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Santa Clara, California (August 3, 2011) – Marvell (Nasdaq: MRVL), a worldwide leader in integrated silicon solutions, today announced that the company will be demonstrating its Smart-Energy Platform, which has been extended to support the Smart-Energy Profile 2.0 (SEP 2) Draft Standard, at the Wi-Fi® Smart Energy Forum in Chicago, August 2-3, 2011. Marvell will participate in the SEP 2 demonstration with a commercially available Wi-Fi thermostat and a Smart Outlet – both built using the Marvell Platform. These demonstrations showcase a fully interoperable SEP 2.0 implementation on a single Wi-Fi system-on-a-chip (SoC) with consumer products already available in retail stores.
“Our demonstrations are proof of Marvell’s support for the SEP 2.0 standard as we will be showcasing the interoperability of multiple vendor platforms and software implementations,” said Manas Saksena, senior director of technology, Smart-Energy Platforms at Marvell Semiconductor. “Marvell is confident that the SEP 2.0 standard will enable a vibrant ecosystem of smart-energy appliances and services. We are eager to accelerate the SEP 2.0 standard’s deployment in the existing installed base of smart appliances based on the Marvell Smart-Energy Platform as well as through new installations.”
Marvell’s Smart-Energy Platform is designed to facilitate rapid enablement of SEP 2.0 device implementations that are fully interoperable with SEP 2.0 software from multiple vendors, including MMB Research and Grid2Home. The platform has been developed to fit in constrained memory devices to provide a cost-effective solution to consumers, and is already powering Internet connected devices, such as the Wi-Fi thermostat available at Home Depot. With the evolution and support of SEP 2.0, existing devices in the field based on the Marvell Smart-Energy Platform can seamlessly integrate with SEP 2.0 enabled smart home networks and services, such as Demand/Response, TOU pricing and other energy management services.
All products based on Marvell’s Smart-Energy technology are designed to be software upgraded over the air to provide enhancements and bug-fixes. With the ability to field-upgrade these devices remotely using the vendor’s Web service, customers can be assured that their devices are upgrade-ready and will fully support SEP 2.0 in the future.
“We see Marvell as one of the leaders in enabling Wi-Fi based smart-energy devices. In collaboration with Marvell, MMB Research has extended RapidSE, our industry-leading automated Smart Energy platform, to Wi-Fi. At MMB, we pride ourselves on working with leading vendors, such as Marvell, to create solutions that have enabled OEMs to rapidly integrate Smart Energy into their new and existing products,” said Daniel Moneta, CEO of MMB Research. “We look forward to demonstrating this teamwork at the Wi-Fi Smart Energy Forum, with our software running on the Marvell Smart Energy Wi-Fi platforms in both our ESI and in Radio Thermostat of America devices.”
“Through the collaboration between Marvell and Grid2Home, we provide a solution for OEMs looking to design and integrate new smart devices and services,” said Rick Kornfeld, CEO of Grid2Home. “We are pleased to successfully demonstrate our G2H-SE2 Software with Marvell’s Smart-Energy Wi-Fi Microcontroller reference platform at the Smart-Energy Forum and to bring Wi-Fi integrated offerings to our clients and ultimately consumers.”
“Marvell was the clear choice for us when seeking vendor collaboration for the development and implementation of our Wi-Fi thermostat,” said Tim Simon, CEO of Radio Thermostat of America. “The company is a technology pioneer, leading the Smart-Energy Profile 2.0 implementation. Customers are hungry for devices that are connected to smart-energy services, such as our Wi-Fi thermostats. With Marvell, we’re assured that any future modifications to Wi-Fi smart-energy standards will be addressed by Marvell and its platform.”
“We congratulate Marvell Semiconductor Inc. on their participation in the Wi-Fi Smart Energy Forum SEP 2 Demonstration event,” said Wi-Fi Alliance technical director Greg Ennis. “As Wi-Fi continues its momentum in smart energy applications, this demonstration, including Marvell’s Smart-Energy Platform enabled Wi-Fi thermostat and Smart Outlet products, is a testament to the industry’s readiness for commercial deployment and the technology’s suitability for a wide range of smart energy implementations.”
The Wi-Fi Smart Energy Forum, underway this week at the Hyatt Regency Chicago O'Hare and hosted by the Wi-Fi Alliance®, included the first large-scale interoperable demonstration of Wi-Fi SEP 2.0 implementations. More than 100 people from 65 organizations are in attendance, broadly representing the entire ecosystem, from silicon, to software, to utilities and government officials.
The Marvell Smart-Energy Platform is currently available. To learn more, click here.
Marvell (NASDAQ: MRVL) is a world leader in the development of storage, communications and consumer silicon solutions. Marvell's diverse product portfolio includes switching, transceiver, communications controller, wireless and storage solutions that power the entire communications infrastructure, including enterprise, metro, home and storage networking. As used in this release, the term "Marvell" refers to Marvell Technology Group Ltd. and its subsidiaries. For more information, visit Marvell.com.
About the Wi-Fi Alliance
The Wi-Fi Alliance is a global non-profit industry association of hundreds of leading companies devoted to the proliferation of Wi-Fi technology across devices and market segments. With technology development, market building, and regulatory programs, the Wi-Fi Alliance has enabled widespread adoption of Wi-Fi worldwide.
Marvell and the M logo are registered trademarks of Marvell and/or its affiliates. Other names and brands may be claimed as the property of others.


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Three Taiwanese suppliers of Apple Inc’s flexible printed circuit boards (FPCBs) are likely to see weaker growth momentum next quarter after making record-high sales this quarter, a research report said.
In the report issued on Wednesday last week, SinoPac Securities Investment Service Corp (永豐投顧) analyst Herbert Liu (劉俊麟) said sales of the three FPCB makers — Flexium Interconnect Inc (台郡), Zhen Ding Technology Holding Ltd (臻鼎) and Career Technology Co (嘉聯益) — all increased by single-digit percentages last month from October, driven by strong demand for the iPhone 5S, iPad Air and iPad Mini Retina.
According to the companies’ sales data, both Flexium and Zhen Ding achieved record-high sales for the third consecutive month, last month. The former registered increases of 1 percent month-on-month and 27 percent year-on-year to NT$1.82 billion (US$61.2 million). The latter posted a 4 percent monthly increase and 21 percent annual rise to NT$7.78 billion.
Meanwhile, both Career’s sales were 9 percent higher than the previous month as well as the prior year at NT$1.62 billion.
As sales for this month are expected to gain from early demand ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday, which falls in late January next year, Flexium’s sales for this quarter are forecast to expand 35 percent from last quarter, SinoPac said in a report, while predicting a 26 percent sequential sales increase for both Zhen Ding and Career.
“These FPCB makers are likely to see softening business next quarter on seasonal impacts, product transition among major clients and fewer working days,” Liu said.
Zhen Ding would see its sales contract by 32 percent next quarter from this quarter and Career would see a sequential sales decline of 22 percent, SinoPac said.
SinoPac did not provide its sales forecast for Flexium next quarter, but KGI Securities Co (凱基證券) yesterday said the company’s sales would likely face a sequential contraction of 30.8 percent to NT$3.6 billion next quarter.
“The company’s sales for the first quarter of next year are expected to be affected by US clients adjusting the inventory of their smartphone components,” KGI analyst Bonny Weng (翁筱雯) said in a client note.
Luxury hotel Mandarin Oriental Taipei (文華東方酒店) plans to reopen its guestrooms in December to take advantage of a boom in domestic travel. The reopening would come six months after the five-star facility suspended room operations to cut costs as countries across the region impose border controls to contain the COVID-19 pandemic, diminishing demand for business travel. “We are delighted to share that Mandarin Oriental Taipei will resume room operations on December 1,” the hotel said in a statement yesterday. The hotel in Songshan District (松山) said it would adopt stringent health and safety practices to ensure the well-being of its guests and employees. It
India’s COVID-19 economic gloom turned into despair this week, on news that its per capita GDP for this year might be lower than that of Bangladesh. “Any emerging economy doing well is good news,” Kaushik Basu, a former World Bank chief economist, said on Twitter after the IMF updated its World Economic Outlook. “But it’s shocking that India, which had a lead of 25% five years ago, is now trailing.” Ever since it began opening up the economy in the 1990s, India’s dream has been to emulate China’s rapid expansion. After three decades of persevering with that campaign, slipping behind Bangladesh hurts
When the COVID-19 pandemic shut down bars and concert halls in the US in March, a new phenomenon was born: the vacation-rental nightclub. Professional party promoters started scanning Airbnb, Vrbo and other short-term rental sites for mansions and luxury condos for hire. Tickets were going for US$90 on Eventbrite and TikTok for soirees with bottle service and DJs. “People were looking to escape from their own homes and came into our tiny neighborhood to party all day, every day,” said Kristen Robinson Doe, a resident of a quiet suburban Dallas neighborhood, where a party pad was being rented out for more than
HSBC Bank (Taiwan) Ltd (匯豐台灣商銀) has approved two sustainability-linked loans totaling NT$450 million (US$15.55 million) for Taya Group (大亞集團) and Sinbon Electronics Co (信邦電子), the bank said yesterday, adding that interest rates would fall if the borrowers’ sustainability performance improves. Those marked the first sustainability-linked loans granted by HSBC Taiwan, it said. While HSBC Taiwan has experience providing green loans for the nation’s developers of renewable energy sources to support their projects, the bank began focusing on sustainability-linked loans to meet rising demand from companies in other sectors planning to undertake sustainability programs, it said. “As we reward our clients who reach their

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Are you curious to know what others pay for bills? We’re teaming up with readers to find out who is paying what, and share the best tips for saving money.
If you’ve never changed your electricity deal, or haven’t changed for a couple of years, you’re probably paying more than you should. So is it time to re-regulate energy markets?
A growing number of Australians are one emergency away from financial ruin. With cost of living pressures on the rise, what should you do if you’re going to run out of money before pay day?
Netflix charges, online shopping and recurring direct debits are draining the bank accounts of young Australians, who are battling with “invisible” money and losing.
Tesla has won a contract to install the world’s biggest grid-scale battery in South Australia. So what will it mean for your power bill?
One in five Australians say they experience stress when it comes to paying bills and 40% of young adults have no effective system for making payments, according to a new study.
With power prices doubling over the past five years, it is time to check out what electricity and gas rebates are available.
With four kids, Anthony and his wife are living week to week and struggling to get ahead with the family budget.


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Mobile operator EE has come under fire recently for revealing that from January 2022, they will be charging UK customers extra to use their phones in Europe. The BBC said that “Those joining or upgrading from 7 July 2021 will be charged £2 a day to use their allowances in 47 European destinations from January 2022.”
This has come as a shock to many, as EE previously stated that they had no plans to reintroduce roaming charges in Europe. Now, an important question arises – if EE has gone back on their promise, are other mobile operators going to do the same? The speculation is that yes, other mobile operators are expected to follow in EE’s footsteps and bring roaming charges back for their customers. This means that using your phone while on holiday abroad will get a lot more expensive, but don’t worry, there are ways around it!
The easiest way to get around roaming fees is to get a cheap phone SIM from the country you’re travelling to and get a Voice Over IP (VOIP) app, such as 3CX, to allow you to call people around the world without expensive extra charges.
VOIP, also called IP telephony, is a method and group of technologies that enables voice communications and multimedia sessions via internet. You can save money on using your mobile phone abroad, by downloading the app and using your local SIM’s internet charges, or ideally by connecting to a Wi-Fi connection around you. Many public places in Europe have free Wi-Fi networks which you can easily connect to, and then all you need to do is dial a phone number and press call! It works exactly like calling someone the normal way, except you would be using the internet instead of a mobile network.
This is a great way to avoid roaming charges and enjoy your holiday without unnecessary expenses!
Get in touch with us if you’d like to find out more about VOIP or if you’d like to try 3CX yourself!
Call 01223 240088 or email [email protected]


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Most human beings love their pets like they're family, bringing them to the veterinarian for health check-ups, and the groomer for hygiene and hair trims.
One groomer in Crofton is helping to bridge the gap between those two services — Passionate Paws & Claws. Owners Christopher and Jessica Miklasz, husband and wife, have been in the grooming business for 10 years, and in an actual salon for seven. Their outfit is attached to a veterinarian's office, and Jessica Miklasz is a veterinary technician.
"We just try to keep it focused on the veterinary aspect," she said.
The couple started out doing just hygienic grooms but now offers a range of services at their location on Concord Boulevard.
At their salon they give each dog between four and six hours for a grooming, which they said ensures enough time for proper care. The session includes down time for the dog to relax and walk about the room if they'd like.
"We just give them a lot of time to collect themselves, and [don't] force them through any kind of process," Christopher Miklasz.
One essential step is ensuring there is enough time to dry a dog off after grooming. They use a variety of tools to ensure a dog is truly dry, as wet skin can lead to skin infections.
When picking a grooming salon, the couple suggested checking the place out in-person. The area should be open, without spots for dogs to hide from view. And it should be clean, of course.
"Supervision is really important. You don't know if a dog is going to suddenly have a seizure or something," Christopher Miklasz said.
Their space, which the couple hopes to expand, has cages for dogs within view of the grooming area.
"The salon should be completely transparent about the areas they keep your dog, what kind of dryers they use, what kind of products they use, and the experience of their staffing," Jessica Miklasz said.
You should have questions ready for your groomer, but they should also have questions for you about the dog's needs and lifestyle. It's about finding a good fit.
In addition to the brick and mortar salon, Passionate Paws & Claws operates a pet ambulance that offers pet transportation for both emergencies and nonemergencies. Their service will take you and your pet to whatever care provider you choose, they said. They also administer medicine and perform hygienic grooms in the ambulance — their vehicle doesn't have a bath in it, so their mobile grooming services are limited.
Passionate Paws & Claws is at 2100 Concord Blvd., Suite B, in Crofton, and can be reached online at www.passionatepawsandclaws.com or by phone at 410-570-8128.
There are a number of groomers in the county who offer full-service grooming on the go, touting the mobile service as less stressful for both pets and pet parents since the groomer comes to you.
Glen Burnie-based Maryland Mobile Grooming has three vans offering mobile pet grooming services. On the business' website, it says the vans are equipped with traditional grooming salon equipment. They can be reached at 410-691-9988 or online at www.marylandmobilegrooming.com.
Edgewater-based Shaggy Chic Mobile Pet Grooming says on their website that using their mobile service means pets aren't separated from home, or placed in a cage surrounded by other animals, resulting in a less stressful grooming experience. They can be reached at 410-440-0722 or www.shaggychicmpg.com.
Pasadena-based Bubbles, Bows and Bones Mobile Grooming offers grooming services for dogs only and can be reached via Facebook or at 410-946-4191.
Glen Burnie-based Wiggles And Wags Mobile Dog Spa not only offers grooming, but also offers special spa services such as mud baths. They can be reached at 301-233-6487 or online at www.wigglesandwagsmobiledogspa.com.
Arnold-based Dog-Gone Groomers Inc. specializes in small breeds and has been in operation since 1990. They can be reached at 301-858-7220 or online at www.doggonegroomersmobile.com.
The Paw Spa Mobile Grooming, based in Severn, serves Odenton, Gambrills, Crofton, Severn and Hanover. They can be reached at 443-510-6092 or online at www.thepawspa-md.com.
Clippity Doo Dog Mobile Pet Waggin' serves all dogs and specializes in large breed and senior dogs with special needs, according to their webpage. They can be reached at 301-717-3666 or www.clippitydoodog.net.
At Your Bark N' Call serves most of Anne Arundel County and can be reached at 410-507-6619 or online at www.atyourbarkncall.com.
Severna Park-based Calling All Dogs notes on its website that dogs will be comforted by the fact they can see their own homes during the mobile groomings. They can be reached by phone at 443-852-0298 or online at www.callingalldogs.net.


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China has been one of the success stories of the past 20 years, with rapid growth in domestic and export demand. This has created the second largest economy in the world. From 1992 to 2007 annual GDP growth averaged 10.7% and annual export growth averaged 18.9% (see chart).
However, with the credit crunch and ensuing recession, growth rates in China have fallen somewhat. Annual GDP growth has averaged 9.6% and annual export growth has averaged 7.4%. Such growth rates may not seem bad, given that many Western economies have been struggling to achieve any growth, but they have been causing concern for this booming economy.
In its May Outlook, the World Bank forecast China’s growth for the year at 8.2%, but it has since been reduced to 7.8%. A key part of China’s success story has been its export market, but it has been this market that has caused concerns for the mainland economy. In August of this year, its year-on-year export growth was at only 2.7%, but exports last month grew by more than expected, at approximately 7.4%. China has had a consistent trade surplus and according to government figures, this has widened to $27.67 billion in September from $26.66 billion in the previous month.
Recovery in this market will be crucial for the continued success of the economy, as a means of alleviating the fears of a slowdown. This higher growth of exports may be a misleading indicator, perhaps influenced by seasonal factors and thus may not be a sign of what’s to come. Indeed, many analysts have said that they are not convinced that these healthier trade figures will remain. Alistair Thornton, from IHS Global Economics said:
“It’s safe to say we are overshooting the trend here and we expect (the data) to come back in line in the months ahead.”
Citigroup economist, Ding Shaung also confirmed these sentiments:
”The trade data is a positive sign for the Chinese economy … But it remains to be seen whether import and export growth can remain at these levels.”
Part of this pessimism is due to the uncertainty surrounding the growth prospects of its biggest two trading partners – the US and the European Union. Exports to the former have remained relatively high, but exports to the European Union have suffered, falling by over 5.6%. It is likely that weaknesses in the global economy have held back China’s growth prospects in both exports and national output. The Chinese government was aiming for growth of 7.6% in 2012. Not a bad rate you may say, but when compared with growth rates for 2011 (9.3%) and 2010 (10.4%), it does represent a significant fall. The future of the Chinese economy is crucial for the recovery of the world economy, in part as it represents a big demand for imports from other countries, such as the US and Europe. The following articles consider the trade and growth prospects of the world’s second largest economy.
Chinese exports grow faster than expected in September BBC News (14/10/12)
Chinese exports grow faster than expected Financial Times, Patti Waldmeir (14/10/12)
China exports jump, but weaknesses seen ahead The Korea Herald (14/10/12)
China exports rise, hinting at a glimmer of revival New York Times, Keith Bradsher (13/10/12)
China’s trade surplus widens Wall Street Journal, William Kazer (13/10/12)
Chinese surplus widens as exports surge CNN, Paavan Mathemas (13/10/12)
China’s economic slow-down BBC Today Programme, Linda Yueh (18/10/12)
- What is a trade surplus?
- Which factors have influenced Chinese exports and imports?
- Why is China’s growth rate such an important variable for the UK and other Western economies?
- Why has export growth in China fallen recently? Can you use the same explanation for its lower growth in national output?
- Explain why analysts remain pessimistic about the sustainability of these improved trade figures.
- Using a diagram, illustrate the effect that higher Chinese growth rates will have on GDP in a country such as the UK. Could there be a multiplier effect?


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Hillshire Brands’ board of directors have recommended the termination of the company’s contract to acquire Pinnacle Foods and move toward the $8.55 billion offer by Tyson Foods.
“In accordance with the terms of the Pinnacle Foods agreement, on June 9, 2014, the Hillshire Brands board provided written notice to the board of Pinnacle Foods that it intended to change its recommendation,” Hillshire Brands said in a statement. “Upon receipt of that notification, under the terms of the merger agreement with Pinnacle Foods, Pinnacle Foods could propose changes to the merger agreement such that the Tyson Foods offer would no longer constitute a superior proposal. Pinnacle Foods made no such proposal.”
Pinnacle Foods stands to earn $163 million in termination fees that Tyson Foods has agreed to cover on behalf of Hillshire Brands. Pinnacle may force Hillshire to take the deal to its shareholders, but analysts do not expect shareholders to approve it, given there is far more value in the Tyson Foods offer.
“We believe our offer to acquire Hillshire Brands for $63 per share in cash is a superior proposal for Hillshire Brands shareholders,” said Donnie Smith, president and CEO of Tyson Foods. “We're pleased the Hillshire Board has withdrawn its recommendation in favor of the Pinnacle Agreement, and now recommends the Tyson Foods offer, all as expressly authorized by the Pinnacle Agreement. We hope Pinnacle Foods will promptly accept the termination fee and not delay the ability of Hillshire Brands' shareholders to benefit from Tyson Foods' superior offer.”
Hillshire Brands said it expects to hold its stockholder meeting as early as August. Hillshire Brands will also have the right to terminate the merger agreement on Dec. 12, 2014, regardless of whether a vote of its stockholders on the Pinnacle Foods merger has taken place by that date. Tyson Foods has announced that its offer will be held open until Dec. 12, 2014.


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Almost 50% of respondents within the survey anticipate Bitcoin to overhaul international finance by 2040, calling it hyperbitcoinization. It will likely be attention-grabbing to see whether or not if Bitcoin can overtake the standard monetary market within the subsequent 20 years.
The world’s largest cryptocurrency Bitcoin (BTC) has been always buying and selling beneath strain. Over the past week, BTC has misplaced 8% falling beneath its essential help ranges of $33,000. At press time, Bitcoin is buying and selling at $31,321 with a market cap of $587 billion. Regardless of over 50% within the final three months, traders’ confidence in Bitcoin hasn’t deterred. Private finance comparability platform Finder.com carried out a current survey the place greater than 50% of the responders mentioned that Bitcoin will surpass fiat cash by the following 20 years.
This even implies that BTC will overwhelm central financial institution digital currencies (CBDCs) by 2040. The report clearly contradicts Fed Chairman’s current remark whereby he acknowledged that we gained’t want digital currencies as soon as we now have the Digital Greenback. Addressing the US Home of Representatives Monetary Providers Committee final week, Jerome Powell said:
“I believe which may be the case and I believe that’s one of many arguments which might be supplied in favor of digital forex. That, particularly, you wouldn’t want stablecoins, you wouldn’t want cryptocurrencies in case you had a digital US forex – I believe that’s one of many stronger arguments in its favor.”
The report exhibits traders’ nonetheless don’t belief the central bank-backed digital currencies. However to notice, the report’s pattern dimension is sort of slim. The report exhibits the view of 42 cryptocurrency specialists. These specialists are constructive for Bitcoin’s long-term future.
Bitcoin Will Overtake Fiat and International Finance in Normal
The report exhibits that over 50% of respondents anticipate Bitcoin to overhaul international finance by 2040, calling it hyperbitcoinization. One-third of the respondents imagine this occasion to occur even earlier by 2035. Alternatively, 44% imagine that Bitcoin won’t ever grow to be the dominant drive in international finance.
Moreover, one-third of the respondents additionally mentioned that Bitcoin will grow to be the most typical type of cryptocurrency within the subsequent 10 years. The most recent transfer from El Salvador clearly hints in direction of the identical. The Latin American turned the primary on this planet to make Bitcoin a authorized tender. By passing its Bitcoin Regulation, El Salvador additionally makes Bitcoin a legal tender together with the present USD.
One main roadblock to Bitcoin’s mass adoption is the environmental concern surrounding it. China issued a sweeping ban on the bitcoin miners working within the nation citing a excessive use of coal energy. Quite a lot of miners have thus moved base to abroad places in Europe and North America.
On the identical time, the business has initiated a number of measures geared toward shifting in direction of inexperienced vitality options for Bitcoin. Prime miners from North America have joined fingers to kind the Bitcoin Mining Council which takes care of adopting inexperienced vitality options.
Bhushan is a FinTech fanatic and holds aptitude in understanding monetary markets. His curiosity in economics and finance draw his consideration in direction of the brand new rising Blockchain Expertise and Cryptocurrency markets. He’s repeatedly in a studying course of and retains himself motivated by sharing his acquired information. In free time he reads thriller fictions novels and generally discover his culinary expertise.


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Cost cutting in 2019 all the rage with local firmsThe majority of companies in Korea are planning to take belt-tightening measures next year, according to a recent survey by the Korea Employers Federation (KEF).
The KEF announced Tuesday that 50.3 percent of chief executives surveyed said they would introduce cost-cutting measures in 2019. Only 19.6 percent said they would be expanding their businesses, while 30.1 percent responded that they would hold steady with their plans.
A total of 244 member companies were polled.
“While last year’s survey indicated that most companies planned to maintain the status quo, this year’s survey shows a change to a cost-saving stance,” explained a KEF official.
Companies planning to cut costs increased by 10.8 percentage points this year, up from the 39.5 percent figure in the same survey last year.
Over the past eight years, companies polled in the KEF survey said they were looking to either save costs or maintain their businesses as is.
For next year’s belt-tightening measures, cost reduction led at 34.8 percent, followed by changes in the workforce at 22.3 percent, new investment reduction at 19.3 percent, business restructuring at 10.6 percent and production size reduction at 6.2 percent.
Despite the current administration’s pressure on businesses to focus on job creation and new investment, companies are opting to cut back.
“The slump in the construction sector since a few years ago has led to a decrease in orders, and we are currently experiencing financial difficulties,” said a CEO of a construction company that records annual revenue of 300 billion won ($266 million). “We are planning to undergo mass restructuring as the situation looks to be worse next year.”
The KEF survey also showed that 69.4 percent of respondents saw the current situation staying the same for the long term. Of those surveyed, 14.5 percent said the economy was in decline after peaking, 11.2 percent said it was at the lowest point of the cycle and 5.0 percent saw the economy in recovery from the lowest point.
Those anticipating a recession increased by 20.3 percentage points from last year. Respondents were concerned that the sluggish economic situation will continue for more than two years.
On when the economy will likely recover, 60.3 percent of respondents predicted after 2021, followed by 28.1 percent after 2020 and 11.6 percent from 2019.
As companies look toward cost-saving measures, the overall economy may face greater difficulties.
“Korea’s economy is falling into a vicious cycle,” said Cheong In-kyo, a professor of economics at Inha University. “Leaving the current situation as is will not lead to growth but toward a shrinking economy.”
“The government shouldn’t make empty statements but should drastically ease regulations for companies and lead investment,” Cheong added. “Market intervention policies such as providing subsidies are superficial fixes that should be avoided.”
The majority of CEOs also predicted a loss in earnings next year as 54.1 percent said next year’s business results will decrease compared to this year’s. In the survey, 29.1 percent said it will stay about the same, while only 16.8 percent said it will improve.
Respondents were most concerned about the government’s pro-labor policies.
Nearly one-third, or 30.3 percent, cited labor policies, such as the minimum wage hike and the reduction of working hours, as the source of difficulty. That was followed by 23.4 percent saying that the problem was the slump in the local market, while 15.1 percent pointed to U.S.-China trade friction.
The reduction in working hours has been cited as a major issue to businesses.
Results from a survey by the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) released on Tuesday said that 71.5 percent of companies were experiencing difficulties due to the 52-hour workweek reduction. The frustration from businesses has led the government to retreat somewhat. It may extend the Dec. 31 enforcement deadline.
The business sector is also worried about changes to government regulations, which would add resting hours into the minimum wage calculations. The inclusion of more hours could lead to changes in wage policies for businesses.
“Small and medium-sized companies face more difficulties as they don’t have as much room to respond compared to large companies,” said a KCCI official. “The government should refrain from thinking that problems will be resolved with time and take preemptive action.”
BY KIM MIN-JOONG [firstname.lastname@example.org]


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If you’ve never heard of Australia’s Northern Territory, there’s now a tourist campaign to leave it indelibly marked in your mind for eternity.
T-shirts have been revealed with the eye-opening slogan, ‘CU in the NT’.Police called to solve mystery of deaths of hundreds of starlings in road
And their play on words is plainly obvious (and genius).
People have been praising the NT Government for its bold choice of letters.
But it’s not official government merchandise, despite it coming from a group called NT Official – so you can understand the confusion.
The independent company is selling the brand in a bid to encourage more young people to visit the top end of the country.
To be fair, the Northern Territory is pretty amazing with a never ending wilderness of canyons, mountains and waterfalls.Tiny mackerel's Finding Nemo moment with massive shark
A spokesman for NT Official said: ‘We are a fronted by a guerilla group of people with the aim of promoting travel awareness to the Northern Territory region.
‘We want people to recognise that if they want to go to the NT they shouldn’t hesitate. They should just go and tell their friends to “CU in the NT!”.’


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Having lived in California and Arizona, I’ve seen luscious fruits hanging from trees all around. Unfortunately, a lot of the fruit that these trees produce ripens, falls to the ground and goes to waste. One organization, Falling Fruit, has been trying to address the problem of wasted fruit.
Legislation would require USDA to monitor and increase kosher food supply.
A New York senator and congressman on Monday announced that they introduced new legislation in Congress to try to ensure that kosher food pantries receive enough food.
The legislation, sponsored by Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and Congressman Joe Crowley, both Democrats, requires the U.S. Department of Agriculture to make sure it ends up at kosher food banks, according to a press release.
Young Families, Singles Flocking to Upper East Side; ‘The Memory Is In Their Taste Buds’: The Lure of Sephardic Food; Safra Synagogue Rabbi’s Growing Empire; Sephardic And Egalitarian at B’nai Jeshurun; Giving Voice to Sephardic Music.


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The new platform will make originators "social marketing experts," says CEO
Call centers can be among the most effective means of lead generation – but only if your strategy is tailored correctly
How many contacts have you got right now on LinkedIn? How many friends on Facebook? Do you find yourself simply clicking ‘yes’ or ‘no’ indiscriminately out of habit, not really sure how someone really does know you?
New program protects down payments regardless of market conditions
Do you know the first thing your next customer is going to do before they choose to do business with you? Google you
MySmartBlog founder Mikel Erdman wants to bust some commonly believed myths about internet marketing
It’s a strategy many originators are currently grappling with – and one of growing importance given how much influence they have on the housing market – so here are some tips on reaching this large buying cohort
The industry has dug itself a hole and if it doesn’t act soon risks missing out on the next big buying cohort, according to one industry veteran


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Prices of staples such as pork have soared in recent months
China's inflation hit 8.7% in February, the highest rate in over 11 years, the National Statistics Bureau said.
Soaring food prices were driving inflation, up 23.3% in February against the previous year, the bureau said.
It attributed the jump to snow storms last month that caused widespread disruption and to seasonal price rises over the Lunar New Year holiday.
Analysts had predicted a rise of 8.0% but the figure, up from 7.1% in January, was higher than forecast.
In recent months inflation has continued to rise despite higher interest rates and other measures by Beijing to keep the economy from overheating.
This is a serious concern for the government, which fears higher food prices could trigger social unrest.
Last week in a report to the National People's Congress, Premier Wen Jiabao said tackling inflation was "the biggest concern of the people".
February's inflation rate of 8.7% was the highest figure since May 1996.
The price of pork rose 63.4%, fresh vegetables were up 46% and cooking oil was up 41% compared to February 2007, the statistics bureau said.
Premier Wen Jiabao says controlling inflation is a key task
Non-food inflation rose only slowly, hitting an annual rate of 1.6%, the figures showed.
The jump followed severe winter weather that paralysed parts of China, delaying food and fuel deliveries and devastating crops and livestock.
But food prices have been rising since last year, partly because of supply problems.
Officials are working to tackle the problem by freezing prices of key commodities and expanding production of basic necessities.
Curbs have been placed on grain exports and farmers are being given subsidies to rear more pigs.
Last year, the government also raised interest rates six times in an attempt to keep inflation under control.
Analysts said in light of the latest figures they expected further interest rate rises.


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The Department of National Statistics (DANE) revealed on Tuesday that Colombia’s industry and retail trade accelerated their growth rate during January, amid strong domestic consumption in the Andean country, despite a drop in business confidence.
Industrial production rose 15.1% in January, compared to a 1.6% contraction in the same month last year.
It surpassed the recovery that occurred in December, when it registered 13.1%.
The increase in industrial production was explained by the production of beverages and the manufacture of pharmaceutical and chemical products, as well as paper production, DANE specified in a statement.
In contrast, there was a decrease in the coffee threshing and in the coking and oil refining activities.
Meanwhile, retail sales in Latin America’s fourth-largest economy rose 20.9% in January, compared to a 6.4% decline in the same month in 2021.
The percentage discrepancy was larger than that of December, when it was 15.9% higher.
The increase in trade was mainly due to higher sales in the automotive, auto parts and accessories, fuel and apparel sectors.
The government expects the Colombian economy to expand by 5% this year, compared to the historic recovery of 10.6% it reached in 2021.
Despite the numbers, DANE revealed that the business confidence index recorded its biggest drop in February since keeping records, even below the worst of the coronavirus pandemic and a series of protests and rallies that have occurred over the past year.
Low business confidence has been associated with difficulties in providing inputs due to increased costs resulting from availability issues due to the international logistics component, as identified by DANE.
“Beeraholic. Friend of animals everywhere. Evil web scholar. Zombie maven.”


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Lightlife Foods Bringing 9 Top-Selling Vegan Products to Canada
Earlier this year, major Canadian packaged meats company Maple Leaf Foods acquired U.S.-based Lightlife Foods, a company that produces plant-based meat substitutes, including tempeh, burgers, bacon and hot dogs, for $140 million.
Now, Lightlife Foods is bringing nine of its “top-selling plant-based protein alternatives to Canadian retail stores in August.” According to Bloomberg, the move is part of the company’s “push to become a dominant player in the fast-growing space.”
Dan Curtin, Lightlife’s president, stated:
“There’s the hardcore vegans, the hardcore vegetarians, but we’re seeing more and more flexitarians or reducetarians that are really looking for plant-based options.”
The article adds that Lightlife is currently seeing “significant double-digit growth in the U.S.” and expects “long-term growth in Canada,” noting “tremendous opportunity.”
The products, which include vegan bacon and hot dogs, are set to roll out to retailers such as Walmart and Sobeys this month. I look forward to finally being able to try these top-sellers!
Last December, Maple Leaf Foods also acquired Field Roast Grain Meat Co. for $120 million, after settings it sights on “alternative protein.”


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Parking perk to end
The City of London will end free parking for electric vehicles at the end of the year. A spokesman said: “We are concerned that free parking has encouraged car use instead of the use of public transport, walking and cycling.” From 2009, new electric car users will not get any parking discounts, while those already holding free-parking cards will have to pay £2,000. Electric car manufacturer Nice said the decision was “barmy”.
More than 90% of AA members would consider taking measures to reduce the overall environmental impact of their cars. According to an AA/Populus poll of 17,481 motorists, the most popular action would be to buy a more fuel efficient car.
Biofuel back out
The EU may back out of its biofuel commitment. On the eve of the assumption by the French government to the presidency of the EU, its ecology minister said it will “call into question or postpone the 10% objective” for increasing EU biofuel use.
Vehicle leasing company Flexxilease has invested £250,000 to open a new sales office in Newcastle. Until now, the company has operated entirely from the headquarters of its parent company – One Stop Car Shop – based in Verwood, Dorset.
A new van buying website has been launched. Bestvandeals.com is offering new and used LCVs from makes including Fiat Professional, LDV, Ford, Volkswagen, Mercedes-Benz, Renault and Citroën. The site is part of Imperial Commercials.


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Online platforms may have to rethink their parity deals
Expect closer scrutiny this year of ‘most favoured nation’ clauses under the country’s competition law
There were many interesting developments in the antitrust space last year, including two reports by a parliamentary panel—one on proposed amendments to the Indian competition law, and the other on a new Digital Competition Act (DCA) to regulate anti-competitive practices of digital gatekeepers. Based on a statement made by the chairman of the panel in his first public interview of 2023, the government is working towards getting parliamentary approvals for the proposed amendments and the DCA this year itself. Another highlight of 2022 was a surge in Competition Commission of India (CCI) pursuits in the digital sector, which included ordering various detailed investigations and imposing hefty fines on Google, MakeMyTrip (MMT) and Oyo for not complying with Indian competition rules.


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A FLURRY of investment in value-adding of Australian grains is being seen across the industry as technology and expanding demand alter the market landscapes for animal feed and human food.
Helping to lead the charge in the high-end human-consumption market is v2food, which is manufacturing plant-based protein products at its Wodonga facility from pulse isolates.
The company’s chief executive officer and founder Nick Hazell will be sharing his insights into how v2food has grown its domestic and export markets, and what that means for growers and markets, through his address to the Australian Grains Industry Conference (AGIC).
To be held as a virtual-only event on September 6-7, the AGIC 2021 program comprises 11 sessions covering many of the facets of the grains industry.
Mr Hazell will be speaking in the session entitled: Plant protein innovation – could this be the biggest Australian agriculture opportunity for this generation?
Launched nationally in 2019 on technology developed in collaboration with CSIRO, v2food has developed a range of plant-based foods, including patties for Hungry Jack’s Rebel Whoppers.
The growth in demand for its products was exemplified last year when v2food products went on sale in selected Coles, Drakes and Woolworths supermarkets — more than 1400 in total — as COVID redirected its focus from food-service to retail.
Growth in export markets is also being seen, and the company last month announced that China had been added to its list of offshore markets.
“Our strategy is to be number one in Australia so we can be number one around the world, and our focus is on Asia,” Mr Hazell said.
He believes the value-adding proposition for Australia’s broadacre crops is “enormous”, and will increase further once domestic production of pulse isolates and other inputs ramps up in Australia and displaces imports.
“We have tended to sell our inputs as commodities in Australia; what I’m saying is you can convert them to 10 or 20 times their value, and then export that valuable product overseas.
“If you can go all the way to branded consumer products, you can add value in lots of different ways, particularly around sustainability.”
Mr Hazell said Australia was ideally placed to take advantage of its clean and green global image, and add carbon credentials to them.
“There are not that many countries in the world where you have excess land mass in which you can grow crops and sequester carbon.”
Following v2food’s Series B funding round which last year added $77 million of domestic and offshore money to the $36M raised in 2019, Mr Hazell said start-ups with value-adding of Australian grain at their core help immense appeal.
“There are literally trillions of dollars of capital from people wanting to invest.”
Supporting this was the April announcement that global agrifood giant Bunge had bought into the Australian Plant Proteins business in Horsham, Victoria, and Unigrain’s news last month that it was building a pulse fractionation plant at Smeaton near Ballarat.
While pulse value-adding is centred in Victoria, a run of investment in other sectors including canola crushing, malting, and stockfeed has been seen in every Australian state.
It points to momentum being seen in the Australian grains, which is reflected by the AGIC 2021 theme: Reconnect, Reignite, Revitalise.
AGIC 2021 is hosted by Grain Trade Australia, the Australian Oilseeds Federation and Pulse Australia, and will be officially opened by Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment Dan Tehan, and feature Minister for Agriculture, Drought and Emergency Management David Littleproud.
Delegates will also hear from former Foreign Minister Professor Bob Carr, who will give his take on the interface between diplomacy, politics and trade.
Sessions have been constructed to scope the grain industry’s post farm-gate dimensions, and will cover: competition; diversity; economic outlook; global commodity markets; investment; plant protein; succession planning; trade, and the supply chain.
- GrainCorp domestic commercial generalMmanager Sean Barker;
- Lachstock Consulting CEO Nick Carracher;
- HFW partner Carolyn Chudleigh;
- Holding Redlich partner Geoff Farnsworth;
- KW & WM Kelly & Sons CEO Matt Kelly;
- Australian Competition & Consumer Commission deputy chair Mick Keogh;
- CHS Hedging USA research analyst Joe Lardy;
- Port of Melbourne executive general manager commercial Shaun Mooney;
- Merricks Capital head of agri credit Dan O’Donoghue;
- CBH Grain chief external relations officer Brianna Peake;
- Robinson Grains general manager Adam Robinson;
- Allied Pinnacle CEO Rob Rogers;
- GrainCorp CEO Robert Spurway;
- ANZ head of retail broker distribution Simone Tilley;
- ANZ research economist Adelaide Trimbrell;
- ANZ head of agribusiness insights Michael Whitehead;
- Fletcher International Exports general manager commercial commodities and intermodal division Kurt Wilkinson.
Registration for the conference includes access to all online sessions, and opportunities to network with delegates and put questions to speakers.
“After years of crippling drought, the grains industry is building a strong position with favourable seasonal conditions and strong demand from customers,” GTA CEO Pat O’Shannassy said.
“The challenge of COVID has meant that AGIC must again be a fully virtual conference.
“We have clear feedback from industry that AGIC is an important part of the grain industry’s cohesiveness and ‘can do’ attitude, so we are really looking forward to strong industry support for the exceptional program on offer at AGIC 2021.”
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August 06, 2019
Worldwide electrical safety personal protective equipment (PPE) market is expected to accrue more than USD 20 billion by the year 2025, according to the latest research available at Market Study Report LLC, report provides extensively data on market share, growth, trends and forecasts for the period 2019-2025.
According to the report, growing incidences of electrical accidents around the globe are creating the need for safe occupational environment which in turn is driving the electrical safety PPE market growth. The government agencies like EU Commission and OSHA are underlining strict safety regulations for industries to follow by undertaking regular inspection and timely assessment to avoid electric hazard injury. This encourages the industries to adopt electrical safety PPEs and drives the market growth.
The hazardous situations such as improper earthing, live wire, electrocutions, and other fatalities can be avoided by the use of electrical safety PPE. Many industries including manufacturing, power generation, food processing, automotive, and construction are increasingly adopting PPE due to burgeoning safety awareness among the workers and the need to decrease financial losses.
The arc rated protective clothing is flame resistant and is used to protect the workers from the extreme heat generated in case of flash accidents. The US market of arc rated clothing is expected to exceed USD 1 billion by the year 2025. Increasing cases of arc flashes, high compensation costs, and financial losses will propel region’s electrical safety PPE market in the ensuing years.
As cited in the report, the electrical safety PPE market faces multiple challenges. Raw material price, supply concerns, and existence of substandard products in the market are the major factors impacting the profitability and price trends of this business space. The need to meet strict functional and quality requirements for protection equipments increase the production cost, deterring the market growth.
The electric safety PPE market for India is projected to record 7.5% gains by the end of the forecast period owing to surging civil infrastructural operations. The increase in the power generation and distribution programs undertakenby private and public sectors employing numerous workers will aid the market growth.
According to the study, the hand protection equipment market is presumed to accrue USD 7 billion by the year 2025 due to being the first line defence mechanism. The segment includes insulated rubber gloves and leather protective sleeves protecting the fingers, wrists, hands, and lower arms from serious damage.
Request sample copy of this Report@ https://www.marketstudyreport.com/request-a-sample/2105465/
In terms of regional contribution, France electrical safety PPE market is anticipated to cross USD 900 million by 2025. The substantial market growth can be credited to government’s massive investment in renewable energy generation projects with construction of windmills and subsequent maintenance of the plant. Moreover, China and India are predicted to contribute significantly to market growth, owing to the rising electrification and transmission activities due to rapid urbanization and industrialization. Growing number of personnel working on transmission lines will bolster the demand for electrical safety PPE.
The major participants of the electrical safety PPE market profiled in the report include 3M, UVEX Safety, Paulson Corp, Oberon, Honeywell, COFRA, Ansell, Black Stallion, and NSA. The manufacturing companies are taking initiatives to develop new products offering better protection and efficiency with wear ability, comfort, visibility, and light weight.


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Seems the news is chocked full of Intel everyday. Today they seem to be planning on upping production/shipping of their embedded memory products used in cell phones and pda. "Intel said it is also adopting a new computer memory technology, called Fully-Buffered Dual In-Line Memory Module (FB-DIMM) for its first multi-core server platform for Xeon chips, code-named Bensley." That story here .
TheInquirer has as a blurb  and a pic in Intel's new logo for their 64-bit products. Seems they will using the Roman numerals VIIV as the trademark.
Also at theinquirer is the story on the Irish government withdrawing support for Intel citing that "is getting a bit twitchy about inward investment from foreigners." That story with a link to the original is here .
Intel is also hard at work on a Mac Mini-like concept PC. That story here .
In other news "Intel said the Pentium 4 brand will lose its role as the mainstream desktop processor, making way for the new dual core Pentium D and Pentium Extreme Edition products, previously known by the ?Smithfield? code name." Read that one here .
ZDNet is running a piece  on their unveiling its first proposals for 802.11s, a new mesh wireless networking standard.


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Taika Waititi, Ricky Gervais, Zac Efron, Olivia Munn, and more star in Humane Society International’s animated short film Save Ralph in aid of a global campaign to ban cosmetic testing on animals.
Hollywood filmmakers and movie stars have joined forces with Humane Society International to produce a powerful stop-motion animated short film, Save Ralph, to end cosmetic testing on animals around the world. Although banned in 40 countries, the practice is still perfectly legal in most of the world, including Laos, and even making a comeback in some regions, subjecting untold thousands of animals to needless suffering and death.
Taika Waititi, Ricky Gervais, Zac Efron, Olivia Munn, Pom Klementieff, Tricia Helfer and others have come together to help HSI change that by providing the voices for the Save Ralph film, which aims to shine a light on the suffering animals endure and engage consumers and policymakers in HSI’s mission to ban it. Writer and director Spencer Susser (Hesher, The Greatest Showman) and producer Jeff Vespa (Voices of Parkland) teamed up with the Arch Model studio of puppet-maker supreme Andy Gent on the production to bring Ralph to life. The film is also being launched in Portuguese, Spanish, French, and Vietnamese with Rodrigo Santoro, Denis Villeneuve, and others voicing the characters in those languages, and Maggie Q providing a video message of support.
Find the short film and educational materials on the current status of animal testing and how you can help at hsi.org/Ralph
Jeffrey Flocken, Humane Society International’s president, says: “Save Ralph is a wake-up call that animals are still suffering for cosmetics, and now is the time for us to come together to ban it globally. Today we have an abundance of reliable, animal-free approaches for product safety assurance, so there’s no excuse for making animals like Ralph suffer to test cosmetics or their ingredients.”
The film features HSI’s campaign spokesbunny Ralph, voiced by Taika Waititi, being interviewed as he goes through his daily routine as a “tester” in a toxicology lab. HSI’s #SaveRalph campaign tackles the disturbing issue of animal testing in an original and unexpected way—using the story of one bunny to shine a light on the plight of countless rabbits and other animals suffering at this very moment in laboratories around the world. It engages viewers to help ban animal testing of cosmetics once and for all.
Director, Spencer Susser says: “Animals in cosmetic testing labs don’t have a choice and it’s our responsibility to do something about it. When the opportunity came up to create a new campaign for Humane Society International, I felt that stop motion was the perfect way to deliver the message. When you see the horrifying reality of the way animals are treated, you can’t help but look away. What I was hoping to do with this film was create something that delivers a message without being too heavy-handed. I hope that audiences fall in love with Ralph and want to fight for him and other animals like him, so we can ban animal testing once and for all.”
Claudia Dang Thi Phuong Thao, Humane Society International’s ASEAN campaign manager, says: “Not only is animal testing for cosmetics still legal in four out of five countries globally, including many in Southeast Asia, but these tests are increasingly being rebranded as chemical assessment. An Ipsos poll commissioned by Humane Society International in 2019 found overwhelming public support for an ASEAN-wide ban on animal testing for cosmetics, with 87% support on average across all ASEAN nations. #SaveRalph is a global public advocacy and awareness-raising campaign that aims to show the terrible sufferings that animals endure in testing. It is also a reminder to lawmakers that we need robust animal testing bans in place because no animal should suffer and die in the name of beauty.”
Actor Maggie Q, says: “I believe in people. I feel if they knew about the enormous suffering caused to animals in the name of beauty- they would demand differently. Animal testing for cosmetics is still legal in many places around the world, including Southeast Asia. I encourage consumers in this region to think twice about where they put their dollars. For me, I know I don’t need cruel products to be beautiful. And neither do you! Let’s make a statement together!!”
Troy Seidle, HSI’s vice president for research and toxicology, says: “It’s easy to assume that companies are the problem, but the truth is they are a vital part of the solution. It’s laws that need to be changed, and industry leaders like Lush, Unilever, P&G, L’Oréal and Avon are working with us to secure meaningful animal testing bans in many of the world’s most influential beauty markets. We’ve recruited Ralph as our spokesbunny to help get these laws over the finish line.”
The campaign is focused on 16 priority countries including Brazil, Canada, Chile, Mexico, South Africa, and 10 Southeast Asian nations, and partner organizations, the Humane Society of the United States and Humane Society Legislative Fund, are focused on legislation in the U.S. HSI is also standing up for bans that are already in place, like in Europe where authorities are attempting to exploit a legal loophole by demanding new animal testing of cosmetic ingredients under chemical law. Save Ralph will shine a spotlight on all these countries, driving them toward the cruelty-free future that the public and consumers expect.
- Recent polling shows that 98% of people in Laos support a ban on cosmetic animal testing.
- In some parts of the world, rabbits like Ralph are locked in neck restraints and have cosmetic products and ingredients dripped in their eye and on to the shaved skin on their back. Guinea pigs and mice have the chemicals spread on their shaved skin or on their ears. None of these animals are given pain relief, and all of them will be killed at the end.
- Animal testing for cosmetics is officially already banned in 40 countries. HSI and partners were instrumental in securing bans in India, Taiwan, New Zealand, South Korea, Guatemala, Australia and 10 states in Brazil. Such testing is also banned in Turkey, Israel, Norway, Iceland, Switzerland, and in the U.S. states of California, Illinois, Nevada and Virginia.
- More than 2,000 “cruelty-free” beauty brands are available worldwide, including Lush, Garnier, Dove, Herbal Essences and H&M. These companies produce safe products by using ingredients with a history of safe use together with modern animal-free safety assessment tools. No single global shopping guide yet exists, but HSI recognizes org, as a useful resource.
- HSI warns that even cruelty-free cosmetics are in jeopardy if chemical safety legislation continues to demand new animal tests for chemical ingredients used exclusively in cosmetics. That’s why the #SaveRalph campaign prioritizes getting test bans in place and robustly defended.
- In addition to pursuing legislative bans, HSI and our partners are collaborating to develop a training program in animal-free safety assessment to support smaller companies and government authorities transition from animal testing to state-of-the-art non-animal methods, which are readily available and better at assuring human safety than the animal tests they replace.


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NEW YORK (AP) — Apple is probably one of the few companies that can pull off a price increase. The new iPad Mini starts at $399, or $70 more than last year's model. For that price, you get a leap forward in power, speed and display. There are plenty of cheaper choices out there, including tablets for just $229 from Google and Amazon. None of them match Apple's iPads in app selection, design and cachet.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The billion dollar patent fight between the world's two biggest smartphone makers is resuming in a Silicon Valley courtroom. Lawyers for rivals Apple Inc. and South Korea-based Samsung Electronics Co. were scheduled to deliver opening statements Wednesday in a San Jose courtroom in a trial to determine how much Samsung owes Apple for copying vital iPhone and iPad features.
The latest round in Apple and Samsung's bitter global battle for supremacy in the more than $300 billion smartphone market begins Tuesday in a courtroom a few miles from Apple's Silicon Valley headquarters. In courts, government tribunals and regulatory agencies around world...
On the heels of Apple's new, lighter iPad, Amazon has come out with a full-size tablet that weighs even less yet sports a sharper display and a lower price tag. Although Amazon's Kindle Fire HDX 8.9 hasn't received as much attention as the iPad Air, it is emerging as the strongest challenger yet to Apple's device.
Samsung Electronics Co. has a new goal after overtaking Apple in smartphones: it wants to be world No. 1 in tablet computers too. A top executive, Shin Jong-kyun, told analysts on Wednesday that Samsung's tablet business is growing rapidly and the company will become the biggest maker of tablet computers.
Apple seems to have trimmed the bill for making its latest iPad along with the tablet computer's width and weight. The iPad Air that sells for $499 costs Apple $274 to make, based on an analysis released Tuesday by the research firm IHS Inc.
Cloud storage provider Funambol offers a white label cloud storage solution to some of the largest operators on the planet, but the company admits that only "a fraction" of wireless subscribers are using their operator’s personal cloud service.
People listened to Pandora's Internet radio service for a collective 1.47 billion hours in October, up 18 percent from a year ago, in the face of the launch iTunes Radio. The figure, released by Pandora Media Inc.'s Chief Financial Officer Michael Herring at an investor conference Monday...
BlackBerry today announced that Australia’s national transport safety investigator, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB), has migrated to BlackBerry’s leading Enterprise Mobility Management (EMM) solution, BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10.
Reuters reports that Rockstar, the group that in 2011 successfully bid $4.5 billion in a bankruptcy auction for Nortel’s patents, has filed suit for patent infringement against Samsung, Google, HTC, Huawei and four other companies. Rockstar is co-owned by Apple, Microsoft, BlackBerry, Sony and Ericsson.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — When Apple came out with a smaller iPad last year, the original version suddenly seemed heavy and bulky. The iPad Mini fit more easily in pockets and bags, and it felt more comfortable in my hands. It was also cheaper than the full-size version.
NEW YORK (AP) — Computerized wristwatches that display message alerts and weather updates are abound this holiday season: Consumer electronics companies are trying to persuade you to add these smartwatches to your shopping lists. Samsung and Sony have devices out, and Qualcomm has one coming before the holidays. Apple is believed to be making one, and a new report says Google is developing one, too.
Global phone shipments for the third quarter hit 418 million units, growing seven percent annually and marking the highest growth rate for the market since 2011. The numbers compiled in Strategy Analytic’s latest research indicate that Samsung accounted for nearly 29 percent of the total worldwide cell phone shipments, almost doubling the market share of its closest competitor Nokia, that claimed 15.5 percent.
Shares of Apple fell slightly in after hours trading following news that the company’s fourth-quarter EPS of $8.26 and revenue of $37.5 billion had beaten estimates. Bloomberg estimated Apple would move 33 million iPhones this quarter and the company pushed past that mark with 33.8 million total iPhones shipped, well ahead of the 26.9 million iPhones it sold in the same quarter last year.
CUPERTINO, Calif. (AP) — Apple's latest quarterly report is expected to show the company's earnings are still falling as rival products siphon sales away from the iPhone and iPad. The fiscal fourth-quarter results, due out after the stock market closes Monday, are likely to serve as the latest reminder about the stiffening competition facing Apple Inc. at a time when the company's well of innovation has apparently run dry.
Notable activist investor Carl Icahn, chairman of Icahn Enterprises, today published on his new website a letter he wrote to Apple CEO Tim Cook. The letter, which was not immediately available due to a technical glitch on the new website...
LinkedIn just gave its users another reason to ensure their resumes are up to date. The online professional network has introduced a mobile feature that shows information about people's careers in emails being read on iPhones. The tool, called Intro, pulls details from the profiles of LinkedIn's more than 238 million users so the recipient of an email can learn more about the sender.
AT&T Wednesday reported best-ever third-quarter smartphone sales of 6.7 million. Total smartphone base increased by 1.2 million in the quarter, with smarpthones accounting for a record 89 percent of postpaid phone sales. Interestingly, AT&T did not break out iPhone sales but did say that it had seen record Android sales.
T-Mobile today released details about its plans for Apple's new iPads. The uncarrier said it will offer up the iPad Air and iPad mini with no money down, and will throw in a monthly stipend of LTE data (200MB) for free. Beginning November 1, T-Mobile will offer iPad Air and iPad mini (iPad mini with retina display with Wi-Fi + Cellular will arrive later in November).
The four major U.S. carriers have rolled out the individual data plans for Apple’s new iPad Air and iPad mini with Retina display and T-Mobile is already putting an “un-carrier” move on the competition by offering 200 MB of data free. AT&T’s, Verizon’s and Sprint’s lowest tiered offerings don’t match T-Mobile’s free deal but up from there, things start to level off.
The iPad Air wears a 9.7-inch Retina display with a 43-percent smaller bezel than the previous iPad. Inside the Air, the 64-bit A7 chip is running things and MIMO antenna tech should speed up the Wi-Fi. The Air begins shipping Nov. 1 and starts at $499. A Retina display, A7 chip and MIMO antenna also found their way onto the new 7.9-inch iPad mini, which is priced at $399 and due out in late November.
Apple is expected to round out its line-up of gadgets for the holiday shopping season with the Tuesday unveiling of its latest iPads. The San Francisco showcase is likely to feature remodeled versions of Apple's standard-sized iPad with a 10-inch (25-centimeter) display screen and the iPad Mini with a nearly 8-inch (20-centimeter) screen.
Apple has confirmed an Oct. 22 media event by sending out invites for the occasion Wednesday. The event, which will take place at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts Theater in San Francisco, is expected to focus on new iPads and the latest iteration of the company's desktop operating system.
Apple said Tuesday that Burberry CEO Angela Ahrendts, who used technology to drive a remarkable turnaround at her luxury fashion house, will take charge of the company's expansion plans and retail operation. Ahrendts, who will become a senior vice president at Apple next spring...
Apple is reportedly cutting daily production for the iPhone 5c from 300,000 to 150,000. MacRumors found a report from Chinese site C Tech that learned from “insiders” the cut in production was due to “dismal sales.” The iPhone 5c, which was largely thought to be Apple’s phone for emerging markets, somewhat confounded when it came in priced only $100 less than the flagship iPhone 5s.


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SOCHI, December 3. /TASS/. The government’s move to enact the law on pre-installing Russian applications on smartphones, computers, and Smart TVs is for the benefit of Russian consumers and is associated with antitrust issues, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday.
He noted that this isn’t something we would dub as ‘isolationist’ but rather it is ‘antitrust activity,’ which he pointed out "is practiced widely throughout the world. So, it should be viewed precisely from this angle," Peskov emphasized.
He stressed that "Russia is not isolating itself" from the Internet. "It is impossible to block off the Internet, and we have no such goals or intentions. Russia remains absolutely open in this regard," the Kremlin official affirmed.
On December 2, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed the law stipulating the need of preinstalling applications focusing on the Russian audience on smartphones, computers and TV sets with the Smart-TV function. The document was posted on the official Internet portal of legal information on Monday.
According to the law, when selling individual kinds of technically sophisticated goods, consumers should be provided with an opportunity for using such goods with preinstalled Russian programs for computers. The Russian government will set the list of technically sophisticated goods and the procedure of preparing and keeping the list of Russian programs to be preinstalled on such goods, along with their pre-installation procedure.
A bill stipulating liability for the sale of technically sophisticated goods without the preinstalled Russian software has been recently submitted to the State Duma, the lower house of the Russian parliament. The bill suggests fines for violations of prescribed requirements in the range from 30,000 to 50,000 rubles ($466.9 - $778.1) for officials and from 50,000 to 200,000 rubles ($778.1 - $3,112) for legal entities.


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Sydney residents can experience snow this Christmas inside Australia’s largest snow globe at shopping complex Market City.
The life-size snow globe, measuring 8.5 meters in diameter, took four weeks to build with 10 full-time workers.
Market City centre manager, David Yam, said the launch of Market City’s snow globe marked the first time it had snowed in Sydney’s CBD in almost 200 years.
“Nothing of this size and scale has been done in Sydney before and the reaction from our shoppers so far has been fantastic,” said Yam.
“Our opening weekend saw thousands of shoppers step inside the snow globe to experience the snow with their family and friends.
“The snow is actually a bio-degradable soap which is passed through a snow machine to create a snow like foam, often used in movies. Three industrial-size air conditioners blow the snow around to make it look like the globe is being shaken.”
The snow globe was constructed by Fabric Structure Systems and the set was constructed by Bootleg Design
Shoppers can share their experience inside the snow globe using the hashtag #mcsnowglobe for their chance to win a $1,000 shopping voucher.


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Aurivo announces increase to July milk price
Aurivo has announced an increase to its base milk price for July supplies.
The Aurivo base price has increased by 1c/L to 31.5c/L for July, the Sligo-headquartered processor revealed.
This increase on June’s price is reflective of steady milk markets, with slowing global milk supply growth and reasonable demand, the co-operative’s spokesperson said.
Aurivo is committed to paying its suppliers the maximum price possible, subject to ongoing market performance, the processor representative added.
Previous processor announcements
Meanwhile, on Monday (August 13), Lakeland also revealed a boost to its price.
The co-operative has increased the base milk price by 1c/L to 32.78c/L including VAT for July milk supplies.
The increase for July milk recognises the difficult conditions being experienced by dairy farmers as a result of the extended period of very dry weather during the Summer.
Lakeland Dairies said that it will continue to pay the highest possible milk price in line with market conditions which remain variable.
Glanbia also announced its July milk price on Monday, revealing its decision to hold its price at 32c/L including VAT, which includes an unchanged base price of 31c/L and a support payment of 1c/L from Glanbia Co-op to members.
Last week, Kerry Group said that its base price for July milk supplies is up by 1c/L to 32c/L including VAT.


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Citigroup has announced plans slash more than 11,000 jobs or about 4 percent of its global workforce in one of the biggest single layoffs of 2012. Here are the year's other top layoff kings, as compiled by Business Insider.
As Citigroup announces more mass layoffs, find out which companies have fired the most people in 2012.
Dwight Howard sold his home in Longwood for less than half of what he purchased it for in 2008.


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Leading US internet radio provider Pandora is positioning itself for a very public battle against musicians and songwriters. A fierce battle has been brewing ever since Pandora’s founder, Tim Westergren, blogged in early October that the company was planning to lobby US Congress to reduce royalty rates paid to artists and record labels for the use of their sound recordings.
If that was not enough to raise the ire of the many artists already questioning their share of royalties from new digital streaming offerings such as Pandora, Spotify and Rdio, Westergren also bragged in the same post that the company had already paid royalties of over $US1 million to artists such as Coldplay and Adele. The fight begun in earnest last week, when the first Congressional Hearing on the US Internet Radio Fairness Act was held amidst protests by musicians on the steps of Capitol Hill.
But looking to secure its business model – and deliver the profitability its shareholders seek – by reducing the royalties it pays artists, Pandora could be biting the hand that feeds. Publicly, it also sends a very dangerous message as the industry looks to curb piracy by encouraging listeners to embrace evolving digital streaming services, both paid and advertising-supported.
Although Pandora now has over 50 million users in the US, it still represents just 6.5 per cent of radio listening nationally. And even though the company’s value hit over $US4 billion just after its IPO in June 2011, it is still yet to turn an annual profit. It also expects to make another loss this year.
The company’s financials make it easy to see why artist royalties are in the firing line. Last year, if Pandora reduced its overall royalty costs by less than 10 per cent the company would have delivered its first annual profit. Even so, with content costs only about half of all costs, similar reductions elsewhere could also have led to profitability. The company, however, is focused on reducing the royalties it pays to artists in its search for profitability.
For Pandora’s part, it argues that reducing sound recording royalty rates from the existing statutory rate – set for internet radio by the US government – will drive market growth, creating a significantly bigger revenue pie for artists overall. How much bigger that pie would be – and how much would flow to artists – is still unclear. Such a scenario, however, would see Pandora begin delivering profits to its shareholders.
But Pandora is not just taking aim at sound recording royalties. Separately, earlier this month, the company also commenced action against ASCAP – the not-for-profit organisation that represents around half a million US songwriters, composers and lyricists across all genres of music – to reduce its publishing royalty rates.
In contrast to the sound recording royalty – which is directed towards artists and record labels – the separate publishing royalty is directed towards the writers of the music and lyrics. For example, although Whitney Houston performed the hit "I Will Always Love You” the song’s publishing rights lie with Dolly Parton, the writer of the song. These royalties are already so low as to represent around only 4 per cent of Pandora’s total revenues – a source of much discontent within music publishing ranks.
Although publishing royalties are generally overlooked in ongoing music piracy debates – with plummeting sales and earnings from recorded products such as CDs taking centre stage – these royalties are often referred to by those in the music industry as "the musician’s superannuation”. Putting further downward pressure on such royalties in the digital environment does not bode well for the future of those writing the songs that drive the billion-dollar plus NASDAQ valuations of services like Pandora.
Indeed, much is at stake. In Australia, APRA|AMCOS has distributed over $100 million directly to songwriters from digital channel collections to date – just a small fraction of the overall $1.5 billion distributed to songwriters from all sources since digital services were introduced. In the last decade, even as annual recording industry revenues declined from around $650 million to just over $380 million, copyright-based collections on behalf of songwriters have grown every year, up from $121 million in 2002 to $257 million last year.
Maintaining the ability for songwriters to monetise their work in the digital future is crucial for their survival – particularly as the large-scale shift from the physical to digital world occurs on the back of services such as Pandora.
While these services are certainly key to the growth of the music industry in the digital future, squeezing music royalties to validate current business models appears short-sighted. Although technology players have been telling the traditional music industry to "find a new business model” for the last decade it is quickly becoming apparent they should heed their own advice. As music services like Pandora face increased competition from both new entrants and giants like Apple, looking beyond current models – just as technology players looking to shake up the music industry did over a decade ago – will become crucial to their future success.
Although Pandora is clearly taking aim at music royalties, the company’s recent deal with Microsoft to offer an ad-free service on all Windows 8 smartphones for one year looks like a more promising direction. Under that deal, Pandora’s premium offering will come pre-loaded on all devices, with Microsoft reportedly paying retail price for the service. At current rates, if Microsoft can ship 10 million units it would represent an annual revenue opportunity to Pandora of around $360 million – more than last year’s revenue of $274 million. Innovative approaches such as this to grow the market are preferable to cutting artist royalty rates.
Even though the experience of licensing new digital services in Australia, including Pandora, has been extremely positive to date, the pending US proceedings could set the tone for future pressure on digital royalty rates around the world. This is indeed a worrying precedent for artists.
But for Pandora to make headway with its current approach it will need to cut through increasingly high-profile protests from musicians and songwriters. And this will not be an easy path, particularly if the recently re-elected boss in The White House is called upon by his ASCAP-member campaign buddy – the one that has been The Boss for much longer than he has.
Andrew Harris is Principal Analyst at APRA|AMCOS, The Australasian Performing Right Association and Australasian Mechanical Copyright Owners Society (AMCOS).


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HUNTSVILLE, AL. - Huntsville's newest restaurant, Cheddar's, is opening Monday at 11 a.m. in the University Place Shopping Center across from the Wal-Mart Supercenter.
The restaurant will be the chain's first in the state.
There are more than 60 Cheddar's locations around the country.
The chain features family-style restaurants with menu items that range from homemade onion rings and dip appetizers to steaks, fish and chicken dishes as entres. There's also burgers, chicken pot pie, pastas and a delicious-sounding dessert called Cookie Monster that comes sizzling on a platter.
For more information go to cheddars.com.


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Each issue of consumer reports magazine ensures that you have the best information about all the technology that you are thinking of bringing into customer service. Magazine subscriptions discounted up to 90% – order magazine subscriptions online or call (888) 590-0030. Consumer reports looks at the problem with customer service a new survey shows that company promises and even new technology haven’t made the customer-service. Consumer reports is pulling the plug on its 9-year-old shopsmart magazine consumer reports kills magazine, sparks labor dispute customer service.
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General Electric (GE)
"Iran says it has started talks with major American and Italian companies to form partnerships with some of its oldest brands of household devices in what appears to be a policy to prevent their demise. The announcement was made by Abbas Hashemi, the director general for household devices affairs of the Ministry of Industry, Mine, and Trade. Hashemi was quoted by the domestic media as saying that the companies with which talks to were underway on the same front were multinational conglomerate corporation General Electric (GE), the American multinational manufacturer and marketer of home appliances Whirlpool Corporation, and the Italian Ariston Thermo Group." (Press TV, "US, Italian Firms to Save Iran's Troubled Brands," 1/8/2017).
"Iran is in talks with two American home appliances manufacturers General Electric (GE) and Whirlpool for joint venture, according to Abbas Hashemi, director general of home appliances and metal industries department of Iran's Ministry of Mine, Industry, and Trade. Addressing a press conference, Hashemi said Iran is seeking joint venture and cobranding deals with foreign companies where a minimum 30 percent of the products are exported to regional markets, Trend correspondent reported from the event January 3. In particular he said that the ministry is looking forward to have one or two brands produce split cooler units in Iran." (Trend News Agency, "Iran Seeking JV with American Giants GE, Whirlpool," 1/5/2017).
GE Power is listed as an attendee at the Iranian Base Metals Conference that took place from September 6-7, 2016 in Tehran, Iran. (Iranian Base Metals Conference Attendees, 2016).
"The chief executive of General Electric Co.’s oil-and-gas business has visited Tehran to explore business opportunities there, the company said, the first known visit by an energy executive of an American company since before Western sanctions were imposed on Iran over its nuclear program. Lorenzo Simonelli, CEO of GE Oil & Gas, visited Iran in recent days and departed on Monday as the company takes another look at the country now that nuclear-related sanctions have ended, a GE spokeswoman said. 'In line with the easing of sanctions, we have begun looking at potential business opportunities in Iran, while fully complying with the rules laid out by the U.S. government,' the spokeswoman said. 'Mr. Simonelli’s visit…was part of our efforts to that end.' ... GE Oil & Gas, based in London, is a subsidiary of its American parent company... GE manufactures oil-drilling and processing equipment, including subsea pumps and pipeline-service units. Mr. Simonelli’s visit included a meeting with a top Iranian oil official, according to a person familiar with the matter. The company wants to sell spare parts, compressors and turbines from its unit Nuovo Pignone, which is based in Florence, Italy, according to a person familiar with the matter... GE Oil & Gas has had a team of 50 in Dubai and Florence preparing to work in Iran for months, examining every detail to ensure compliance with U.S. sanctions, a person familiar with the matter said. That includes insulating any potential Iran business from its U.S. parent and avoiding any use of U.S. technology... Other American companies have shown interest in Iran, but it isn’t clear whether they have sent delegations to the country. Chevron Corp. last year sent officials to an Iran-focused conference in Vienna." (The Wall Street Journal, “GE’s Oil and Gas Chief Explores Opportunities in Iran,” 2/15/2016)


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Jaguar Land Rover’s Halewood plant sees its millionth vehicle roll off the production line and the M6 Toll celebrates its tenth birthday.
Jaguar Land Rover recently celebrated production of its millionth vehicle at the Halewood advanced manufacturing plant near Liverpool. The landmark vehicle was a Range Rover Evoque painted in a special one-off colour combination, which JLR has donated to Cancer Research UK. Built in 1962 for Ford Motor Company, the Halewood plant was taken over by Jaguar in 2000, with production starting the following year.
More than 50 organisations involved with electric vehicles in Europe have joined forces to standardise the way information is exchanged in charging and payment systems, so drivers can go anywhere, charge anywhere and have a consistent payment system. Called eMobility ICT Interoperability Innovation (eMI3), the new body will develop standards for unique identifiers, communication protocols and the other functions needed to break down market barriers.
Body scanners will be introduced at 11 more UK airports, in addition to the ten that are already in operation. The Department for Transport said all the scanners use millimetre wave technology, “which has no known health risks”, and all now use automatic threat recognition software, so no image of the passenger is produced. In a new move, passengers who refuse to be scanned will now be offered a private search by hand, where previously they would be barred from flying.
The M6 Toll road has been in operation for ten years. Built as a relief road for the congested M6 in the West Midlands, it has never carried the volume of traffic originally forecast. This month the government officially abandoned a plan to introduce tolls when it upgrades the A14 – an important freight link serving the ports of Ipswich, Harwich and Felixstowe.
All airlines from Nepal have been added to the latest list of carriers forbidden to enter EU airspace. There are now 297 barred carriers, almost all from 21 states in Africa and Asia where there are concerns about regulatory oversight.
Seven communities have signed up to take part in a project investigating how charging multiple electric vehicles will affect local electricity networks. In Chiswick, Marlow, South Gosforth, South Shields, Wylam, Chineham and Whiteley, clusters of ten people all supplied from the same substation will each drive a Nissan Leaf for 18 months to trial a new technology that will monitor and control the electricity used when the car is being charged. The My Electric Avenue project is hosted by Scottish and Southern Energy Power Distribution and led by EA Technology, which developed the Esprit system being tested.
In the recently published Green500 list of the world’s most energy-efficient supercomputers, the top 10 systems are all powered by NVIDIA Tesla GPUs. The highest performer is the Tsubame-KFC system at the Tokyo Institute of Technology, which achieved a record 4.5 gigaflops per watt. The only other architecture ever to have taken all 10 top spots t is IBM’s BlueGene system.


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Thanks to a bountiful harvest on Sept. 29, the UA Little Rock Campus Garden Alliance will once again be able to supply the UA Little Rock’s food pantry with tomatoes, sweet potatoes, basil, greens, peppers, and egg plants for distribution to students facing financial hardships.
Several dozen UA Little Rock community members gathered that day to pull in the harvest planted earlier this year.
“The campus garden promotes the concept of local food production,” said Stephen Grace, managing director of the Campus Garden Alliance and an associate professor of biology. The campus garden is an effort to promote local farming and food production as a way to reduce environmental footprints.
Community gardens are becoming increasingly more popular in the United States. A 2014 study from the National Gardening Association found that more than 2 million new households began a garden between 2008 and 2014. They have been show to have a lasting impact on public health. A separate study from The National Institutes of Health showed that people who participate in community gardens are less likely to experience food insecurity and more likely to include vegetables in their diet.
The UA Little Rock Campus Garden Alliance has begun selling some of the produce to help fund expansion efforts as well as sustaining their current plot. It is located on Fair Park Blvd. near the intersection with Archer Ave. Only half of the three acres under the groups control is currently being gardened.
For more information about the Campus Garden Alliance, contact Grace at firstname.lastname@example.org.


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Sales of vinyl records have hit a 25-year high and small independent shops like Soul Brother Records in Putney have been reaping the benefits.
Laurence Prangell, who has owned the record store on Keswick Road for more than 23 years, has attributed the sales boom to the new-found trendiness of vinyl.
The hipster revival in the medium has led to vinyl becoming sought after once again after a huge dip in sales during the early noughties.
“There’s a number of factors, for one the quality of the sound, it’s much better than a CD or a digital sound and two, it’s something much more tangible, it feels like you actually have something of substance rather than having a CD which is fairly small, a download which is invisible,” Laurence said.
A number of high profile deaths last year also contributed to the increase in sales, with many people flocking to an artist’s music after their death – five of the top 30 vinyl albums sold in 2016 were from David Bowie’s discography.
“David Bowie was definitely an influence in the increase in sales last year,” Laurence said.
Other events such as record store day, to be held on April 22 this year, attract more customers to independent stores with special guests and live recordings in stores across the country.
“Record store day is a major thing, and this year we’re coming up to the 10th anniversary,” Laurence said.
“It’s a major influence in terms of keeping record shops alive, and it’s also been a major influence in the return back to vinyl as well.”


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For the few past years, European and American automakers looked to Chinese carmakers with hope and trepidation. They hoped the booming Chinese market would lift their worldwide sales. It did. They feared the Chinese would export cars en masse, swamping Europe and the U.S. with cheap vehicles. They did not. For various reasons (crash tests, emissions, the economy), the arrival of the four-wheeled Yellow Peril was a non-starter. What little exports the Chinese managed went to second- or third-tier markets like Africa or South America. Even those are are going down, down, down. In August, China exported a mere 44,400 units, a decline of 22.18 percent month-on-month and 11.29 percent year-on-year. This according to numbers straight from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers, quoted in Gasgoo, which calls the news “discouraging.”
Chinese companies who had Europe in their sights are holstering their guns. The German trade publication Autohaus reports that Chinese auto maker Geely is back-pedaling from prior announcements of an entry into the European market. With unusual candor, Jie Zhao, Vice President of the Zhejiang Geely Holding Group said: “Our products aren’t ready for the European market. We are realistic. We will not get ahead of ourselves.” According to Jie Zhao, they may reconsider a market entry “after 2010.”
Instead, Chinese exports are happening under cover. Under the cover of your car, to be exact. More and more parts in your American or European car are already made in China. Compared to 2002, exports of automotive products surged twentyfold to $41b last year. With cost cutting and job cutting being the mantra, this is just the beginning. Gasgoo reports that Daimler AG plans to increase its sourcing of automotive components from China nearly eight-fold within four years. The luxury car maker will buy $3.25b worth of car components per year in China, up from the $400m for this year. Will your next S-Class Merc be Made in China? Partly, at least.
(Picture courtesy europeancarweb.com. Thank you!)


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Hundreds of people took to the restaurants, bars, and shops on Friday night.
"We just got some tacos and some drinks, and we're just exploring the city more," said Brianna Maglio.
"Just want to get out of the house, order some food," said Devotion Cameron.
Bars like the Coach House are serving up a mix of holiday fun while also following health guidelines for social distancing, and requiring staff to wear masks.
And restaurant-goers say they felt perfectly comfortable dining out and exploring downtown.
"We felt very safe. All the waiters and waitresses had their masks on. We obviously had our masks off being seated, but we felt safe," Maglio said.
But some customers at other area restaurants weren't so thrilled about the number of people out on the street.
"Nervous. It makes you really nervous. But it's kind of like, what do you do at this point?" Cameron said.
Cameron and her daughter Jamila had planned to dine out, but once they saw the crowds they opted for take-out.
"There are a lot of people around and they're not really wearing masks so the chances of catching something are just heightened which makes me uncomfortable," Jamila said.
And while the season of joy is here, in all the festivities, Jamila says she doesn't want people to ignore the pandemic.
"Please, social distancing is super important, you never know it makes a difference in somebody's life," Jamila said.
Right now, under rules from the Arizona Department of Health Services, bars and restaurants are supposed to be operating at a 50% capacity.