dead Redemption 2 in 2018
Meteor showers as a service will be visible for about 100 kilometres in all directions
Saturn's rings only formed in the past 100 million years, suggests analysis of Cassini space probe data
New findings contradict conventional belief that Saturn's rings were formed along with the planet about 4.5 billion years ago


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Dubai Mall security staff are cracking down on shoppers dressed in skimpy outfits and being overtly affectionate as Ramadan approaches.
This pocket-sized flyer is being handed out by security guards to visitors who are dressed inappropriately in a bid to step up awareness of the mall’s courtesy policy.
Guards told the Dubai-based news orgaisation 7DAYS that although the information has been available for a long time, it is only in the past month they have been instructed to politely distribute the leaflets to violators. “If we see someone who is not following the policy, it is part of our job to inform them by giving them the card,” one of the guards explained.
The text on the card states: “Please wear respectful clothing. For example, shoulders and knees should be covered. No kissing or overt display of affection in the mall.
“No smoking in the mall. No dangerous activities. For example sports games, rollerblading or skateboarding.
“No pets are allowed in the mall.”
The guards say they have been greeted with mixed reactions when handing out cards.
One worker explained: “Some get angry, some get upset, and some just refuse to take the flyer when we hand it to them and walk off. They say they don’t want it.”
Another guard, who said he distributes between 10 and 30 cards a day, added: “Some of the ladies are very nice. They say thank you and some even see it and seem surprised, and then say sorry. I think most of the ones who do that are tourists though.”
But many others are not as kind, said his co-worker. “Sometimes they get very angry.
One lady, who was wearing a very short dress and holding hands with her male companion, got very upset and said ‘how dare you say anything to me’,” the guard explained.
In such cases, the guards said they make sure to remain extremely polite and apologise while explaining that it’s simply the mall’s policy. “We are not afraid, it’s the policy and it’s our job to tell them about it. But they are also guests so we have to smile and be polite,” he said.
Tourist Sana Aurora, who was handed the flyer while she was shopping with her husband, told 7DAYS: “I cannot believe they would do this. I’m so upset. It’s really hot here and just because I’m wearing an off-shoulder top does not mean I am indecently dressed. It’s insulting that they would suggest that.”
The visitor, from Boston in the US, added that she saw far more scantily dressed women around her. “Why didn’t he approach all the others too? I didn’t see the guards stop the women in tiny shorts and midriff-baring T-shirts who walked past when he was handing the card to me.”
But Aurora’s husband added: “I thought it was hilarious, to be honest - a bit like a referee card for fashion.
I even took a photo and immediately posted it on facebook to show our friends in Boston. I wanted to keep it as a souvenir but then Sana would be mad.”
Yet it’s not just visitors who run into trouble. The security men said staff at some of the shops at the mall surprise them the most.“One time I gave a card to the same lady, dressed in a very low cut top and very short skirt, two days in a row. Then I realised that she actually worked at one of the shops here,” one worker said.
7DAYS asked shoppers at the mall what they thought of the cards. One woman, wearing a low-cut summer dress, said how she dressed was nobody’s business. “I’m wearing what they’re selling at the shops here. I will dress as I please,” she said.
However, another expat said she was shocked that people weren’t respecting local customs. Brit Hayley Cox said: “Women here dress in a way that we wouldn’t even back home in the UK. So I don’t see the problem with educating them. It’s sad that they have to be told, because it should be obvious as they’re living in an Islamic country. Why can’t people just show some respect?”
DRESS CODE POLICY
A Dubai Mall spokesperson told 7DAYS: “The Dubai Mall underlines its commitment to the values and customs of the UAE, and urges all visitors to adhere to its dress code policy.
Most of our visitors are aware of the dress code policy. But given that the city hosts visitors from around the world - some of them not aware of the cultural sensitivities of the country - we take extra care in highlighting the mall’s courtesy policy for the benefit of all. For more awareness, the courtesy policy is printed in two types of flyers in eight languages.
“Our guest service representatives and security staff have been instructed to hand out the flyers discreetly and courteously, to remind any guests about the need to respect the region’s cultural ethos. We are committed to ensuring the social and cultural morals of the UAE and encourage visitors to respect the country’s cultural sensitivities.”


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Boatbuilder Peter Johnstone has bought Alerion Yachts out of bankruptcy for $100,000 — $70,000 for the brand and $30,000 for a CNC machine.
The purchase was made at a Rhode Island receivership auction Nov. 9; Johnstone was the sole bidder.
Johnstone also was recently named as head of product development at his father Bob Johnstone’s boatbuilding operation, MJM Yachts.
“That’s my focus,” Peter Johnstone told Trade Only Today. “But my dad is at his best when he’s running MJM. I’ve been doing all the long-term things that need to happen so when he’s gone, the transition is easy, but I wouldn’t ask my dad to slow down until he’s ready. This Alerion opportunity just seemed like the perfect thing to sink my teeth into in the meantime.”
In 2016 Alerion built about 18 boats, Johnstone said, adding: “That was while there was chaos going on.”
“We’ve got five great models which would be hard to improve upon,” Johnstone said. “We’re just going to do a really great job with those for the first year or two. I think a good year or two of basics and really making sure we’re structured well and functioning well, and then we’ll see new product coming out once that milestone’s real clear to us.”
A $620,000 offer was made to buy some of the US Watercraft LLC brands — of which Alerion was one — after the boatbuilder entered receivership during the summer.
Repeated calls made this week to the receivers had not been returned by this morning.
US Watercraft has, for many years, manufactured and sold the Alerion Yacht, True North Yacht, North Rip Boat, C&C 30, Redline 41 and certain J Boat racing-class sailboats.
The Rhode Island Superior Court-appointed receiver said before the auction that the offer was for the purchase of True North, C&C, PDQ and J/Boats. The purchase would include trademarks, boating lines, engineering, tooling, molds and manufacturing processes for those brands.
“Higher and better offers are welcomed and can be made prior to the date set down by the court, which is Nov. 3,” receiver Vincent A. Indeglia said in a statement at the time.
The property auction — which drew 417 bidders from 17 states and four countries, as well as 112 online bidders — was held Nov. 11, Michael Salvadore Jr. of Salvadore Auctions Inc. told Trade Only.


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One of our loyal Wii U Daily readers was kind enough to send us photographs of the current Wii U Summer Tour going on in Hollywood right now. This is similar to the tour we saw in Disneyland, featuring many of the same playable games and booths. It’s nice to see Nintendo getting out and advertising and it looks like everyone is having fun.
There’s even a great shot on the side of one of the booths showing all the upcoming games, which is great for those who might not know that a full catalog of amazing releases is just around the corner. Have you seen the Wii U Summer Tour in your town? Send us pictures so we can share!
- Wii U & 3DS eShop Black Friday Deals
- Black Friday deals for Wii U owners
- Level-5's CEO wants Yo-Kai Watch on the Wii U
- Slosher Deco headed to Splatoon tomorrow
TAGS: Nintendo, wii u, wii u summer tour


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OTTAWA—According to Statistics Can data released in April,
Canadians took 5.6 million trips abroad in February. This is a 1.5
per cent increase from January.
Travel to the U.S rose 1.7 per cent in February
to 4.9 million trips. In addition, trips to other destinations
rose 0.4 per cent to 768,000.
Trips consisting of one or more nights to the United States
rose 3.1 per cent to 2 million trips. Travel by saw an increase
of 3.7 per cent to 1.2 million trips and travel by plane
increased 2.9 per cent to 669,000 trips.


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Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry in partnership with The Zariah Elizabeth Foundation (TZE) is currently making collaborative efforts to support SMEs through the use of ICT to promote businesses within and around Abuja through her initiative called ICTHUB.
This initiative according to Executive Director of The Zariah Elizabeth Foundation, Mr. Akindayo Akindolani, will afford the ICT enthusiasts the rare opportunity to interact with professionals and for techies and IT savvy individuals to meet up and discuss ideas that will generate sustainable growth for the economy
In view of supporting SMEs, Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry has powered McAnderson Associates to developed a solution called Website As a Service.
Website as a Service (WaaS) takes every hassle of running a reputable web presence of businesses by developing, hosting and managing the website of companies.
McAnderson Associates focuses in empowering SMEs to do more with their businesses by managing their web presence including the social media platform without even breaking their budget or sacrificing other needs. The setup of Basic plan website is N10,000 while the monthly subscription is N5,000 and there are no hidden charges after subscribing to the product.
“Since, one of the aim of Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry is to develop capacities and to support SMEs in other to develop the nation, we have created the platform for our youth to interact for possible collaboration amidst themselves on viable projects that can turn the country’s economy around for good which will make them develop bespoke ICT solutions (Made in Nigeria Solutions) which was our theme for the last Abuja International trade fair we organized” Professor Adesoji Adesugba, VP ICT, Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Mr Akindolani added that there seems to be a huge disconnect between the knowledge imparted in schools and the skill needs of the society they are been prepared for. In our capacity as an NGO, we have partnered with Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Microsoft, The Future Projects and other stakeholders to tackle this by training over 6000 secondary school students within Abuja on Coding/Digital Literacy skills and our next project is to train selected young graduates on Digital Empowerment Training happening this month.
The Zariah Elizabeth Foundation is a non-governmental establishment with the mandate to build the capacity of the people, train at public workshops as well as promote ICT based products, services and projects at all levels in Nigeria.


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The BMW i8 is an electric-hybrid supercar that’s in such demand, secondhand examples are changing hands for more than the official £99,845 list price.
The waiting list for new models is also two years long – and both are reasons why many car fans will be watching the BCA Top Car Sale auction at Blackbushe next Monday, 23 February.
That’s because the first BMW i8 to be auctioned in the UK goes under the hammer…
Finished in white with 20-inch alloys, with a matching Carpo Light white leather interior, the London Congestion Charge exempt car has covered just 52 miles: it’s effectively brand new, although it does wear a 64-plate registration.
Why it’s come up for auction rather than being sold to an eager buyer for a healthy premium is not clear, but bidding at the auction is expected to be swift from those keen to beat the waiting list.
Which begs the question: how much more than the £100k list price could the ‘pre-registered’ BMW i8 make?


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Explorers Podcast: Pivoting for the battery revolution, the opportunity in specialty graphite and capitalising on Chinese REE dependency
Link copied to
Stockhead’s ‘Garimpeiro’ columnist Barry FitzGerald is back in the studio for another instalment of The Explorers Podcast.
In this episode Barry chats with Mike Rosenstreich, managing director of Hexagon Energy Materials (ASX:HXG).
Hexagon is looking to commercialise a revolutionary rare earths processing technology called RapidSX™, which has the potential to disrupt China’s virtual monopoly over the processing of rare earth elements (REEs) into rare earth oxides (REOs).
REOs are the primary materials for the manufacturing of rare earth permanent magnets (REPMs), which are essential for electric vehicle motors, consumer electronic products, renewable energy generation and a number of military applications.
RapidSX™ can process REEs faster and cheaper than existing solvent extraction processes used in China, which can deliver substantial capital and operating costs savings to existing and proposed rare earth producers around the world.
Hexagon and its Canadian joint venture partners are building a commercial demonstration plant that will be operating and generating cashflow by the end of 2020.
So click below to tune in.
Like to tune in through another app? Just search for The Explorers Podcast with Barry FitzGerald and subscribe!


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Most unusually, Adrian Bosshard starts his interview with Options by turning the spotlight away from himself. Instead, the well-liked CEO of popular Swiss watch brand Rado puts the person who should be asking the questions in the hot seat. Am I familiar with Rado, he asks, and how much do I know about the brand? Do I have a favourite watch? It bodes well for our chat that this part goes nicely, and Bosshard emerges to be a charming, delightful conversationalist throughout our hour together.
The Swatch Group-owned Rado is no stranger to the local watch market, although it is correct to say that the last five years or so have seen the brand become more active in terms of customer engagement and product development. But the one thing that has remained constant since its inception is Rado’s dogged dedication to materials research, ensuring each of its watches represents a new frontier in this field — from its DiaStar, which comes in at a most affordable RM4,000, right up to its high-tech ceramic Captain Cook, priced at RM15,000 and the brand’s current bestseller. This is well and truly accessible luxury at its very best.
“This is our aim and strategy,” Bosshard says in his charmingly accented English. “We want to offer customers achievable luxury. But we are offering a lot of value with that product. The price bracket between RM4,000 and RM15,000 is very interesting, all over the world — it’s reachable, and not an inaccessible price point.”
Bosshard takes off his own watch for a spot of show-and-tell — it is a piece from the Captain Cook collection, featuring a high-tech ceramic construction and skeletonised movement made possible by a sapphire crystal disc.
“I have several watches from Rado, but please do not ask me which one is my favourite,” he laughs. “I don’t really take care of my watches, in that I really use the watches for all activities in my life and it says a lot that they are not scratched.”
He then offers another anecdote. “I got married in 1991, which is 31 years ago, and as a wedding gift, I received a Rado Integral. It still looks good, with no scratches or anything! It looks like new. And this is not a marketing ploy, but a true story. That’s the proof of the promise we give customers — that our products really stand the test of time.”
Metallurgy and materials science — or the study of how metals, compounds and alloys behave under a variety of extreme conditions, and how they can be applied in the real world — are uncharted territory for many Swiss watchmakers. But Rado is not like most watchmakers. The brand has embraced far-out metals and compounds since 1962, when it debuted its iconic DiaStar 1, marketed as the world’s first scratch-proof watch, thanks to its use of hard metal and sapphire crystal. More than half a century later, the materials have grown a little more high-tech, but Rado’s achievements remain consistently pioneering.
“Our DNA has always been innovation — be different in terms of design and materials. We are the master of designs and the master of materials,” Bosshard says proudly. “An important aspect of the brand is that the management has always been dynamic in terms of innovation and creating new features — materials were always important. We were the first to invent scratch-proof glass and metal for use in watchmaking.”
Let’s get into a bit of history. Rado’s past dates back to 1917, when brothers Fritz, Ernst and Werner Schlup made a decision that would change their lives and those of future generations when they chose to become watchmakers. Their humble atelier was located in a converted part of their parents’ home in the village of Lengnau, Switzerland. Through their relentless energy and uncanny ability to spot new opportunities, Schlup & Co got off to a promising start, signing agreements with a wide array of importers around the world. By the end of World War II, the factory was among the largest producers of watch movements, its name synonymous with Swiss-made quality.
This laid the groundwork for the brothers’ next big adventure — the launch of their own watch brand in 1957. Enter Rado, a word meaning “wheel” in Esperanto. The company retained independent ownership until its acquisition by the Swatch Group in 1986. But its independent spirit remained very much intact, as subsequent stewards of the brand always respected Rado’s roots and never ceased to put the brand’s unique nature front and forward.
Bosshard, a Swatch Group veteran with stints at Certina and Union Glashütte prior to running Rado from 2020, is taking the same approach as he establishes a stronger presence for the brand in all its markets.
“You always have to respect the roots of the brand you’re working for, and Rado has roots that go back to 1917 — that’s more than 100 years. So, when I guide the team forward, it is to build on our strengths and design language while developing us further as a master of materials. Just because we have invented hard metals and ceramic in watch production doesn’t mean we should stay quiet — you must innovate. My driver is therefore innovation without losing track of our roots.”
He takes off his watch again and looks at it affectionately. “When you look at the Captain Cook from the 1960s, today’s versions feature the same design, but case sizes are bigger; we have the chance to work with more sophisticated movements and the opportunity to make these products with the most sophisticated technology. This is also the direction I give to my product team, and it’s worked for us.”
Asked about the brand’s increased activity recently, especially in Malaysia, Bosshard says this in some ways is a post-pandemic move to embrace the needs of younger customers as well as its existing consumer base, which is intent on spending some well-earned funds that have remained unspent over the last two years. While most watch companies are looking at growing their points of sale, Rado is more focused on enhancing what it already has.
“Rado has been in Malaysia for many years and has a big market share. We have done well with the more classical products, but we have seen that customers have changed in Southeast Asia and all over the world. They want new designs, and they want products that are different from those from their parents’ generation. So, we have reactivated important collections like Captain Cook, which was launched in 1962.
“Now, we have expanded the Captain Cook family with skeleton movements, diving models and so on — innovative products that our younger customers really appreciate. We have reintroduced facets of our past that have fascinated our newer buyers, who have themselves brought a breath of fresh air to the company. The Integral and DiaStar are major product lines for us, but today the youthful customers who like sports watches really like Captain Cook. Since we relaunched it last year, it has been very well received. No one else is really making full ceramic diving watches at this price point.”
The focus now for a company like Rado, which boasts an established presence in markets all over the world, is to enhance the customer experience — it is a qualitative game, not a quantitative one more conerned with the number of points of sales in each country.
“As a global brand, we are present in almost all markets, so we don’t need to break into new markets. But the customers in the luxury segment that we operate in have changed drastically, and even more so after the pandemic. They are buying more luxury goods, they have higher expectations of what they buy, but they are also in search of flawless service.
“We work through our own retail and franchise stores. So, it is important that we present ourselves qualitatively in these spaces, that we have appropriate neighbours, and it’s our strategy that people in the boutiques know the brand well. We are reducing distribution globally, and focusing on existing retail to enhance the customer experience.”
After all, an unusual brand like Rado attracts equally unconventional buyers. “Our typical customer has high expectations of the watch in terms of quality, and he wants to be different. He searches for excellence in terms of design, and he is looking for value for money as well. Also, something off the beaten path — this is the big advantage with iconic designs like ours. We don’t take inspiration from other brands or trends in the industry; our creations come from our DNA and are based on our research in materials.”
In the coming months, Bosshard says, two highly anticipated new releases will reaffirm Rado’s legitimacy in the watchmaking universe — a high-complication model with an in-house movement designed with the Swatch Group-owned ETA, and a new material developed on a ceramic base that will include metallic colours, and combine the strength of metal with the lightness and durability of ceramic. “There are some exciting months coming that will underline our strengths in terms of design, material and movement innovation,” he says, and there is no missing the pride in his voice.
If, at first glance, Bosshard looks to have the build and physique of an athlete, it is because in a previous life, that is exactly what he was — before watchmaking, he was a professional racer and even participated in Grand Prix motorcycle racing. He left the sport at the age of 34 — “it’s not old, but it’s old for sports” — and completed a marketing degree so that he could be part of an industry he had loved as a child: watches.
“I grew up in the Swiss city of Biel and, living there, you cannot help but be filled by a passion for watchmaking. I always had friends from watchmaking — watches are the biggest industry there, after all. I was always very passionate about timepieces; I started collecting early — I now have models from Swatch, Omega, Certina, Union Glashütte and, of course, Rado.”
A polyglot — Bosshard speaks Swiss-German, German, Italian, French and English fluently — he joined the Swatch Group in 1996 and worked in three maisons before Nicolas Hayek hand-picked him to run Rado in 2020. Bosshard may have got the top job as the pandemic unfolded, but he is not exaggerating when he says that sales of the brand shot up last year. The Swatch Group does not disclose a breakdown of the performance of its individual brands, but the industry has definitely enjoyed better times since any losses made when the pandemic hit in 2020. For example, a recent report by the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry (FH) states that, in 2021, Swiss watch export figures reached an all-time high of CHF22.3 billion.
So, does his past in sports inform the way he works today? “Oh yes. Heavily,” he smiles. “First, as a professional racing driver, you have to be aware that when you are not performing, you are dead. You have to be focused on results and performance because you cannot make any money if you simply do sports for fun. When you are leading a watch company, you need to perform in all fields — innovation, product design and quality, after-sales service, marketing — otherwise, customers will leave. The lesson for me is to always bring perfect performance to please customers.
“Second, when I was a MotoGP rider, I was alone on the bike. But behind me was a team of engineers and mechanics working on the bike and experts helping me stay fit. I had a team to help me win. The same is the case now in Rado — there are thousands of staff working in multiple departments without whom the CEO can do nothing. To be aware of teamwork, the obsession to bring excellent performance — I learnt from the sport.”
Bosshard, who has been in the watchmaking business for more than 2½ decades, now presides over a company that is regularly regarded as among the 20 bestselling Swiss watch brands in the world. With his industry track record and the growth he has driven in Certina and Union Glashütte, he is not about to let Rado skid off the track anytime soon. No space-age concepts here, just pure passion for Rado and a love for watchmaking that is infectious — the man really loves his job.
“I feel like I have never worked a day in my life,” he says, nursing his espresso with a wide smile. “I have only spent time enjoying myself in an industry that I love.”
This article first appeared on Aug 8, 2022 in The Edge Malaysia.


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Comcast’s multiplatform network, Fearnet, will come to life on Halloween next Tuesday, backed by a library of 200 horror films from studios such as Lionsgate, Sony Pictures Entertainment and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, officials said Wednesday.
The long-awaited channel, a partnership of Sony and Comcast, represents what officials at the cable company said is their model for launching programming services into the future -- a combination of video-on-demand and the Internet.
“The two services are built to be complementary to each other,” said Diane Robina, Comcast’s president of emerging networks.
Fearnet, which will have limited ads, will be available free-of-charge on Comcast On Demand to the cable operator’s 11 million digital-cable subscribers, according to Robina. Comcast will also pitch the Fearnet on-demand service to other cable companies, she said.
Along with the on-demand service, Fearnet’s Web site (www.fearnet.com) will debut Oct. 31. The site will offer free streaming movies, as well as short-form content such as film clips, exclusive features and even a trailer for Lionsgate’s new movie, Saw 3,which premieres Oct. 27.
Fearnet will also have components for cellular phones, initially just starting out with ring tones and wallpaper, according to Robina.
Fearnet VOD will have access to more than 200 movies per year, with about 70 hours offered at any one time, Robina said. Fearnet will offer some movies in HDTV, as well as five to six titles per month in Spanish.
“Horror is the No. 1 genre with Hispanics,” Robina added.
Some of Fearnet’s initial titles are Carrie, Night of the Living Dead, Texas Chainsaw: The Next Generation, The Last House on the Left, Bram Stokers’ Dracula and The Howling.
When asked whether indie movie studio Lionsgate will be a partner in the venture, and not just a content provider, Comcast spokeswoman Jennifer Khoury said, “We’re talking with all of our content partners now, finalizing the details of our relationship. We’re all working together. We have a launch event coming up in L.A.”
Although Fearnet’s Web site has some short-form content related to Saw 3,Robina said she hopes to be able to take advantage of more promotional tie-ins when Saw 4 comes out. The problem with Saw 3 is that it is premiering before Fearnet’s launch, she added.
At one point, Lionsgate, with the help of former AMC Networks president Kate McEnroe, was trying to launch its own horror network.
Robina is targeting the 18-34 demographic with Fearnet.


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Free shoes: Here's how to give front-line workers footwear
People who buy shoes at Alabama-based Mountain High Outfitters can also pick a first responder or health care worker who will get a free pair donated by the company.
The "Buy One, Give One" program runs through May 15. Here's how it works:
- Shop in store at the Mountain High Outfitters location at 7264 Eastchase Parkway, any of the chain's 12 other locations, or online at mountainhighoutfitters.com.
- Buy one of these four brands of shoes: ON Footwear, HOKA, Birkenstock (excluding Eva) or Salomon.
- If you're shopping online, enter the code "GIVEONE" at checkout and the company will contact you for the recipient's information.
- If you're shopping in store, tell the staff the name and details of the person you want to get a free pair of shoes.
They'll get an e-gift card good for a pair of shoes from one of the four featured brands at a value at or below the price you paid for yours.
Company founder Christopher Groom said he launched the deal to help with the long, stressful shifts being worked by those on the front lines of the COVID-19 crisis. "We are hoping to really make an impact, and create a more comfortable work day," Groom said in a release.
The outdoor gear and apparel specialist is open seven days a week. The phone number for the Montgomery store is 334-356-4252.
Contact Montgomery Advertiser reporter Brad Harper at firstname.lastname@example.org.


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A lot of Verizon subscribers have been waiting for the Google Nexus One, but it seems it would be in both Verizon and Google’s interests to delay.. for Verizon it gives them time to get rid of some of their 3g smart phones Palm Pre Plus and Pixi whose prices they have slashed down to $49.99 and $29.99. While Google, well, best not go head to head with the currently launching iPad from Apple which is making waves this weekend.
Apple’s new iPad hit stores just this morning and here in San Francisco, people in the hundreds have been lining up… some had been there all night, other had arrived early that morning.
I am guessing they will wait about a week or two, so the iPad launch will come to pass, and Verizon users who had gotten iPads or have an interest in them won’t be distracted and will give their undivided attention to the Nexus One Verizon version, when it is finally made available.
Image Source: http://news.cnet.com/2300-31324_3-10003023.html


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Samsung posted on the company blog publication, in which she explained the mechanisms for improving the image quality when taking photos of the moon with her smartphone. The Korean manufacturer actually confirmed the theory put forward by the Reddit “whistleblower” that caused the public to wonder what modern photography is all about.
Recently, a user ran an experiment on the Reddit forum that demonstrated the true working of AI algorithms on Samsung phones when capturing moon images. The experiment proved very easy to reproduce by replacing the moon in the lens with its artificially blurred image on a computer monitor – the algorithm simply draws the missing detail into the image.
The Scene Optimizer function is responsible for improving the photo quality on Samsung smartphones, which has supported working with the moon image since the Galaxy S21 model and combines several methods for quality and detail improvement. The upscaling function works at zoom levels of 25x and above and merges data from 10 or more exposures to reduce noise and increase image clarity. To reduce moon blur in dark skies, Zoom Lock is activated, which reduces blur through a combination of digital and optical image stabilization.
Samsung also showed a flowchart describing how to improve image detail using a convolutional neural network – it compares the system’s output to a “high-resolution reference”. Apparently at this stage the AI is adding details that are missing in the original. And that phase caused public discontent – Samsung has been accused of misleading consumers about phones’ ability to scale images. However, the company does little that deviates from general industry practice: the modest capabilities of cameras on smartphones are increasingly being compensated for by computed photography technologies.


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Responding to an announcement by The Treasury that the Job Retention Scheme will be extended until the end of September, Dr Adam Marshall, Director General of the BCC, said:
Commenting on the BEIS Select Committee report, ‘The impact of Coronavirus on businesses and workers: Interim pre-Budget report’, BCC Director General Adam Marshall said:
Results from the latest British Chambers of Commerce survey, in partnership with moneycorp, found that while 44% of UK exporters to the EU plan to grow their exports to the European Union.
Commenting on the ONS labour market statistics for February 2021, published today, BCC Head of Economics Suren Thiru said:
Commenting on the delay to HM Treasury’s Fundamental Review of Business Rates until autumn, BCC Head of Economics Suren Thiru said:
The Sheffield City Region Quarterly Economic Review provides insight into local economic trading conditions and performance. It is the barometer used to take an overall assessment on the strength of the economy at a national and regional level.
On 27th January 2021 businesses from across the region gathered to hear the latest results following the Sheffield City Region (SCR) Quarterly Economic Review for Q4.


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All the four previous iterations of The Game Awards in their entirety. As Smash just launched, I've found it appropriate to the remember one of the key people behind the franchise, who passed away in 2015.
The Game Awards press release, along with further details.
Chilling with the peeps of Imagine Dragons.
Posted without introductions.
Posted without voiceovers so you can better hear the light strings battle theme.
You can use overwatch attacks in multiplayer mode. Out in the U.S. March 13, 2015.
This is the first time in my life I'm seeing the real Koji Kondo.
The folks from the Yacht Club MADE IT!!!! 😃
No competition as well in this department.
I believe this comes with no competition.
Long live Nintendo.
The pope's grand return since the Super Smash Bros. Invitational.


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Uncle Rush made his way back to the East Coast for the 2nd annual GOOD Awards last night at Lavo.
Celebs such as Angela Simmons, Selita Ebanks, Jeffrey Wright and a number of diamond industry heavyweights made their way to the midtown NYC event where DJ MOS kept the vibe just right as Estelle performed for the celeb-heavy crowd.
But the real reason everyone was there was for the boss man’s non-profit Diamond Empowerment Fund (DEF). DEF joined with the international diamond industry to honor leaders committed to corporate social responsibility and promoting education empowerment and prosperity in Africa, where the majority of diamonds are mined.
DEF’s GOOD Awards were given to diamond industry legends Tiffany & Co. and Leo Schachter Diamonds (creator of the Leo Diamond), and to international model and humanitarian Noella Coursaris Musunka.
During the event, Russell addressed the crowd, saying:
“A strong Africa is an educated Africa. For the diamond industry to be sustainable in the future, empowerment of youth through education is essential.”
Varda Shine, Vice President, Sightholder Services, De Beers Group and another co-founder of DEF, also addressed the crowd, saying:
“Education and the incubation of leaders of the future must always be our social priority, as it is this that leads to sustained progress, economic growth, and prosperity. Providing unrestricted access to schooling is the first step in creating a virtuous circle of development.”
Congrats to Uncle Rush on another successful event!


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Home Authors Posts by BF Staff
Blow-molded plastic products manufacturer Lifetime Products, Inc. will invest $115 million in a new manufacturing and distribution operations in Knox County, creating 500 jobs.
Daimler Trucks will invest $375 million to enable production of its new DD5 and DD8 medium duty engines at Detroit™ brand headquarters and manufacturing facility in Redford, MI.
Norway is the most prosperous country, while Singapore is the most successful country economically, according to the 2015 Legatum Prosperity Index™. The report ranks 142 countries across eight categories: the Economy, Entrepreneurship & Opportunity; Governance; Education; Health; Safety & Security; Personal Freedom; and Social Capital.
Ford Motor Co. will create 2,000 jobs and invest $1.3 billion at its Kentucky Truck Plant (KTP) in Louisville to produce all-new 2017 F-Series Super Duty trucks.
Beauty company Mary Kay Inc. has selected the city of Lewisville, TX as the site of the company's new $100 million global manufacturing and R&D operations.
Shell Chemical LP will invest $717 million in a new linear alpha olefins manufacturing unit at the company’s Ascension Parish, LA complex.
Milhaus, a mixed-use development company, will expand its operations in Indianapolis, creating up to 250 new jobs by 2020.
AAIPharma Services Corp./Cambridge Major Laboratories (AAIPharma/CML) is investing at least $15.8 million to expand its laboratory operation and global headquarters in Wilmington, NC, creating at least 37 new jobs by 2018.
General Cable Industries Inc. will create more than 54 positions and invest more than $2.5 million in a consolidation and relocation project in Lawrenceburg, KY.
More than one-third (36%) of global organizations still lack confidence in their ability to detect sophisticated cyber attacks, according to the annual EY’s Global Information Security Survey 2015.
North Carolina doubles down on growth plans for technology and innovation, with new funding and a new university-led program, InnovateNC.
Microsoft Corp. will invest $402.4 million to expand its data center site in Mecklenburg County, VA, creating 42 new jobs.
McKesson Corporation will open a new 340,000-square-foot distribution center and create 160 new jobs in Orange County, NY.
LEDIC Realty Company will invest $10.2 million in a new state-of-the-art national headquarters in Memphis, TN, creating 300 jobs.
LG Electronics USA recently celebrated the opening of its new LG Air Conditioning Systems Headquarters outside of Atlanta, GA.
BHE Renewables’ 579-megawatt solar project in Antelope Valley, CA is now fully connected to the California ISO grid.
The percentage of working veterans reporting underemployment or low-paying job increased to 31 percent from 23 percent last year, according to the CareerBuilder Veterans Day Job Forecast.
The largest jobs commitment from a Chinese-owned company in Tennessee’s history will come from Sinomax Group's new manufacturing operations in La Vergne.
JTEKT North America is investing $1.75 million to establish North American headquarters at Clemson University's International Center for Automotive Research (CU-ICAR) in Greenville County, SC.
The New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJ EDA) has approved 41 companies to share a total of $47.4 million through the state’s Technology Business Tax Certificate Transfer (NOL) Program in FY 2016.
GE’s Industrial Solutions business will invest $7.4 million in its West Burlington, IA manufacturing facility and create 120 new jobs.


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CBS Local — After Apple was forced to apologize for intentionally slowing down the performance of older iPhones, the company’s CEO is now saying customers will soon have the choice to stop battery throttling for good.
Tim Cook says a future iOS update will give older iPhone users the option to disable Apple’s ramping down of performance, which Apple claimed was done to improve power management and prevent unexpected shutdowns in many iPhone 6 models. Cook added that the company would also provide information about the current health of a user’s battery. A release date for the throttling update hasn’t been announced but the tech giant’s CEO claims the disabling software will go into testing in February.
In December, Apple publicly admitted for the first time that the poor performance of older iPhones was done on purpose after altering the operating system to throttle battery usage.
“We know that some of you feel Apple has let you down. We apologize,” Apple said in a statement on Dec. 28.
While the apology added that Apple was dropping the charge of out-of-warranty battery replacements from $79 to $29, the announcement did not include Cook’s claim about disabling the throttling issue in the future. The company has defended their decision to lower older iPhone performance, saying that aging batteries that get overworked can possibly damage an iPhone permanently.


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Eight Chefs Take the Zero Food Waste Challenge at ’Cocktails and Castoffs’
The next food revolution is about what you’re not eating.
In the U.S., 30 to 40 percent of our food supply goes to waste, equaling more than 20 pounds of food per person per month. When we throw food away because we over-buy or over-prepare, we also drive up global food prices, making it harder for people in developing nations to meet their nutritional needs. A food system that is inefficient in terms of waste really needs to produce more to supply the demand. This increases pressure on natural resources, and wherever natural resources become more scarce, food becomes more expensive.
In Georgia, the latest statewide waste characterization study lists food scraps as 12 percent of our total waste. This makes up the largest percentage of disposed waste on the residential level and the second largest on the commercial level. We can be doing more! On November 12, 2017, eight acclaimed Atlanta chefs will challenge themselves to create delicious, innovative dishes with little-to-no waste at Cocktails & Castoffs, a fundraising event to support the efforts of Development in Gardening (DIG). DIG is a 501(c)3 nonprofit based in Atlanta that helps nutritionally at-risk populations in Africa develop sustainable gardening practices and cooking techniques to improve their health and their income through sustainable gardening.
Participating chefs include:
• Joey Ward, executive chef at Gunshow
• Linda Harrell, executive chef at Cibo e Beve
• Maurietta Amos, executive chef at Good Sugar and specialist at Salud! Cooking School
• Tiffanie Barriere, master mixologist at Avion Tequila
• Zach Meloy – owner and executive chef at Better Half
Besides feasting on the chefs’ creations, attendees can participate in a silent auction and peruse a marketplace filled with handcrafted items from Africa. A live auction will present sponsorship opportunities for critical items needed for DIG’s 2018 projects. Renowned Georgia Chef Jennifer Hill Booker, who serves on the James Beard Foundation’s Food Waste Advisory Council, will emcee the event.
“The average person in the U.S. doesn’t think much about the food he or she is wasting,” says Sarah Koch, co-founder and executive director of DIG. “But the average person working with DIG in Africa does. If food is lost after harvest due to poor storage or lack of market access, there’s a deep loss felt within the family. When you spend 45 percent of your income on food – and most of your productive time growing it – any loss can be devastating. DIG is working hard to teach productive post-harvest practices, connect smallholder farmers to local markets, and better prepare farmers for changing climates. By increasing food production and reducing food loss, I know we can make great strides in nourishing the growing world.”
In fact, Koch says, there are four steps Atlantans can take right now that will make a difference.
- Try composting your food scraps
- Create a meal planning routine
- Buy the ugly fruit in the vegetable bin
- Commit to eating what’s in your fridge before shopping for more
“Individually or together, we can be climate change activists through our daily choices.”
Join this powerful conversation and learn more about how gardens can be part of the solution – with your help.
For more information about the event or to become an event sponsor, contact:
Sarah Koch at 619-274-7218, sarah@reaplifeDIG.org
When: 5-7 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 12
Where: Matchstic, 437 Memorial Dr. S.E., Unit A7, Atlanta, GA 30312
Tickets/Info: Tickets start at $75 (or two for $120), with a $1,000 Sponsorship Level including a VIP reception, with a meet-and-greet with the chefs and a pre-event cocktail toast.


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Accelerate Indoor Speedway, which opened late last year at 8580 Springlake Drive in Mokena, will hold its grand opening next week with a host of events including a go-kart race featuring local officials.
Accelerate's 75,000 square-foot facility has 45 adult carts and 16 junior carts. They are electric and will be powered in part from solar energy gleaned from panels on the roof.
"The carts are clean and emit no fumes," general manager James Galdikas said.
Drivers are able to compete on two grand prix-style indoor tracks.
"We like to think that anyone from 8 to 80 can enjoy our facility," said Galdikas.
He said the adult carts can fit just about anybody. "I'm a pretty big man and I can get in and out. One size fits many."
"These are fourth generation carts," he added. "They come from Italy and cost $10,000 each."
Other events at the Jan. 11 grand opening include vodka tasking from 6-8 p.m. with the Stoli Girls, and Chase a Cop races all day.
Events will run from noon to 10 p.m. and will benefit the Illinois Special Olympics.
The speedway features the Finish Line Bar & Grill and a gaming area.
The Mokena location is the company's first in Illinois. It's located near the end of 88th Avenue north of 191st Street by Interstate 80, which is one of its selling points.
More information is at www.acceleratespeed.com/.
Fasano Pie shop opens
Fasano Pies, which to some is as much a Chicago favorite as Frango mints, Dove bars or Tootsie Rolls, has its first retail location since coming back to life as a business in 2011.
The company opened a storefront in November at 74 S. LaGrange Road in downtown LaGrange and sells both full-size pies and single-serve junior pies.
Popular flavors include apple, cherry, blueberry and pecan as well as cream varieties such as chocolate, lemon meringue, banana, strawberry banana and coconut.
"We opened quietly, with no significant promotion, really — just a way to say hello again to our most loyal customers; and what we got was a steady stream that at times was almost a stampede," said third-generation baker Peter Fasano, a grandson of the company's founder. He also manages the store. "We saw a lot of old friends and made a whole bunch of new ones."
A formal grand opening is coming.
The shop's business is take-out, although there are plans for limited seating and beverage service.
Hours at present are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.
The company also helps local schools, libraries, churches, youth athletic associations, Scout troops and other nonprofit groups raise funds through special pie sales. St. Joseph School in Summit and St. Cletus in Countryside are among those that have partnered with Fasano.
Relaunched in 2011 after a nearly 30-year absence, the Fasano Pie Co. was once the largest pie baker in the Midwest and one of the largest in the nation. Its bakery at 65th and Melvina in Bedford Park, at its peak, produced 6,000 pies an hour, 24 hours a day. Fasano Pies were everywhere: grocery stores, restaurants, school cafeterias and more, as well as the company outlet store on 65th Street.
Target store closing in Matteson
It's almost the end of the line for Target stores in Matteson and Romeoville on Feb. 3.
The Minnesota-based retailer announced the stores were among 12 it plans to close next month.
The 126,000-square-foot Matteson store at 4647 Promenade Way opened in late July 2007 as part of a redevelopment plan for adjacent Lincoln Mall, which has since closed and been demolished. All that's left is the Carson Pirie Scott store.
Target's Romeoville store is at 349 S. Weber Road.
Employees at both stores will have the option to transfer to a nearby Target store.
Journeys opens at Ford City Mall
Journeys, a retailer of shoes and accessories for men and women from 13-22, opened right before Christmas at Ford City Mall on Chicago's Southwest Side.
The store carries a wide variety of brands including Vans, Converse, Sperry, Ugg, Adidas and Polo. It is located near JC Penney in the mall.
The retailer has more than 850 stores nationwide as well as in Canada and Puerto Rico.
Bob Bong is a freelancer.


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- If there's one thing I've noticed this past couple of weeks, it's the increased amount of disdain for Sony's PlayStation 3.
It's almost as if the whole industry has something against Sony for winning the last two generations. First Time Magazine, then Alleyinsider and now Kotaku. There's a name for this and it's called media sabotage.
Who would have thought that after the NPD results were posted that sites like Kotaku would start kicking Sony while their down? Sony isn't down though. Their performing well considering the cost of the system. Of course many wouldn't know this if they took some time to read some of the headlines on N4FB (News 4 Fanboys), Alleyinsider or Time Magazine.
Since when is Time magazine experts on video games? Isn't that our territory? Time Magazine made a huge mistake in a story they wrote about Home last week. They quoted the PS3 as having sold only 200,000 units in the US.
Starting today, owners of the pricey PlayStation 3 – there are nearly 17 million of them worldwide, a scant 200,000 of whom live in the U.S. – can download the software for free via Sony's PlayStation Network
How is it that such a respected magazine as Time, messes up so hard on the numbers? I was happy to see that Gamezine.co.uk


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Last month, Joseph DeBorba went to the add-fare machine at the temporary Transbay Transit Center, hoping to put $100 on his Clipper card.
DeBorba’s first attempt at the reload failed. As did his second and third attempts. Finally, the next day, on his fourth try, DeBorba was able to put $100 on his card.
It was only a few days after that when he realized that $400 had been taken out of his bank account — yet he only had loaded $100 worth of travel fare on his card.
“It wasn’t catastrophic for me, but $300 is still $300,” said DeBorba, who uses the transit card to travel from Alameda to San Francisco each day. “It was certainly a pain to deal with.”
DeBorba wasn’t the only passenger whose pockets were a little lighter as a result of Clipper Card charge errors.
During a five-day period, from February 7–11, as many as 150 riders were overbilled on their Clipper cards to the tune of $14,650 collectively — and the organization in charge of administering the regional transit fare still isn’t sure what went wrong.
On average, the glitch cost the overcharged Clipper card users an extra $97.68.
John Goodwin, spokesman for the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, which manages the Clipper card, said all of the customers have been reimbursed, but he didn’t know how long it took for everyone to get their money back. DeBorba said it took about three weeks for him to get his money credited back to his bank account.
Goodwin said a problem of an “unknown origin” caused a communication breakdown between the MTC’s add-value machines and the agency’s computer system at Fifth Third Bank, the main processing center for the Clipper card.
Overall, 350 transactions recorded from 150 unique debit cards were affected by the glitch, and 19 of the system’s 55 add-value machines reported problems.
Greg Dewar, a transit activist who writes the blog the N-Judah Chronicles, said this is not the first complaint he has heard about fare-loading problems with the Clipper Card. The overcharges can trigger major complications for passengers, he said, such as temporarily depleted bank accounts and over-draft fines — costs not likely to be reimbursed by the MTC.
He added that the ongoing problems with Clipper are troubling.
“With all the money and time that the MTC has spent on this thing, you’d think they could avoid these types of problems,” Dewar said. “This just undermines the whole process of getting people to use the card.”
$14,650.25: Amount overbilled to Clipper card users from Feb. 7-11
350: Total transactions that had errors during that time
150: Unique cardholders affected by the errors
$97.68: Average overcharge billed to users
19: Add-value machines that experience malfunctions
55: Total add-value machines in Clipper card system
August 2010: About 6,000 passengers who signed up to use the Clipper card through the Wage Works program — which provides transit fares with pre-tax benefits — find that no money has been added to their account. The MTC attributes the problem to a “technical glitch.”
September 2010: Muni’s new $30 million fare gates, designed to integrate the Clipper card into its transit system, are found to have an error in them that allows passengers to enter for free. The fare gates open with a simple wave of the hand over a motion sensor.
November 2010: Local media reports on a feature of the Clipper system that allows card users to “go negative” — meaning they can take trips for the bare-minimum loading value of $2. For instance, a $10.90 BART trip from Pittsburg/Bay Point to SFO could be completed for $2, with the negative value being absorbed by regional transit agencies.
February 2011: 150 Clipper card users are charged over $14,500 in excess fares due to a problem with the system’s main processing center. The riders are all paid back, but the reimbursements take weeks to come through.


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Manufacturers may need to recycle old computers and TVs
It could soon be against the law to throw away computers, TVs and other electronic devices. The Wisconsin Assembly voted 57-37 Tuesday to make those manufacturers arrange to recycle their old products.
They contain toxic chemicals, and the bill's supporters say our groundwater would be protected by keeping them out of the trash.
Neighboring Minnesota has a similar law. The Senate approved the bill earlier this year. But the Assembly has some changes which senators will have to ratify before the measure goes to the governor.
Also, the Assembly voted 89-5 to ban the sale of products with mercury added, including thermostats, and there would be some exceptions.


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CAPTIVATE ended as quickly as it began. The two day event is said to have revealed several new titles for the remainder of the year. So, what can we expect from the 'ol Blue Bomber?
Officially, CAPTIVATE news doesn't begin until tomorrow, but there are a few rumors out and about already:
-Three Wii titles were shown: "NeoPets Puzzle Adventure" and "Spyborgs." The third Wii title is from an already established franchise that won't be unveiled until next week. Scramble Battle? Or something else?
-Inafune was present for a few announcements
-MegaMan Star Force 2 was out to play. Capcom confirmed Wave Command Cards coming to the US. Supposedly, players can purchase Wave Command Cards from the Capcom online store.
-Within the next year, Capcom will be remaking several "classic" titles for PSN and XBLA. No specifics of what titles are getting remade, but RM titles are given.
Again, CAPTIVATE news doesn't come out officially until tomorrow, so hang tight and we'll see what happens.
-Discussion of Star Force's return to Toonami Jetstream. Apparently, Viz Media is currently looking into several options to broadcast the show to a "larger audience." Televised episodes perhaps?
-Originally, it was rumored that ZX3 was going to be present at CAPTIVATE. This was not so apparently. However, that does not rule out the possibility of ZX3. During a press meeting, Inafune breifly talked about ZX3. No specifics at this time.
-IGN is reporting Capcom revealed a third person, "sci-fi action game for Wii." Rockman related? Your guess is as good as mine.


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Royal Caribbean will start its West Coast cruises earlier than expected.
The first Navigator of the Seas sailings will begin sailing year-round from Los Angeles, California as of November 2021.
When Royal Caribbean announced its return to the West Coast, initially the cruise planned to start sailing in June 2022, but will sailing now significantly easier.
Travel agents were notified of the change, which may explain why were there was a delay in the sailings going on sale last week.
These new itineraries will open for sale the week of April 12, 2021.
Royal Caribbean will offer 3-, 4- and 5-night itineraries to Catalina Island, California and Ensenada and Cabo San Lucas, Mexico – plus, select winter holiday 7-night sailings.
Navigator of the Seas will depart from Los Angeles' World Cruise Center in San Pedro.
The announcement that Navigator will begin cruises in November 2021 confirms the dates that were originally posted on the Port of Los Angeles website prior to Royal Caribbean's announcement.
In March 2021, the Port of Los Angeles website had sailings listed in November and December 2021.
After posting the information on this blog, the listings were removed shortly thereafter.
Returning after a decade
Royal Caribbean's announcement that it will cruise from Los Angeles regularly after more than a decade is significant, as industry insiders have speculated about its West Coast return for years.
While other cruise lines returned, Royal Caribbean stayed away, claiming it was able to make more money elsewhere.
In 2015, Freed pointed out the low rates competitor cruise lines were getting. "We always look at the West Coast. But we continue to look at the rates that the other cruise lines are getting, and we offer an experience that we can't afford to be selling at those low rates.
"If and when we see the rates start to bounce back, and we feel we can get paid for what we offer for our product, then we’ll be back there. But right now, unfortunately, it's a bath out there. They're selling four-day cruises at $199 per person, and we’re not just talking Carnival.
"We spend more on food, more on entertainment and more on our overall onboard experience [than other lines], and so we cannot be the low-price leader out in any market."
The line also cited the logistical challenges of returning its ships to the West Coast, much of which had to do with the rise of cruise popularity in other areas of the world, such as Europe and China. Sending ships to those locations meant fewer ships to go to other ports. (The West Coast has always been a seasonal market for ships repositioning from other regions.)


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Deliveroo has been told by the government that it must pay its workers the minimum wage unless a court rules that they are self-employed. The company, which is embroiled in a pay row with its couriers, has had its proposed wage deal described by the Labour party as “Victorian”. The plans prompted hundreds of self-employed riders to protest over attempts to pay them per delivery rather than by the hour, a move which, they say, will significantly reduce their earnings.
Deliveroo has since softened its stance on the controversial new pay scheme and has offered its apologies to its staff.
Workers can now opt out of the firm’s pilot scheme to pay £3.75 per delivery, instead of the present rates of £7 an hour plus £1 a delivery and for those in the new scheme, the firm will also make sure they are paid at least £7.50 an hour at peak times.
Deliveroo had said the new pay scales were part of a pilot programme being tested by just 280 London riders, out of more than 3,000 in the capital.
Announcing the concessions, the firm’s UK and Ireland managing director Dan Warne said:
“We’ve reached out to every rider involved to gather feedback.
“We’ve listened to their concerns and offered every rider the choice to withdraw from the trial.
“For those that choose to take part in the trial we’ll also be guaranteeing fees at peak times for riders will be at least £7.50 per hour plus tips and petrol costs.”
The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy insisted that workers must be paid the “national living wage” (NLW) of £7.20 an hour unless a court or HM Revenue and Customs defines them as self-employed. It prompted DBEIS to state:
“The government is determined to build an economy that works for all – that includes ensuring everyone gets a decent wage.
“An individual’s employment status is determined by the reality of the working relationship and not the type of contract they have signed.
“Individuals cannot opt out of the rights they are owed, nor can an employer decide not to afford individuals those rights.”
Deliveroo delivers food from thousands of restaurants that do not have their own delivery service. Its clients include Pizza Express, Byron and Gourmet Burger Kitchen. The company charges customers £2.50 per delivery.
Deliveroo has insisted that the new pay deal is only being trialled in certain areas of London, with about 280 riders taking part, out of more than 3,000 in the capital. In a blogpost, it said pilots of the pay-per-delivery system have led to a doubling of average hourly fees for riders during the busiest times.
The firm said the new pay plan, which had led to driver protests, was only going to be a 90-day trial which will now be voluntary.


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The Internet of Things is great - if, that is, you like the Internet and you also own some things.
Stories by Mike Elgan
Haptics have been part of consumer electronics for a long time. When you put your smartphone on "vibrate," or when you play first-person shooters on Xbox, those vibrations are called haptics.
What's wrong with the debate around the Apple Watch, what's wrong with the watch itself, and why is it a profound revolution?
Every time Apple announces a new iPhone, the device has a few features and surprises that put the company's most profitable product ahead of the competition, at least for a few months. That's probably going to happen again on Tuesday.
Four years ago, in-the-air gestures were the future of gaming and the desktop PC user interface.
Twitter has made two small changes that indicate a big shift in direction for everybody's favorite microblogging service
A vulnerable person. A sociopath or two on social media tormenting that person without consequence. That's trolling in a nutshell.
In order to understand the strange but spectacularly profitable world of Google and Facebook today, it's important to start in the fall of 2010.
Mike Elgan would like to find a social network that doesn't lie to users, doesn't experiment on users without their clear knowledge, and delivers by default all the posts of the people they follow.
In their quest to copy competitors, social sites and apps increasingly drop features that are part of the popularity and identity of their products, says columnist Mike Elgan.
The humble lockscreen is about to become the most important interface on your smartphone, says columnist Mike Elgan.
There has never been a search engine that accurately reflects the Internet.
Google bought Songza this week. The company makes a music app that competes with Pandora, Rdio, Spotify, Beats Music, iTunes Radio and other music services.
Columnist Mike Elgan tested a smartwatch with Android Wear and said he has experienced a culture-changing platform.
Amazon launched a new smartphone this week. It's called the Amazon Fire phone, and it sports some unique hardware, software and services.
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NEW YORK (CBS.MW) -- Shares of Amazon slumped more than 19 percent Friday after Lehman Bros. characterized the e-tailer’s credit quality as deteriorating and advised investors to avoid the company’s convertible securities.
Shares of Amazon lost 8 1/8 to close at 33 7/8 on enormous volume of 49.5 million shares.
“Amazon has one of the best-established brands in the B2C space,” Lehman analyst Ravi Suria wrote in a morning note. “However, from a bond perspective, we find the credit weak and deteriorating.”
Specifically, Lehman criticized Amazon’s inability to turn a cash-flow profit per unit of product sold.
This “is clearly manifested in the weak balance sheet, poor working capital management, and massive negative operating cash flow, the financial characteristics that have driven innumerable retailers to disaster throughout history,” Suria noted.
Compounding the operational problems is mounting debt. From 1997 through the latest quarter, Amazon has added $2.8 billion in funding compared to revenue of $2.9 billion, translating into less than $1 per product.
“The cash flow issues were brought to the fore in the last two quarters, as extremely poor management of working capital during the holiday season clearly deteriorated the credit in the bonds,” Suria said.
Amazon (AMZN) has a 4.75 percent convertible maturing in 2009 and a euro-dominated convertible at 6.75 percent maturing in 2010.
Given the Seattle-based company’s financial situation, Lehman said that an investment in the Amazon debt is more risky than potentially rewarding and recommended avoiding the securities.
Suria added that Amazon must take one of two steps to continue operations and to grow. It either needs to generate sufficient operating cash or continue to raise capital until operating cash flow becomes positive. Amazon now has $1 billion left from the $2.2 billion it raised during the previous five quarters.
“Going into what is arguably the most challenging holiday season, we believe that the combination of negative cash flow, poor working capital management, and high debt load in a hyper competitive environment will put the company under extremely high risk,” Suria wrote.
Amazon did not return calls seeking comment.
Moody’s Investors Service said Friday that it rates Amazon’s convertible notes Caa3, two notches from the bottom of the rating scale, reflecting the company’s weak fundamentals.
“The rating reflects the risk of the uncertainty of the business model and the equity-like risk assumed by debt holders, the result of the fact that the company has chosen to finance itself largely through the debt markets rather than the equity markets,” Moody’s analyst Marie Menendez told CBS.MarketWatch.com.
Fitch IBCA does not rate Amazon’s corporate debt. Standard & Poor’s did not return calls.


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Audi A1 update due within 18 months; brand “ready” for new Mini 5 door hatch
An updated version of the Audi A1 will appear within 18 months, according to Audi Australia managing director Andrew Doyle.
“There may be something coming in the next 12 to 18 months,” Doyle said when asked by CarAdvice about a facelift or update for the new model.
“The Mini is in the same segment, obviously, but it’s a different proposition,” Doyle claimed. “We’re very happy with the sales of A1, this year especially, it’s really doing well.”
Sales of light cars over $25,000 are down 14.4 per cent to the end of August, with the Mini Cooper/Clubman results sitting 26.9 per cent lower than this time last year. The BMW-owned British brand has just launched an all-new hatchback model, however, and sales are down as a result of a run-out of previous-generation stock and the often-slow reaction introduction of a new model as stock takes time to filter through to showrooms.
Audi has been offering retail incentives to get more sales on the board. The A1 1.4 TFSI S tronic automatic in Attraction specification, for example, usually sells at $29,990 plus costs. But the four-ring brand is doing a complementary styling pack with 16-inch alloys and xenon headlights with LED daytime running lights, priced from $29,990 driveaway.
“The packages we’re offering on A1 offer terrific value, so we’re well and truly ready for that [challenge from the new Mini five-door hatch],” Doyle said.
He virtually ruled out any price cut to the current A1 in the process.
“I think what we do and what Audi has done over the years is always look at adding value wherever we can,” he said. “That’s been proven in A1 and A3 over the years as well. We’re continually looking at what we can offer the marketplace that would offer the best value-for-money proposition to our customers.
“I think [the A1] has found its position within our fleet,” he said.
The brand will add a new flagship S1 hot-hatch to the A1 ranks within weeks, with that model – with its 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder packing 170kW and 370Nm, and a six-speed manual gearbox – expected to hit showrooms priced at $49,900.


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For youngsters consumed with school, work and social media, Thanksgiving stands as one of few days available to spend time with loved ones and get started on some holiday shopping.
This season however, some youth will not participate in Black Friday activities as part of an effort to revive the holiday tradition of giving thanks and devoting time to friends and family. The economic boycott also strives to promote racial equality by challenging major corporations who do not support black consumers.
“It’s kind of ironic that we celebrate Thanksgiving, but then we trample each other to buy stuff the next day,” Kwame Kumah, 19, a student at University of Maryland said.
Kumah told WI Bridge that he expects to dine with family at home this Thanksgiving. He then expressed what he believes are holiday principles: spending time with family and being thankful for what you have. “I don’t go out of my way to get a deal right after Thanksgiving. It just seems kind of foolish to me,” Kumah added. “I don’t think you should prioritize Black Friday over Thanksgiving.”
Last year, millennials extended a call to “Boycott Black Friday”in the wake of mega retail chains Target, Walmart, Best Buy and Macy’s demanding employees to skip holiday meals and work extended hours throughout the holiday weekend to meet consumer demand.
Earlier this year, Justice or Else campaigners, led by the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan, encouraged African Americans to boycott Black Friday in response to the U.S. government not caring enough about black lives.
“We have in the neighborhood of $1.1 to $1.5 trillion in consumer power, which makes black people a carcass where all the vultures gather to suck the life out of us,” Farrakhan told News One earlier this year. “You’re either going to treat us right or we are going to withdraw our economic support.”
Thanksgiving weekend sales dropped 11 percent last year after a nationwide protest pushed people to not contribute to holiday shopping in response to racial injustices specifically, the Ferguson case, white police officer shot and killed Black unarmed teenager, Michael Brown.
Now, Facebook ralliers are posting “Naughty and Nice Lists” of retailers who decide to stay closed this year on Thanksgiving Day (nice) and retailers who choose to open on Thanksgiving Day (naughty).
“On November 26th, boycott any retailer that chooses to extend massive Black Friday sales into Thanksgiving Day. Protect the employees, protect the family,” announced the Boycott Black Thursday Facebook group.
But some people aren’t sitting out of Black Friday shopping this year.
Over the years, there has been an increase in holiday shopping among young consumers. According to the National Retail Federation, 43 percent of millennials said they shopped on Thanksgiving Day and 83 percent of young shoppers bought items over the Thanksgiving weekend in 2013. In addition, African Americans saw the largest increase in time spent browsing coupons and rewards sites on Black Friday, Nielsen reported.
The shopping statistics don’t show reasons for the increased amount of shopping, but young people of color like Trinette Barclift, 22, say the ideal Thanksgiving Day consists of indulging in collard greens, ham, turkey and cornbread with family. However, she said she may have to give into the discounted Black Friday merchandise to provide for her one-year-old child.
“Some stores should be open, because people might need last minute things, but I know people don’t like to work on holidays, but sometimes it’s necessary for people to work,” said Barclift who lives in Northeast.
Some bold retailers granted the request of boycotters to close stores on Thanksgiving Day, including H&M and T.J. Maxx, while others will close stores on Thanksgiving Day and Black Friday.
REI, the outdoor and sporting goods market, will close down stores on both Nov. 26 and 27 in a push to encourage employees to embrace the holiday spirit outside of the hectic seasonal crowds. In addition, employees will be paid to take the days off.
“We’re a different kind of company— and while the rest of the world is fighting it out in the aisles, we’ll be spending our day a little differently. We’re choosing to opt outside, and want you to come with us,” REI CEO Jerry Stritzke told Forbes.
People work at these retailers over the holiday weekend, but they aren’t the only group of people coerced into joining the Black Friday mobs. Millennials like Keona Holden, 20, from Baltimore often participate in Black Friday shopping against their will because of parents who want to wait in long lines for holiday deals.
“I hate it. It’s just so many people and I just hate being bum-rushed,” she said.


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Sept 21, Colombo: Sri Lanka's nationwide inflation in August 2017 determined under the National Consumer Price Index (NCPI) increased to 7.2 percent from 6.3 percent recorded in July on an year-on-year basis, the Department of Census and Statistics reported on Thursday.
The reason for increase in inflation was attributed to the low price levels prevailed in August 2016.
The NCPI for all items for the month of August 2017 decreased marginally by 0.09 percent to 122.3 from 123.4 in July. The decrease in the index point by was due to the expenditure value decrease of food items by 0.25 percent and increase of non‐food items by 0.16 percent.
Year-on-year inflation of food group reported for the month of August 2017 was 12.1 percent while that for nonfood group was 4.8 percent.
On year on year basis, contribution of food commodities to inflation was 5.29 percent in August 2017 compared to August 2016. Contribution of non-food items was 2.68 percent.
The moving average inflation for the month of August 2017 is 6.5 percent. The corresponding rate for the month of July 2017 was 6.2 percent.