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|By Kevin Benedict||
|February 6, 2014 08:45 AM EST||
Welcome to M2M News Weekly, an online newsletter that consists of the most interesting news and articles related to M2M (machine to machine) and embedded mobile devices. I aggregate the information, include the original links and add a synopsis of each article. I also search for the latest market numbers such as market size, growth and trends in and around the M2M market.
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An industry group comprising mobile operators in Asia-Pacific has unveiled a new alliance to provide a "one-stop-shop" to support machine-to-machine deployments in the region. Read Original Content
The number of cellular M2M connections in the retail industry is set to grow from 18.4 million in 2013 to 33.3 million in 2018, according to new research from Berg Insight. Read Original Content
It's a good time to be in Connected Objects. European digital think tank IDATE has concluded their annual M2M study which this year forecasts the M2M market is set to take off in a big way, reaching €40 billion in 2017 on the back of 30 percent volume growth and 10 percent value growth over the period. Read Original Content
The True Cost of Mobility - Companies are under tremendous pressure to develop and deploy mobile apps for their business systems, yet the traditional approach to mobile app development typically costs $250K+ and takes 6+ months for a single app. Today IT professionals are exploring platforms that radically reduce costs and time-to-market for their mobile initiatives, especially around complex applications such as SAP, Oracle, or custom applications. Download the whitepaper - https://www.capriza.com/resources/whitepapers/?resource=true-cost-of-enterprise-mobility&adgroup=MES
Revenues from M2M services are set to almost triple globally over the next five years, according to research firm Ovum. Read Original Content
According to a new market research report published by MarketsandMarkets, the internet of things and machine-to-machine communications market is expected to reach $290 billion by 2017 at a CAGR of 30.1 percent from 2012 to 2017. Read Original Content
The machine-to-machine industry is forecast by Strategy Analytics to grow at a CAGR of 18 percent, from $45 billion in 2013 to reach $242 billion in 2022, according to the new Strategy Analytics Machine-to-Machine Strategies service report. Read Original Content
AT&T, the leader in connected cars, and Tesla, the premier all-electric vehicle manufacturer, have entered into a new multi-year exclusive agreement to enable current and future Tesla vehicles in North America with high speed wireless connectivity. Read Original Content
According to a new report from Navigant Research, worldwide vendor revenue from microgrids will grow from $4.3 billion in 2013 to $19.9 billion in 2020, in the base scenario. Read Original Content
Siemens Smart Grid has introduced a comprehensive distribution management system specifically developed for enhancing and expanding smarter grids. Read Original Content
Technicolor has announced it is launching Virdata to provide businesses with cloud-based monitoring and management services for "Internet of Things" and M2M services. Read Original Content
Recent Articles by Kevin Benedict
Bracing for Change with Enterprise Mobility
Using Mobility to Build an Empire
14 Ways Strategic Enterprise Mobility Solutions Can Help Build an Empire
The Roman Road and Enterprise Mobility
Mobile Expert Opinion: Mobile Platform as a Service by Peter Rogers
Mobile Expert Interview: Mary Brittain-White
Mobile Expert Interview: Glenn Johnson and Kevin Benedict
Mobile Expert Interview: Yuval Scarlat on Cloud Mobility
Mind the Gap - Enterprise Mobility and Digital Transformation
Webinars of Note (Recorded)
Rapidly extend any enterprise application to mobile devices without coding, APIs, or integration.
Whitepapers of Note
Don't Get SMACked - How Social, Mobile, Analytics and Cloud are Reshaping the Enterprise
Making BYOD Work for Your Organization
Managing BYOD and Legacy Systems
The Secret to Enterprise Mobile Application Adoption
Solving The Mobile Developer Scarcity Problem
The True Cost of Mobility
Kevin Benedict Senior Analyst, Digital Transformation Cognizant View my profile on LinkedIn Learn about mobile strategies at MobileEnterpriseStrategies.com Follow me on Twitter @krbenedict Browse the Mobile Solution Directory Join the Linkedin Group Strategic Enterprise Mobility
***Full Disclosure: These are my personal opinions. No company is silly enough to claim them. I am a mobility and digital transformation analyst, consultant and writer. I work with and have worked with many of the companies mentioned in my articles.
Why do your mobile transformations need to happen today? Mobile is the strategy that enterprise transformation centers on to drive customer engagement. In his general session at @ThingsExpo, Roger Woods, Director, Mobile Product & Strategy – Adobe Marketing Cloud, covered key IoT and mobile trends that are forcing mobile transformation, key components of a solid mobile strategy and explored how brands are effectively driving mobile change throughout the enterprise.
Oct. 23, 2016 08:30 PM EDT Reads: 1,691
SYS-CON Events announced today that Cloudbric, a leading website security provider, will exhibit at the 19th International Cloud Expo, which will take place on November 1–3, 2016, at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA. Cloudbric is an elite full service website protection solution specifically designed for IT novices, entrepreneurs, and small and medium businesses. First launched in 2015, Cloudbric is based on the enterprise level Web Application Firewall by Penta Security Sys...
Oct. 23, 2016 08:30 PM EDT Reads: 1,101
@DevOpsSummit has been named the ‘Top DevOps Influencer' by iTrend. iTrend processes millions of conversations, tweets, interactions, news articles, press releases, blog posts - and extract meaning form them and analyzes mobile and desktop software platforms used to communicate, various metadata (such as geo location), and automation tools. In overall placement, @DevOpsSummit ranked as the number one ‘DevOps Influencer' followed by @CloudExpo at third, and @MicroservicesE at 24th.
Oct. 23, 2016 08:00 PM EDT Reads: 3,961
SYS-CON Events announced today that Roundee / LinearHub will exhibit at the WebRTC Summit at @ThingsExpo, which will take place on November 1–3, 2016, at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA. LinearHub provides Roundee Service, a smart platform for enterprise video conferencing with enhanced features such as automatic recording and transcription service. Slack users can integrate Roundee to their team via Slack’s App Directory, and '/roundee' command lets your video conference ...
Oct. 23, 2016 07:30 PM EDT Reads: 2,065
Traditional on-premises data centers have long been the domain of modern data platforms like Apache Hadoop, meaning companies who build their business on public cloud were challenged to run Big Data processing and analytics at scale. But recent advancements in Hadoop performance, security, and most importantly cloud-native integrations, are giving organizations the ability to truly gain value from all their data. In his session at 19th Cloud Expo, David Tishgart, Director of Product Marketing ...
Oct. 23, 2016 07:15 PM EDT Reads: 2,419
The best way to leverage your Cloud Expo presence as a sponsor and exhibitor is to plan your news announcements around our events. The press covering Cloud Expo and @ThingsExpo will have access to these releases and will amplify your news announcements. More than two dozen Cloud companies either set deals at our shows or have announced their mergers and acquisitions at Cloud Expo. Product announcements during our show provide your company with the most reach through our targeted audiences.
Oct. 23, 2016 07:00 PM EDT Reads: 4,547
Successful digital transformation requires new organizational competencies and capabilities. Research tells us that the biggest impediment to successful transformation is human; consequently, the biggest enabler is a properly skilled and empowered workforce. In the digital age, new individual and collective competencies are required. In his session at 19th Cloud Expo, Bob Newhouse, CEO and founder of Agilitiv, will draw together recent research and lessons learned from emerging and established ...
Oct. 23, 2016 07:00 PM EDT Reads: 1,240
Established in 1998, Calsoft is a leading software product engineering Services Company specializing in Storage, Networking, Virtualization and Cloud business verticals. Calsoft provides End-to-End Product Development, Quality Assurance Sustenance, Solution Engineering and Professional Services expertise to assist customers in achieving their product development and business goals. The company's deep domain knowledge of Storage, Virtualization, Networking and Cloud verticals helps in delivering ...
Oct. 23, 2016 06:45 PM EDT Reads: 1,008
More and more brands have jumped on the IoT bandwagon. We have an excess of wearables – activity trackers, smartwatches, smart glasses and sneakers, and more that track seemingly endless datapoints. However, most consumers have no idea what “IoT” means. Creating more wearables that track data shouldn't be the aim of brands; delivering meaningful, tangible relevance to their users should be. We're in a period in which the IoT pendulum is still swinging. Initially, it swung toward "smart for smar...
Oct. 23, 2016 05:30 PM EDT Reads: 829
Kubernetes, Docker and containers are changing the world, and how companies are deploying their software and running their infrastructure. With the shift in how applications are built and deployed, new challenges must be solved. In his session at @DevOpsSummit at19th Cloud Expo, Sebastian Scheele, co-founder of Loodse, will discuss the implications of containerized applications/infrastructures and their impact on the enterprise. In a real world example based on Kubernetes, he will show how to ...
Oct. 23, 2016 05:30 PM EDT Reads: 2,846
SYS-CON Events announced today that SoftNet Solutions will exhibit at the 19th International Cloud Expo, which will take place on November 1–3, 2016, at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA. SoftNet Solutions specializes in Enterprise Solutions for Hadoop and Big Data. It offers customers the most open, robust, and value-conscious portfolio of solutions, services, and tools for the shortest route to success with Big Data. The unique differentiator is the ability to architect and ...
Oct. 23, 2016 05:00 PM EDT Reads: 744
Without lifecycle traceability and visibility across the tool chain, stakeholders from Planning-to-Ops have limited insight and answers to who, what, when, why and how across the DevOps lifecycle. This impacts the ability to deliver high quality software at the needed velocity to drive positive business outcomes. In his general session at @DevOpsSummit at 19th Cloud Expo, Eric Robertson, General Manager at CollabNet, will discuss how customers are able to achieve a level of transparency that e...
Oct. 23, 2016 05:00 PM EDT Reads: 836
“Media Sponsor” of SYS-CON's 19th International Cloud Expo, which will take place on November 1–3, 2016, at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA. CloudBerry Backup is a leading cross-platform cloud backup and disaster recovery solution integrated with major public cloud services, such as Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud Platform.
Oct. 23, 2016 04:30 PM EDT Reads: 1,322
SYS-CON Events announced today that Embotics, the cloud automation company, will exhibit at the 19th International Cloud Expo, which will take place on November 1–3, 2016, at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA. Embotics is the cloud automation company for IT organizations and service providers that need to improve provisioning or enable self-service capabilities. With a relentless focus on delivering a premier user experience and unmatched customer support, Embotics is the fas...
Oct. 23, 2016 04:30 PM EDT Reads: 804
In the next five to ten years, millions, if not billions of things will become smarter. This smartness goes beyond connected things in our homes like the fridge, thermostat and fancy lighting, and into heavily regulated industries including aerospace, pharmaceutical/medical devices and energy. “Smartness” will embed itself within individual products that are part of our daily lives. We will engage with smart products - learning from them, informing them, and communicating with them. Smart produc...
Oct. 23, 2016 04:15 PM EDT Reads: 1,474


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SHANGHAI: Tesla is planning to export Model 3 vehicles made in China to Asian and European markets, two sources familiar with the matter told Reuters on Friday.
The U.S. automaker, which started delivering Model 3 electric sedans from its Shanghai factory in December, also plans from next year to sell China-made Model 3 vehicles to Japan and Hong Kong, one of the sources said.
Tesla did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The U.S. firm is expanding its manufacturing capacity in China to make Model Y sports-utility vehicles (SUVs) and adding lines to make more battery packs, electric motors and motor controllers.
Tesla, which aims to build 150,000 Shanghai-made Model 3 vehicles this year, sold about 11,800 vehicles in China last month.
"ICVs are seeing a spurt in demand and this is the best time to introduce our proven I-Gen6 BS-VI technology in one of our best-selling brands in the portfolio. These launches will further strengthen our portfolio and help us achieve our vision of being in the global top 10 CV makers," Vipin Sondhi said.

domain: news


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SAN JOSE, Calif. - South Korea's Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. came closer to challenging Intel Corp.’s chip market leadership in 2010, according to IHS iSuppli.
In 2001 Intel’s market share at 14.9 percent was more than three times that of Samsung at 3.9 percent; Samsung ranked fifth then, according to the firm.
Since that time, Intel’s market share has ranged between 11.9 percent and 14.8 percent. Meanwhile, Samsung has seen its revenues grow by 355 percent from 2001 to 2010, allowing the company to expand market share and raise its ranking, according to the firm.
The newly released final market share rankings for 2010 show No. 2-ranked Samsung held 9.2 percent share of global chip revenue, up from 7.6 percent in 2009, according to the firm. This put the South Korean electronics giant a mere 4.1 percentage points behind perennial market leader Intel of the United States, it added.
Samsung’s strong performance in 2010 was driven by booming sales of its main semiconductor product: memory.
In the rankings for 2010, Toshiba was in third, followed in order by TI. Renesas Electronics Corp. went up in the rankings from No. 9 in 2009 to No. 5 in 2010 by virtue of the merger between Renesas Technology and NEC Electronics.
Hynix was in sixth place, followed by ST, Micron, Qualcomm and Broadcom.
For Micron, the combination of strong memory market growth and its acquisition of Numonyx propelled Micron up five places into the Top 10 to No. 8. Elpida jumped up four spots in ranking from No. 15 in 2009 to No. 11 in 2010, while Hynix advanced one place to No. 6.
Suppliers among the Top 25 that struggled the most in 2010 were Taiwan-based MediaTek with flat revenue, Qualcomm with growth of only 12.4 percent and nVidia with 13.1 percent expansion. Qualcomm slipped from No. 6 to No. 9, and MediaTek fell from 16th to 19th in the rankings. nVidia was able to hang on to its No. 20 spot. AMD and Sony Corp. also fell in the rankings by four positions each, as their overall revenue growth significantly lagged market growth.


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FDA Proposes Priorities For Cosmetic Ingredient Review: Mica, Probiotics, CBD
Nakissa Sadrieh, director of cosmetics at FDA and the agency’s CIR liaison, floated the three potential review priorities at the CIR Expert Panel’s April 8-9 meeting in Washington. It’s the most for-cause targets proposed by the agency in recent memory, and CIR leadership noted that they pose considerable challenges.
You may also be interested in...
CIR Expert Panel To Prioritize Cannabidiol Review In 2024 At FDA’s Request
Cosmetic Ingredient Review’s independent experts note that CBD use in cosmetic products has increased since FDA first asked them to prioritize its review in 2020.
Dutch Biotech Touts Enzyme-Powered Eczema Cream As ‘Smarter And Safer’ Solution
Headquartered in The Hague, Netherlands, Micreos is focused on developing targeted antibacterial products to replace antibiotics, protect against food contamination and treat inflammatory skin conditions. The firm’s Gladskin Eczema Cream, now available stateside, uses a patented enzyme technology to destroy Staphylococcus aureus bacteria while leaving skin’s beneficial flora intact.
Bayer Harnessing Skin Microbiome In New Product Development
Bayer has teamed up with skin microbiome specialist Azitra to develop consumer health products for a host of conditions.


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The U.S. Senate is expected to debate and vote on passage of the Travel Promotion Act this week, as early as June 10, according to the U.S. Travel Association, which has issued a call to action to meetings industry stakeholders asking them to contact their senators in support of the legislation.
To assist industry supporters, the association has introduced a suite of tools designed to educate them about the Travel Promotion Act, which would create for the first time a public-private partnership to promote international travel to the United States. Among the tools available are:
• A summary of the Travel Promotion Act
• Detailed talking points on travel promotion
• A letter that supporters can send to their senators
• A sample script that supporters can use to make a phone call to their senators
According to U.S. Travel Association President and CEO Roger Dow, Senate passage of the Travel Promotion Act could fast-track it to enactment.
"President Obama, a co-sponsor of the bill last year, has shown support for the bill and will likely sign it if it reaches his desk," Dow wrote in an e-mail to industry advocates.
For more information, and to find your senators' contact information, view the U.S. Travel Association's action alert now on its Web site


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The two most famous members of the 2017 Los Angeles Lakers draft class both made headlines for their shoe choices on Wednesday morning, with Lonzo Ball giving us the first look at his second signature shoe, the ZO2.19, and Kyle Kuzma announcing a partnership with GOAT, making him the first athlete to endorse a sneaker resale platform.
SLAM got to reveal the latest shoe from Lonzo, which will retail for $200 — far below his original shoe’s $500 price point — and did so with an ad parodying Michael Jordan’s early Air Jordan commercials with Spike Lee/Mars Blackmon. Take a look:
EXCLUSIVE: Lonzo Ball's second signature sneaker, the BBB ZO2.19, is out now for $200. It's GOTTA be the shoes!— SLAM (@SLAMonline) October 17, 2018
Full story: https://t.co/EqPuyfmq4U pic.twitter.com/oZLY60UCEF
This is the original ad:
Slam also had some details about Ball’s second shoe:
This year’s kicks feature a whole new combination of materials. Among them is a forefoot strap made of full grain nappa leather, which the brand says will provide “incredible support in the most aggressive cuts and directional changes,” a reinforced spacer mesh that aside from providing ventilation also aims to be “strong enough to never blow out,” and a midsole that features “40% more rebound than standard EVA foam.” A couple of the ZO2.19 editions also feature suede throughout different parts of the shoe, include on the toe tip.
Slam says that Big Baller Brand will start taking preorders on the shoe today, and also reports there are some Lakers-themed colorways on the way, including “a black, yellow and white sneaker which Zo actually teases in one of the videos shot as part of this reveal.”
Midfoot strap. Suede, leather and mesh. $200 price tag. Lonzo Ball's new signature sneaker, the BBB ZO2.19, is out now. https://t.co/EqPuyfmq4U pic.twitter.com/LXvKuDPz7I— SLAM (@SLAMonline) October 17, 2018
Meanwhile, in addition to Kuzma’s partnership with GOAT making some history, it will also provide him with rare Nikes for him to wear during games.
“GOAT has inspired me to start collecting more seriously and build my style around sneakers,” Kuzma said in a press release. “People assume that, as an NBA athlete, you can get access to any kind of sneaker you want. When in reality, it’s hard to get the exclusive releases or shoes from the past, and feel confident they’re authentic. GOAT gives me a second chance at not only the limited releases I missed, but also the shoes I wasn’t able to afford growing up.”
With new signature shoes and historic endorsement deals for second-year players, Wednesday was just the latest example that it’s good to be a Laker, especially for sneakerheads like Ball and Kuzma.
You can follow Harrison on Twitter at @hmfaigen.


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This article is more than 1 year old
ACTA restricts developing economies, India tells WTO
Secret IP treaty not a sweetie
A secret trade agreement designed to harmonise some countries' intellectual property laws could destabilise existing international agreements and harm the economic prospects of developing countries, India has said.
The Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) is a secret IP treaty being negotiated by the US, Japan, the European Commission and others outside of the normal international trade bodies the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO).
The WTO's Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) agreement created a degree of harmonisation between the laws of WTO member countries on the protections given to intellectual property.
In a document submitted to the WTO last week, though, India argued that in going further than TRIPS, ACTA undermined not only the WTO and its agreements, but the very basis of some elements in developing nations' economies.
"Such higher levels of protection are likely to disturb the balance of rights and obligations in the Agreement … and have the potential to constrain the flexibilities and policy space provided by the TRIPS Agreement to developing country Members like India particularly in areas such as public health, ToT [transfer of technology], socio-economic development, promotion of innovation and access to knowledge," India said in its submission according to Washington and Geneva-based non-profit body Knowledge Ecology International (KEI).
"Our concerns emanate from levels of enforcement which far exceed those foreseen in TRIPS Agreement," India's submission said. "The TRIPS Agreement has achieved a very careful balance of the interests of the right holders on the one hand, and societal interests, including development-oriented concerns on the other."
"[Agreements such as ACTA] could short-change legal process, impede legitimate competition and shift the escalated costs of enforcing private commercial rights to governments, consumers and taxpayers," it said. "They also represent a systemic threat to the rights of legitimate traders and producers of goods, and fundamental rights of due process of individuals."
Secrecy has surrounded the ACTA process, and opponents of the negotiations have claimed that representatives of businesses had more access to negotiations than citizens whose governments sent delegates to the talks.
One draft of the ACTA agreement was published in April after the European Parliament threatened to take the European Commission to court if it did not give it access to the material.
India said that the ACTA treaty could negatively impact on its trade in generic medicines, even if it was never involved in ACTA negotiations.
"The ACTA text requires that countries provide procedures for the customs seizure of goods 'suspected' of infringing trademarks, copyrights and other IPRs against goods 'in-transit'," it said.
"According to the ACTA text, 'In-transit' includes 'customs transit' and 'transhipment'. Seizures would be allowed even where there is a mere 'prima facie' case of IPR infringement. In view of the recent seizures of generic drug consignments, provisions relating to ‘in-transit’ in all likelihood would create barriers to access to essential generic medicines, as well as access to critical climate change technologies."
India's submission also said that ACTA reduces the power of the courts and the accountability of court-enforcement and ends up transferring too much power to the owners of intellectual property by allowing for the seizure of goods without court oversight.
"This shift to summary administrative action may dramatically curtail the rights of accused infringers to defend patent infringement claims, ordinary trademark and copyright infringement claims, actions alleging violation of marketing exclusivity rights, and so forth," it said. "The draft ACTA therefore, will shift the negotiated balance of the TRIPS Agreement in favor of IPRs holders by shifting the enforcement forum towards customs administrative authorities and away from the civil courts."
India called for the WTO to take part in the ACTA process and ensure that it was the forum through which international IP negotiation took place.
"While India is committed to dealing with IPR enforcement issues in line with its TRIPS obligations, the introduction of intrusive IPRs enforcement rules applicable to goods and services in international trade does not represent a reasonable or realistic response," it said. "A response, if required, has to emerge from a multilateral and transparent process, as is available in the WTO TRIPS Council."
Copyright © 2010, OUT-LAW.com
OUT-LAW.COM is part of international law firm Pinsent Masons.


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Yahoo today released a new version of its Sports app that has been redesigned for iOS 7 with a particular focus on GIFs. Yahoo Sports GIFs, which it calls Loops, take short snippets of game highlights and allow users to overlay text. They can then share their creations with the community, with the GIF appearing in a feed on the game’s main results page. “We have a tradition around creativity and empowering Tumblr and Flickr creators,” says Josh Schwarzapel , senior product manager for mobile and emerging products. “We took that mindset and applied it to the sport.”
Buckles are available for professional football, baseball, basketball and hockey, as well as college football and baseball. Yahoo uses technology from its IntoNow acquisition to record highlights from almost any TV sports game, so GIF creators can quickly scan through a game’s play to find the moment they want to highlight. .
Yahoo uses IntoNow’s technology to record highlights of almost any TV play
Loops are the biggest new feature in the Sports app, which Yahoo says is used by millions of people every day. A redesign for iOS 7 gives the app a flatter, more image-heavy look, in line with the company’s other recent redesigns. Player stats now include a prominent photo of the player, for example, and the app pulls gaming articles from the web and places them on the game results page.
The update will likely be good news for app users, although loops seem a little harder to find than they should. If you are not taken directly to the game results screen from a push notification, you must first select the sport, then the game you are looking for, then scroll down to see the GIFs . But it’s a creative step by Yahoo that makes the app more visually appealing — and shows another way the company’s acquisitions have begun to pollinate its app lineup.


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Hotels and resorts are battered
Britain's restaurants, hotels and tourism businesses are facing a 'perfect storm' of high costs, labour shortages and security fears, say leisure bosses.
They are calling for the next Government to tackle migration to stop the industry falling off a 'cliff edge' as European Union workers desert Britain.
A survey of the bosses of Britain's biggest hospitality firms, including Caffe Nero, Hilton, Travelodge, Whitbread and cruise company Carnival UK, showed confidence had plunged over the 12 months following the EU Referendum.
Storm front:Tourism faces critical staff shortages as EU workers shun the UK
The study, carried out on behalf of the British Hospitality Association by recruitment firm Heidrick Struggles, found that almost half thought their business would suffer in the future, compared with just 10 per cent a year ago. Only 15 per cent thought that their business performance would improve, compared with 48 per cent in the 2016.
Nick Varney, chief executive of Merlin Entertainments and chairman of the BHA, said: 'Cost pressures, particularly in employment and business rates, are our biggest concern. They risk making the UK uncompetitive just as we enter a period of increased uncertainty with Brexit. This, with the lack of clarity over immigration, means hospitality and tourism face a perfect storm in the coming years.'
Ufi Ibrahim, chief executive of the BHA, which will hold its annual summit on Tuesday, said the new Government would need to engage more with the 143 billion a year sector. It is Britain's fourth biggest industry, representing 10 per cent of the UK's gross domestic product, employing 4.5 million people.
'We've been suffering from a skills shortage for some years and there is the fear we're being pushed to a cliff edge,' she said. 'We've already seen a worrying fall off in the number of EU workers since the referendum, and businesses are beginning to feel the pinch.
The industry has to attract 200,000 new workers a year to fill natural churn
'EU workers have been leaving their jobs in hotels and restaurants and are going back to their home countries, which is a huge concern. They're uncertain whether they'll be allowed to stay in the UK and aren't feeling very welcome here.'
The industry has to attract 200,000 new workers a year to fill natural churn. The BHA estimates the end of free movement in the EU would mean the industry would have to find an extra 60,000 staff a year.
'We are calling on any incoming Government to give us the time we need to make the strategic shift to be able to invest in the next generation and promote our industry as a career of choice,' Ibrahim said. If the current shortfall grows, hospitality bosses say they will face a deficit of a million staff by 2029.
Travelodge chief executive Peter Gowers told The Mail on Sunday: 'Even if the industry recruited virtually every person on the unemployment register there wouldn't be enough to go around in the ten years following Brexit, especially in London.'
Travelodge chief executive Peter Gowers has called on the Government to consult on a 'meaningful guest worker programme'
He added: 'If we want to avoid price rises and cuts in investment from a growing industry, which created almost one in five jobs following the recession, the Government must act now and consult on a meaningful guest worker programme.'
The BHA is an apolitical body but Ibrahim hit out at the lack of 'constructive dialogue and consultation with businesses'. She said: 'The Government needs to talk to the industry before policies are introduced. We're one of very few industries that sit outside the Department for Business. Perhaps it's time to recalibrate so we can begin to have a greater impact on policy.'
Ibrahim warned that the hospitality industry had been hit with 'a complete bombardment of costs and burdens', from business rate changes and the introduction of the National Living Wage to auto enrolment for pensions and the new Apprenticeship Levy all before the effect of the EU referendum result began to be felt.
'The World Economic Forum found Britain ranked 140 out of 141 countries for price competitiveness due to the tourism taxes applied to consumers,' she said, behind only Switzerland. The UK is one of just three EU countries charging the full VAT rate on tourist accommodation. Air passenger duty is also far higher than on the Continent.
Ibrahim added: 'So you have consumers who are already the highest taxed in the world, with every one of our main rivals, especially in the pandora necklace charms EU, all aggressively ahead of us in terms of their competitiveness.'
'This means the ability of these businesses to pass on the additional cost burden to customers is limited. That begins to eat into your margins, creating significant erosion.'
Long view: Ufi Ibrahim says sterling's slide has limited benefits
Sterling's fall following the Brexit vote had benefited Britain's tourist industry, as visitors capitalised on the exchange rate, but, warned Ibrahim: 'Nobody should bank on that devalued sterling to carry us forward. We pandora bracelets for sale online need to have where can i buy pandora bracelet charms the right policies in place to ensure our businesses can continue being viable and avoid mass consolidation, which would be the result of having lots of SMEs going out of business.'
Ibrahim ?? pandora said she wanted to see a bigger role for bodies such as the Low Pay Commission and Migration Advisory Commission after the Election. She said: 'We want to depoliticise issues such as the National Living Wage and immigration. No matter who the incoming Government is, we want those bodies to be given an advanced role to advise on decisions and make sure they don't harm the economy.
'Brexit gives an opportunity for a new government to seek out businesses that cannot go offshore. And we've failed to see a constructive, collaborative approach to enabling growth up to this point.'
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Botswana has introduced similar requirements for children travelling into and out of the country as South Africa.
Minors travelling through Botswana’s borders will be required to produce certified copies of unabridged birth certificates in addition to their valid passports effective from October 1, 2016, Botswana government said in a statement on Thursday.
“We will not allow any children under the age of 18 to enter or our country without the documents we require from parents,” Director of Immigration and Citizenship Mabuse Pule told Tourism Update. According to Pule, industry stakeholders in the travel, tourism and hospitality sector were consulted. He further advised all in the affected sector to include this requirement in their website and advertorial packages so that parents who travel with children to Botswana do not suffer inconvenience at port of entries.
In the event that one parent is not travelling with the child, the other parent’s affidavit consenting to such travel should be presented. However, an affidavit will not be required if the father’s name does not appear on the child’s birth certificate.
However, operators suggested this was a sudden move. Walter Smith, Marketing Director for Desert & Delta safaris has told Tourism Update that they have received the notification late. “We received this information yesterday, 20 days after the regulations were imposed/implemented.” Smith, however, pointed out that the impact could be minimal as the vast majority of their guests transited via South Africa, which has the same requirement.
According to the official statement, the development aims to manage the movement of children across the country’s borders and has the “ultimate goal of tackling human trafficking which is a global challenge”.
David Frost, Satsa CEO, told Tourism Update that he was “gobsmacked” by the move after it did damage to South Africa’s tourism industry. South Africa did not have the benefit of access to information detailing the economic impact of such a requirement. “We’ve gone through all the pain, I’m just gobsmacked that a country like Botswana, which has a massive tourism industry, would actually look at all the pain we’ve gone through and the lack of due process and replicate that in Botswana,” said Frost. He added that Home Affairs had still not provided the industry with any evidence as to how the requirement for an unabridged birth certificate tackled the issue of child trafficking.
Mareike Pietzsch, Marketing Content Developer at Jenman African Safaris, was surprised by the new requirement and said this would not contribute to promoting ease of travel in Southern Africa. “South Africa is a child-friendly destination, and the unabridged birth certificate requirement has shown to negatively affect tourism,” said Pietzsch. “It means we have to brief our clients about the extra documentation, and make sure that the international travel agents we work with are informed, and they in turn inform their clients.”
Pule said he was aware of stakeholders who were unhappy with the requirement, but argued that tour operators should consider the security and protection of children and not just focus on profits.


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Philips and BASF have teamed up to create an OLED concept for your car that would also function as a high-tech roof. The idea is that the sunroof will let in light during the days and also charges the solar cells at the same time, and at night, the panels turn into a light powered by the electricity stored earlier.
Philips, along with BASF, is hoping the collaborative efforts will pull together interest from the automotive community as well as consumers by leading the research in this area.
While driving, Philip’s new technology would allow drivers to have a transparent view of the outside of the car in addition to providing ambient OLED lighting.
Philips even suggests that the panels could be fitted with solar panels allowing it to naturally charge during the day without cause for concern, and creating a self-powered sunroof in the process.
The researchers from both the companies have placed some organic compounds within a transparent plastic piece that they could either tile or expand to cover the roof of a car.
When paired with a transparent solar cell these lights could not only give the driver a pleasant cruising experience but also provide energy to run their vehicle.
The entire surface of an OLED light gives off a glow, making truly flat panels of lighting possible. This OLED light is just 1.8 millimeters thin and from its initial looks, this will be a promising technology that will be popular in near future.


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CBD, or cannabidiol, is dominating headlines these days. This cannabis compound isn’t psychoactive and the CBD store I walked into had options that could be ingested, dropped under the tongue, smoked, or absorbed through the skin. Proponents claim it can reduce anxiety and inflammation, and even calm seizures.
But if you’re confused about CBD and what it does, you’re not alone. Here’s a rundown of what you need to know before you try it.
What is CBD?
CBD is one of many molecules found in marijuana and hemp — both members of the cannabis family. The reason CBD is so user friendly is because it doesn’t have the same mind-altering effects as THC — the part of weed that gets you high. If you’re ordering a CBD product online or buying it in a state that hasn’t legalized pot, you’re probably bypassing the marijuana plant completely, says Dr. Andrew Kerklaan, a chiropractor who sells CBD-focused pain-relief products.
“What people are often looking for when they say CBD is something from zero percent THC and derived from the hemp plant,” says Dr. Kerklaan. “If you don’t have THC in it, there’s less regulatory burden.”
How does CBD work?
Both THC and CBD act on the body’s endocannabinoid system, which regulates pain and inflammation. Everyone is different, but the basic gist is that when you absorb CBD through the skin or orally through an oil or edible, it targets receptors in this network. However, since CBD isn’t regulated by the FDA, there’s no agreed-upon effective dose and it’s hard to know if the labels are telling the truth about how much CBD their products contain.
The cinnamon-flavored CBD oil I picked up from a store in Madison, Wisconsin, says it delivers about 7 mg per dose per drop under the tongue. Dr. Kerklaan’s creams have 120 mg to 180 mg per 2-oz bottles, which roughly translates to 4-6 mg per application. He said his consumers have reported positive results from CBD for relieving muscle tension, chronic pain, and anything that has to do with inflammation.
“Your endocannabinoid system is throughout your body and is part of your immune response,” says Dr. Kerklaan. “You can imagine if you can impact an overall regulatory system, you can have an effect on many things.”
It might be especially beneficial for women’s health
While the FDA recently approved a CBD-containing drug to treat epilepsy, research on the cannabis compound is still sparse. But since CBD is touted for its ability to reduce inflammation and relieve chronic pain, it could be helpful in providing relief for those with conditions like endometriosis. I have endometriosis, and the oil I tried before my last period did take some of the edge off my most severe cramping. If PMS causes you anxiety, CBD also has the potential to help with your mood.
Is it legal?
Yes, mostly. Whether you can try CBD legally depends on where you live, how it was sourced, and whether the compound was derived from marijuana or hemp. If you live in a state that has legalized marijuana for recreational use, then you’re good to go no matter which plant the CBD came from. While most hemp-derived products are legal, the laws in certain states can be confusing.
If you’re interested in trying CBD, check your state’s laws and talk with the sellers to see where their products came from. And to get your money’s worth, make sure the label clearly states how much CBD is concentrated in each dose.
“Some companies talk about CBD or hemp oil and they’re not really talking about the amount of CBD in them, they’re talking about the amount of oil,” says Dr. Kerklaan. “You’ve got to look at the packaging closely.”


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Greenville to make it illegal for businesses to allow customers to break social distancing
The city of Greenville is poised to make it against the law for businesses to allow less than six feet of distance between people, a move the city hopes will slow the spread of the novel coronavirus as customers flock to places like grocery and home improvement stores.
The City Council is scheduled to vote on an ordinance on Friday that will enact stricter measures than Gov. Henry McMaster has, while also explicitly pleading with the governor to order a 14-day statewide "stay-at-home" declaration as most U.S. states have done.
A key concern, Mayor Knox White told The Greenville News Thursday, is that stores that have been deemed essential to stay open aren't adequately ensuring social distancing — particularly in grocery and home improvement stores.
"While many businesses the governor allows open are doing an outstanding job managing their customers and employees, there are still too many that are not," White said. "More needs to be done to protect the public."
The fine will be $100 for a violation. If there are repeated violations, the city could revoke business licenses or occupancy permits.
The city's move stops short of mandating people stay at home. City officials believe they can't mandate that without action by the governor.
As of Wednesday, the total number of coronavirus cases in the U.S. is 203,608 with at least 1,083 cases in the state of South Carolina and 106 in Greenville County.


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4G: The results are in
The prize was, in theory, extremely valuable - the spectrum needed to bring fast new mobile phone services to customers across the UK. But at the end of a complex bidding process, the 4G auction has raised £2.34bn - about a 10th of the price paid at the 3G sale 13 years ago at the height of the dotcom bubble. It's also more than £1bn short of what the chancellor estimated in his autumn statement.
Ofcom is, however, congratulating itself on a smooth auction process, with no leaks during the secret bidding rounds over the past month. The regulator says it was not its job to extract the maximum price for the Treasury, but to secure the best possible outcome for consumers.
So Ed Richards is pleased that along with the four existing operators - Vodafone, O2, EE and Three - the winners include a new player, Niche. You may not have heard of this company, but you'll know its owner BT.
Britain's biggest telecoms provider got out of mobile phones a decade ago when it sold off Cellnet, which became O2. Now it is back with a healthy chunk of the 2.6Mhz spectrum which is best suited to handling high data traffic in cities. BT is stressing that it is not planning to operate a national mobile network, but will be using its spectrum to boost its fixed and wi-fi networks for businesses and consumers.
Why was the bidding so low?
Perhaps because the bidders had watched the experience of EE, which was allowed to launch its 4G network early. Despite a very high profile advertising campaign, results yesterday appeared to show that its customers had only a limited appetite for the new service. (I speed-tested the 4G network last October.)
Even if the Treasury is disappointed, the auction may be good news for the 4G rollout. We can now expect plenty of competition to offer fast new mobile services across the UK. But those people in 3G "notspots" will be hoping that this time they will not be left out of the faster future.


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Best restaurant in the world for 2010 is Noma, in Copenhagen
El Bulli has lost the top spot to Noma, a Nordic restaurant in Copenhagen which won the number one spot in S.Pellegrino World’s 50 Best Restaurant Awards 2010.
Danish restaurant Noma, which was number three last year, has removed the Spain’s El Bulli from the first place of the Best Restaurants list. El Bulli, which,
Continue reading Best restaurant in the world for 2010 is Noma, in Copenhagen
Big day today! World’s best restaurants for 2010 will be announced in London, tonight.
The World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2010 will be announced today (Monday 26th April). The same as in previous years, the list is the result of an extensive poll of the world’s most celebrated chefs, renowned food critics, leading restaurateurs and well-travelled gourmands. The world’s culinary elite will be meeting at Guildhall in London tonight
Continue reading Big day today! World’s best restaurants for 2010 will be announced in London, tonight.
The best restaurants in the World
Every year a panel of over 800 chefs, critics and other industry experts from around the World, choose the best restaurant of the year. The poll is organized by Restaurant Magazine – a British magazine, from 2002 has been producing The World’s 50 Best Restaurants.
This is the most prestigious list, ranking the best of
Continue reading The best restaurants in the World


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EAGLE COUNTY, Colo. — Adam Roustom tries to keep busy. His empty dining room at The Blue Plate is now converted into a mask-making operation on one side and an indoor garden on the other. He uses the now-quiet, light-filled room where patrons used to gather as a sort of green house for the tomatoes and flowers that would normally adorn the tables on his patio.
"Just like everyone else, business is terrible," he explained. "We decided to stay open to keep some semblance of normality for the community."
Like many business owners in Eagle County, Roustom relies heavily on tourism to fuel his business revenue. But COVID-19 shut down the ski lifts at nearby Vail, cutting off the flow of money to secondary businesses like The Blue Plate.
"We are not even making 10% of what we normally do," he said. "If we don’t have business, how are we going to survive until December? That is a long stretch of time."
The county is looking to open businesses again soon. The plan is to reopen for locals only as the county is still closed to tourists. Governor Jared Polis explained in a news conference on Monday that the plans could be approved as early as this week, but without the much-needed tourism dollars, many believe local revenues will not be enough to save many businesses.
"When people are not buying things, I cannot pay my bills," says Jenny Hetei, concerned that her boutique store, Portofino Jewlery, won't survive. Much of the major revenue that comes from spring skiers visiting the area is already gone.
"I have nothing in my bank account to get me through to when tourists come," Hetei said.
But she still holds on hope that, somehow, the community will pull through.
"It is going to work out," she exclaimed with a laugh. "I don’t know how, I don’t have those answers but it is going to work out."


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» 50 Million PSPs Sold Worldwide
50 Million PSPs Sold Worldwide
Feb 13, 2009 at 2:30 AM -
Congratulations to Sony for selling 50 million Playstation Portables in four years, two months:
As the first handheld platform from the PlayStation family, PSP made its debut in December 2004 in Japan, March 2005 in North America, May 2005 in Asian countries and regions, and September 2005 in Europe/PAL territories. Bringing the innovative entertainment world of PlayStation and PlayStation 2 on the go, PSP introduced the latest advancement in technology for building handheld devices, including a 4.3 inch wide high resolution LCD screen, the largest of its kind for a portable device. PSP opened up an entirely new gaming market by offering the fun of playing full-scale 3D-CG games as well as viewing high resolution video images anytime, anywhere, and also by offering users new ways of enjoying digital entertainment, including playing games on-line with family and friends via a wireless LAN feature.


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OnePlus Launches its Online Store in India
OnePlus 3 soft gold edition. (Image: News18.com)
Global mobile technology startup OnePlus on Thursday announced the launch of its own exclusive e-commerce website in India. The website will offer a personalised shopping experience and will improve the availability as well as make it easier for Indian users to purchase genuine OnePlus products.
"The e-commerce platform marks yet another major milestone in our India journey and reiterates our long term commitment towards the Indian market and our fan community here," said Vikas Agarwal, General Manager, OnePlus India, in a statement.
OnePlus is also bringing its latest range of exclusive merchandise and is offering limited-time offers for existing users. To avail these offers, users have to register the IMEI details of their smartphones on the portal, the company said.
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Grand Theft Auto 6 is in all likelihood a next-generation title. Most people already know this. You don't need to be a wizard or mystic Meg to put two and two together at this stage
In fact, we have already established previously that when look at Rockstar's previous release history, the future looks pretty bleak, with no new Grand Theft Auto until - potentially at the earliest - 2021 or 2022.
This is also based on the fact that, usually, Rockstar will release a first trailer over a year ahead of the game launching. So even if we're optimistic of a new trailer early next year, we're still looking at 2021 for the game to launch.
As we know, Rockstar is certainly a team who (rightfully) take their time and have no qualms with delaying to get things right. Incidentally, that's exactly what happened with Red Dead Redemption 2.
And with Project Scarlett already confirmed for "Holiday 2020" and the PS5 likely to launch at the same time, we can probably all agree, GTA 6 is a next-gen title.
For the sake of time and not wanting to go too far off track, we're not going to open the can of worms that is cross-gen. That's a story for another day.
But since we can now agree that Grand Theft Auto 6 is bound to be a PS5 and Xbox Scarlett release, we can also stick a flag in the ground and start looking at how significant this is going to be for fans of arguably the biggest game series on the planet.
More so, there's one thing that's clear right now based on everything Sony and Xbox has said and it's going to be great news for fans of GTA.
One of the big advancement's the next game should see, is loading times.
Yes, it's not flashy, but dear god it's important, especially when you're being pulled out of the action because a cut scene needs to load or something else is gong on.
Both console makers have now touting greatly reduced loading times thanks to both PS5 and Project Scarlett opting to integrate a dedicated SSD (Solid State Drive) in their machines which will effectively make loading times a thing of the past.
An example of this was already leaked some weeks back at a Sony meeting which showed two versions of the PS4 Spider-Man game loading.
On the PS4 Pro, Sony revealed that Spider-Man PS4 takes 8.10 seconds to load up. Not bad. But on the PS5, that loading time is reduced to a fraction, at just 0.8 seconds.
Ok, so what does this mean for GTA. Well, it's important because Rockstar and in particular GTA 5 is notorious for its lengthy load times. This isn't a secret, it's been known for some time.
In fact when Microsoft launched Xbox One X last year the game was used by Window's central to test if the Xbox One X really does improve loading times.
Following these tests, here's what Window's Central said:
"One of the most impressive titles throughout our testing was Grand Theft Auto V (GTA V), a game notorious for its excessive loading times on other platforms. With a seamless open world absent of loading once in-game, first starting the game often comes with a longer wait. From start-up to Story Mode, GTA V showed the largest gain, both proportionally and in raw time.
"On average the initial start-up time was 47 percent shorter [On Xbox One X compared to Xbox One S]; a figure that closely backs up Microsoft’s marketing claims. While inconsistencies in networking made it harder to accurately measure GTA Online load times, these also reduce on Xbox One X. It’s the best gain we experienced, highlighting how its storage can still bring benefits for titles lacking graphical enhancements."
Such improvements help highlight just how transformative the next-gen could be on games. If Microsoft can make that kind of advances just by improving storage setup under the hood, just think of what both consoles could do with an SSD.
As we edge more and more towards this exciting new benchmark in sandbox gaming, we're trying to figure out exactly what it's going to look like when it arrives and to that end we've been looking at other mods and creations to see what GTA 6 can realistically deliver when it launches sometime in the next, well, decade.
We've already got an idea about the graphics we could see, and some potential locations for GTA 6 may have already leaked, too.
Further to that, we've also speculated about the size of the game's map previously by taking Red Dead Redemption 2's size and looking at how Rockstar has iterated on that kind of base between games (and generations) before.
Plus, last week, we saw a post of a possible GTA 6 map published online: thanks to Dexerto, we can see what the map would look like if we composite all the locations from previous games into the game place.
You can see this speculative GTA 6 map in all its glory at the link.


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Dick’s Sporting Goods is going all in on the outdoors and CEO Ed Stack is leading the charge.
The sporting goods giant will unveil a new store concept, called Public Lands and dedicated to the outdoors, in the second half of 2021. The new banner will debut with a location in Pittsburgh and in Columbus, Ohio. Both will take over Field & Stream stores.
Speaking on the chain’s third-quarter earnings call, CEO Ed Stack told analysts that the new concept had been in the works prior to the pandemic, but that it is even “more timely” now.
“As we looked to exit out of the Field & Stream business and the firearm business, one of the places where we think there is a great opportunity is the outdoors,” Stack said. “We think there’s a real opportunity from people getting outdoors, camp, hike, bike, kayaking, fishing. “It will be different than what you would see with REI and carve out a different niche, but we’re really excited about this. We think there is a real opportunity in the marketplace.”
The name of the new banner is in keeping with its focus.
“We are going to focus on exactly what the name of the concept is, Public Lands,” Stack said. “We think it’s important to protect our public lands to protect the environment and this concept will really be focused on that.”
Stack, who will step down as CEO of Dick’s in February but remain as chief merchant, said that he will be focusing the majority of his time to help spearhead and lead the concept and grow into “a real growth vehicle.”
As to the merchandise mix, there will be about a 20% overlap — or less — between the products carried in Public Lands and Dick’s namesake stores.
“This [Public Lands] will be more elevated equipment, apparel, footwear at elevated price points with elevated brands and elevated service, Stack said.
At least initially, the new brand will take over real estate that Dick’s already owns, with Stack noting that the architecture of Field & Stream stores “works very well with” the new concept. (Last October, Dick’s sold eight Field & Stream stores as part of its pull back from the hunting category. It currently operates roughly 26 locations.)
Source: Chain Store Age


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Palo Alto-based Jazz Pharmaceuticals Inc.’s fibromyalgia drug is safe and effective, said U.S. regulators weighing whether to approve the medicine. The treatment, JZP-6, reduced pain in clinical trials and its potential for side effects “appears to be acceptable,” Food and Drug Administration staff reviewers said Wednesday. An FDA advisory panel will meet Aug. 20 to evaluate whether the drug’s benefits to patients with fibromyalgia, an illness that causes chronic muscle pain and fatigue, outweigh risks of abuse and accidental overdose. Jazz sells the drug, known chemically as sodium oxybate, under the name Xyrem for people with narcolepsy, a sleep disorder. Jazz rose 36 cents, or 3.5 percent, to $10.61. The shares have gained 35 percent this year.
Palo Alto tech giant Hewlett-Packard has acquired Fortify Software, a San Mateo startup founded in 2003 in the basement of Silicon Valley venture capital powerhouse Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers. Financial terms weren’t disclosed. Fortify makes software that helps businesses protect information, reduce risk and comply with corporate governance regulations. According to Fortify’s website, the company’s technology removes possible threats from software code, ensuring that applications “cannot be used in a way that might damage an organization.” HP and Fortify have been collaborating on security and compliance technology since announcing a partnership in June 2009.
Redwood City-based Electronic Arts Inc. has $2 billion to spend on acquisitions, Chief Operating Officer John Schappert said in an interview Wednesday. “Right now we are pretty happy with how we are positioned,” he said. “We have $2 billion in cash and no debt” and that allows the company to make acquisitions if it wants to. Schappert also said the company will outpace the industry’s digital distribution sales growth of 20 percent a year.
Pleasanton-based Adept Technology Inc. has received an order from China-based Austong Intelligent Robot Technology for 12 Adept robots to automate a secondary packaging operation for a dairy processor in China. Adept, a maker of intelligent robotic systems, didn’t disclose the deal terms.
Compiled from staff and wire reports. Got Bay Area business news? Reach Drew Voros at 925-943-8099 or firstname.lastname@example.org.


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While many of the smaller property based companies are pulling their horns in, the biggest one is flexing its cheque book. They obviously see a future in the UK property market. Countrywide, the UK’s largest estate agency group by far, has continued its expansion plans by purchasing Hamptons International. This follows on the heels of its purchase of Sotheby’s International Realty UK franchise.
The deal means taking control of over 80 branches in the UK and abroad together with the rights to expand the brand worldwide.
Countrywide already has over 1,200 sales and lettings offices throughout the UK with 9,000 staff compared to its nearest rival Connells that has about 460 branches. Countrywide now has more than 40 brand names in its group and boasts over 700 mortgage consultants and the UK’s largest employed group of surveyors. It also has its own conveyancing network.
Countrywide (not to be confused with the US mortgage lender Countrywide Financial Corp) acquired the business from the Dubai based Emaar Properties, who will continue to operate Hamptons in the Middle East and Africa.
According to Grenville Turner, the Countrywide Group Executive: "This acquisition is a major breakthrough for both companies – they are a perfect fit. We identified that Hamptons International offers a key growth opportunity and we recognise the quality of its brand, its people, its branch locations and international credentials.”
Hamptons not only offers premium property worldwide, it also has its own property fund, Nanofunds in association with Bmor.
Countrywide continues to develop local brand names as opposed to pushing the Countrywide name. It has agencies such as Palmer Snell, Taylor’s, Chappell and Matthews and Morris Dibben. The company was bought out by Apollo Management in 2007and shareholders now include Oaktree, Alchemy and Polygon.


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Taipei--Kaohsiung Customs officers on Tuesday seized a shipping container of smuggled cigarettes that were estimated to have a market value of about NT$20 million (US$676,000).
The officers said that after checking the shipping list, they became suspicious of a container of goods being transshipped from Singapore and declared as polyethylene.
They then ordered the goods unloaded from the container vessel for inspection. The container was found to contain 900 cartons of cigarettes worth an estimated NT$20 million.
The Ministry of Finance and relevant central and local government agencies have adopted tougher measures to combat cigarette and tobacco smuggling since Oct. 20 last year in anticipation that a law that could double the health surcharge on cigarettes from NT$10 per pack to NT$20 from June 12 could spur smuggling.
To date, more than 6.22 million packs of smuggled cigarettes have been confiscated during the six-month period. In the first half of last month alone, about 1 million packs have been seized, according to the ministry.
Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel
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Deltek Broadens Reach To Parry ERP Giants
Deltek Broadens Reach To Parry ERP Giants
Deltek Systems Inc.
By Richard McCaffery, Staff Writer
Selling business software to federal contractors may be a small niche in the $35 billion enterprise resource planning market, but it's a major industry in the Washington region.
Deltek Systems Inc. has built an $80 million business, which has averaged more than 30 percent annual growth for the past 10 years, by helping integrators like the Boeing Co., Lockheed Martin Corp. and Raytheon Co. manage federal contracts.
The McLean, Va., company sells accounting, human resources, manufacturing and other business software that assists contracting companies with day-to-day functions. Now, the 550-employee firm is reaching into new markets to broaden its niche and fend off the giants of enterprise resource planning (ERP) PeopleSoft Inc., Oracle Corp. and SAP AG.
"The ERP market has changed a lot," said Ken deLaski, Deltek's president and chief executive officer. "We're being asked to do a lot more, and we want to do a lot more."
Deltek plans to roll out a new product in the first half of 1999 to punch into the hot front-office software market.
Fast-growing Siebel Systems Inc. of San Mateo, Calif., made a name for itself selling front-office software basically, products that help businesses manage relationships with customers. Siebel had sales of $119 million in 1997, up more than 200 percent from 1996.
Front-office software, such as sales force automation products, is a new market for Deltek, which traditionally sold back-office products such as accounting software. But it's an area Deltek executives and analysts said the company must succeed in if it expects to keep growing 30 percent a year.
"Long term, I think it's critical to provide a complete solution," said Richard Leggett, senior research analyst at Friedman, Billings, Ramsey Group Inc., Arlington, Va. "They want to own that market. It's a logical next step."
Founded in 1983 by Donald deLaski and his son, Ken, Deltek established itself by providing financial accounting software for government contractors.
The company's software helps project-oriented customers juggle consultants, fill out time sheets, calculate billable hours and a range of other business functions.
Federal integrators and contractors still make up the bulk of Deltek's customer base and account for 40 percent of Deltek's new sales. Just over 50 percent of Deltek's expected $80 million in 1998 revenue comes from federal contractors, Ken deLaski said.
Of its 5,000 customers, 968 are based in Maryland, Virginia and Washington, and more than 1,200 companies use Deltek's System 1 software, a product designed to manage federal contracts. Though sales of the DOS-based system have slowed since the company debuted its Costpoint ERP product, System 1 remains so widely used that Deltek is developing a Windows-based version that it plans to ship in the second half of 1999.
"They really own a market niche government contracting companies," said Christopher Desautelle, vice president of enterprise software at Legg Mason Inc. in Baltimore. "They do something very unique that a lot of people haven't been able to do, and they're competing against the monsters like PeopleSoft, Oracle and SAP."
Deltek's revenue has grown from $19.4 million in 1993 to $49 million in 1997. Income during the same period has more than doubled, from $4.5 million to $10.5 million.
Analysts like the company's management, control of expenses and high profit margins. Its net profit margin last year was 22 percent.
"Deltek falls into a unique category among public companies," Leggett said. "They have met or exceeded expectations, have above average profit margins, good visibility in the market and a clean balance sheet. In my book, that makes them a good buy."
For the quarter that ended Sept. 30, Deltek posted record revenue, earnings and software sales. Revenue rose to $21.6 million, income to $3.1 million, and software sales jumped to $7.4 million, up 43 percent from the third quarter last year.
Analysts expect the company to post revenue of $80 million in 1998 and earnings of 79 cents a share, up from 62 cents a share in 1997.
Deltek's stock took a hit when the market plunged last fall, and, like many small caps, it never recovered. It dropped from a high of $25.25 last spring to $16.50 in October. Deltek closed Jan. 8 at $16.75, giving it a market value of $300 million.
Now the company is expanding to other vertical markets, such as engineering, construction and architecture. In May 1998, Deltek bought Harper and Shuman Inc., Cambridge, Mass., for $15 million in stock. Harper and Shuman makes accounting software for architectural and engineering firms.
And the company made its first big move into the front-office software market last February when it bought SalesKit Software Corp. of St. Louis for $6 million in cash and warrants to purchase 130,000 shares of Deltek stock. SalesKit, a privately held company, makes sales force automation and customer management software.
Analysts said the integration of SalesKit's products has been tougher than expected but should pan out.
True to its niche, Deltek plans to target its front-office products to project-oriented customers.
"There are lots of ERP front-office products, but very few are focused on service-oriented companies," deLaski said.
Desautelle said the company must gain a stronger foothold abroad, especially in Europe where it has struggled; sell its new front-office products to existing customers; and expand into markets outside the federal government to maintain its growth.
"It's a very solid, well managed firm," he said. "Their big problem [in terms of stock price] is that they're small. The market's down on small caps."
Desautelle isn't down on Deltek. He expects its stock to hit $30 in the next 12 months.


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A succession of large-scale human studies, including two published earlier this month in leading medical journals, suggests that multivitamins and many other dietary supplements often do not have health benefits and in some cases may even cause harm.
The data have prompted some nutrition researchers to say taking vitamins is a waste of money for those without a specific nutrient deficiency or chronic illness. Such findings have also fueled a debate about whether the field should continue conducting expensive human trials to figure out whether particular supplements affect health.
"The better the quality of the research, the less benefit [supplements] showed," said Marion Nestle, professor of nutrition, food studies and public health at New York University. "It's fair to say from the research that supplements don't make healthy people healthier."
For instance, vitamins B-6 and B-12 are often touted as being good for the heart, but several studies have failed to find that they lower risk of cardiovascular disease, according the Office of Dietary Supplements, part of the National Institutes of Health. Vitamin C has not been shown in many studies to lower a person's risk of getting a cold. Calcium, while important to bone health, does not lower risk of heart disease or cancer and may increase risk of kidney stones.
"We have an enormous body of data telling us that plant-rich diets are very healthy," said Josephine Briggs, head of the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, another NIH center. "As soon as we take these various antioxidants [and other nutrients] out and put them in a pill, we're not consistently getting a benefit."
Researchers and nutritionists are still recommending dietary supplements for the malnourished or people with certain nutrient deficiencies or medical conditions. For instance folic acid, the supplement form of folate reduces the likelihood of a common birth defect if taken by pregnant women.
Studying the effects of vitamins and supplements in the real world is difficult, since people eat foods with multiple nutrients that can interact with supplements and skew results. And observational trials can only show an association, not cause and effect.
That is one reason the Council on Responsible Nutrition, which represents the supplement industry, says it is too early to say supplements do not have health benefits. Duffy MacKay, the group's vice president of regulatory and scientific affairs, says lengthier studies may be required to show the benefits of some supplements.
Click here to read more from The Wall Street Journal.


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Sixty per cent of WA businesses ranked GST reform among their top concerns for the upcoming year, while 72 per cent labelled payroll tax reform as a high priority.
CCI chief executive Deidre Willmott says it's no surprise payroll tax continued to rank as the biggest issue facing the WA business community.
“More than 90 per cent of CCI’s Members are small and medium sized enterprises – these SMEs tell CCI they want to create more jobs, but their businesses simply cannot withstand hitting the $850,000 payroll tax threshold and getting slogged with the extra tax burden,” she says.
“Payroll tax is a tax on jobs that should ultimately be abolished, however – given WA’s woeful budget position and weak jobs market – business is calling for the State Government to maintain the current payroll tax rate and commit to not lowering the threshold. Any increase in the tax burden on business will cost jobs.
“Independent research has found that lifting the payroll tax threshold by $100,000 would create nearly 900 jobs, so the reverse is true for a threshold drop – making it harder for small businesses to make ends meet would mean jobs are either not created, or worse, are abolished altogether.”
Willmott says businesses also tell CCI that as the collectors of GST in WA, they feel especially hard done by to see their hard-earned tax dollars sent to other states and territories.
“Particularly as the current GST model allows other states to rest on their laurels and not develop their underutilised industries. If other states built up their underdeveloped sectors, more WA GST dollars would stay in the west,” she says.
“CCI is calling for GST reform to stimulate national economic growth, help balance the state budget and give business back the confidence they need to invest in their enterprise, grow their operations and create more jobs for workers.”
Willmott says the annual member survey also showed WA businesses were extremely concerned with facilitating a role for local businesses in industry supply chains.
“Ensuring West Australian businesses can access opportunities on private and public sector works is critical to helping small and medium sized businesses grow and create jobs,” she says.
In addition to the Member survey, CCI is currently collecting responses for its quarterly business expectations survey.
In the survey, businesses can share their thoughts about the GST, WA business confidence and how they think the State’s economy is tracking.
►Please take 10 minutes to take CCI’s quarterly Business Expectations survey and share your thoughts on the GST, WA business confidence and how you think our state’s economy is tracking.


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Posted on December 28, 2018 at 10:17 PM
Netflix Users Beware: A New Wave of Phishing Scams has Arrived
According to a new warning issued by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) on December 26th, a new wave of phishing attacks has arrived. The statement says that scammers are attempting to trick people into giving away their private information by posing as Netflix, and likely other well-established services.
The FTC has also mentioned that even the Ohio police received one of the phishing emails which attempted to steal users’ login and payment data. The message is claiming that their Netflix account is on hold due to billing information issues. The victims then receive a link which usually takes them to a fake page that seemingly looks like the one operated by the service scammers are trying to mimic.
By attempting to log in, or provide the “service” with their data, users can reveal information that is then either sold to other parties or used for stealing money or identity theft.
That is how phishing attacks work, and the new wave seems very similar to attacks previously witnessed in late 2017. While the scams can be successful at times, there are ways to uncover whether or not the email from an alleged service is real or not.
How to recognize phishing
The FTC has mentioned this as well in their warning, stating that users who believe that they might be a target of a scamming campaign should check by contacting the company directly and asking for confirmation. However, users should keep in mind that the phone number that arrives in an email might be a fake one, which will put them in contact with the scammer instead of the real company.
Other clues that something might be wrong include poor spelling and grammar, the lack of users’ name in the email, or different spelling of certain words, and alike.
Finally, the FTC advises users to forward all phishing emails to an FTC-owned email address firstname.lastname@example.org, as well as to email@example.com, which is an address used by an anti-phishing group that includes law enforcement, ISPs, and other professionals. Furthermore, it is possible to report all scam attempts on ftc.gov/complaint. After reporting the scam to the authorities, it is also advisable to notify the company or a person that scammers are trying to impersonate.
Information security is one of the top priorities during users’ browsing sessions, which is why it is crucial to raise awareness of issues like these. By clicking on links in a phishing email, it is easy to lose sensitive data to scammers and hackers. Even worse, it is possible to download malicious software and experience issues over a much more extended period.


text: Chris Burch has remained fairly mum on the travails of his “revenge retail” project, C. Wonder, but he’s finally speaking out. “I take full responsibility for the failure of C. Wonder,” he told the New York Times in an interview. Added Burch, who lost an estimated $70 million on the venture, “It’s not about my ego, O.K.? It’s not about failing. It’s about the fact that this is a really good idea that should have been successful.” Burch blamed the business’s troubles on trying to grow too fast and taking on pricey store leases. The business filed for bankruptcy last week, and Burch is now attempting to buy the rights to the C. Wonder name for a little over $2 million. So who knows — we could be seeing a sequel down the road.


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SilverSneakers, an exercise program for Medicare-eligible seniors and group retirees, has developed a new member website to help seniors stay on track with their fitness goals. The program, which is administered by Healthways, aims to improve senior health by offering fitness classes and other support.
A SilverSneakers membership provides access to fitness centers around the country, customized SilverSneakers classes, health seminars, a specially trained Senior AdvisorSM to welcome you to your nearest fitness center and SilverSneakers Step, designed for members without easy access to a fitness center.
In addition to fitness classes, which are designed to increase muscle strength, flexibility, balance and agility and run from 45 to 60 minutes, members of the program can access the new website, which offers support to lose weight, quit smoking and reduce stress. A customized wellbeing plan is offered along with nutrition trackers, health-related articles, recipes, exercise demonstration videos, expert advice on exercise, nutrition and life skills and personalized health reports.


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Edmond, OK-based The Gourmet Gallery, an independent housewares, gift and specialty food store, has consolidated and changed locations. According to the Edmond Sun, a local news outlet, the store consolidated its two smaller outlets, located in Edmond and Oklahoma City, and opened one larger store at Edmond Market Place Shopping Center in Edmond.
The store confirmed the move on its social media pages.
“Hello there all of our Gourmet Gallery family. We are finally moved and all settled in. We are getting in all of our delicious fall and holiday goodies. So if you haven’t been by, you need to get in here and see our new place,” was posted on the store’s Facebook page.
The store carries specialty foods, gift baskets, cocktail accessories and Riedel Crystal, as well as olive oil, vinegar and Made in Oklahoma products. The retail outlet is owned by Janet McDonald and Cindy Utecht and has been in business for more than 18 years.
Two years ago, the duo launched subscription gourmet boxes. The club, according to the duo, extends the in-store experience to customers’ homes and generates a reliable source of monthly income at the same time.
“It is a great way for us to educate people on specialty foods. This allows them to try new ideas. We usually write and include three to six recipes or just serving suggestions to inspire customers on how else the items can be used,” said Utecht.


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2014 Washington Auto Show Winner of the Hyundai Price is Right Contest picking up his brand new Sonata
Hyundai Price is Right Contest winner Bill Levenson, a civil servant at the Federal Communications Commission, took delivery recently of a 2014 Sonata which was part of the prize package. Besides the new car, Levenson won all-expenses paid trip to Los Angles to attend a live taping of the Price is Right TV show. The Price is Right Contest has been a longstanding tradition at The Washington Auto Show, sponsored by the Washington Area Hyundai Dealers.
Getting the phone call from Auto Show Chairman Kevin Reilly, himself a Hyundai dealer, was truly amazing Levenson said at the time of the award on the last day of the show, February 2nd . The longtime DC resident needed a friend to drive him to Fitzgeraldês Lakeforest Hyundai where arrangements were made for him to take delivery of his new car because prior to wining the Sonata Levenson did not own a car.Download Bulletin PDF


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Current unified communications technologies and systems are a lot for IT and telecommunications departments to deal with. It is important, however, that these folks cast an eye a bit further down the road and see what is coming their way.
Over at IT Business Edge, I’ve recently worked on two pieces – a feature and a blog – that both speak to the future of UC, albeit a bit indirectly. It’s all good news: Both technology paths will broaden and deepen the menu of technologies available to end users.
The feature dealt with the emerging high speed wireless networking technologies. The story grew out of the news that the Wi-Fi Alliance and the Wireless Gigabit Alliance had entered into a development agreement. The goal is for the WiGig technology to be part of the Wi-Fi Alliance’s certification program. The WiGig Alliance also released its specification.
This is important because WiGig proposes to send a lot of data – as much as 7 Gigabits per second – wirelessly. That’s far more than Bluetooth and existing wireless techniques, which are designed for much more basic and fundamental tasks. It’s also enough to transmit high-definition video and data. This, of course, makes it a great potential addition to the UC menu.
The story points out that there are at least two other approaches, WirelessHD and the Wireless Home Digital Interface (WHDI), that also aim to transfer large quantities of data. Both are primarily aimed at consumer markets. The line between business and consumer platforms and techniques is porous, however. If equipment incorporating the standard makes it into commercialized gear, it will be used by businesses and be part of the UC landscape.
The blog post deals with a topic that is a bit further off. Big companies, including the likes of Nokia, Samsung, Motorola, Sony, Apple, HP and LG, are behind efforts to make displays that are bendable, roll-able and foldable. These efforts are starting to pay off. Such advances will push the envelope on mobility. Mobility, as a central element of UC, will benefit as well.
Neither of these topics will have an impact in the very near future, and neither is being positioned solely as a UC tool. But both could have significant impact on UC in the mid-term future and, for that reason, should be watched closely.


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Microsoft announces new ChatGPT-based Bing engine and Edge browser
What happened now? As expected, Microsoft has announced a new iteration of its Bing search engine based on a version of the same AI as ChatGPT. During an event at its headquarters in Redmond, Washington, the firm also said it is updating the Edge browser with new AI capabilities and a new look and feel.
Bing has been around for 13 years but still only has a 3% share of the browser market while Google is around 93%, but Microsoft believes integrating the OpenAI GPT-4 model into its search engine will help close that huge gap. . “This is a new day in search,” CEO Satya Nadella said.
New Bing available to try now in a limited PC version – you can join the waiting list to get the full version. The search engine shows results in their traditional form, along with an AI-powered sidebar containing more complete answers. Users can also directly ask questions to the chatbot, similar to ChatGPT.
Microsoft says the new Bing provides more relevant results, can aggregate results from multiple sources, and can refine answers. It can also create a vacation itinerary, prepare users for job interviews, get updates on the latest events, and more.
Some other examples of what the new Bing can do include looking for detailed instructions on how to substitute eggs for another ingredient in a cake you’re baking right now, without scrolling through multiple results. Microsoft also showed off Bing by creating an itinerary for each day of a five-day trip to Mexico City.
In the meantime, the updated Edge browser comes with new chat and messaging features. The former allows users to summarize web pages and ask questions about their content, while the latter helps generate emails and social media posts.
Microsoft is using an updated version of the GPT 3.5 language model that supports ChatGPT OpenAI in the new Bing and Edge. The company claims that this Prometheus model is more powerful than the famous chatbot and better responsive to search queries.
The chatbot revolution continues today as Google reveals more details about its rival artificial intelligence tool Bard during its Live from Paris event starting at 8:30 AM ET / 5:30 AM PT. Chinese search giant Baidu is also launching its own ChatGPT-style service called Ernie in March.


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Atlanta’s ELEAGUE Arena To Host ELEAGUE FIFA 19 Cup in May
ELEAGUE and Electronic Arts will further build on their partnership when ELEAGUE hosts the ELEAGUE FIFA 19 Cup – the penultimate Licensed Qualifying Event of the EA SPORTS FIFA 19 Global Series –– Saturday-Sunday, May 4-5, inside ELEAGUE Arena at Turner Studios in Atlanta. Live tournament coverage will begin at 10 a.m. ET each day, across Twitch and the B/R Live premium sports streaming service.
The ELEAGUE FIFA 19 Cup will feature 32 of the world’s elite professional players – 16 each on the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One consoles – contending for valuable Global Series Points, with the ELEAGUE FIFA 19 Cup Champion earning 850 points and the largest share of a $30,000 purse. The ELEAGUE FIFA 19 Cup will be the second-to-last Licensed Qualifying Event of the year, marking one of the final opportunities players will have to climb the Global Series Rankings and qualify for Playoffs and the FIFA 19 eWorld Cup.
ELEAGUE FIFA 19 Cup Commentators
ELEAGUE will turn to an expert lineup of FIFA commentators for its live tournament coverage, including host Kevin Egan, JP Pillat on play-by-play and analyst Aaron West as they make their debuts at ELEAGUE Arena. Analysts Mike LaBelle, Chu Morah, Dan Gaskin, and play-by-play announcer Scott Cole will all return from the ELEAGUE FUT Champions Cup February.
ELEAGUE FIFA 19 Cup Qualifying
All FUT Champions Verified competitors (more information available here) received an invitation directly from EA SPORTS to participate in the ELEAGUE FIFA 19 Cup open online qualifiers. The qualifiers – held in March – determined the 32 top performers – 16 each for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One platforms – invited to compete live at ELEAGUE Arena in May. More information about the roster of players set to compete in the ELEAGUE FIFA 19 Cup – including key competitors to watch – will be shared in the coming weeks.
TBS to Exclusively Televise All-New Episodes of ELEAGUE FUT Champions Cup February
Throughout the weeks leading up to and following the live tournament, fans will be able to enjoy all-new ELEAGUE FIFA 19 esports coverage via seven consecutive weeks of hour-long episodes focused on the successful ELEAGUE FUT Champions Cup February. The first episode will debut Friday, April 19, at 11 p.m. ET/PT, and the series will continue weekly through Friday, May 31, with all episodes airing exclusively on TBS.


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GREENSBORO, N.C. -- With only 80 days until Opening Day, baseball fever is hitting Greensboro! The Grasshoppers will launch individual ticket sales for their fifth season beginning on Saturday, Feb. 28, at NewBridge Bank Park.
In honor of the Hoppers' fifth season, all tickets bought on Tickets on Sale Day are only $5. This special discount is good for any seat to any game, but only valid for tickets purchased on Feb. 28.
The stadium box office will open at 9 a.m., with tickets to all 70 Grasshoppers home games available. Autographed Hoppers memorabilia will be given out to the first 50 fans to purchase tickets during the event.
Additionally at 8:30 a.m., the Hoppers will open the third annual Hoppin' Fun Yard Sale, located in the plaza entrance of NewBridge Bank Park and along Bellemeade Street. New to 2009, the team invites the community to participate by selling their own merchandise. Items for sale include assorted memorabilia from over 35 Minor League Baseball items, vintage baseball jerseys, rare bobbleheads and much, much more! Proceeds from the yard sale will benefit the Grasshoppers' 2009 charity, Red Dog Farm Animal Rescue Network.
As part of the season kickoff, anyone wishing to audition for the National Anthem can do so at the stadium from noon to 2 p.m., with registration beginning at 11 a.m. on a first-come, first-sing basis.
Local businesses will provide refreshments for the early rising fans, while supplies last.
Phone ticket sales will not open until Monday, March 2 at 9 a.m.
The Hoppers open their home 2009 season April 9 against the Greenville Drive. New for 2009, the Greensboro Grasshoppers' game times will begin five minutes after the hour in honor of the fifth season anniversary.
Night games will start at 7:05 p.m., with exceptions for day games at 12:35 p.m. and school days at 10:45 a.m. The most noticeable change in game times will occur on Sundays. First pitch will be at 4:05 p.m.
Our Hoppin' Fun 2009 promotional schedule is bursting with fabulous new nights and some of the classic fan favorites, including two Miss Babe Ruth's Barks in Park, Fireworks Fridays, Skyrocket Saturdays and Sunday giveaways! "We have had a lot of Hoppin' Fun in the last four years. I think this fifth season will prove to be even more creative and full of great entertainment," said Donald Moore, the Grasshoppers President and General Manager.
Season tickets and advertising packages are now on sale for the 2009 season. For more information, please contact the Grasshoppers office at 336.268.BALL.
This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs.


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6/11/2009 2:26:00 PM
RIM chief Chris Burke exits manufacturer after just five months
RIM’s Europe managing director, Chris Burke, has left his post after just five months, Mobile can reveal.
Burke joined the BlackBerry manufacturer from Vodafone where he was chief technology officer. Although news of his departure has only just emerged, Burke effectively left his post in May.
It is not yet known why Burke (pictured) has left, or the circumstances surrounding his departure.
Sources indicate a disagreement over strategy with senior RIM executives in Canada.
A spokeswoman for RIM said: ‘Chris Burke decided to leave RIM for personal reasons at the beginning of May. Chris had worked at the company for only a short while, but RIM appreciates his contributions and wishes him well. RIM of course remains focused on continuing its growth in EMEA and supporting its many customers and partners in the region.’
A replacement for Burke has not yet been appointed. He joined in January this year, following the departure of Charmaine Eggberry in August 2008.
Burke had been given the remit to take BlackBerry devices beyond corporate users and into the mass market, as well as building RIM’s application usage in Europe.
His departure leaves a vacuum for a replacement for the high profile
RIM has account managers to look after its big operator customers who will report directly into executives in Canada during the interim period, while RIM searches for a replacement.
Burke had also been building relationships with Carphone Warehouse, Phones 4u and distribution accounts including Brightpoint, 20:20 Mobile and most recently, Brightstar.


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Hong Kong International Airport reported cargo volume in March up 17.7% y-o-y, to 433,000 tonnes.
In 2015, cargo volume growth at HKIA stalled, and the Airport’s full-year handle was up just one-tenth of one percent over 2014. This stagnation continued through the first half of 2016, and, despite a strong finish in the last few months, full-year growth was only 3.2%.
The combined January/February 2017 period (which washes out the impact of the timing of the Chinese New Year holiday) saw HKIA’s handle up 7.6% over January/February 2016, so it appeared that the strong growth of late 2016 was carrying over into 2017.
March results from Incheon Airport in Korea, and PACTL (the biggest handler at Shanghai Pudong Airport) — up 11.7% and 11.4% y-o-y, respectively, indicated that air freight demand growth on North Asia was continuing strongly, but today’s news of 17.7% y-o-y growth at HKIAA makes it clear that “continuing strongly” is an understatement.
Commenting on the results, HKIA said: “The strong growth in cargo throughput was largely driven by exports, which recorded a robust 24% year-on-year increase. Imports and transshipments also experienced double-digit growth. Amongst the key trading regions, Europe and North America showed the most significant increases.”
For the first quarter of 2017, HKIA’s cargo handle was up 11.3% to 1.1 million tonnes.
Also worth noting is that the big increase in cargo volume in March came against a background of declining passenger traffic, which was down 2.0% y-o-y for the month.
To learn more about the air freight and express industry from the airport point of view, join us at Cargo Facts Asia in Shanghai next week, where executives from Incheon Airport, Brussels Airport, Amsterdam Schiphol Airport, the Shanghai Airport Authority, and PACTL will participate in several sessions.
To register, or for more information, visit www.cargofactsasia.com.